Misdee

I can vividly remember seeing Bruce Foxton playing live with the Jam around 1979 playing a black/maple Precision that sounded even more growly than his Rickenbacker. Great player, great tone.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1475235635' post='3144255'] IME all basses sound essentially the same in a given style of music once they have been tweaked to sit properly in the mix. [/quote] I have heard top record producers say exactly this, and that the only real difference is whether the bass has new strings on or not. Similarly to previous posters, I have got a "boutique" Fender-style bass (Lakland USA PJ with a Jazz neck) but my USA Fender basses get far more playing time and are my automatic choice. My 2012 Am St Jazz Bass with CS pickups, for example, sounds so good and is so versatile that it meets all my needs for any style of music. A good Fender bass (and let's face it, with Fender you do get some dogs at every price point) has got a gutsy sound that can either be supportive or cut through the mix, or even do both of those at the same time. I like a bass to have a substantial bottom end without sounding artificial or over-hyped by electronics. A good Fender gives me that along with mids that speak and a musical treble. That is a tonal balance that eludes a lot of very expensive fancy basses, most of which, by comparison, are neither robust nor practical.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1472891713' post='3125059'] Which is precisely why we need to enjoy the stupidly good value of Maruszczyk while it lasts... [/quote] Maruszczyk basses do indeed look like tremendous value for money and no doubt they are. From experience though, if your heart is set on a particular bass - be it Fender, Sadowsky, Dingwall, whatever - however sensible and pragmatic a substitute might be, you are never truly satisfied. Pre-Brexit, I have been saving my pennies for MM Stingray Classic, but now I won't pay over the odds, leaving me with money in my pocket but no real prospects that excite me when it comes to UK-made basses not affected by the Brexit-induced price hike. ( Regaining British sovereignty is all very well, but it is of very little use when you are trying to pump out a heavy funk bassline. A Stingray would do nicely, though. )

I really like the oval Lakland bridge, but totally agree about the D Lakin headstock. I think he decided to go for an early Fender-style Tele headstock, and it just doesn't work. Regarding paint jobs, D Lakin basses are a case in point. Because Dan had no intention of offering a USA-made range, he was free to offer the most attractive colours such as Fiesta Red and Seafoam Green on his import line. Companies such as Fender and Lakland reserve them for their custom shop basses as an inducement for these prestige instruments. It makes sense from a marketing point of view. I know for a fact that custom USA Lakland basses are all shipped from Chicago to California to be painted by Pat Wilkins, widely accepted to be the best in the business for paint jobs, bar none. That is a significant cost incurred in their manufacture. The cheaper USA range will almost certainly be painted locally.

Definitely not now. That is, if you are talking about mainstream rock and pop music. Back in the '70's and '80's the bass guitar was far more evident on most popular music than it is now, not least of all because there were far fewer options. Nowadays, what with synth bass, 808's, sine wave etc. there is more competition for the low end of the musical spectrum. Different styles were always permissible, encouraged, even, and there was just much more bass guitar about back then. Listen to Radio 1 and then listen to an oldies station and compare the bass playing (or absence thereof) - it will prove my point. I started playing at the tail-end of the 1970's, inspired by a lot of the post-punk New Wave bands, so many of whom had exciting and interesting bass players who still stir my blood nearly forty years (!) later. Of course there are great young players coming through, but I just don't see the same number of innovative bass guitarists as in those heady days. Everybody knows that when they were young it was better than now, but when it comes to bass playing, the old days really were the best.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1472556145' post='3122031'] I agree 100% that Brexit will continue to affect instruments such as this. I also agree that black is no doubt THE most popular guitar and bass colour, it is just not for me. It isn't just the colour though, they just look extremely plain. I would be interested to know exactly what the differences are to a Skyline, that make it's more than double (I think?) the price. Electronics? Frets? Figured woods on the neck? Maybe it is just poor marketing. Do you get a good quality Lakland hardcase? It looks like you get the same pickups on the passive models.... [/quote] I'm not sure,but I think you get a quartersawn graphite-reinforced neck, for one thing, and that makes a huge difference between the USA basses and the Skylines. You really can feel the benefit. FWIW, even though my US Lakland is a step up in quality from even a good Fender bass, I still play my Fender P Bass far more and get greater enjoyment from it. Which I suppose raises the question how much anyone needs a super-high quality bass in comparison to a decent quality one. What I like about Laklands, though, is that I seem to be able to "get into" my playing on them a lot more than some high-end basses I have tried, where the "luxury" can be bit of a distraction.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1472496182' post='3121599'] Is that a rebadged US Lakland? [/quote] No, Fender Custom Shop.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1472328789' post='3120426'] In your opinion. Personally, I love interesting pastel colours such as surf green and sonic blue. Black? Nope. Let's be honest, you should be looking at details in a bass, especially £2300. It's all in the details. [/quote] Absolutely. Its all about details. Lakland's aim with these basses was to offer a bass at a lower price point whilst still giving the important construction details that elevate the US-made models over the Skyline. Whether they have succeeded, I've no idea. You would have to sit down and play and compare them. Regarding the UK retail price, that is dictated as much by the exchange rate as it is by all the other factors involved in its production. It would be very interesting to know if this is a pre or post Brexit price. I suspect that post Brexit we will all be left with a sour taste in our mouths when it comes to the price of US-made instruments. All of them are going to cost a bit more than they are actually worth. Lets face it , we were paying over the odds before the Brexit debacle, and now we are all sunk. It would be no problem to get a US Lakland in any of the colours you fancy, but you are looking at spending closer to four grand than the 2,300 quid you are currently balking at. Don't just blame Lakland though, blame Boris, Nigel et al. Regarding the colour choices, you may be averse to black, but all bass makers will tell you that it is a perennially popular choice. This has been brought home to me this weekend watching footage on tv from Reading and Leeds with my grandson. Band after band with black guitars and basses. And lots and lots of beards!

