Lakland Owners Group #69

[sj_bass]

Hey LOG'ers, I have an old Levy's double gig bag branded LAKLAND on the front. It's a great bag, and I'd like someone who could use it that lives local to the Los Angeles area. I'll be listing it in the classies as well soon, but say a hundred bucks to a Lakland owner?

 

[Jeff Roller]

I have two that would like to share a duplex!

 

[Steve88]

SWEET! Eager to see your thought on the J Retro pre.

I am really curious to what your overall thoughts are on the 55-60 with the J-retro! I have been contemplating the same and haven't been able to test one yet. Stock PUPS?

Yes, it has the stock pickups.

I played it Sunday at church. It played great (and looked good too ). It sits in a different spot in the mix than my 5594...all the bright overtones put it more in the mix than underneath it. Some of that I'm sure is the brand new strings.

I like that the boost and cut of the treble knob work on different frequencies. Dialing back the treble warms up the tone but there's no mud or loss of definition. Definitely a different vibe than a passive tone control. Turning the treble up a bit brings on the "spank".

The mid sweep is very useful. I much prefer mid sweeps to preset frequencies. It's much easier to find and cut problem frequencies. Or to boost something a bit to change the character of the tone.

The bass knob and function will take a bit of getting used to. As I understand it, the J retro has a small built in bass boost and the knob is boost only. So fully counter clockwise basically is the least boosted bass. It sounds good, but I think I would prefer no boost when the knob is fully counter clockwise just to have that option on board. It may also just require a slight technique change....on my Roadworn Jazz bass I get a great barky sound by soloing the neck pickup and plucking hard right over it. Moving towards the neck smooths out the bark and gets really mellow. If I do that on the 5560 it gets to be almost too much low end content (is too much bass a real thing? ), but soloing the neck pickup and plucking over the bridge pickup instead is better.

The thing I miss most is a pickup blend in passive mode. But I think the passive mode is intended more of as a "get out of trouble" option than to be a fully functional passive mode. In that case the switch between both pickups or bridge only makes sense...easy switching between two good sounds from a passive J bass.

Overall, I think I like it....it turns the 5560 into a really versatile "super J bass". A J bass purist may not enjoy the color that the J retro adds, but it does bring some interesting and useful features to the table. Maybe someday if I'm bored I'll put in the stock VVT plate and record the differences.

EDIT: One small thing I forgot to mention. The plate for the J retro is shaped slightly differently than the stock control plate where it meets the pickguard, so theres a small gap. It shouldn't be visible from more than a couple feet away unless you're looking for it.

 

[svtbass]

Oh my oh my oh my!

This is the photo shoot on the weekly newsletter from Lakland

I bet it sounds fantastic.

Yes... It's fretless!

View attachment 4727110

Maybe...but when your other fretless basses have side dots on the fret line having dot's between them like this one is a no-go. I have a 44-94 lined fretless and it's fine with lines in the light but unusable onstage using the mid-fretline side dots. Probably end up selling it as I don't wish to have the side dots modified.

 

[Thumpinshelton]

Yes, it has the stock pickups.

I played it Sunday at church. It played great (and looked good too ). It sits in a different spot in the mix than my 5594...all the bright overtones put it more in the mix than underneath it. Some of that I'm sure is the brand new strings.

I like that the boost and cut of the treble knob work on different frequencies. Dialing back the treble warms up the tone but there's no mud or loss of definition. Definitely a different vibe than a passive tone control. Turning the treble up a bit brings on the "spank".

The mid sweep is very useful. I much prefer mid sweeps to preset frequencies. It's much easier to find and cut problem frequencies. Or to boost something a bit to change the character of the tone.

The bass knob and function will take a bit of getting used to. As I understand it, the J retro has a small built in bass boost and the knob is boost only. So fully counter clockwise basically is the least boosted bass. It sounds good, but I think I would prefer no boost when the knob is fully counter clockwise just to have that option on board. It may also just require a slight technique change....on my Roadworn Jazz bass I get a great barky sound by soloing the neck pickup and plucking hard right over it. Moving towards the neck smooths out the bark and gets really mellow. If I do that on the 5560 it gets to be almost too much low end content (is too much bass a real thing? ), but soloing the neck pickup and plucking over the bridge pickup instead is better.

The thing I miss most is a pickup blend in passive mode. But I think the passive mode is intended more of as a "get out of trouble" option than to be a fully functional passive mode. In that case the switch between both pickups or bridge only makes sense...easy switching between two good sounds from a passive J bass.

Overall, I think I like it....it turns the 5560 into a really versatile "super J bass". A J bass purist may not enjoy the color that the J retro adds, but it does bring some interesting and useful features to the table. Maybe someday if I'm bored I'll put in the stock VVT plate and record the differences.

