Fender vs Lakland... I need your experience

[N4860]

This may help a little. I A/B-ed by Fender American Performer Precision and Lakland 44-64 Custom when I had them both.

Why did you edit the video that way? Wouldn't it be a lot better to line up the the comparison of each setting of each basses right next to each other so you could compare them? It's kind of inconvenient to have to constantly skip back and forth between the lakland and fender clips everytime you change settings.

 

[Kukulkan61]

The Skylines are really nice basses and the necks are awesome, when I got this D Dunn Pbass I immediately swapped the pickups for Fralins then I swapped them again for the EMG Geezers, this is an Indonesian Skyline and it’s been my number one for a few years now, by the way the Neo Punch pickups that come in these basses are too modern sounding for my taste, I prefer a vintage tone from all my Pbasses I can’t compare it to a Fender Elite but I have a Crafted in Japan Pbass and a Nate Mendel Pbass and the D Dunn is just as good and I can honestly say that the D Dunn has the nicest neck out of all of them...

 

[Bunk McNulty]

At various times, I've owned a 2011 Fender American Standard Jazz and a Lakland Skyline (Korea) DJ-4. They were both awesome instruments. I would be hard-pressed to choose one over the other.

 

[jallenbass]

I've had good and not-so-good basses from both Fender and Lakland. Try before you buy.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Fot some reason, people like to perpetuate this notion that Korean made Lakland Skylines are superior to their Indonesian made counterparts. NOTHING IS FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!! I've owned many Laklands- US, Korean and Indonesian. THEY'RE ALL AMAZING INSTRUMENTS.

Lakland Skylines compare very favorably to any US made Fenders.

My main 'players' are my passive US Lakland 4460, a Lakland Skyline J-Sonic, and a vintage 1962 Fender Jazz Bass with Lindy Fralin pickups. Of those three, the two Laklands see the most action. I honestly prefer the neck shape of the Skyline J-Sonic over the '62.

Stock Lakland pickups are great. I remember the very first time I plugged in my US 4460 bass (bought here on TB some 8 years ago). I immediately felt I had never heard a J style bass that sounded like THAT.

OP, should you decide to purchase a Lakland Skyline, you won't be disappointed- and don't worry about its country of manufacture.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

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Year is not mentioned, but it has the Fralin pickup.

I'm familiar with the building process. Just wasn't sure about the feel and experience of one of these. I dig the wider nut, hipshots, and Fralin.

That's a good price on a great bass. I'd jump on it.

 

[DISCOSTUVW]

That's a good price on a great bass. I'd jump on it.

I'm just wondering if it's worth the price gap. Due to current conditions, I won't really be able to try before I take possession.

For those talking about the Duck Dunn model, I really like it except for the neck, which is why I'm leaning towards the Bob. I like a chunkier neck. This one struck me bc I rarely see the maple board models.

I know I sound like a noob right now. I'm just going blind looking for insight, which I have definitely received. I'm still making up my mind, but I feel I have better info.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I'm just wondering if it's worth the price gap. Due to current conditions, I won't really be able to try before I take possession.

For those talking about the Duck Dunn model, I really like it except for the neck, which is why I'm leaning towards the Bob. I like a chunkier neck. This one struck me bc I rarely see the maple board models.

I know I sound like a noob right now. I'm just going blind looking for insight, which I have definitely received. I'm still making up my mind, but I feel I have better info.

The Glaub neck is a 1.75" width at the nut; the Dunn should be 1.50" at the nut. Neither I would classify as 'chunky'. Generally speaking, Lakland necks are flatter (from one end of the fret to the other) and a bit thinner than Fenders.

 

[BaltBass5]

I own 14 (Yes 14) American Fender Jazz Basses ranging in price from $1500 - $2500. The ONLY Basses I have that are not American Fenders are Spectors and Laklands. I have 3 Lakland Skylines.

The Laklands actually get much more playing time than the Fenders and although they are Indonesian made, IMO...they are just as high quality as the American Fenders.

