Recent Purchase / Help - 2006 Lakland Skyline 55-02

[gbeach407]

Made a recent purchase / marketplace find on a 2006 Lakland Skyline 55-02 for $800 ... looking for validation I made a good decision & let me know initial thoughts on how I did price point wise. The seller was asking for more but I was able to negotiate a little bit. ---- This is my first Lakland and have been looking at them for awhile. Albeit the skyline series I must say I am super impressed with the build quality and feel of this bass. It is forsure players grade / has some scratches on pickguard and needs a proper cleaning I have no clue what the last guy used it for but there is white residue and random gunk on the pickups & screw heads .

I have two questions;

1. Has anyone else seen this model with TWO switches for the EQ,VOLUME,ETC? everything I have seen online seems standard to have one switch // I am curious if this was factory or previous owner added

2. *Note the 3rd picture with some of the fretboard "pitting" is what I would call it -- its like the finish is lightly coming off or something, anyone have knowledge or experience with this happening and what can I expect to pay to get it fixed/ is it something I could fix myself? -- at the moment when playing its not temendously noticable and I still really love the way the bass feel and plays so I think its worth it to me to get this thing freshened up and play the heck out of it.

Appreciate the feedback, cheers
Garrett

 

[Thumpinshelton]

First...welcome to the Lakland family! $800 still a fair price IMHO. This one def looks like it got plenty of use, but with a little cleanup you should have a good thumper. As far as the electronics that is definitely an aftermarket mod that was done. Not sure the purpose, but it is NOT standard. With the fretboard that is something I have not seen before. You can reach out to Lakland directly and they may be able to provide some feedback on what can be done to fix that issue.

Good luck and enjoy the bass!!!

 

[basspraiser]

First of all congrats!
I would say you did well.
Do you have any idea what the second toggle switch does? That is definitely not standard..
The one switch is to toggle between the two pickups in the bridge enclosure.

As for the neck issue, I have never seen anything like that either.

Maybe send some pictures to

[email protected]

And ask them if they have any ideas.

The neck might just need to be refinished.

Make sure to check out the Lakland owners group thread!

Welcome to our addiction.

 

[JSandbloom]

In 2006, those shipped with Barts pre and pickups. At some point someone put in the LH3 pickups and who knows what preamp. The LH3 preamp only has one switch.

 

[Minimalist]

That black is nice. I dig solid colors.

 

[halcyo]

The 55-02 is a pro level bass. I gig mine 100+ gigs a year and it's a real trooper. It's a really good "all arounder" type of bass, and the build quality and especially neck feel is fantastic and sturdy. I got compliments on its tone all the time.

The smaller switch is the regular one, is a 3 way for splitting just the humbucker pickup into front coil/full humbucker/bridge coil. 90% of the time I run mine switched toward the bridge, which is basically giving you a Jazz bass single coil tone.

Have no idea what your aftermarket switch does, but hopefully it's something cool! Looks like someone changed the original bartolini pickups for the newer Lakland LM3 pickups (considered an upgrade), but who knows what preamp is in there. If you can't hear what that switch is doing, a tech may be able to tell you what it's wired to do.

Does the fretboard finish feel rough or bubbly where the "pitting" is? Hopefully just scratched up the oil finish on there and it's not necessarily an indication of any weirder issue.

 

[beaglesandbass]

It's $400+ cheaper than the cheapest 55-02 on Reverb, so I can't say it's a bad deal. The price might reflect the issues though. Hopefully you can get the neck issue fixed for less than that so it'd still be a good deal.

 

[lowendblues]

Dont beat yourself up. Thats a very cool bass.

 

[Five or Six]

Good snag on an excellent bass. You done well. Play it and enjoy it.

 

[Deleted member 394512]

Can you take a picture of the inside of the control cavity?

The lower switch is not stock to the Bart or Lakland pre. I am guessing it may be a series / parallel switch for both PUs or a kill switch.

Interesting.

 

[scuzzy]

i would call that a very good deal. those basses are sweet. yours looks like a light relic that people pay extra for. the black/black/maple is a classic combination. rock that thing

 

[DrBnz]

That fretboard is interesting. I'd guess that somebody used some sort of cleaning chemical that started to dissolve the finish. I'd also believe it to be cosmetic only and nothing is really "needed" to be done. If it bothers you that much I'd look into a refinish option. I'd probably leave it alone and play the hell out of it.

 

[deepestend]

Feels like one switch is active/passive and another is a coil tap for the MM pickup.

 

[Obese Chess]

I wish I had bought one of these when they could still be had for around that price new. Great bass at a great price. I am also inclined to think that the electronics are not original - but if they sound good, who cares - and that the fretboard issue is from wear and tear or some sort of botched cleaning job, possibly with the same goop you're finding on the rest of the instrument.

