You know I have heard and seen quite a bit of speculative argumentation about the Lakland product over the last few years (as we all have I am sure). Yes, many products have had their fair share of praise/bashing, but I can't think of any product that has had more argument over bs in the last few years as the product from Lakland. It really trips me out when I hear/read players make statements about the quality of the instruments changing for the worse due to internal changes in the organization, when the reality was that the changes made no changes for the worse on the instruments AT ALL! PURELY SPECULATIVE ARGUMENTATION!!!
The first complaints came when the Skyline products shifted production from Korea to Indonesia. OMG!!! Folks were crying about how different the instruments sounded, they felt "cheaper", and were not the same quality. This was not the case at all! If anything there was a greater consistency in the weight and color of the instruments, the hardware remained the same, and the electronics were still manufactured and assembled in the US (except the 01 line)!!! With the first couple of shipments from Indonesia, there was great measure taken to ensure that the quality was matched to the Korean made product. Yes, in some aspects the Indonesian made product surpassed the Korean made product.
The next group of complaints came from a few who were not digging the Pleking idea, and preferred to have their frets hand dressed. Guess what. Even after Pleking, your frets are still HAND DRESSED! Next argurment.
Then there is the whole: "The product was better before Dan sold the company" arguement. Even though it's been addressed ad nauseum some folks find it difficult to believe that the structure in place it pretty similar to what it was when Dan owned the company. Pretty much the same staff. Somewhat the same proceedures. Up until recently, same friggin workspace!!!!
There has been an addition of a few models, and deletion of endorsements, but no SUBTRACTION IN QUALITY! So your Jazz bass isn't named after a famous player any more, does that make it less playable?
Okay, and the last one: "things just won't be the same without Carl Pedigo...". You guys were acting as if the dude was dead! The funny thing was, when he first left the company, HE DIDN'T LEAVE THE COMPANY! He was still posted at his bench, in the work shop EVERYDAY. If you called the shop, he still answered the phone, yet some guys were eulogizing him as well as the instruments (and the brand). To this day, Carl still has work space within the Lakland shop area and is still considered as part of the family.
C'mon gang it's time to get real about the products you are placing in your hands. Do not let factors outside of tone and feel dictate "quality" of an instrument. I understand to some this may seem as if I am beating a dead horse, but quite honestly, I find it bothersome that this type of talk is actually out there after this amount of time. People are obviously judging basses with their politics and their emotions rather than their hands and ears.
Obviously.
The first complaints came when the Skyline products shifted production from Korea to Indonesia. OMG!!! Folks were crying about how different the instruments sounded, they felt "cheaper", and were not the same quality. This was not the case at all! If anything there was a greater consistency in the weight and color of the instruments, the hardware remained the same, and the electronics were still manufactured and assembled in the US (except the 01 line)!!! With the first couple of shipments from Indonesia, there was great measure taken to ensure that the quality was matched to the Korean made product. Yes, in some aspects the Indonesian made product surpassed the Korean made product.
The next group of complaints came from a few who were not digging the Pleking idea, and preferred to have their frets hand dressed. Guess what. Even after Pleking, your frets are still HAND DRESSED! Next argurment.
Then there is the whole: "The product was better before Dan sold the company" arguement. Even though it's been addressed ad nauseum some folks find it difficult to believe that the structure in place it pretty similar to what it was when Dan owned the company. Pretty much the same staff. Somewhat the same proceedures. Up until recently, same friggin workspace!!!!
There has been an addition of a few models, and deletion of endorsements, but no SUBTRACTION IN QUALITY! So your Jazz bass isn't named after a famous player any more, does that make it less playable?
Okay, and the last one: "things just won't be the same without Carl Pedigo...". You guys were acting as if the dude was dead! The funny thing was, when he first left the company, HE DIDN'T LEAVE THE COMPANY! He was still posted at his bench, in the work shop EVERYDAY. If you called the shop, he still answered the phone, yet some guys were eulogizing him as well as the instruments (and the brand). To this day, Carl still has work space within the Lakland shop area and is still considered as part of the family.
C'mon gang it's time to get real about the products you are placing in your hands. Do not let factors outside of tone and feel dictate "quality" of an instrument. I understand to some this may seem as if I am beating a dead horse, but quite honestly, I find it bothersome that this type of talk is actually out there after this amount of time. People are obviously judging basses with their politics and their emotions rather than their hands and ears.
Obviously.
.
