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Lakland dissapointment!!

:confused::crying:Hi!

Can anyone help me with this issue. I got my Custom 55-94 about 1 1/2 month ago. It has the Lakland preamp and pickups in it.
1# Comparing to my 55-02 the ground humming is enormous.

2# Playing in Church it picking up the air signal from hearing device ( for people with bad hearing can´t find the word for it in english) The amp become a Monitor.

3# The pickguard generates Statis electricity when playing slapbass for example.

4# The volympot on both my 55-02 and 55-94 is really bad it´s working only on the last millimeter so it´s full volym or no volym at all.

5# The paintjob on it isn´t THAT good that you expect from a bass that cost 3800 USD. On the lower side of the neckjoint you can see wood and on the back where the neck is attached the screws has scratched of the paint.

6# On the back where the "String thru body cromecircle" are 4 of them has the same shape and size and 1 is smaller.

7# When recording in studio the 55-02 with bartolinis is dead silent the 55-94 is humming as hell.

So this is what you get when buying a US Lakland and wait for like 8 month for it?

The playability God.

Kirk has answered my mail regarding the pickguard issue but not on the other problems or dissapointment.
Why? everywhere there is only god things about lakland end their support.
:eyebrow:
 
If you don't experience noise in the 55-02 but you do in the 55-94 then just send the whole bass back to Lakland, and get them to address all the other issues as well. Sounds like most of the problems are in the electronics, whether it be a shonky preamp or just crap wiring. Definitely doesn't seem right. The string ferrules bit is definitely weird, my old Skyline had 5 the same and I'm sure yours does too.
 
I live in Sweden so it will become very expencive for me to ship it to Chicago.
Thanx for the reply
/Mullet

You should have done it straight away, and I'm sure Lakland would have covered the cost of shipping since it should have been under warranty (although I'm not sure if problems like those listed are covered in the warranty).

Your best bet is to take it to a tech who knows how to deal with electronics. Get some schematics from Lakland and take it to someone.
 
It wasn't that long ago you could call Lakland and Dan Lakin would pick up the phone. He cared a LOT about quality and service and I bet he still does. Your note would pain him. I'm sure it wouldn't be easy to get his attention, but I would try "going to the top". Good luck to you! Tom
 
Drop a few Euros for an international phone call and try to get Dan on the phone. If he is not available, give the person who answers your number and INSIST that Dan call you back.

For that kind of money, I would be disappointed in the flaws you have mentioned. But Lakland has a reputation for stellar customer service, and I believe if you are under warranty, they will make things right.
 
I hear ya bro, my lakland 55-02 WITH LAKLAND PUPS did not cut through the mix at all in the studio. I only had to compete against one guitarist, i tried everything to get the right tone to cut through suit my needs. In the end i used my $600 AUD Ibanez and that thing just rocks. This is metal that we are talking about. Another quirk was the battery life was super short, it just chewed through the batterys. It was a beutifull bass, just not what i was looking for. Defently send back to Lakland to get it looked at, ive heard there awsome there.
 
Its got to be a ground wire or something quite simple to fix. They might have you take it to a tech there and have it fixed and then just refund you the cost of the tech repair If its a New bass.

I actually prefer the Lakland's to the Barts and this is not common with the Lakland pickups, so don't blame them quite yet. It could be as simple as a ground came loose in shipping.

Sorry to hear, but it sounds to be something easy to fix.
Brian
 
I haven´t heard anything from Lakland for now but hope an email will drop down my inbox. I had no problem cuting thru in the mix but couldn´t use the 55-94 for the pickguard static electricity problem. Ended up using my 55-02 instead.
 
pull the back cover off the bass and look for the bridge ground wire. It will be coming out of the side up by the bridge. Make sure that is mounted to a ground (top of a pot or jack) and tight. Then if so, take the string's off and the bridge. Make sure there is good grounding under there. Take a little sand paper and sand the bottom of the bridge where the wire is touching the bridge.

Sounds like you are getting a little ground problem through the bridge and string's not being grounded well.

When you say Kirk, you mean from the bassmint?
 
Thanks Brian!
I mean Kirk at Lakland. Thanks for the tip on grounding the bass. I might just take it to a tech here in Sweden. But how can i fix the pickguard thats generate static electricity when touching it?

I don't think its really the pickguard that doing it, but shield tape could be stuck to the back of it.

Where did you buy it from?