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retroman

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Posts posted by retroman

    Gibson Thunderbird

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    [quote name='BigRedX' post='970430' date='Sep 28 2010, 10:17 AM']For the ultimate in Thundebirdy goodness but with as many improvements as you can make without ruining the vibe have a look at the [url="http://www.mikelull.com/Instruments/T_Series.htm"]Mike Lull T-Bass[/url].[/quote]


    Oh my gawd, that link has just given me terrible GAS!! :wub:

    Gibson Thunderbird

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    Big love for the Thunderbird over here at retro towers :wub:

    IMHO, they have a much darker, deeper sound than the Jazz, with a lot more bottom end, and plenty of growl. The current Thunderbirds balance a lot better than the originals from the 60's and 70's, as the headstock is much smaller. The necks are really skinny, and fast. Headstock dive isn't the big issue that some people would have you believe, as long as you use a really good padded leather strap.

    Used to have one of the newer ones, currently have a 1976 Bicentennial Thunderbird IV.

    Make sure you do try before you buy, and check it over carefully before handing over the hard earned.

    Alembic - show us your pics

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Have to admit, big love for Alembics :wub:

    After deliberating for a long while whether to go the 5 string route, I managed to pick up a second hand Alembic Orion. I love it to bits. So easy to play, lovely tone, and the build quality is sublime. The mahogany body has a holographic effect to the wood, and the Zebrano top is stunning. Has very much become my go to bass :)

    Worst bass you have owned and why?

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    [quote name='Lorne' post='959249' date='Sep 17 2010, 11:10 AM']/\ Ah,Gibson and Yamaha,went to the same school of customer relations then LOL

    My Yamaha Attitude LTD cost a fortune £1200 (I consider that a fortune) in 1992,but they couldn't care less :rolleyes:[/quote]

    Yeap, certainly looks like they did! :lol:

    I really find it very disappointing that some of the major players can have an attitude towards their customers like that. If I spend £1k+ on a guitar I expect it to be really good quality, and if there is a problem, I expect good,prompt, and curtious after sales service. Unfortunately, there does seem to be an air of companies trading on past reputations.

    I've been quite tempted over the last year or so to have a USA Jazz.. Really tempted by the new 2010 deluxe Jazz V, with the block markers, etc, but too nervous to sink that amount into something again from one of the major players that have had QC issues in the past. In all fairness, never owned a genuine USA Fender, so I am swayed a little by "here say" on that one.

    What I find quite amazing is that some companies "cheap" brands are more consistent, better made and finished! :)

    Worst bass you have owned and why?

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    Worst experience ever........Gibson Thunderbird IV :)

    Ordered new, long wait for it to arrive, and the set up out the box was dreadful. Would have been more use as a bow and arrow. Easily found over 20 faults on the bass, including bits of wood missing out the fret board. The shop I bought it from did their best, But Gibson's aftersales service was shocking. The attitude I got was pretty much that I was lucky to have a new Gibson, and I also got the impression that they wanted me to keep running around after THEM :rolleyes:

    Suffice to say, that is the last time I buy/ order a new Gibson.

    On the plus side, once the set up issues were resolved, it was lovely to play, and the tone was awesome.

    Still have a real fetish for vintage Gibsons, and own 3, but it still winds me up if I think about it for too long.......

    Gibson EB-2

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    [quote name='BigRedX' post='939478' date='Aug 29 2010, 05:26 PM']For decent short-scale strings try [url="http://www.newtonestrings.com/"]Newtone[/url].[/quote]

    Thanks for the tip, I'll give them a try :)

    Gibson EB-2

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    I have a 1967 Gibson EB2 finished in Cherry.

    All sound advice above. Intonation can be a little awkward to get right, due to bridge design, and also the amount of choice in the string department is rather lacking these days. Some shops carry Rotosound short scale sets. I would love to know of others who make decent short scale sets? Drop tuning is an issue as well! :rolleyes: Main reason why mine doesn't get much use any more.

    Love mine to bits. Love the skinny, short scale neck, and the Baritone circuit is great for blowing the dust out of a speaker cab.....and shaking things to bits!

    my thoughts on the original questions are;

    a) seem to turn up on Ebay in fits and starts. There are about 3 on at the moment
    :) The going rate "appears" to be around £2,000 - £2500 for a good one. 60's Rivoli's seem cheaper.
    c) they're huge fun, leight weight, and have some serious bottom end. They are bit of a one trick pony though, and can be fragile. Not really suitable for a player that likes to pull the strings hard either IMHO.

