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The Mike Lull Club Part 4

#441
Waaas Up !!!
A micro update on the whole Low B issue I was having with my new M5V, 34" alder body, maple board.
I'm calling this a micro update cause, as we all know, it takes a few gigs and a few different rooms to really get a good tonal perspective on anything.
So I got the new brass bridge from Mike to replace the aluminum bridge that is standard on these basses. I put the new bridge on and tested the bass at home, first, with a set of used Sadowsky strings and then a brand new set of DR, High Beams, 40-120. For some reason, everything at home, BEFORE and AFTER I put the new bridge on, seemed to sound good. I couldn't get the low B to wimp out on me. Shoulda tried tried it with the Tonehammer amp as well instead of both my small amps then the large EBS head and Berg cab. Anyhow!!
At home, I did notice an improvement in the sound of the low B. It went from good to really good. All the strings had a slightly more compressed sound. Brighter and/or more defined with more high mids.
I took the bass to my Top40 gig on NYE and WOW did I notice a difference. It could have been the stage...who knows but the bridge seems to have made a very noticeable difference. The low B is now terrific! It kicked ass on the gig, and did not sound wimpy as compared to the other strings. If anything, the low B sounded better than the E string which seems to perhaps have suffered a bit with the brass bridge!?!?
My low B issue is now resolved! The bridge made a big difference. Not sure I'm digging the slap sound quite as much, but it's still great and cuts through. At the end of my gig, a bass player in the audience came up to me and gave me a lot of compliments on my tone and playing. He asked what brand the bass was and I told him. He said that my finger tone was at a perfect volume but when I slapped, my volume really increased to where I was louder than anyone else on stage. :-)
I REALLY enjoyed the bass on the gig and it's now my favorite bass for pop/rock gigs! Problem resolved so far and hopefully case closed. I'll be playing the bass at my church gig and will report back as I do more gigs with the bass. Onward and upward with the Lull!!!
 
#443
funkythumb said:
Waaas Up !!!
A micro update on the whole Low B issue I was having with my new M5V, 34" alder body, maple board.
I'm calling this a micro update cause, as we all know, it takes a few gigs and a few different rooms to really get a good tonal perspective on anything.
So I got the new brass bridge from Mike to replace the aluminum bridge that is standard on these basses. I put the new bridge on and tested the bass at home, first, with a set of used Sadowsky strings and then a brand new set of DR, High Beams, 40-120. For some reason, everything at home, BEFORE and AFTER I put the new bridge on, seemed to sound good. I couldn't get the low B to wimp out on me. Shoulda tried tried it with the Tonehammer amp as well instead of both my small amps then the large EBS head and Berg cab. Anyhow!!
At home, I did notice an improvement in the sound of the low B. It went from good to really good. All the strings had a slightly more compressed sound. Brighter and/or more defined with more high mids.
I took the bass to my Top40 gig on NYE and WOW did I notice a difference. It could have been the stage...who knows but the bridge seems to have made a very noticeable difference. The low B is now terrific! It kicked ass on the gig, and did not sound wimpy as compared to the other strings. If anything, the low B sounded better than the E string which seems to perhaps have suffered a bit with the brass bridge!?!?
My low B issue is now resolved! The bridge made a big difference. Not sure I'm digging the slap sound quite as much, but it's still great and cuts through. At the end of my gig, a bass player in the audience came up to me and gave me a lot of compliments on my tone and playing. He asked what brand the bass was and I told him. He said that my finger tone was at a perfect volume but when I slapped, my volume really increased to where I was louder than anyone else on stage. :-)
I REALLY enjoyed the bass on the gig and it's now my favorite bass for pop/rock gigs! Problem resolved so far and hopefully case closed. I'll be playing the bass at my church gig and will report back as I do more gigs with the bass. Onward and upward with the Lull!!!
Click to expand...

Happy to hear it. Especially as I am waiting for my 34 5er to be finished and sent my way. Will give a low B review when I get it.
 
#447
basswave said:
Curious on your 34" preference over the 35"?
Familiarity?
Feel thing?

Share your thoughts...

Cheers
Click to expand...
Both. The net difference between 1" spread across that amount of space is really quite small. But it can make all the difference when jumping several frets using muscle memory (without looking at your hands). The other thing I personally subscribe to, is on fretless, the overtone sequence and timbre of the sound is different, which might affect intonation... not good/bad, just different... getting back to the "familiarity" aspect.

Anyway, IME/FWIW.
 
#449
Vic said:
Both. The net difference between 1" spread across that amount of space is really quite small. But it can make all the difference when jumping several frets using muscle memory (without looking at your hands). The other thing I personally subscribe to, is on fretless, the overtone sequence and timbre of the sound is different, which might affect intonation... not good/bad, just different... getting back to the "familiarity" aspect.

