LAKLAND PICKUPS

[Heartbreaker]

Regarding pickuos on these models, 55-02, 44-02, 55-94, 44-94. Can anyone tell me what difference there is in tone between the newer Lakland pickups they now use compared to the Bart pickups they used befor.
Also what tonal diferences with the new Lakland LH3 preamp compared to the previous Bart preamp.
I've owned 2 x 55-02's & a 55-94 all with Bart pups & am concidering a new 44-02 which has the Lakland coponents but unfortunatly have no chance of trying one.
Any help would be well apreciated, thanks, Rob.

[Bassalot]

The 'new' Lakland pickups and the LH3 system supposedly sound more agressive than the Barts.

See www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpd7r0PdVnU for a demo of the LH-3 and Lakland pups.

[BigBeatNut]

My (limited) experience and my research suggests the same.

I have a 55-94 (2005, barts) that I love to bits, and I recently acquired 55-02 (2008, Lakie pickups and LH3 pre).

While I haven't done a like-for-like comparison (55-94 has pretty much always had flats on it, and the 55-02 has nickel rounds) the 55-02 does sound more agressive to me ... too much in the way of highs and high-mids. Don't forget, that COULD be strings, except that my findings seem to be echoed by the Lakie community on TB (conversation starts [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/lakland-owners-group-48-a-712957/index30.html#597"]here[/url] but is interleaved with so much else that it's difficult to follow )

I think it's fair to summarize it like this: The older pickups (barts rather than lakies) are less aggressive. People swap pickups (both directions) for that reason. Also the LH3 while it's very flexible in the mids (mid frequency can be preset to about 8 different settings) it's somewhat lacking in it's ability to tame the highs. (That sums up hours of research in the Lakie megathreads and the Lakie 01 (mods) threads on TB).

If I find out more by swapping strings and getting a like-for-like comparison, I'll post here.

Andy

[fingerz]

Yep I second the recommendation to check out talk bass on this - there's some great acounts on there on the differences from players who really know the Laklands of old and new.

I have a student with a 55 02 dlx with Barts and have played the up to date stuff with the Lakland pups/pre. I'd agree that the bart set up sounds slightly more aggressive but with variations from bass to bass i'm sure you can find very similar sounding basses from either era. defo in the same ball park and I'd be really suprised in a live setting if there was a big diference.

One clear thing I've noticed is that the Bart one I played had a 3 position switch for the humbucker. This gives you (in the Humbucker): 1)Front most single coil 2)humbucker/both coils 3)Rear coil on it's own. On the Lakland equipped one I played there was a 2 position switch for humbucking/single coil settings on that rear pickup. They are great basses IMO whichever you look at.

Defo check out Talk bass..

[BigBeatNut]

[quote name='fingerz' post='1126535' date='Feb 13 2011, 10:57 PM']One clear thing I've noticed is that the Bart one I played had a 3 position switch for the humbucker. This gives you (in the Humbucker): 1)Front most single coil 2)humbucker/both coils 3)Rear coil on it's own. On the Lakland equipped one I played there was a 2 position switch for humbucking/single coil settings on that rear pickup. They are great basses IMO whichever you look at.[/quote]

Hmmm ... I don't know what you've seen, but my 55-94 (USA, bart pickups) has a 3-position switch as does the 55-02 (Far East, Lakie pickups). That spec is confirmed by the Lakland website ("3-way Bridge Pickup Coil Tap Toggle"). Sounds like the one you saw with a two position switch was modified ?

Andy

[Lfalex v1.1]

Arrrgh! Can't Stand Anonymous Naming (numbering policies) How's your average Joe supposed to work out which is what?!
I am not a number!
I am a free man!
(cue maniacal laughter)
[/ rant]

[BigBeatNut]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='1126584' date='Feb 14 2011, 12:15 AM']Arrrgh! Can't Stand Anonymous Naming (numbering policies) How's your average Joe supposed to work out which is what?![/quote]

Well, okay, but there is a [url="http://www.lakland.com/basses.htm"]lakland website[/url] . And a code. 55 = 5 string 4 or 44 = 4-string. Second part relates to the year of the bass, so the 55-94 is laklands first bass from 94, the 55-76 is a classic MM ('76) pickup config .... not hard to get your head round, particularly if you're an aficionado.

[fingerz]

[quote name='BigBeatNut' post='1126562' date='Feb 13 2011, 11:34 PM']Hmmm ... I don't know what you've seen, but my 55-94 (USA, bart pickups) has a 3-position switch as does the 55-02 (Far East, Lakie pickups). That spec is confirmed by the Lakland website ("3-way Bridge Pickup Coil Tap Toggle"). Sounds like the one you saw with a two position switch was modified ?

Andy[/quote]


Oh right. Maybe? But the one I played with the Lakland pre (and 2 position coil switch) was brand new and in a shop! I'm not too proud to be wrong, of course, but I'm sure that's what was going on with the 55-02 dlx I played. Interesting..

[Heartbreaker]

Thanks ALL for your imputs & knowledge regarding these pups. The main reason I moved my 55-94 & 55-02's on sounds like the same resons stated here as the top end was just too hi-fi in the loud live situation despite all the tweeking possible to the eq. It cuts through fine but just too much top. Still kept getting another though as they are great to play & at home sound ok. Just bought another new 44-02 as I'm no longer using 5 stings so will be interested in checking out the new Lak pups to see if they are more agressive & even try a Tonehammer if needs be. My usuall rig is an Ampeg SVT4 pro head with several Mk1 Markbass cabs as we play classic rock at very high volumes, great rig for tones live with my US CS Jazz & EB3 so will be interested to see if I can tame the 44-02.
Just on another Lakland personal observation, US versis Skline models. Having had both the 94 & 02's in the deluxe series I can honestly say that the huge extra cost of the US version is not justified with ither build quality, tone or finish, they are all so very similar to justify over double the cost. In fact my last 55-02 was the lightest Lakland I've had at only 8.6 lbs where as the 55-94 was 9.11 lbs, same quilt & finish on both & sounded identical. When you pay big money for a top end instrament you should expect a noticable diferance somewhere. Cheers, Rob.
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[BigBeatNut]

[quote name='Heartbreaker' post='1128613' date='Feb 15 2011, 05:19 PM']Still kept getting another though as they are great to play & at home sound ok.[/quote]

Interested to know what your home setup is in that case. Same rig, low volume ? Small combo ? Headphones (through what amp/preamp) ?

It's at home that I notice the 55-02 (lakie pickups) being a little too toppy for my taste, though PODxt and headphones. I need to take off treble everywhere (on the bass, on pod eq an pod amp modelling) before I can get some of the deep tones I need).

Live (through markbass cmd121p with VLE control) it is easily tameable.

Andy