THUNDERBIRD BASS

GSPBASSES

This is a Thunderbird 4 string bass I’ve just finished building. It has a 5 piece through neck made from 3 pieces of mahogany and 2 pieces of walnut. The neck is fitted with a 2 way truss rod and 2 carbon rods 3mm X 9mm running each side of the t/rod the body wings are mahogany.  The pickups are active EMG TBDC with a EMG BTS System for master volume, balance with bass and treble cut and boost on separate pots. The fingerboard is Ebony with block MOP inlays plus cream bandings to match the pick guard, fretted with J/D 6100 frets and Schaller BM machine heads the finish is Polyester. The bridge is a through body Gotoh copy there is a Jazz bass hand rest over the neck pickup.

ICBM

If you don't mind me asking, why did you make it with the neck so much longer than an original one? Surely the balance is even worse?!

Lovely work, but I can't imagine how I would play it ! (I'm only 5'6" and a normal Thunderbird is stretching things to reach the first fret.)

Definitely think the volute behind the nut was a good idea! I got my '76 T-Bird for £100 because the neck came in two pieces :-O.

GSPBASSES

Your right it is a bit un-balance but know more then a gibson, how ever the new owner is well over 6' and big with it so no problem to him, I did play it for some time before it went and found I got used to the balance so it was not a problem to me. The body wings are made form mahogany a bit heaver then I would normally use that help with the balance, the bass weight 9 lb 8 oz's.  Also if you look it is a 24 fret neck and he wanted to get to the higher frets that why the bridge had to be move up the body by about 80mm. One other point the bottom body wing is some 40mm shorter then a gibson so the neck does looks a lot longer that it actually is.

monquixote

That's a cracker. 

I bet it rocks like a baddy. 

Andyjr1515

Superb job  :-)

Andy

Misterg

Nice