Nice basses, really dig the 44-94, killer !!
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Nice basses, really dig the 44-94, killer !!
Very nice! Great looking basses and I like the contrast between the two. I’m very intrigued by the 44-OS. Can you comment on how it feels playing and any tone comparisons? Based on the limited online videos, it sounds more modern than say the 44-02/-94 series.
D
Thank you both for the compliments.
I really like the 44-OS body shape and overall style. I had the Skyline since June 2022 and just recently received the USA model. Too be honest if the 44-OS had shorter pickups I would have never looked at getting the USA bass. I just like the distance from the E string to pickup edge to be near the same as the string spacing. I'm weird that way I guess. I guess a thumb rest would have fixed that.
The Skyline has the MK1 pickups but has the Bart NTMB USA model preamp. The only Lakland model I know of that has the Korean MK1s and a USA Bart pre. That makes the MK1s very usable for me. It is hard for me to describe tone but I would say it sounds like a more modern sound compared to the 44-94. I think it is pretty responsive to right hand touch. Can be very smooth or get a grind and bark too. I just wish Bart had a lower treble frequency point. The bass boost/cut is great. Better to me than the 44-94. It sounds like a Bart equipped bass. I like the midrange switch on the Skyline more than dip switches on the 44-96 preamp. More flexible.
As for how they play compared to each other, which is totally subjective, I like the frets better on the 44-94 but think the Plek'd neck on the Skyline is flatter. I like the neck shape of the 44-OS better. It is just a bit beefier than the 44-94. I like offset guitars so it took a little bit to get used to the 44-94. I was off a fret or two at times. I play sitting mostly and both guitars sit in a different place relative to my left arm. The Skyline is a solid 9.5ish pounds and the 44-96 is a little lighter. I like around 9 pounds so I didn't request a light body on the 44-94.
I hope that ramble answered the question. Bottom line is if I wasn't picky about the soap bar pickup size the 44-OS would be about perfect. It needs a little fret dressing after the neck settled in for my environment. The USA model will too. It already has one slightly poky fret end.
I will be installing a John East pre in the 44-96 as I do not like the stock tone. May end up swapping the pickups too. It is just way too tame for me. I play some dubb reggae style and need a less wide Q in the bass band eq of the 44-96. To be honest I just don't like the 44-96 preamp.
I would love to see Lakland make a USA bass with the offset body and different pickups than the Bart soaps or the Lakland LH3's.
I really like the 44-OS body shape and overall style. I had the Skyline since June 2022 and just recently received the USA model. Too be honest if the 44-OS had shorter pickups I would have never looked at getting the USA bass. I just like the distance from the E string to pickup edge to be near the same as the string spacing. I'm weird that way I guess. I guess a thumb rest would have fixed that.
The Skyline has the MK1 pickups but has the Bart NTMB USA model preamp. The only Lakland model I know of that has the Korean MK1s and a USA Bart pre. That makes the MK1s very usable for me. It is hard for me to describe tone but I would say it sounds like a more modern sound compared to the 44-94. I think it is pretty responsive to right hand touch. Can be very smooth or get a grind and bark too. I just wish Bart had a lower treble frequency point. The bass boost/cut is great. Better to me than the 44-94. It sounds like a Bart equipped bass. I like the midrange switch on the Skyline more than dip switches on the 44-96 preamp. More flexible.
As for how they play compared to each other, which is totally subjective, I like the frets better on the 44-94 but think the Plek'd neck on the Skyline is flatter. I like the neck shape of the 44-OS better. It is just a bit beefier than the 44-94. I like offset guitars so it took a little bit to get used to the 44-94. I was off a fret or two at times. I play sitting mostly and both guitars sit in a different place relative to my left arm. The Skyline is a solid 9.5ish pounds and the 44-96 is a little lighter. I like around 9 pounds so I didn't request a light body on the 44-94.
I hope that ramble answered the question. Bottom line is if I wasn't picky about the soap bar pickup size the 44-OS would be about perfect. It needs a little fret dressing after the neck settled in for my environment. The USA model will too. It already has one slightly poky fret end.
I will be installing a John East pre in the 44-96 as I do not like the stock tone. May end up swapping the pickups too. It is just way too tame for me. I play some dubb reggae style and need a less wide Q in the bass band eq of the 44-96. To be honest I just don't like the 44-96 preamp.
I would love to see Lakland make a USA bass with the offset body and different pickups than the Bart soaps or the Lakland LH3's.
D
Thank you both for the compliments.
