Lakland Appreciation Thread

[SumOne]

This looks like a good Black Friday deal from Guitar Guitar. If my Sandberg sells in time I'll be going for it:

 

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/13022212363316--lakland-skyline-darryl-jones-5-string-white-pearl-maple-fingerbo

 

 

.....in fact, I might just get it wheter my Sandberg sells in time or not, then I can compare them both - if the Sandberg wins then I can return the DJ5 to Guitar Guitar up until 31st January (they are running an extended returns window), if the DJ5 wins then I'd expect that the Sandberg will sell for that sort of price eventually (and if it doesn't and I get stuck for money I could just  return the DJ5). Flawless plan! 

Edited November 25, 2021 by SumOne

[Chris G]

I Purchased A Lakland 5594 In The Early 2000s With The Bartolini Preamp & Pickups And It Sounded Fantastic ! I Sold It Like A Dummy And Now Can’t Afford One As Mine Back Then Was Around $2200, Now There Around $4500 ! I Ended Up Buying A Used 5502, I Believe Around 2011 With The LH3 And Lakland Pickups And Did Not Like The Bright Aggressive Tone So I Ordered Me The Bartolinis Like My Older 5594 USA And Now I’m More Than Happy ! The Skyline Is Still Close To $2000 Around $1800 New ! The Skyline Is Just As Good As My USA Version In My Honest Opinion, My 5594 Had A Quilted Maple Top And Rosewood Fretboard, My 5502 Is A 3 Color Antique Sunburst, Plain Ash Body With Rosewood Fretboard ! I’m Extremely Happy Since I Installed The BARTS ! Sounds Fantastic ! Most All Boutique Basses Used To Come With Bartolinis And I Now Know Why They Just Sound Amazing ! I Owned A Roscoe LG3005 With Barts Sounded Amazing As Also I Owned A Tobias Killer B5 With Barts Sounded Great ! Love My 5502 And Will Keep It ! 

[chris_b]

10 hours ago, Chris G said:

I Purchased A Lakland 5594 In The Early 2000s With The Bartolini Preamp & Pickups And It Sounded Fantastic ! I Sold It Like A Dummy And Now Can’t Afford One As Mine Back Then Was Around $2200, Now There Around $4500 ! I Ended Up Buying A Used 5502, I Believe Around 2011 With The LH3 And Lakland Pickups And Did Not Like The Bright Aggressive Tone So I Ordered Me The Bartolinis Like My Older 5594 USA And Now I’m More Than Happy ! The Skyline Is Still Close To $2000 Around $1800 New ! The Skyline Is Just As Good As My USA Version In My Honest Opinion, My 5594 Had A Quilted Maple Top And Rosewood Fretboard, My 5502 Is A 3 Color Antique Sunburst, Plain Ash Body With Rosewood Fretboard ! I’m Extremely Happy Since I Installed The BARTS ! Sounds Fantastic ! Most All Boutique Basses Used To Come With Bartolinis And I Now Know Why They Just Sound Amazing ! I Owned A Roscoe LG3005 With Barts Sounded Amazing As Also I Owned A Tobias Killer B5 With Barts Sounded Great ! Love My 5502 And Will Keep It ! 

 

My experience exactly. I bought a 55-94D in 2003 and loved the sound, feel and look. It retired my Wal and was my #1 bass for 14 years, but, at just over 10lbs started to cause aches and pains in my bad back, so I sold it.

 

Last year I bought a 55-02 and while I thought the sound of the LH3's was OK I missed the Barts. At 8 1/2lbs, which is light for a Lakland, it was still causing me back problems, so it was also sold. My #1 bass is now a 6 1/2lb Sandberg and I was toying with the idea of installing a set of Barts.

 

@Chris G which Barts did you buy?

Edited April 12 by chris_b

[Chadu25]

In love with this amazing 55-94! I put together this quick montage and a bit of groovin' around in my favourite setting. Cheers!

 

 

[Paddy777]

I’ve not seen this thread before - I’m a massive Lakland fan, I’d go as far as to say it’s my favourite brand, started with a 44-01 and just bought a 55-02 Deluxe with an ebony board (pic below) which is immense. I also want to get a 55-01 at some point to make a ‘super jazz’ out of - gonna stick Nordy big singles and probably an East Uni 5 preamp in it. They’re such good basses to play, the necks are fantastic, they do everything you ask of them and you can gig them forever!!

 

[dub_junkie]

If you ever part with this bass Paddy, I want it!! 

 

Best looking bass I seen in a long time! 😍😍

[Paddy777]

On 10/05/2024 at 21:21, dub_junkie said:

If you ever part with this bass Paddy, I want it!! 

 

Best looking bass I seen in a long time! 😍😍

It’s a beauty isn’t it - bought from a Cash Converters in Hounslow through Facebook Marketplace for an song and it’s absolutely immaculate! Even came with a really substantial Mono gig bag 👌🏼 

Edited June 26 by Paddy777

[Chadu25]

1 hour ago, Paddy777 said:

It’s a beauty isn’t it - bought from a Cash Converters in Hounslow through Facebook Marketplace for £900+shipping and it’s absolutely immaculate! Even came with a really substantial Mono gig bag 👌🏼 

That is an awesome deal! Love the finish!

