WHUFC BASS

What a bargain ! I love these basses. My first real bass was an '83 Thunder IA with the old-style logo like yours. As you say, weighed an absoloute ton, ate batteries for breakfast but was great to play. Bought it in 1983 from a second-hand shop for £40 !! Used it throught the 1980s in punk, metal and rock bands and it never let me down.

[quote name='xgsjx' post='985458' date='Oct 12 2010, 10:28 AM']Anytime I've mic'd up the mic has been set about 6-12" from the middle of the cab.In this day & age I just DI straight out the amp as the engineer can use a modeller if it's needed.[/quote] I agree with that. DI is always the best for bass IMO. A combination of both DI and mic'd cab is also OK but mic'ing up a cab on its own for a bass sound I would avoid. Some of the bass amp modellers are pretty good nowadays and Ampeg do one which sounds very good indeed. Some of the modellers that ship with Garageband / Logic are also pretty good and very usable. I wouldn't dream of using a modeller on guitar as it gives it a horrible digital fizz but for bass they can't be beaten.

The best way I've found is to get a catchy chorus or harmony in your head. Build on a catchy chorus and you can't go wrong. Generally I've found the simpler the chord structure the better in trying to achieve this. Also, if you sing about something that means something to you, the lyrics will be a lot easier to write. I see some bands who write the biggest load of drivel for their songs (Oasis being a great example as well as a lot of metal bands). Take into consideration the singers range - for example a song might sound great played in the key of E but if your singer's range can't match it, then it'll sound bad. As mentioned, a good knowledge of harmony is a great tool. Not just for vocals but for guitar too. Bottom line is - if you don't really like the song from the off, the chances are not many other people will like it either.

Some decent old school punk:

[quote name='mcnach' post='975296' date='Oct 2 2010, 06:52 PM']different environment, maybe warmer?changes in humidity? those things will affect the set up. It's not unusual for certain instruments to need a tweak as seasons change...[/quote] I don't really think so. Not significantly anyway. It just started buzzing a day or two later. This was about a month ago and I haven't had time to go back there. I'll take it to my usual place and see how it goes. If it still doesn't work out then its getting sold.

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='968971' date='Sep 26 2010, 11:03 PM']It says "set-up in the USA" when you buy it. Take that as, 'put in a box in the USA' because the set-up was awful. But after a DIY set-up, as above, and some lemon oil on the fingerboard, it was sorted).[/quote] Mine was the same, unplayable out of the box, so what they do in the US to them is anyone's guess. Took it to the Bass Gallery for a set up, still not happy with it. Played OK in the shop. Couple of days later after taking it home, its buzzing all over the place. So it looks like I'll have to take it elsewhere for a set-up. Really pissed off over this bass, as I wanted this to be a half decent back-up to my Traben basses.

My favourite Thunderbird Tone right here:

If its metal you play and want an EBMM tone with a bit more on top, I reckon you should go for one of these: Or the John Moyer with Rockfield pre-amp which sounds even more EBMM. Absolutely massive hot output on this with the pre cranked right up. Great tone too: This is the 5 string, they do a 4 string too.

I'd have serious doubts about the authenticity with the neck pocket being painted. Surely if there were any markings on there, they've now gone. Also, why are is the pickup rout and the control cavity bare wood but the neck joint not?

[quote name='KevB' post='955996' date='Sep 14 2010, 01:43 PM']Dave's post made me think of this... [/quote] Classic sketch... I love it and we even know a guitarist of a certain band who this applies to. Seriously though, there are some people out there who act like this.

mark radcliffe used to drum for Skrewdriver before they turned into a white power skinhead band.

Anyone played a Fodera through an Ampeg SVT ??

[quote name='Aleks210' post='945838' date='Sep 5 2010, 04:29 AM']To be honest with u i do want to get sound like Fieldy but also i want 'umph' as u said hah and i love ibanez basses and i just wonna ask what sort of style r u playing im just intrested?? Thank u very much for a link i will tthink about it thanx [/quote] Right, don't get a K5 then. I had one and it didn't really have any bottom end at all. If you want the Oomph then go for a Traben 5 string. Some real power in them basses. The John Moyer Havoc has the loudest most punchiest output on a bass I have ever played (and I've played a few!). I defy any bass out there to outdo it in the output and sheer hugeness of sound stakes.

[quote name='Beedster' post='943233' date='Sep 2 2010, 12:00 PM']Adding to that I'm aware that both Hipshot and Leo Quan (a.k.a. Badass) have recently had legal problems with 'certain manufacturers', so that's perhaps a factor in the MM issue. C[/quote] Thats interesting. I wonder how do companies like Nordstrand, John East and Kent Armstrong get away with making Musicman replacement pickups ?

Fender basses seem to be modded at every given oppurtunity and the bent piece of tin for a bridge is usually the first to go. Why not so on a Musicman Stingray ? In effect its just a slightly bigger bent bit of tin surely yet I've never seen any that have been modded. Any ideas why ?

That looks sanded down headstock off a Westfield copy to me. The bridge is a dead giveaway too. Definitely not a genuine Musicman Stringray.