Need comments about Lakland

Well besides the fact that I love the looks of my 4-94 Deluxe it has one of the most playable necks I've ever come across. The size and shape are very close to the dimensions of the neck on a 78 Stingray I once owned. I'd call it a B width neck, in between a J and a P.

The tone is distinct but I have to admit that I find the bass to be pretty versatile. You can get pretty close to the classic MM and Jazz tones.

The only thing I can say that I dislike is the fit of the case. The tuner for the G hits the top of the interior of the case and de-tunes the string. Not a real big deal unless you put the bass in the case between sets.

 

If you do a search on "Lakland" threads, you'll find several with both positive and negative comments. It seems to me that the negative comments usually come from people who were looking for another sound, but can find few faults with craftsmanship, service, etc.

I've owned several, but they've all been 5 strings. I would imagine that the 4's are on a par with the 5's, which I consider some of the best basses out there. Super comfortable to play and very versatile tonally. IMO, some of the best-looking basses around, too (I favor traditional styling).

 

They're pretty amazing basses - design, fit & finish, feel, sound - it's all there. The customer service is top-notch, too.

Some play a Lakland expecting a certain specific tone and come away disappointed. It won't provide a 100% authentic replica of any bass, but you may be able to get an 80-90% approximation of many bass sounds all while being able to create your own sounds as well.

I would not pay that much for a used Deluxe 4. Some Deluxe 5's are going for about that amount on eBay - the 4's should be less. That said, Lakland does make one of the very finest 5's on the market, so if you're ever going to make that leap - a Lakland 5 is the bass to have!

 

Not to be biased but a few years ago I was lookin at one and was not impressed, the price was way too high also. I did not like the tone at all. Then again, my applications back then were for "metal". I opted for the Music Man Stingray 4 string custom (with the cool pickguard ) instead of the Lakeland.

My main grudge was tone.

Then again, I LOVE Warwick basses and their signature tones, heheheheheheheh, while a lot of other people HATE Warwick tone. Its a matter of taste.

 

Well, a good Lakland Deluxe 4 or 5 is certainly worth money in the $1900 range, but they can be had much cheaper right now if you keep a close eye on the market. High-end basses in general are going really cheap right now. I'd hold out for something around $1500.

 

...and remember....like most builders, all Laklands do not sound the same. Negative comments from someone who tried one Lakland shouldn't be a blanket condemnation of the whole brand. Look where Fender would be if that happened. Lakland is my bass of choice, and I've had a couple that were less than spectacular.

 

i think laklands are kinda pretty

 

Arvid ,
If you are really intersted , check the price with Bass Central,add your freight and import duty, and set your budget.
I believe the so called new basses in any shop has been tried at least several times before it is sold, not to mention the retour.

 

I wasn't very fond of the lakland I played, it didn't come off as very versatile to me.

That and an Ibanez BTB have been the only basses that I sat with and moved the EQ to all of it's extremes and couldn't take notice of any sizeable difference (neither could my friend who was with me, who's also a bassist).

Maybe I played a dud, Who knows?

$.02

 

One tip. If you like the G & L or Musicman tone, buy a Lakland with Duncan pickups. I hear that the Bartolinis are not as bright as the Duncans. The Lakland Barts were designed and specially wound to have more of a traditional Fender vibe. at least the 55-94 Deluxe that I have, anyway.

 

If you could move the 3 bands to their extremes and not notice a difference, either it was in passive mode, broken or there would have to be some serious hearing issues. Since I doubt any bassist's hearing could be that bad it must have been the first or second reason.

One place my Lakland really shines is live, in the mix. It just carves it's own space easily.

 

Arvid,

Sorry people, talking my language, mo beli dimana laklandnya? elo mau ke amerika? or di bawain orang. kok tiba tiba interested in lakland?

Just wondering.

 

What Brad last said.

The principal traits of importance for me in my Lakland 4-94 Deluxe are:

Versatility of tone. I have the Duncans and I can get a plethora of beautiful sounds out of mine, without opening the control cavity cover and tweaking the mid-switch, which opens more doors.

Thunderous bottom. It has a beefy bottom end sonically which establishes the bass as the backbone of my band.

The Lakland that didn't sound versatile must have been in passive or in disrepair. You might not like all the different things you'll hear, but you'll hear MANY different things the longer you play it.

That said, I would not pay $1,900.

 

It looks like all the people that responded were from the USA. I don't know very much about Indonesian ecomony but in Sweden american basses costs sometimes twice the amount. That's just the way it is here. Perhaps $1900 isn't such a bad deal after all, if you look prices for new Laklands in your country. But like I said, I don't know squat.

 

It is true, for alot of Indonesian, US 1900 could mean 38 months of salary. For bass session player could mean 80 good performances.
Sometimes I feel bad owing many of high end basses and equipments That is why I am thinking of selling them off.

 

I'd agree with the Basslines comments. I've had 5 Laklands and my favorite 2, including the one I have now have the Basslines. I loved Barts in other basses I've had, but I think the Laklands sound better with Duncans.

 

Perhaps I should change my p.u. to SD because no matter how I tried , I never like my Lakland sound [ sort of muddy ] . That is why I prefer Sadowsky over Lakland.

 

I just bought my second Lakland, a beautiful 4 string fretless with Barts that speaks with a great deep voice. My first one is a CAR Bob Glaub, that to me is the ultimate Precision.

My new bass, which I bought used from a Bass dealer on the net, arrived with a serious problem that I couldn't resolve with the seller. I sent it to Lakland, expecting the worst.

Dan Lakin phoned me personally the other day, to tell me he would bring the bass to new condition without charge, because he couldn't bear having one of his instruments out there that wasn't right.

He has gained a loyal customer for life with this attitude. Luckily, his products are so good that I won't have trouble with continuing to buy them.

Aloha,

Jonathan Starr