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Lakland DJ4

Knavery

Knavery

Feb 24, 2004
1,691
1,773
Westminster, CO
#1
Hey all,
I haven't visited here since like 2006. The reason being is that I switched back to guitar. However, I'm thinking of picking up bass again, because I've never lost that purcussive drive, and would like to have one around for recording.

I recently visited a local store that's a Lakland dealer. I saw a 4 string, sky blue Darryl Jones signature jazz bass. Now I'd thought I was going to settle on an MM Music Man Sterling, but for some reason they don't feel right to me and that's the most important thing IMO. I just don't feel that they have that quick feel I'm looking for like a jazz does. And I love the configuration of the single coil pickups. I can rest my thumb in a comfortable position and also dig in and get a poppy sound without humbuckers getting in the way. And I LOVED the way the DJ4 felt.

That being said, I'd like to ask a couple of questions. First, is the Lakland DJ4 still a very good instrument? I've read some posts here on them, but they were quite old. And to my knowledge, this line was discontinued and brought back recently.

I mainly play blues, alternative, progressive rock, and some heavy metal. A few of my favorite bands are Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Rush, Queens of The Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, Megadeth, and Symphony X. So, that would be few of the sounds I'd be utilizing. So, the second question is around the proper bass for me... Would a jazz fit these styles? Unfortunately, I don't know as much about bass as I do guitar and need to rely on feedback here. I could play them side by side, but am not going to be able to tell which one would fit right outside of how it "feels".

Apologies for the long post. Thanks!
 
#2
AFAIK the DJ production was stopped due to Daryl going back to A basses or something. I never saw any models from them and now it's back @ Lakland.

I'd be surprised if Lakland ever wanted to stop production of these. They are really nice.
 
#3
They just have a different name now. I've never owned one, but have always had them on my GAS list. They have a slightly undersized body compared to a MIA Fender Jazz. If that's not a problem for you, I don't think you'd be disappointed. They're great-looking basses; and I don't remember ever hearing any D.J. owners complain about them. I'd say if the price is right, go for it if it feels comfortable to you and sounds good. I'd still like to pick one of the white or black ones up...
 
#4
I had a great experience with the DJ model. If you like how it feels then you should go for it. That bass will cover most all of your needs and it will record like a champ. Good luck! That bass is a very nice bass and gets great reviews around here.
 
#5
Yeah they are great basses. They were going to change the name of it when Darryl went back to A-Basses but that didn't work out for whatever reason and he's back with Lakland now. I believe the A-Basses guy's name is on the bass as well as a designer.
 
#6
I don't know much about the DJ4 models...
But here's what I do know:
1. Lakland basses are great. They don't make crap and pretty much every one I've played, seen, or heard about has been fantastic. Their owners are crazy loyal. I owned a 44-02 and sold it and have been kicking myself ever since.
2. Every time I see a Darryl Jones model on the trade page they don't hang around long. If it's a reasonable price it's gone in a couple of days. That tells me people like these basses which means it's probably a pretty good buy and if nothing else you can probably sell it fairly easily.
3. The DJ offers single coil pickups that are versatile and usable in MANY music types. Will it do what you want to play? Probably. If not straight then get an outboard preamp to shape in what you want.
4. I've never heard of anyone having problems with them. If they had I imagine they would have said something and one of the many ears of Lakland would have heard about it. I've never used them but I understand their customer service to be top notch.
5. If it feels good and sounds good to you then you should probably buy it.
6. If I had the spare cash I would buy a DJ5.
 
#7
Hey guys,
Thanks for the great responses. How does the Lakland DJ4 Skyline series stack up against the Fender American Standard Jazz? How about the Fender American Deluxe. I know the latter is active, but I can completely live with that if I'm getting more for my money.

I guess what concerns me is that the Skyline version isn't as well built as the U.S. version. That's why I'm looking for comparisons. I think I'm close to making a decision though. :)
 
#8
Knavery said:
Hey guys,
Thanks for the great responses. How does the Lakland DJ4 Skyline series stack up against the Fender American Standard Jazz? How about the Fender American Deluxe. I know the latter is active, but I can completely live with that if I'm getting more for my money.

I guess what concerns me is that the Skyline version isn't as well built as the U.S. version. That's why I'm looking for comparisons. I think I'm close to making a decision though. :)
Click to expand...

Skyline quality is at or above that of American Fenders.
 
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#10
Personally, I prefer passive basses. Every time I buy an active bass, I end up selling it. Of course that's just personal preference.

I currently have an '08 and an '11 American Standard Jazz. I really like them a lot. Is the American Standard better than the Lakland Skyline D.J.? I honestly don't know. What I do know is that I am very pleased with the newer Am. Stds. (2008 >). My guess is that the D.J. is also a great bass that I'd be very happy with. Try both and see if you can find one that really speaks to you. If you like the block inlays, then the D.J. or the Duck Dunn would be worth checking out if you like passive. The Duck Dunn is a P-Bass with a Jazz neck.
 
#12
Jeff K said:
They just have a different name now.
Click to expand...


The original Lakland DJ is back and it is still called the DJ.

The model that Lakland was releasing was similar to the Lakland DJ with a different body design than the actual DJ model.


mmbongo said:
I believe the A-Basses guy's name is on the bass as well as a designer.
Click to expand...

Yes it is.

And to the op's original questions.

The Lakland DJ is one of the overall better J basses on the market today. It's a great combination of old school and modern brilliance.



Lakland endorser
 
#13
JAUQO III-X said:
The original Lakland DJ is back and it is still called the DJ.

The model that Lakland was releasing was similar to the Lakland DJ with a different body design than the actual DJ model.

Yes it is.

And to the op's original questions.

The Lakland DJ is one of the overall better J basses on the market today. It's a great combination of old school and modern brilliance.

