Official Lakland Owners Group #13

[JazznFunk]

Okay gang... I spent more time tonight tinkering and tweaking the pre and setup on my 44-02. After tweaking the amp (Eden), changing strings, and playing 2 gigs over the weekend, I discovered one last obvious thing I hadn't yet touched... the treble control on the bass. I rarely, if EVER, like to boost treble. I hate upper-end sizzle and clackiness, but I found that without boosting the treble on my 44-02 at least to some degree, there isn't enough clarity and definition in the top end to let it sit in a well-defined manner in the mix. Set flat it is not very trebly at all, to the point where it sounds muffled, even with brand-new strings. I was doing all the testing via headphones so I could really hear the nuances. Anyway, I've seen/heard several other Laklanders in the past live and in pictures and have noticed a lot of folks tend to turn up the treble a bit on the preamp. I feel like I shouldn't have to boost up the treble this much from the get-go, but then again, it's not a Stingray or other very trebly bass to begin with, and I'm not using Stainless Steel strings. As a point of comparison, my 44 and 55-01 basses are pretty trebly even when flat. I find I have to cut some treble on most occasions rather than boost. I guess I'm just getting used to the differences in this bass from previous ones I've owned, even though I've had it close to a year now! I gotta say... once I boosted the treble and changed strings, it REALLY has hit the mark for me. I loved it before, but now I'm really in heaven.

 

[basspraiser]

Never saw this combo before...and gold hardware...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110357557613&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

again - need to be strong.....need to be strong

 

[basspraiser]

OK guys, haven't been on as much the past couple of days because it was NBDX2 (new bass day times two). First arrival was a 55-01 that plays and looks great, that is going to be my backup until the BG5 is here. The REAL reason I've been ummm, predisposed, is I can't stop playing what came the next day.....
a brand new PLEKtastic DJ5 from Beaver at Bass Central. This thing plays and sounds FANTABULOUS!!!!!!

and with the current rig.....

sweeet!!!!!!

Looks like the studio made it through OK!

 

[basspraiser]

That is hilarious.
She could kick my ass in a bassplaying contest.
Is that the gal who posted the story about the Decade she got for Christmas?

you and me both!!!!

Nice Chi sound!!!!

 

[MarkusBass]

hopefully I will get a chance to see it/play it next week....

"silver surfer" huh? I like it!!!!

PS - who is this guy "Nickels"?

Yeah...I was going to call it "The Device" but went with silver surfer..it fits..I'm on the coast, and I can surf your posts daily! They are putting nickel string on for me, but I saw that and thought about calling it Nickels I still might!

 

[basspraiser]

I'm in love with my jazz bass but it does not get any playing time now. My 55-94 really has everything I want but I like having a jazz in my stable.

Now though, ohhhh now, I'm totally excited for this LOG bass. But I'm also thinking I might trade my jazz in for a jo or dj and put some of that cash towards a decade.

What is going on with me?

I'm feeling myself drawn towards the classifieds section. I should take a few days to think about this.

a 55-94, a Lakland Jazz, a Lakland P and a Decade...I'll be just like...just like... just like one of you guys.

nothin's going on.......just keep drinkin' the koolaide and everything will be juuuuuussssttttt fine.....

 

[MarkusBass]

LOL!!! don't knwo where you find all of these "apropro" pics but keep 'em coming!!! love 'em!!!

Yeah...that ones is really good! Google is my friend!

 

[basspraiser]

That's not you? Isn't that what you do to kill time while waiting on a Lakland to fall from the sky?

LOL!!!!

 

[basspraiser]

So, I took Amber North in for a tune-up Yesterday, so as she'll be ready for the St-Patrick's week slaughter. To-day I get a call about what I *thought* was an imaginary sound issue. Turns out there was some problem with the electronics that wouldn't escape me if I wasn't fresh from a couple of bottles of wine at my sister's birthday supper.

This is the *second* issue I've had with the circuitboard inside that bass, and it's costing me $40 more than the simple seasonal set-up was costing. Argh!

This bass is as hard to love electronically as it is easy to love in the feel and sound department. As soon as I can get my finances together, I think I'll be on the market for a *passive* freaking bass.

sorry to hear that!!!

maybe Lakland will send you a new board?

if you MUST go passive...go CHi-passive.....you'll love it!

 

[basspraiser]

I did NOT need to see that. At all. Dadgummit that is a purdy JO5!

I do need a LOG bass AND a DJ5 to complement my JO5, right? That's required, right?

yup.....they go as a set....

 

[MarkusBass]

sorry to hear that!!!

maybe Lakland will send you a new board?

if you MUST go passive...go CHi-passive.....you'll love it!

Hell to the Yeah!

 

[MarkusBass]

I boost my highs on my 4-07 to get it where I like it, but I'm using nickels. I have some DR Bootsy Collins sig coated stainless coming my way, I'm going to try on it. My son has steels on his 44-02, and it sounds very good. I've always been a nickel fan, but I think stainless might be worth it to try .