[lowregisterhead]

My recently resurrected Lakland SK-5CL Skyline Japan, an ESP licensed version of their Skyline model, made for the Japanese market. I picked it up on here cheap a couple of years ago, but the pickups and electronics were uninspiring, and it had quite a few big chips and dings in the finish, so I dismantled it and sent the body off to be resprayed. But on the way there, somehow the courier lost it!! After much arguing via phone and email, they finally gave me the princely sum of £100 in compensation. Despite numerous emails, I couldn't get either ESP or Lakland to supply a replacement body, so I stuck the neck and the hardware in a corner and forgot about them.

 

Months passed, and I stumbled on the bits again, so I decided to see if I could get a custom body made. The few places I found online quoted me a lot more for a body than the whole bass had cost me in the first place, so I parked the idea again. Then I came across a chap who reckoned he could make an accurate copy of the Lakland 55-94 / 55-02 body, which was assumed to be pretty much identical to the ESP version. There were no guarantees, and nothing to compare them with, but despite the fact he lived a very long way from me, I decided to take a punt and go ahead anyway. Much measuring of the neck end, pickup positions etc. went on, numerous photos were sent by email, and paper patterns sent by post. It took a while, but a solid mahogany body was fashioned and finished in satin white. When it arrived I expected there might be a few issues, but apart from a tiny bit of careful trimming to one corner of the neck pocket, much to my relief everything was an excellent fit. I managed to install the bridge, pickups and electronics without too much drama (a new Glockenklang 3-band preamp and Delano pickups) and it plays beautifully and sounds huge. It's even managed to unseat my Pearl White DJ5 (now for sale in the classifieds). In the intervening period I picked up a late-90s 55-94 as well (also pictured below) but they're very different animals, so I'll be hanging on to both of them. An excellent 'new' bass has risen from the ashes of a rather tired one!

 

 

Edited May 12 by lowregisterhead

[Paddy777]

1 hour ago, lowregisterhead said:

My recently resurrected Lakland SK-5CL Skyline Japan, an ESP licensed version of their Skyline model, made for the Japanese market. I picked it up on here cheap a couple of years ago, but the pickups and electronics were uninspiring, and it had quite a few big chips and dings in the finish, so I dismantled it and sent the body off to be resprayed. But on the way there, somehow the courier lost it!! After much arguing via phone and email, they finally gave me the princely sum of £100 in compensation. Despite numerous emails, I couldn't get either ESP or Lakland to supply a replacement body, so I stuck the neck and the hardware in a corner and forgot about them.

 

Months passed, and I stumbled on the bits again, so I decided to see if I could get a custom body made. The few places I found online quoted me a lot more for a body than the whole bass had cost me in the first place, so I parked the idea again. Then I came across a chap who reckoned he could make an accurate copy of the Lakland 55-94 / 55-02 body, which was assumed to be pretty much identical to the ESP version. There were no guarantees, and nothing to compare them with, but despite the fact he lived a very long way from me, I decided to take a punt and go ahead anyway. Much measuring of the neck end, pickup positions etc. went on, numerous photos were sent by email, and paper patterns sent by post. It took a while, but a solid mahogany body was fashioned and finished in satin white. When it arrived I expected there might be a few issues, but apart from a tiny bit of careful trimming to one corner of the neck pocket, much to my relief everything was an excellent fit. I managed to install the bridge, pickups and electronics without too much drama (a new Glockenklang 3-band preamp and Delano pickups) and it plays beautifully and sounds huge. It's even managed to unseat my Pearl White DJ5 (now for sale in the classifieds). In the intervening period I picked up a late-90s 55-94 as well (also pictured below) but they're very different animals, so I'll be hanging on to both of them. An excellent 'new' bass has risen from the ashes of a rather tired one!

 

 

He’s done a good job with that white body it’s looks lovely - really nice! I’d love a US 55/94 but it’ll be a while yet - what’s the second switch for on the 94, I’m guessing it’s active/passive switch rather than push/pull on the volume maybe.?

[BassAgent]

How did I miss this topic? I absolutely adore my Lakland. It's a USA Joe Osborn from 2004. Bought it because a befriended bassist has one and I loved it so much I wanted one myself. Got this one from Andy Baxter's. It might be the best Jazz I've ever played, and I've played a LOT of fantastic Jazzes.

 

 

[lowregisterhead]

10 hours ago, Paddy777 said:

He’s done a good job with that white body it’s looks lovely - really nice! I’d love a US 55/94 but it’ll be a while yet - what’s the second switch for on the 94, I’m guessing it’s active/passive switch rather than push/pull on the volume maybe.?

No, it has a Bartolini NTMB preamp with active/passive push/pull on the volume control - the second switch is for red neck-edge LEDs, which were installed by a previous owner. I’ll add a picture of them shortly. 

[pmjos]

These are my two - they make me very happy.

[Chadu25]

3 hours ago, pmjos said:

These are my two - they make me very happy.

In love with that buckeye 55-94!

[Chadu25]

Here’s a full body pic of my 55-94 I got from the Bass Gallery last year on my birthday. 

Edited May 15 by Chadu25