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Why little love for Lakland's HB30?

Yamarc

Yamarc

Supporting Member
Jun 25, 2002
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Rome, GA
#1
I've been doing some research on Lakland's short scale hollow body bass, but am having a hard time finding audio / video clips featuring the HB30. I've also seen a lot of them for sale on the classified section over the years and don't know of any famous / professional players regularly using one.

Any thoughts about this bass?
Is it sonically limited? Too niche? A poor performer compared to its competitors?
 
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#2
I think maybe because it looks cheap, like some Teisco you'd find in a pawn shop in 1974 for $70.
th-jpeg-67.jpg

The thing is, there are so many better srmi-hollow basses available, both short-scale and regular scale.
I'm not saying it's a bad bass, but it's simply not as appealing as an Ibanez Artcore, a Hofner or even an Epiphone Rumblekat.
This bass is one of the best in its class, but not too many people talk about it, either.
That's the way it goes.
th-jpeg-68.jpg
 
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#3
I had one, nicest neck I've ever felt on a shorty and very well weighted. But it just wasn't for me soundwise. If they ever release one with a mid and bridge pickup setup like the Gretsch G2220, I'm all over it.

That being said: the 1100 range for this bass is a bit on the expensive side. I've seen them going for 750 secondhand, that's more realistic. Also, the colours on offer are meh. Other builders seem to be going with pastels and all sorts of brightness nowadays, so the sunburst or black of the HB30 come off as a bit boring.
 
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#5
Pupalei said:
Old thread, so I apologize, but there isn't a lot on this bass in here. I have one, and it is my most comfortable bass by far. Sounds great to me. But it is not pretty. I find myself googling "vinyl wrap guitar" often. I'd love to have it in a Lake Placid Blue.
Click to expand...
No need to apologize...relatively recent thread.
A week doesn't go by here without someone reopening a thread from years ago.
 
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#8
Yamarc said:
I've been doing some research on Lakland's short scale hollow body bass, but am having a hard time finding audio / video clips featuring the HB30. I've also seen a lot of them for sale on the classified section over the years and don't know of any famous / professional players regularly using one.

Any thoughts about this bass?
Is it sonically limited? Too niche? A poor performer compared to its competitors?
Click to expand...


I've wondered the same thing. Mine is superb. Does everything I want it to. There's a number of artists who endorse it, but I'm not sure if it's anyone's #1, go-to. Don't really know why, either. It works for me, but it's sort-of a subset of a subset. Like you said, niche, but honestly, it hits several sonic points and can do everything from a decent j-bass sound to subby hofner, very well.
 
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#10
spike42 said:
Hutch seems to like his :) (around 2:06)

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Not much to dislike! I can sort-of see why some people may not like the look. It's not a P or J bass. Pups are great single-coils. I'd prefer total silence without the 60-cycle hum, but that's more a criticism of all single-coils, rather than the HB30, and with a little volume from both, it's very quiet. Otherwise, it's pretty tough to be critical. Fit and finish are top-notch. It's light, balances well, and frets are plek'd...
 
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#11
Yamarc said:
I've been doing some research on Lakland's short scale hollow body bass, but am having a hard time finding audio / video clips featuring the HB30. I've also seen a lot of them for sale on the classified section over the years and don't know of any famous / professional players regularly using one.

Any thoughts about this bass?
Is it sonically limited? Too niche? A poor performer compared to its competitors?
Click to expand...
Personally, I think it's the best ss semi-hollowbody bass in production and blew the rest out of my car/studio/stage. Fit and finish are excellent, QC is excellent, design is excellent and easily adjustable, an almost unbelievably useful bass "tool" that plays like buttah, neck smooth as a baby's ass, is light (mine's 7.8 lbs), precisie hipshot tuners, perfect bridge saddle to nut alignment, perfect meaty neck, and gets any sound you might need on any gig. Some say it looks cheap in photos but up close it's gorgeous. I'm 67, been playing since 1969, and it's the best ss bass ever made IMO, and I've had them all. My action btw at 17th fret is 4/64th w/ minimal relief, it came w/ a perfectly cut nut (only 1 ever), has tiny frets, and really resonates...Contact Bass Central, tell Beaver that Doug MorTone in VT. sent youse , he'll get you a good discount ;-) .
 
