Here's a pic from an early 34" prototype, Brian had at the LowEnd bass shop awhile back. I was told these were pretty popular in the use market, well, that's when an owner would give'em up. This bass had the smaller Barts too.
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LAKLAND OWNERS GROUP #46
- Thread starter Bryan R. Tyler
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I just received my custom-built new 54-94 from Carl Pedigo! That's right, it's a 54-94, so it's 34"! Some of you may know that Carl is authorized to make custom Laklands that are fully covered by the Lakland warranty, and when I asked Dan in January about the possibility of a 34" 55-94, Dan suggested I talk to Carl about it. Well, the bass is in, and it's amazing, just like Carl was throughout the process.
About the bass:
It's 34", lightweight ash body, quilted maple top, maple/maple neck, LH-3 pickups, and passive electronics. Carl had the crazy idea of wiring two volumes for the bridge pickup alone: one volume per coil, which effectively replaces the need for the coil tap switch. I took the idea; we'll see if I stick with it or rewire it to the 'normal' Lakland config, but for now, it's pretty cool! So the controls are neck pickup volume, bridge pickup forward coil volume, bridge pickup rear coil volume, and passive tone control. The bass weighs less than 9lbs, which makes me a happy camper. The finish was my idea; I wanted a burst that didn't look like anything else, and Carl totally nailed the image in my head. At my request, he also took a little of the shoulder off of both sides of the neck to bring the profile a bit closer to a Jazz profile (which is what I'm used to), and again, his work was excellent.
So how many of you have always wanted a Lakland 55-94, but haven't made the call because you don't like 35" scales? To read the Lakland threads over the last several years, there are a bunch of you. I know I was one. Anyway, with Carl on the scene and doing his own builds (again, backed by the full Lakland warranty, not that you'll need it), that whole close-but-no-cigar thing is a thing of the past! Check out Carl's website at Invalid Link Removed, and get in touch with him from it. He was super-responsive with emails, full of insight, and most importantly, he builds a bad ass bass!
Pics!
holy cow! I didn't get it last time I saw the post. I just thought: what beautiful finish! and all escaped me...
Now, just thinking. An active jazz on a 94 series body is a 55-63; the passive countepart is the 55 Dual J. The 55-94 is active; so yours is... the 54 MME J!
all this fuss aside, yours is truly a unique bass! I love the B string of the 55 and wouldn't like to loose that. But checking out the neck of a 54- is now on my to-do list.
I adore the preamp of the 94/02 and wouldn't like to part with it. Even when I play in the passive mode, it is good to know active is at hand!
Three volume pots, geeez...
Okay, Leo me sent this in response to the ferrules being out of line:
I told him it wasn't an issue with the holes not being open, and he reiterated that it being out of alignment shouldn't be an issue.
Anyway, there you go. I'm happy with the bass, the fact that it was not a B stock sale, and that it's not a major problem.
I told him it wasn't an issue with the holes not being open, and he reiterated that it being out of alignment shouldn't be an issue.
Anyway, there you go. I'm happy with the bass, the fact that it was not a B stock sale, and that it's not a major problem.
Nope, I don't think so. Lakland has been trying to give the musicians what they need (rather, what they think they need...rather, what they say they need, isn't that right, he he). This is the essence of custom shop operation, isn't it?
I love the B string but it is the neck of the 44-94 that fits me like a glove.
OTOH, one could ask for a 34,5" scale... 34,63" scale...34,78" scale... anything to get crazy about
Here's a pic from an early 34" prototype, Brian had at the LowEnd bass shop awhile back. I was told these were pretty popular in the use market, well, that's when an owner would give'em up. This bass had the smaller Barts too.
yep, I remember this pic. That's where I found out about the 54-94s in the first place
holy cow! I didn't get it last time I saw the post. I just thought: what beautiful finish! and all escaped me...
Now, just thinking. An active jazz on a 94 series body is a 55-63; the passive countepart is the 55 Dual J. The 55-94 is active; so yours is... the 54 MME J!
all this fuss aside, yours is truly a unique bass! I love the B string of the 55 and wouldn't like to loose that. But checking out the neck of a 54- is now on my to-do list.
I adore the preamp of the 94/02 and wouldn't like to part with it. Even when I play in the passive mode, it is good to know active is at hand!
Thanks! I'm really thrilled with it.
I had an LH-3 preamp spec'd for it for a while, but the single most important control for me on a bass is a passive tone control. The standard LH-3 preamp doesn't have it, so I opted for passive. My dream version of the LH-3 would be neck volume, bridge volume, bass, treble, passive tone, and the coil tap; I'd just wire the mid control flat. Maybe one day I'll email Carl and ask him if that would be doable...
Yeah, it is a bit much! I like it in my apartment, but on a gig, I think it might get a bit annoying. I think I'll end up going back to vol/vol with a coil tap at some point, but it'll be a simple rewire job, and in the meantime, it's fun to have something so different!
Thanks man! I wanted a blue-to-yellow burst, and I was counting on some blending/bleeding in the middle to get that tropical-ocean-water green. It came out perfectly!
yes, adorable. can't see what is "jamaica" about it (I'm very personal to jamaica, you know
I called it Jamaica only because it reminded Carl of some experiences he's had there. If he had been reminded of his time in Thailand, I might have called it Bangkok Burst!
yeah, I read that. It's just that I can't see jamaica with carl's eyes =)
anyway, I'm confused. The lh-3 no-have push-pull volume pot? Like really? Reelly reelly?
I myself have only had bart pres (the current one with lh-3 pickups), but a friend of mine extensively uses the push/pull switch of his standard '09 lh-3 skyline 55-02. I know that because he used to stack those rubber bands they use to wrap bank notes with, in order not to depress the pot back from passive to active during a gig
EDIT: sorry, I re-read your post. I now see you were talking about the passive TONE control
anyway, I'm confused. The lh-3 no-have push-pull volume pot? Like really? Reelly reelly?
I myself have only had bart pres (the current one with lh-3 pickups), but a friend of mine extensively uses the push/pull switch of his standard '09 lh-3 skyline 55-02. I know that because he used to stack those rubber bands they use to wrap bank notes with, in order not to depress the pot back from passive to active during a gig
EDIT: sorry, I re-read your post. I now see you were talking about the passive TONE control
I wasn't looking for passive mode (although I do like that too), I was looking for a passive tone control, like what's found on a normal passive Jazz. If this is what you're referring to, then I'd be interested in seeing what they did.
- Jul 11, 2005
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Anybody have information on these "new" basses? It seems to me just like a Decade with an MM style cover on the CS pick ups? That's the only difference listed on the Lakland website. Does this mean the original Decade is getting discontinued?
From what I can tell, the guys at Lakland are yet to make some more announcements RE: basses and such.
As far as the Decades are concerned, the original chrome cover for the pups is still available, it just costs a bit more.
As far as the Decades are concerned, the original chrome cover for the pups is still available, it just costs a bit more.
The Decade II shares the same specs page as the regular Decade on the Lakland website. It wasn't there yesterday... I think.
I heard the Sky Decades would all get MM covers, while US basses would get chromed covers. Having both styles, I must say I prefer the look of chrome but the feel of the MM plastic.
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