This happened to me with 55-94 and 44-64. But with my JB this is outstanding. What was the problem? Neck finish? Sound? Or price/feel recognition?
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The craftsmanship of the 44-94 was absolutely incredible. You could tell it was a premium handcrafted instrument. I bought it after I bought the 2007 44-02 which was a little beat up and wanted something newer. I got a great deal on but just never got comfortable with it. It was too premium for me and I was babying it. The neck was a little on the thinner side for me. The tobaccoburst quilted top was a little too fancy for me. And I have a DJ-4 which was my main player that I loved. And even though I got a great deal on it I still had to pay it off. So I sold it and made some money and bought a Skyline 44-02 in natural. Which was the bass I had my eye on from the beginning. I’m super happy with it. The neck feels more comfortable to me and I don’t baby it. It went to a good owner who appreciates it and I have no regrets selling it. And I’m glad I owned it for a while just to hold a top quality instrument.
Nice story. Thanks for sharing. My background is a little bit different. Beeing more or less sofa player and buy&try person I wanted USA made "Jazz Bass". Babying basses is my hobby.
Lakland was one of the options and I never ever had anything like this in my hands. Feels great, plays great, balanced tone over neck. Vintage feeling. It has something more to it I can't put my finger on.Difference between Skyline and US is way more big than I expected. I would say it's different instrument. Skyline is not just "cheaper 44-60".
Ok, I bought basses for a good price. Skyline was called "used" but had state of new instrument even with foil on pickguard. US model was second hand from collection. I can say that both basses are in new instrument state.
Skyline has laurel fretboard and ash body. After few months of playing I found out that I quite like laurel. Something bethween maple and rosewood with nice tone definition. I had no expectation as everybody were running mouth about "that cheap asian think". Nice fretwork PLEK, no deaf spots. Finish is nice and for the price point I have no problem to not take too seriously some little details that are only 90% done and could be found on much more expensive basses too. Sound is just great and string action can go very low.
US model I consider as whole another level bass. Finish is beautiful and every detail is perfect. Bass has stacked knob alder alder/rosewood combination with vintage hot pickups so perfect combination to my taste. Sound is incredible and well ballanced. Even though Skyline is great bass this US model has something more "inside" and it's not easy to describe it explicitly.
So in the end I have to say that Skyline is underrated very often. I don't want to spread scandal to other bass manufacturers but these basses changed my mind about price/quality ratio and as consequence I sold a few basses. Especially if selected from more Skylines you can buy very nice bass.
US models are hi-end in every way and especially bought used you get a lot of "instrument" for the money.
Skyline has laurel fretboard and ash body. After few months of playing I found out that I quite like laurel. Something bethween maple and rosewood with nice tone definition. I had no expectation as everybody were running mouth about "that cheap asian think". Nice fretwork PLEK, no deaf spots. Finish is nice and for the price point I have no problem to not take too seriously some little details that are only 90% done and could be found on much more expensive basses too. Sound is just great and string action can go very low.
US model I consider as whole another level bass. Finish is beautiful and every detail is perfect. Bass has stacked knob alder alder/rosewood combination with vintage hot pickups so perfect combination to my taste. Sound is incredible and well ballanced. Even though Skyline is great bass this US model has something more "inside" and it's not easy to describe it explicitly.
So in the end I have to say that Skyline is underrated very often. I don't want to spread scandal to other bass manufacturers but these basses changed my mind about price/quality ratio and as consequence I sold a few basses. Especially if selected from more Skylines you can buy very nice bass.
US models are hi-end in every way and especially bought used you get a lot of "instrument" for the money.
@Jardell Nicely stated. I understand what you mean. I feel like my US 55-94 was made with love by luthiers for me.
I had the good fortune to have a friend that established himself as a Lakland Dealer/Distributor here in St.Louis at a time when
internet dealers were not fully yet established online and there weren’t any local shops that carried Laklands. I picked out the bass
and ordered it directly through Dan. Two decades later it’s still with me.
internet dealers were not fully yet established online and there weren’t any local shops that carried Laklands. I picked out the bass
and ordered it directly through Dan. Two decades later it’s still with me.
