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Lakland, why did you choose ?

#61
I got mine for three reasons;
1. They sound great, punchy and lots of bottom with clean and crisp highs. Mine had the Lakland electronics.

2. The guys I know that play them, swear by them and I respect their opinions highly when it comes to basses.

3. The guys at Lakland are top notch, very easy to deal with and provided excellent customer service.

I'm still kicking myself for trading it:rollno::bawl:
I needed an amp head really bad and a friend offered me his for the bass...*sigh* if only I could turn back time...but another strong reason is I've been playing 6 & 7 string basses pretty much exclusively these days so it wouldnt have gotten a lot of attention anyway. The bass itself though was pretty much flawless. 55-02 sunburst with black pickguard, no screwholes.
 
#63
When I first went from a 4 string to a 5 string I had issues adapting to the narrower string spacing. I had a Carvin LB75 and a G&L 2500 and although I liked both basses, I had pet peaves about both of them. I did some research and it seemed like the Lakland 55-94 was the one that would work for me (this is before the Skyline series was available). I found a used one for a good price online (no Laklands in my area of the world at the time) and decided if I didn't like it I could always turn it over and not lose much money in the process.

I got the bass and was hooked within 5 minutes of playing it. I sold my other 5 strings and ended up getting a fretless 55-94 as well. I have since sold the fretless since I wasn't playing it as much and needed some funds to upgrade my amplification, but I still have the original 55-94 and it's still my main bass 7 years later.

I did change out the Batolinis for the Lakland pickups and preamp about a year and a half ago and I am now happier with the bass than ever.
 
#64
I've owned 4 - still have two.

Traded/sold -
44-02 deluxe: didn't care for the Bassline pup's.

CAR DJ4: decided I preferred maple vs rosewood fretboards

Still have:
CAR JO5 w/rosewood fretboard. Fralin pup's rock, but I'd trade it in a second for something similar with a maple/etc fretboard.

DPLEII - probably sell/trade this too, but doubt I'd get what it's worth.

All said, they were/are all great basses... my tastes have changed more than anything else.
 
#65
I have a fretless Lakland 4. It actually came down between it and an MTD, but the Lakland felt a lot better in my hands and I could pull a lot more great tones out of it. It's just a straight up amazing piece of gear.
 
#66
I had a DJ5. It was a great bass even though I don't usually like 35" scales. Very light and extremely high quality. I wasn't overly fond of the Aero Pups, but that was a very minor beef.

I sold it because I got a Nordy VJ5 and head to head the Nordy, IMO was superior in every way (in fairness the VJ5 was $700 more). The two basses were very close in purpose (modern vintage design, passive, bound rosewood board etc.) so the DJ went to ebay.

I would get another Lakland in a minute, in fact I was very close to picking up the Willie Weeks sig that was on the classified section about a week ago. Passive..mmmmmm :)
 
#67
I was going to respond, but no pics, no response.


Oh, all right. I bought my first 55-94 because there was a lot of Lakland hype going on at the time (1998), and I think the 5-string shootout in BP or something sealed the deal. I ordered it from Long Ly, then at LABX, without ever having played one. Risky, but it turned out to be a very good move. I bought my second 55-94, a fretless, because I liked the sound of my first one. Good move. I bought my JO5 because I wanted a really high quality Jazz Bass, and I already had two Sadowsky jazz types. Good call. That pink JO5 might be my favorite player. I still have all three, and they all see gig action, although the fretless stays home the most.
 
#69
I bought my first one due to the "hype" and because Lakland was a "local" company - thought I had to try them out (also - Mr. Scheff from one of my all time favotrite bands (Chicago) played one)....bought my first (DJ4 with J-retro) sight unseen and unplayed - bought the DJ over the JO due to the fact that I liked the white better than any other color offered at the time.

