Lakland Owners Group #69

[nervous]

Cool. I'm assuming both my skylines (2008 and 2010) are single action truss.

I have a couple from right aroud 2015 that I will need to check.

 

[basspraiser]

Anyone who wants to skip the line for a new Carlo, I will be listing mine soon. The gear purge continues....this is way too nice of a bass to sit at home, and my gigging days are coming to a close!

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Darn man!

That's a killer bass!

 

[basspraiser]

Well thanks for asking. It's been a very long time since I think I played a fretless live. And honestly, that may have never actually happened. Memories and clouds being what they are. But I was really wanting to at least get this one out, plugged in at volume and hear it, even if only for a sound check test or some simple song we do that wouldn't get me into too much trouble. I was concerned. But I was pleasantly shocked at how well it went. Perhaps I am a marginally better player than I was 8-10 or more years ago when I had my last FL, but the minimal practice I did at home to get reacquainted paid dividends. Yes there were some minor cock-ups, as there also always are with my fretted basses but I did not embarrass myself nor did anyone else in the band even notice (I think...). If I hadn't pulled it off or if it was a sweaty palmed disaster I probably would again think twice about keeping a FL in the mix, but like having one great golf shot in a round of 18 holes, I am now emboldened to press on with this adventure!

A couple things of note on the bass itself. It came to me with fairly GHS Pressure wounds installed, with which I am not that familiar but are a very popular FL choice. I like them and will keep them but their tension seems to have the truss rod adjustment just shy of maxed out. I don't know how these compare to a standard set of rounds, i.e. the basic Lakland Nickels 45-128 set, but it's thr first Lakland that has ever gotten close to that truss rod limit. Now that adjustment is fine with perfect relief currently but a higher tension set of anything might not leave enough room for adequate adjustability. But that may never occur anyway. Just an observation.

Another setup quirk I found was the inability to sting heights to my usual and preferred 5/64" low to 4/64" high. I run out of saddle lowering adjustment at 6/64". The bass plays well so it's not the biggest concern, but it is in my head. In fairness this has been consistent of about every Skyline I have owned but the bottomed B and G saddles woudl almost always yield the 5/64" and 4/64" that I like. Normally this is a simple shim issue to mildly change the neck angle so I installed a .015 shim on the FL and while that gained me a bit of saddle adjustability it then introduced some unwanted string buzz around the 15th 'fret' and up. So out that came and I am back to where I started and not wholly unhappy, just bothered a bit by that lack of adjustability. It seems that there was not sufficient additional fingerboard thickness to offset what would have notmally been the fret height on a bass that was originally built to be a fretted bass. The answer is probably a simple maple 1/32" full thickness, non-tapered, neck pocket shim that would raise the neck uniformly and allow the saddles to have a greater range of adjustability. Maybe I will play more with this at the next string change, if that happens at all.

Lastly, there was an interesting difference of output between the FL and my DJ5's. Both of my DJ5's have stock Lakland pickups and an Audere basic 3-band Jazz preamp. The FL has the stock Chi-Sonic pickups and an Audere Pro-JZ3 4-band Jazz preamp. So I expected the output to be equal, but the FL was noticeably lower and required an amp volume adjustment with every change over. So that is something I need to look into a but deeper as well. Are the Chi Sonic pickups a lower output than the Lakland Jazz pickups?

Thanks for the review!

I find fretless fun and actually a bit " freeing" if you know what I mean ..

As for the lower output, that kind of surprises me

My Chi sonic pickups have a very high output and the first time I used it the sound guy thought that it was an active bass

 

[nervous]

Thanks for the review!

I find fretless fun and actually a bit " freeing" if you know what I mean ..

As for the lower output, that kind of surprises me

My Chi sonic pickups have a very high output and the first time I used it the sound guy thought that it was an active bass

Many jokes were made about possible new notes, i.e. a B.5 that remain out of reach for the guitarist.

Thinking more on the output issue it occurred to ma that the base Audere Jazz preamps have variable output where the Z-mode does not. And not knowing where that base model pre level is set is an unfair comparison. Just something I hadn't considered. So I will replace the Z-mode with a base model, gain match all three basses and problem solved. Sell off the more schwanky Z-mode model and I am square.

 

[MaxSpinrun]

Darn man!

