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Thunderbirds by Mike Lull

#121
TBird1958 said:
Hey Rob,

Lull pups and Thunderbirds :)

NikkiII004.jpg
Click to expand...

what made you decide to go with the mounting rings? I like the look, but to do that on a modern bird i.e.; adding screw holes, is kinda a scary thought.
 
#122
I think it looks more retro or vintage to use the mounting rings. And more chrome!!

I opted out of using mounting rings on my Lull T Bird PUs for my Gibson Thunderbird Studio bass. That bass has a slightly different look, so I want it to look sleek.
 
#123
Tommy Tourbus said:
what made you decide to go with the mounting rings? I like the look, but to do that on a modern bird i.e.; adding screw holes, is kinda a scary thought.
Click to expand...

Good question :)

I really like the look of older Thunderbirds with all the chrome hardware a lot, this bass ( a Nikki Sixx Mk.II) had all black components which are ok but, I knew when I bought it that I'd be changing all of it out. I filled the pups routs with mahogany blocks that I cut and routed and found new chrome parts (and had some pieces stripped and chromed locally) to replace the black. The rings complete the "vintage" look - It's a very gaudy bass, it works well onstage with my band. But probably not everybody's cup of tea, the tone is pure vintage Thunderbird, warm, and very growly.

Here's a shot of it under construction without the rings.
NikkiSixx009.jpg


And a little later with them.....
NikkiSixx014.jpg
 
#128
Tommy Tourbus said:
do those mounting rings serve a purpose? They look like they just frame the pickup
Click to expand...

That's right, what's not so apparent in the pics is that Lull's are very thin pickups and the ring can be used with an .020 black spacer cut to the same dimensions. So the bridge pup usually has at least one spacer and a ring around the pickup
the neck pup can do without the spacer.

The original routs are deep to accomodate the Gibson pups.
NikkiSixx004.jpg


I filled them with mahogany blocks
NikkiSixx005.jpg


Lull pups are 1/2"tall or so.

BaCHS010.jpg


BaCHS011.jpg


Here it's test fitted together before I put the black spacer at the rear pickup.

NikkiSixx012.jpg
 
#133
godofthunder59 said:
Here is one I built using Warmouth parts. The neck is not set as deep so you have access to the upper register. I never had trouble playing it. No neck dive either .
Click to expand...

I noticed you were on the cataldo jaebird post on another thread. Thought I'd hit u up here for a unbiased opinion.....you still diggin? I want a 5ver.
 
#135
jsirish said:
My Jaebird #021 is being shipped today:hyper:
I will post a FULL review in the Reviews section, so stay tuned! I can tell you that Carlo has been awesome through the whole process, and I am geeked up to finally play it!
Click to expand...

I was going to be the first owner of his 5 string bird. Last minute, he said he wasn't going to make it. Strange....oh well. LowEnd makes one, mike lull makes one too, I just need to pick out which mask I'll be using to rob a bank.
 
#136
Well, you guys are really getting to me. My new Sadowsky NYC Vintage PJ4 just arrived and I'm loving it. I feel really set with my 2 Sadowsky and 2 Spector setup for my 2 bands. Then I have the "specialty section" as I call it: Lakland Hollowbody, Hamer 12 string and G&L fretless. Now, what might really set that group off? One of these Lull birds!! I got to hear one in person when Pearl Jam played at the New Orleans Jazz Fest last year. The tone really killed when he switched to these in and out of the set. Plus, it is a bird with a Fender style neck and much more manageable weight than some. The GAS pains are back!
 
#137
A few questions for you guys. Has anyone heard the model he makes that is essentially a jazz bass body with the T pickups in it (the JT4)? I am curious to the sound in comparison.

I am also really curious as to the sound of the new Tom Petersson model and the one vs two pickup versions of the regular T he makes.

I'm really a Tbird newbie so to speak, so my experience is limited there.
 
#138
NOLA Bass said:
A few questions for you guys. Has anyone heard the model he makes that is essentially a jazz bass body with the T pickups in it (the JT4)? I am curious to the sound in comparison.

I am also really curious as to the sound of the new Tom Petersson model and the one vs two pickup versions of the regular T he makes.

I'm really a Tbird newbie so to speak, so my experience is limited there.
Click to expand...

It's not a Jazz but it's similar to the JT4 if that helps. This PT4 is alder body, maple neck, indian rw fingerboard, 8.0 lbs. I had one of Mike's T4s in mahogany (neck/body) with brazilian rw fingerboard. Awesome tone but the ergonomics just didn't work for me. My natural playing position put my right hand on top of the bridge and my left hand had a longer reach than I wanted. It was a 2 pickup model and I found 2 better than one, personally. I got distinctive tones with each pickup alone and mixed together so I asked Mike for a 2 pickup PT. I specified no pickguard because he puts the neck pickup into the guard where the P pickup usually is, and that shoves the bridge pickup too close to the bridge for me. With no guard and rear route controls, he could put the pickups where they are on the T4 bass. The sound is a little brighter than on the mahogany T4 but it sounds very similar to me and the feel is perfect.

PT4_LakePlacidBlue_05.gif
 

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