Lakland Owners Group #69

[KevinMG]

View attachment 4218432

Picked this one up today off of the Lakland B stock mailer. Just below the contour, between the bridge and the pick guard, there's some faint-ish discoloration. I'm colorblind and can't actually see it personally ha.

It's been 25 years since i've played a p bass. and that was a peavey copy, with a skinner neck profile. This is going to take some getting used to. But it sounds great and the action is very very low. And other than the spot, the fit and finish is very nice. Much nicer rosewood board than on my last skyline. The back of the neck is not much of a looker tho..

Very nice! I got my 44-64 custom PJ as B stock with basically the same flaw. Mine is CAR and it’s hardly noticeable. It’s a darker spot the size of an eraser head. For 30% off who cares! Still beautiful fit and finish otherwise.

I just swapped out the pickups for Aguilar and I’m really pleased. It’s a very balanced set. So if anyone is interested in the Hanson neopunch P and hot J, send me a PM. I’ll be listing them soon.

 

[3bc]

Very nice! I got my 44-64 custom PJ as B stock with basically the same flaw. Mine is CAR and it’s hardly noticeable. It’s a darker spot the size of an eraser head. For 30% off who cares! Still beautiful fit and finish otherwise.

I just swapped out the pickups for Aguilar and I’m really pleased. It’s a very balanced set. So if anyone is interested in the Hanson neopunch P and hot J, send me a PM. I’ll be listing them soon.

what about the Aguilar do you like better than lakland pups? I’ve always been a fan of lakland pups and preamp, but I haven’t really a/bd them directly in the same bass against something else.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Thanks brother. Did you ask brian how much it weighed? I didn’t even bother, it doesn’t feel like a featherweight but doesn’t seem too overkill.

my brother has an 80’s les Paul custom that probably weighs 13 pounds. Anything lighter than that generally doesn’t bother me.

Per Leo: 9.75 pounds or 9 & 12oz

 

[basspraiser]

Lakland B stock mailer??
Please educate me on what this is

Email [email protected] aand [email protected] and ask to be put on the email list

 

[KevinMG]

what about the Aguilar do you like better than lakland pups? I’ve always been a fan of lakland pups and preamp, but I haven’t really a/bd them directly in the same bass against something else.

Let me start by saying I really liked the neopunch P pickup on its own. It definitely is a unique thing with tons of growl, bark, and punch. It was a little too hot for me and lacked brightness, though rolling back volume cleaned it up enough. The J was just completely lacking to me and sounded nothing like my Fender J. It was overly compressed and had no dynamics or sparkle. And solo it had buzz and hum. Fully blended there was a big volume drop I couldn’t compensate for with pickup height, and the blended tone was just a dark honk to my ears. There was no brightness, and no dynamics. It compressed too much when you dig in. So it just didn’t fit the tone I had in my head of a PJ.

I bought this bass having only heard clips online, so I went into this knowing I might swap pickups if I liked everything else. Basically I like how Scott Devine’s Fbass sounds and when I listened to clips of other Aguilar equipped PJs I felt that was more what I wanted. I wanted that classic P and bridge J sounds and I wanted some of that more modern PJ sparkle and spank in the blended tone. Enough builders are using them that I figured it was a low risk mod.

My original plan was to just replace the J with a humcanceling Fralin or Nordstrand and keep the neopunch. But that would have require a very overwound J and I realized that what I was seeking required a more wound traditional J. So I decided on a full swap knowing I might miss the neopunch.

I think the Aguilar set really delivered. They are a very balanced set and dead quiet. That was the first thing my tech told me when I picked it up. The P is pure chocolate classic P. Great mids and maybe a little underwound compared to the fender custom 60 in my Am Std P. The J has almost all the sparkle of my Fender, no noise, and I can hear it blending in with the P more than I did the Lakland set. It barks and has punch. Fully blended they scoop out nicely and sparkle. It sounds like a PJ as I hoped.

So you’ll notice I didn’t say better. Tone preferences are so personal. By the time I made the swap I was having reservations about doing it. So I’ll say it’s definitely different. The better part, for me, is very even balance between the pickups, no noise, dynamic range, and spot on traditional tones.

Sorry for the long post! Here are some pics because she’s so purty. Lol

 

[JEDI BASS]

After my mods, my 44-51 dropped to 11 pounds even. Thanks to a new wide Gecko strap, I didn’t get sore at all, at a 4 hour birthday gig last weekend. Just received another wide strap the other day that looks killer on my old non-Lākland.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Let me start by saying I really liked the neopunch P pickup on its own. It definitely is a unique thing with tons of growl, bark, and punch. It was a little too hot for me and lacked brightness, though rolling back volume cleaned it up enough. The J was just completely lacking to me and sounded nothing like my Fender J. It was overly compressed and had no dynamics or sparkle. And solo it had buzz and hum. Fully blended there was a big volume drop I couldn’t compensate for with pickup height, and the blended tone was just a dark honk to my ears. There was no brightness, and no dynamics. It compressed too much when you dig in. So it just didn’t fit the tone I had in my head of a PJ.

I bought this bass having only heard clips online, so I went into this knowing I might swap pickups if I liked everything else. Basically I like how Scott Devine’s Fbass sounds and when I listened to clips of other Aguilar equipped PJs I felt that was more what I wanted. I wanted that classic P and bridge J sounds and I wanted some of that more modern PJ sparkle and spank in the blended tone. Enough builders are using them that I figured it was a low risk mod.