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1472324219' post='3120398'] Very well, I imagine, unless US Laklands are sprinkled with ground unicorn horn or something. [/quote] The ground unicorn horn is reserved for the Deluxe US models, I think. My point is that just because a bass may externally appear similar, it doesn't necessarily make it a comparable level of quality. Otherwise why not save yourself some money on your Maruszczyk and go for one of these: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3655160.htm?CMPID=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59161|cid:611964854|agid:35816374571|tid:pla-125531282725|crid:118127450171|nw:g|rnd:551713021227815912|dvc:c|adp:1o29 inexpensive, bright colour, ticks all the boxes.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1472216480' post='3119543'] That's exactly what I mean! The 2 comparisons above provide perfect examples. [/quote] If I might say, my friend, you seem preoccupied with largely irrelevant and superfluous details. Flamboyant colours and nitro finishes are not what separates a run of the mill instrument from a superior quality one. Besides which one man's "boring" is another man's "elegantly understated".

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1472215360' post='3119523'] Like this US one for £2500: [url="http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/bass_guitars_detail.asp?stock=160805301291007"]http://www.guitargui...160805301291007[/url] Compared to this Skyline for half the price: [url="http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/bass_guitars_detail.asp?stock=10030310482629"]http://www.guitargui...=10030310482629[/url] [/quote] [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1472215828' post='3119535'] Or [url="http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/bass_guitars_detail.asp?stock=160805301289007"]from this[/url] to [url="https://public-peace.de/index.php/bass-guitars/maruszczyk/jake/4-string/1963-jake-l-4p-black160143"]this[/url], for nearly a third of the price, probably built with similar care & attention... [/quote] The Skyline comparison is a valid one, I suppose you would have to play them both and see if the American bass is worth the extra money. As the saying goes, "you pays your money and takes your choice". I've played a few Skylines over the years and, for the most part, they were nice basses. The full-spec US Laklands are however, a very different proposition. How these "budget" US Laklands compare I have no idea. As for the Maruszczyk, I have no idea how it would measure up against a US Lakland. All I would say is that if you like them then that is sufficient, but not all basses that appear externally similar are in fact equal.

OK Cheers for that. I can understand what you mean about it feeling weird with it being so light. It's a long time since I played a Status bass but I remember them being very punchy and hifi . Hope you are enjoying it.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1471535503' post='3113802'] I just don't think they offer anything significant for the money. Do you get a nice flame/birds eye roasted neck? No. Do you get extremely rare and interesting nitro colours etc? No. Boutique high end pickup? No. I understand these will be well made, but they just don't seem to be much more than a decent American Standard Fender. Although Sadowsky basses are more money, that is where I would go. That or a Fender Custom Shop. Even 2 Maruszczyk basses instead, and they'd be pretty much at the top of their range like a lightweight body. [/quote] [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1471536189' post='3113811'] I've just had a look at the 5 string Musicman style basses....wow, serious money. I thought there might be a really high end top or expensive looking semi trans finish/figured wood grain..... [/quote] It's worth mentioning that these basses are all from Lakland's "budget" USA-made range. They are made in the workshop in Chicago, but with more basic appointments and limited options compared with the more expensive full-spec American-made basses. The Lakland USA-made full-spec models offer all the things you say are missing from these ones, but especially post-Brexit, you will pay a premium for them in the UK. In terms of comparison, I've got a Fender American Standard Jazz Bass and P Bass and they are nice basses, but my USA Lakland PJ trounces them in terms of overall quality and playability. It is the most expensive instrument I've ever bought but it was worth every penny. Quite frankly it's in a different league. 'I'm not particularly keen on most fancy high-end boutique basses, but USA Lakland are a notable exception. They are solid and consistent workhorses. Add to that they offer something a bit different with their own custom pickups and hardware, and you can see why so many bass players enjoy them so much.

