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Guitar Center used site

#3,221
Not too familiar, but doesn't appear to be a skyline


Screenshot_20170122-165132.png
 
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#3,222
rizzo9247 said:
Not too familiar, but doesn't appear to be a skyline


View attachment 1037139
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As far as I can tell it's a Skyline. The Skyline logo looks to be right in line with the G string, and the tuners have flat silver posts, indicating Hipshot Ultralites. IIRC, the US Lakland basses use more traditional, all-chrome Hipshot tuners with longer tuning pegs.
 
#3,225
How does a used made in Korea Lakland bass warrant that kind of dough?
How does Lakland get the prices they do for new imported instruments?
Warwick has a similar thing going on with Rockbasses MSRP but the used market for them is way discounted.
 
#3,228
58kites said:
Is the Korean product made in their own plant or in the same plant as other brands?
If it is in a plant that also makes competing brands, you know the next question or questions.
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I don't know....and it really doesn't make a difference. Each company has it's own specs, tolerances and quality control. Add to that, Lakland does final setup and inspection here, state-side.

I'm no fanboi....but the fact is, the market wouldn't bear that price point if the consumer didn't think it was worth it.

YMMV.....and that's fine.
 
#3,233
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#3,234
JimFog said:
Each company has it's own specs, tolerances and quality control.
Add to that, Lakland does final setup and inspection here, state-side.
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I hear you, that you don't know...but I do think it sure does make a difference if it is their factory or not.
Not sure that Lakland has (control over) their own specs, tolerances and quality control at a Korean plant unless it is their plant.
Otherwise, the Korean shop has equipment and tools and systems in place that they use to make instruments...for all their customers.
Factories don't change manufacturing tolerances and quality control for just one customer and not the others, they can change materials specs but the rest of it is part of their manufacturing processes and they do it as well as they are capable, all the time, not just for Lakland.
I think G&L, Musicman, and Warwick do the same thing as Lakland with final set up and inspection, at their home plant.
I'm not picking on Lakland, I'm just curious why they get the prices they do for non USA made basses, and surprised a used Korean Lakland bass could sell for $700 at GC.
Do their Skylines have their USA made pickups, like G&L does with their Tributes or like Warwick does with their Rockbasses?
Is the Skyline bridge and other hardware the same as the USA product? ..like G&L bridges on Tributes or Warwick bridges/tuners/pickups on Rockbasses?
Do the Skyline necks have the carbon reinforcements like their USA necks?
I'm curious why used G&L USA made basses sell for the price of used Korean Lakland basses.
I'm curious why used German Warwicks sometimes turn up at the same price of a used Korean Lakland bass.
I'm curious why you can buy Warwick's Chinese product on the used market for half the price of used Korean Lakland? ...the Warwick Chinese product is made in a Warwick owned and set up plant, made with Warwick owned equipment, with some German Warwick employees permanently at that plant, is it because it says made in China on the back of the neck?
I realize the answer to these questions is...that it is what the market will bear...I'm just curious how things have turned out that way for Lakland stuff as opposed to other brands.
 
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#3,235
A few thoughts:
  • Import (Asian) Warwicks use different wood combos then German Warwicks, while Lakland uses the same woods on Skyline models as on USA Laklands (other than fancy tops).
  • Asian Warwicks use Asian preamps, or no preamps at all, the Skyline 02 series have the same Bartolini pickups and preamps that Lakland used to put in the similar USA model, prior to using their own pickups.
  • I have never seen a Lakland that couldn't be set up to play terrific, I have seen Asian Warwicks with really funky necks.
  • Even the Laklands with Asian pickups and preamps (01 series, not sure if AJ series has Asian or USA pickups, but they do have an Asian preamp) still sound very good, pro level good. Not every one likes the MK1 preamp and pickup sound of the 01 series, but many do. In fact, for years many Asian brands put these in their top of the line basses, and they are in the bottom of the line Skylines.
 
#3,236
SMG said:
A few thoughts:
  • Import (Asian) Warwicks use different wood combos then German Warwicks, while Lakland uses the same woods on Skyline models as on USA Laklands (other than fancy tops).
  • Asian Warwicks use Asian preamps, or no preamps at all, the Skyline 02 series have the same Bartolini pickups and preamps that Lakland used to put in the similar USA model, prior to using their own pickups.
  • I have never seen a Lakland that couldn't be set up to play terrific, I have seen Asian Warwicks with really funky necks.
  • Even the Laklands with Asian pickups and preamps (01 series, not sure if AJ series has Asian or USA pickups, but they do have an Asian preamp) still sound very good, pro level good. Not every one likes the MK1 preamp and pickup sound of the 01 series, but many do. In fact, for years many Asian brands put these in their top of the line basses, and they are in the bottom of the line Skylines.
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  • Good, interesting information to learn, thank you for that feedback.
  • Asian Warwicks have different body woods from the German Warwicks, my 2012 Warwick Rockbass Corvette $$ has a two piece swamp ash body, three piece 1/4 sawn maple neck with two thin stingers added and a really fine grain rosewood fretboard, the two MM-style humbucker pickups are Warwick MEC with passive electronics, the bridge is Warwick, and the tuners are Warwick. The methods of construction are exactly the same as is done at Warwick Germany and done on Warwick equipment. So the differences in mine from a German Warwick are the exotic woods, where it was made, and it's passive. The tolerances and precision are so good it's crazy.
  • I would rather have an ash body to the exotics, it is not too heavy and ash sounds great, and ash is top grade material at Fender and G&L and Musicman, and at Lakland I assume.
  • I would rather have a maple neck to an exotic wood, again muliti-lam 1/4 sawn maple necks are often considered top grade desirable materials and construction. Maple is a tried and true material that has been used forever so I trust it more than exotics.
  • If I add a $100 preamp tone circuit to my Rockbass I have a Corvette Double $$ made of my preferred materials choices. And for me, it was great that I was able to get it used at such a low price, not good for re-sale but great for me when I bought it.

  • That is what left me wondering why it came so cheap used and why Lakland USA & Korean product does not have that issue like G&L and Warwick.

  • I do want to go touch a Lakland Skyline now to feel what the deal is with them, thanks again. :)
 
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