Lakland Owners Group #69

[nervous]

Hoping someone can help me with this stupid issue. Older DJ5 with the original black and red wire Hanson pickups. Had it perfectly wired to an Audere 2 band Jazz preamp. Have an East J-Tone preamp I thought I'd swap in, easy-peasy right? I recal the bridge pickup green wire is the ground, opposite of what's logical. That leaves two black wires. How do I know which of the two black wires is the hot in that situation? I am sure the other would also go to ground? The DJ5 that pre came out of is newer and the Hanson pickups in that one has the more obvious one color, two black wire configuration where the two black tie together to ground on the preamp.

 

[ejschultz]

Hoping someone can help me with this stupid issue. Older DJ5 with the original black and red wire Hanson pickups. Had it perfectly wired to an Audere 2 band Jazz preamp. Have an East J-Tone preamp I thought I'd swap in, easy-peasy right? I recal the bridge pickup green wire is the ground, opposite of what's logical. That leaves two black wires. How do I know which of the two black wires is the hot in that situation? I am sure the other would also go to ground? The DJ5 that pre came out of is newer and the Hanson pickups in that one has the more obvious one color, two black wire configuration where the two black tie together to ground on the preamp.

If you wire it out of phase, you’ll know. Luckily, aren’t the J-Tone preamps solderless? It makes for an easy fix.

 

[basspraiser]

My DJ5 has yet to leave the factory to the vendor I ordered from. Still waiting....
That being said, I'm also in need of a 4 string PJ. There's a nice Fender Performer at my local shop. Why should I go with a 44-64 over the Fender? Aside from that candy apple red being serious eye candy. I'll likely ask this same question in a Fender thread. I'm curious what folks say.

Playability
Quality
Cooler
Cooler club
More funner to play

Need more?

 

[nervous]

If you wire it out of phase, you’ll know. Luckily, aren’t the J-Tone preamps solderless? It makes for an easy fix.

I understand the phase issue, which is why the bridge pickup wiring is different on that. It's the two black wires on the bridge pickup that I need explaination, and which goes to positive?

 

[ejschultz]

I understand the phase issue, which is why the bridge pickup wiring is different on that. It's the two black wires on the bridge pickup that I need explaination, and which goes to positive?

If they’re both the same color with no distinguishing factors, it’ll be trial and error. If you hook it up and it works, you guessed right. If not, flip it. If you do it incorrectly, the bass will sound terrible with both pickups full on due to the pickups being in phase. Single coil pickups are designed to be wired out of phase with each other.

Or, perhaps I’m misunderstanding you. Are there 3 wires total on the bridge pickup? If there are two of the same color, assume they’re grounds. There’d never be a reason to have two hots on a single coil.

 

[BHaev]

Why should I go with a 44-64 over the Fender?

For me, it would be to get the Lakland neck as main reason.

 

[oysterphish]

Will passive DJ5s or 44-64 (or really any bass for that matter) produce effectively the same sound with an on-board preamp as the active laklands? Or is there some magic in the active basses I'm missing out on?

 

[macribas]

Will passive DJ5s or 44-64 (or really any bass for that matter) produce effectively the same sound with an on-board preamp as the active laklands? Or is there some magic in the active basses I'm missing out on?

Technically, currently the only Laklands that are active out-of-the-box are the -01s and -02s. The AJs seem to be discontinued, but they were just -60s with the LH3 preamp.

Every active DJ5 or 44-64 that you find in the wild were aftermarket mods. You can ask Lakland to install a pre when you order your bass, but it is still a mod. Other than the -01s and -02s (and AJs) mentioned above, all Laklands are born passive.

To answer your question, the active Laklands are very much different than the passive Laklands.

 

[MattLplaysBass]

Hey guys my 44-94 has a super stinky neck.
I'm about to put some fresh strings on but while i got them off i want to scrub the stench off.
On the Birdseyes maplefretboard and quatersawn neck, i was going to use a tiny bit of naptha as a cleanwipe than wipe and dry with soap and water. Dry vigorously.
Am i on the right path?

You should probably contact Lakland about it- from the FAQ’s

“Q. What recommendations do you have for maintaining the neck on my US made Lakland bass?
A. The back of the neck is a hand rubbed oil finish with a thin wax coating. We recommend occasionally cleaning the neck with pure orange oil and reapplying a coating of clear paste wax or bowling alley wax. After applying the wax, allow to dry for five minutes then wipe off the excess. The wax can be scuffed with fine steel wool to produce a satin finish or polished to a dull luster depending on your preference. Avoid cleaners and polishes that contain added thinners or silicone.

We also recommend orange oil for cleaning the fingerboards. The maple fingerboard does not require any sealer after cleaning. We recommend Howard Brand Feed N Wax after cleaning for our rosewood and ebony fingerboards.”

 

[oysterphish]

Technically, currently the only Laklands that are active out-of-the-box are the -01s and -02s. The AJs seem to be discontinued, but they were just -60s with the LH3 preamp.

Every active DJ5 or 44-64 that you find in the wild were aftermarket mods. You can ask Lakland to install a pre when you order your bass, but it is still a mod. Other than the -01s and -02s (and AJs) mentioned above, all Laklands are born passive.

To answer your question, the active Laklands are very much different than the passive Laklands.

