Erv Niehaus wrote:It is just my opinion but if I had to try 9 different pickups in a guitar it must be because I couln't get a sound I was looking for. The problem might not be the pickup.
Well I cant speak for Mickey and what he might be chasing but i can say i have had My Mullen Since 1995 and have never found a reason or need to change the pickup from its orig. "STOCK" single coil pickup. to me its like falling for the hype on that Mod that was floating around a while ago "WHY"? i Bought my guitar Cause it was a Mullen and it sounded like a Mullen not cause it was a Mullen and i thought "Dang i need to try an make this thing sound like"... ___________ you fill in the blank.! it puzzles me why folks can't except that Del Mullen knows what he is doing if its designing a Crooked Cross Shaft or a Single Coil Pickup for his guitars. i cant speak for Del and the boys but i dont think they are chasing any brands sound or design. nor do i think they have to. these are all opinions im sure and i in no way entend on offending anyone ears are all differnt mine happen to like Mullen yours maby GFI so comparing Mullen to brand X is a moot point. as for my taste there is no other tone than the Mullen tone . and for the naa sayer's Yes there is such a thing.
Just My 2 Penny's for what its worth
Boo Miller
I thought i would add that after reading my post it might be taken that i was jabbing at Mickey however i was in no way doing that at all i was just saying he may be looking for something differnt. i know all to well how silent words on a computer screen can get the rumor mill started.
Last edited by Al Miller on 27 Aug 2010 6:27 am, edited 3 times in total.
AL (BOO) Miller
Mullen D10
76 Emmons P/P
2022 65 Emmons Resound P/P D10
Ahhhh...but Erv...Did I ever say I NEEDED to change pickups?....I dont recall ever saying I was unhappy with my tone from the stock pickup...Im merely a curious kind of guy, and i am on a quest for first hand knowledge always.....And yes the Emmons does sound different...Its also a different amp, different camera/microphone, and effects devices....And the variables go on and on...
As for the angled cross shafts...Well that topic will never rest with some folks...I never had any doubts about the integrity...Hope that topic can RIP!!! I am a VERY happy customer and affiliate of Mullen Guitars..
ARTIST RELATIONS: MSA GUITARS
2017 MSA LEGEND XL D10, S10, Studio Pro S12 EXE9
Mullen G2, Rittenberry S10, Infinity D10, Zumsteel 8+9
Anderson, Buscarino, Fender, Roman Guitars, Sarno Octal, Revelation Preamps, BJS BARS, Lots of Blackface Fenders!
I try other pickups because I,m afraid I,ll miss out on something that the other guys have. Any way guys, it,s all in your hands, at least I was told that a long time ago.
As for the angled cross shafts...Well that topic will never rest with some folks...I never had any doubts about the integrity...Hope that topic can RIP!!! I am a VERY happy customer and affiliate of Mullen Guitars..
Well, the reason it will not rest is because people had expected better from the Mullen line of guitars. Everything about the G2 looked promising in the way of innovative design,(less the standard keyhead)except the physically incorrect "bent" cross rods,that Del threw in !!
I just don't see how a guitar company with the reputation that Mullen had, could think that people would not see through the design flaw in those cross rods!
With the rods being "bent" they cannot pull as straight (inline) as those that are not bent. That is just a simple fact. The bell cranks will tilt a fraction to the side. They have to, by design.
I wish Mullen would go back to the straight cross rods........
NOTE FROM ADMIN: The "Chris Lang" account was determined to be fraudulent.
Many posts made from this account were deliberate attempts to undermine the integrity of other Forum members.
Many statements made by this user were knowingly false and inflammatory, a disruptive technique known as <i>trolling.</i> The "Chris Lang" account has been permanently deactivated.
The only thing I have to say about the Mullen tone is that a couple of years ago Mikey was i L.A. and several of us got together for a mini-jam and gear shoot out. In the room were 2 Emmons P-Ps, a Zum, and older Mullen, my Millennium, and Micky's G-2, as well as several different amps.
All the guitars sounded different, but all sounded just fine. I waked away from that evening thinking that I'd love to have a Zum and a G-2, and Mickey said something about getting a Millennium at some time in the future.
BTW One of the features of the new MSA guitars is the modular pickup system. Sierra also has such a system, which was installed on my former Mica MSA.
The advantage of such a system, in my opinion, is not that than one will have a lot of different pickups, but rather than one can easily try out a lot of different ones, and decide which one you prefer. After trying out a George l, a Truetone, and a Tone Aligner, I chose the Tone Aligner. I have them in both millenniums.
I would like to see every builder incorporate such a system in their guitars.
Mike Perlowin wrote:BTW One of the features of the new MSA guitars is the modular pickup system. Sierra also has such a system, which was installed on my former Mica MSA.
The advantage of such a system, in my opinion, is not that than one will have a lot of different pickups, but rather than one can easily try out a lot of different ones, and decide which one you prefer.....
