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How does a Lakland stand up to a Fender?

#61
I have been mightily tempted by the looks of the 55-02, but until I get a chance to play one I'll have to pass. The soul of a bass is its sound, and my sub-$1K Fenders kill. That means a whole lot more to me than build quality, especially since the Fenders I own are all nicely put together (3 MIMs, 1 CIJ).
 
#62
Busker said:
.........I'd have to play a Lakland to see what all the hoopla is about. But I doubt it would have a better neck..........
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In all honesty, the neck feel/profile is the best thing about a Lakland. I would argue that it's the neck that converts die hard Fender fans to die hard Lakland fans. Once you play a Lakland, you will see what I am talking about.
 
#65
g4string said:
In all honesty, the neck feel/profile is the best thing about a Lakland. I would argue that it's the neck that converts die hard Fender fans to die hard Lakland fans. Once you play a Lakland, you will see what I am talking about.
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If you say so.

I still like my Fender. I've had it approximately 3 months, put lots of hours on it, played a few gigs with it. Its becoming an old friend already.
 
#67
Yes!

In the end, it is both a crapshoot because no one's going to see it exactly the way you do.

I had a Custom Shop 64 NOS Jazz that was quite possibly the best Jazz I've ever played (and I was a Jazz bass guy for a long time). I also had a run-of-the-mill Inca Silver MIA Jazz that was very nearly as good at about 1/4 of the cost of the Custom Shop (I wish I had them both back, really). GREAT Fenders are out there, although you might have to look a little harder than you'd expect.

One of the better basses I've owned over the last four years was a Lakland Jerry Scheff. (I also had a 55-94, a custom Lakland J5 which I now forget what the numbers were, a 55-04, a Hollowbody, etc etc.)
 
#68
bovinehost said:
I had a Custom Shop 64 NOS Jazz that was quite possibly the best Jazz I've ever played (and I was a Jazz bass guy for a long time). I also had a run-of-the-mill Inca Silver MIA Jazz that was very nearly as good at about 1/4 of the cost of the Custom Shop
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That's what I'm wondering about. A person can choose to spend 3K or whatever, on a Custom Shop, or on what is basically a Fender copy (copies used to be cheaper, now they are more expensive :p), and that's fine and dandy. Whatever blows your skirt up, ya know?

But is that bass really $2200 better, or just a little better? It had best be A LOT better, otherwise you're spending way too much.

All I know is, several people, including bassists who are better players than I, tell me my Fender is a good one. I understand that every single Fender Am Series P off the line might not be the same - some may be even better, some might be worse. But I just happened to get a good one. Again, IMO.
 
#69
Here's what I have come to believe. I must be like a beer drinker at a wine tasting gathering. I owned a 62 RI Jazz and loved it. I now own a 62 RI P-Bass and love it. I own an 89 Stingray and love it. I did own a Lakland USA JO and appreciated the things about it that put it up several notches above my 62 RI's and the Stingray but I just get the feeling I'm grabbing a lunch pail and heading to work when I play the Ray and the 62 RI-P. This may be an odd way to look at it but "a man's got to know his limitations" or ya have to be comfortable in your own clothes.
I have owned several MIA P's and Jazz basses and they were nice but I just didn't bond to any of them like I have to what I currently own.
Now really have I just lucked out and grabbed exceptional representations of the RI Series and the Stingray or am I just easier to please than most people? Who knows? Heck I don't know. Real expensive basses make me feel like I feel when the band does gigs at an exclusive Country Club. I appreciate the place but I know I'm the hired help and not a member.
So I would guess the Lakland Skyline series would be the best match for me if I didn't have the Fender.
 
#70
LAKLAND? lower quality than fender????? please lakland rules first i ´m not a brand lover many bass brands are great lakland is one of those...to me lakland is way better than fender i got fenders american deluxe jazz, marcus miller 5 strings, deluxe special presicion no one is better than any lakland for me and to my opinion lakland is way waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better maybe the best because the construction and the price
 
#71
Busker said:
.........But is that bass really $2200 better, or just a little better? It had best be A LOT better, otherwise you're spending way too much.......
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I didn't spend 3K on my Lakland........I bought my 55-94 used in 2001 for $1500. I dont know what new prices are for Fender or Lakland now-a-days. I typically try to buy my basses used so I can make my dollar go a little farther. All I can say is that IMO, there is a huge difference in a US made Lakland than any Fender I have played - both MIA, MIJ, or MIM. I am not saying that to you there is difference. I am just saying that to me there is a difference. Is that difference worth 2K. Let me put it this way..........If my bass was stolen and I needed to replace it would I pay full price for a new Lakland even if that meant paying $2200 more than a Fender? You bet your a** I would.