Ordered my second (Amber) once I played the (then new) LH3 system at Lakland when they first introduced it...wow! that was my first time REALLY spending time with a Lakland bass.....fell in love! Of course I had to wait until Dan "caved in" and made an Amber 55-02!

from that point on it has been due to:

1) quality
2) customer service
3) Lakland does "Fender" beter than Fender (IMHO)
4) Versatility of the "Lakland -specific" (i.e. 55 and 44 series) basses

Will continue buying them as long as these points stay the same....
 
#70
JAUQO III-X said:
This is for all who have chosen Lakland basses.

Just curious as to why you chose Lakland and what is it that you like most about the Lakland you chose.

And for those who once owned a lakland, why did you get rid of it?

Please with all due respect,no need to post pics of your Lakland(s)
Click to expand...

The original reason I bought my Lakland 55-02 was that one of the bassists in a local band (Knee Deep Shag) used one for years, and I always thought his tone was THE standard for me. I also thought the look of the bass was unique; definite Fender influence, but with a lot of nice tweaks

After he quit the band, I had the chance to meet him a couple of times when he came to my gigs (talk about being intimidated), and aside from being a very humble man with some fine suggestions, he told me more about Lakland which piqued my interest more.

So when I had a chance financially to get one, I grabbed it. The feel of the bass really was second to none. Very comfortable playing, whether standing or sitting. It sounded great as a fretless (which is what I got).

The reasons I sold it were this; firstly, it's just hard for me to justify keeping that expensive an instrument around if I am not going to use it on gigs (and no offense to those guys that don't have an issue with that; it's all personal preference). Since I'm predominantly a theatre musician right now, I would be better equipped to have another fretted bass that compliments my current stable than a fretless.

Secondly, I couldn't coax a good tone for me out of it when I switched amps from my GK/Aguilar set up to my current EA/Schroeder. My Warwicks came alive in this new set up, but unfortunately, the Lakland really limited itself. It remained really tubby, with a big lack of definition that it used to have. So, I sold it.

I definitely would be up for trying another Lakland; it was a great feeling and playing bass. If anything, I would probably want to give a fretted a whirl instead, and also see about trying it through my amp first to hear it plugged in.
 
#71
NWB said:
I really like the sound of a good jazz bass, but all the Fenders that I ever played felt clunky and cheap. I read many rave reviews about the Lakland Darryl Jones being sort of a super quality jazz bass and it looks very nice.

I ended up trading a Warwick that I wasn't entirely happy with for a DJ-4. To say I love this bass would be a huge understatement, it's "The One". The neck shape and fretwork are perfect for my hands and it has super-low action. The pickups are just awesome and actually respond to playing technique and pressure with a wide dynamic range of tones. The tone is beyond description and just has to be heard in a good amp. It's a beautiful bass that just feels right to me and the quality is almost beyond belief.

I would never sell this bass for any reason, period. I may be buried with it. It's by far the best bass that I've ever owned or played. After this experience, I would never consider another brand at any price or reported quality level. My next bass will likely be a 44-02 for an active sound.
Click to expand...

+1 Love my DJ 4. It feels like a Fender should. Definitely a wider tonal range that any stock Fender Jazzes I've played.
 
#72
back in 2000-02 I owned a candy burst 55-94. They were one of the hottest basses at the time.
I dug the fender like feel in a reliable 5 string package, the tight lowB/35" scale and build quality.
I ended up selling it because of the overly compressed sound of the Bartolini pickups and preamp. I went through a period using Smith but now I'm back to the basics. Had I known, I would have studied different pickup options to get the tone I really wanted on the 55-94.

I also own one of the early US made JO4 (1999) which has tone to die for and to me embodies the 60's jazz vibe wonderfully. However it's stayed in the case more than anything because I play mostly 5's. I may put it up for sale one of these days.
 
#73
My foray into Lakland territory came in the past couple months. I'd been an Ernie Ball Music Man guy for quite some time, and I had an SR5 (actually still have) and Bongo 5, which I loved. The band I was in for over 3 years broke up suddenly earlier this year, so all the gear I bought during that time only brought bad memories, so I decided to sell everything and try some new stuff.

