So now Happy Jack has a Mike Lull 5-string neck...

[Owen]

16 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

 

 

 

 

I blame the Government!

At the risk of getting the thread locked, so do I. 

[Happy Jack]

Well gosh darn it, the Gummint has a lot to answer fer but Jumpin' Jehosophat ah don' reckon as you can blame 'em fer this!

 

[Velarian]

I’m unlikely to ever need this information but it’s a fascinating thread nonetheless. 🫠

[Andyjr1515]

Strictly speaking, because the Fluence is an active pickup, the circuit shouldn't need shielding - but better safe than sorry:

 

 

The knobs and inset straplock ferrules have arrived too.  The body has buffed up nicely - the stripes are a reflection of the bars of the grandchild's cot:

 

The trussrod is on its way - hopefully with me tomorrow.   Main activity tomorrow, regardless, will be drilling for and fitting the bridge earth, drilling and fitting the ferrules - and then, all being well, wiring it all up    Then it's just refitting the fretboard and finalising the neck angle.

 

[Owen]

I had EMGs which whined like a tired, small child when it got close to an induction loop. Shielding is big and clever.

[Owen]

On 01/10/2022 at 17:48, Owen said:

At the risk of getting the thread locked, so do I. 

I have been thinking about this and if it was the government it would be the only joined up bit of thinking they would have managed recently. 

[Andyjr1515]

The trussrod's arrived and so the clamps are out!

 

[Andyjr1515]

Well, that's gone surprisingly pleasingly well! 

 

 

And even more surprising pleasing, is that it's flat!  :

 

So tomorrow, when the glue is fully cured, I'll get it on the bass and see what I need to do to get the action where it should be   

 

Bridge earth is also done so pretty soon I can see if I can get it wired up and making a sound or two.

 

[Andyjr1515]

And - the action is perfect!  

 

That is a genuine surprise.  And it's useful too because it means that @Happy Jack will still have a fully-interchangeable-with-no-adjustment-needed fretless neck when he gets bored with the whiteness of his Mike Lull and decides he wants that repainted in pink too!   

 

There is very little to do with the neck other than sand any glue wipes away and re-slurry and buff it.  Same with the fretboard.

 

It's starting to look like a bass:

 

 

If I get some time this afternoon or tomorrow morning, I'll have a bash at fitting the electrics.

[Andyjr1515]

Someone asked if I was going to add a fingernail scoop for the control hatch.  I solve the hatch access in a number of different ways and sometimes do carve a scoop in the body.  However, I'm no skilled nitro painter and couldn't be sure that it wasn't going to look a bit naff, so used an alternative that has worked pretty well on a number of builds.  It's simply to shave half a mm or so off at one end of the rebate, so that a firm push in the right place lifts the whole thing that can then be just lifted off:

 

I've had a decent day at it today:

- fretboard re-dressed

- neck re-slurry-and-buffed

- still have to tidy up the wiring with some ties, but we have sound!

 

 

So far I've just tried the 'tap test' - but the sound difference from the three different voices of the Fluence bodes very well indeed

 

Tomorrow I'll get the neck and strings back on and see what we've got. 

 

Then that leaves just a tidy up around the now-fitted Dunlop flush strap locks and I reckon it's done.  

 

And the plan is to meet @Happy Jack at the forthcoming SE Bassbash, in a couple of weeks' time, and hand it across.   

 

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Andyjr1515

[TheGreek]

I can confirm that this works perfectly having it on all three of my AJR builds.

Much better system than screws, which I regularly lose.

[Happy Jack]

10 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

I can confirm that this works perfectly having it on all three of my AJR builds.

Much better system than screws, which I regularly lose.

 

In all fairness, Mick, you can only really lose them once ...

 

 

😉

[Richard R]

3 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Someone asked if I was going to add a fingernail scoop for the control hatch.  I solve the hatch access in a number of different ways and sometimes do carve a scoop in the body.  However, I'm no skilled nitro painter and couldn't be sure that it wasn't going to look a bit naff, so used an alternative that has worked pretty well on a number of builds.  It's simply to shave half a mm or so off at one end of the rebate, so that a firm push in the right place lifts the whole thing that can then be just lifted off:

 

I've had a decent day at it today:

- fretboard re-dressed

- neck re-slurry-and-buffed

- still have to tidy up the wiring with some ties, but we have sound!

 

 

So far I've just tried the 'tap test' - but the sound difference from the three different voices of the Fluence bodes very well indeed

 

Tomorrow I'll get the neck and strings back on and see what we've got. 

 

Then that leaves just a tidy up around the now-fitted Dunlop flush strap locks and I reckon it's done.  

 

And the plan is to meet @Happy Jack at the forthcoming SE Bassbash, in a couple of weeks' time, and hand it across.   

 

 

Looks great. Shame I can't make that bash.

[Andyjr1515]

And we have tunes!

 

Still one or two cosmetic things to finish off, but the wiring is tidied up:

 

And I've been able to string it up and play it through my valve guitar amp (yes, I know...).  Sounds great and the 'mwaah' of the original has been retained

 

Over the knee it is comfortable with no obvious neck dive tendencies and on the strap.  Hands off, it basically stays where you put it:

 

 

 

Finished weight 6lbs 15oz (3.15kg).  I have an aesthetic tweak I might suggest that would take a couple of ounces off but that would be for the looks rather than weight.

 

So just some final set up stuff and a couple of aesthetic tweaks and ready to pass across to Jack at the SE Bassbash 

 

I'll take some arty farty shots when the lighting is better.

 

 

 

 

 

[bartelby]

I love that! 

[MacDaddy]

So as per the title, is it a Lull?

(but with a different body and neck (and hardware (and electronics))).

😜

[Happy Jack]

Spot on, Si, it is indeed Trigger's Shell Pink 5-string Fretless.

[Andyjr1515]

5 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

So as per the title, is it a Lull?

(but with a different body and neck (and hardware (and electronics))).

😜

'Essence of Lull'   

 

And, trust me, that's much better than 'Essence of Andyjr1515'

 

 

[Richard R]

2 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

'Essence of Lull'   

 

And, trust me, that's much better than 'Essence of Andyjr1515'

 

 

 

The macho fragrance of ebony dust and tru-oil.

[Jakester]

It still looks flesh coloured though…

[Andyjr1515]

27 minutes ago, Jakester said:

It still looks flesh coloured though…

Ah...but not under disco lights 

[Happy Jack]

8 hours ago, Jakester said:

It still looks flesh coloured though…

 

You clearly haven't seen my flesh ...

 

😱

[Richard R]

8 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

 

You clearly haven't seen my flesh ...

 

😱

Especiallly under disco lights. 

[Andyjr1515]

And so, I present to you the 'Maybe Not A Lull But Just Look At That Colour!'  or, just in case the splendid Lull team have been following the thread, 'Maybe Not A Lull But Just Look At That Color!'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Daz39]

That's so nice @Happy Jack will need to upgrade the adjective prefix in his username...