• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Lakland Owners Group #69

#20,101
My #1 at a gig last weekend.

I picked this one up sometime early this year. I immediately swapped out the Fralins with EMGs. Mo bueno. This bass bounced around the classifieds a few times before I snagged it. I'm thankful all it took was a pup swap to harness its full potential. I'd assume if the EMGs were in there from the get go, it never would have made it to the classifieds. Although, maybe it was the tort guard upgrade that made it sound mo better. I'll never know. lol

I never in a million years thought I'd bond with a green bass. But this one has grown on me. And for the current gig I'm in (petty tribute), it's aesthetically perfect. I've been a Lakland guy for a long time. And I'll say it over and over again, the late 90's, early 00's Lakland's were fire.

IMG_4544.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BlountEdge, MAJOR METAL, Stranger Danger and 14 others
#20,102
cxcxcx said:
I'm absolutely sure I won't change any minds, but the retainer bar is definitely not meant to be removed during string changes. No professional luthiers do this, and the Lakland shop wouldn't advise it either.
Click to expand...
I could be wrong. I can ask Carl and the Lākland crew and see what they say. Not everyone is handy enough to do simple things without stripping wood and causing damage. So, I could see them saying that it's not the safest practice. But, I've also seen it done locally by more than one pro back when I was taking my 55s to others for setups… that was a long time ago. One forgot to reinstall it LOL. I got home before I noticed it missing.

Different strokes… I just don't find this attractive, and like being free to adjust the break angle across the nut for the B and E.
IMG_7666.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: JB Player and MaxSpinrun
#20,103
JEDI BASS said:
I believe the retainer bar is meant to be removed during string replacement
Click to expand...

There's no way this is accurate.

No instrument I have ever owned has been designed to unscrew and re-screw something in the actual wood of the instrument for routine maintenance or use. This will also probably destroy the screw holes over time.

Edit: Actually, I partly take that back. Battery compartment lids are sometimes screwed straight into the wood, and I hate that design. I still stand by my assesment; I'm sure the retainer bar is not designed to be removed during a regular string change. And if I am wrong I still won't start doing it :laugh:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: StayLow, gg22, lomo and 1 other person
#20,104
Naigewron said:
There's no way this is accurate.

No instrument I have ever owned has been designed to unscrew and re-screw something in the actual wood of the instrument for routine maintenance or use. This will also probably destroy the screw holes over time.

Edit: Actually, I partly take that back. Battery compartment lids are sometimes screwed straight into the wood, and I hate that design. I still stand by my assesment; I'm sure the retainer bar is not designed to be removed during a regular string change. And if I am wrong I still won't start doing it :laugh:
Click to expand...

I was going to add that. My old G&L L2000 and my Fender P Lyte Deluxe both require you to remove wood screws to access the batteries. I've used toothpicks and wood glue a couple times on my P Lyte Deluxe because I managed to strip the holes. It doesn't take much. My Spector Euro has brass inserts and machine screws to access the control cavity, where the battery is not located. Inserts would probably be used if it was meant to be removed for routine maintenance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JB Player
#20,106
JEDI BASS said:
I just don't find this attractive, and like being free to adjust the break angle across the nut for the B and E.View attachment 5276536
Click to expand...
I agree with this. And not to belabor a basic bar and two screws there is an advantage to having the ability to adjust the bar height for not only downforce bit to keep the strings off the tuner side of fretboard end. We have all seen the results and divots in the wood in that area from folks cranking those down. The pictured style cannot allow for this. The primary weak area I see if the length and diameter of the screws. Not sure if the tree screws are metric but a true #4 is just larger and beefier enough to help eliminate the porential twisting of the bar and helps prevent pullout as those holes wear or enlarge from that small amount of twisting. A #4 x 3/4" is a good option to strengthen that entire unit. That does also require enlarging teh hole in teh bat just a bit as well. I would recommend insuring the headstock holes are drilled large enough to accommodate the #4, to lightly chamfer/countersink those exposed and visible screw holes to avoid any finish chip out, and I always apply a small drop of thin CA glue to all my screw holes to harden teh wood in the thread area and seal the pain/wood border to keep any finish intact. Probably overkill but it's served me well. I was really surprised how mangles my fretless neck was in that area when I received it. Just unnecesary.

And, just to revisit the correct tree adjustment: Down enough for sufficient string pressure but not so far that the string is actually contacting the finish or fretboard wood on the tuner side. Should be able to slip paper or see light between the string and neck behind the nut.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MaxSpinrun and JEDI BASS
#20,109
cymbop said:
Went onstage last night. In front of the V-4B & 810, carrying the hall with no support, with my loud-ass band. So that's the test to pass!

It was great.

Neck pickup:
Both:
Let's ride the edge of that feedback with fuzz > octave :woot:
Click to expand...