Okay gang... I spent more time tonight tinkering and tweaking the pre and setup on my 44-02. After tweaking the amp (Eden), changing strings, and playing 2 gigs over the weekend, I discovered one last obvious thing I hadn't yet touched... the treble control on the bass. I rarely, if EVER, like to boost treble. I hate upper-end sizzle and clackiness, but I found that without boosting the treble on my 44-02 at least to some degree, there isn't enough clarity and definition in the top end to let it sit in a well-defined manner in the mix. Set flat it is not very trebly at all, to the point where it sounds muffled, even with brand-new strings. I was doing all the testing via headphones so I could really hear the nuances. Anyway, I've seen/heard several other Laklanders in the past live and in pictures and have noticed a lot of folks tend to turn up the treble a bit on the preamp. I feel like I shouldn't have to boost up the treble this much from the get-go, but then again, it's not a Stingray or other very trebly bass to begin with, and I'm not using Stainless Steel strings. As a point of comparison, my 44 and 55-01 basses are pretty trebly even when flat. I find I have to cut some treble on most occasions rather than boost. I guess I'm just getting used to the differences in this bass from previous ones I've owned, even though I've had it close to a year now! I gotta say... once I boosted the treble and changed strings, it REALLY has hit the mark for me. I loved it before, but now I'm really in heaven.

 

[basspraiser]

Hey Guys,

Ik scored a new Lakland last friday. The sad part is, that I had to trade in my dj4 for it.


The 4402 is a 2003 model, with bart pickups and pre-amp. It's a whole different animal than my dj4. More modern, but very versatile. It plays amazing and is so nice and light hanging around my shoulders. I'm glad I don't have to give up my log nr. and still own a lakland.

good trade!

as for the wear...age has little to do with it....plyaing time does...if it sounds good....don't worry!!!

 

[basspraiser]

Gah! It looks like a link, but it isn't! That bastage.

I fell for it too!!!

dang you Ferg!!!!

details...details...Ve have vays to make you tock!!!

 

[basspraiser]

Yeah...I was going to call it "The Device" but went with silver surfer..it fits..I'm on the coast, and I can surf your posts daily! They are putting nickel string on for me, but I saw that and thought about calling it Nickels I still might!

Silver Surfer is my favorite!!!

 

[JazznFunk]

I boost my highs on my 4-07 to get it where I like it, but I'm using nickels. I have some DR Bootsy Collins sig coated stainless coming my way, I'm going to try on it. My son has steels on his 44-02, and it sounds very good. I've always been a nickel fan, but I think stainless might be worth it to try .

I've done the stainless thing before, Markus. I hate how harsh they are and how hard they are on frets and fingers. Boosting the highs while using nickel is much more appealing than cutting harshness with stainless, at least for my purposes. I wish I were more open minded where strings are concerned, but I got turned off to stainless a while back when no matter what set I tried, they were always too 'rough' sounding/feeling. Coated stainless might be worth a try though...

 

[EBodious]

I've done the stainless thing before, Markus. I hate how harsh they are and how hard they are on frets and fingers. Boosting the highs while using nickel is much more appealing than cutting harshness with stainless, at least for my purposes. I wish I were more open minded where strings are concerned, but I got turned off to stainless a while back when no matter what set I tried, they were always too 'rough' sounding/feeling. Coated stainless might be worth a try though...

i tried boosting the treble and didn't like it (with flats). but this may get into amp heads and speaker cabs. also, as i said, i push the enhance knob pretty far and that boosts highs. but, ultimately, i have learned that it is the sound i am going for not the numbers. sometimes too much quantitative analysis gets in the way of hearing. this is easy for me to fall victim to here on tb. try closing your eyes and play with the knobs till it sounds good, then open them and accept what you see (in short, use the force, young jedi).

btw, i love dr strings on my guitars. well worth trying.

 

[JazznFunk]

i tried boosting the treble and didn't like it (with flats). but this may get into amp heads and speaker cabs. also, as i said, i push the enhance knob pretty far and that boosts highs. but, ultimately, i have learned that it is the sound i am going for not the numbers. sometimes too much quantitative analysis gets in the way of hearing. this is easy for me to fall victim to here on tb. try closing your eyes and play with the knobs till it sounds good, then open them and accept what you see (in short, use the force, young jedi).

btw, i love dr strings on my guitars. well worth trying.

Yeah, the point was that I was chasing the issue from the amp only without investigating what was happening at the bass first. I rarely if ever touch the preamp on the bass except for very small adjustments and prefer to leave the preamp set flat, letting the amp do the work for the given room. But, if the bass is too dark overall to begin with, I'll be fighting it a lot more at the amp than I should. The 'light bulb' came on when I was recording direct and the sound was 'muffled' as I described before, so I knew something had to change on the bass before anything else could be investigated on the amp side of things. So, I changed the strings and that helped some, then boosted the treble onboard and that 'took the blanket off' the sound for good. With the interactive nature of the tone controls on the LH-3, it wasn't surprising that the treble boost musically opened the sound up as opposed to adding sizzle like other preamps can. It's just a darker bass than I'm used to I guess in terms of its 'flat' sound. I'm cool with that! I just hate that it took me so long to finally get it all tweaked. It's not the bass's fault, it's mine.

 

[roadkill2309]

J (2) - those shadows sure do interesting things to the bass and the quilting.....also - the color looks nice and dark there!

PS - your first picture you post and you gotta cup in your face!!! wassup wit dat?

Sorry. How's this?

Different band, of course. This is the Celt/rock band...

 

[EBodious]

i know what you mean. actually, that is kind of what got me started on my try-new-settings quest. i tend to let my head get in the way and sometimes, i have to try the opposite of what i think i should do just to shake things up. i usually end up learning something .

whatever it takes. enjoy your big, fresh sound!