Anyway, IME/FWIW.
Click to expand...

+1.

For me it make a big difference in first position with my hand feeling comfortable covering four frets without movement to reach the G# for extended periods. I also like the feel of the D and G strings better on 34.
 
#450
I personally would always pick a 35 from Mike. If I always played a finger per fret down low, I might feel different. Yes, the G string can get a little tight sounding/feeling, but right hand technique takes care of that for me if I'm feeling bothered by it. I love the feel of a 35 inch B string. It's also a safer bet when ordering a bass without being able to play it first.
 
#451
Cool folks thanks for sharing.

I will be joining the Lull fold and went 35 for me M5V.

34" scale J basses 5 I just cannot get to work as well with my heavier right hand. I have high hopes for the M5V.

I went a little different with mine.
Nordstrand 70's wind (60s position though) and Audere pre.
 
#452
basswave said:
Cool folks thanks for sharing.

I will be joining the Lull fold and went 35 for me M5V.

34" scale J basses 5 I just cannot get to work as well with my heavier right hand. I have high hopes for the M5V.

I went a little different with mine.
Nordstrand 70's wind (60s position though) and Audere pre.
Click to expand...
You will be happy. There's absolutely no inherent "problem" with a 35" scale J style bass. Play what fits you best.

Just one thing...

Have you played an Audere preamp much before, or is it new-ish territory for you?
 
#454
Vic said:
Have you played an Audere preamp much before, or is it new-ish territory for you?
Click to expand...

I have the Audere in all my 4 string Js but one. I know where your going with this and some like chef don't dig it.

I love the Audere the work David does. Its Low z mode to me is on the fatter side and the eq is very subtle (which I love). I'm more of Audere/Nordstrand pre type of player over the Aggie/Sadowsky type pres...

Its like 2 different camps. I would put the East more towards the Audere/Nordstrand but a touch more of its own thing, I like that one as well.
 
#455
I'm also going Ash/Ebony on my M5V in Trans black.
Full finish on that back as well....

I didn't go all out but didn't hold back and on anything I wanted either.

I'm looking for the ultimate work horse, can do anything type of bass.
 
#456
basswave said:
I have the Audere in all my 4 string Js but one. I know where your going with this and some like chef don't dig it.

I love the Audere the work David does. Its Low z mode to me is on the fatter side and the eq is very subtle (which I love). I'm more of Audere/Nordstrand pre type of player over the Aggie/Sadowsky type pres...

Its like 2 different camps. I would put the East more towards the Audere/Nordstrand but a touch more of its own thing, I like that one as well.
Click to expand...
You are correct, and at least for me, I couldn't get any mode of the preamp to sound pleasing to my ears, despite the fact that I think Dave is highly intelligent and the product is as well made as anything else on the market. Personally, I wouldn't put the Audere in the same camp as the East and Nordstrand tonally, though feature/approach, maybe like the East. The East seems more "hi-fi" and the Nordstrand seems a lot more transparent. The Audere to me had its own voice... a very polarizing tone IMHO. You either really like it, or you don't. Didn't work out for me, but YMMV of course. And again, no slam on the product or the man at all. Pure personal taste.

funkythumb said:
Vic,
What's your pickup/ preamp combo in your M5V?
Click to expand...
Seymour Duncan singles and Bart preamp.
 
#457
basswave said:
I'm also going Ash/Ebony on my M5V in Trans black.
Full finish on that back as well....

I didn't go all out but didn't hold back and on anything I wanted either.

I'm looking for the ultimate work horse, can do anything type of bass.
Click to expand...
Just curious... you're going with an ebony board and a 35" scale, so the more vintage thing doesn't seem to be an issue for you. Why did you go M5V instead of M5? Don't like 24 fret models?
 
#459
Vic said:
Just curious... you're going with an ebony board and a 35" scale, so the more vintage thing doesn't seem to be an issue for you. Why did you go M5V instead of M5? Don't like 24 fret models?
Click to expand...

I though about that and I was on the fence...I actually like that model as well, but it came down to the following specifically for this bass.

-I didn't really want a figured maple top (although I'm sure I could have opted out)
-Don't need the extra higher frets
-From the esthetic point of view I wanted trans finish with a solid color pickgaurd.

Who knows what the future brings...:bassist:
 
#460
If I get another Lull, it'll be an M5. The M5V has poor access to the upper frets because of the lower horn shape. It's not a huge issue on this bass because I'm using it as a pop bass where I'm not soloing. The M5 has a different lower horn shape with way better access. I'd also love 24 frets. I wish Mike made an M6, string. I'd be all over that!
 

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