Thanks of the reply and insight. That is what I was wondering as well. Sounds like it definitely makes it a totally different beast. Which for me would be amazing and more up my ally.

 

[Holdsg]

Maybe...but when your other fretless basses have side dots on the fret line having dot's between them like this one is a no-go. I have a 44-94 lined fretless and it's fine with lines in the light but unusable onstage using the mid-fretline side dots. Probably end up selling it as I don't wish to have the side dots modified.

I have slightly the other problem on a Fender Jazz I just picked up.
Neck on it turned out to be a fretless once, and was later fretted.
That's because the side dots were where they typically are on a fretless (at the fret line, not the middle).
I like the bass otherwise, (but it was kinda bugging me while I was playing) so bought some glow in the dark dots that I stuck in the middle of the frets (where dots typically go).

I don't suppose you'll want to do something similar, although you might consider that, if you like the bass otherwise (which I do, and didn't want to swap necks)

 

[svtbass]

I have slightly the other problem on a Fender Jazz I just picked up.
Neck on it turned out to be a fretless once, and was later fretted.
That's because the side dots were where they typically are on a fretless (at the fret line, not the middle).
I like the bass otherwise, so bought some glow in the dark dots that I stuck in the middle of the frets (where dots typically go).

I don't suppose you'll want to do something similar, although you might consider that, if you like the bass otherwise (which I do, and didn't want to swap necks)

Thanks, I may try that as it's a fantastic bass otherwise.

 

[Holdsg]

not a huge expense to try it.
Glow Dotz Glow-In-The-Dark Fret Markers | Reverb

 

[tb-player]

My 55-94 came in today. It is spectacular!

Here’s the NBD.

 

[Tom P]

My 55-94 came in today. It is spectacular!

Here’s the NBD.

Spectacular! Congrats!

 

[Jamvan]

Oof!

 

[cymbop]

As my build is coming due, I got no response to two checking-in emails over the course of a month.

Then today from John:

Your bass is actually moving along well. It will likely be complete within 2 weeks. I sprayed the initial silver yesterday, the candy red will go over that, then your Sonic blue. Got your pickups, so it shouldn’t be long.

 

[JEDI BASS]

As my build is coming due, I got no response to two checking-in emails over the course of a month.

Then today from John:

Your bass is actually moving along well. It will likely be complete within 2 weeks. I sprayed the initial silver yesterday, the candy red will go over that, then your Sonic blue. Got your pickups, so it shouldn’t be long.

That’s exciting!! I have to ask… what’s the story with the paint? Is it a multi-layer relic thing, where it looks like a blue refin was done over red?

 

[cymbop]

That’s exciting!! I have to ask… what’s the story with the paint? Is it a multi-layer relic thing, where it looks like a blue refin was done over red?

I'm so pumped about it. I really like the look of an aged and played instrument, but (without judgment of those who do so) I don't want to be the guy who just buys a factory-relic'd bass. So I ran a harebrained scheme by John, and to my surprise he said "we've never done that before, but sure why not?"

It's gonna be sonic blue over candy apple red, with no clear coat.

If I play the thing enough, it should relic itself.

 

[basspraiser]

I'm so pumped about it. I really like the look of an aged and played instrument, but (without judgment of those who do so) I don't want to be the guy who just buys a factory-relic'd bass. So I ran a harebrained scheme by John, and to my surprise he said "we've never done that before, but sure why not?"

It's gonna be sonic blue over candy apple red, with no clear coat.

If I play the thing enough, it should relic itself.

Interesting thought

 

[Doug Bright]

I'm so pumped about it. I really like the look of an aged and played instrument, but (without judgment of those who do so) I don't want to be the guy who just buys a factory-relic'd bass. So I ran a harebrained scheme by John, and to my surprise he said "we've never done that before, but sure why not?"

It's gonna be sonic blue over candy apple red, with no clear coat.

If I play the thing enough, it should relic itself.

Can't wait to see it. I've long been curious about a lack of clear coat and if that would let the wood breathe more.

 

[Doug Bright]

Can't wait to see it. I've long been curious about a lack of clear coat and if that would let the wood breathe more.

In fact I have wondered if Lakeland would do a whole bass and finished the body the same way they finished the back of the necks on USA models.

 

[cymbop]

In fact I have wondered if Lakeland would do a whole bass and finished the body the same way they finished the back of the necks on USA models.

Oiled and waxed would be cool!

My paint is still poly (not nitro), so who knows about the breathing...

 

[Doug Bright]

Oiled and waxed would be cool!

My paint is still poly (not nitro), so who knows about the breathing...

Oiled and waxed especially cool over a pretty figured wood top.

 

[overbybr]

Oiled and waxed especially cool over a pretty figured wood top.

like so?