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Hey Fender- This is NOT cool!

#161
I'm with rogerbmiller on this one. If you're dropping $1200-1300 on a new bass you should expect the body to be better matched, especially in a trans finish. I've owned many Fenders, all American built, right up to Custom Shops and I've found some great ones and some really sloppy ones. That's why I play G&Ls these days. Just about the same price as a US built Fender, you can customize the bass more, and far superior quality control. These JBs are both the Empress bodies as is my LB100, not pictured.
L1030749.JPG
 
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#162
rmayer said:
I'm with rogerbmiller on this one. If you're dropping $1200-1300 on a new bass you should expect the body to be better matched, especially in a trans finish. I've owned many Fenders, all American built, right up to Custom Shops and I've found some great ones and some really sloppy ones. That's why I play G&Ls these days. Just about the same price as a US built Fender, you can customize the bass more, and far superior quality control. These JBs are both the Empress bodies as is my LB100, not pictured.View attachment 961194
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Beautiful basses! Damn...
 
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#163
rogerbmiller said:
You know since the L word has come up a few times in this thread, I have to say that one of the most impressive basses I played at sam ash yesterday, playability wise, was a Skykine 44-01 quilt top they had. Fit, finish and action were perfect.

I didn't bother to plug it in however. Bartolinis, you know?
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That tells me the Skyline 44-01 "Deluxe" you loved did not have a natural finish. If it did, you'd have noticed how paper-thin the "quilted maple" top actually is, and how cheezy it looks all around the edges where the two disparate woods are glued together.

Given your objections to even the slightest cosmetic "flaws", one would expect a predictable diatribe-laden thread expressing the utmost outrage at Lakland for such blatant disregard for cosmetic appeal. "I went to Sam Ash today, played a Skyline 44-01 Deluxe (that means figured maple top for those who may not know) that felt and sounded great. But then I noticed how horridly mismatched the skimpy maple top is, against the ash body. How can Lakland justify charging that much for an import bass with such obviously crappy woodwork!?"

Or maybe not? Somehow, Lakland is immune from such criticism on Talkbass. Instead......finish flaws, gross weight inconsistencies, and other minor niggles that beset any production builder, go unmentioned around here. Why?....because normal people don't feel the need to make a big public stink about it when it happens. There is no Anti-Lakland Crusade led by jihadists with nothing better to do.
 
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#164
Iridescentone said:
That tells me the Skyline 44-01 "Deluxe" you loved did not have a natural finish. If it did, you'd have noticed how paper-thin the "quilted maple" top actually is, and how cheezy it looks all around the edges where the two disparate woods are glued together.

Given your objections to even the slightest cosmetic "flaws", one would expect a predictable diatribe-laden thread expressing the utmost outrage at Lakland for such blatant disregard for cosmetic appeal. "I went to Sam Ash today, played a Skyline 44-01 Deluxe (that means figured maple top for those who may not know) that felt and sounded great. But then I noticed how horridly mismatched the skimpy maple top is, against the ash body. How can Lakland justify charging that much for an import bass with such obviously crappy woodwork!?"

Or maybe not? Somehow, Lakland is immune from such criticism on Talkbass. Instead......finish flaws, gross weight inconsistencies, and other minor niggles that beset any production builder, go unmentioned around here. Why?....because normal people don't feel the need to make a big public stink about it when it happens. There is no Anti-Lakland Crusade led by jihadists with nothing better to do.
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I love Lakland basses. I think the first two Skyline years are pretty much untouchable. Past 2005 there has been a bunch of issues I have seen and read about. I am absolutely with you...the Skyline series is priced way too high and they do seem to get a pass for their issues.
 
#165
Iridescentone said:
Or maybe not? Somehow, Lakland is immune from such criticism on Talkbass. Instead......finish flaws, gross weight inconsistencies, and other minor niggles that beset any production builder, go unmentioned around here. Why?....because normal people don't feel the need to make a big public stink about it when it happens. There is no Anti-Lakland Crusade led by jihadists with nothing better to do.
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Man, I've been wanting to start an Anti-Lakland Crusade for a while now. Not sure if I'm a jihadist or not but I definitely have nothing better to do. I'll get right on this....tomorrow. :D
 
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#166
birminghambass said:
Man, I've been wanting to start an Anti-Lakland Crusade for a while now. Not sure if I'm a jihadist or not but I definitely have nothing better to do. I'll get right on this....tomorrow. :D
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Right arm! Occupy Lakland! Down with the Capitalist Pigs! Off the Cops!

Do I get my free lunch before, or after I join your Crusade? :thumbsup:
 
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#167
Iridescentone said:
That tells me the Skyline 44-01 "Deluxe" you loved did not have a natural finish. If it did, you'd have noticed how paper-thin the "quilted maple" top actually is, and how cheezy it looks all around the edges where the two disparate woods are glued together.

