Ultralite Clovers on a T-Bird

[TBird1958]

I don't wear this too much lately as my hair is much bigger than it used to be, you'll note the shiney boots, peaked cap and a rather large crop hanging off my left hip

   

The covers mount like this, but I think Dave knew all along 
CHROME RULES

[bassvirtuoso]

Mark, if you ever want to get rid of one of those Bicentennial pickguards, you should let me know.   

I have the tuners and the bridge. I've decided that this bass is a keeper, so the tuners will get installed. Now I need to decide on more holes: 70's covers and drilling, or Lull's and no drilling (minus the rings).

I think I'll probably skip the covers, I don't want to be too "anal".

[bassvirtuoso]

Black or gold speed knobs? 

[Chris P.]

I replaced the amber bells on my Bicentenial for some amber mirror caps. Black mirror caps are nice too. I think they're more classy than speeds.

[Highlander]

Dave/BV - have you ever wondered why a fly keeps circling a light - they do that because they use the sun for navigation, hence the circling, cos they're lost...

oops...

...and I presume that Chromitis must be something like that "mirror" scene in the "Matrix"...? 
The top of my head was dubbed "chrome-dome" years back...

This place is like that quote from Dante's Inferno - "all who take this path, forever give up hope", or sumfin' lahk thay-at... 

Mark - I never had a doubt, you must be angling for that transfer to Frankfurt... 

[TBird1958]

 Not that I have one to sell but I'm pretty sure a "bi"cie pickguard is just slightly different in size and hole locations than a  standard post '88. I will check this for you when I get home tonight Dave.  70's pickups will fit a modern Bird, as would Lull's, your drilling would just be for the rings........

Ken..............
Your new name is giving me a headache.................
If our Gibson gruppenfuhrer calls me back to my Fatherland............I'll go 

[bassvirtuoso]

Ken - what in the bloody el?

Mark - thanks for the info, and in advance for checking that out. I bought some 70's covers and rings off of eBay, but I really don't want to drill, but I might as well. Have you gotten your Lull T-bass yet? I wonder if the extra cash is worth it.

[TBird1958]

Dave,

When I stripped and potted my black pups into the chrome covers I just mounted them on some foam and drilled (carefully ) into the body. That was the easy part, drilling thru the pickups took much more time and care to not touch any of the coils with the bit.
Oh yeah, I vote for gold knobs.........

[bassvirtuoso]

So Mark, have you heard the Lull's against the SD 60's pickups?

[TBird1958]

Dave,

Don't bother with a '76 PG, it's bigger and the hole locations are different than a post '88 so save your $$$. I *should* be picking up my Lull on Friday I'll keep you all posted if I do and of course there'll be pics, Mike and Roger are likely going to meet the Fraulein when I pick it up 

[bassvirtuoso]

Thanks Mark!

I'll be taking the Thunderbird in soon to get the first "chroming treatment".

[n!k]

Figured i'd join on the tuning key fun since I just changed out mine as well.



They are the rather stately cosmic black Gotoh Res-o-Lite tuners. Similarly to Hipshot, a full set weighs about the same as 3 of the normal grover tuners. The black appears as black normally, but gleams in the light. It's an attractive look if you ask me (the missing link between black and chrome!? Can the great war end!?)

[bassvirtuoso]

(the missing link between black and chrome!? Can the great war end!?)

This reminds me of Battlestar Galactica. Does that make Mark one of the final five? Uwe would have to be Admiral Adama, doing whatever is possible to stop the onslaught of the chrome Cylons. I could see myself being Baltar, I enjoy both sides but think that the plastic humans could make peace with the chrome Cylons, it is as God had intended.

[Highlander]

"To chrome, or not to chrome: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of his outrageous Tequilabird,
Or to take arms against a sea of bland Fenders,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we Low-end frequencies
The heart-ache and the thousand natural bass-runs
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream of more chrome: ay, there's the rub, the polishing of the chrome;
For in that sleep of death what dreams of chrome may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal "pup" coil,
Must give us pause (to turn up the amp): there's the respect
That makes calamity of bad refin's;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of no chrome,
The oppressor's failed delivery of our BaCHbirds, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love of eight strings, the law's delay,
The insolence of office of Roman, and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes, and re-takes when we fail to get that run, just so,
When he himself might his quietus stanby switch make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life of humping the gear back to the van,
But that the dread of something after death, the bass solo,
The undiscover'd country, another bass solo, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have against Mark King and his ilk
Than fly to others that we know not of, the cheap Japanese 1960's copy?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, for not fitting more chrome;
And thus the native hue of unpolished chrome
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought of not polishing,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents overload turn awry,
And lose the name of action due to a badly adjusted truss rod. - Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins of lacking in chrome replacements be remember'd."

with apologies to THE Bard...

[TBird1958]

 Missing link?..........yup!
Like the shape of those quite a bit, I hadn't seen them before.

(the missing link between black and chrome!? Can the great war end!?)

Now what fun would that be?  We 'd have to stop trying to humor Uwe about the real merits of black plastic.