Let me turn the table a bit - use your imagination on this one. Lets say that Fender is now a boutique bass company out of Chicago and their basses run about 3K new. And that Lakland is mass instrument producer from California and a bass from them is around 1K. Would I then play a Fender because it's a boutique instrument and it costs 2K more than a Lakland? Nope!

Basically, setting the cost of the instrument aside, I think Lakland builds a better bass than Fender. I guess it's up to the purchaser of that instrument to decide whether or not that instrument is worth the extra money in comparison to its mass produced counter part.
 
#72
I'm a Fender lover....but I saw custom shop bases (from a NAMM show master built) with loose neck pockets, high frets etc...me thinks a regular fender (and go through a bunch of em ) is the way to go!! If any of the master builders at fender want to talk I'm available!!!!!!!!!!!

hope this helps
 
#76
Its the same as religion and politics - whatever floats your boat. Both companies have great products (as do EBMM), and enough demand exists in the market for both companies. I vote for the left, my friend votes for the right. I like vanilla ice cream, my friend likes chocolate ice cream. The cool thing is that we all have more choice - which is a good thing. I play both, and love both.
 
#78
g4string said:
I didn't spend 3K on my Lakland........I bought my 55-94 used in 2001 for $1500. I dont know what new prices are for Fender or Lakland now-a-days. I typically try to buy my basses used so I can make my dollar go a little farther. All I can say is that IMO, there is a huge difference in a US made Lakland than any Fender I have played - both MIA, MIJ, or MIM. I am not saying that to you there is difference. I am just saying that to me there is a difference. Is that difference worth 2K. Let me put it this way..........If my bass was stolen and I needed to replace it would I pay full price for a new Lakland even if that meant paying $2200 more than a Fender? You bet your a** I would.

Let me turn the table a bit - use your imagination on this one. Lets say that Fender is now a boutique bass company out of Chicago and their basses run about 3K new. And that Lakland is mass instrument producer from California and a bass from them is around 1K. Would I then play a Fender because it's a boutique instrument and it costs 2K more than a Lakland? Nope!

Basically, setting the cost of the instrument aside, I think Lakland builds a better bass than Fender. I guess it's up to the purchaser of that instrument to decide whether or not that instrument is worth the extra money in comparison to its mass produced counter part.
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I can appreciate your love for expensive bass(es), and that's fine for you, really.

But my Fender does me just fine. Sorry, I'm not going to rush right out and jump on the Lakland bandwagon. Or Sadowsky or any of those other high dollar brands. Don't need to. I have a good Fender, and BTW, a good Fender that had a very reasonable price tag. I can make do with it just fine. For that matter, my Squier ain't half bad either and I do play it, but naturally, its not close to the same class as the MIA Fender.

Now if one of those high end basses came my way for an absolute steal of a price, I might jump on it, but that's the only way.
 
#79
g4string said:
In all honesty, the neck feel/profile is the best thing about a Lakland. I would argue that it's the neck that converts die hard Fender fans to die hard Lakland fans. Once you play a Lakland, you will see what I am talking about.
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:cool:
Big +1.
My USA Glaub, is one the best necks I've ever played.

And I've owned over 30 Fenders. ( the fender necks are nice.)

But, for a new neck, the Lakland killed.
 
#80
I had an awesome 5502,great weight,neck to die for and beautiful natural ash body.It had the Bart pickups and pre and I haven't had a bass that was built better. I traded it for an 04 American Jazz Deluxe 5 and don't regret it at all,the Fender has the tone I want and the 5502 didn't.I did put a pair of Nordstrand single coils in the Fender to replace the noisless that came with the Fender but liked the noiseless better than the Barts too.The Fender plays and feels right to me too but so did the Lakland so for me that's a wash.

I also had a JO5 for a little while with the Fralins and a J Retro pre but I didn't have it long because it weighed 12 pounds and was just too heavy for me to play despite the great tone and neck.If I found a JO5 that weighed the same as my Fender I might like it more but I'm really digging the Deluxe I have now,I don't have any desire to change.From the two Laklands I've had I'd say they have the edge in build quality over the Fenders but I can't see getting another Jazz type five for a long time.
 

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