That's a killer bass!

Doug, is that bass calling your name? Causing GAS?

 

[RolandMHall]

I recently picked up a 55-14 relic in sonic blue. This makes lakland #9 for me. This is such a great bass. The roasted maple neck is to die for. I'm thinking about ordering one in shoreline gold.

 

[JEDI BASS]

If I remember correctly, Jeff's Carlo has an insanely flamed neck! And, it sports chi-buckers!

 

[Bass Ape]

Well we have our answers:

A) Loosen the nut. If it comes off, it's single action. If it doesn't, it's dual.

yup

 

[MaxSpinrun]

Many jokes were made about possible new notes, i.e. a B.5 that remain out of reach for the guitarist.

Thinking more on the output issue it occurred to ma that the base Audere Jazz preamps have variable output where the Z-mode does not. And not knowing where that base model pre level is set is an unfair comparison. Just something I hadn't considered. So I will replace the Z-mode with a base model, gain match all three basses and problem solved. Sell off the more schwanky Z-mode model and I am square.

One thing I like about Audere Pro Z modular pre in my 44-01, is that I DO have gain control in Low Z mode. I do not have the issue you are having with output but I have a totally different pre. You have an awesome bass!

 

[nervous]

One thing I like about Audere Pro Z modular pre in my 44-01, is that I DO have gain control in Low Z mode. I do not have the issue you are having with output but I have a totally different pre. You have an awesome bass!

Thank you and yes. It's a specific gain control on the Z version. The base version has independent output gain adjustments for each pickup. And the Z modes are far more than I need.

 

[Stranger Danger]

Thanks for the review!

I find fretless fun and actually a bit " freeing" if you know what I mean ..

As for the lower output, that kind of surprises me

My Chi sonic pickups have a very high output and the first time I used it the sound guy thought that it was an active bass

I've never considered the chi sonics high output at all. Interesting

 

[Real Soon]

Had fun with my ~'04 MIK Skyline a couple weeks ago at Atlanta's Chomp & Stomp Chili and Bluegrass Festival, situated in sunny Cabbagetown. I think it made for the single largest audience I've slung that bass up for! The 97 Estoria stage was kitted with plenty of sound reinforcement while not being terribly loud onstage...meaning a whole lot of people down the street heard us lol. I've been taking my '60 P to some rehearsals recently, but the Skyline is still my #1 main player.

Normally I'll play thru a carefully designed tone-shaping pedalboard, but because I walked from my apartment, I had just the Skyline and my Quilter BB800 (going to a house cab; long story short, we had to troubleshoot the house head & speaker cable). Effortless enough that I'd be okay leaving the pedalboard home for more gigs.

 

[macribas]

I've never considered the chi sonics high output at all. Interesting

There are variants of the Chi-Sonics. I've owned basses with single coil and humbucking Chi-Sonics. Which ones did you try?

 

[macribas]

We are about to hit 1000 pages!

 

[MaxSpinrun]

Speaking of Chisonic variants Marcel, I remember the vids that I believe you posted of Ed Friedland playing a 44-07. Man, that bass sounds so good. I would like to have one. It has a unique voice! Come on Doug show your swimming pool blue 55-07!

 

[basspraiser]

Doug, is that bass calling your name? Causing GAS?

Yes

Wish I had the disposable cash at this time... But alas...

 

[basspraiser]

I recently picked up a 55-14 relic in sonic blue. This makes lakland #9 for me. This is such a great bass. The roasted maple neck is to die for. I'm thinking about ordering one in shoreline gold.

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Really nice
Congrats

 

[basspraiser]

Speaking of Chisonic variants Marcel, I remember the vids that I believe you posted of Ed Friedland playing a 44-07. Man, that bass sounds so good. I would like to have one. It has a unique voice! Come on Doug show your swimming pool blue 55-07!

Ask and ye shall receive

g

 

[Stranger Danger]

There are variants of the Chi-Sonics. I've owned basses with single coil and humbucking Chi-Sonics. Which ones did you try?

I'm fairly certain they were single coil due to the low output

 

[MaxSpinrun]

There she is! Absolutely STUNNING! Never tire of seeing that one! With that one sitting out would be hard to resist not picking it up and playing it. Very unique bass. Thanks for sharing.