Maybe he painted it himself. If you take a closer look, even the pickup covers have the red paint =)
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Lakland 01 Club
- Thread starter Supertanker
- Start date
-
- Tags
- club
- Status
I got my 55-01 back on Sat. and I love the transfomation. I will get some pics up later but with all the snow we have been getting I have been spending more time shoveling than playing.
The Big Singles have made this bass into a beast. With the Aggie OBP-3 the low end hits speaker busting levels. Even in passive mode the bass has a pleasing single coilish tone that accentuates my playing dynamics. This bass sounds like someone gave this bass an injection of HGH. Muscular yet clear. I love it.
The Big Singles have made this bass into a beast. With the Aggie OBP-3 the low end hits speaker busting levels. Even in passive mode the bass has a pleasing single coilish tone that accentuates my playing dynamics. This bass sounds like someone gave this bass an injection of HGH. Muscular yet clear. I love it.
That's good to hear.
I'm glad they got your Aggie working.
You have verified my thoughts about putting Big Singles in a 5501.
The results sound spectacular!!!
OK- I've been thinking this 55-01 mod thing over for weeks and I've found a source for Big Splits and the Nordy pre. Before I jump, I have a nagging question I hope someone can help with.
For the $ I'd invest I could get a brand new 55-02. I've never been a Music Man guy and I don't nomally feel the need for coil tapping options BUT...would the Nordy mods give me something far different than what could be acheived with a stock 55-02? I know there will be differences, I guess I just wonder if they are more subtle or screaming obvious. Hearing so much ABOUT the Nordy's but not actually hearing them can sort of inflate your expectations.
So, is this a no brainer or should I wait until January
to check out a 55-02 down at Lakland?
For the $ I'd invest I could get a brand new 55-02. I've never been a Music Man guy and I don't nomally feel the need for coil tapping options BUT...would the Nordy mods give me something far different than what could be acheived with a stock 55-02? I know there will be differences, I guess I just wonder if they are more subtle or screaming obvious. Hearing so much ABOUT the Nordy's but not actually hearing them can sort of inflate your expectations.
So, is this a no brainer or should I wait until January
to check out a 55-02 down at Lakland?
How do I get a club member number. Here is my 44-01. Pics courtesy of the former owners. Love how the bass plays but only ok with its tone. Will the NTMB pre make a big difference or should I replace the pups too.
OK- I've been thinking this 55-01 mod thing over for weeks and I've found a source for Big Splits and the Nordy pre. Before I jump, I have a nagging question I hope someone can help with.
For the $ I'd invest I could get a brand new 55-02. I've never been a Music Man guy and I don't nomally feel the need for coil tapping options BUT...would the Nordy mods give me something far different than what could be acheived with a stock 55-02? I know there will be differences, I guess I just wonder if they are more subtle or screaming obvious. Hearing so much ABOUT the Nordy's but not actually hearing them can sort of inflate your expectations.
So, is this a no brainer or should I wait until January
That is an excellent question. Maybe Supertanker or Chef can help a bit right now. I had a 55-02 and have 3 or 4 more weeks until I get my custom with Big Singles and Nordy pre.
Chef
In Memoriam
I find the 5502 to be very different from the 5501.
I've not compared pickup positions, but, very different.
I'd have to sit down and directly a/b them to be more quantitative about it.
My 5502 is all bart. The MM pickup is not in the 'zact MM spot.
My 5501 is Nord DC5's and the Lakland Hanson pre.
I have one of the new Nord preamps to gon in my Valenti Geddy Vee; which is loaded with Nord Big Singles...but, it's not done, and I can't coment on that.
I've not compared pickup positions, but, very different.
I'd have to sit down and directly a/b them to be more quantitative about it.
My 5502 is all bart. The MM pickup is not in the 'zact MM spot.
My 5501 is Nord DC5's and the Lakland Hanson pre.
I have one of the new Nord preamps to gon in my Valenti Geddy Vee; which is loaded with Nord Big Singles...but, it's not done, and I can't coment on that.
Bottom line here:
55-02 = Kinda J/Kinda P/Kinda MM (and that's not a bad thing at all!)
55-01 w/Nordstrands = J-BASS/J BASS/J BASS ... done Nordstrand-style. (Which I happen to love!)
If you're looking for tender, chewy J-Bass goodness, the 55-01 with Nordies is the way to go. If you want a bass that is more of a "jack of all trades", go with the 55-02.
Chef
In Memoriam
Yep, what he said...
I had a 5502 (LH3) for over a year, it's good at everything.
