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The Mike Lull Club Part 2

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#2
I'm in!

I own

#1165 Modern 5, qulited maple top, trans black with maple neck.

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#3
Scott, you might try picking up a Sadowsky Outboard, or Onboard Preamp and having Mike install it, or you can yourself if your handy with a soldering iron. I have not tried this on my Lull's but have used both versions on many basses in the past with complete success. Finding the right pickups is always a help. I really like the Duncans that came on my Lull PJ5. I have an ash body with a rosewood board. I get a great tone out of mine with Dean Markley Blue Steel ML gauge strings. I am about to send mine back to Mike for a Plek and fresh setup spec'd for my strings of choice. Also I have a T-bass that I love just as much. I may pick up a Sadowsky outboard for mine, now that I think about it. I also use Aguilar gear, and have a DB750, so in theory, the EQ is the same as a Sadowsky preamp, so you might try using the post DI switch with your EQ engaged. I go 10 oclock on treble, 11 on mids, 2 oclock on bass, 10 oclock on gain, post DI for the EQ and the Tubes, and no other switches engaged into either 2 DB412's or 1 GS212 with the tweeter knob set at 12 oclock. I also make sure to use 12 gauge speaker wire, or even 10 if you can find it. In general, that should give you the tone your looking for, but for sure, the BEM board is going to give it that Modern Zingy, "Fusion" sound as one guitarist I worked with called it. BTW Im speaking of an old Sadowsky I had with Ash body, and Maple board, 24 frets with Sadowsky/Duncan pickups. The bass did always sound great on recordings and direct though!
 
#6
tycobb73 said:
took this long to get to part 2. I wonder why he doesn't have more fans.
Click to expand...

It took almost a year to finish part one.

Mike Lull has a formula that works. Period.

His end result is equal or better than most boutique basses on the market at a great price point.

For whatever reason his brand is kinda under the radar...
 
#8
Supertanker said:
It took almost a year to finish part one.

Mike Lull has a formula that works. Period.

His end result is equal or better than most boutique basses on the market at a great price point.

For whatever reason his brand is kinda under the radar...
Click to expand...

I would probably own one if they did a 34" scale 5 string. 35" scale basses, for me, are very hit and miss when it comes to comfort. I can play a Lakland all day long but an MTD or a Modulus doesn't work for me. For this reason I've be hesitant to order one. Otherwise, everything about them would seem right up my alley.
 
#9
Supertanker said:
It took almost a year to finish part one.

Mike Lull has a formula that works. Period.

His end result is equal or better than most boutique basses on the market at a great price point.

For whatever reason his brand is kinda under the radar...
Click to expand...

Perhaps it is because making basses and guitars is only a little part of MIke's business as told by him, repairing is almost 70-80% part of his business already..his instrument is the bonus of the rest.
 
#10
Supertanker said:
It took almost a year to finish part one.

Mike Lull has a formula that works. Period.

His end result is equal or better than most boutique basses on the market at a great price point.

For whatever reason his brand is kinda under the radar...
Click to expand...

I'd say it's a sheer numbers/"promotions" game. In conversations with him Mike has said to me that repairs/tech works "is what keeps the roof over my head" and that his instruments are "just for fun" (although I think that was a bit of an understatement, especially with the new models he's spent so much time working on over the past few years: the M4XL, the T-Bass, soon-to-be T-Bass 5, the talked-about P/T bass :smug: ). There's also the fact that "Mike Lull Custom Guitars" simply isn't as seen as much and therefore known as much as a certain NYC-based "SuperJazz" builder ;) - I'm sure being based out of Seattle as opposed to NY/LA/Chicago (think Sads, MTD, Lakland, etc...) doesn't help as he's located out of the "Hot Spots".... and even when Seattle was the Hot Spot in the late '80s/"Grunge"-covered '90s, the market was much more based around Vintage instruments (which you can see on the Repair side of his side - practically every Seattle-based band that got big used him for repair/tech/pre-tour work).

It's a Catch-22 in a sense - if he worked out of a larger city his instruments would almost certainly be seen and used by a bigger percentage of players, but I'm sure supply and demand would then kick in and we'd lose out on both the "under the radar" vibe as well as cost compared to other builders that I consider are in the same league.
 
#11
I'm lucky to live near Mike's shop, every visit is a treat, you never know what you'll see that he may be working on for someone - or better yet, chat with him about basses. I bought my first "real" bass (a 4001 Rick) from him back in 1976 when he worked at another Bellevue, Wa music store. He's very friendly and always has a good story or two to share, especially about Thunderbirds, really a first class guy!
 
#12
The Aguilar circuit is similar and is supposed to be the same, but they are different. I prefer the Sadowsky to the Aguilar when installed on a bass. Alex Aguilar built the original onboard Sadowsky preamp, and then when he started Aguilar, he changed his own preamp to be ever so slightly different from the Sadowsky. Side by side, again, I prefer the Sadowsky.
 
#13
theaterbass29 said:
The Aguilar circuit is similar and is supposed to be the same, but they are different. I prefer the Sadowsky to the Aguilar when installed on a bass. Alex Aguilar built the original onboard Sadowsky preamp, and then when he started Aguilar, he changed his own preamp to be ever so slightly different from the Sadowsky. Side by side, again, I prefer the Sadowsky.
Click to expand...

I've heard from multiple people in the industry that it's the exact same circut...you might just be hearing the difference between 9 and 18 volts.
 
#15
CliffD said:
You guys know if Mike's shop has a showroom where people can walk in and play some of his basses? I'm gonna be in Seattle this weekend and would love to stop by.
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Yes he does, but this weekend it may be a little bare as they're at NAMM and take most of the *sample* pieces with them.
 
#16
I'm a big fan of Mike, the way he does business, and his instruments. As with all brands, I'm hit-or-miss until finding the right one. But when that right one comes along, it's something very special indeed. My M5V - alder/rosewood, NTMB, CAR finish - is one of those gems. Feels great, and it sounds terrific. At gigs I get more compliments on this bass than I do any of my others.

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Clips - stage mix, Genz Benz Shuttle MAX12.0 > 2x Aguilar GS112:
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