Lakland Owners Group #69

[overbybr]

View attachment 3294858 So the first pick is the nut on the 44-94. I’m assuming this is pretty standard for USA lakland? The second pic is the nut on the 44-02. I bought this used so I don’t know if it was previously filed down, but as you can see the string is barely off the fretboard. And it works. View attachment 3294857

I took one of my bases to a luthier once complaining of some buzzing I was having trouble getting out with neck adjustments and I realized that I had a similar nut setup to your 44-02 picture after talking with him. It turns out my neck profile was too flat, but he said the nut to fretboard distance wasn't causing the issue, though when he cuts nuts for the bases he builds he cuts the depth of the groove to just beyond half the string thickness.

 

[3bc]

I took one of my bases to a luthier once complaining of some buzzing I was having trouble getting out with neck adjustments and I realized that I had a similar nut setup to your 44-02 picture after talking with him. It turns out my neck profile was too flat, but he said the nut to fretboard distance wasn't causing the issue, though when he cuts nuts for the bases he builds he cuts the depth of the groove to just beyond half the string thickness.

If you look closely most nuts I have seen on 44-02 online at Sweetwater and the like have nuts like this one. I get some buzz when I dig in with my right hand, but not in a bad way, in a funky grimy kind of way. Sounds great IMO. It can easily be taken away by raising the saddles, my setup on this Bass is the lowest I’ve ever been able to achieve on any I’ve owned, including carvin, American fender, German Warwick, and so far even American lakland.

 

[Tom P]

This JO actually isnt “vintage” one. It is 2010 model with Hanson pickups. But looks, plays and sounds very well.

Here in pair with its Fender cousin (btw this FSR AV58 has the closest feel of the neck to US Laklands from all Fenders I have played):

View attachment 3296166

Interesting about the Fender. I admit that I have an irrational attraction to the roasty look. What’s the neck width?

 

[Double E]

Not trying to be argumentative for the sake of it, but how can you say whether a nut is optimally filed/slotted without playing the bass? The nut should be slotted according to optimal string height over the first fret (or two) assuming the relief and action is set properly & to preference. The height/leveling of the frets and the height of the nut (along with how far it's set into the neck) will determine how deep you need to slot it. It's about function rather than how you want the string to look at the nut...

Because first fret action should be something you can take for granted when it comes to a bass that is given the hands-on treatment that Lakland's stuff coming out of Chicago gets.

You are completely right, you really can't tell from a photo unless it was completely egregious but it would be surprising to learn that the nut slots cut by hand by a caring builder like Lakland would leave the shop set at anything less than ideal.

First fret action also is not something that depends greatly on relief or string height at the bridge for most reasonable setups. Lakland's standard first fret action spec that works with their standard relief and string height would be fine for most any preferential deviation after the fact.

 

[Grahams Groove]

Because first fret action should be something you can take for granted when it comes to a bass that is given the hands-on treatment that Lakland's stuff coming out of Chicago.

You are completely right, you really can't tell from a photo unless it was completely egregious but it would be surprising to learn that the nut slots cut by hand by a caring builder like Lakland would go out at anything less than ideal.

First fret action also is not something that depends greatly on relief or string height at the bridge for most reasonable setups. Lakland's standard first fret action spec that works with their standard relief and string height would make the fine for most any preferential deviation after the fact.

That's my point, though. Someone called the 44-02 sub-optimal because of how it looked in a photo - presumably because the string was sitting deeper in the nut slot. That depth may be due to a number of things. Maybe the frets are lower profile. Maybe that nut is not set into the neck as far (compared ot the 44-94). Maybe that nut is taller than the one on the 44-94. Maybe those string are a smaller gauge.

I'm saying that judging the optimal depth of a nut slot on any bass is not a matter of how visually appealing it is or how much of the string is sitting in the nut slot. It has everything to do with that first fret action. So, as your first point states, I would expect that Lakland slotted it so the bass plays really well - not so it looks perfect in a photo.

 

[Double E]

That's my point, though. Someone called the 44-02 sub-optimal because of how it looked in a photo - presumably because the string was sitting deeper in the nut slot. That depth may be due to a number of things. Maybe the frets are lower profile. Maybe that nut is not set into the neck as far (compared ot the 44-94). Maybe that nut is taller than the one on the 44-94. Maybe those string are a smaller gauge.

I'm saying that judging the optimal depth of a nut slot on any bass is not a matter of how visually appealing it is or how much of the string is sitting in the nut slot. It has everything to do with that first fret action. So, as your first point states, I would expect that Lakland slotted it so the bass plays really well - not so it looks perfect in a photo.

It is generally considered that a properly filed nut should be filed down so the slots are not to deep to reduce possible unnecessary friction. The slots should only be deep enough to keep the string secure in the slot.

