Official Lakland Owner's Group #19

[basspraiser]

Hey guys, I've got a 4-94 I bought in 2003 with the bartolini pickup/electronics package. That bass is the bee's knees; it almost always works in any musical situation.

I picked up a Lakland 55-94 last year and it's got the Lakland pickups and LH3 preamp. I have made sure the frequency selector matches my 4-94 @ 500hz and I've checked the output volume level to match the 4-94 (which is disdainful to do with the lack of a trim pot on the LH3 preamp...)

Unfortunately the Lakland pickups/pre don't sound as good as the Bartolini. Is there anyone that has experience with both setups that can elaborate on what they can do to make one sound like the other?

they are totally different beasts......I personally like the LH3 better......actually sold a 55-94 because I did not like the Barts as much......not sure if you can get them to sound alike or not.....if not, I AM SURE you can find someone to swap electronics with.....I was investigating that option myself when my "deal" came through....

 

[Surprise Panda!]

Invalid Link Removed

Such such such such such GAS

Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed $1,189 plus tax!!!

 

[Phantasm]

they are totally different beasts......I personally like the LH3 better......actually sold a 55-94 because I did not like the Barts as much......not sure if you can get them to sound alike or not.....if not, I AM SURE you can find someone to swap electronics with.....I was investigating that option myself when my "deal" came through....

So you would think.... but the tale of the spectrum says otherwise!

First, I recorded a section of music with the Bartolini 4-94 as my "reference." In these pictures below, the bartolini is the lighter colored green/yellow lines and the lakland is the brighter of the pair. Green is average value, yellow is peak.

The Bartolini Lakland I boost mids (500hz) a healthy amount, probably +6. I boost the treble about +3 and cut the bass about -3.

First up was the Lakland with treble/mid/bass flat. Hmm... the new Lakland pickups and LH3 are pretty much the same as the EQ'ed bartolini until we get up to about 600hz. Then there's a deficiency from 600-1.1khz and then above there's less high end.

Okay, so since 900hz is the frequency center the LH3 has available most in the center of 600hz-1.1khz, I change the frequency of the mid to this value and give it a good +6db boost. Now we've removed that deficiency below 1.1khz...

Well, now we're pretty close... just time to push up that treble knob. Now we've got a pretty good match... I can make it match if I max out the treble, but that's a bit much... I settle at +6 or so.

The verdict? Sounds a lot closer in the bedroom... we'll have to see at practice Monday night if the bass has the fortitude to sit in the mix like the Bartolini-equipped 4-94.

If so, what have I observed? Looks like the Lakland pickups:

- Have a bass cut vs. the Bartolini pickups/pre by default.
- Have a nice boost at 500hz vs. the Bartolini pickups/pre by default.
- Have a lot less upper mids and highs by default.


I'll report the real world results after practice Monday night - actual gigs/practice seem to bring in the "intangibles."

 

[HaPpYfAcE]

sounds like I WILL be able to play it with the CHIs - cooooolllll!!!!

 

[basspraiser]

Wellll, Doug's getting up there in years, so you might not be out of the woods on that front.



Never mind that I'm older than him.

don't scare him away shhhonny!

 

[basspraiser]

Got a call from Lakland today. My DJ5 is on its way!

GREAT!!!!! maybe you should have just picked it up on Saturday!!!

 

[basspraiser]

So you would think.... but the tale of the spectrum says otherwise!

First, I recorded a section of music with the Bartolini 4-94 as my "reference." In these pictures below, the bartolini is the lighter colored green/yellow lines and the lakland is the brighter of the pair. Green is average value, yellow is peak.

The Bartolini Lakland I boost mids (500hz) a healthy amount, probably +6. I boost the treble about +3 and cut the bass about -3.

First up was the Lakland with treble/mid/bass flat. Hmm... the new Lakland pickups and LH3 are pretty much the same as the EQ'ed bartolini until we get up to about 600hz. Then there's a deficiency from 600-1.1khz and then above there's less high end.

Okay, so since 900hz is the frequency center the LH3 has available most in the center of 600hz-1.1khz, I change the frequency of the mid to this value and give it a good +6db boost. Now we've removed that deficiency below 1.1khz...

Well, now we're pretty close... just time to push up that treble knob. Now we've got a pretty good match... I can make it match if I max out the treble, but that's a bit much... I settle at +6 or so.