 

[mikecd1]

Personally can't do the 1.75 width neck anymore, but the Glaubs are great basses. Agree with SJAN3 though about weight unless that's not a concern for you. Prefer a narrower neck width and lighter bass. The Duck Dunn would be great if not too heavy - my USA Peavey Fury is like a Dunn with a 1.5 neck (no inlays) and a Pbass pup. With a poplar body weighs in at 7.6 lbs. Sounds great though a little neck heavy with the awesome Grover tuners and was a sleek 300 bucks. Much love and many found here on TB.

 

[bassbully]

Grab the Lakland you won’t be sorry.

 

[Frety_Kruger]

Keep the fender swap the pickups. Or try a different amp.

 

[DISCOSTUVW]

So, the owner just told me that this one is a 2007.

Between it being a later Korean model and the lack of neck chunk, I think I'll be keeping the Fender.

Thanks all

 

[iammr2]

I had four Korean Skylines. One was a Glaub and was quite solid, as was a Duck Dunn. One's neck went wonky and I sent it back to Lakland twice. Each time they said they fixed it. They didn't. Another was a beautiful DJ whose neck began to twist after a couple years.

Two out four went bad. I say, "try before you buy".

 

[pbassnut]

I’ve had four US Lakeland Glaubs... and while I love the sound of them, I just can’t get behind the shallow neck and and always end up coming home to Fender.

I had a USA Glaub for a while and I had the same reaction to the wide but shallow neck profile ... I don't know what they were thinking on that one. I also had a Skyline Glaub which I liked _much_ better than the USA version due to the comfortable neck profile on it.

 

[beaglesandbass]

Why did you edit the video that way? Wouldn't it be a lot better to line up the the comparison of each setting of each basses right next to each other so you could compare them? It's kind of inconvenient to have to constantly skip back and forth between the lakland and fender clips everytime you change settings.

Because that by far was the easiest way to do it and I wasn’t getting paid. I still have all the original audio tracks. Feel free to send money via paypal or venmo and i’ll edit it however you want.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

So, I have a 2017 Fender Elite Pbass. I'm not thrilled with the pickups. The feel is decent though. I have thought about just replacing the pickups, but I was offered a Korean made Lakland Bob Glaub. It seems nice in pictures, but the only experience I had with a Lakland was a 55-01 in a Guitar Center. I know there is a bit of a price gap, but that is not a huge deal to me. Please lend me your thoughts.

I love Fenders. I owned a Lakland DJ 4 for about a month and couldn't bond with it... returned it to Sweetwater and bought a Fender 60s J reissue. The Lakland had noticeably superior craftsmanship and their necks are incredible. I would go with the Lakland.

 

[Iridescentone]

I had a USA Glaub for a while and I had the same reaction to the wide but shallow neck profile ... I don't know what they were thinking on that one. I also had a Skyline Glaub which I liked _much_ better than the USA version due to the comfortable neck profile on it.

They wanted to faithfully replicate Glaub's actual '64 P bass. The default P bass profile in '64 was wide and flat, aka a "pancake". Of all the L-series P basses the '64's seem to have been the most notorious for being uncomfortably wide at the nut. My '64 was the same way...uncomfortably wide. My Skyline Glaub was, too. When I got it I recall thinking "yep, feels just like a '64 Fender." Two weeks later, sore wrist.

 

[Iridescentone]

Because that by far was the easiest way to do it and I wasn’t getting paid. I still have all the original audio tracks. Feel free to send money via paypal or venmo and i’ll edit it however you want.

lol

No good deed goes unpunished, eh?

 

[Pet Sounds]

I bought a new, first-year Skyline Duck Dunn sight unseen from Bass Northwest and it became my main gigging bass for a decade. (I took my 1995 Fender American Standard along as a backup.) It had Fralins, it wasn't heavy, and the fit and finish were perfect. I sold it when Fender USA upped its game in 2012. Last year, I briefly had a newer Geezer Butler 44-64, but returned it during the grace period. It was nice and sounded good, but the neck felt weird to me. I also own an Elite. Both the Fender and the Lakland are nice basses, but I can't say at this point that I'd prefer the Lakland over the Elite.