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#12
freshbass said:
Personally, I think it's the best ss semi-hollowbody bass in production and blew the rest out of my car/studio/stage. Fit and finish are excellent, QC is excellent, design is excellent and easily adjustable, an almost unbelievably useful bass "tool" that plays like buttah, neck smooth as a baby's ass, is light (mine's 7.8 lbs), precisie hipshot tuners, perfect bridge saddle to nut alignment, perfect meaty neck, and gets any sound you might need on any gig. Some say it looks cheap in photos but up close it's gorgeous. I'm 67, been playing since 1969, and it's the best ss bass ever made IMO, and I've had them all. My action btw at 17th fret is 4/64th w/ minimal relief, it came w/ a perfectly cut nut (only 1 ever), has tiny frets, and really resonates...Contact Bass Central, tell Beaver that Doug MorTone in VT. sent youse , he'll get you a good discount ;-) .
Click to expand...

 
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#13
Hey guys,
Any of you have a 2nd preferred short scale? One you like as much as the Lakeland but for different reasons. Just curious, I've been looking around, trying some things but haven't found a competitor.
 
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#15
I'm going to look at one tomorrow. I'm looking for something that gets close to my Hofner Club but doesn't make me feel like I'm playing a foreign instrument. The Hofner sounds great but dead spots, string spacing and weird placement of the upper strap button make me hate gigging with it. In fact I almost can't play it with fingers...need to use a pick which is fine but limiting.

Wish me luck!
 
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#16
dwellers said:
I'm going to look at one tomorrow. I'm looking for something that gets close to my Hofner Club but doesn't make me feel like I'm playing a foreign instrument. The Hofner sounds great but dead spots, string spacing and weird placement of the upper strap button make me hate gigging with it. In fact I almost can't play it with fingers...need to use a pick which is fine but limiting.

Wish me luck!
Click to expand...
Let us know if you get one. Good luck.
 
#17
dwellers said:
I'm going to look at one tomorrow. I'm looking for something that gets close to my Hofner Club but doesn't make me feel like I'm playing a foreign instrument. The Hofner sounds great but dead spots, string spacing and weird placement of the upper strap button make me hate gigging with it. In fact I almost can't play it with fingers...need to use a pick which is fine but limiting.

Wish me luck!
Click to expand...
Well, I didn't buy one. Gotta say a love connection did not occur. I found the neck to be surprisingly wide but maybe I was just thinking of my Hofner. In any case. the setup was off so perhaps I just played it on a bad day. I also found the bridge pickup to be surprisingly weak, especially compared to the neck. I know I wouldn't use it solo'd much but rather to feather some highs into the neck. But so many (of the few available) videos demo'd the bridge pickup solo'd. It was disappointing. But the finish, weight, balance and overall feel were fine. I just didn't see it as a big enough upgrade from my Hofner Club. Sorry...
 
#18
Iknow this is an old thread but...

I own a 2013 made in Korea HB-30.
I have been playing bass for 60 years and have owned dozens of basses including many short scale.
My HB-30 is not only the best short scale that I ever owned or even played, it might just be one of the best basses that I have owned period.
I play it every day and it goes to every session or gig.
Playability, sound, quality build, ergonomics, balance. It has it all.
I have owned several other Laklands. I think that they are one of the best builders around.
IMHO the very best "Fenders" are made by Lakland.
PS; I have been looking for a short scale Lakland Decade, if anyone know of one please let me know.
 
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#20
Liam Wald said:
Iknow this is an old thread but...

I own a 2013 made in Korea HB-30.
I have been playing bass for 60 years and have owned dozens of basses including many short scale.
My HB-30 is not only the best short scale that I ever owned or even played, it might just be one of the best basses that I have owned period.
I play it every day and it goes to every session or gig.
Playability, sound, quality build, ergonomics, balance. It has it all.
I have owned several other Laklands. I think that they are one of the best builders around.
IMHO the very best "Fenders" are made by Lakland.
PS; I have been looking for a short scale Lakland Decade, if anyone know of one please let me know.
Click to expand...
There is not a "club" fot the HB30, but there is a slightly more current thread here
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/lakland-skyline-hollowbody-30-short-scale.1257128/page-4
 

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