Given your objections to even the slightest cosmetic "flaws", one would expect a predictable diatribe-laden thread expressing the utmost outrage at Lakland for such blatant disregard for cosmetic appeal. "I went to Sam Ash today, played a Skyline 44-01 Deluxe (that means figured maple top for those who may not know) that felt and sounded great. But then I noticed how horridly mismatched the skimpy maple top is, against the ash body. How can Lakland justify charging that much for an import bass with such obviously crappy woodwork!?"

Or maybe not? Somehow, Lakland is immune from such criticism on Talkbass. Instead......finish flaws, gross weight inconsistencies, and other minor niggles that beset any production builder, go unmentioned around here. Why?....because normal people don't feel the need to make a big public stink about it when it happens. There is no Anti-Lakland Crusade led by jihadists with nothing better to do.
Click to expand...


Actually speaking for myself, if I found a crap Lakland I would definitely have written a similar post. In fact here is story:

My guitarist had a Lakland he bought as a house bass. Neck was a disaster so he returned it. Second one came. It was better but sucked overall. So after a year of trying to make it work, he sold it and took a big hit.

Another story- I had a Skyline 55-01 about 8 years ago and it was Meh. It sure didn't have any cosmetic flaws like the Fender in question though. It just didn't impress me as much as I had hoped. And I had played one in Sam Ash that I really liked. The one I bought was used though. It just wasn't as good.

I am also an avid Warwick player and have punted several that came to me in what I deemed to be substandard form.

So there are inconsistencies everywhere.

And no bass is off limits for me. If I find one that is sub standard, I am not going to be bashful.
 
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#173
I agree with OP 100%. If you charge over $1000 for an instrument, it should play well and look nice.

Anytime I see an issue like mismatched wood or other cosmetic issues, it makes me wonder about overall QC and manufacturing standards of the instrument being sold. I may be over-reacting, but $1200 is more than a "drop in the bucket" for me.
 
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#176
fretter said:
With most quality products, that outcome would be considered a "second", wouldn't it?
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Well, that's a different question. I'm just pointing out that in many cases, not all, the different pieces of wood might look exactly the same before finish. Same color, same grain, etc. On the other hand, the bass in the first picture in this thread has one piece of wood that is totally flat sawn and the other is much close to quarter sawn. In that case the grain looks completely different AND you can almost be sure it won't take stain evenly across the two pieces. That bugs me since it just looks like two random pieces of wood glued together, but put a few years of wear and tear on it and it becomes part of the basses character. Kind of like a couple 60s Fender jazz basses I've seen where the body was cut with the joint running at an angle across the instrument.
 
#177
tattooSAM said:
I agree with OP 100%. If you charge over $1000 for an instrument, it should play well and look nice.

Anytime I see an issue like mismatched wood or other cosmetic issues, it makes me wonder about overall QC and manufacturing standards of the instrument being sold. I may be over-reacting, but $1200 is more than a "drop in the bucket" for me.
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Looks are subjective and and mismatched wood may not appeal to some people but it is not a "defect" or a quality issue. If the finish had issues with it that is a quality issue. If the look of the bass doesn't appeal to people that is not a quality issue. I really don't like fancy tops but I don't complain because it doesn't appeal to me. There are so many sunburst precisions that if one doesn't look good to you it's easy to find another one. I understand that $1200 is not a "drop in the bucket" for most people but it's still at the very low end of the price range for USA basses. Honestly it's in the range of most high end imports (Skyline, Reverend, Lakin, etc.)
 
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#178
Johnny Alien said:
Looks are subjective and and mismatched wood may not appeal to some people but it is not a "defect" or a quality issue. If the finish had issues with it that is a quality issue. If the look of the bass doesn't appeal to people that is not a quality issue. I really don't like fancy tops but I don't complain because it doesn't appeal to me. There are so many sunburst precisions that if one doesn't look good to you it's easy to find another one. I understand that $1200 is not a "drop in the bucket" for most people but it's still at the very low end of the price range for USA basses. Honestly it's in the range of most high end imports (Skyline, Reverend, Lakin, etc.)
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This is where we split hairs. It may not be a defect but in the view of many is IS a quality issue...
 
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#180
Iridescentone said:
Like the knots on the back of your bass, which were sensibly kept off the front. There are some who would not like an ash body with flaws, even on the back. And then there are folks who pay extra for tops made from diseased woods like spalted maple....the more flaws, the better! Cheers.
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I have a beautiful electric guitar with a few knots that I really love, the grain and color is already very unique as its from exotic woods but the knots add a ton of mojo.

You can see them decently in this old pic:
672209969-IMAG1400.jpg

It sounds great IMO and plays pretty well, the knots just add some unique character.
 
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