Fender Geddy or Lakland Skyline Joe Osborn

aren't the geddy lee pickups the same pickups used in American j-basses? that's what it says on fender's website...

 

True!
on Geddys they are american vintage. Anyway, i already changed the tuners,they are so weak! that was incredible ,a theft!
The pickups are great but they lack low-end especially on bridge's too much mids, nasal sound so I ordered a Villex set to set the mids as I want them.I don't know a lot about lakland but it seems to be a good bass too!

 

I have a geddy lee that the prior owner modified. & like a previous poster said, it is a killer bass with the simple upgrades.

The prior owner put in bassline hot stack p/u's, bassline 2 band pre amp, & black vintage reberse tuners. He had his tech route a cavity under the pickguard for the curcuit board & battery.

Let me tell you first hand that this bass is awesome.

See the pic.

 

I have heard the Rush "Different Stages" live album and I know those tones he gets out of his jazz bass can't be stock. Whether it is his amplification or pickups he is tweaking his bass somehow. Also I doubt if the one he plays is made in Japan. If you got his bass and took it apart, those pickups are probably some custom concoction that some custom shop made him. The way he plays and all I think he sounds just as good on his J bass as he did the Wal bass. And his tone is similiar to his other basses. I guess its the player too but he does something that is always consistant to get that mid-rangey growl he always gets. I think if he played a cheap Harmony bass he would be set up with his settings and all to be "mid-rangey". LOL.

 

hey just wondering, since everyone always talks about replacing the tuners on the geddy, can anyone recommend any, for beginners who don't know many hardware brands etc.

also i see people mention replacing the pickups a lot... any recommendations for noiseless pickups for the geddy?

thanks

 

I used a set of Schaller BMFLC tuning machines. They set me back $100 Canadian. Absolutely worth the money. I also bought a SKB-44 case ($135CDN) which I really like.

--jeff

 

While Geddy's bass is stock, it's not MIJ - his main Jazz is still his original '72.

 

I haven't played a JO bass but I have owned 2 Skylines. IMO, the craftsmanship on the SkyLines is not as good as the Geddy Lee bass.

The Geddy Lee..... Well, this is the only Fender bass I own. It is truly awesome!!!!!

 

IIRC, Geddy recently went to the Custom Shop to have them reproduse his beloved '72 jazz because he didn't want it on the road any longer which led to the MIJ re-issue. So the bass he's using live recently is a Custom Shop.

 

The GL is a surprisingly great little bass. And I found that the several others that I've played were pretty consistant. So I voted the GL.

I was a little put off by the tuners, probably Gotoh, but have found that they never really seem to have a problem staying in tune. I actually like the pickups, too. Although I'm thinking about installing an EMG preamp that it "boost-only"

The only thing about the bass that I find odd is that it's the only one that I've ever had an issue with feedback. With the the amp turned up a bit the bass will howl like a banshee. I've never had a bass that would do that except for my double bass.

 

Question about the inlays: are those real or just some kind paint behind the poliester finish? I read on harmony-central.com one guy asking the same question. They seemed so unreal to me! What's up with that? Other than that it's a cool bass, for the price that is.

 

I've owned one GL and handled several others. IMO the fit and finish was good but nowhere near the Lakland Skylines. I would much prefer the Skyline JO. You won't have to change anything for it to be a great bass.

Chuck

 

Looking @ my Geddy, it looks like an inlay of some kind of black material. I believe it is bacause on some of them, you cam see some filler material.

 

The Skyline is a great bass. It sounds, feels, and plays phonominal. But, it is heavey(mine anyways). As far as a great old school jazz sound, this is where it's at. But, if you like your basses easy on the shoulder and back, it may not be for you.

 

I've tried both, and I own a Skyline JO5 with J-retro. Both basses are very good instruments. you need to try both and decide for yourself IMHO. You will very likely not need to change the Fralin pickups in the Skyline though. Everyone that I've talked to agree that the Fralin pickups sound very good, as passive. no need to replace them.

 

Gil, is your JO as heavy as they are saying? Man, my Imperial 6 is a beast at 11 pounds but it's a 36" scale with a massive neck.