Wow looks amazing! I'd love to hear about how one of these feels to play compared to a conventional bass, and how the low B string sounds. Does the graphite give it an even and focused tone?

I can remember in the 1980's when plenty of UK retail shops had Wal basses in stock, especially in the Greater London area. That's when I played a fair few and I distinctly remember the substantial feel of the necks on all of them. When I see the eye-watering prices of a new Mk 1 Wal, how I wish I could go back in time! Lovely basses, but five grand? They were never that expensive back in the day, even allowing for inflation. I've never had one of my own, and I suppose now I never will. Such a shame as I would dearly love one.

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470342737' post='3105407'] 35 years? Who are these 'many'? Many members of this forum might believe that, say, Fenders have been over-valued for 35 years, but if the market for fenders has sustained those prices for 35 years then I'd say that would be a pretty good indication of what those fenders were actually worth. That's not to say that circumstances couldn't change such that their value suddenly plummeted, but I'm not sure that's the same as being overvalued in the past. [/quote] I say most of the last 35 years, because for the most of that time the pound has traded above it's current level. It has been unusual to get less than 1.5 dollars to the pound. A higher dollar rate favours American exports at the cost of transatlantic trade in the return direction. This suits certain vested interests, but does not necessarily reflect the true buying power of the respective currencies. Numerous economists have drawn attention to this discrepancy. Regarding the UK retail value of brands such as Fender, goods are priced to a market, and you can't blame any company for trying to get maximum profit. Except for Warwick. They are taking the piss.

In the long term, I fear for specialist high-end guitar and bass shops. People will pay a bit more for a while,but ultimately higher prices will lead to a tail-off in sales that would be disasterous for smaller independent retailers. There is a certain point at which consumers start to look elsewhere to spend their money. Folks will pay 21/2 to 4k for a high end " boutique" bass, they won't pay 5k upwards, except for the most prestigious brands, such as Fodera and Wal. Look at the drop in sales of German- made Warwick basses over the last few years. Their incredibly high ( some would say exhorbitant, or even just plain mental) prices have led to their disappearance from the UK retail scene. When was the last time anyone on Basschat ordered a new German-made Warwick?

Wal necks are, as I remember them, pretty chunky and barrel-like, for want of a better term. They are certainly nothing like the shallow D of a Stingray, more like a slightly narrower chunky Precision.

Hard to whittle it down to five, but John McVie, Graham Maby, George Murray, David Hood and Robbie Shakespeare all inspired me when I first started playing and still do now, decades later.

I too have absolutely no desire to get involved in a political discussion - I'm way past saturation point with all this Brexit business - and as someone else has pointed out, that horse has already bolted. The fact is that the pound will not be recovering to pre -Brexit levels any time in the foreseeable future, not least of all because many in the financial markets believe that sterling was grossly over-valued for most of the last 35 years. They would see the current exchange rate as a far more accurate valuation of the pound, especially in relation to the US dollar. This is significant for the price of musical equipment not just from the USA but also from the Far East, where trade with the West is usually conducted in US dollars, regardless of the final destination of the goods. The big question is whether, in the longer term, manufacturers will have to rethink their pricing structures for the UK market. Conceivably, there may come a point where American guitars become priced out of the market in Britain and sales fall off drastically. Companies like Fender will have to make a decision whether to cut profit margins or see their sales dwindle, leaving them with 100% of nothing. I am brassed - off myself because I've been saving for a new MM Stingray and now can't even bring myself to find out what the post- Brexit prices are. My only hope is that Sterling Ball takes pity on America's closest ally and cuts us a special deal. I am not, however holding my breath!

Feedback thread for Misdee - comments and suggestions gratefully received.

I've been reading this thread with interest, despite the fact that these basses don't really appeal to me in so much as Shell Pink would have to be one of my least favourite Fender custom colours, and although I quite like Flea as a bass player that is not enough to get me to buy what is essentially just another vintage Jazz Bass copy. I wouldn't buy a bass with fake wear on it either, but that's just me being a grumpy old man. This may be an apocryphal tale, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that some young pup of an internet billionaire bought the 61 Shell Pink Jazz for Flea as a gift to his most esteemed musician. Someone told him that this was the rarest and most valuable bass that there was, so he bought it as a present. Flea promptly put stickers on it and proceeded to beat hell out of it in his inimitable style. That's punk rock for you. Regarding the stack knobs v VVT configuration in terms of tone, I know that many bass players favour one arrangement over the other, including such notables as Jaco Pastorius and John Entwhistle, but I'll be damned if I can hear a difference. Either one will sound like a Jazz Bass.