NR Tbird resurection

drbassman · March 06, 2008, 08:08:26 AM

There's nothing like a rescued NR! What a great sound and retro look. I'm actually taking mine to a quiet gig on Saturday, I'll try to have the wife take some pictures to share. My NR with the Mesa rig is awesome! Can't wait to hear Scott's!

godofthunder · March 07, 2008, 05:50:29 AM

Where is the gig Bill ? Tonight Fri we are at the Juke box on rt 104 in Spencerport, former country bar turned rock establishment. The first time we played there the country band that had been playing every fri might for YEARS showed up to play, no one told them about the new format. I felt real bad for them. Right out of the Blues Brothers. My faithfull NR will be onstage as always, I keep saying I am going to stop bringing it to gigs but I just depend on it so much. John yes I still have model G's waiting for their new home

the model Gbird is still off at the finishers

I rigged up the bass to play naked and man did it sound great. I am building these to use on stage.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/nrfbird002.jpg

drbassman · March 07, 2008, 05:59:21 AM

Wow, that's a real bummer for the other band! I hate when that happens. Bar owners can be such dicks! Your F-Bird looks so sweet, I'm still gonna do one someday if I can ever get these other projects off my bench! My gig is a church event at Brook Lea CC. The crowd should be pretty tame.

I've actually finished my NR completely except for filing the saddles a little more. I really like having the groove in them, it lowers the strings a bit and I can adjust for the fret board radius too. Also keeps them where I want them when playing! Otherwise, it's all done. I had to wet sand and polish the back again because I had to redo the clear coat after a problem with leaving it on a rubber mat over night. Opps, won't do that again! Can't wait to see yours totally finished!

godofthunder · March 07, 2008, 06:13:20 AM

Bill are you using using tone pro studs ? I think we have talked about this before. I found using the Tone Pro studs on vintage Thunderbirds you are going to have higher action than if you use original Gibsons. I am not sure why but I ran into this when installing one of my bridges on my NR using Tone Pro studs. I have never had this happen with the original studs. Bummer about the back of your Bird ! I tell the wife and daughter all the time keep your plastic and rubber junk off the furniture, I don't think they belive me that that that stuff can eat finish..........................but it does !

drbassman · March 07, 2008, 06:52:16 AM

Quote from: godofthunder on March 07, 2008, 06:13:20 AM
Bill are you using using tone pro studs ? I think we have talked about this before. I found using the Tone Pro studs on vintage Thunderbirds you are going to have higher action than if you use original Gibsons. I am not sure why but I ran into this when installing one of my bridges on my NR using Tone Pro studs. I have never had this happen with the original studs. Bummer about the back of your Bird ! I tell the wife and daughter all the time keep your plastic and rubber junk off the furniture, I don't think they belive me that that that stuff can eat finish..........................but it does !

Ditto on the rubber and nitro interactions! I'm using the Tone Pros cuz I actually can tork them all the way down, lower than the couple sets of original studs I have on hand. Weird, huh? For some reason, I need that bridge bottomed all the way out in order to get close to the action I want. I still need about 1/8" more before it's down where I like it. The action right now is good, but I like it low and just a hair above buzzing!

Barklessdog · March 07, 2008, 07:34:56 AM

QuoteI tell the wife and daughter all the time keep your plastic and rubber junk off the furniture, I don't think they belive me that that that stuff can eat finish..........................but it does !

I had a bit of that with my Reranch nitro bird, but my Rd sit/sat on rubber all it's life without ill effect???

godofthunder · March 07, 2008, 08:33:10 AM

I can't provide a answer John, wish I knew !

ramone57 · March 07, 2008, 09:17:07 AM

I'm pretty sure the formula for nitro has changed over the years, so that may have something to do with it. fwiw, I've never had any reactions between nitro & rubber (sounds obscene!) on any of my instruments.

godofthunder · March 07, 2008, 09:19:23 AM

The more I think about it I have never had a problem with a factory job, just on refins I have done with spray bomb nitro.

drbassman · March 07, 2008, 11:51:54 AM

I think it depend on the rubber compound in question. I use those see thru rubber non-skid mats on my work surface and that stuff leaves marks in the nitro. Even caused it to swell. The rubber on my Warwick 5-guitar stand doesn't mark any of my nitro finished basses. It's all in the chemistry.

Dave W · March 07, 2008, 04:46:55 PM

I've definitely seen the problem on factory paint jobs. It's true that nitro formulas have changed over the years (different vendors, improvements and EPA regulations) but new and old can be affected. Just depends on the composition of the rubber or plastic.

Lightyear · March 07, 2008, 09:08:15 PM

Quote from: Dave W on March 07, 2008, 04:46:55 PM
I've definitely seen the problem on factory paint jobs. It's true that nitro formulas have changed over the years (different vendors, improvements and EPA regulations) but new and old can be affected. Just depends on the composition of the rubber or plastic.

I built my daughter a long bookcase to set under the windows in her bedroom when she was about five. Made it out of clear pine that I put a pickled finish on that I didn't want to yellow so I used Deft. Stuff worked well and polished out great. Thing is about six feet long and maybe 28" high. I get it all set up and books loaded and she in turn used the top of it to play on - every piece of plastic she left on it, those of you with daughters know just how much Barbie crap is plastic, melted into the Deft! Some the plastic the Deft melted! To this day the top looks like Manuel Noriega's face

godofthunder · May 31, 2008, 06:42:08 AM

With the move progress has almost ground to a halt $:-\$ But last night I installed a set of vintage clover leaf tuners and Bill's tail piece ! I have yet to route the control cavity and install the nut. I am getting close but the wait is killing me. Right now the bass is primed out. I want to install all the hardware and wire her up before I do the final finish. Patience my ass.