Lakland Owners Group #69

[ejschultz]

I assume you’re talking standard MN taper blend pots? I wonder how a Z curve would work. I’ve never messed with one but I understand they preserve sound better and have smoother roll offs.

 

[Ric Vice]

Do you think you'll try a different brand or stick with Lakland now that the 34" scale is an option for the 55-94s?

Well
In my mind I have two choices, one costing $2,500. 00+,more than the other. The current price for a new 54-94 Deluxe $5,490.00 before we get into a Bartolini Pre And Pickups. While not a Lakland a Sandberg TM5 is $3,000.00 or I just play my Fretless 55-94 and sell the fretted one. I realize these are 1st world problems.

 

[JB Player]

I've been looking for replacement pickguards as well. I even emailed Lakland, but haven't heard anything. They don't like to pick up the phone either these days... not sure what's going on. There are companies out there that make them, but you'd be looking at over $100, which is just crazy. I have a Darryl Jones, but I've noticed subtle differences between the models, so I'm not sure if that would help you.

Congrats on the bass! I used Anthony at the Pick Guardian (Home | Pickguardian) - personalized service and quality workmanship - you will need an accurate template for a proper fit though - I recall the pricing being quite reasonable for custom work, got a discount by getting 2 guards.

 

[olegsulimov]

[email protected]

I think this goes directly to JP who is the owner. He could probably answer any questions you have.

Nobody answered

 

[basspraiser]

Nobody answered

Really?
That's weird
Let me see if I can get an answer

 

[MaxSpinrun]

Go Dougie! Doud has the connections!

 

[basspraiser]

Go Dougie! Doud has the connections!

I try!

 

[Ach]

Thanks for reporting back with details. Yes, that balance problem is expected with the larger pot resistance, like we discussed a couple of months ago. It is probably also sucking some of the highs when you move off center.

Well as we have discussed the original balance pot is 50kOhms.

1. Attenuates signal by -1.5dB when either pickup is soloed
2. Does not allow both pickups being at max in the middle position
3. Completely removes any resonance peak from (any!) pickups.

But it does make the balance pot useful in the full range. So, an interesting trade off.

 

[macribas]

Well as we have discussed the original balance pot is 50kOhms.

1. Attenuates signal by -1.5dB when either pickup is soloed
2. Does not allow both pickups being at max in the middle position
3. Completely removes any resonance peak from (any!) pickups.

But it does make the balance pot useful in the full range. So, an interesting trade off.

So it seems like there isn't a simple swap pot solution for the LH3 then.

 

[Ach]

So it seems like there isn't a simple swap pot solution for the LH3 then.

Why? The standard MN250k balance pot will work just fine

 

[macribas]

Why? The standard MN250k balance pot will work just fine

I just inferred from your post there would always be a trade off.

 

[sj_bass]

Congrats on the bass! I used Anthony at the Pick Guardian (Home | Pickguardian) - personalized service and quality workmanship - you will need an accurate template for a proper fit though - I recall the pricing being quite reasonable for custom work, got a discount by getting 2 guards.

Yeah, I emailed back and forth with Anthony (he’s fast in replying), but he doesn’t have a template. That’s where I’m hoping someone can help.
Even if it’s not exactly the same dimensions, I can add necessary info (pickup distance from neck, distance from corner of pickup to control plate) to make a functional pickguard.
Help me Obi Wan. You’re our only hope.

 

[warptheory]

Yeah, I emailed back and forth with Anthony (he’s fast in replying), but he doesn’t have a template. That’s where I’m hoping someone can help.
Even if it’s not exactly the same dimensions, I can add necessary info (pickup distance from neck, distance from corner of pickup to control plate) to make a functional pickguard.
Help me Obi Wan. You’re our only hope.

I have some tracings that you could use. The black ones are from mine, and the other one is from QuickGuards, I think I downloaded it from there a while back, he had several different DJ tracings to prove that they are marginally different from bass to bass.

If you can cut something like a pickguard thick cardboard or MDF or something, or 3d print it, maybe you could massage it into a shape that works for you, then send the 3d print so they can make a tracing of it?

 

[Ach]

I just inferred from your post there would always be a trade off.

Yeah, I see what you mean. This is correct. And this is not unique to Lakland. Any bass with two or more passive pickups will have to answer to this question somehow.

Interestingly enough the infamous "Bartolini" MK1 preamp (used in Ibanez SR's and Laklands 01's) doesn't have this issue because each pickup is buffered before the balance pot (poor man's MTD emulation), this is why these basses do not have passive mode.

 

[sj_bass]

I have some tracings that you could use. The black ones are from mine, and the other one is from QuickGuards, I think I downloaded it from there a while back, he had several different DJ tracings to prove that they are marginally different from bass to bass.