The verdict? Sounds a lot closer in the bedroom... we'll have to see at practice Monday night if the bass has the fortitude to sit in the mix like the Bartolini-equipped 4-94.

If so, what have I observed? Looks like the Lakland pickups:

- Have a bass cut vs. the Bartolini pickups/pre by default.
- Have a nice boost at 500hz vs. the Bartolini pickups/pre by default.
- Have a lot less upper mids and highs by default.


I'll report the real world results after practice Monday night - actual gigs/practice seem to bring in the "intangibles."

hmmmmm...odd...this shows the Barts as "brighter"......What year did you say yours was? the earlier Barts (1998 etc) DO seem to be brighter than the later ones.....

comparing mine, the LH3 in my 55-02 seemed substantailly brighter but your data does not show that.....I will take this to Dan on Saturday and see what his thoughts are....

interesting "scientific" analysis......

 

[mattygbass]

Invalid Link Removed

Such such such such such GAS

Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed $1,189 plus tax!!!

thats nice, but this one is way hotter!!! check out the neck. and 8.3 pounds is pretty light for a sky dj

http://www.theperfectbass.com/explo...103430101&W=STORE&P=N&S=1001081&U=1&SS=1&CR=Y

 

[denchiq]

So you would think.... but the tale of the spectrum says otherwise!

First, I recorded a section of music with the Bartolini 4-94 as my "reference." In these pictures below, the bartolini is the lighter colored green/yellow lines and the lakland is the brighter of the pair. Green is average value, yellow is peak.

The Bartolini Lakland I boost mids (500hz) a healthy amount, probably +6. I boost the treble about +3 and cut the bass about -3.

First up was the Lakland with treble/mid/bass flat. Hmm... the new Lakland pickups and LH3 are pretty much the same as the EQ'ed bartolini until we get up to about 600hz. Then there's a deficiency from 600-1.1khz and then above there's less high end.

Okay, so since 900hz is the frequency center the LH3 has available most in the center of 600hz-1.1khz, I change the frequency of the mid to this value and give it a good +6db boost. Now we've removed that deficiency below 1.1khz...

Well, now we're pretty close... just time to push up that treble knob. Now we've got a pretty good match... I can make it match if I max out the treble, but that's a bit much... I settle at +6 or so.

The verdict? Sounds a lot closer in the bedroom... we'll have to see at practice Monday night if the bass has the fortitude to sit in the mix like the Bartolini-equipped 4-94.

If so, what have I observed? Looks like the Lakland pickups:

- Have a bass cut vs. the Bartolini pickups/pre by default.
- Have a nice boost at 500hz vs. the Bartolini pickups/pre by default.
- Have a lot less upper mids and highs by default.


I'll report the real world results after practice Monday night - actual gigs/practice seem to bring in the "intangibles."

very very interesting. Everyone I know take what their ears tell and/or read reviews. This is the first time that I know of, that someone actully did the measurement
Now this has to be digested. Need some time
Thanks a lot!

 

[mattygbass]

So you would think.... but the tale of the spectrum says otherwise!

First, I recorded a section of music with the Bartolini 4-94 as my "reference." In these pictures below, the bartolini is the lighter colored green/yellow lines and the lakland is the brighter of the pair. Green is average value, yellow is peak.

The Bartolini Lakland I boost mids (500hz) a healthy amount, probably +6. I boost the treble about +3 and cut the bass about -3.

First up was the Lakland with treble/mid/bass flat. Hmm... the new Lakland pickups and LH3 are pretty much the same as the EQ'ed bartolini until we get up to about 600hz. Then there's a deficiency from 600-1.1khz and then above there's less high end.

Okay, so since 900hz is the frequency center the LH3 has available most in the center of 600hz-1.1khz, I change the frequency of the mid to this value and give it a good +6db boost. Now we've removed that deficiency below 1.1khz...

Well, now we're pretty close... just time to push up that treble knob. Now we've got a pretty good match... I can make it match if I max out the treble, but that's a bit much... I settle at +6 or so.

The verdict? Sounds a lot closer in the bedroom... we'll have to see at practice Monday night if the bass has the fortitude to sit in the mix like the Bartolini-equipped 4-94.