It's super versatile and fun at a gig to be able to get so many different tones from one bass.
I played mine most of the time in "jazz bass" mode.
Then I got a JO5.
It's like a hurricane came through and the 5502 got blown out the window.
The JO5 is a "great" jazz bass, which is what you would get with a 5501 with Nords in it.
If that's what you're looking for, an upgraded 01 will kill a 5502...
Chef
In Memoriam
Let me add, I would rather have my 5501 with US Barts and a LH3 than my 5502 with LH3 and Lakland pickups.
My 01 is a "great" bass, comparable to any boutique bass with US Barts and a preamp.
YMMV...
My 01 is a "great" bass, comparable to any boutique bass with US Barts and a preamp.
YMMV...
Chef
In Memoriam
I think that's a pretty personal thing, depending on your own personal sonic goals.
They're both really nice, but pretty different flavors. One might suit a different persons needs better than the other.
They're both really nice, but pretty different flavors. One might suit a different persons needs better than the other.
OK- I've been thinking this 55-01 mod thing over for weeks and I've found a source for Big Splits and the Nordy pre. Before I jump, I have a nagging question I hope someone can help with.
For the $ I'd invest I could get a brand new 55-02. I've never been a Music Man guy and I don't nomally feel the need for coil tapping options BUT...would the Nordy mods give me something far different than what could be acheived with a stock 55-02? I know there will be differences, I guess I just wonder if they are more subtle or screaming obvious. Hearing so much ABOUT the Nordy's but not actually hearing them can sort of inflate your expectations.
So, is this a no brainer or should I wait until January
I've got Nordstrom Dual Coils in my 55-01. I've never been a fan of J/MM pickup schemes. To each their own. I love having coil switching options and I'm in the process of changing from just parallel to having single/parallel/series switches put on the DC's.
The 55-01 has been put aside for a while, while I was enjoying my P-Bass then my fretless five. The coil splitting project is giving me a renewed interest in the 55-01.
I bought the 55-01 with the thought that the electronics would be swapped out. I'm a fan of G&L basses, even if I've sold them all off. I love the MFD pickup, and I always thought that the L-2000 and L-2500 should be wired with each pickup having coil splitters, two volumes, passive treble cut, passive bass cut.
The DC's in the 55-01 just cry out to be a test bed. When I'm done the bass will either be passive or have a SGD Lutherie dual channel buffering preamp (no active EQ) with the passive pots. I don't know what the impedence differences between having, say, one pickup in parallel and another in series will do to the sound, but it's cheap to find out.
I assumed that the 55-01 would be more amenable to modding the electronics without wood work and I've lucked out - I don't think the DC's existed when I bought the bass. The wood work is damned good, as all of us know. The stock electronics are workable, but with Nordstrand pickups, very readily modded to be what you really want. I don't think the 55-02 is as versatile once you factor that in.
Link Removed
With any luck this bass will have four chrome knobs along the bottom and a second switch in the location next to the bridge pickup within the month.
I have never waxed euphoric about the Nordstrom DC's because I'm waiting to hear what they sound like single coil and series and totally passive (it's currently got a Bart NTMB-L and the switch adjusts the frequency center of the mid knob). Tonight I'm really enjoying the tone and I've always enjoyed the way this bass plays.
KO
How are you running the DCs? Single, parallel or series? Did you get the DCs that are wound to be used in parallel wiring or in series wiring?
In my case I got the set wound to be wired in parallel. I'm pretty sure they're wound hotter and I was/am planning on this being a passive bass for the most part.
I know that you have a L-1000, which is what the first bass I really owned (over a decade before I had briefly owned [but never really played] a very nice early 70's Fender P-Bass - I should regret selling that, I suppose [forgot the very early G&L SB-2 I had just before the L-1000 - I've owned at least four G&L's over time]). I'm going for a dual L-1000 in a way. You've expressed slight interest in the project before, but I'm curious what you did for your 55-01 with DC's. I'm sure I read it in the great "55-01 with DC's" thread by BillBern, but I've forgotten - I was too smitten by your five string "'51-P with a Nordstrom Big Single" to remember.
KO
sitting next to this big wrapped up odd-shaped box that i think will allow me to join this club tommorow 
sitting next to this big wrapped up odd-shaped box that i think will allow me to join this club tommorow
It might be a puppy!
Not that a puppy's a bad gift (I have 2 myself), but I'm just saying...
It might be a puppy!
Not that a puppy's a bad gift (I have 2 myself), but I'm just saying...
haha,... doubt it, got a 7 and 8 yr old labradors and a 1 and a half old labrador.
- Status
