Congrats on the nice score. Those are rare and don’t come up for sale very often. Enjoy it and welcome.
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Not sure how to share it here, but Lakland’s new Skyline 44/55-OS’s look great!
I'll just recreate it:
New Model Alert!!
Skyline 55-OS
Skyline 44-OS
Offset versions of the classic 44 and 55 body shapes with some interesting appointments including:
Bartolini MK1 Split Coil Pickups
Bartolini HR-5.4 AP Preamp
3 position midrange select
Black Hardware
44-OS US street price is 1150
55-OS US street price is 1185
First shipments in Translucent Black over Ash are heading out to dealers this week!
My initial thought was, eww, why the MK1's yet? But then Steve P made a point and I have to agree with him (as I did the same on my 55-01; Upgraded pre and the MK1's sound pretty dang good!)
I've been banging (softly) the drum about the preamp issue in the '01s for +10 years.
Im still confused on what the OS stands for. What’s offset? Pretty sure this bass isn’t sponsored by Carbi’s rapper husband, Offset.
OS = OffSet. Offset is a term used to refer to the typical jazz bass shape, where it's as if a P bass body shape was stretched: upper half toward the headstock, lower half toward the bridge. At least, that's always been my understanding of the term.
I like them both! A trans black finish over ash, upgraded preamp, jazz bass feel to the body (for those jazz bass guys), PLEK'd neck, all black hardware too, and a low price, IMO... I think they'll sell, especially to rock players.
The OS models look cool! Nice upgrades vs. the -01.
Lakland is also offering the Classic Series US models in 17(!) different colors through the end of the year. That's a lotta choices!
Classic Series - Lakland Bass Guitars
Lakland is also offering the Classic Series US models in 17(!) different colors through the end of the year. That's a lotta choices!
Classic Series - Lakland Bass Guitars
The offset looks good enough and is an interesting twist. But the 4-94 shape fits me so well seated or standing, I wouldn't want to mess with it!
It's so anemic. I got a Noll replacement cause it's cheap, but I was amazed how underwhelming the Bart pre was on my 55AJ.
IMO the original shape is much better and I would have preferred just offering the original version with the new preamp. I am not fond of whoever is doing design for them now. I don't like any of the designs for the Hanson guitars either. Not sure if they still do those or not.
The prices went up on those awhile back too didn't they? Limited color choices was to keep the cost down so now it just seems like there's a bunch of crossover with the standard line. They are only $300 cheaper although the only difference I can find is in the cheaper tuners.
Some folks really dig the J bass shape. Look at how many builders ONLY seem to use it... Nino Valenti comes to mind. I bet Sadowsky sales are over 90% J basses. That said, I too prefer the original 44/55 body shape. Out of my almost 30 basses, I only have 1 with the J bass shape.
I'm sure John and Steve will hear that they should stick this better preamp in the 44/55-01s. Maybe they'll act on it.
I asked this in the Decade club thread but this probably has more frequent views.
Does anyone know the reasoning for the varied front pickup positioning on US Decades with the Chisonics? It seems that on most of them the neck pickup very close to the heel of the neck that there isn't much space between the truss rod wheel and the edge of the pickup.
I've also seen a few instances where the bass has a traditional hex truss rod nut. On these the pickup is further from the neck most likely to allow access to the truss nut. I'm just wondering why Lakland would have two different configurations.
I ask because it appears that I have the 2nd style. I purchased a loaded US body in the classifieds on here and am having Lakland make me a new neck for it. The neck is still a couple of weeks out. I sent the body to Marty Bell to refinish it and happened to notice the pickup location when he sent me pictures of the re-painted body.
Does anyone know the reasoning for the varied front pickup positioning on US Decades with the Chisonics? It seems that on most of them the neck pickup very close to the heel of the neck that there isn't much space between the truss rod wheel and the edge of the pickup.
I've also seen a few instances where the bass has a traditional hex truss rod nut. On these the pickup is further from the neck most likely to allow access to the truss nut. I'm just wondering why Lakland would have two different configurations.
I ask because it appears that I have the 2nd style. I purchased a loaded US body in the classifieds on here and am having Lakland make me a new neck for it. The neck is still a couple of weeks out. I sent the body to Marty Bell to refinish it and happened to notice the pickup location when he sent me pictures of the re-painted body.
