It seems that the Plek, and the person(s) operating it, really know what they're doing. IME and from testimonials I'm seeing everywhere online, Skylines have never had better fretwork. I'll be buying more, once I get my wedding paid for next year.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
This low B sounds so great I don't want to put it down. But it's heavy and hurting my back so had to finally stop for the night.
Somehow my jazz bass feels very obsolete after hearing all these tones.
Somehow my jazz bass feels very obsolete after hearing all these tones.
Talk to Gecko about a wide strap. They really help! He can make one to match the look of your new beauty.
My 55-01 is a 2011 and my 55-02 is a 2001, if I am remembering correctly that the first two digits of the serial number are the year. I’m not sure if that puts them in the plek’d group or not.
That 2001 would have gotten extra special treatment and should’ve left Chicago playing like a US bass. As for the 2011, I’m thinking that is pre-Plek, but I could easily be wrong.
New Lakland merch:
Lakland Aviator Style Watch 2020 Black Dial
Lakland Aviator Style Watch 2020 Black Dial | Lakland Guitars, LLC | Reverb
Lakland Aviator Style Watch 2020 Black Dial
Lakland Aviator Style Watch 2020 Black Dial | Lakland Guitars, LLC | Reverb
Attachments
I am pretty sure that they brought the PLEK machine in around the same time as when they moved the factory and changed to using their own pickups. BUT that is relying on my memory that seems to be getting worse and worse as the years go by.
No, just generally dull. The bass I just got is an interesting beast. More honest wear than anything I've had, especially fro an only 8 year old bass, yet one of the best feeling and playing by far. But not cosmetically for the body or headstock, those are amazingly unmarred, except for some nice mild yellowing of the original finish, looking more vintage than white and new. Subtle but only obvious with the PG off. It is the neck wood that has some interesting finish wear and darkening in a few odd places, almost staining, that is perhaps caused by a previous owner being a bit aggressive with some attempt to scuff and dull the finish. Cleaning up and restoring the best I can and honestly it's not unsightly, perhaps even adding character.
And the Audere 3 band is a really good pairing. Always done the East but I am liking the Audere very much. The only feature it lacks is a passive/active push/pull option.
The Plek machine came in just before the first Indonesian Skylines in late 2008. (I dropped by in September-ish and the machine was on the floor; the crew was in the testing/learning phase.) I believe the timing was not a coincidence.I am pretty sure that they brought the PLEK machine in around the same time as when they moved the factory and changed to using their own pickups. BUT that is relying on my memory that seems to be getting worse and worse as the years go by.
Thanks bro!
Without naming the builder, because I love their creations (never owned any though), there's a US brand that costs about the same as US Laklands. And, they use a Plek on all their builds. It's not hard to find comparisons between the two brands online, and I've yet to see anyone say the other brand's Plek'd basses play better than the hand worked Laklands. This has led me to believe, and I think Carl has said this to me over the phone before, that a Plek job is only as good as the person operating it. Having run blood and body fluid analyzers for the last 30 years, I know that the quality and accuracy of an instrument's results is greatly affected by the operators knowledge, calibration, maintenance, and operation of that instrument. So, like I've said before... that crew at Lakland REALLY know how to run their Plek!
100%. Gibson uses a PLEK on all of their USA instruments and I can tell you that it does not perform miracles on its own.
Hey gang, just scored the 1999 44-64 from the classifieds last week! Sorry for the stolen pic from the ad, I haven't had time to take proper pics yet.
I'm not going to wax poetic. This bass is amazing and that's all there is to it. I don't have experience with other 44-64s or Bob Globs but this one has holy grail P tone to my ears.
So the pickups are supposed to be Fralins and the seller said he confirmed. I believe that but I was just wondering is there anything visually that I can use to confirm? The poles on the single are raised.
I'm not going to wax poetic. This bass is amazing and that's all there is to it. I don't have experience with other 44-64s or Bob Globs but this one has holy grail P tone to my ears.
So the pickups are supposed to be Fralins and the seller said he confirmed. I believe that but I was just wondering is there anything visually that I can use to confirm? The poles on the single are raised.
Fralins should have black and white cloth-covered wire.
and it's Bob Glaub. not that he hasn't been called worse.
So I received my new 55-02 last week. Here are a few photos. She plays and sounds amazing. Very beautiful Spalt top and the fretboard looks awesome. There is also a lite birds eye on the headstock and back of neck.
