Lakland help - slap and funk setup?

[StuntBacon]

Hello guys, I was wondering if anyone could offer me some advice on how to setup my 5 string Lakland for these genres. My current setup feels a little stiff, though I don't know why. I played a friend's Sadowsky bass and it was absolutely PERFECT for this, but I don't know why.

Victor Wooten himself let me play his Fodera bass, and that was even more perfect, though, you know, the thing costs a fortune. I tried putting Fodera strings on my bass, but the B string was too short to fit on the bass, and it didn't really seem to suit my long-scale bass.

Any tips?

[bamabass]

What lakland do you have?

[StuntBacon]

Skyline series model 55-02

[phillipkregg]

Originally Posted by StuntBacon

Skyline series model 55-02

When you say "feels a little stiff" do you mean that the strings are too high off the fretboard?

Also, do you have the Bartolini pickups in it, or the Lakeland pickups? It should have one name or the other on the pickups themselves.

[plugger]

What strings are you currently using?

[StuntBacon]

Originally Posted by plugger

What strings are you currently using?

Lakland light steels

[StuntBacon]

Originally Posted by phillipkregg

When you say "feels a little stiff" do you mean that the strings are too high off the fretboard?

Also, do you have the Bartolini pickups in it, or the Lakeland pickups? It should have one name or the other on the pickups themselves.

No, the action is actually pretty low, it's just harder to play fast licks than it is on quite a few other basses I've played - the strings seem to be offering a fair bit of resistance to my fingers.

And I have Bartolini pickups.

[Grateful]

Originally Posted by StuntBacon

I tried putting Fodera strings on my bass, but the B string was too short to fit on the bass, and it didn't really seem to suit my long-scale bass.

Any tips?

I've had Fodera nickel strings (love 'em) on my 5 string Laklands and they fit fine. You can't go through-body unless you use the Extra Longs, but the regular ones should top load with no problems.

Unfortunately I can't help you with the slap set up...

[phillipkregg]

Originally Posted by StuntBacon

No, the action is actually pretty low, it's just harder to play fast licks than it is on quite a few other basses I've played - the strings seem to be offering a fair bit of resistance to my fingers.

And I have Bartolini pickups.

Hmmm... the resistance may be the fact that the 35" scale is giving more tension to the strings. Your fingers may also need to adjust to the 35" scale. Some people have a harder time with it than others.

Also, I have the bartolinis in my Lakland, but I don't think they have a good slap tone. I'm sending my bass in to have the new Lakland pickups put in next week. They have the ability to get brighter and provide a more "stingray like" slap tone.

This video demos the pickups - he slaps toward the end: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpd7r0PdVnU

[GregC]

Originally Posted by StuntBacon

No, the action is actually pretty low, it's just harder to play fast licks than it is on quite a few other basses I've played - the strings seem to be offering a fair bit of resistance to my fingers.

And I have Bartolini pickups.

It could be the 35" scale, as phillip suggested, or it could be the strings. I love Laklands, but I'm not crazy about their steel strings--they seem pretty stiff. (I do like their nickels and flats.) Try giving another set of steels a whirl, maybe DR Hi Beams.

[StuntBacon]

Thanks for all the tips everone!