Has TB moved on from Lakland?

[FishDub]

Hey guys, I’ve just recently become active again on Tb after many years. Boy it seems things have changed in the bass world. When I first started to be very active here about 10 years ago it seemed that Lakland got a ton of love, (me too, Lakland fan here). But now there are so many other bass brands that quite honestly I’d never even heard of before until starting to browse around the threads again recently.

So I guess the point of this thread is....What’s the bass brand craze that everyone seems to be into these days?

BTW I still love all my Laklands, but always down for trying new bass brands that people really like.

Anything that is a jazz clone..boutiques

 

[Chad Michael]

....That may indeed be my favorite look! How do you like the B-string action, tone, volume, and intonation on the 35” neck?...

All are fine by my standards. I don't usually camp out on the B, mostly just use it as a convenience.

 

[Killens84]

My two dream basses have always been a Lakland US P Bass and a Sadowsky NYC 5-string Jazz Bass. I was blessed to be able to buy the Lakland last year, and the Sadowsky this year. Both have met, if not exceeded, my expectations. I did change the pickup in the Lakland, because I didn’t care for the stock Lakland/Hanson pickup, but the bass is superb!

 

[Geri O]

Perhaps someone should start a poll voting for their line of basses that they “feel” deserves more attention and consideration that they are getting.

I’m not gonna, I don’t care. But why not?

 

[wraub]

I turned off as much of that stuff as possible and I've never felt better.

There's also google listening to you through various devices and feeding you marketing based on what you talk about and search so it is more than just a feeling...there is an algorithm.

 

[Snakeman1066]

Lakland hasn't gotten any less popular...but people my be talking about them less here on (TB) as they have now been around since 1994 (roughly 26 years) and the Skyline Series has been around since 2001 (roughly 19 years) which were introduced to help the company keep the doors open and they actually broke even for the first time in 2003...in 2008 the company moved the production of the skyline series form Korea to Indonesia (partnered with ESP)

Yes Dan Lakin and Hugh McFarland have both departed the company...roughly 10 years ago the guys who were making the stock pre-amps and pickups for Lakland acquired the company....in the last 10 years or so they have been bringing more and more of the manufacturing and building process in-house to save on costs as well as control the QC...believe it or not they are actually trying to bring the price down a bit....had they not acquired it roughly 10 years ago the company probably would not be here now...

The new Lakland President John Pirruccello has actually been with the company since 1997...they moved to a new location and have actually doubled in size...they have expanded the product line to three price points...

Lakland Skyline
Lakland Classic
Lakland U.S.A. Series

anybody who has a qualm about paying $1200.00 for an Indonesian made bass is looking at it with a heavy prejudice. (yet the same folks will buy a Fender made in Mexico for the same money without blinking an eye)

I own 5 Lakland basses and they are all exquisite regardless of their build origin My two main players are both Indonesian built 44-64 custom P/J's and they rival and exceed anything in Fender's line up at the same price point

the necks are the best part of the build for me....the 10" radius is heaven to my hands

if your a purists of classic shapes and you have not tried a Lakland you owe it to yourself to give them a go...

Yes I'm a Fanboy

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I've been hooked on Warwick (German made) basses since I discovered them in the early 90's.

And I've always wanted check out Wal and certain Yamahas.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Count me as one of these folks.

Make no mistake: At some point, I plan on a teal sunburst 44-94 with a maple fingerboard. I see a Skyline with the Chi-Sonics in my future sooner though (I want to get one and refin it in shell pink with a mint pickguard).

I also like the idea of a 44-60, but they seem pricey. I am not saying they are too much, but I would like to play one first.

If I saw a bassist with one of these 3 Laklands mentioned above, it would be fantastic to play it.

I actually have both these basses- a US 4460 and Skyline J Sonic. I've been playing j basses for years and Laklands are hands down my favorite.

 

[BluesyCat]

I had a Lakland JO4. I was in that craze too. I switched to Sadowsky after I sold the JO4 and never looked back. But I now own 3 Sadowsky's, 1 custom Grosh, 1 custom Marleaux, and now new to the stable 1 custom MTD...which seems to be possibly in the new craze with Sadowsky, Dingwall, etc.

Edit 2 Sadowsky's are custom NYC models and 1 is an awesome Metro HPJ4. Feels / sounds like a NYC.

 

[Ric Vice]

Actually....Lakland is now making its own bodies and necks in house.

Your statement was correct ... But that changed years ago.

They are also painting most in house at this time

Thanks for the update.

 

[BluesyCat]

Thanks for the update.

LOVE your Grommit Avatar!

 

[Ric Vice]

 

[Fender4Me]

Hype, Latest Fad...They always come home to Fender

 

[DigitalMan]

 

[80jazz]

I actually have both these basses- a US 4460 and Skyline J Sonic. I've been playing j basses for years and Laklands are hands down my favorite.

Do you feel the 44-60 is worth the price tag?

 

[AudioTaper]

Hype, Latest Fad...They always come home to Fender

Not always

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Do you feel the 44-60 is worth the price tag?

Ok, so I bought mine used, right here on TB for about $2k, about 8 years ago. But to answer your question, absolutely YES. I also own a vintage 1962 Jazz bass with Lindy Fralin pickups. I actually prefer the Lakland. To my ears, it doesn't sound like your typical jazz bass. It's got this really incredible low end punch to it. Also, it's the only J style bass I've ever owned that the bridge pickup solo'd is actually usable- it retains quite a bit more low end than other bridge pickups (not that I even use that way very much). It has the stock factory Lakland pickups. I would never ever change them.

 

[groove pump]

I don’t spend much time on here, but I feel like I’m hearing a lot of hype about Moollons.

Yes.

I found a rather nice 2nd hand Bacchus for myself last year and I think that I spotted it because many of the more modern "hot-rod" builders - some based in Japan - all landed on my radar at the same time in the last couple of years. Atelier and Xotic (I think some of their builds are also from Japan?) among others all seemed to pop up together for me. I don't get as much of a sense that these labels are fads, but more that they've been on a steady march toward prominence through the last several years... at least for me.

 

[Indiana Mike]

Don’t know why , but this Lakland makes me drool...

 

[Pet Sounds]

My two cents on Lakland: I bought one of the first Skyline Duck Dunn basses in the earlier 2000s and it quickly became my main bass over my 1995 American Standard Precision Bass. I played my Dunn at gigs exclusively for a decade, then went back to American Fenders when Fender stepped up its game circa 2012. (I sold the Duck and the '95 ultimately.) My feeling is that Lakland initially was filling a hole in the marketplace by "outFendering" Fender at the same price point, though it was MIK vs MIA. But since then, Dan Lakin left his company (taking his signature names with him), Fender upped its game, other manufacturers have entered the fray and Lakland has made changes such as country of origin, model names and pickups. I'm not really saying that today's Laklands are any worse than the old ones, but I would say the competition for their slice of the market has increased. I played a Skyline Geezer last year and it was fine, but didn't knock me out.
I have been interested also in Lakland's 44-02/44/94 style basses, but am pretty happy with my StingRays, so I haven't gone there yet.
Just one person's opinion.