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Thunderbirds by Mike Lull

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.

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Man oh man, that is beauteous! Congrats.
 
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.


I recall talking to Mike about Tom' bass the pickups were placed with the idea of creating a bit woolier slightly out of phase tone, something he wanted for their Beatles stuff in Las Vegas.
Mine may be the only single pickup 'Bird he's made, I can't say enough great things about it, Mike's attention to quality and detail is lovingly apparent, it plays beautifully, and has a wonderful tone, simple big single coil goodness.

Here are two recent examples live with my band, one fingerstyle the other with a pick, shameless self promo. - Remember tho....Drag Queen content :p

"Should I stay or Should I go?" (The Clash)
The Nasty Habits - Should I Stay Or Should I Go - YouTube

"Hungry like the Wolf (Duran Duran)
The Nasty Habits - Hungry Like The Wolf (Duran Duran cover) - YouTube
 
TBird1958 said:
I recall talking to Mike about Tom' bass the pickups were placed with the idea of creating a bit woolier slightly out of phase tone, something he wanted for their Beatles stuff in Las Vegas.
Mine may be the only single pickup 'Bird he's made, I can't say enough great things about it, Mike's attention to quality and detail is lovingly apparent, it plays beautifully, and has a wonderful tone, simple big single coil goodness.

Here are two recent examples live with my band, one fingerstyle the other with a pick, shameless self promo. - Remember tho....Drag Queen content :p

"Should I stay or Should I go?" (The Clash)
The Nasty Habits - Should I Stay Or Should I Go - YouTube

"Hungry like the Wolf (Duran Duran)
The Nasty Habits - Hungry Like The Wolf (Duran Duran cover) - YouTube

Reminds me of more of a drag "sixx" pretty cool vibe. Crazy tho.
 
I recall talking to Mike about Tom' bass the pickups were placed with the idea of creating a bit woolier slightly out of phase tone, something he wanted for their Beatles stuff in Las Vegas.
Mine may be the only single pickup 'Bird he's made, I can't say enough great things about it, Mike's attention to quality and detail is lovingly apparent, it plays beautifully, and has a wonderful tone, simple big single coil goodness.

Here are two recent examples live with my band, one fingerstyle the other with a pick, shameless self promo. - Remember tho....Drag Queen content :p

"Should I stay or Should I go?" (The Clash)
The Nasty Habits - Should I Stay Or Should I Go - YouTube

"Hungry like the Wolf (Duran Duran)
The Nasty Habits - Hungry Like The Wolf (Duran Duran cover) - YouTube

Great tone Mark, but Thunderbird pickups are 2 coil Humbuckers, at least the ones in Gibsons and Orvilles. I'm pretty sure Mike's are too. I know ThunderBuckers are.
 
Something new to add to an old thread....

Mike Lull and Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament signature model and the cover of the new issue of Bass Player.
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Ament2.jpg

Ament.jpg
 
Can anyone comment on how the Lull Thunderbirds compare to vintage Gibson birds?

Vintage '60s Thunderbirds are neck through, bench made instruments. A Lull bass is more like a FenderBird. It has a bolt on neck and is assembled from interchangeable parts. Sound wise they should be very similar since the pickups are modeled on a Reverse set. The basses I build with mahogany bodies, bolt on maple necks and ThunderBucker vintage clone pickups sound almost exactly like my 60s Thunderbirds.

For not that much more money you can have the real thing. I own a '64 II and a '65 IV Thunderbird, both with unbroken necks. The II cost me about the same as a Lull, the IV about $2K more and they will continue to increase in value unlike just about any new bass.

IMO the Lull will definitely be a better playing bass than a vintage TBird, the original Gibson bridges are impossible to get low enough for many players without notching the saddles.
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