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Sadowsky/Warwick Announcement Video

#285
Thegrandwazoo said:
No, not low end. Maybe I should change my wording. They aren't rock-solid, pro-level instruments like their American counterparts. They're not even American Standard Fender-level. I've owned all three.
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Well, many disagree with the claim that Skylines aren't rock-solid, pro-level, or on the same level as Fender's main US models. Plenty of pros rock Skylines. Funny story: John McVie of Fleetwood Mac was given a Skyline P bass by Lakland. They told him they'd make him a USA model and send it along when it was done. He was so happy with the Skyline he said he didn't need a US bass.

The Chinese-made Dingwall I tried recently was pretty darn impressive. It all depends on the specs you're asked to build to. As for the new MetroExpress basses, I'm openminded.
 
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#286
GregC said:
Well, many disagree with the claim that Skylines aren't rock-solid, pro-level, or on the same level as Fender's main US models. Plenty of pros rock Skylines. Funny story: John McVie of Fleetwood Mac was given a Skyline P bass by Lakland. They told him they'd make him a USA model and send it along when it was done. He was so happy with the Skyline he said he didn't need a US bass.

The Chinese-made Dingwall I tried recently was pretty darn impressive. It all depends on the specs you're asked to build to. As for the new MetroExpress basses, I'm openminded.
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Skylines are fine instruments, and I never suggested they weren't. The Skyline Jazz I had years ago was an excellent instrument. The US Lakland that I replaced it with, my old German Warwick, most of the American and Japanese Fenders I've played and handled and the US Music Man basses I currently own were all finished (I don't mean paint, I mean details) to a noticeably higher level of playability and quality. It's just the way things almost always are, I don't make the rules, haha! Is it necessary? Nope. Worth it? Only you can decide. True? In every case I've personally ever seen.
 
#287
Thegrandwazoo said:
No, not low end. Maybe I should change my wording. They aren't rock-solid, pro-level instruments like their American counterparts. They're not even American Standard Fender-level. I've owned all three.
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Wholly disagree. Longtime Lakland Skyline user here. Definitely pro level. And definitely better than Fender AS Standard in my honest opinion and I've owned one. Didn't last a year in my stable.
 
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#289
GregC said:
Well, many disagree with the claim that Skylines aren't rock-solid, pro-level, or on the same level as Fender's main US models. Plenty of pros rock Skylines. Funny story: John McVie of Fleetwood Mac was given a Skyline P bass by Lakland. They told him they'd make him a USA model and send it along when it was done. He was so happy with the Skyline he said he didn't need a US bass.

The Chinese-made Dingwall I tried recently was pretty darn impressive. It all depends on the specs you're asked to build to. As for the new MetroExpress basses, I'm openminded.
Click to expand...
DWBass said:
Wholly disagree. Longtime Lakland Skyline user here. Definitely pro level. And definitely better than Fender AS Standard in my honest opinion and I've owned one. Didn't last a year in my stable.
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I was in the ‘Asian QC/craftsmanship can’t match US’ camp until I played enough Skylines to know it’s not a fluke.
 
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#290
DWBass said:
Wholly disagree. Longtime Lakland Skyline user here. Definitely pro level. And definitely better than Fender AS Standard in my honest opinion and I've owned one. Didn't last a year in my stable.
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I've owned both. I'm glad you like yours. Mine didn't stick around long. No stock Fender is really satisfying to me, but American Fenders have better necks and fretwork than any Skyline I've ever seen, and that's where all the money is.
 
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#291
Thegrandwazoo said:
No stock Fender is really satisfying to me, but American Fenders have better necks and fretwork than any Skyline I've ever seen, and that's where all the money is.
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If I'm not mistaken....all Laklands are PLEK'd. Every Fender I've owned and played needed fretwork and a good setup. I guess everyone has a different experience but I've yet to find a Fender that played as well as a Lakland/Lakland Skyline. My Fender also had a dead spot that could not be remedied. Had to go.
 
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#292
DWBass said:
If I'm not mistaken....all Laklands are PLEK'd. Every Fender I've owned and played needed fretwork and a good setup. I guess everyone has a different experience but I've yet to find a Fender that played as well as a Lakland/Lakland Skyline. My Fender also had a dead spot that could not be remedied. Had to go.
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Skylines have been Plek'd since 2008. US Laklands have not.
 
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#293
DWBass said:
If I'm not mistaken....all Laklands are PLEK'd. Every Fender I've owned and played needed fretwork and a good setup. I guess everyone has a different experience but I've yet to find a Fender that played as well as a Lakland/Lakland Skyline. My Fender also had a dead spot that could not be remedied. Had to go.
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I've never played a non-American/Japanese Fender that was any good at all. Don't PLEK machines do automated fret leveling? Obviously, that's important, but I'm talking about how the fret ends are dressed, fingerboard edges are rolled, frets are final polished, that sort of thing. I'm pretty sure Gibson PLEKs their instruments, and we all know that they're not necessarily anything special. Skylines are fine quality instruments, they (the 10 or 12 I've played/handled and the one I owned) just haven't quite been what my opinion of top notch is. At their price, they shouldn't be and I wouldn't expect them to be.
 
#294
I cancelled my order for a MetroExpress. I've been waiting for 14 weeks now since I ordered, and only 3weeks before delivery they now say: it will take at least another 12 weeks before delivery cause of corona. I fully understand the situation, but that's just too long for me. We have a project in july with a (corona-safe) recording session and a youtube show. I wanted a lightweight 5-string with a good Fender jazz-sound for that. Already got a replacement: a used Lakland Darryl Jones with an East dj-retro preamp.
 
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#297
bucephylus said:
So....the Metro’s AND Masterbuilt’s will both be made in Germany? Only NYC Custom Shop will be made in the States, in a smaller shop with much smaller staff?

If so, that’s a REALLY big change. I am somewhat surprised that Roger chose to go that direction vs turning his NYC shop over to one of his senior staff or another more local rising luthier. I get the retirement thing, believe me. BUT, the NYC pricing is going to have to look like Alembic to not compete with the German Masterbuilt’s.

Don’t get me wrong; Warwick is more than capable. Just seems a bit sad for the US operation to downsize to such an extent, and have the vast majority of instruments now be built in Germany. Oh well.

Regarding the Chinese instrument; I hope everyone realizes that they can still purchase the Sadowsky Onboard preamp separately. So, for an extra $300 or so, you can have the original preamp with VTC. That doesn’t seem so bad to me. If the quality of the instruments is there, it looks like a pretty nice line.
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Yes, I was surprised at the Warwick Sadowsky masterbuilt too. But the NYC shop still builds guitars too, right. I think I read somewhere that the archtops are Roger's true passion.
 
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