Official Lakland Owner's Group (#11)

[basspraiser]

Holy Schnikees! That's crazy!

Glad everyone is OK...

I keep hearing about these big power outages. What do you do with no power? How do you stay warm and eat and all that stuff?

well....you see....98.6 degrees + 98.6 degrees = 197.2 degrees and.....oh dear I had better stop.....this is (I am sure) how they became 3.....at least you know THIS storm will not cause a 4th!

as for eating....well I am sure there is a Micky Ds open somewhere!

 

[basspraiser]

hey there my fellow lakland owners I have a question about the skyline glaub and the possibilty of ordering one with a jo neck. I know the dunn fits this bill but I am not one for the glitz and glamour of the b&b. I remember the 1.5" nut width being available a long time ago but fear those days are no more.

I would send an e-mail to Brian or Kirk or Leo (Dan is REALLY busy right now) to find out.....I BELIEVE a JO neck will fit but whether they will change it on a Skyline or not, I do not know....also - with their schedule, this may SEVERLY delay your order!!

 

[basspraiser]

Dern, those pics are fierce. Glad you all got out and hope they get the power back up soon.

Jesse - still "trolling" I see.....when will your Avatar morph to the next stage? I played a similar one at a recent Worship GTG....very nice!!!

 

[grayta]

BTW, I got my new set of Fralins today and swapped them in the black JO5. Ohhhhh, man-so much better. Apologies to those that dig 'em, but I think the Fralins sound sooooo much better in a JO5 than the in-house Lakland pups. I'm happy!

 

[basspraiser]

Maybe I'm childish, but I wouldn't trust a machine to do my frets. There's something scary (or maybe I'm just neurotic) about hooking my bass's neck up to some machine that cuts things, what if a mistake is made and it cuts into my neck or something? I have always been impressed by the Lakland hand done fretwork and couldn't imagine it being better anyways, my basses play like butter. I just think something as tedious as fretwork is best left in skilled, careful human hands.

Actually, it is more consistent.....it NEVER has a "bad day" (or comes into work with a hang over) and rarely goes out of tolerance....

I was at GM when they brought in the first "ready for production robots" (showing my age).....I had another (very smart) engineer (I was a trainee...there - I am not THAT old) explain it to me this way..."they may not be doing the right thing, but they ALWAYS do the wrong thing consistently...once you can program around that/fix it, they will always be "dead on""......Pleking is the same thing....Carl (a master fret finisher) sets up the machine based on the "optimum" fret contour and he can "zoom in" on the image to make sure that the "crown" is just the way it should be over EACH fret....one program is set up for each type of bass....once it is set, the work is amazingly accurate and consistant.....the only thing that needs to be done is changing the tools regularily......

also - each bass DOES get an inspection after Pleking for QC.....

best of both worlds IMHO...BTW - where are the pics you promised!?

 

[E-Mac]

I love the fralins in my JOs

 

[basspraiser]

Impressive stuff, and a notch above the plek-work on several G&L's I had that came plek'd by them...

VERY interesting comment Chef!!!

I know the machines are the same (been told that by Dan and Carl)...must be the programming!!!!

 

[basspraiser]

haven't done any gigging yet since i just got it about 2 hours ago from USPS. luckily the crack doesn't show up in these pics since my camera is not a camera irl, but tries to be one. (lol phone w/cam)

Here are a few pics. serial # 02022903
55-01 fretless w/upgraded pups/preamp (Bartolini 72BC5C pups and NTMB-HR5.2 preamp)

one word.....NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!

love that Cherry burst!

congrats....hoepfully you can fix the crack....

BTW - is that a fretless?

OK - more than one word...sorry!

 

[basspraiser]

I was sorting through some pics, and thought I'd throw a couple from a gig earlier this month in Cincinnati....

you look sooooo happy and content (seriously).....GREAT pics!

that non-U2 bass player Natural DJ looks sooooo cool - even "just sitting there"....