If so, what have I observed? Looks like the Lakland pickups:

- Have a bass cut vs. the Bartolini pickups/pre by default.
- Have a nice boost at 500hz vs. the Bartolini pickups/pre by default.
- Have a lot less upper mids and highs by default.


I'll report the real world results after practice Monday night - actual gigs/practice seem to bring in the "intangibles."

does this mean there is less bass boost in the lakland than the barts, IME i dont get nearly as much boost in the bass in the lakland electronics, i need to know if this is other peoples experience also or if mine is not working properly.

 

[Phantasm]

hmmmmm...odd...this shows the Barts as "brighter"......What year did you say yours was? the earlier Barts (1998 etc) DO seem to be brighter than the later ones.....

comparing mine, the LH3 in my 55-02 seemed substantailly brighter but your data does not show that.....I will take this to Dan on Saturday and see what his thoughts are....

interesting "scientific" analysis......

My Barts are from 2003.

Bear in mind, the barts were not measured flat - they were measured EQ'ed like I like them. This meant bass cut, mid boost, and some treble boost. What was interesting was that the lakland flat matched the spectrum of the eq'd bartolini from 0-600hz. The mid knob with the freq center at 900hz was able to make the high mids match, and the treble knob had to be pushed a lot to match the highs.

The Laklands had less bass at the center detent position, which for those of you who feel like the Lakland has "more bass" you would have to think of what makes us perceive bass. Sometimes adding too much bass actually makes you perceive less; I find adding more low mid can actually make it seem like there's more low end. The Lakland pickups seem to have that mid boost built in. Again, my opinion, and YMMV.

I did boost the treble on the Bartolinis but not nearly as much as I had to boost the Lakland's treble to match it. This could also contribute to the "more bass" feeling that the Lakland pickups/pre give.

 

[MarkusBass]

Very interesting! I'd love to see this on Lakland's J pickup and ChiSonic J pickup.

My Barts are from 2003.

Bear in mind, the barts were not measured flat - they were measured EQ'ed like I like them. This meant bass cut, mid boost, and some treble boost. What was interesting was that the lakland flat matched the spectrum of the eq'd bartolini from 0-600hz. The mid knob with the freq center at 900hz was able to make the high mids match, and the treble knob had to be pushed a lot to match the highs.

The Laklands had less bass at the center detent position, which for those of you who feel like the Lakland has "more bass" you would have to think of what makes us perceive bass. Sometimes adding too much bass actually makes you perceive less; I find adding more low mid can actually make it seem like there's more low end. The Lakland pickups seem to have that mid boost built in. Again, my opinion, and YMMV.

I did boost the treble on the Bartolinis but not nearly as much as I had to boost the Lakland's treble to match it. This could also contribute to the "more bass" feeling that the Lakland pickups/pre give.

 

[BobaFret]

Does anybody know what the dip switches on the Bartolini preamp in the 44-02 do?

If I read right the preamp is made specially for Lakland so doesn't have a model per se. I opened up the cavity to see what was in there and am just curious. I can take some pictures if nobody is sure what it looks like. It's a 2003 if that matters.

 

[G On Bass]

Very interesting! I'd love to see this on Lakland's J pickup and ChiSonic J pickup.

I'd be interested in also seeing straight single Chi vs. Humbucker Chi vs. switched single Chi's as well...

I'd also like to see where my Boston Terrier specs out when she yawns in the morning.

 

[Phantasm]

Does anybody know what the dip switches on the Bartolini preamp in the 44-02 do?

If I read right the preamp is made specially for Lakland so doesn't have a model per se. I opened up the cavity to see what was in there and am just curious. I can take some pictures if nobody is sure what it looks like. It's a 2003 if that matters.

My cover plate has a decal that shows what switches are for what settings. There's a .PDF on the Lakland website also.

 

[BobaFret]

My cover plate has a decal that shows what switches are for what settings. There's a .PDF on the Lakland website also.

I only see this for the LH3 which I don't believe is what I have. There are only 2 switches not four. I'll check the cover plate when I get home. Thanks.

 

[denchiq]

it's 250, 500, 700 and 850 Hz IIRC

 

[E-Mac]

Invalid Link Removed

 

[E-Mac]

I'm gonna make like a tree and get out of here.

 

[Mr Matt]

I'm gonna make like a tree and get out of here.

Thanks Biff, enjoy!