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Lakland Owners Group #69

#7,509
red7flag said:
How are the specs for the Skyline different from the HOBO? Pickups different? Hardware? Tone?
Click to expand...

HoBo is shorthand for Hollowbody. You posted several pictures of your Skyline (Made in Indonesia) HoBo, and in my congratulation reply, I posted a picture of my USA HoBo.

As far as the differences...
- Made in US vs Made in Indonesia.
- Body woods are usually the same, though I believe mine to be a unique bird from all other HoBo's.
- US neck's are typically quarter sawn maple, Skyline necks are always flat sawn maple.
- US fretboards usually have bird's eye maple position markers on the face (for rosewood boards), while Skylines have some type of acrylic (maybe?) marker.
- Electronics are often the same, though my bass has Fred Hammond DarkStar bisonic pickups, and it appears yours has Lakland's Chisonic pickups.
- The headstock logo's are also different, which is usually minor, but on the HoBo it's significant difference.

Tone? That's really subjective and it's going to be very hard to describe in a way that everyone agrees with. Suffice it to say that because of the pickups alone, there will be a tonal difference, but they'll both have the big, round, warm sound of a hollowbody bass.

One of the reason's my HoBo is unlike most others available is that Lakland doesn't have any records of it being made, and it doesn't have a serial number on it. Add to that the fact that it has a flat sawn neck, no logo on the headstock, and is heavier than Fat Albert after a Thanksgiving meal, Lakland and I suspect it's a prototype or one of the first one's made from way back in the late 90's. I've reached out to Michael Tobias to see if he can shed any light on it, though the prospects of finding that information are slim to none. The original owner (whom I purchased from) wasn't very helpful on the history, he just remembers buying it direct from Dan Lakin at Lakland when they first came out.
 
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#7,510
overbybr said:
The original owner (whom I purchased from) wasn't very helpful on the history, he just remembers buying it direct from Dan Lakin at Lakland when they first came out.
Click to expand...
I've got a unique one-off too (44-94 hybrid: previous owned by SanDiegoHarry, who wasn't the first owner either) Apparently Dan selling things that were unique was pretty common. I get the feeling that John, Bo, Leo, and Brian dread getting questions on those one offs!
 
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#7,512
overbybr said:
HoBo is shorthand for Hollowbody. You posted several pictures of your Skyline (Made in Indonesia) HoBo, and in my congratulation reply, I posted a picture of my USA HoBo.

As far as the differences...
- Made in US vs Made in Indonesia.
- Body woods are usually the same, though I believe mine to be a unique bird from all other HoBo's.
- US neck's are typically quarter sawn maple, Skyline necks are always flat sawn maple.
- US fretboards usually have bird's eye maple position markers on the face (for rosewood boards), while Skylines have some type of acrylic (maybe?) marker.
- Electronics are often the same, though my bass has Fred Hammond DarkStar bisonic pickups, and it appears yours has Lakland's Chisonic pickups.
- The headstock logo's are also different, which is usually minor, but on the HoBo it's significant difference.

Tone? That's really subjective and it's going to be very hard to describe in a way that everyone agrees with. Suffice it to say that because of the pickups alone, there will be a tonal difference, but they'll both have the big, round, warm sound of a hollowbody bass.

One of the reason's my HoBo is unlike most others available is that Lakland doesn't have any records of it being made, and it doesn't have a serial number on it. Add to that the fact that it has a flat sawn neck, no logo on the headstock, and is heavier than Fat Albert after a Thanksgiving meal, Lakland and I suspect it's a prototype or one of the first one's made from way back in the late 90's. I've reached out to Michael Tobias to see if he can shed any light on it, though the prospects of finding that information are slim to none. The original owner (whom I purchased from) wasn't very helpful on the history, he just remembers buying it direct from Dan Lakin at Lakland when they first came out.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your in depth comparison. I was curious as I was unable to find a current US "Hobo". I am curious why they do not still offer a US "Hobo". I know they would be more expensive, maybe 2x. I love my instrument, but may always think of upgrading (I need to say that softly, my wife might hear).
 
#7,514
red7flag said:
Thank you for your in depth comparison. I was curious as I was unable to find a current US "Hobo". I am curious why they do not still offer a US "Hobo". I know they would be more expensive, maybe 2x. I love my instrument, but may always think of upgrading (I need to say that softly, my wife might hear).
Click to expand...

I personally think that that differences between the US and Skyline HoBo are the slightest among the lines, and I have a theory that Lakland May agree. I’m sure they’ll still build you one if you throw money at them, but they aren’t building US HoBos on spec because carving that body is costly and time consuming... putting it together is a royal pain (i know after putting one back together after a refinish!) and to top all that off they have to still pay licensing to Mike Tobias on each one, so the profit margins get eaten away... so (in my opinion) they’re more than happy to leverage the manufacturing efficiencies of their Indonesian partners. That’s all just conjecture on my part, but still a very plausible theory
 
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#7,515
They do still make US ones, but they is expensive...
768B4F20-37AD-4854-8EF3-EB31A14B445D.jpeg



Lakland Hollowbody Seafoam Green Lakland Hollowbody Seafoam Green | Bass and Beyond
 
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