dmckee Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) [font=Helvetica]I’m genuinely not sure I want to sell this bass but I have GAS for something else which is hard to resist…..[/font] [font=Helvetica]So this is a 2008 (I think) USA Lakland, serial number 841. Beautiful bass, in teal sunburst (green or blue depending on the light), swamp ash body with quilt maple top, maple neck with birdseye maple fretboard. The scratchplate you can see in the pics is an official Lakland scratchplate that they put on their 44-94 Standard and it is just held on with blu-tack, no screws so can easily be removed. [/font] [font=Helvetica]You can read the full spec here: [url="https://www.lakland.com/44-94.htm"]https://www.lakland.com/44-94.htm[/url][/font] [font=Helvetica]Fantastic bass really. Amazing neck. All in very good condition I would say. It was clearly played a fair bit by the person who had it before me so there’s some light scratching on the body, but the neck is totally fine and fretwear is minimal. [/font] [font=Helvetica]I’ve had a few changes made to it (I found the stock pickups and preamp a little polite). [/font] [font=Helvetica]So, it now has a Nordrstrand MM4.4 bridge pickup and an NJ4SV at the neck. The 3 position switch on the bass is wired to switch the MM4.4 from inner single coil, to both coils in parallel, or both coils in series. [/font] [font=Helvetica]It also has a John East U-Retro Deluxe custom which I got from John before it went on general release (if it ever did). As well as all the usual stuff the U-Retro Deluxe has (volume, balance, treble, bass, sweepable mid, active/passive, passive tone control), it also has internal jumpers to determine whether you want pre-shape or flat response, as well as frequency wheels for bass and treble voicing. Super flexible. [/font] [font=Helvetica]That’s about £400 of extra hardware and I still have the original Lakland pickups and the original LH3 preamp, so they could easily go back in if desired. All work (including setup) done by Chris McIntyre ([url="http://www.mcintyreguitars.com"]http://www.mcintyreguitars.com[/url]). [/font] [font=Helvetica]The bass sounds amazing, as you’d expect, with a wide range of tones. here’s a video of someone playing a 44-94 Standard. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEBODvjC9Vg"]https://www.youtube....h?v=FEBODvjC9Vg[/url] [/font] [font=Helvetica]I wasn’t sure what to price it at to be honest - you see so few of them around in the UK. They seem to sell new in the States for around $3600, like here: [url="http://www.basscentral.com/lakeland_usa/lakland_494.shtml"]http://www.basscentr...kland_494.shtml[/url] [/font] [font=Helvetica]I have the original Lakland hard case too. I am based in Edinburgh. [/font] Edited August 5, 2015 by dmckee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikanHannille Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 I have the 5 string sister of this bass. Lovely necks they have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmckee Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 Here it is with the plate off, for anyone interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 Notice a big difference with the pick up and eq swap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmckee Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 I did them both more or less simultaneously so not sure exactly what to attribute the changes to, but.... Yes. I feel the original pickups/EQ were maybe a bit too HiFi. A little too much top and bottom, and not enough in the middle. Something I really like on the East preamp is the sweepable mid, right down to 100Hz. I find a little boost almost at the bottom of the sweep gives me the warmth and depth I'm looking for, without any boominess. I have a 3 band East preamp on my Stingray and I find it works similarly there too. So, I suspect it is more the preamp than the pickups that get me the sound I want. It'd maybe be interesting to put the original pickups back to prove that point. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 Sounds like a solid mod! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmckee Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Bump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 There are a couple of USA Laklands on here just now but this is the one I keep coming back to ogle! the pick up/preamp combo sounds like a winner! The old I'd like it but can't justify it bump! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmckee Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Not interested in trades, but anyone want to make me a cash offer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) Thanks for letting me check this out David!! That East pre amp/Nordsdtrands pick ups combination sounds f**cking huge! I've had a few Lakland Skylines over the years but this USA neck is sublime- -you can see where the money goes in these top end models! It just feels right in the hands, light on the shoulder and thunderous. I should add I was playing it into a wee Eden 110 cab and a TC head (a decent wee rig but not some super exclusice studio gear etc) and its was literally HUGE! Through a big rig....ooft! Look out! This is a steal! Edited July 13, 2015 by krispn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmckee Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 Happy to put the original Lakland pickups and LH3 preamp back in if anyone is interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmckee Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 Bump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmckee Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 Price dropped to £1300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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