Lakland Owners Group #69

[groove pump]

Hello Ladies, Gents, and everyone else:

These are my two Laklands. The '08 55-94 is new to me, having just received it two days ago (thanks Doug!). The '08 Skyline 55-60 I've had for about 6 years now. The most astounding thing about Lakland is the feel of the neck and the world-class fretwork. They are easily the most comfortable necks I have ever played in the 35+ years I've been playing. I've just scratched the surface of what the preamp can do with the Barts in the 55-94. It's the most versatile bass I own.

I've previously owned some nice basses - an incredible Carvin 5-er and an overrated Alembic Persuader (never did like the narrow neck or the 32" scale), but this Lakland is on another level. They say "you can't take it with you" but when I move on the the great jam in the sky, I just might.

Goodonya!!

Only about 72 hours into owning a Skyline 44-02 with Bartolinis (it's used, but it's new for me) and it's already looking like it's my #1 player. I've been trying to track down an alternative to my old 10.5 lb. Jazz for quite a while, but I also need a wider neck and want a little more tonal flexibility than what I've had with my passive Jazz. I picked up a fantastic Japanese Bacchus 24 almost two years ago and it offers a boatload of velvety flexibility, but that neck is just too narrow for me... ugh!

So far, all the boxes seem to be checked here. I took it to a band rehearsal and after rockin' for about an hour, I thought I'd switch to my old standby P/J for a bit of a comparison. But I immediately went back to the Lakland for its sound, fit, and feel. I even like the tone of the solo'ed neck pickup on this bass better than the solo'ed P pickup on my P/J after turning up for the first time with the gang.

Good vibrations, indeed

 

[Btbp]

Skyline production moved to Indonesia in mid-late 2008, around the time the Plek machine arrived. (I saw it in the shop before they'd started using it.) Side note: I *think* the first Skyline Decades were the first Indo Skylines to arrive.

I must of got one of the very early Indonesian Decades - I was living in Singapore at the time and bought it almost brand new from a local, not sure where he got it or what year I got it from him.

I wonder if Lakland have public serial number databases for getting info on instruments.

My Decade looks like any other 3-knob Skyline, except for the neck finish. All other Skylines I've seen, new or old, have satin necks, mine is quite glossy. I contacted the guys at Lakland and they don't anything about gloss necks, to the point Brian told me, IIRC, it was not or he didn't think it was a Lakland, but they haven't seen this and I know it is, I have seen and played many new and used ones in stores, including a couple of the 4-knob Decades.

Wondering if anyone else has a older Skyline with a glossy neck.

 

[basspraiser]

Btbp:

The first 2 digits of a Skyline serial number is the year the neck was made... So you should be close to your production date.

The skyline necks are glossier than US necks... Which is why people do " the treatment" to get them more in line with US mfg necks.

If yours is satin already... Your lucky!

You may have gotten one of the first....

 

[groove pump]

The first two digits of the serial # on mine are 04 and the finish on the neck feels more glossy than some satin finishes I've seen on some other necks. I used to think that satin was much better for me than glossy, but at this point I don't really seem to mind either way. I can always sand it. If the width and profile of a neck fit me well, I'm a happy camper. This bass could mark the end a search that's been going for over two years now.

I am finding that when I'm playing at home, I'm loving the passive setting. Some of the "earthy richness" of the passive tone (with the blend knob in different positions, not just one) seems to drop out a little bit when the preamp is switched on, but this could be because the output gets hotter and louder when it's active and I need to turn the bass down. That could be affecting things.

I did find the output trim pot in the control cavity and I'll try backing that down so that I can turn the master volume up and get a similar output as when switched to passive mode. Hard to believe that the preamp is altering the tone too much when it's set flat, but I can always try swapping in something different. Gotta help my luthier pals keep their lights on

 

[Btbp]

Btbp:

The first 2 digits of a Skyline serial number is the year the neck was made... So you should be close to your production date.

The skyline necks are glossier than US necks... Which is why people do " the treatment" to get them more in line with US mfg necks.

If yours is satin already... Your lucky!

You may have gotten one of the first....

Thanks, and according to that mine is an '08. As mentioned, the neck is glossy, the gloss is thicker and glossier than any other I have seen. The Lakland guys found that to be odd.

Over the year I have considered taking 800-grit, ScotchBright or the other common ways to reduce the gloss, but haven't decided to alter the instrument that way yet.

What I want to do first is change the pickups with a non=mod alternative which would leave no space between the pickups and the body, not require body alterations, etc. The stock pickups are too honky and the plastic bezels are too obtrusive and sharp.

 

[Peepaleep]

Btbp:

The first 2 digits of a Skyline serial number is the year the neck was made... So you should be close to your production date.

The skyline necks are glossier than US necks... Which is why people do " the treatment" to get them more in line with US mfg necks.

If yours is satin already... Your lucky!

You may have gotten one of the first....

My Skyline is an '08 Korean model and the neck has a satin finish. I'm not sure what pickups are in it - Aero's? Anyway, it's pretty sick. It's amazing what Lakland can do at that price point. I've got a '16 Fender Am. Std. P that I struck gold with and knew in a minute of playing it in the store that it was a real gem, but FMIC is inconsistent in build quality and wood quality I've found, and not all of them are as good as the one I was fortunate enough to pick up. Lakland OTOH seems to be far more consistent with greater attention to detail. My Skyline was as good as anything I've played until I got the 55-94.

