Popped in to check some Laklands today....

[Musicman20]

...and yet again I was left disappointed.

I've been trying to buy a DJ5/JO5 for about 2-3 years. I've given up a few times, only to try again.

I went into a local store, and they had a fair few in stock.

Not only were the pickups well off centre, the bridges were off centre, and the worst part was the paintwork. Near the neck pocket it was very rough and looked like it had been rushed. I checked 3-4 of the basses and they all had similar issues. On one, you could see where they had missed the paint and it was just the primer underneath and bare wood!

Now, I might be a fussy sod, but c'mon, £1000+ for something like this?!

Weirdly enough, the Squier CV's and Fender MIM 50s P were almost perfect!

[Raslee]

The old ones are always the best

[warwickhunt]

If I were you I'd stop looking at Lakkies!

[paul_5]

I've been admiring Lakkies from afar for a while but I reckon I'll give them a wide berth.

[White Cloud]

Strange - I played several Laklands religiously live for a number of years and I found them to be truly exceptional....much better than US Fenders. Perhaps the new ones are not of the same quality????

[bubinga5]

Didnt Dan Lakin, one of the co owners sell the company or his share of the company a while back..? Lakland are/were the best in the business for quality... i used to have a 55-01 Deluxe and it was fantastic build quality

[Musicman20]

Agreed, the old ones (eg before Hanson took over and when they used boutique pups) were definitely a step above a USA Fender, but now, definitely not.

[andydye]

I got my 55-02 earlier this year and it's flawless, the 55-01 I had before it was similarly perfect.

That said, the dj5 I tried was seriously crappy, the neck felt terrible!

[Musicman20]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1345062332' post='1773140']
Didnt Dan Lakin, one of the co owners sell the company or his share of the company a while back..? Lakland are/were the best in the business for quality... i used to have a 55-01 Deluxe and it was fantastic build quality
[/quote]

Yep...its a much 'bigger' company now.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1345060635' post='1773101']
If I were you I'd stop looking at Lakkies!
[/quote]
Yep, giving up now!

[Raslee]

Go second hand!!! Try a nice 2006 ish JO4/5 with the Lindy Fralins -generally flawless and a wonderful instrument...i deeply miss mine...i had a DJ5 too - was great but i preferred the JO5.

[Machines]

I had a 2005 55-02 which was fantastic but looked a bit dull. Not played any recent ones though.

Edit: the previous owner of my 5502 was Rasta

[Dingus]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1345062340' post='1773141']
Agreed, the old ones (eg before Hanson took over and when they used boutique pups) were definitely a step above a USA Fender, but now, definitely not.
[/quote]
[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1345062364' post='1773144']
Yep...its a much 'bigger' company now.
[/quote]

I am very interested in these two assertions.

In my estimation the Hanson pickups that come as standard on Lakland basses nowadays are equal to and in some cases better than any of the so-called boutique pickups that they used to fit. Hanson Pickups are boutique pickups. Looking at each case on it's respective merits, the LH3 pickup system that replaced the Bartolinis is clearly better than it's predecessor. When I first heard Lakland were making the change I perhaps shared some of your schepticism to some extent, but within 5 minutes of trying the new pickups I was utterly converted . The LH3 sounds as good as any other h-ifi, hi-tech pickup and preamp package on the market.
As for the Jazz Bass and Precision style pickups, , I am a huge fan of the Aero pickups that used to come on the D.J, but the Hansons sound very close indeed to them . The Hanson Jazz pickups were voice to be somewhere between the vintage warmth of the Fralins and the slightly more agressive Aero sound, and to my ears they did a great job. The Neopunch Precision -style pickup is a similaly fantastic piece of work ; it sounds huge and is very responsive with an agressive growl that is extremely appealing . Also, in terms of the build quality i.e how well they are potted , shielded, lack of microphony ect. the Hansons are top -notch. I would be very keen to know if you have actually tried and compared basses with all these pickups , or whether you are going purely on brand-name reputation.
As for Lakland being a big company since Dan sold his interest, I can tell you for a fact that the only real change is that they have moved to a new and much-improved factory in Chicago that will help them turn out even better basses.,. They are still a relatively small concern doing things pretty much as they always did. Current C.E.O John Pirriccello was with Dan from the beginning, and cares passionately about the good name and reputation of the company and it's products just like Dan did( and still does.)
That said, if you don't like Laklands, you don't like Laklands. I suppose that ,just like Fender, if you really want one you have to find a good one . As for the percieved quality control issues, I certainly wouldn't get too hung up on the whole pickup alignment thing. Within most parameters it won't make any percievable difference to the sound or output of the pickup. Lakland are quite aware that the pickups don't always line up perfectly -there can be various reasons for this- and it just isn't very important. The finishing on the neck join is often a trouble spot for guitars for some reason, and the paint is prone to burn - through o n the heel block. I have seen this on expensive boutique basses as well as relatively inexpensive ones . Why this is I don't know but it wouldn't particulaly bother me. A tight neck pocket is however essential on any bass with a bolt-on neck , in my book. Particulaly when talking about the Skyline series, it's important to remember you are talking about a (very good ) budget range. made in the far -East . If you want the kind of quality you seem to crave then I would suggest looking at the U.S.A- made basses. To my ears at least , the Skylines sound about as good,, but the U.S.A basses feel better, if that makes sense.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Dingus

[Musicman20]

I know where you are coming from, but they aren't a budget bass. They are the same price as a Fender American Standard, but you don't get any type of hardcase, or any case at all!

