NBD Dan Lakin Jazz - Rick Rosas RIP

[Ray Harris]

Yep - been a bad boy (again).. Dan Lakin (also RIP Dan Lakin Basses) - Rick Rosas Custom Jazz #006 ex demo this time.
Not many of these around right now. Blown away by how good it is, for way less than say a Lakland 44-60, and in nearly new condition. So that makes my little family up to 4, 2 x Warwick corvettes and a Squier VM 70s with EMG Js (my first child). All 4's.

My Warwick babies: Corvette $$ Double Buck GPS 2005

A Bubinga sapwood Covette Standard Custom Shop 2009

 

[Ray Harris]

*PS what I'd meant to say was - the Lakin is built to a US spec for way less than a US Lakland 44-60... (i.e graphite neck reinforcements, bone nut, all US Hipshot hardware...) and the unusual fingerboard maple white pearl inlays...

 

[billysbassplace]

Pair of Shark 4's & a USA Lakin JO

 

[mmbongo]

Dang what happened to Lakin basses? I was wanting to check out a Shark 5.

 

[SCT1422]

Dang what happened to Lakin basses? I was wanting to check out a Shark 5.

There were only 2 Shark 5's ever made.. I had one with a 35" scale which I sold and the other which is a 34" scale Dan still owns..

 

[mmbongo]

There were only 2 Shark 5's ever made.. I had one with a 35" scale which I sold and the other which is a 34" scale Dan still owns..

Ahh. Was one green and one red? I saw a picture with two Shark 5's together so that must have been those two!

 

[SCT1422]

I believe his Shark 5 is blue.. I have a Candy Apple Red Lakin Jazz 5 that I have up for sale.. He has a 35" Jazz 5 in gray I believe that he had up for sale on his website.. I liked the Shark 5, bit wasn't crazy about the electronics.. I sometimes think I should have kept and changed the pickups and preamp because I like having different sounds/tones in the collection...

 

[billysbassplace]

Dan has some Bob Glaub Pbasses, a Shark 4 & the 1st Lakin JO prototype listed on Reverb

 

[MarkoYYZ]

Dang what happened to Lakin basses? I was wanting to check out a Shark 5.

Dan has shut it down and getting out of the game. As far as I can simplify and share what I was told, it comes down to a "life decision" to focus on health and well being.
.

 

[ModuMan]

& the 1st Lakin JO listed on Reverb

Who stole my bass? Ah, it is the prototype. Mine has serial JO001. Hopefully there is a difference in numbers, though I don't see one in the pictures.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Looking good, congrats!

 

[Shadi]

Dan and I have been friends for a long time....and if I were a betting man, he'll be back in the game one of these days. Being in this kind of business can take a toll on you if you're running EVERYTHING on your own, and I can imagine it was just too much. People bought Laklands because of Dan's customer service and great instruments. I know he wanted that with D. Lakin. Hopefully (as a supporter and friend), Dan can have something of that caliber once again.

 

[Ray Harris]

Hi Shadi,
Interesting to hear from you and understand that you respect Dans privacy. In his last videos I really thought he looked unwell compared to his earlier videos from 2014. So doesn't surprise me. Shame there was no formal announcement, he just seems to have quietly slipped away (hopefully not literally). The thing is from my research is his instruments seem to represent the ultimate value for money for P and J basses. The quality and spec look close to a US Lakeland or maybe even approaching a Japanese Sadowski Metro, for much less. I'm gobsmaked at how good mine is. People are saying there are the closest thing to a genuine 60s Fender Jazz. Can't fault Dans aspirations I really wish him well for the future.
KR - and to Dan if you ever speak to him wish him well from all of us.
Ray

 

[MarkoYYZ]

Being in this kind of business can take a toll on you if you're running EVERYTHING on your own, and I can imagine it was just too much.

100%. Wearing every single hat and/or playing every role in the company - even if for just parts of the day - is extremely taxing. The unpredictable amounts of attention that clients may require from day to day make all the actual "meat and potatoes" of the business even tougher to manage. I certainly get it, and wish him well in taking care of himself.

Hopefully (as a supporter and friend), Dan can have something of that caliber once again.

Agreed.
.

 

[billysbassplace]

Dan will be back with Lakin Musical Instuments, with new bass designs for summer 2018

 

[Ray Harris]

Wow that'd be great news. Where did you see that?

 

[JTE]

Dan posted on his Facebook page yesterday.

 

[calypsocoral302]

I definitely like the idea of the Shark bass. There are tons of P and J clones out there, but boutique makers seemed to steer clear of the idea of using the Stingray body shape. I saw that as kind of courageous on Dan's part. I feel the finished product needed some aesthetic tweeking, and I'd still like to see that rear pickup moved toward the neck just a little.

I hope he reuses the D. Lakin headstock shape-- not a popular opinion on TB, I know! But I thought it looked like the "missing link" between the standard Fender shape and the older "Tele" shape.