The Lane Poor Enigma

**rickbass** · #1 06-15-2001, 02:20 PM

Well, the website is back up after falling off the planet for 7+ months. It sure as hell wasn't due to lack of demand.

Does anyone know what the story is on the "Walter Woods of onboards"?

I've emailed them and I've received no notices in my inbox that my emails have been opened.

The luthier for my custom has emailed them and his were returned "undeliverable."

Bass Northwest, who the website shows as a dealer, says as far as they know, Poor hasn't resumed operations.

Phone calls just ring.

Also, if you are knowledgeable about Poors, do his pickups come with a harness, like Bartolinis, or do you have to order one of his preamps?.......(assuming they exist any longer

)

Thanks!

If someone doesn't know what this is about, www.lanepoor.com

**john turner** · #2 06-15-2001, 03:03 PM

that site has just been reborn within the last few weeks. i don't think lane is back in business yet - i bet he's gearing up for it though.

one can always hope.

**rickbass** · #3 06-15-2001, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by john turner
that site has just been reborn within the last few weeks. i don't think lane is back in business yet - i bet he's gearing up for it though.

one can always hope.

john - I was thinking of PM'ing you about the preamp question, since you're the only person I know with LP's, (lucky dog!

).

But then I figured, why bother you if the products aren't even available?

If you don't mind, did you order his preamp, the 1- in/2-out thing with the 3 band EQ for mids, (or whatever was available then), when your kids with LP's were built?

One can always anguish. I'm so tempted to just go ahead with Barts.

**john turner** · #4 06-15-2001, 03:40 PM

i didn't order his preamp - i got the seymour duncan basslines preamp on some of my lp-equipped basses, and the demeter on-board preamp on the other.

both of those preamps are excellent - i have the demeter on the bass strung with a low f# (the one i recorded the instrumental mp3 linked in my sig) and it handles the low F# really pleasingly.

i also have a bass equipped with seymour duncan soaps and the demeter preamp - sounds very cool. i think the pups in this one are both side-by-sides - sounds a lot like a dual p-bass configuration.

if you're interested in options other than bartolini, try duncan and demeter for preamps. in fact, the duncan pickups i have are pretty awesome too - the music man pickups on my 8's are duncan customs, they sound ridiculously good.

**rickbass** · #5 06-15-2001, 03:51 PM

Thanks very much, JT. Funny you went with the LP pups but not the preamps. But, I don't have 8 basses to get familiar with all there is.

I know the SD Basslines MM can sound hairy, in a good way. But, I was told the Bart MM is a monster that doesn't get noticed much, too. I wanted something I could slap silly in the bridge position, and a fat, warm, deep, wide, soapbar in the neck position. LP's descriptions were practically the same words.

Anything with the name Demeter is super, IMO.

Thanks for expanding a little on your gems!

mchildree · #6 06-15-2001, 03:55 PM

Rick, I had the Lane Poor humbuckers and a Lane Poor 2x1AC preamp in a Modulus I owned a while back. This is the gain-only preamp, no eq. It doesn't come with a harness...he sends detailed wiring instructions and you wire it up yourself. The connectors to the preamp are terminal blocks that need no soldering, but you still have to solder the pots and grounding wiring. I did it myself, so it can't be too hard.

I don't think Lane ever got a 2 or 3 band eq into production before he went underground. I believe what they were working on was a plug-in module for the above preamp.

Worth checking out if you can find one...the guy that bought my Modulus still raves about it every couple of months on TBL.

**rickbass** · #7 06-16-2001, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mchildree
...I don't think Lane ever got a 2 or 3 band eq into production before he went underground. I believe what they were working on was a plug-in module for the above preamp.

Worth checking out if you can find one...the guy that bought my Modulus still raves about it every couple of months on TBL.

Thanks, mchildree, for the scoop! At lease I know now, from your info, that I would need to get a preamp, should the mysterious Mr. P ever appear again in our reality. So, your info and John's had been very helpful in that regard.

As for the EQ, the site simply says it can be configured with 2 or 3 band EQ and a cut/boost of 8db's.

I don't know how you ever gave up that Mod. I'm surprised one would want to change the pups/ onboards that come with Modulus.

My brother lives in Sherborn, MA, which isn't too far from LP's location in Fall River. Maybe I can ask him to take a look on one of his birdwatching excursions.

Angus · #8 06-16-2001, 01:29 PM

I really hope they are back in business, because I've been looking for a set of Lane Poors to drop into my Ibanez with a new preamp (haven't decided which yet), and haven't been lucky yet.

Looks hopeful, at least!

mchildree · #9 06-16-2001, 02:33 PM

Quote:

I don't know how you ever gave up that Mod. I'm surprised one would want to change the pups/ onboards that come with Modulus.