You are correct though this nut could still have the bottom of the slots filed to an ideal height... and apparently this one is according to the owner. The extra contact may not be an issue at all.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Not trying to be argumentative for the sake of it, but how can you say whether a nut is optimally filed/slotted without playing the bass? The nut should be slotted according to optimal string height over the first fret (or two) assuming the relief and action is set properly & to preference. The height/leveling of the frets and the height of the nut (along with how far it's set into the neck) will determine how deep you need to slot it. It's about function rather than how you want the string to look at the nut...

No no no.... I was referring to the whole top of the nut needing to be filed down. The slots the strings sit in should YES be optimal for string action. But, the nut should be shaved down so the strings have a shallow sideways comma to sit in. His 44-02 has deep U shaped slots. Deep slots have more string contact and cause more friction when tuning.

 

[JEDI BASS]

It is generally considered that a properly filed nut should be filed down so the slots are not to deep to reduce possible unnecessary friction. The slots should only be deep enough to keep the string secure in the slot.

You are correct though this nut could still have the bottom of the slots filed to an ideal height... and apparently this one is according to the owner. The extra contact may not be an issue at all.

You beat me to it.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Someone called the 44-02 sub-optimal

Not true, I said it’s NUT was not optimal. It needs the top filed off. 5 minutes with a 3 dollar file and done!

Btw, the bass itself is gorgeous! And I don’t doubt that it plays very well! I had the same 44-02 with maple fretboard, a few years back. I sold it to a teenager that was bass crazy and loved my Laklands. He still plays it today. It’s a great bass!

 

[JEDI BASS]

3bc , I sent you a PM since my comment was taken wrong by several.

 

[Holdsg]

I was able to get this vid of Uriah Duffy last night at the Tsunami Bass Hang (post NAMM festivities).
He still funky

Play Video

 

[gotfunk21]

@3bc what strings are on the 44-02 vs the 44-94?

Like some have mentioned, not only the gauge, but also the style of string may be affecting playability? Maybe you’re using light gauge nickel wrapped with round cores that are a lot more plyable than a thicker gauge steel wrap with hex cores?

I “think” the strings that ship with US Lakies are D’Addario prosteels (or similar) ... which are very stiff to me. I’d suggest throwing the same set of strings onto the 44-94? Maybe not a nut issue at all. Food for thought

 

[3bc]

@3bc what strings are on the 44-02 vs the 44-94?

Like some have mentioned, not only the gauge, but also the style of string may be affecting playability? Maybe you’re using light gauge nickel wrapped with round cores that are a lot more plyable than a thicker gauge steel wrap with hex cores?

I “think” the strings that ship with US Lakies are D’Addario prosteels (or similar) ... which are very stiff to me. I’d suggest throwing the same set of strings onto the 44-94? Maybe not a nut issue at all. Food for thought

The 44-02 is strung with hi beams. The 44-94 seems to have nickel strings, but they do seem much more taught than the hi beams on the 44-02.

 

[JEDI BASS]

The 44-02 is strung with hi beams. The 44-94 seems to have nickel strings, but they do seem much more taught than the hi beams on the 44-02.

Hi Beams are very flexible, and amazing!

 

[basspraiser]

This JO actually isnt “vintage” one. It is 2010 model with Hanson pickups. But looks, plays and sounds very well.

Here in pair with its Fender cousin (btw this FSR AV58 has the closest feel of the neck to US Laklands from all Fenders I have played):

View attachment 3296166

Actually..I really like the look of that F&nd&r



Maybe a fiver lakie like that...mmmmm

 

[basspraiser]

Interesting about the Fender. I admit that I have an irrational attraction to the roasty look. What’s the neck width?

me too Tom!
Me too

 

[basspraiser]

I was able to get this vid of Uriah Duffy last night at the Tsunami Bass Hang (post NAMM festivities).
He still funky

Play Video

Hope you're having fun Gman
I would love to get to namm some time
I cannot see the video because I don't have Facebook.

 

[basspraiser]

Played my 5507 at church today... Had a song that really really needs a pick.

Now...I really suck at the plectum... Never been good at it but I got tired of playing this particular song finger style because the pick sound is so integral to the sound.

Just before church started I asked one of the guitarists for the thickest pick he had... It turned out to be a Fender medium pick.

I had to wait until the end of the service because the song was the last song of the service...

I had never played it with a pick before and had never played with a pick in public before... But I was like... What the heck...

It ended up sounding really good ( Imho).

I need to experiment me with the pick...

Report over .. Carry on

 

[red7flag]

Any feedback on the Lakland Decade? Thanks in advance.

 

[Holdsg]

Once Doug sets his mind to something (anti FB, fivers, Packers, etc) he doesn’t budge much.