Thunderbirds by Mike Lull

[GCool]

I'm about to take delivery of a Lull T5, but have not been able to find a gig bag that will accommodate the body shape and 50" length of the bass. A search of all forums revealed nothing.

My LowEnd Bird fits in my Mono gig bag just fine!

 

[bigboy99]

Thanks for the reply. Is it a 34 or 35" scale 5 string? The Mike Lull TBird is 35" scale and his headstock is about an inch longer than a Fender, so I'm looking at a 49.5 interior dimension.

I have the 49" interior dimension Reunion Blues bag, but the extreme shape of the TBird body will not let it fit and keep the neck pointed to the end of the bag.

What model bag are you using? I know a couple of guys at Mono and they don't think their bag will work.

 

[bigboy99]

I'm using the large Reunion Blues gig bag - fit's a 49.5 inch bass

 

[dannster]

Found a clip of Bryan Beller playing his Lull T-bass. Not many clips out there that I've seen so thought I'd share.

Tom P's amazing T is up!

 

[TBird1958]

Jeff Ahmet's 'Bird, I happened by Mike's one afternoon.

 

[dannster]

Mike was saying that Jeff's basses had a wider/bigger body and you can definitely tell here^^^.

Nice pic!
I'm off to rob a bank or something...haha. Need to snap pics and put up some stuff for sale.

 

[Rob Martinez]

I am ready to pull the trigger on two Mike Lull T Bird PUs to put in my Gibson Thunderbird Studio bass!!

 

[gaffster787]

I am ready to pull the trigger on two Mike Lull T Bird PUs to put in my Gibson Thunderbird Studio bass!!

I just put a Lull Pup in the 2007 zebra-bird. Really clear and low. Good output, big tone with a bit of growl. Notice the foam in the bridge, just to help with muting...when I cant be bothered . It sustains for days.
The 76 aint no slouch either...

 

[TBird1958]

Hey Rob,
You have a PM.
Lull pups and Thunderbirds

 

[JIO]

My take on solving T-bird neck dive and also gaining some access to the upper frets w/o losing the classic outline. I traced my 64'T-bird II and it's made the same 2 level tapered thickness but using Koa (center length w/wings) dovetailed in the same manor as the 64'. L-2000 electronics round it out.

 

[TBird1958]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That's really cool!

 

[Rob Martinez]

Hey Rob,
You have a PM.
Lull pups and Thunderbirds

Took the plunge! Ordered my Lull T Bird PUs a few minutes ago!

Thanks, TBird1958!

 

[gaffster787]

Rob, If you are gonna DIY, use the existing wires to pull the new ones through. Any tape should work, if you streamline it. There are some right angles in the wire routing from the neck PUP.....

 

[Rob Martinez]

Rob, If you are gonna DIY, use the existing wires to pull the new ones through. Any tape should work, if you streamline it. There are some right angles in the wire routing from the neck PUP.....

Thanks for the info. I will probably have a luthier buddy of mine do the mod, as he works on all my basses and does first rate work.

I'm pretty excited, this will be my first (!) mod of a bass and I am happy it will be to try some cool Lull T bird PUs on my Studio bass.

 

[Murphys Law]

My take on solving T-bird neck dive and also gaining some access to the upper frets w/o losing the classic outline. I traced my 64'T-bird II and it's made the same 2 level tapered thickness but using Koa (center length w/wings) dovetailed in the same manor as the 64'. L-2000 electronics round it out.

I've been dreaming of such a thing for years.
AWE-some!

 

[Rob Martinez]

My Mike Lull T Bird PUs arrived yesterday! Tomorrrow I take the T Bird Studio bass to have them put in. Can't wait!

 

[Sufenta]

My take on solving T-bird neck dive and also gaining some access to the upper frets w/o losing the classic outline. I traced my 64'T-bird II and it's made the same 2 level tapered thickness but using Koa (center length w/wings) dovetailed in the same manor as the 64'. L-2000 electronics round it out.

Extremely cool. I would love to see some more pics of that, including any build pics.

 

[One Drop]

I didn't see anyone mention these clips from Mike's site:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Freaking amazing tone! Any news on a non-rev in the works?

 

[TBird1958]

I didn't see anyone mention these clips from Mike's site:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Freaking amazing tone! Any news on a non-rev in the works?

I saw your post before going to Mike's today (to drop off a 'Bird) and asked him about a Non Reverse. He said "no". I suspect at least in part because the NR shape won't balance correctly - He won't make a bass like that.
Your best bet would be a BaCH NR with a Lull pup, it's a close as you can get to the real deal and at a fraction of the cost of a vintage Gibson. Several TB'ers including my self have done this modification, it's easy and results in a great bass.

 

[One Drop]

I saw your post before going to Mike's today (to drop off a 'Bird) and asked him about a Non Reverse. He said "no". I suspect at least in part because the NR shape won't balance correctly - He won't make a bass like that.
Your best bet would be a BaCH NR with a Lull pup, it's a close as you can get to the real deal and at a fraction of the cost of a vintage Gibson. Several TB'ers including my self have done this modification, it's easy and results in a great bass.

Wow, thanks for asking Mike, well above and beyond the call of duty.

Funny, the more I look at the Lullbirds the more I like them- I had a '96 Thunderbird for a while and liked it a lot but the reach bugged me a bit, and I preferred the tone of the Bicentennials and the one vintage one I had played.

I have a feeling there won't be many used ones floating around (I just can't bring myself to buy a new bass).