What are your impressions of them? What styles would you say they are suited for? Is this bass a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none?
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Pickups in the Lakland 55-02
- Thread starter In Absentia
- Start date
I searched but after about an hour reading through threads and finding nothing, I decided to start this thread.
If you're referring to the Lakland pickups with LH-3 preamp (not the former stock Bartolinis), I would tend to agree with the "Jack of all trades - master of none" statement.
It's one of the nicest playing basses anywhere near its price, and build quality is exceptional, but I could never find a tone I was really happy with. Plenty of switching/eq options, but I didn't think any of them were good enough to justify keeping the bass.
I ended up trading it toward a Modulus Q5, which I ended up being much happier with. Until I found a Roscoe
It's one of the nicest playing basses anywhere near its price, and build quality is exceptional, but I could never find a tone I was really happy with. Plenty of switching/eq options, but I didn't think any of them were good enough to justify keeping the bass.
I ended up trading it toward a Modulus Q5, which I ended up being much happier with. Until I found a Roscoe
It all comes down to tone and what you like. Personally, if you dig the MM/J sound of the Lakland there is no other bass out there that is going to sound like it even if the have that same pickup config. So it is the master of the sound it helped pioneer. As an added bonus, you can play with the coil tap and/or blend knob and get some convincing well-known vibes out of it. I wouldn't recommend the bass for someone looking for a Jazz, Precision, or Stingray tone, but if you want that MM/J blended tone and like it, it works great.
But honestly, there are a plethora of sound clips at the Lakland sight where you can listen and judge for yourself.
But honestly, there are a plethora of sound clips at the Lakland sight where you can listen and judge for yourself.
I have a 55-02 with Lakland pickups and LH3 preamp.. and...
My Lakland works for EVERYTHING I throw at it. It can sound like a jazz, a stingray, and better yet, it can put out sounds neither of them can produce. It definitely has its own character, but with the MM/J pickups, coil taps, and blend knobs, this thing really kicks some ass. I love the tones I get out of it, it fits GREAT with my band, no matter if we're playing reggae, prog. rock, ambient jam music, or throwback funk.
I completely disagree with any statements about the bass being a jack-of-all trades and master of none, personally I think it covers pretty much any situation you could throw at it and has its own character that really adds to it. No, it doesn't sound exactly like some certain Fender Jazz or some certain MM Stingray, but it does a good job of putting out a lot of usable tones that are pretty close. But if you want a bass to sound EXACTLY like one of them, you should probably just.. buy one of them. My 2 cents at least.
Here's a link to a pretty useful set of clips (for hearing different pickup positions).
Invalid Link Removed
But to really see what this thing is best suited for, play it with a band!
My Lakland works for EVERYTHING I throw at it. It can sound like a jazz, a stingray, and better yet, it can put out sounds neither of them can produce. It definitely has its own character, but with the MM/J pickups, coil taps, and blend knobs, this thing really kicks some ass. I love the tones I get out of it, it fits GREAT with my band, no matter if we're playing reggae, prog. rock, ambient jam music, or throwback funk.
I completely disagree with any statements about the bass being a jack-of-all trades and master of none, personally I think it covers pretty much any situation you could throw at it and has its own character that really adds to it. No, it doesn't sound exactly like some certain Fender Jazz or some certain MM Stingray, but it does a good job of putting out a lot of usable tones that are pretty close. But if you want a bass to sound EXACTLY like one of them, you should probably just.. buy one of them. My 2 cents at least.
Here's a link to a pretty useful set of clips (for hearing different pickup positions).
Invalid Link Removed
But to really see what this thing is best suited for, play it with a band!
Totally agreed.
At the end of the day, it sounds like a Lakland 55-02. And that's a pretty darned good sound!
And for what it's worth, while I agree that the Lakland pups are more "aggressive" and "cut through more," I really, REALLY like the sound of a 55-02 with Barts and Stainless Steel strings (specifically DR Hi-Beams) -- to my ears, that is a kicka$$ combo!
Mark Wilson
Supporting Member
The people that have negative comments about the pick ups or electronics are same that are NEVER satisfied with anything in life . There strong suit is complaining…. Ain’t damn thing wrong with 55-02 great bass
I'm sorry, but that couldn't be a more elitist and incorrect assessment...
In that paragraph, you are saying that anyone that doesn't share your opinions of the bass in question are unhappy complainers and not worth the time of day to paraphrase. Geez, who do you think you are, anyway. You don't get to make that assertions.
I could, by the same token, assert that you are a pompous opinionated person with no tolerance for anyone's opinions but your own.
But I won't. I guess.....
(PS, no dog in this hunt. I don't own any Lakeland basses, but I enjoy reading about other basses and other players' experiences with those basses. Whether I agree with their assessments or not)
