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Lakland Owners Group #69

#11,681
fourstringbliss said:
New preamp report.

I've been a fan of Audere preamps for years, and have put them in all my active basses. Most basses seem to sound better after the install but I've never have one come to life after like my 44-02! The sound is a lot more open and transparent. The highs are extended, very much like that old "took a blanket off" metaphor that people use. The previous LH3 preamp seemed to have a baked-in sound, and this one sounds like the passive tone but livelier somehow.

If you're ever wanting to replace the preamp in your Lakland this would be a good option.

img_20191017_001051_hdr-jpg.3567839
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Great to know!!!!
 
#11,683
MaxSpinrun said:
View attachment 3569498
Agree. Put a custom Audere in my 44-01, VERY transparent. Very versatile, especially with my 6 position Z mode switch. It is the small knob in the pic. Went with 18 volt for super long battery life.
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Did your 4401 have a very low output.
Mine is stock and has MUCH less output than say a P bass.
I emailed Bartolini with the understanding that they designed these to be built off shore by others.
They didn't have any good ideas.

The tone controls work fine and the output does not change when the EQ is flat going to passive; I don't need or use much EQ.

The output is so low that I can barely get the VU meter on my Ashdown ABM to move much with the gain full up.
I sometimes have to use a boost pedal to drive an amp or compressor hard enough for the best gain matching.

Do other stock 4401's have low output.
Love the bass other than this issue.
 
#11,685
Jim C said:
Did your 4401 have a very low output.
Mine is stock and has MUCH less output than say a P bass.
I emailed Bartolini with the understanding that they designed these to be built off shore by others.
They didn't have any good ideas.

The tone controls work fine and the output does not change when the EQ is flat going to passive; I don't need or use much EQ.

The output is so low that I can barely get the VU meter on my Ashdown ABM to move much with the gain full up.
I sometimes have to use a boost pedal to drive an amp or compressor hard enough for the best gain matching.

Do other stock 4401's have low output.
Love the bass other than this issue.
Click to expand...
Mine seemed to be fine but I took out the MK1 pups and the pre after a month or so of having it. The MK1’s still have the plastic cover on them. Don’t regret taking them out at all.
 
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#11,688
basspraiser said:
Great to know!!!!
Click to expand...
Honestly it's like a different bass now! When I got it it had the stock LH3 with the Lakland pickups. It sounded full with slightly muted highs, but then I do play with flats. My favorite setting was all coils on - wasn't a fan of either single-coil setting. I was considering replacing both the preamp and the pickups but I'm so glad I went with the preamp first.

Now I would call it a big bright when everything is set flat. There's much more texture to the sound and I like all three humbucker settings. I can always make it sound like it did with the LH3 by rolling off to 0.
 
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#11,695
I picked this beautiful Hollowbody up the other day, then immediately learned that Lakland doesn't offer them anymore. (I hadn't been keeping up).
My friend (a longtime Lakland dealer) said they just didn't sell well. I can't understand why.

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I all-too-briefly owned this 4-94. Ebony board with no inlays. Apparently custom emerald green finish. Built circa 1999.
At the time I was playing Alembics and preferred chunky necks, which this certainly did not have. One of several basses I wish I had back.

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#11,696
ODDBALL said:
I’m thinking of purchasing a DJ 5. Can anyone give some insight on this bass? Also what are the differences between the DJ 5 and 55-60?

Thanks

Shaun
Click to expand...
It’s been about 10 years. And, I did not play/keep any DJ5 or JO5 for long. I was still trying to figure out if I could find my sound on a J bass.

The DJ5 felt smaller in many ways. I was a 55-94 player when I bought a US JO5, and the necks (55-94 and JO5) felt the same to me. Grabbing the Korean DJ5, I remember the neck feeling different: sleeker, thinner front to back. I think the fretboard edge was not as rounded. That could’ve been the Skyline/US thing, or due to the binding on the DJ5, I’m not sure. The DJ5 body was smaller too.

Hope that helps.
 
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#11,697
JEDI BASS said:
It’s been about 10 years. And, I did not play/keep any DJ5 or JO5 for long. I was still trying to figure out if I could find my sound on a J bass.

The DJ5 felt smaller in many ways. I was a 55-94 player when I bought a US JO5, and the necks (55-94 and JO5) felt the same to me. Grabbing the Korean DJ5, I remember the neck feeling different: sleeker, thinner front to back. I think the fretboard edge was not as rounded. That could’ve been the Skyline/US thing, or due to the binding on the DJ5, I’m not sure. The DJ5 body was smaller too.

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Are the electronics the same between the DJ5 and 55-60?
 
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#11,698
Here's a few quick pics of the new to me 4-94 #022. Really needs decent lighting to show off the sparkle finish. Guitar Center online purchase. Only one ding on the entire bass (headstock) and a neck pocket finish crack. Other than that it's in excellent condition even still has the plastic wrap on the control cover. 8 1/2 lbs and slightly neck divey with the original Hipshots but ultralite tuners will eat a quarter-pounder with cheese off of that. My G&L ultralites drop right in and line up to the screw holes but they say, well, G&L. The neck really is to die for- absolutely everything you have read about them is true. The action is low; 1.58" nut; .79 at the 1st fret and .89 at the 12th. Somewhat similar to the early flatter G&L profiles but slimmer at the nut. YUM!

4-94 a.JPG 4-94c.JPG 4-94d.JPG 4-94 b.JPG 4-94e.JPG 4-94f.JPG 4-94g.JPG
 
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#11,700
svtbass said:
Here's a few quick pics of the new to me 4-94 #022. Really needs decent lighting to show off the sparkle finish. Guitar Center online purchase. Only one ding on the entire bass (headstock) and a neck pocket finish crack. Other than that it's in excellent condition even still has the plastic wrap on the control cover. 8 1/2 lbs and slightly neck divey with the original Hipshots but ultralite tuners will eat a quarter-pounder with cheese off of that. My G&L ultralites drop right in and line up to the screw holes but they say, well, G&L. The neck really is to die for- absolutely everything you have read about them is true. The action is low; 1.58" nut; .79 at the 1st fret and .89 at the 12th. Somewhat similar to the early flatter G&L profiles but slimmer at the nut. YUM!

View attachment 3572694 View attachment 3572695 View attachment 3572696 View attachment 3572697 View attachment 3572699 View attachment 3572703 View attachment 3572704
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That is gorgeous!!! What a find!! I’m surprised at the neck dive! I’d keep the original tuners. Cause, to some of us, that’s a collectors piece ;-) .
 
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