Yeah me too...now that I've done it. I was doing a style of music that Modulus wasn't really suited for and sold it to finance a Lakland. It wasn't always that good, though...the EMG setup that came in the bass originally was real "ok", but no better than that. Kept hearing about how Poor stuff would improve that and decided to try it. The difference was like night and day.

mchildree · #10 06-16-2001, 02:37 PM

In fact, I have a gorgeous Lakland 55-94 that I'd love to have Lane Poor-ized. The Barts ain't doin' it for me. Love the bass, otherwise.

**rickbass** · #11 06-19-2001, 10:57 PM

Lane Poor Update: After making a few contacts in the pickup world, I found out there are unconfirmed reports that LP production is swamped by orders from a large bass manufacturer, (or "manufacturerS"), hence they seem to be incommunicado. (Couldn't be Musician's Fiend, could it?

They're selling Basslines, Aguilar, and Avalon these days).

The LP network dealers I contacted said they don't really know what's up.

KeithPas · #12 06-19-2001, 11:35 PM

I have a Modulus 5 string with EMG pick ups and preamp and it sounds ok but they make alot of noise when the stage lights are turned on at my gigs. The model is 40p and 40j so I'm assuming that it is a standrd pj setup with a split humbucker and a single coil. I would really like to replace them with bartolini's or basslines but I don't know enough about the sounds of those pick ups to take the plunge yet. I like an aggresive growly tone with strong low mids and clear highs. Thanks for any advice.

**rickbass** · #13 06-20-2001, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KeithPas
...I like an aggresive growly tone with strong low mids and clear highs. Thanks for any advice.

Keith - I received a nice email from Larry Pollack of Aero pickups on Tues, (technically, yesterday). He said they have over 100 models going, (too many to fit on a website), and they will make whatever the customer describes.

Obviously, it would be better to be able to specify ohmages, windings, armature dimensions, and ceramic/alnico/iron compositions, blah blah, to know you'l get exactly what you want in terms of sound. But maybe they'd take them back if their interpretation of "growly" and yours didn't jive. I didn't ask.

I was asking him about making Lane Poor clones.

KeithPas · #14 06-20-2001, 05:51 PM

Thanks Rickbass, thats alot of good info, I had'nt thought of Aero.

Phat Ham · #15 06-20-2001, 09:45 PM

I was asking Dave Pushic the other day about Aero pups, and he said they've done a good job of taking over where Lane Poor left. So if you're into Lane Poor pups but can't find any you might want to try Aero Instruments.

Gard · #16 06-21-2001, 08:34 AM

The "word in the wind" is definitely that Lane Poor is gearing back up to start building pickups. Just got the word yesterday at Bass Central. I'll keep my ear to the ground and if it does actually happen, pass it along. Always wanted to try his stuff, never got the chance. It sounds like Aero may be a good choice as well though.

**rickbass** · #17 06-21-2001, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gard
The "word in the wind" is definitely that Lane Poor is gearing back up to start building pickups. Just got the word yesterday at Bass Central. I'll keep my ear to the ground and if it does actually happen, pass it along....

Gard - Thanks for about the most authoritative poop I've heard on Poor's reemergence to date. I sent an email to Central a couple of days ago and Beaver sent one back saying someone, (I guess Grasshopper?), would get back in touch about what the word was.

I know Central has a bass or three with Lane Poors in them, but I guess they wouldn't consider gutting them to sell the electronics and replacing them with something else. Those LP's may not be the models I want anyway.

One thing about Larry Pollack at Aero - he's one of the few people I've encountered who said upfront that customs would be expensive.

Angus · #18 07-03-2001, 11:59 PM

*bump*

Speedbird · #19 07-04-2001, 08:40 PM

I ordered my Modulus Quantum 4 Sweet-Spot (1 soapbar) with the L.P. I wanted the L.P. pre-amp as well but was told it was unavailable. I had to take a Bartolini 3-bnd but am very happy with both.

stroy05 · #20 07-05-2001, 09:49 PM

They are the best pickups out there that I have heard. I did have LP's on my Zon but I am switching out to Aero's. Joe is doing it as we speak. Yes they are expensive but if you are looking for the best tone possible then Aero's are the way to go

They are expensive because they are custom. There are no two pickups alike...He even keeps records on every pick up he makes....just in case you loose your bass or gets stolen or what ever the circumstance is. He will be able to reproduce your very own pickup.

I ordered humbucking pickups in wood covers.
With these pickups I will be able to switch from dual coil to single coil. Also with Aero pickups the output between the both settings is the same. Not many pickups do that. I can't wait to get my bass back...spoke to Joe tuesday...my bass will be ready next tuesday. Can't wait to see and hear these pickups...