Lakland endorser
Click to expand...

Totally agree....my DJ4 is as good as it gets.
 
#14
If I were in your shoes, considering a new DJ Skyline from a store, I'd keep my eyes here on TB and pick up a used DJ US model instead; for not a whole lot more money. I have two US model Laklands and feel that they are a very good value, especially used.

FWIW,

Jim
 
#17
#18
Yeah I'd definitely jump on a U.S. DJ4, but somehow I think they'd still be above my price range used.

I was comparing the differences on Lakland's site and it looks like the Skyline version uses flat-sawn and without the graphite re-inforcement bars, while the U.S. version uses quarter-sawn with graphite re-inforcement bars with different kinds of neck woods.

Am I missing something here? Even Fender American Standards have a pair of Posiflex graphite support rods. Does the Skyline DJ4 only have one? I'm curious because the site doesn't provide that information.

The neck binding is nice and I love the overall classy look of these basses, but I don't want to end up buying a bass where they cut corners in other areas. To me, $1300 is still a lot of money and I'd expect a high(er) end bass. Not custom shop, but you know what I mean.

On a side note, I was in Guitar Center (which has completely gone down the crapper around here) and I tried out a Fender American Standard Jazz, an Ibanez SR505, and a few MusicaMan basses. The MusicMan basses didn't appeal to me at all. They felt clunky in my hands, and for some reason I felt the strings were to close to the body for getting under and digging in with popping and pulling. Perhaps it's how they have the neck aligned with the body. And of course I felt at home with the jazz (that's an old hat). Lastly, I tried something called the Ibanez SR505. I gotta tell you, as a guitar player, it felt really good. It actually felt better than the 4-string model thay have, which is what I'm after. It's got Bartolinis in it and has a ton of tonal options. But the body is tiny, and next to me, it looks like I'm holding a ukelele.

I'm all for getting a jazz bass and I'd love the DJ4. But now I'm starting to think if passive electronics will do the trick. I here the SS pickups on them are wound a lot tighter than the Fender counterparts that leave for a hotter pickup, but will that be enough for the styles of music I mentioned eariler? Thanks again for your input.
 
#19
Regardiing graphite rods--I don't think they're a big deal myself. I've owned several four-string Skylines and a Fender reissue P that haven't had them, and several US Laklands that have had them. I can't say I've noticed a difference in stability. And note that Fender has at least a few basses in their current lineup that cost more than MIA Standards--including the AVRI series and the Tony Franklin bass--that don't have graphite rods.
 
#20
Knavery said:
Yeah I'd definitely jump on a U.S. DJ4, but somehow I think they'd still be above my price range used.

I was comparing the differences on Lakland's site and it looks like the Skyline version uses flat-sawn and without the graphite re-inforcement bars, while the U.S. version uses quarter-sawn with graphite re-inforcement bars with different kinds of neck woods.

Am I missing something here? Even Fender American Standards have a pair of Posiflex graphite support rods. Does the Skyline DJ4 only have one? I'm curious because the site doesn't provide that information.

The neck binding is nice and I love the overall classy look of these basses, but I don't want to end up buying a bass where they cut corners in other areas. To me, $1300 is still a lot of money and I'd expect a high(er) end bass. Not custom shop, but you know what I mean.

On a side note, I was in Guitar Center (which has completely gone down the crapper around here) and I tried out a Fender American Standard Jazz, an Ibanez SR505, and a few MusicaMan basses. The MusicMan basses didn't appeal to me at all. They felt clunky in my hands, and for some reason I felt the strings were to close to the body for getting under and digging in with popping and pulling. Perhaps it's how they have the neck aligned with the body. And of course I felt at home with the jazz (that's an old hat). Lastly, I tried something called the Ibanez SR505. I gotta tell you, as a guitar player, it felt really good. It actually felt better than the 4-string model thay have, which is what I'm after. It's got Bartolinis in it and has a ton of tonal options. But the body is tiny, and next to me, it looks like I'm holding a ukelele.

I'm all for getting a jazz bass and I'd love the DJ4. But now I'm starting to think if passive electronics will do the trick. I here the SS pickups on them are wound a lot tighter than the Fender counterparts that leave for a hotter pickup, but will that be enough for the styles of music I mentioned eariler? Thanks again for your input.
Click to expand...

I own a Lakland USA Joe Osborn and Fender MIA Jazz and Precision basses, among many others. I have owned Skyline versions of the Duck Dunn P-Bass, and a 44-02. I've also played every Skyline version Lakland offers and have been to the factory a number of times. I have a Lakland USA Glaub with the Osborn neck on order.

To answer your questions, the Skyline quality is as good or better as the MIA Fenders. Yes, it's made overseas, but the electronics are installed and final set-up work (including Plek) is done in Chicago. It's not like comparing a MIM Fender to a MIA Fender. I will say that sometimes the Skylines can be heavy, especially the passive basses like the DJ.

Of course, the Lakland US versions are simply on a different level of quality, beauty, and playability. There is a difference. The finish on the back of the neck is different, the fretboard woods are different, and US versions are lighter, among other things. The US Laklands just feel luxurious and broken-in. But, the Skylines are great basses and the DJ looks sweet. It's hard to go wrong with a Skyline unless you get a very heavy one.

Of course, it's also hard to go wrong with an American Standard Jazz. If you like having MIA on the headstock like many of us do and the US Laklands are too pricey, you may be better off with the American Standard Jazz for the long term as you'll never feel like you compromised.

As for your sound thing and the passive pickups, that's a non-issue. You'll figure it out with a quality amp and if necessary a few pedals. Check out the Eden World Traveler Direct Box pedal if you want some additional simple boost and tone shaping abilites for your passive bass.
 

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