Thanks. I figure the current actives are much different, given their pickup configuration. I don't like the tone of Laklands active basses, the 01, 02.. They sounded shrouded in a thick blanket. Perhaps due to the poles not being exposed and under some sort of housing? Hoping the Dj and 64 are more clear, open.

 

[oysterphish]

Will passive DJ5s or 44-64 (or really any bass for that matter) produce effectively the same sound with an on-board preamp as the active laklands? Or is there some magic in the active basses I'm missing out on?

I should have elaborated on this. I'm talking about the optional preamp a guy could have Lakland install. Can't remember the name of their active preamp.....

 

[macribas]

Thanks. I figure the current actives are much different, given their pickup configuration. I don't like the tone of Laklands active basses, the 01, 02.. They sounded shrouded in a thick blanket. Perhaps due to the poles not being exposed and under some sort of housing? Hoping the Dj and 64 are more clear, open.

Yeah, very different animals. The DJ and 64 sound just like their inspirations Fender Jazz and Fender P.

 

[macribas]

I should have elaborated on this. I'm talking about the optional preamp a guy could have Lakland install. Can't remember the name of their active preamp.....

You can have Lakland install anything on them, as long as they fit the electronics cavity (or you order a custom bass with custom routing).

Lakland's preamp is called LH3. But they can install others for you, you buy them and ship them over. A popular option for the DJ is the John East DJ-Retro (I personally like the J-Tone instead).

My recommendation is to try it passive and if you want more control get a preamp later. The aforementioned pres are really easy to install. But don't expect them to drastically change the sound of your DJ. They will simply give you more knobs to turn and sculpt your tone.

 

[nervous]

If they’re both the same color with no distinguishing factors, it’ll be trial and error. If you hook it up and it works, you guessed right. If not, flip it. If you do it incorrectly, the bass will sound terrible with both pickups full on due to the pickups being in phase. Single coil pickups are designed to be wired out of phase with each other.

Or, perhaps I’m misunderstanding you. Are there 3 wires total on the bridge pickup? If there are two of the same color, assume they’re grounds. There’d never be a reason to have two hots on a single coil.

SOo, here's the answer, and feeling foolish for not digging further in the first place. The third wire (second black wire) is a separate cavity ground in teh pickup spaces. ID'd that and that leaves the two pickup wires as expected. And knowing that the bridge pickup wiring os black hot/green cold that should sort things.

My 2016 has the same, but that is more conventional black = cold/ground.

 

[Bass Ape]

I would do nothing to my DJ. The passive pups sound amazing to me. If I wanted something more I would probably use an external pre to shape the sound, but for what I do. The stock pups on the DJ are sweetness.

 

[nervous]

I would do nothing to my DJ. The passive pups sound amazing to me. If I wanted something more I would probably use an external pre to shape the sound, but for what I do. The stock pups on the DJ are sweetness.

I agree with eth pickups and have come full circle back to the stock Hanson or Aero (preferred but harder to find) pickups in both of my DJ5. But I also prefer them with an active pre, East or Audere are both great additions.

 

[ThomasTronics]

You should probably contact Lakland about it- from the FAQ’s

“Q. What recommendations do you have for maintaining the neck on my US made Lakland bass?
A. The back of the neck is a hand rubbed oil finish with a thin wax coating. We recommend occasionally cleaning the neck with pure orange oil and reapplying a coating of clear paste wax or bowling alley wax. After applying the wax, allow to dry for five minutes then wipe off the excess. The wax can be scuffed with fine steel wool to produce a satin finish or polished to a dull luster depending on your preference. Avoid cleaners and polishes that contain added thinners or silicone.

We also recommend orange oil for cleaning the fingerboards. The maple fingerboard does not require any sealer after cleaning. We recommend Howard Brand Feed N Wax after cleaning for our rosewood and ebony fingerboards.”

Thanks for finding this for me.
I actually used a tiny bit of naptha on the whole neck than scrubbed with light soap water.
Tons of elbow grease to dry.
Turned out like new and doesnt stink at all.
I don't have orange oil but i do have some wax which I'll put on a small amount on the back of the neck to protect it

 

[halfwound121]

My DJ5 has yet to leave the factory to the vendor I ordered from. Still waiting....
That being said, I'm also in need of a 4 string PJ. There's a nice Fender Performer at my local shop. Why should I go with a 44-64 over the Fender? Aside from that candy apple red being serious eye candy. I'll likely ask this same question in a Fender thread. I'm curious what folks say.

The Lakland likely has a 1.5" nut while the Fender has their standard P neck with 1.625" nut. I've only seen a few Skyline 44-64 PJs with a P-width neck. Mine had a J neck.

 

[Real Soon]

Had a birthday recently and a bandmate got me a new set of strings. Timely as the old ones were teetering on death.. and the new ones are quite lively! I'll get a better photo but the DR Neon strings (in pink) seem to pop with any bass that has black in the finish. They sound fantastic, too.

 

[soundsupport1]

Thank you for ruining my night... I stayed up way late mulling about this one. Emailed the seller who said it weighs 9.4lbs. I'm just glad someone bought it this morning.

It is my impression that either this is one of the rare Korean 55-02s with Lakland Electronics or an aftermarket neck swap. Either way, a great deal!

Interesting...
oh, no, wait, I already have one, just better-looking