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Fender or lakland?

#41
First of even though fender may have decent customer service sending replacement knobs....its iffy.

And lakland is known for having the best customer service. I couldnt figure out the buzzing when i turned the mid control down adn I called lakalnd and guess who helped me? Owner and inventor Dan Lakin....many others have had similair experiences. And this was one of their korean basses. Buy lakland you will be happier. Better Customer service even to non-originall owners and higher resale value.
 
#42
I like both brands. I have owned both a 55-01 and a 55-02. They both sounded great, but the 55-02 had someneck issues. IF the 55-02 is a the bass for you, you might want to seek out a USA Peavey Millennium V. It has a 35" scale too, but it has a much thinner and flatter neck profile. The string spacing is a tad more narrow too. The Peavey has variable mids instead of a coil splitting switch, but tone wise, it is just as versatile. The kicker is that the Peavey is a discontinued model that can be found for very low prices although it is a very high quality instrument. I have found them near mint for as low as $350 and rarely for more than $750. Check them out, it compares very favorably to Lakland IMO.
 
#43
When I got my USA JO earlier this year, it arrived with terrible fret buzz. it took some setting up at home here to get rid of the buzz. I was surprised. It shipped direct from them also. But I love it. I'd get another one. I also like Fender as much. Just depends on what style you're playing. So get one of each eventually! You can never have enough basses.
 
#44
I have both basses. They are different animals. The Fender
has a killer sound. With the eq flat, it has a very 70's
sound. With the eq up it has a very big, "modern" sound.

I a/b'd it next to a JO5, a DJ5, and a Sad metro.
The am dlx jazz V sounded as good or better than the
others.

The 55-02 dlx with the new pickups has a lot of usable
sounds. It sounds darker, but is still articulate. The B on
my Fender is a little better.

Both basses are very versitile, just different. The build
quality on the 55-02 is great. My 2005 Am dlx jazz V is
one of the best made basses I've ever owned. Great frets
right out of the factory.

If you can get a "good one" of either bass, you will be
very very happy. The trick, is getting a "good one" of
either bass. JMHO
 
#45
sb69coupe said:
Seems like you're comparing apples and oranges. The Fender is a traditional passive Jazz bass, while the 55-02 is a more modern active bass with the SC/MM pickup config. Do you want an active bass or a passive jazz-style instrument? That is the first question you must answer.

If you want a jazz, you should be comparing the Fender against the Lakland Joe Osborn and Darryl Jones basses. In my opinion, the Lakand Skyline version of these basses is a far nicer bass than the Fender.
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I actually have both a Joe Osborn (Jazz style) bass and a Bob Glaub (P-Bass style) bass. I love them both -- they really do re-create the vintage Fender tone and have tons of mojo.

I don't really play the JO much these days though, as the Bob Glaub is just too much fun to give up. I guess I just prefer P-Bass to the Jazz. I'm tempted to sell the JO, but look at this thing!

IMG_0932.JPG
 
#46
Reinholds said:
I wanted to buy Active Fender... but i get info that this Bstring is very bad in fender but how is with lakland sound?
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The B string on my Jazz V is fantastic, as is the B on most Fenders I've tried. Laklands are very nice also, but not my cup of tea for many reasons (35" scale is not something I want).

Either of these basses will be good and will probably satisfy your desire. Personally I wouldn't consider the Lakland but you're not me.
 
#49
Reinholds said:
Thx so you say that 34" is in some case better than 35" yes? Maybe stupid question but lakland is shorter or longer than Fender Jbass deluxe V with 22 ?
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The Lakland is a 35" scale, the Fender a 34" scale. "Scale" refers to the distance between the nut and bridge. Some prefer 35" scale in a 5-string because it is supposed to yield a tighter B string. I find, however, that the B on the Fender is adequately tight and quite playable. It really comes down to personal preference, which is why you should play both before you buy. If you can't try a bass first, you probably shouldn't buy it unless you are 100% sure you can return it before you buy it.
 
#55
Reinholds said:
So you all think thet better is lakland 55-02 deluxe yes?
Click to expand...

Not better or worse. Just different. They're 2 different basses, both are good basses, you need to just sit down with both of them and play them both.

Sound clips that were mentioned are a decent idea, but I wouldnt use them much to guide my opinion. Different player/techniuques/amp etc. that could result in a different tone when you play the bass. Youre best bet is to find a shop that has them and sit down and play them. If you cant do that, then take the chance and order the Lakland. You wont regret it, and if you for some reason dont like it, you can always send it back and refund your money and go with the Fender.

I still say try to find yourself a Peavy Cirrus. Theyre in that price range as are Ernie Balls.
 
#59
I briefly owned a US Lakland 55-94...I couldn't get a decent sound (my sound) out of this bass regardless of what I tried.

On the other hand I have a Fender Jazz Victor Bailey 4 string that is just flat out incredible. I haven't tried the 5 but I bet it's pretty nice. But for a really great 5 string I would go with a Roscoe Century.
 

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