Love your song choices. What y'all's set list(s) look like? Band sounds good
 
  • Like
Reactions: JB Player, cymbop and basspraiser
#20,110
Thanks man! We're hobby hacks, so we can play whatever we want. That set was
0:00 Wonderful Christmastime*
3:39 Christmas All Over Again*
7:17 Linus and Lucy*
11:54 How Long*
16:29 Tempted
21:24 Is She Really Going Out With Him
26:45 Dreams (feat. @hollerandcrow )
32:11 Taxman - Tomorrow Never Knows*
38:34 It Keeps You Runnin'
44:39 Jet
49:24 Sledgehammer
55:16 The Waiting
1:00:07 Movin' Out
1:07:15 Bennie And The Jets
1:15:38 Move on Up*
*Debut
 
  • Like
Reactions: TedH, basspraiser, JB Player and 5 others
#20,113
cymbop said:
Thanks man! We're hobby hacks, so we can play whatever we want. That set was
0:00 Wonderful Christmastime*
3:39 Christmas All Over Again*
7:17 Linus and Lucy*
11:54 How Long*
16:29 Tempted
21:24 Is She Really Going Out With Him
26:45 Dreams (feat. @hollerandcrow )
32:11 Taxman - Tomorrow Never Knows*
38:34 It Keeps You Runnin'
44:39 Jet
49:24 Sledgehammer
55:16 The Waiting
1:00:07 Movin' Out
1:07:15 Bennie And The Jets
1:15:38 Move on Up*
*Debut
Click to expand...
"Hobby Hacks" is a great band name :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: basspraiser, nervous, MaxSpinrun and 3 others
#20,115
The retainer bar is the same as a string tree but works for all strings. Its there to increase the downward angle coming off of the nut. It is not meant to be removed during string changes. If it was they would have made it a machine bolt system vs a wood screw. A wood screw being removed over and over will for sure get stripped there at some point. If Lakland intended that to be constantly removed then using wood screws is a terrible design. I am sure there are situations where a tech like Carl would remove it and reinstall it I don't see any value in doing that all the time. If the bar is not screwed all the way in it seems like that would cause issues along the line with the tension of the strings pushing up on the bar that isn't tightened properly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StayLow and odarellmc
#20,116
cdaniel said:
Have any of you 55-02 owners experienced usually short battery life? I'm on my 4th battery in 6 months. And yes I know to unplug it. I own several active basses and have batteries last over a year of regular use.
Click to expand...

Hi Daniel - never had a short battery life in any of my Lakland basses including my previous 55-02...what kind of battery are you using? if you are using new and decent quality alkaline 9v, these should last you a good long while..
 
  • Like
Reactions: basspraiser
#20,117
Check the wiring off the battery. Negative lead should go to the output jack (ring I think), my first 55-02 (old one with Barts) had the negative black lead wired right to ground. Active basses use the jack to complete the circuit and turn on the preamp when the cable is inserted. How mine was wired, and possibly yours, the preamp is always on and draining the battery.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JB Player, MattLplaysBass, basspraiser and 1 other person
#20,118
Just added a pickguard ordered from Lakland to my 55-14, looks real nice IMO, like it's wearing a nice jacket. Stuck on with some Scotch double sided tape picked up from Dollar Tree.

Ordering from Lakland was a pleasant experience and very fair price, also picked up some strings and a shirt since I already had some sunk cost in shipping.

Now that I have one, could easily make a trace and get a different color, but I don't even know what else I would get with the Tobacco Sunburst.


Before:
IMG_9974.jpeg

After:
IMG_9975.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BlountEdge, Basselink, basspraiser and 9 others
#20,119
Johnny Alien said:
The retainer bar is the same as a string tree but works for all strings. Its there to increase the downward angle coming off of the nut. It is not meant to be removed during string changes. If it was they would have made it a machine bolt system vs a wood screw. A wood screw being removed over and over will for sure get stripped there at some point. If Lakland intended that to be constantly removed then using wood screws is a terrible design. I am sure there are situations where a tech like Carl would remove it and reinstall it I don't see any value in doing that all the time. If the bar is not screwed all the way in it seems like that would cause issues along the line with the tension of the strings pushing up on the bar that isn't tightened properly.
Click to expand...
I changed my strings so infrequently, it never mattered… probably once every 2 years on my 55s. DR and MTD steels lasted forever for me. By the way, never wore out my pre-2000 55's retainer screwholes. But, I agree that brass inserts and machine screws, like they use for the control cavity covers (which oddly enough are very rarely removed) would be smarter.

Do you have any 55 models? The US ones have pretty long wood screws that I know are not meant to be tightened down. Here's why- 1) the break angles across the nut would be too severe causing the B and E to arc over the nut, 2) the strings would bind up in the slots, 3) wood would be chewed away by the strings being pressed into the end of the fretboard, and finally 4) tuning issues caused by the reasons I just listed.

I just cranked down the bar (as far as the screw would safely turn) on Sexual Chocolate and the B string arced over the nut and was almost the thickness of a dime from the first fret (see pic). I normally keep my setups so that a sheet of paper will rub between the first fret and the strings. A smaller diameter B with a round core would be more flexible and wouldn't arc as much.
IMG_7677.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: nervous, Jamvan and MaxSpinrun
#20,120
warptheory said:
Just added a pickguard ordered from Lakland to my 55-14, looks real nice IMO, like it's wearing a nice jacket. Stuck on with some Scotch double sided tape picked up from Dollar Tree.

Ordering from Lakland was a pleasant experience and very fair price, also picked up some strings and a shirt since I already had some sunk cost in shipping.

Now that I have one, could easily make a trace and get a different color, but I don't even know what else I would get with the Tobacco Sunburst.


Before:
View attachment 5278528

After:
View attachment 5278527
Click to expand...
Great job, looks great!! Black is perfect for a burst on a non-figured top! A tort would look nice too, in my opinion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: basspraiser, MaxSpinrun and Thom Fioriglio

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back