    +1 for wanting to have a go on a Warwick Star Bass.

    Hope this helps :lol:

    Yay! Poll time. How many basses do you own?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    10 at the moment, and always room for one more..... :)

    Main users now are an Alembic Orion 5 string, and a Les Paul. Some get played occassionally, some sadly seem to get little use these days, as the two bands I am in use drop tuning.

    In no particular order;

    Alembic Orion 5
    1991 Gibson Les Paul
    1977 Gibson Thunderbird Bicentennial
    1967 Gibson EB2
    1980 Rickenbacker 4001
    Ibanez IC200 "Iceman"
    Squier Jazz bass (modded)
    Precision bass (modded, and of unknown origin)
    Squier Precision Special (modded)
    Aria Legend (my first bass)

    De-fretting Rickenbacker 4003 or Alternatives?

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    No, Don't do it! :rolleyes:

    I think there would be a few problems to be overcome as well. The Ric's have a lacquered finger board, and also the binding goes over the end of the frets. Not to mention it may well devalue the bass somewhat, all though this probably isn't such an issue as it was given to you by a family member.

    I would suggest get a Squier fretless Jazz, stick some decent pickups in it, and leave the 4003 as Rickenbacker intended :)

    Haynes manual to take on the bass

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Haynes manual for a Fender bass? That should be a pretty quick read then! :lol:

    I have stacks of old Haynes manuals, I pretty much use them as reference only........In their manual for the Mk2 Escort, all the wiring loom diagrams are labelled wrong :)

    Far prefer working from genuine manufacturers manuals, the chapters on automatic gearboxes are a good read, and normally take up half the manual! :rolleyes: Still trying to sum up the courage to strip, and rebuild the 3 speed Borg Warner automatic gearbox on my old Rover though :lol:

    I've seen the translations of a Haynes manual before. Never fails to make me howl with laughter

    Buying/selling Basses/Amps/Cabs

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Not had too many amps and cabs, as I really do shop around before I buy. My first rig was a full Trace Elliot stack - V-Type AH600, with the matching 4X12, and 2X15 cabs. Now I have moved onto an Ampeg SVT CL, and 610 HLF cab, and love it :wub:

    To be honest, I tend to apply my same way of thinking to bass amps, and HiFi amps.......The more whistles, bells, and knobs it has, the more it is trying to compensate for a poor amp. Just my opinion chaps. I'm sure that there are people out there who swear by their feature packed amps. Give me gain, bass, mid, treble, and volume any day. :lol: I just find that I seem to spend ages messing around with gadget laden amps, and never really seem to find what I am looking for, but a big, hairy old valve amp to me is plug and play.

    I've been through a few basses in the last year or so.....Tried the whole Stingray thing, and wasn't really for me. Beautifully built and finished, lovely tone, just found it uncomfortable/ painful to play at times. I now have 10 basses that are all different in their own way, and i don't think there is one that I would be keen to part with now. My main weapons of choice now are a Gibson Les Paul deluxe bass, with the Bartolini's, and an Alembic Orion 5 string. The Alembic is lush, and is only the second 5 string I have ever had. Finding it really easy to get on with.......Still occasionaly hit the low B by accident though! :)

    I guess that it just takes some people a while to find their ideal set up, others find something they like straight away, and a few are searching for the absolute nirvana :rolleyes:

    Feedback for Giblett123

    in Feedback

    Posted

    I'll second that :rolleyes:

    Just bought Chris' Alembic, and it was exactly as described.

    Really nice guy to deal with. Friendly, polite, and replies to PM's very quickly.

    Would definately deal with again.

    Thanks Chris,
    Rich :)

    What was your first bass set up?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Must have been about 93ish.......

    Aria Legend P-bass copy. Nice maple neck, lovely plywood body! :rolleyes: Still have the bass, it had a respray a few years back, as the plywood had started to go ripply underneath the black finish. It's now finished in ICI 2 pack Ford Petrol Blue, and still shines like a toffee apple. To be fair, it's a pretty good bass actually. I still play it regularly.

    Peavey Microbass....bought the same time as the bass, and the transformer packed up pretty quickly. Still have the amp, although it's currently doing service as a vocal PA at a church! :lol: Far fron the best sounding bass amp in the world, but it got me started.

    I think the first thing I ever learned to play on that set up was some old Sisters Of Mercy song :)

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