I've been GASing for a Hollowbody since the first time I saw one. I've never ever played one, but I just feel connected to it for some reason.After selling some gear, my search for an HB began. I looked for about a week and was getting frustrated. Finally, I found a beautiful JO5 on the classifieds here. My first nice bass was a MIM Jazz that I still miss. I realized that deep down I'm really a Jazz bass kinda guy, so I grabbed it. Man oh man, everytime I pick that bass up, I'm reminded about how much I love it. It just feels right. It took a little getting-used-to the 35" scale, but I'm a tall guy, so it came easily. I will one day own a Hollowbody, and probably a couple more Lakies, but for now I'm really happy with what I got.
 
#74
I had a Skyline J.O. and a Skyline 44...? I don't remember the model designation but it was the typical Lakland Body shape w/MM-J barts.
They were both really nice basses in every way. I just wasn't inspired by them.
They just didn't have what I was looking for tonally at the time. They sounded rather tame to me.
That's all me though. Not any fault of the instruments. I thought they were very high quality and reasonaly priced.
The Skyline J.O. was equal to my Sadowsky Metro in build quality. I like the Sadowsky Preamp and pickup combo more than the passive Fralins that were in the Lakland.
Both basses are/were Ash/Maple.
 
#75
I really wanted a bass with a Darkstar pup. I came across a DPLE II here on TB. The Oly white/tort combo is my favorite look so GAS set in and I went for it. It turned out to be the nicest playing bass I have ever owned. The neck is simply the best. I have been told that the US necks are even nicer. I'm saving for a US Decade now. I'm a believer.

DPLEIILOG.gif
 
#76
raal said:
back in 2000-02 I also own one of the early US made JO4 (1999) which has tone to die for and to me embodies the 60's jazz vibe wonderfully. However it's stayed in the case more than anything because I play mostly 5's. I may put it up for sale one of these days.
Click to expand...

Oh boy! I am sure that will go fast! I would LOVE it if I had the coin right now!
 
#78
I joined TB early last year, looking to start playing bass again after a long layoff. I was intrigued by Laklands (TB was the first place I'd heard of them), but I really wanted a Fender P (I couldn't afford one back when I played in college). I ended up buying the one in my AV and loving it.

Then I started searching for my first-ever Jazz bass a few months later. I was checking out all of Fender's various J options (MIM, '60s, Geddy, MIA, etc.). They were solid (I even took home a Geddy before returning it because the neck was too skinny for me), but when I finally got a chance to try a couple DJs (including Doug/basspraiser's) at the Lakland GTG last year, I felt pretty sure I wanted one. Then Doug put me in touch with a guy at the GTG who was selling a CAR DJ, and I knew I had to have it as soon as I picked it up. It's a great bass--nice weight (under 9 lbs), balances well, and the Aeros have growl for days. Plus, I drool every time I look at it.

Then a couple months ago, my simmering Dark Star GAS came to a boil, and I found a DS'd Skyline Glaub on the 'bay. Oh man! In addition to the wonders of the DS (if you haven't tried one, you must), the Glaub is really comfortable. The 1.75" neck feels narrower than that, it just fits my hand well. And both it and the DJ are really high-quality basses in every respect, IMO. Plus, I like that I'm supporting a local company run by really cool people like Dan and Carl. One day, I'll own a US Lakland, no doubt about it.
 
#79
I own a USA Glaub P, Jo Osborn and a Glaub P/J.

I love a great passive bass and Lakland has done a outstanding job with these models..they sound great and set up perfectly. I can always use am outboard pre if needed....

I sold off 4 Sadowskys....
 
#80
It was largely influenced by reputation, truth be told. By the time I got one three or four years ago, they were well known. I am not one to hold onto any bass for very long so I have had a few but the reason I like them is the sound, clarity and construction. I would say that to me Lakland and EBMM are my personal favorites based upon consistent quality and sound.
 

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