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Lakland 44-94 / 4-94 confusion

TimBosby

TimBosby

Somewhere in middle America
Gold Supporting Member
Dec 19, 2004
11,931
10,245
47
Omaha, NE, USA
#1
OK this is bugging me. People in the past have asked "What's the difference between a Lakland 44-94 and a Lakland 4-94?" and have generally received the response "There is no 44-94. Lakland's first model was the 4-94."

But then how can this be explained on Lakland's website?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

A typo?
Or was the 4-94 renamed the 44-94 at some point?

I'm really confused.

Also, whatever it's called, I want one. :D
 
#2
You're right, the 4-94 and 44-94 are the same bass. In the Dan Lakin "era" of the company, it was called the 4-94, but since the Pirrucello brothers took over they changed the name to the 44-94 for the sake of uniformity with all the other bass models, bar the Decade, Hollowbody, and Darryl Jones signature.

I don't know why they originally called it the 4-94, it disagrees with the minor OCD in me, haha.

Hope that helps :)
 
#4
Luke.Walton said:
You're right, the 4-94 and 44-94 are the same bass. In the Dan Lakin "era" of the company, it was called the 4-94, but since the Pirrucello brothers took over they changed the name to the 44-94 for the sake of uniformity with all the other bass models, bar the Decade, Hollowbody, and Darryl Jones signature.

I don't know why they originally called it the 4-94, it disagrees with the minor OCD in me, haha.

Hope that helps :)
Click to expand...

The 55-94 had a 35-inch scale (the first 5) and five strings (the second 5). Maybe they called it the 4-94 because it had four strings and you could assume it had a 34-inch scale.
 
#6
Yes, The 4-94 was first produced in 1994.

Here is one from 1995. A few different features.

Jack on top, no "Lakland" on bridge
attachment.jpg


Metal neck plate, no separate battery holder
attachment.jpg


Beautiful figured maple fretboard
attachment.jpg
 
#7
TimBosby said:
Woah! Munjibunga, did you crack the code? Was 94 the year they were first introduced?

Were 44-02s and 55-02s introduced in 2002?
Click to expand...

My recollection is that the second numbers were in reference to the pickups and their placement. There was a 55-63, which had jazz-style pickups in the '60s position, the 55-76 which had a single MM-style soapbar in the '76 Music Man position, and the 55-94 combining characteristics of both the MM and Jazz bass, the 94 probably a self-reference to the year it was introduced.

Dunno about the -02s and -01s.
 
#8
4-94 meant the original 4-string, introduced in '94 which also had a 34" scale. The 55-94 came in as "55" because it had both 5 strings and a 35" scale. The 4-76 was a 4-string with the single MM style pickup in the original StingRay location (the 4-94 has that PUP located so the two coils are closer to where a Jazz bass' PUPs were). So the basic nomenclature, though inconsistent, was that the 4-strings had a single "4" prefix and the last two digits were the year the model or its inspiration were from. The 5-strings were "55" for the number of strings and the scale length.

After Dan Lakin sold his part of the company to his partners, they had to rename the signature models due to contractual language. Plus they introduced (at least for a short while) the option to get a 4-string with a 35" scale and the 5-strings in 34" scale. So, because they had to rename a bunch of models, and needed to distinguish between a 35" four-string, they introduced the current system.

One of the first digits tells you the scale, the other tells you the number of strings. The last two digits kinda maintain the "initial year" idea. A 44-60 is the 4-string 34" scale based on Joe Osborn's 1960 Fender Jazz. A 44-64 (?) is the 4-string 34" scale based on Bob Glaub's '64 Precision. So at one time you could order a 45-60 (or was it 54-60) to get a 4-string 35" scale Jazz bass style.

Bottom line is that the 44-94 and the 4-94 are the same for most years. I call my two "4-94" because that's what they were when I bought them and when they were made.

John
 
#9
Heheh. So, the bottom line is, Lakland makes great basses that are difficult to search for on internet forums :D

Now who has a 4-94 (or 44-94) laying around that they want to sell me....? (or better yet trade for my '78 Jazz?) :hyper::help::bassist:
 
#11
Munjibunga said:
My recollection is that the second numbers were in reference to the pickups and their placement. There was a 55-63, which had jazz-style pickups in the '60s position, the 55-76 which had a single MM-style soapbar in the '76 Music Man position, and the 55-94 combining characteristics of both the MM and Jazz bass, the 94 probably a self-reference to the year it was introduced.

Dunno about the -02s and -01s.
Click to expand...

yes...EXCEPT that that the -01 and -02 were BOTH introduced in 2002...just needed a way to tell them apart.

The -94s were developed in 1994

a few other "codes"

the 44/55-60 - J with 60s pickup placement
55-69 - year of Testuyu's birth
44/55-64 - similar to 64 Fender P
55-07 - began development in 2007 (sadly no longer made)
44-51 - similar body contour as a '51 Fender P (no 55-51 YET!)
Decade...designed at Lakland's 10 year anniversary
 
#12
TimBosby said:
Heheh. So, the bottom line is, Lakland makes great basses that are difficult to search for on internet forums :D

Now who has a 4-94 (or 44-94) laying around that they want to sell me....? (or better yet trade for my '78 Jazz?) :hyper::help::bassist:
Click to expand...

I was WONDERING if this is where the thread was going...:eyebrow:

have fun finding one....(I am not being sarcastic.....looking for a new bass is always fun!)...they do pop up with frequency...
 
#17
I was the original owner of this bass. I bought it from bob Hynoski at the five towns college guitar show in that year. He was a passionate evangelist for lakland at the time. Sweet! I want it back! :)

JimB52 said:
Yes, The 4-94 was first produced in 1994.

Here is one from 1995. A few different features.

Jack on top, no "Lakland" on bridge
attachment.jpg


Metal neck plate, no separate battery holder
attachment.jpg


Beautiful figured maple fretboard
attachment.jpg
Click to expand...
 

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