The Last Bass Outpost

Quote from: Denis on August 29, 2011, 06:34:46 AM
Too bad, I really like my LB-100. Why doesn't he like them?

I think it's just a preference for MFD-equipped G&Ls, and he's more of a guitarist so he hasn't had as many basses. 

That definitely gives Steve something to work with! 

Greg's an awesome guy and quite the G&L expert.  He's been collecting data for years for a G&L book.  He's not a fan of the non-MFD G&L models like the LB-100, the L-5500, the Climax guitar, and the Legacy guitar. 

I'm looking for a bass with split-coil Tbird pickups and focusing on those built between '88 and the early '90s.  A 1991 popped up on TB so I asked the guy for pic of the pickup back.  Has anyone ever seen one like this? 

Quote from: TBird1958Likely from re intro in '88 till the early '90s.

Thanks Mark, I appreciate it.  I need to keep some magnetic viewing paper in my car now...

Quote from: dadagoboi
If you mean a coil tapped pickup, Steve might be able to help, either coil tapping an original 60s Gibby or a ThunderBucker.

I'm not really sure what I mean.  I got a chance to hear a pickup in Andre's 12 string Hamer what was supposedly a Gibson splitcoil.  I found this pic here, I think it was Mark's photo.  I really liked the tone, sort of a cross between a P bass and a Tbird pickup.  Did these come on any particular year of Tbird?  Are they impossible to find used? 

Quote from: Dave W on June 22, 2011, 06:18:52 PM
True, but the pics on his site show a pickguard. http://www.mikelull.com/Instruments/PT4_PT5/PT_Large.htm

I meant the body shape anyway. The bridge does look closer to G&L than Fender.

Looks nice with the T-bird pickups. Brad's bass without the pickguard looks even better.

The bridge is a stock Hipshot B, Mike uses that or Hipshot A and I really don't like the A bridge.  The B is light and low profile and the saddles don't move around like on a classic Fender bridge.  

I asked Mike to build it without a pickguard so he could put the pickups where they are on a Tbird.  The PTs with guards cram the pickups too close to the bridge for me.  I do like how the single pickup PT bass looks with a pickguard though.  I'm looking for a split coil Gibson Tbird pickup to put into a single pup PT.  

I asked Mike when I ordered about mahogany for the body and neck because I wanted the bass to sound as good as the T4 I had at the time.  He said that alder and a maple neck sounded just as good to him so I went with his recommendation.  I think it's a touch brighter than the T4 but I like that.  

I'll definitely post pics when it's done.  In the meantime here's a custom that Mike Lull built for me recently:  

I'm putting a 66 neck pickup into the sweet spot on a P bass, Mark.

Mine took about a week Mark. 

Thanks Dave.  I'm now waiting for them to start popping up used.  It'll probably take awhile but I'd like to snag one that's way under 9 lbs if possible.  It'll be interesting to see what they go for used. 

The Big Al is finally here and it sounds great.  It's heavier than I wanted at 9.7 lbs but balances well.  The neck feels exactly like a Sterling, very comfortable.  The controls are pretty interesting and not hard to figure out.  Like most other basses with complicated controls, there are 3-4 really great tones and a bunch of ok tones - the odd part is no one ever agrees which is which! 

Here's a couple more pics of the Big Al bass to check out.  The second pic is Sterling Ball playing a fancy one with a flame maple top. 

I really like the look and have one on order, blue metallic with a rosewood fingerboard.  I'm looking forward to hearing the single coils, I had an HS Bongo for awhile and I absolutely loved the neck single coil pickup but it sounded so much better than the bridge pickup that I sold the bass. 

That Peavey does look similar around the cutaways.  I also think it looks a little bit like G&L's Interceptor bass which is a favorite of mine.  I have to give them credit for making a bass that looks different in this era of F*nder copies (not that I don't have some myself). 

The Anniversary basses look very nice but I'm not interested.  With the minimal forearm contour, the long reach to first position, and the neck diving due to where the upper strap button is located it's just not the right design for me.  It's the same problems I have with ASAT basses. 

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/msg/1074404231.html

Seems like a rare one, if this is in the wrong place please feel free to move it.  I just thought there might be a Gibson fan here that would be interested. 

That's Mick Karn on the Wal, such a great fretless player.