Considering a Lakland...

[dannylectro]

Warning: GAS saga to follow:
So... I just sold my house and have some cash to spare and have decided to buy a "dream bass". I've pretty much decided to have a Lakland built to my specs in terms of wood choice, finish, etc.
Background: I regularly play a '73 P bass, and a new 2015 American Std Fender Jazz. I'm a four string guy. To spice things up, I throw a Jerry Jones Longhorn and a Epi Jack Casady into my mix of instruments, but, at heart, I'm a Fender guy.
So... I have a couple of basses I'm going to sell to at least partially "justify" my purchase to my skeptical, er, significant other. The aforementioned Jazz (love, my new go to bass) and a '63 AVRI P bass (love, but the neck is too wide for me). I am keeping the '73 P and the others.
Here's my (admittedly 1st world) dilemma: I am choosing between a Lakland 44-60 (J style) and a 44-64 Custom (P style with Jazz neck) and I cannot make up my mind. Thoughts?

 

[two fingers]

Tone wise, it's hard to beat a good P bass. And if you have a problem with the necks on your other P basses, I would jump at the chance to get a P bass you can really enjoy.

 

[jdwilliams]

Could just have them built you a P?J...

 

[dannylectro]

Could just have them built you a P?J...

I'm not a fan of the PJ configuration. Thought about it, but one of things I love about the J is the beautiful punchy midrange of the neck PU.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Warning: GAS saga to follow:
So... I just sold my house and have some cash to spare and have decided to buy a "dream bass". I've pretty much decided to have a Lakland built to my specs in terms of wood choice, finish, etc.
Background: I regularly play a '73 P bass, and a new 2015 American Std Fender Jazz. I'm a four string guy. To spice things up, I throw a Jerry Jones Longhorn and a Epi Jack Casady into my mix of instruments, but, at heart, I'm a Fender guy.
So... I have a couple of basses I'm going to sell to at least partially "justify" my purchase to my skeptical, er, significant other. The aforementioned Jazz (love, my new go to bass) and a '63 AVRI P bass (love, but the neck is too wide for me). I am keeping the '73 P and the others.
Here's my (admittedly 1st world) dilemma: I am choosing between a Lakland 44-60 (J style) and a 44-64 Custom (P style with Jazz neck) and I cannot make up my mind. Thoughts?

Just play your love of your life, your '73 P bass, then you don't need to deal with that skeptical thing you share in the house.

A Lakland, as great as it may be, is not a Fender, it is just a Fender looking bass. Have you played them, do they feel and sound like your '73 P? Just some food for thought; did you consider, perhaps a Custom Shop Fender, also?

 

[Pet Sounds]

Not sure why you'd want to sell a Fender USA Jazz for a Lakland, assuming I read your post correctly.

 

[bassguyky48]

Buy skyline laklands and you can get both
They are excellent. I like fender but because skylines go thru the Chicago shop. You will find them so easy to play
Use pickups that you know you love. It's easy to swap out lakland for say Nordstrand.

 

[dannylectro]

Just play your love of your life, your '73 P bass, then you don't need to deal with that skeptical thing you share in the house.

A Lakland, as great as it may be, is not a Fender, it is just a Fender looking bass. Have you played them, do they feel and sound like your '73 P? Just some food for thought; did you consider, perhaps a Custom Shop Fender, also?

Yes, I love my '73 P. Will never let it go. Yes, I played a Lakland and the playability and articulate sound quality blew me away.

 

[Kukulkan61]

I just picked up a Lakland Skyline 44-64 Duck Dunn last year, this bass has the best neck I've ever played, it's a Jazz profile really smooth, fast and easy to play, the best thing to me is you can get really low action with no fret buzz, it's a great bass, quality and craftsmanship is tops, the only thing I didn't like we're the neo punch pups, they were to modern sounding to me so I just swapped them out for Fralins, check one out you won't be disappointed..

 

[taylor16]

Lakland basses are phenomenal. I've gone through multiple Fender American-made instruments and I keep coming back to my Skylines. They have serious mojo.

 

[barginkov]

I think laklands are excellent. But if you have a nice 73 p bass .it's gonna be hard to beat that sound ..I would get a early 70s jazz and be set for any type of music

 

[dannylectro]

Good point. And I guess I could find that '70's mojo J bass for about the money.
But, as I know from owning the '73 P for a really long time, you can start getting tired of the same basic, and limited, set of P bass sounds. It's why getting a nice, but fairly generic, J was so interesting. I also really get along with that neck! But it's the range and variety of sounds... wow.
So... maybe what I'm really asking is anybody have experience with both the Lakland P & J models?

 

[jdwilliams]

Good point. And I guess I could find that '70's mojo J bass for about the money.
But, as I know from owning the '73 P for a really long time, you can start getting tired of the same basic, and limited, set of P bass sounds. It's why getting a nice, but fairly generic, J was so interesting. I also really get along with that neck! But it's the range and variety of sounds... wow.
So... maybe what I'm really asking is anybody have experience with both the Lakland P & J models?

I have played a Dunn model and I loved it.. I still plan to add one to my collection sometime. Just picked up my 1st US lakland a 55-76

 

[ShowKing]

I have a 44-64 PJ but because you already have a P, you should get the jazz bass!

 

[Munjibunga]

Tone wise, it's hard to beat a good P bass. And if you have a problem with the necks on your other P basses, I would jump at the chance to get a P bass you can really enjoy.

... as long as it has a J pickup back there.

 

[pedroims]

Not sure why you'd want to sell a Fender USA Jazz for a Lakland, assuming I read your post correctly.

Because OP is planning to buy a USA Lakland, makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Ok. I get it if it's a USA Lakland.

 

[Acoustic356]

A lot of the Lakland basses are 35" scale... for some, the leap to a 35" scale guitar can be uncomfortable.

 

[rayzak]

I've got one of each. I prefer the P. But that's just my preference. You want a P or a J? Only you can decide, my friend. Both of mine have Fralin pu's, so that will impact the sound a bit. Both of mine have J necks, and they are fabulous!!! Truly enjoyable instruments to play.

 

[Mktrat]

A lot of the Lakland basses are 35" scale... for some, the leap to a 35" scale guitar can be uncomfortable.

I was under the impression only the five strings are 35" scale. OP is an admitted "four string guy"