 

[basspraiser]

BTW, I got my new set of Fralins today and swapped them in the black JO5. Ohhhhh, man-so much better. Apologies to those that dig 'em, but I think the Fralins sound sooooo much better in a JO5 than the in-house Lakland pups. I'm happy!

I will agree that Fralins have a very unique (and GREAT) sound....glad you like 'em.....would think about a set in my JO5 'cept for ....well....read further down in the posts....

 

[HaPpYfAcE]

BTW - is that a fretless?

Here are a few pics. serial # 02022903
55-01 fretless w/upgraded pups/preamp (Bartolini 72BC5C pups and NTMB-HR5.2 preamp)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

one word.....NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!

love that Cherry burst!

congrats....hoepfully you can fix the crack....

OK - more than one word...sorry!

hehehe...thanks for the compliments! I have a feeling if someone touches it the right way, the finish will come off where it's cracked...it's in a somewhat circular shape, about a quarter's size.

 

[basspraiser]

OK - so you all know how semi-depressed I was about "project ebony" going south.....

Well....today, things got MUCH brighter.....I was going to go after that sweeeeet Gold/Ebony 55-94 in the classifieds and have the guys at Lakland put in a set of Chi's.....bango....an "almost" project ebony deal.....well, Dan informed me that the wait on a conversion like that would be "a while" due to current production demands and that he would be concerned about routing an already finished bass....he did not want to take any chances "damaging" the finish.....he then said...(well paraphrasing here):

"......besides.........I was looking through the shop and I noticed we JUST had a potential buyer back out of a JO5CS....you interested?".....I was so psyched!

The specs are as follows (sorry Royce - I feel like a copy-cat):

Ice blue metallic
5 banger
2 single coil Chi's
RW neck with MOP blocks and binding

How could I pass this up? I worked out a deal with my dealer and the bass should be here Monday or even this weekend!

He also mentioned that another option would be a 55-07 that was supposed to be ready for NAMM but which had a few wiring issues.....he said all of the issues are now fixed and that one is available as well.....he was just about to contact all of his dealers to see who wanted it.

here are the specs:

natural/blond body
maple neck (birds eye maple of course)
active
2 - humbucking Chi's
he will add the pickguard of my choice (going with the "J style" black)

well, ....I jumped on that as too.....

This one will be a "while" since they need to make the pick guard and "double check" a few things....

I guess I REALLY was at the right place at the right time!!!!

Only problem is that I now have bills for (2) two US Laklands!!! and .....my WIFE IS "slightly concerned" to say the least!......(can you say "dog house"??? I knew you could!)

Time to clear out a couple of basses...Woody is already spoken for......not sure which other one I will get rid of next (maybe I can get away with just one casualty???)

this was totally irresponsible....I know that...and this is so unlike me......but how often do you get the chance at 2 GREAT basses?

Pics and a full review when I get the chance (I hope my JO5 is here before Sunday so I can play it live!!)

 

[basspraiser]

hehehe...thanks for the compliments! I have a feeling if someone touches it the right way, the finish will come off where it's cracked...it's in a somewhat circular shape, about a quarter's size.

doooh! sorry - reading the post too quickly! nice....

sorry about the crack....maybe (seriously) clear nail polish as a temporary coating?

 

[E-Mac]

way to go, doug!!! Those are going to be two complete monsters!

 

[HaPpYfAcE]

doooh! sorry - reading the post too quickly! nice....

sorry about the crack....maybe (seriously) clear nail polish as a temporary coating?

haha...np! i was considering nail polish, but i think i'll leave it as is until i hear back about the insurance that was on it for shipping. I might just try getting it refinished in the long run, but we'll see. I love the burst finish.

grats on your acquisitions as well!

 

[basspraiser]

This is VERY interesting....

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=511209

MIM Fenders closing the gap on Skyline prices? Skylines were always compared to MIA Fenders and US Laklands to the CS series (Custom Shop NOT Chi-Sonic)....now what?

 

[basspraiser]

way to go, doug!!! Those are going to be two complete monsters!

thank you sir!!! we will have to storm New York City together with our 4 monsters someday!!!