If you can cut something like a pickguard thick cardboard or MDF or something, or 3d print it, maybe you could massage it into a shape that works for you, then send the 3d print so they can make a tracing of it?

These are great! I hope someone can use them…

Unfortunately, I’m looking for a DJ-4 template.

 

[Ach]

The long promised report on my attempt to make the Nordstrand MM5.4 bridge pickup to sound like MM Stingray.
In short: I think i made it sound much closer.

The results sound sample (use headphones!): Nordstrand MM5.4 bridge pickup: no capacitor vs 2.2nF capacitor
Wiring schematic below.

What has been done:
A lot of online research and ultimately the findings of Youtuber Mikedeeez (StingRay Bass 2-Band (2EQ) vs 3-Band (3EQ) Preamps Explained + Hear the EXACT Sound Difference!). All that got me thinking that the key part of the MM tone is the resonance peak at around 4kHz, and that i can probably emulate it with a single 2.2nF capacitor, just like the EBMM does. I do not even need to replace the preamp, the LH3 is a great high quality preamp, and it's topology is almost identical to the EBMM 3EQ.

Obviously I needed to isolate the bridge pickup from the neck pickup, and ideally only make it engage when i select both coils of the MM pickup, so i had to change the stock bridge On-On-On DPDT selector with an On-On-On 4PDT (i was only able to find it on Banzai Music in Europe).

My first attempt at using the capacitor has failed, i have found that Lakland is using a A50k balance pot (a very unorthodox decision for passive pickups). And this low resistance dampens the resonance peak significantly, so the only effect I had by adding the capacitor was highs roll-off.

However after a couple of simulations i have decided to go with a MN500k balance potentiometer, and it worked (the standard MN250k should work too, the resonance peak will be tamed by 2dB, but it will still be there)!

Conclusions:
- The capacitor trick will not work with the stock blend pot (the peak will be dampened so much it will just sound as tone roll off),
- The capacitor trick should work with the stock LH3 pickups, the peak will be milder tho (the cap must be 0.82..1.0nF and you still need to change the blend pot),
- If you don't want to change the bridge coil selector you can make the effect permanent for by wiring it directly to the blend pot bridge input and the ground.


If you want to simulate the effect, use the follow EQ in your DAW.

 

[basspraiser]

View attachment 7534727

The long promised report on my attempt to make the Nordstrand MM5.4 bridge pickup to sound like MM Stingray.
In short: I think i made it sound much closer.

The results sound sample (use headphones!): Nordstrand MM5.4 bridge pickup: no capacitor vs 2.2nF capacitor
Wiring schematic below.

What has been done:
A lot of online research and ultimately the findings of Youtuber Mikedeeez (StingRay Bass 2-Band (2EQ) vs 3-Band (3EQ) Preamps Explained + Hear the EXACT Sound Difference!). All that got me thinking that the key part of the MM tone is the resonance peak at around 4kHz, and that i can probably emulate it with a single 2.2nF capacitor, just like the EBMM does. I do not even need to replace the preamp, the LH3 is a great high quality preamp, and it's topology is almost identical to the EBMM 3EQ.

Obviously I needed to isolate the bridge pickup from the neck pickup, and ideally only make it engage when i select both coils of the MM pickup, so i had to change the stock bridge On-On-On DPDT selector with an On-On-On 4PDT (i was only able to find it on Banzai Music in Europe).

My first attempt at using the capacitor has failed, i have found that Lakland is using a A50k balance pot (a very unorthodox decision for passive pickups). And this low resistance dampens the resonance peak significantly, so the only effect I had by adding the capacitor was highs roll-off.

However after a couple of simulations i have decided to go with a MN500k balance potentiometer, and it worked (the standard MN250k should work too, the resonance peak will be tamed by 2dB, but it will still be there)!

Conclusions:
- The capacitor trick will not work with the stock blend pot (the peak will be dampened so much it will just sound as tone roll off),
- The capacitor trick should work with the stock LH3 pickups, the peak will be milder tho (the cap must be 0.82..1.0nF and you still need to change the blend pot),
- If you don't want to change the bridge coil selector you can make the effect permanent for by wiring it directly to the blend pot bridge input and the ground.


If you want to simulate the effect, use the follow EQ in your DAW.

View attachment 7534731

View attachment 7534734

Very helpful information!
Thank you for sharing

 

[Gecko 5]

The kids from yesterdays gig

 

[Gecko 5]

I'm back on the Lakland train

 

[basspraiser]

The kids from yesterdays gig

View attachment 7535880

Those are send beauties John!