Sorry. but the pickup alignment/paintwork/bridge alignment really does bug me when a £300 Squier CV is almost perfect.

[LukeFRC]

Thats nice Mr Dingus. But if I were looking to spend £1000 on a bass and had the choice between one where it didn't line up correctly and hadn't been painted correctly and one that had.... I would go for the squier! When a £300 chinese bass can do it... a budget range at 3 times the price should be able to do it too don't you think?

Also pickups not lining up perfectly...I think when on a fender style pickup you have a object running between two magnets and inducing a current thats then amplified... then where over the magnets the object runs is kinda important. If you had a big delano style single pole piece less so... but standard jazz or P pickups.... again squier manage it.

[LukeFRC]

I played one one in a shop not so long ago, not sure what it was but a sunburst jazz type thing. Looked stunning. weighed a ton. sounded... meh. the Geddie lee was much nicer.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1345068756' post='1773287']
I played one one in a shop not so long ago, not sure what it was but a sunburst jazz type thing. Looked stunning. weighed a ton. sounded... meh. the Geddie lee was much nicer.
[/quote]

Weight! Forgot about that.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1345068919' post='1773295']
Weight! Forgot about that.
[/quote]

one i tried was about the same as my Peavey T40 - but no way near as balanced.

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1345062385' post='1773146']
Yep, giving up now!
[/quote]

Besides, a little bird over at ernieball.com tells me you've ordered not one, but [b]two bongo's!![/b]

[Dingus]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1345068632' post='1773283']
I know where you are coming from, but they aren't a budget bass. They are the same price as a Fender American Standard, but you don't get any type of hardcase, or any case at all!

Sorry. but the pickup alignment/paintwork/bridge alignment really does bug me when a £300 Squier CV is almost perfect.
[/quote]
I take your point entirely and I certainly don't mean to sound like I am having a go at you. by any means. Just like you , if I am looking at a bass with a veiw to buying it I am very particular: we each have our own priorities as to what's important , and you are' of course' fully entitled to pay your money and take your choice ( or not not pay your money and not take your choice in this case for you , if you know what I mean.) I suppose anyone making a choice would have to consider if the features and extras with the Fender appealed to them more than Lakland Skyline for the money. The Fender is good value in my opinion, and the recent American Standards are great basses regardless, of cost. . Everything you could want from a Fender. The point I really wanted to make is that those Hansons are really good -sounding pickups by any standards, and if you were to discount them out of hand you might be missing out on their better qualities.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Dingus

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1345069819' post='1773313']


Besides, a little bird over at ernieball.com tells me you've ordered not one, but [b]two bongo's!![/b]


[/quote]

Awesome!

[Dingus]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1345068662' post='1773284']
Thats nice Mr Dingus. But if I were looking to spend £1000 on a bass and had the choice between one where it didn't line up correctly and hadn't been painted correctly and one that had.... I would go for the squier! When a £300 chinese bass can do it... a budget range at 3 times the price should be able to do it too don't you think?

Also pickups not lining up perfectly...I think when on a fender style pickup you have a object running between two magnets and inducing a current thats then amplified... then where over the magnets the object runs is kinda important. If you had a big delano style single pole piece less so... but standard jazz or P pickups.... again squier manage it.
[/quote]

The pickups magnetic field spreads in an arc and is not so specific as to be effected by a few millimeters difference. The misalignment on Laklands usually involves the string being towards the pole piece above its centre position , still well within its magnetic field. The point is that if they spent more time on such things as the pickup alignment at the factory maybe they would have to charge even more.. At some stage it seems they have made a decision at some level ,for better or for worse, on what their priorities will be. All companies get feedback from dealers and consumers on what the issues with their products are, and then decide how to respond, if at all.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1345069819' post='1773313']


Besides, a little bird over at ernieball.com tells me you've ordered not one, but [b]two bongo's!![/b]


[/quote]
Haha, not yet, considering though due to the huge price increase.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1345070682' post='1773330']
The pickups magnetic field spreads in an arc and is not so specific as to be effected by a few millimeters difference. The misalignment on Laklands usually involves the string being towards the pole piece above its centre position , still well within its magnetic field. The point is that if they spent more time on such things as the pickup alignment at the factory maybe they would have to charge even more.. At some stage it seems they have made a decision at some level ,for better or for worse, on what their priorities will be. All companies get feedback from dealers and consumers on what the issues with their products are, and then decide how to respond, if at all.
[/quote]
meh, squier can get it right a lot of the time on a budget instrument. It is as you say a question of time spent in the factory. And partly I guess how much Lakland pays Cort to spend time on their basses, factored in with the "value added" of the Lakland brand and the amount of profit lakland want to make on each bass.

Basses are funny things, you get to a point where a lot of the far eastern made basses are made by the same couple of manufacturers and badged with whatever- one comes out with one logo on it and is £1000, a similar, cheaper hardware for £300- or just different priorities.
Like blindfold test a Skyline Lakland, or Tanglewood Overwater, or A Cort GB, or even the Cort Sandberg line series.... is there as much difference essentially as the recommended retail price would suggest?

[KennysFord]

The build quality on my 08 44-02 is flawless, I can't find a single fault on it anywhere.
Lovely Bass