Lakland and Fender Basses

[vince a]

I am a rookie bassist . . . playing maybe 4 years (guitar over 25 years), but I know theory and read music, and well, I think I'm fairly good. I am also fairly good at some maintenance procedures, as I've set up my guitars, (and basses) for many years

I have a brand new Lakland 55-60 Custom (5 string) and Fender MIA Jazz and P basses - both 4 stringers

I don't whether there is something wrong with the Lakland or both Fender basses. When I play the fenders, my left hand fingers can be anywhere in between two fret wires, and the note will sound correct and in tune. When I do the same on the Lakland, if I mis-finger and I'm not right up against the higher of the two frets, the note is out of tune (kinda like playing a fretless), but this doesn't happen all over the fretboard - just in several places, usually the lower frets (notes).

Is it my technique? Remember, I am a rookie. Are the Fenders playing correctly or is the Lakland? Which one(s) do I get rid of?

 

[bassdaddyfive]

You played guitar too long ..........LOL.

 

[Hevy T]

I am a rookie bassist . . . playing maybe 4 years (guitar over 25 years), but I know theory and read music, and well, I think I'm fairly good. I am also fairly good at some maintenance procedures, as I've set up my guitars, (and basses) for many years

I have a brand new Lakland 55-60 Custom (5 string) and Fender MIA Jazz and P basses - both 4 stringers

I don't whether there is something wrong with the Lakland or both Fender basses. When I play the fenders, my left hand fingers can be anywhere in between two fret wires, and the note will sound correct and in tune. When I do the same on the Lakland, if I mis-finger and I'm not right up against the higher of the two frets, the note is out of tune (kinda like playing a fretless), but this doesn't happen all over the fretboard - just in several places, usually the lower frets (notes).

Is it my technique? Remember, I am a rookie. Are the Fenders playing correctly or is the Lakland? Which one(s) do I get rid of?

I would get the intonation set on the Lakland then go from there

 

[mmbongo]

Also the Lakland should be 35" scale, not sure if that makes a difference.

 

[Cb4rabid]

Sounds like your intonation on the Lakland is off. Im not an expert on intonation, but if you play the open string (let's say E for example) it should be in tune with if you play a 12th fret harmonic on the E string.

 

[k2aggie07]

Man, I'm far from an expert but it sounds like the fret / nut height may be off. That'd cause you to not be right on the fret down near the nut. But the first and easiest thing to do is check intonation, as others have said.

 

[vince a]

The intonation is perfect . . . open, fretted at the 12th and harmonic 12th . . .

 

[denchiq]

another guess. if you're not very used to the difference in scales (34" Fender against 35" Lakland five), you're likely to be pushing your fingers on different fractions of the strings (like, closer to the fretwire on the first frets of a 35"). It really depends on one's ear, but you'll be able to hear the difference in pitch at some instance, and the higher the strings are over the fretboard, the bigger the difference. On the first frets, this rather depends on the height of your nut. Also, if your strings are thicker than the slots (I can't remember what gauge the slots are pre-cut for, but it is in the FAQ section on Lakland site), they will lay higher on your nut.
Try fretting in different parts of the fretting space, you'll be able to tell the difference. It is most obvious in the first frets because that's where the bigger part of the additional inch is

 

[GregC]

Vince, I think Marcel is on the right track in your LOG thread about this. The combination of the smaller fretwire of the Lakland and a habit of pressing hard from playing guitar could be making the difference.

 

[vince a]

Thanks everyone . . . I put this thread on here and the LOG to make sure I wasn't getting one-sided responses . . . I think that you and Marcel are right . . . this morning I tried playing my Lakland acoustically . . . much lighter left hand/finger pressure, and the notes seemed to be there and not out of tune. Later today, I'll try plugging it up.

I also noticed how much faster my left-hand fingers were once I started playing lighter and more with the pads of my fingers. I have so much to learn . . .

 

[JTE]

Sounds like your intonation on the Lakland is off.

Could be part of the problem, but it's also an issue with the amount of pressure you put on the string, whether you're subtly bending the string when you're in the between the frets position, and with general technique of fretting as close to the fretwire as possible to prevent those kinds of things. There are a lot of differences between the 35" scale 5-string and the 34" scale Fenders, not the least of which for this problem is the size of the fretwire.

...but if you play the open string (let's say E for example) it should be in tune with if you play a 12th fret harmonic on the E string.

NO!!!

The 12th fret harmonic is ALWAYS an exact octave of the open string. It's simply a node of the vibrating string and unless your strings are in bad shape, it will be an exact octave. What you need to compare for intonation is the open string (or it's octave harmonics) against the FRETTED 12th fret octave.

John

The

 

[vince a]

Thanks everyone . . . I'm getting the message!!!

 

[Cb4rabid]

Could be part of the problem, but it's also an issue with the amount of pressure you put on the string, whether you're subtly bending the string when you're in the between the frets position, and with general technique of fretting as close to the fretwire as possible to prevent those kinds of things. There are a lot of differences between the 35" scale 5-string and the 34" scale Fenders, not the least of which for this problem is the size of the fretwire.




NO!!!

The 12th fret harmonic is ALWAYS an exact octave of the open string. It's simply a node of the vibrating string and unless your strings are in bad shape, it will be an exact octave. What you need to compare for intonation is the open string (or it's octave harmonics) against the FRETTED 12th fret octave.

John

The

D'oh! Im sorry, I was confused. Like I said, im no expert on it, and that's what I thought it was sorry about that.

 

[the yeti]

...and you should get rid of it immediately! fortunately i run a home for wayward and defective basses, feel free to send it to me.

 

[vince a]

Only if you promise to caress her with two hands every day, finger her from time-to-time, and tweak her knobs on occasion!

 

[the yeti]

Only if you promise to caress her with two hands every day, finger her from time-to-time, and tweak her knobs!

not only that i'll put a plug in her and turn it to 11.

 

[vince a]

. . . great comeback . . . LMAO . . .

 

[Eublet]

Thanks everyone . . . I put this thread on here and the LOG to make sure I wasn't getting one-sided responses . . . I think that you and Marcel are right . . . this morning I tried playing my Lakland acoustically . . . much lighter left hand/finger pressure, and the notes seemed to be there and not out of tune. Later today, I'll try plugging it up.

I also noticed how much faster my left-hand fingers were once I started playing lighter and more with the pads of my fingers. I have so much to learn . . .

Gary Willis used to teach an exercise whereby you'd fret a note in the correct position, play a long whole note, and then raise the finger every so slightly until the note buzzes, then press the finger back down just enough to make the note stop buzzing. You did all this during the whole note, and then you made a concscious registration of how much pressure you needed to stop the note from buzzing. This, he taught, is the correct amount of finger pressure you must learn to use when playing. Doing so prevents unnecessary fatigue and repetitive stress injury. It also frees up your hands to be more fluid.

 

[vince a]

I'll give that a try too . . . thanks!

 

[allexcosta]

You're not used to Lakland's fret size...