PS - YOU can climb the Empire States Building...I do not like heights!

 

[basspraiser]

haha...np! i was considering nail polish, but i think i'll leave it as is until i hear back about the insurance that was on it for shipping. I might just try getting it refinished in the long run, but we'll see. I love the burst finish.

grats on your acquisitions as well!

that finish is sweet...is the damage through the clearcoat? if so....and if insurance will cover it....give Lakland a shout on the refinish....they will make sure it is done right....also - maybe, just maybe a new body will be cheaper...I have heard of stranger things!

 

[fergbassplayer]

Whoa!!!!!! 2 Whoa again!!!!! now I'm jealous! 55-07 sounds beuuutiful! Congrats Doug -

OK - so you all know how semi-depressed I was about "project ebony" going south.....

Well....today, things got MUCH brighter.....I was going to go after that sweeeeet Gold/Ebony 55-94 in the classifieds and have the guys at Lakland put in a set of Chi's.....bango....an "almost" project ebony deal.....well, Dan informed me that the wait on a conversion like that would be "a while" due to current production demands and that he would be concerned about routing an already finished bass....he did not want to take any chances "damaging" the finish.....he then said...(well paraphrasing here):

"......besides.........I was looking through the shop and I noticed we JUST had a potential buyer back out of a JO5CS....you interested?".....I was so psyched!

The specs are as follows (sorry Royce - I feel like a copy-cat):

Ice blue metallic
5 banger
2 single coil Chi's
RW neck with MOP blocks and binding

How could I pass this up? I worked out a deal with my dealer and the bass should be here Monday or even this weekend!

He also mentioned that another option would be a 55-07 that was supposed to be ready for NAMM but which had a few wiring issues.....he said all of the issues are now fixed and that one is available as well.....he was just about to contact all of his dealers to see who wanted it.

here are the specs:

natural/blond body
maple neck (birds eye maple of course)
active
2 - humbucking Chi's
he will add the pickguard of my choice (going with the "J style" black)

well, ....I jumped on that as too.....

This one will be a "while" since they need to make the pick guard and "double check" a few things....

I guess I REALLY was at the right place at the right time!!!!

Only problem is that I now have bills for (2) two US Laklands!!! and .....my WIFE IS "slightly concerned" to say the least!......(can you say "dog house"??? I knew you could!)

Time to clear out a couple of basses...Woody is already spoken for......not sure which other one I will get rid of next (maybe I can get away with just one casualty???)

this was totally irresponsible....I know that...and this is so unlike me......but how often do you get the chance at 2 GREAT basses?

Pics and a full review when I get the chance (I hope my JO5 is here before Sunday so I can play it live!!)

 

[phat daddy]

Actually, it is more consistent.....it NEVER has a "bad day" (or comes into work with a hang over) and rarely goes out of tolerance....

I was at GM when they brought in the first "ready for production robots" (showing my age).....I had another (very smart) engineer (I was a trainee...there - I am not THAT old) explain it to me this way..."they may not be doing the right thing, but they ALWAYS do the wrong thing consistently...once you can program around that/fix it, they will always be "dead on""......Pleking is the same thing....Carl (a master fret finisher) sets up the machine based on the "optimum" fret contour and he can "zoom in" on the image to make sure that the "crown" is just the way it should be over EACH fret....one program is set up for each type of bass....once it is set, the work is amazingly accurate and consistant.....the only thing that needs to be done is changing the tools regularily......

also - each bass DOES get an inspection after Pleking for QC.....

best of both worlds IMHO...BTW - where are the pics you promised!?

I get what your saying, maybe it's just a mental tick with me, but I'm still scared of the plek.

Sorry I don't have the pics up yet, had to go play early tonight and have had no time to snap them yet but I earnestly plan take the pics at dusk tomorrow and we'll see if my PC skills (or lack there of) can post them with the help of the directions posted previously by a couple fellow Laklanders (thanks again).