LukeFRC Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 (edited) Thought I would share my latest new bass day, it’s a bit late as I actually picked this up in late November ... but it’s taken me a while to get used to it... my first ever five string a Lakland 55-94 classic from 1999 I think in candy apple red you know when Facebook shows you adverts for basses and you see one that’s at a great price which get snapped up straight away... well then imagine it’s still there three weeks later, and in the next village from where you work... so you explain you probably aren’t interested but can you try it please... and it’s pretty well played and beat up, but it’s as light as a four string, and the neck is just a natural feel and effortless, even with that extra string ... ... and later that week the fella comes over and money is exchanged ... new strings and knobs come from Lakland in the US (hence newer style knobs) and I practice with it and gig it once so far. Mentally harder to play 5 compared to 4 ... but fun oh it can kinda sound like a jazz, or it can kinda sound like a musicman, or it’s own sound with both. The preamp is very very coloured, I need to test out the different mid options and the whole thing is kinda on the darker end of the spectrum... sounds a bit rubbish actually, till you hear it in the mix and it just *fits* perfectly so learning curvd having a fiver, but lots of fun! Edited February 3, 2020 by LukeFRC 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 I think I saw this for sale on FB and was keen. Gimme a nudge if it doesn't work out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 Interesting pickups, and I love your description of the sound 🙂 Will this be making an appearance at the Midlands Bass Bash on 9th May? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 We have a member here that plays professionally full time, he has one of everything at his disposal from vintage to single cut things with weird preamps, I think his Lakland like yours goes out on every main gig. A proper tool for the job no matter what that job turns out to be. Excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Excellent bass to start with. I played mine for nearly 14 years. Great sound and super easy to play. Lakland hit the ground running with those basses. Mine wasn't a light weight and, sadly, I had to sell it when my back started playing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJE Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 I saw that for sale, great deal in a great bass, and one of the best introductions to a 5 string you could get. I tried 5 strings twice and only the second time did I get in the right mindset that worked for me. I always thought of it as some alien instrument and it’s not, it’s a 4 string bass with a massive long thumb rest 😄. In all seriousness though, I played it like a 4 string for a while and then slowly went through my set lists with various bands to see where I could drop down to notes on the B rather than go up to notes on the A. Soon it just became natural but don’t feel like just because it’s there you need to use the B string all the time. The other piece of advice I always give is to put away the 4 strings, so many people just give in and go back to what is familiar and comfortable. I sold my 4 string the day after I got my first proper five so I had no choice but to get on with it or discover it wasn’t for me long term. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 1 hour ago, NJE said: The other piece of advice I always give is to put away the 4 strings, so many people just give in and go back to what is familiar and comfortable. I sold my 4 string the day after I got my first proper five so I had no choice but to get on with it or discover it wasn’t for me long term. Good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 1 hour ago, NJE said: I saw that for sale, great deal in a great bass, I couldn’t understand why no one else went for it. It was pretty battered and needed some TLC but still Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Lakland released this video years ago when they started using their own proprietary pickups and preamp. Their push at the time was to get the three 'big sounds' all in one bass. I don't think they managed it perfectly, but they managed to get a passable impression of the things they were going for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 My 1997 US Lakland sounded excellent with the original Barts and had it's own sound. IMO this LH3 pickup system video is just marketing faff. Laklands have a great sound on their own, so I don't see why anyone would buy a bass as good as this and try to sound like a totally different bass?!? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 I love the barts in my 1999 5594 deluxe. Sound amazing. Not dark at all. Amazing neck. Really comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 5 hours ago, bubinga5 said: I love the barts in my 1999 5594 deluxe. Sound amazing. Not dark at all. Amazing neck. Really comfortable. what freq do you have the preamp mids set at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 11 hours ago, NJE said: The other piece of advice I always give is to put away the 4 strings, so many people just give in and go back to what is familiar and comfortable. I sold my 4 string the day after I got my first proper five so I had no choice but to get on with it or discover it wasn’t for me long term. I'm playing at the weekend and kinda want to play the jazz cos I love that bass. I also want to play the Lakland just because if I don't keep playing it I will just give in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Sympathise a lot with making the transition from 4 to 5! I remember my first gig with a 5er, 18 months or so back, and muscle memory kicking in the middle of a song, great...EXCEPT it was muscle memory for all the 4 string basses I'd ever played up till then, so I was at the right fret but wrong string! Aaargh!! Managed to limp through to the end of that number, but I could feel confidence ebbing. Fortunately no one really notices the bass player too much, right?! Anyway scroll forward, and I'm loving playing my 5s. The only 4 strings left in the herd are one that has 4 octave strings included and an EUB... