Lakland Owners Group #69

[basspraiser]

Ok, I know this seems like a non-fanboy thing to say, but I did not care for the neo-punch pickup in my 44-51. It was too hot for a bass that to me, should have a more classic tone. So I went to my friend Howard Ulyate (knarleybass) and had him wind something special for me...

I gotta say, she sounds superb! Vintage tone that sits perfectly in the band's live mix, with just a slight touch of 'bite' to help cut through when I bring in some treble. Needless to say I'll be selling/trading the old Neo-punch in the classies soon. If you want an awesome pickup, give Howard a call!

Obligatory pic:
Link Removed

Awesome!!!!

I am not a huge neo-punch fan either...I can see where it has its place but not for what I play....I LOVE the Hanson vintage!

What does this "most sound like"???

 

[basspraiser]

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to ask your opinion on my dilemma.
I'm from the philippines and i'm here in the US for just 1 and a half months. I've been dreaming about upgrading my 5501 with the Nordstrand Big Singles and the Nordstrand3B-5a Preamp (PREWIRED – 3 band bass preamp with volume (pull passive), blend, treble, mid (pull frequency switch), and bass). But because of budget issues, i might just be able to get the preamp.

Now my question is, will there be a huge difference if I just upgrade the preamp and leave the MK1 pickups installed? One other issue that I have is that my fingers don't have that much meat at the tips so the strings always hit my nails making is sound trebly (which I hate). I'm just wondering what the MK1/Nordstrand 3B-5a combo would sound like.

And if the Big singles/3B-5a combo would also sound thin. My goal is to have a sound that is Fenderish but is versatile and growly that can compensate for my trebly fingers (that's now an official term haha).


I appreciate your help and suggestions guys.

My easy solution....I ALWAYS trim my plucking finger nails...because i am not a fan of the "tinking" sound eiher...If I could make it more of a pick sound, I would use it...but I cannot...

good luck with the conversion and welcome to the mainland!

 

[Holdsg]

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to ask your opinion on my dilemma.
I'm from the philippines and i'm here in the US for just 1 and a half months. I've been dreaming about upgrading my 5501 with the Nordstrand Big Singles and the Nordstrand3B-5a Preamp (PREWIRED – 3 band bass preamp with volume (pull passive), blend, treble, mid (pull frequency switch), and bass). But because of budget issues, i might just be able to get the preamp.

Now my question is, will there be a huge difference if I just upgrade the preamp and leave the MK1 pickups installed? One other issue that I have is that my fingers don't have that much meat at the tips so the strings always hit my nails making is sound trebly (which I hate). I'm just wondering what the MK1/Nordstrand 3B-5a combo would sound like.

And if the Big singles/3B-5a combo would also sound thin. My goal is to have a sound that is Fenderish but is versatile and growly that can compensate for my trebly fingers (that's now an official term haha).


I appreciate your help and suggestions guys.

MK1 with Nordstrand pre will sound much better than the stock.

The big singles will take it to another plane of goodness, but you'll get 80% there with just the swap of the pre.

It's kinda widely acknowledged that the X-01s problem is the pre-amp, that the pups are not necessarily the culprit.

IMO, naturally.

 

[basspraiser]

Hello Pickles,
Appreciate your reply

As good as that sounds, unfortunately i can't go the passive road because I need a very versatile bass for all the things that I do (playing at church, gigs with mulitple genres, recording). So I would definitely need the active electronics

Me too but I use a mix of active and passive...

 

[mumar_kalabaw]

My easy solution....I ALWAYS trim my plucking finger nails...because i am not a fan of the "tinking" sound eiher...If I could make it more of a pick sound, I would use it...but I cannot...

good luck with the conversion and welcome to the mainland!

Thanks basspraiser!

I do that all the time. i have my own clippers inside my bass tool kit it sucks haha! but it is what it is. I get jealous of my drummer because my bass sounds fatter when he plays with it haha.

 

[mumar_kalabaw]

MK1 with Nordstrand pre will sound much better than the stock.

The big singles will take it to another plane of goodness, but you'll get 80% there with just the swap of the pre.

It's kinda widely acknowledged that the X-01s problem is the pre-amp, that the pups are not necessarily the culprit.