My original plan was to just replace the J with a humcanceling Fralin or Nordstrand and keep the neopunch. But that would have require a very overwound J and I realized that what I was seeking required a more wound traditional J. So I decided on a full swap knowing I might miss the neopunch.

I think the Aguilar set really delivered. They are a very balanced set and dead quiet. That was the first thing my tech told me when I picked it up. The P is pure chocolate classic P. Great mids and maybe a little underwound compared to the fender custom 60 in my Am Std P. The J has almost all the sparkle of my Fender, no noise, and I can hear it blending in with the P more than I did the Lakland set. It barks and has punch. Fully blended they scoop out nicely and sparkle. It sounds like a PJ as I hoped.

So you’ll notice I didn’t say better. Tone preferences are so personal. By the time I made the swap I was having reservations about doing it. So I’ll say it’s definitely different. The better part, for me, is very even balance between the pickups, no noise, dynamic range, and spot on traditional tones.

Sorry for the long post! Here are some pics because she’s so purty. Lol

View attachment 4218936 View attachment 4218935

I wish I had a bass for your Lākland PJ set, cause I’d buy them. But, it sounds like the J has an issue that I’m sure Lākland would address with a replacement. It should be totally noiseless.

 

[KevinMG]

I wish I had a bass for your Lākland PJ set, cause I’d buy them. But, it sounds like the J has an issue that I’m sure Lākland would address with a replacement. It should be totally noiseless.

I’m probably just being nitpicky lol. It was likely just that ground noise you get when you’re not touching the bass. It didn’t hum when I played it. But in the quiet of my office and especially when under headphones I heard it. Wasn’t the reason I swapped it, but I had to build up the business case.

 

[KevinMG]

After my mods, my 44-51 dropped to 11 pounds even. Thanks to a new wide Gecko strap, I didn’t get sore at all, at a 4 hour birthday gig last weekend. Just received another wide strap the other day that looks killer on my old non-Lākland. View attachment 4218945View attachment 4218944

Those are nice straps! How wide? Are they soft?

 

[JEDI BASS]

Those are nice straps! How wide? Are they soft?

4” wide. The leather is sturdy enough to last lifetimes. In my experience, soft leather doesn’t last. He will pad them if you want, color, backing, thread color, measurements, etc are all optional.

 

[3bc]

4” wide. The leather is sturdy enough to last lifetimes. In my experience, soft leather doesn’t last. He will pad them if you want, color, backing, thread color, measurements, etc are all optional.

that strap looks very sharp. but it also looks kind of sharp! like it digs in at the outside? i'm always looking for a nice new strap. i have the 3" levy's padded ones that are really boring. they're are comfortable, and as importantly, have 0 metal or plastic parts on them that are going to scratch up the bass. i'd love a new, cool thick padded couch strap kind of thing, but those always seem to have metal odds and ends that will just wind up pinging the finish on my bass.

 

[Holdsg]

Gecko straps are great, do not dig in

 

[JEDI BASS]

that strap looks very sharp. but it also looks kind of sharp! like it digs in at the outside?

I just checked... the strap edge is rounded, smooth, and comfy. I hung my P bass over my shoulder and rubbed the strap edge across my neck 5 or 6 times. No irritation or discomfort at all.

 

[basspraiser]

Gecko (John) does GREAT work!

I have several straps as well as a belt I wear daily ( been maybe 3 years) and absolutely no no no issues to date!

Comfy and built to last

 

[JEDI BASS]

Gecko (John) does GREAT work!

I have several straps as well as a belt I wear daily ( been maybe 3 years) and absolutely no no no issues to date!

Comfy and built to last

Yep! They don’t wear out! I have to give some of my Gecko straps to my friends from time to time so I have a reason to get a new one. I think I’ve given 3 away over the years.

 

[Gecko 5]

that strap looks very sharp. but it also looks kind of sharp! like it digs in at the outside? i'm always looking for a nice new strap. i have the 3" levy's padded ones that are really boring. they're are comfortable, and as importantly, have 0 metal or plastic parts on them that are going to scratch up the bass. i'd love a new, cool thick padded couch strap kind of thing, but those always seem to have metal odds and ends that will just wind up pinging the finish on my bass.

All the edges are painstakingly beveled and burnished(leather work term for polished). The longest process in making our straps.
Our url is in my signature.

I don't know if this is a secret or not.... I just made 20 4" straps with the TB logo that should be for sale VERY soon in the store

 

[JEDI BASS]

All the edges are painstakingly beveled and burnished(leather work term for polished). The longest process in making our straps.
Our url is in my signature.

I don't know if this is a secret or not.... I just made 20 4" straps with the TB logo that should be for sale VERY soon in the store

That explains how I didn’t burn my neck LOL.

I’ll be watching for those TB logo straps!

 

[Buster Brown]

Don't know if this place is still going? But I have a 55-01 on order. Spalted top with Indian laurel neck...should be here in a month or two..........

 

[JEDI BASS]

We are going strong!

Congrats!

 

[3bc]

Question for all the flats players out there. Which brand/model/gauge do you all recommend. With the new 44-64 i'm thinking flats for the first time ever for me, so i obviously know absolutely nothing about what to pick. Appreciate the insight!