 

[basspraiser]

My Skyline is an '08 Korean model and the neck has a satin finish. I'm not sure what pickups are in it - Aero's? Anyway, it's pretty sick. It's amazing what Lakland can do at that price point. I've got a '16 Fender Am. Std. P that I struck gold with and knew in a minute of playing it in the store that it was a real gem, but FMIC is inconsistent in build quality and wood quality I've found, and not all of them are as good as the one I was fortunate enough to pick up. Lakland OTOH seems to be far more consistent with greater attention to detail. My Skyline was as good as anything I've played until I got the 55-94.

Based on the year...it MAY be aeros or Hanson pickups.

Yes . I agree... The Lakland quality is pretty consistent.. there were a few hiccups early in on Indonesia but those seem to be fixed..
.

 

[Johnny Alien]

The pickup rollout was gradual. The active Bart system was replaced by the LH-3 in 2005-06. Both the DJs and Joe Osborns (now known as 44-60s to the newer folks) got Lakland pickups in 06-07, and finally the P basses switched over in 07-08.

Skyline production moved to Indonesia in mid-late 2008, around the time the Plek machine arrived. (I saw it in the shop before they'd started using it.) Side note: I *think* the first Skyline Decades were the first Indo Skylines to arrive.

In 2010, Dan sold the company to the Pirrucellos. They started bringing the US build process more in-house (cutting bodies and painting) probably a couple years after that. For those that don't know, fretwork, installing pickups and hardware, etc. were always done in the shop.

Thank you GregC! My memory is worse than I thought. That's right the pickup transfer started in 2005. At least I got the Indonesian transfer right. Ha!

 

[Tom P]

The pickup rollout was gradual. The active Bart system was replaced by the LH-3 in 2005-06. Both the DJs and Joe Osborns (now known as 44-60s to the newer folks) got Lakland pickups in 06-07, and finally the P basses switched over in 07-08.

Skyline production moved to Indonesia in mid-late 2008, around the time the Plek machine arrived. (I saw it in the shop before they'd started using it.) Side note: I *think* the first Skyline Decades were the first Indo Skylines to arrive.

In 2010, Dan sold the company to the Pirrucellos. They started bringing the US build process more in-house (cutting bodies and painting) probably a couple years after that. For those that don't know, fretwork, installing pickups and hardware, etc. were always done in the shop.

This post should be a sticky

 

[Buster Brown]

I have a question for you guys. I am a recent "acquirer" of a 55-02 Skyline. I absolutely LOVE this beauty and the way she plays. However, (and here's the question) - I have noticed that comparing her to say my P-Bass - she is heavy as hell.......Is this your experiences as well, or did, perhaps an employee get placed in the body by accident?

 

[macribas]

I have a question for you guys. I am a recent "acquirer" of a 55-02 Skyline. I absolutely LOVE this beauty and the way she plays. However, (and here's the question) - I have noticed that comparing her to say my P-Bass - she is heavy as hell.......Is this your experiences as well, or did, perhaps an employee get placed in the body by accident?

Skylines can vary in weight quite a bit.

 

[Holdsg]

wow, a Marcel post.....hey dude!

 

[macribas]

wow, a Marcel post.....hey dude!

I'm back! Missed y'all!

 

[Holdsg]

missed you too, big fella

 

[NickBassCentral]

I have a question for you guys. I am a recent "acquirer" of a 55-02 Skyline. I absolutely LOVE this beauty and the way she plays. However, (and here's the question) - I have noticed that comparing her to say my P-Bass - she is heavy as hell.......Is this your experiences as well, or did, perhaps an employee get placed in the body by accident?

Hey there!
Nick from Bass Central. We are a huge dealer with Lakland, and it seems that the last couple batches they have sent us have been on the heavier side. After some inquiring, they just got a heavy batch of wood in. Personally, I think this gives them much better sustain. To each their own!

 

[Ric Vice]

I owned a 55-02 (Indonesian) Lined Fretless and now have a 55-94. While the differences between the two are subtile, the difference in body weigh, neck profile, and pickups really
sound great and play easily. Just my take though

 

[Buster Brown]

Hey there!
Nick from Bass Central. We are a huge dealer with Lakland, and it seems that the last couple batches they have sent us have been on the heavier side. After some inquiring, they just got a heavy batch of wood in. Personally, I think this gives them much better sustain. To each their own!

Oh, make no mistake, I am a happy camper! I was just thinking that when I compared the Lakland to the Fender J or the P and I couldn't help but think, Damn! That 5th String really added a bunch of weight!!"

But I looked at the neck and it is from 2018 - so they must have had a LARGE batch of heavier wood..........

 

[Buster Brown]

Skylines can vary in weight quite a bit.

Indeed......this one apparently needs to go on a diet. But seriously folks, I have absolutely ZERO complaints about this beauty. She is gorgeous and plays like a dream. My shoulder, on the other hand.....

 

[Johnny Alien]

Skylines have (the ones I have handled) been consistently on the heavy side for the last 10 years or so.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Clip coming soon...