I would like to see every builder incorporate such a system in their guitars.
Me too Mike. It just takes a few seconds to change a p/up and you can evaluate the tone differences immediately.
Man oh Man! There's just no satisfying you guys!
You got bent cross shafts and now you want modular pickups too! I suppose next you'll want guitars that sound like p/p Emmons!! When is enough, enough!
As for the angled cross shafts...Well that topic will never rest with some folks...I never had any doubts about the integrity...Hope that topic can RIP!!! I am a VERY happy customer and affiliate of Mullen Guitars..
Well, the reason it will not rest is because people had expected better from the Mullen line of guitars. Everything about the G2 looked promising in the way of innovative design,(less the standard keyhead)except the physically incorrect "bent" cross rods,that Del threw in !!
I just don't see how a guitar company with the reputation that Mullen had, could think that people would not see through the design flaw in those cross rods!
With the rods being "bent" they cannot pull as straight (inline) as those that are not bent. That is just a simple fact. The bell cranks will tilt a fraction to the side. They have to, by design.
I fail to see why this would be considered a problem. Mickey's guitar worked perfectly, and the pedal action was as smooth as any guitar I've ever played.
Chris, I believe you're mistaken in thinking that this is a design flaw. It's different from what you're used to, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. I think if you played a G-2, you'd change your mind about this.
As for the angled cross shafts...Well that topic will never rest with some folks...I never had any doubts about the integrity...Hope that topic can RIP!!! I am a VERY happy customer and affiliate of Mullen Guitars..
Well, the reason it will not rest is because people had expected better from the Mullen line of guitars. Everything about the G2 looked promising in the way of innovative design,(less the standard keyhead)except the physically incorrect "bent" cross rods,that Del threw in !!
I just don't see how a guitar company with the reputation that Mullen had, could think that people would not see through the design flaw in those cross rods!
With the rods being "bent" they cannot pull as straight (inline) as those that are not bent. That is just a simple fact. The bell cranks will tilt a fraction to the side. They have to, by design.
I fail to see why this would be considered a problem. Mickey's guitar worked perfectly, and the pedal action was as smooth as any guitar I've ever played.
Chris, I believe you're mistaken in thinking that this is a design flaw. It's different from what you're used to, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. I think if you played a G-2, you'd change your mind about this.
I agree. I played a G-2 for 30 min in the Mullen room @ the 2008 Dallas show. It sounded great and played about like my Zum.........IMHO it's not "physically incorrect" unless it doesn't work! Believe me, the G-2 works.
Erv I am going to take Mickey's side here because it is every man to his on opinion BUT, you seem to complain whin someone doesn't like an emmons guitar. I own an Emmons and a Mullen and like both but am considering getting rid of the emmons to get another mullen. Please for goodness sake don't gripe about someone's opinion of a certian guitar and what they do to it IT'S THERES not yours. I personally don't think there are any bad guitars out there today it's whatever one chooses to play.
Jimmy,
I own and play Sho~Buds, Rains, Zums, Excel and Williams in addition to my Emmons. no Mullen, however.
I'm not saying the Mullen G2 is a "bad" guitar, it just suffers a design flaw.
Last edited by Erv Niehaus on 27 Aug 2010 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Mickey thank you for all you have contributed to the steel community you sound great do matter what you play so keep up the good work. Someone mentioned here that the mullen goes against the laws of physics well if it works then don't knock it. I will have to say that the parts on my mullen are so more well made that the emmons and the mullen stays in tune so much better than the emmons so is staying in tune and much more hevily made defying the laws of physics? I THINK NOT.
Mickey and the Mullen family, I am Sorry i even brought that to the surface. I never thought for a second that i was opening a can of worms when i wrote that passage about the cross shaft it was mearly an example. i would have thought they would jump on the Mod statement and ride long before the shaft thing . oh well i guess if they dont get it by now "THEY ARE WORKING IN EVERY G2 OUT THERE SOME ON REALLY LARGE STAGES!! than they will never get it you just cant fix..... oh never mind i might get accused of calling folks names....
By the way Cris and Erv, its not called a design flaw it is called thinking outside the Box. i bet you both play it safe and play 1-4-5 real good huh?
Last edited by Al Miller on 27 Aug 2010 11:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
AL (BOO) Miller
Mullen D10
76 Emmons P/P
2022 65 Emmons Resound P/P D10
When you hear a steel guitar from the audience, what you hear is an approximation of the player's tone preference. Every player dials in a tone that he likes on stage. It really has very little to do with the actual tone of the guitar.
It would take a phenomenal set of ears to hear a guitar's actual tone through the filtering effect of crown noise, distance, PA speakers, microphones, direct box, amp, wires, effects and volume pedal. I've heard great guitars sound horrible and I've heard mediocre guitars sound great. There are a lot of variables in what you hear from the audience.
oh never mind i might get accused of calling folks names.... 
