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Mike Lull Remembered

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Mike Lull Remembered


FROM MIKE LULL CUSTOM GUITARS-

It is with tremendous sadness that we share that our great leader and company’s founder, Mike Lull, unexpectedly passed away on the 12th of February, 2020.

Mike was a visionary and inspiration for the Music community, and he left his indelible mark on every instrument he ever touched and every customer he ever helped. In fact, Mike never considered anyone “customers”, they were all his friends.

Mike’s dedicated staff and family will be carrying on his legacy as this is what Mike wanted. 

JEFF AMENT-

Mike built my first bass in 1988, a fretless made of scrap heap Warmouth seconds, which he turned into the best bass I had ever owned to that point. Since then, we collaborated on over 30 instruments, all made with his beautiful and meticulous touch.  I can't tell you how lucky all of us Seattle musicians were to have, not only the best luthier, but also one of the best humans on the planet in our backyard.  Sending love to his wife, Julie and their family.  
Thank you Mike.  
Jeff Ament

STONE GOSSARD-

Thank you Mike for all the love and attention you gave to our band and our instruments for the last 30 years. Thank you for your kindness and expertise , your dedication and love. We have been spoiled by your talents and humanity.  The gravity of your passing will only grow more evident over time.  We will all miss you...  but our hearts truly ache for your wife and children who will miss their husband and father and all the little things .. Our deepest condolences to Julie, Harrison, Spencer, Preston and Cameron. 
Stone 

GEORGE WEBB (Pearl Jam Equipment Manager/Bass Technician)-

A guitarist’s best friend is a good luthier. Hands, strings and instrument - that’s where the musical magic all begins. A good luthier can make or break an instrument and an artist’s ability to fully express themselves with it. Seattle-area luthier Mike Lull wasn’t just a good luthier, he was a true Master.

As a long-time performing musician himself (bassist), he lived and appreciated that unique connection between musician and instrument. Since the mid-70’s, when he first began doing repair work in the Pacific NW, Mike’s contributions to the larger music community have been enormous, and there hasn’t been a rockstar or a hobbyist who hasn’t benefitted from his passion for music and unsurpassed skill with stringed instruments.

For the past 30 years, Mike Lull has been Pearl Jam’s only luthier. Mike, along with his staff - Tom, John, Garret and Paul - have done the heavy lifting of making our guitars, basses and ukuleles play great, and building us some fantastic instruments. Whether it was modern or vintage, acoustic or electric, a guitar glued-screwed-taped back together after one of Mike McCready’s famous on-stage smashes, a never-been-done-before custom project, or a signature line of Jeff Ament basses, Mike Lull could do, and has done it all, for us.

PJ will continue our long, trusted relationship with Mike Lull Custom Guitars, but it cannot be overstated just how much we will miss our friend, his immense knowledge and skill, the omnipresent sweatpants, the unmistakable sound of his voice hollering out when we walk through the door of his shop, his jovial laugh, and the genuine thrill he took from being Pearl Jam’s luthier all these years and hearing our stories of the road.

On behalf of all the band and, especially, the PJ crew, I can’t thank you enough, Mike, for all your mentoring, sharing of your expertise, always being there for us day and night, and saving our butts so many times! Your spirit will forever be felt when the hands meet the strings of our instruments. Much love and respect, brother. We were so fortunate to have worked with you.

GW.3 

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