Chiliwailer

http://tvjones.com/pickups-2/bass-pickups/

I just had to post about this great experience. I emailed Nordstrand for help and advice and got a very detailed response in under 15 minutes. Cut a long story short.... I had one question about exactly which version one of my pickups is, and another about what to expect when adding a toggle switch to it. The response was spot on, helpful and conscientious, a real help which also saved me some hassle. So my bass is full of good mojo as the pickups are in my Lull and I've always found Mike and his staff to be amazing, I wonder what the guys at Thomastik are like?

[quote name='SimonEdward' timestamp='1457644304' post='3000660'] I'm lucky to have some good Basses, so the 'bic won't be missed. I would like to try an inexpensive 5-string, with a high 'C', to play Solo parts on some song's I'm recording. What would you spend it on? [/quote] Yeah, I've seen that lovely JD of yours! Honestly not sure what I'd spend it on, there are loads of basses out there that I like but none that I actually need. But if you forced me to spend £2.5k then most likely a Mike Lull 54P, or perhaps a 1978 Music Man Sabre just for YOB and nostalgia type fun. Liking your high C 5 string idea, good call when you already have some lovely basses.

[quote name='SimonEdward' timestamp='1457639884' post='3000573'] It's been up for sale on Basschat a couple of times in the past (for around £2.5k) but no serious interest, or any offers. I don't want to ship abroad either. [/quote] Shame, looks good despite you not clicking with it. Sounds like a commission sale may help? Drop it off, forget about it.... cash in down the line Mmm, wonder what I'd buy after getting that £2.5k back!

[quote name='SimonEdward' timestamp='1457638531' post='3000556'] Rarely played and never gigged.[/font][/color][/size] [/quote] Just out of interest mate, I'm wondering why you haven't sold it on?

Though I understand that the posts saying that we all sell 'the one' eventually have some credence, there are lots of guys including famous players that do stick with the one. I used to think of some of my basses as keepers, but ended up selling them for various reasons as many of us do. Every keeper that I had was never the one because I always felt like they were one of a collection that gave me what I needed. So my pre CBS P Basses for example were great, but I also needed an active bass or jazz bass to cover the angles I wanted. No one bass covered all my angles. That all changed with my Lull. I've had 2 other Lulls that have all been great, but this one can do it all for me (bearing in mind that I also run it through various pre amp pedals depending on what tone I'm after). So this Lull covers all the tones I like, is the weight and balance I need due to back issues, is my wood preference of ash and maple and is more complete than any other bass I've ever owned. The colour never jumped out at me, howver that can be easily sorted with a respray at some point, but the colour actually makes me know that it must be special if I still love it that much anyway. So having owned a silly amount of amazing basses, my Lull has gone from keeper to the one by the sheer fact that I couldn't sell a bass that suits me this much. This is the first time it's happened to me, and I wasn't even looking for it, didn't think it existed to be honest.

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1457271459' post='2996876'] yes but I want a white one lol. Have you played one Chiliwailer? [/quote] Yeah, played one in the States. Thunderbirds never gelled with me due to the size and style but I really enjoyed messing about on the Lull. If I were just a few inches taller I'd be keen to get one

Amazing pick ups. Light. Great balance. Top quality, top man and very top shelf. Will look forward to the NBD thread.... (Oh, and Bass Dirct have a used T4 I believe).

In answer to your question "what do you do", I've found that I sell the ones I don't need, and every now and again think about the selling the other two that I've kept alongside "the one". Then I convince myself to keep them as it's nice to have a change once in a while, and on it goes..... My Lull PJ4 is without question the one. If I only had that bass I'd still be a very happy and content man. My Modulus Flea comes out every now and again for a bit of fun. Bit I find it hard to justify having such an expensive bass just for the occasional giggle. I don't always click with it, but when I do it's magic. My Warwick Thumb 5 is great for noodling on and gets a lot of use when I jam with my drum machine. But it still isn't close to being the one, but the neck pickup setting is great when I fancy a change from the Lull. I guess I keep them as they offer an alternative from time to time, which is nice.

Wal bought a pickup from me. Great comms and a friendly guy, a pleasure to deal with. Thanks

I sold to Rupert, friendly comms, a good guy and quick payment. Cheers

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1456686907' post='2991447'] Dan is the expert on these, but if you'll allow a layman's perspective, the single coil is a wolf in sheep's clothing compared to the post '58 Precisions. I've always been a Fender player but it took me years to discover that the tone in my head, low but clear and crisp, punchy yet restrained and effortless, was the single coil Precision. I blame Leo. He replaced this model with new two basses, one with a split coil, the other with two single coils, and I think that decision suggested that one single coil PUP alone wasn't good enough for bass, something he reinforced of course by discontinuing the single coil Precision. I don't think this was helped much by the relatively understated looks and the almost apologetic placement and size of the PUP. Sound? Mine does everything from piano like ring and clarity to deep deep dub, clean slap and finger-style funk to driving gritty southern boogie. All from one passive PUP with a passive circuit. Folks will say a split coil Precision can do the same, perhaps true, I just think the single coils do it better. And Andy, you ever decide to sell that lovely bass, drop me a line mate [/quote] Cor, well said Chris!

