Thanks Tom. I still love it just as much as the day it arrived. I figured you still had BG002. I've wondered on occasion why and how I convinced myself that it was a good idea to let that one go but I know it went to a good home.
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Thanks Tom. I still love it just as much as the day it arrived. I figured you still had BG002. I've wondered on occasion why and how I convinced myself that it was a good idea to let that one go but I know it went to a good home.
Hah, feels like I have a lot of basses and my wife would agree! There are some stunning collections in this group. If I didn't already have a comfortable fretless, I'd be looking for another Lakland. And a short scale Decade would be cool...
A fretless 55 is what I keep taking myself out of. My resolve is breaking though. I mean, what’s one more Lakie right? Right?!
My Decade is a shorty, the 5th one built (Pictured here with my shorty Bean). I still lust after a hollow body with Darkstars like yours though. I've just missed a couple of those over the years. Or been at the short end of cash flow when they were available.
I've always liked how Lakland owners posted pics of their bass lying parallel to each other. Finally got around to taking one like that for my own 2 Lakies. My 44-02 and DJ-4
After today, the 44-02 may be taking the #1 spot!! I’ll let Max describe since he’s picking up both basses in the next little bit. I’ve had my hands all over both today.
Oh yessssssss! JJ DID A BANG Up JOB ON THE 44-02! It plays just as good or better than my 44-01, and that is saying something! Many tweaks and adjustments. Hope it ages and settles as well as my 44-01 which is super special!
Thanks again @JEDI BASS for ANOTHER STELLAR job! My 44-02 is now my #1!
I’ll have to try that as well Thom. Can’t put my 44-02 down since JJ worked on it!
I know the feeling. My 44-02 plays so well and sounds so good. Actually, I was able to take the photo because I changed straps. I had the slightly better strap on the DJ-4, but since the 44-02 is my go to bass, I decided to switch straps, and, well, as the straps were off, it was a good time for a picture.
You know, next you will be changing your avatar
Check this out guys. After doing the fret level, nut slots, and tweaking the setup to Max’s preferences. His 44-02 has way less that .008” relief… probably half that, but I didn’t bother trying to measure it. And, the E string height at the 12th fret is only 0.04” . Stock US E string height (per Carl’s video) is 0.09” .
If your PLEK’d bass doesn’t play like buttah, the woods and frets may have settled/moved. It happens. Get it to someone who levels the whole fretboard by hand. My process uses 2 foot long “beam” so that when I’m done, all the frets are leveled to the same plane, unlike those that use small hand files that are 8” or so in length. Then, I file in some fallaway in the upper register.
And, I’m not disrespecting anyone who can get the same results with hand files. I have done far less refrets and fret level jobs than the pros! But, I’ve also seen a handful of necks with say fret 2 that is way high and fret 19 that is also way high. No one has demonstrated a way to level those two frets, at the same time, to the same height with an 8” file.
Kind of reminds me of the saying, “more than one way to skin a cat”, different techniques to do a task. End results are what matters, and my results that JJ achieved WORKS for me!
One little add on I supplied to JJ during setup is this. I like it.
So far, it’s worked for everyone. I’m pretty sure that Carl told me what to use, years ago.
