Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

A few dozen pages back I looked into putting chrome pup covers and rings on a standard Eppi IV bird. I’ve attached my findings in the post above. Hope it helps you.

Thank you! That's perfect.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

For those that listened to the sound clips and others that might be curious about how one type of thunderbird sounds compared to another or impact of string selections on your bass here’s the order the basses were recorded in on the sound clips above…

Recording order:
1) BlingBird (Optima Gold round wounds)
2) Gibson 2013 Gold Anniversary (Optima Gold round wounds)
3) Epiphone VP (Fender 7150 round wound nickels)
4) 1990 Greco IV (GHS Boomers nickel round wound std core)
5) Epiphone Goth (.022uf tone cap and Cobalt flats)
6) Gibson 2015 (La Bella Black nylon tape wounds)

Test notes:
All basses set with all pickup volumes at 80% and all Tone knobs at 50%
Right hand position at top edge of neck pup (center pup on bling)
Finger style playing,

Ranking:
To my ears the Greco and Goth were neck and neck at the top of the pack. Followed closely by the BlingBird. Then the 2013 and 2015 Gibsons pretty much mid pack both neck and neck, and the VP bringing up the rear.

Strings:
Only two basses had the same strings (Bling and 2013) so that’s the purest bass comparison of the bunch. If you’ve been Tape curious, listen to track 6 in each heat it’s a fairly accurate example of what tapes will make your bird sound like. If you have a Goth and it doesn’t sound like track 5 it’s probably because of the combination of the .022 tone cap I installed and the addition of Cobalt flats. Lastly, I think the VP would have faired much better with Cobalt flats (possibly the same for the Bling) but Cobalts would have hurt the 2015.

Sorry I never finished the comparison. But after the first listen, I recall #1 won the first two heats, and was close in the third.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Pure Wheat!

Rocking the Inverness Green Non Reverse live.

Someone screwed up really badly. The bass player got a bunch of video time! Or the bass did. Maybe both.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

...

View attachment 4595905

Come on, baby, light my fire! Try to set the night on ... FI I IRRRE!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I thought you had to lick your fingers before touching those things.

Bypass the middle man (finger) and just lick the electrode.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Did y'all see this build a little while back?

First build attempt...

 

[TBird1958]

I hate hearing things like this. Makes me consider 'melting' a credit card-which would not be prudent.

A Sweetwater card would keep it reasonable - another approach might be hawking a kidney. j/k

 

[Bent77]

A Sweetwater card would keep it reasonable - another approach might be hawking a kidney. j/k

I recommend selling someone else’s kidney

 

[Stealth57]

Just back from 85 degree boring weather in India and the Bay Area gets some Midwest treatment…sort of.

 

[bobyoung53]

I thought you had to lick your fingers before touching those things.

You get more of a thrill.

 

[GBassNorth]

Just back from 85 degree boring weather in India and the Bay Area gets some Midwest treatment…sort of.

View attachment 4596291 View attachment 4596292

Just look at it as an old Roman greeting…
“Hail Stealth”

 

[Bent77]

Nope, that’s cloud poop

 

[JJR58]

And hold a beer.

 

[BklynKen]

Just back from 85 degree boring weather in India and the Bay Area gets some Midwest treatment…sort of.

View attachment 4596291 View attachment 4596292

I hear you. Three weeks in the Northern Mariana Islands and back to NYC winter. Granted not what it used to be, but still....

 

[JJR58]

All I have to offer right now is a pic from my visit to SC, (South Carolina) that is.

Short of posting an FZ vid.

 

[BklynKen]

All I have to offer right now is a pic from my visit to SC, (South Carolina) that is.

Short of posting an FZ vid.

View attachment 4596325

Don't eat that yellow snow.

 

[MCF]

I hate hearing things like this. Makes me consider 'melting' a credit card-which would not be prudent.

They’re great Thunderbirds though. Just Saying…

 

[JJR58]

Don't eat that yellow snow.

That too, but no snow there.

But I meant Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy.

 

[MCF]

Someone screwed up really badly. The bass player got a bunch of video time! Or the bass did. Maybe both.

Gibson paid for the video production.

 

[dagrev]

View attachment 4596024

December found this phaser super cheap, 2nd hand; not yet tried, maybe I do today.

Should sound good. In a live setting is the real test. Some sound great at home and disappear live. I got a good deal on a new TC Electronics Helix after my beloved Phase 90 died (and before Chuck resurrected it!). It's very flexible and a great phaser. But I'm forever connected to my 82/2 Phase 90.