IMO, naturally.

Thanks holdsg!

this is the answer that i've been waiting for haha. I will definitely buy the Big Singles when i get extra money but maybe for now i'll settle for the pre amp upgrade Thank you so much!

Any more insights are welcome

 

[basspraiser]

Thanks basspraiser!

I do that all the time. i have my own clippers inside my bass tool kit it sucks haha! but it is what it is. I get jealous of my drummer because my bass sounds fatter when he plays with it haha.

I have several bass players who can play my basses MUCH better and with more "soul" than I can...sucks donut?

 

[mumar_kalabaw]

I have several bass players who can play my basses MUCH better and with more "soul" than I can...sucks donut?

well the problem with mine is that my DRUMMER makes my bass sound fuller hahaha. It's good that im still a better bass player than him or they might kick me out hahah

 

[Reaper Man]

Have to remember it's also subjective.

 

[sj_bass]

Awesome!!!!

I am not a huge neo-punch fan either...I can see where it has its place but not for what I play....I LOVE the Hanson vintage!

What does this "most sound like"???

This is pretty close... The video shows the 44-51, but I used another p bass with Howard Ulyate's pickup in the audio recording. I articulated the transient using an SVT classic module in ProTools.


Man on the Moon REM Cover:

 

[Black Bart]

MK1 with Nordstrand pre will sound much better than the stock.

The big singles will take it to another plane of goodness, but you'll get 80% there with just the swap of the pre.

It's kinda widely acknowledged that the X-01s problem is the pre-amp, that the pups are not necessarily the culprit.

IMO, naturally.

Going to second this. The pre in the 01 series is the weak link. Go with the Nordstrand pre upgrade first, then consider new pickups.

 

[basspraiser]

Very nice sj bass!
Fun song to play.... I want to do it but cannot talk the other guys and girls into it!

 

[morebassbaby]

Has anyone been able to A/B the Neos and an EMG Geezer set? I'd be curious for the analysis!

 

[pickles]

Going to second this. The pre in the 01 series is the weak link. Go with the Nordstrand pre upgrade first, then consider new pickups.

If the pre is the weak link why not go passive?

 

[g4string]

If the pre is the weak link why not go passive?

What he said^^^^

 

[Timmah]

OT: Has Lakland every made Skyline basses left handed?

 

[Black Bart]

If the pre is the weak link why not go passive?

What he said^^^^

It was already stated by mumar_kalabaw that he didn't want to go passive. Given that scenario, I was agreeing with Holdsg.

 

[Black Bart]

OT: Has Lakland every made Skyline basses left handed?

Not that I know of and according to their wikipedia article:

...the midrange Skyline Series is constructed using North American wood and features the same overall design as the US basses (excluding the graphite reinforcement on the 4-string necks, all necks being half-sawn instead of quarter-sawn, acrylic nuts instead of bone, no left-hand models, no alder body wood option, and in far fewer colors) but is cut, finished, and assembled overseas.

 

[ldryder]

for those with 4 string laklands, do you guys use regular long scale strings to go through body? or do you need extra long? i imagine regular long scales would be fine but just want to be sure.

According to bassstringsonline.com, every string manufacturer has their own set "Winding Length" for each "Scale Length" of electric bass strings. The "Winding Length" is the measurement of the string from the Back of the Ball End to Silk or to the First Taper on strings with no silk where the string starts to get thinner (B / E / A strings).

Lakland strings are 38" Ball to Taper (or Silk). That is the same length as a GHS Boomer Long PLUS.

 

[ShowKing]

According to bassstringsonline.com, every string manufacturer has their own set "Winding Length" for each "Scale Length" of electric bass strings. The "Winding Length" is the measurement of the string from the Back of the Ball End to Silk or to the First Taper on strings with no silk where the string starts to get thinner (B / E / A strings).

Lakland strings are 38" Ball to Taper (or Silk). That is the same length as a GHS Boomer Long PLUS.

Ah.. Thanks for the info!
The strings I ordered are 37". I think the silk will only just make it past the nut.
I guess I'll see when I string it.

On my 5 string Lakland, 38" strings barely passes the nut so I imagine 37" will be the same on a 4 string.