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1456679353' post='2991323'] Yeah, a really noticeable difference - supports the sound of the band and then when you dig in you can cut through that bit more. Interestingly on my 60's Style P I mess with the tone control a lot to suit the song. With this 55, I don't think I've touched the tone knob at all. [/quote] I can't recall on this one, but these usually have a resistor ( I think that's the name) that is on the tone knob. It lowers the volume as you turn the tone knob anti clockwise. The idea was that it would protect the speakers of the time from the lower frequency. You'll just need to replace it with a tiny bit of wire if you use the tone knob often, though with that amount of natural bass on this one why would you?!

[quote name='Tee' timestamp='1456655374' post='2991009'] Always loved these basses, but i've not owned one yet. Is that a stacked pickup? What's the general tone difference between these and the typical split P? [/quote] Imagine a P with less mids but more bottom and top. Hard to describe really, but I find they boom and thump more than a regular P when I play them.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1456645914' post='2990944'] Nice bass, nice pics too. I've never played an old style precision what are they like to play in general, are the necks massive on them? Are the custom shop versions exact replicas? [/quote] All 4 Custom Shop versions I've had have been totally different, and none have been quite like the two original 1957 versions I've had. The necks can vary, some bigger than others, some more V shaped than others. Make of that what you will as I guess it suits all manor of basses. But they've all been lovely in their own right and the sound is always great.

Nothing like a bit of perspective there! Congrats Andy, let's hope she plays bass and chooses a Lull P54-5

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1456610488' post='2990824'] If they could just do me a 5 string like this...id be happy 😂 [/quote] I wonder who'll be custom building that for you next year?

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1456609928' post='2990816'] It sings as well as snaps - intriguing that a 65 year old design (a very well put together version thereof) just has everything more or less covered. [/quote] Yeah, it's nuts isn't it?! If I didn't need a P with a double J bridge pickup as I do now, and had to go back to a single pickup P, then I wouldn't hesitate to chose a good snappy single coil Precision over a split pickup one.

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1456608485' post='2990802'] I'll be really honest, I worried at rehearsal how it'd cope/sound. I've been using active 5 strings for about 2 years now and pulling my Precision out for Motown stuff. Our new drummer is a crazy level 42 fan, so when the guitarist is late we usually jam through some "early tapes" type stuff just to blow the cobwebs off. This bass, on paper, shouldn't sound right for that type of playing. Jesus, it's got it. And I've owned Jaydees/Status' just so I could play that kind of stuff. No idea what all that multi laminated wood and Carbon Fibre is For 😆 (I do miss my kingbass though) [/quote] [quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1456608811' post='2990809'] The '55s are versatile, in many ways more so than the split coil Precisions [/quote] I'd agree with Chris there for sure. But there is also something about your particular bass Andy that cuts through like no other CS 55 I've had, which is 4 now including that one. That bass has something of its own, looks like you got the right one for you.

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1456607382' post='2990789'] It is lovely, and the Duncan Custom wound pickup is really special. I might end up with a CIJ Paisley soon so the Fender CS pickup may have a home yet. Put the bridge cover on today - jury's out, I have it on my other P but the mute is built into that. [/quote] It's a great pickup isn't it, very full bodied tone. It's well worth the extra hum to have it in the non stacked mode in my opinion. I did wonder about the bridge covers, I've always preferred the look of them with two on. But in fairness it still looks gorgeous and authentic with just the pickup cover, and that one makes a great thumb rest too! Having had a few of these old style P Basses its odd not to have one anymore, especially looking at this thread. You can thank my Lull P Bass and current mood of only having the bare minimals at home for me even thinking about selling that bass. So I got rid of a Martin I wasn't that into and you got a killer P Bass, happy days

Glad you're loving it Andy Wasn't an easy decision for me to not keep this one having taken it on a trade. I'd admired it for a long time as my friend owned it, the feel and tone of this bass is something very special without question, it's stands out as a memorable one. The pictures don't do it enough justice either! And that neck,,,,oh that neck..... .

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1456507457' post='2989856'] Is this a free ad? [/quote] [quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1456509737' post='2989888'] What's the weight? [/quote] [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1456510793' post='2989904'] Is this still for sale? [/quote] How about some pictures?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1456507457' post='2989856'] Is this a free ad? [/quote] What's the weight?

I never did understand why people keep basses they don't play. But if that's cool for them, then why not eh?