I really like the 44-OS body shape and overall style. I had the Skyline since June 2022 and just recently received the USA model. Too be honest if the 44-OS had shorter pickups I would have never looked at getting the USA bass. I just like the distance from the E string to pickup edge to be near the same as the string spacing. I'm weird that way I guess. I guess a thumb rest would have fixed that.
The Skyline has the MK1 pickups but has the Bart NTMB USA model preamp. The only Lakland model I know of that has the Korean MK1s and a USA Bart pre. That makes the MK1s very usable for me. It is hard for me to describe tone but I would say it sounds like a more modern sound compared to the 44-94. I think it is pretty responsive to right hand touch. Can be very smooth or get a grind and bark too. I just wish Bart had a lower treble frequency point. The bass boost/cut is great. Better to me than the 44-94. It sounds like a Bart equipped bass. I like the midrange switch on the Skyline more than dip switches on the 44-96 preamp. More flexible.
As for how they play compared to each other, which is totally subjective, I like the frets better on the 44-94 but think the Plek'd neck on the Skyline is flatter. I like the neck shape of the 44-OS better. It is just a bit beefier than the 44-94. I like offset guitars so it took a little bit to get used to the 44-94. I was off a fret or two at times. I play sitting mostly and both guitars sit in a different place relative to my left arm. The Skyline is a solid 9.5ish pounds and the 44-96 is a little lighter. I like around 9 pounds so I didn't request a light body on the 44-94.
I hope that ramble answered the question. Bottom line is if I wasn't picky about the soap bar pickup size the 44-OS would be about perfect. It needs a little fret dressing after the neck settled in for my environment. The USA model will too. It already has one slightly poky fret end.
I will be installing a John East pre in the 44-96 as I do not like the stock tone. May end up swapping the pickups too. It is just way too tame for me. I play some dubb reggae style and need a less wide Q in the bass band eq of the 44-96. To be honest I just don't like the 44-96 preamp.
I would love to see Lakland make a USA bass with the offset body and different pickups than the Bart soaps or the Lakland LH3's.
Funny you should say you were off by one or two frets when playing back to back. I found the same when playing my new 44-02 compared to my DJ-4 or 44-64. The 44-02 sits further back when played sitting and it was throwing me off as well.
John P has said they'll make them, assuming it'd be a custom order though.
That does! Thanks for the detailed reply, very helpful. The more I hear about the 44-OS, the more I think it may be right up my alley. Oh, and when you said the 44-OS has a slightly beefier neck, I assume you meant thickness front to back?
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Decided to do a trade,for this 44-64 Lakland Skyline today. Might get here Saturday on the brown truck? Got together with the seller/trader and agreed on the trade. Pictures are the trader's. Nice clean looking bass in pictures.
On my new 5502 I really like mid frequency dip switches. This is a feature I thought I wouldn’t like. I thought that I would prefer sweepable control on the bass but I believe I like finding whatever mid frequency that is useful to me or sounds functional to my ears in either boost or cut and rocking with it. I activated 1100hz and I’m liking it compared to the default 600hz setting.
I don’t need to sweep mids on the fly since all of my gig basses are 2 band boost.
I don’t need to sweep mids on the fly since all of my gig basses are 2 band boost.
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I got a 55-02 last year in the same finish. I’m very happy with it!
Joeykun
pronounced ジョーイくん
- Jun 22, 2007
- 4,200
- 16,150
- Disclosures
- Endorsing: LAKLAND SADOWSKY GENZLER DARKGLASS NORDSTRAND TEMPLEBOARD KIRLIN DRSTRINGS ACCESS
Hey Charles, Great to see you here. Yeah the necks are slimmer on the Laklands compared to Sadowsky. Love the B string! Good folks over at Lakland too. Hope your 55-02 serves you well!
Hey Joey. Long time my friend. Good to hear from you.
Yes. I’ve had my eye on Lakland’s for years and years. The fit and finish on the Skyline’s are nice. One of the best non USA version basses I’ve tried.
Just met the seller and agreed on meeting to save shipping. Did a one for one trade we agreed. Nice 44-02 Cherry Burst quilted satin finish with the roasted neck Lakland has now. These are the seller's pictures.
Nice bass congrats! Is it heavy? I have my 44-02 out today playing it. Maybe I like my G&Ls better, but the Lakland necks feel superior, and I only have the Skyline series. I'm sure the Pleking helps
Others will know for sure, but I believe all the US Laklands still get fretwork done by hand. PLEK seems to work fine for lots of builders and the import Laklands. I’m partial to hand work since it’s what I do and what my favorite Laklands sport.
Haven't weighed it yet,but feels real light.
It weighs 8lbs.7ozs.