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 I’ll second what others have said. It’s a baptism of fire in many respects but you always have the four familiar strings to hand. I found by focusing on my originals bands material initially I could work them out to best incorporate the low b but I did some of those tunes in drop d so that helped as I kinda needed to go to the low D for about 4 tunes. The trick as others have said is ditch the 4 string and if you can work out a bunch of familiar songs and their patterns off the root notes on the b string. This way the patterns remain familiar it’s just the hand position/starting fret is different. I think it’ll all ‘click’ a little easier this way. It worked for me! As an aside I was limited by location for this one and was in discussion with the seller. I love that it’s battered but wanted to play it just to make sure the neck was good. First dibs though right😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 14 hours ago, LukeFRC said: what freq do you have the preamp mids set at? Ill check 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkerr Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 On 06/02/2020 at 11:01, NJE said: I played it like a 4 string for a while and then slowly went through my set lists with various bands to see where I could drop down to notes on the B rather than go up to notes on the A. I did it slightly differently; I spent ages on scales rooted on the B string, and once I'd hoisted in the concept of having two full octaves over five frets everywhere on the fretboard, I started learning a bunch of new songs using the changed fingering. It worked a treat; my four went back in its case and it hasn't been used since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 Another fan of Laklands here. Look forward to seeing it at the next Bash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 On 09/02/2020 at 12:01, Andyjr1515 said: Another fan of Laklands here. Look forward to seeing it at the next Bash! Not sure if I’ll make it this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 On 09/02/2020 at 11:39, lozkerr said: I did it slightly differently; I spent ages on scales rooted on the B string, and once I'd hoisted in the concept of having two full octaves over five frets everywhere on the fretboard, I started learning a bunch of new songs using the changed fingering. It worked a treat; my four went back in its case and it hasn't been used since. So been using it live recently. Actually don’t find using the B string too hard! If anything it’s getting lots on the D and G strings that’s the problem! though did pick up my 4 string L1000 yesterday and that was a fun time.... so using it live but Not 100% sold on this 5 string thing yet! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkerr Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 40 minutes ago, LukeFRC said: So been using it live recently. Actually don’t find using the B string too hard! If anything it’s getting lots on the D and G strings that’s the problem! though did pick up my 4 string L1000 yesterday and that was a fun time.... so using it live but Not 100% sold on this 5 string thing yet! Give it time... I know what you mean about the D and G strings. That closer spacing can be a trap for the unwary; the set list for our upcoming gig has one song where I have to jump quickly between the two and another that has root-fifth chords on those strings. It's taken a fair bit of practice to stop my clumsy fingers muting the D string while fretting the G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 I had its Asian counterpart, a 55-02. Best five string I've tried. Nice one! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkle Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 I went to 5 string for about 5-6 years a time back. I liked it but didn’t find it life changing or essential the way many do. So I went back to 4 after that and stopped worrying about it. I might pick up a 5er again at some point for fun. Probably a cheap Cort or something. But good luck with the change, and enjoy the magnificence of Laklands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share Posted April 4, 2020 On 17/02/2020 at 15:52, funkle said: I went to 5 string for about 5-6 years a time back. I liked it but didn’t find it life changing or essential the way many do. So I went back to 4 after that and stopped worrying about it. I am beginning to think I might be similar. Three months on it’s ok but it’s not really life changing. I guess also almost all the music I would want to play, and every bassist I would want to play like, used 4 strings. hmm, stuff to ponder! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkle Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 I have found that sometimes I like using a Hipshot detuner for drop D on one of my 4 strings. But that’s about as low as I ever need to go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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