Dang- I JUST impulsively bought another non-Lakland 5 string jazz… and it cost more too 
For Sale - Lakland 55-63 Jazz Bass (USA Model early 2000)
For Sale - Lakland 55-63 Jazz Bass (USA Model early 2000)
Dang- I JUST impulsively bought another non-Lakland 5 string jazz… and it cost more too
For Sale - Lakland 55-63 Jazz Bass (USA Model early 2000)
Ah, but this one is much better!
I’m enjoying finding tones that like on my new 55-02. The pickup combinations with balance centered and also with the balance favoring the front or back 25% to 50%. My basic combo is just both pups on and centered balance and EQ to taste.
I didn’t expect it to mimic a 60’s 70’s position Jazz or MM but it gets those flavors more or less or the essence of those basses which can nice on certain material. Just capturing those different flavors on the fly is fun. Now I got GAS for Lakland’s
I didn’t expect it to mimic a 60’s 70’s position Jazz or MM but it gets those flavors more or less or the essence of those basses which can nice on certain material. Just capturing those different flavors on the fly is fun. Now I got GAS for Lakland’s
My GAS is very high, I would like to try 55-02 to have axe for jam gigging where I don't want to take my JBs
Oh that's nice! And it convinces me to get a pickguard for me 44-02.Dang- I JUST impulsively bought another non-Lakland 5 string jazz… and it cost more too
For Sale - Lakland 55-63 Jazz Bass (USA Model early 2000)
Haha, I was told when I got my first Lakland that it's a gateway drug to more Laklands. I now own three and don't look at any other brands. And like you, I am more and more surprised and pleased with my 44-02. Such a versatile bass and so easy to dial in different tones and experiment. I keep thinking my first Lakland, a DJ-4, is still my #1 bass, but the 44-02 is the first one I pick up.
Yes, I bought Skyline 44-60 and ever since I found only one manufacturer that was able to persuade me to buy non-lakland bass. It's name begins with S and ends with Y 
Now having a few Laklands I am something like Ladictited.
Now having a few Laklands I am something like Ladictited.
Now you have GAS for Laklands huh? Yeah… that’s how I ended up where I’m at, having owned about 30 over the years, and most of them US w/ many on-of-a-kinds, prototypes, low serial number etc etc. One thing to think about- if you buy used US Lakies, you can play them a few years and probably break even (or better) should you choose to sell them.
My 1st was a 55-94. I later tried a beautiful Joe Osborne 5 J bass (55-60) and a DJ5, and I couldn’t bond with them. I’ve tried a US Decade 4 and a Skyline Decade 5 prototype…. not for me. Chisonic US 44-60… Geezer PJ…. In the end, I’ve figured out that I prefer the early 55 and 4-94 Bart equipped basses over everything.
I like Roger and his methods & build techniques. I haven’t played any of his NY basses, just some of the import ones. I’m not a J bass guy, so I’ve never bought one. I’d be more likely to go in a totally different (cough) MTDirection with big money, if I had it to spend.Yes, I bought Skyline 44-60 and ever since I found only one manufacturer that was able to persuade me to buy non-lakland bass. It's name begins with S and ends with Y
Now having a few Laklands I am something like Ladictited.
I’ve been a Sadowsky player for almost 20 years. I have 4 NYC’s 24 Fret 5 String Modern and 1 NYC Standard Jazz.
They are amazing instruments. I hadn’t played a non NYC until a few months ago. A buddy of mine had an Older Japanese Sadowsky Metro Jazz that he hadn’t played in a while and and wanted to sell so he gave it to me to clean up and set up for sale. It’s was very nice instrument.
As far as Lakland’s are concerned. I’ve had my eye on them probably since they first came out. I think before the Skyline Series. Don’t know why I never bought one before now. I’ve been playing since 1975-76 and the majority of the basses I’ve owned were Jazz a configuration or a Soap Bar configuration of some sort.
I’ve been playing full time since 1989 and my bass flow has as far as main gigging basses have been:
Spector 5 string Jazz configuration
California Tobias Classic 6 String
American Fender Jazz 5string QMT and a few other American Fender Jazz 5 String.
Sadowsky 24-5 Modern
I’m throughly enjoying my 55-02. I like the string spacing and the 35 inch scale and feel of the neck. I’ve spent the past few days just getting acquainted with it and enjoying the process.
If you are Jazz Bass person I recommend to try 44-60 US. This is most vintage feel JB I've ever tried. E is warm and very strong. Action is low as level of my English.