Either way, again, you scored a great bass at a great price. Enjoy! And of course if the cosmetics really bother you, feel free to PM me and I'll take it off your hands.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

Are any of the knobs push/pull? Because it may just be an active passive switch, if it was converted from Barts instead of replacing the volume knob with a push pull they may have left it and added a switch instead. Also depends on what preamp is in it now, but these are great basses and $800 is a really great price, I think you did well!

 

[deepestend]

The skylines are great. A good setup and they are on par with most other basses.

 

[Kevlanco]

I would have snatched that up if it was for sale local to me! I see the wear as a plus and extra mojo.

 

[gbeach407]

Original Post Update! : First off thank you to everybody for the replies and comments - apologies on a delayed responses on my behalf, I was super sick last week and didn't even get a chance to revisit this.

Finally had a chance to plug this thing in and play it for a bit; ran it through MarkBass 500 watt head & Ampeg SVT210 Cab….

This bass is SWEETTTTTTT!! The neck feels amazing, weight is right where I like it - sturdy but not too crazy heavy — and the tonal capabilities are amazing. Between all the EQ options / pickup selections this thing is a beast and is 100% a keeper for me don't think I'll be getting rid of it ever! Probably going to play this regularly once I get it polished up and set it up a little more to my liking.

As for the extra switch question — 1st off YES there is a push pull knob on the top furthest knob. —— the 2nd aftermarket switch itself appears to be some sort of mid frequency switch — I reached back out to previous owner on marketplace and he noted that was what he believed it to be but said it "came that way" — He said his dad got it in a trade w/ some other gear. … I have not had a chance to open the back up but for those requesting pictures and that have a higher knowledge base on this type of thing I'll make sure to post pic this evening // maybe someone can confirm looking at pictures what it's wired up to do. But I will say when playing I do hear a pretty significant "shift" in something tone wise — it might be mids but have not had enough time playing it to fully dissect.

As for the fretboard wear / pitting issue it is not even noticeable when playing - it is definitely some sort of delaminating or peeling of fret board finish - maybe from a chemical or cleaning product like some have mentioned. Either way putting it on hold it doesn't bother me other than just knowing it's there. Might try and take care of it later on if it becomes more of a problem.

In all - Im over the moon stoked on this bass! Feel like it was a great find and IMO kinda cool it's has a not so common mod switch on it! (Once I figure out what it does ) … I have a feeling this thing was seriously played by previous owners and I will continue to do so and cherish this thing for long time to coming. Easily moving it into my normal played rotation.

- Garrett

 

[Deleted member 394512]

Original Post Update! : First off thank you to everybody for the replies and comments - apologies on a delayed responses on my behalf, I was super sick last week and didn't even get a chance to revisit this.

Finally had a chance to plug this thing in and play it for a bit; ran it through MarkBass 500 watt head & Ampeg SVT210 Cab….

This bass is SWEETTTTTTT!! The neck feels amazing, weight is right where I like it - sturdy but not too crazy heavy — and the tonal capabilities are amazing. Between all the EQ options / pickup selections this thing is a beast and is 100% a keeper for me don't think I'll be getting rid of it ever! Probably going to play this regularly once I get it polished up and set it up a little more to my liking.

As for the extra switch question — 1st off YES there is a push pull knob on the top furthest knob. —— the 2nd aftermarket switch itself appears to be some sort of mid frequency switch — I reached back out to previous owner on marketplace and he noted that was what he believed it to be but said it "came that way" — He said his dad got it in a trade w/ some other gear. … I have not had a chance to open the back up but for those requesting pictures and that have a higher knowledge base on this type of thing I'll make sure to post pic this evening // maybe someone can confirm looking at pictures what it's wired up to do. But I will say when playing I do hear a pretty significant "shift" in something tone wise — it might be mids but have not had enough time playing it to fully dissect.

As for the fretboard wear / pitting issue it is not even noticeable when playing - it is definitely some sort of delaminating or peeling of fret board finish - maybe from a chemical or cleaning product like some have mentioned. Either way putting it on hold it doesn't bother me other than just knowing it's there. Might try and take care of it later on if it becomes more of a problem.

In all - Im over the moon stoked on this bass! Feel like it was a great find and IMO kinda cool it's has a not so common mod switch on it! (Once I figure out what it does ) … I have a feeling this thing was seriously played by previous owners and I will continue to do so and cherish this thing for long time to coming. Easily moving it into my normal played rotation.

- Garrett

A picture will go a long way in confirming the switch purpose. I see it has Lakland PUs but maybe it has a Bart pre in it? Not the Lakland pre.

Nice bass. Post a picture of the electrics when you can.