Lakland Skyline 55-2

[Moo]

I got fed up with the backache of gigging with my TRB 6p, and went looking for a £700 ish (2nd hand ) 5 string Bass for the funk covers band I am in.
I wanted a stingray, but did not like the sound or ergonomics of the new ones I tried in a shop.
I ended up buying a used [url="http://www.lakland.com/55-02.htm"]Lakland Skyline 55-2.[/url]

This is a very nicely made bass, machined and assembled in indonesia, and then finished in the US where they install the electronics, set them up and 'refine' the frets etc.
Many people on Harmony-central etc. state that Lakland basses have higher build quality than many U.S. fenders, and I can see why.
The 35" neck has a not to fat, not to thin, but' just right' feel to it with well finished small frets on a rock maple fretboard.
The 35" scale removes the floppy B problem that I have on my old 34" neck TRB. Combined with the 19mm string spacing it has a roomy and solid feel, especially compared to my Ibanez SR 506.
I have restored the action and neck relief to Factory settings from the very high action which the previous owner had set. Because of the small frets, this bass is hard work with a high action, and heavy strings on. It works much better with medium or light strings and the low action which the level of fretwork allows.
I now have a nice low action, which I can dig into much more than my other basses before I get fret buzz, and can play for hours with less fatigue. The neck is not as fast as my Ibanez, but then you can't dig in and get a funky bark with the ibanez.

55-02s have the same Pup and Pres as U.S. 55s. Newer basses have Laklands own version. It has jazz style single neck pup, and a stingray style bridge pup with 3 way switch for single front, dual, and single back options. powerfull 3 band e.q. with internal mid frequency selector swich. (which some people find a PITA to have to take the electronics cover off to get to.)

It has an overall well ballenced deep, harmonically rich, and yet nice clean sound. It can pull of that rare trick of having lots of bottom, but not sounding whooly on the lower notes, which usually requires a much higher price tag to do.
The pickup and eq options had me fiddling for days to work out the tones I wanted for the funk band, and it can do them all:
It can do a good facsimile of a vintage stingray sound on the back pickup in dual mode. A Jazz bridge sound in back only single mode, and a jazz neck sound on the neck Pup. So I can go from motown to 'chilles in the flick of a switch between songs.
I am very pleased that I bought this instead of the Stingray I have wanted for years. It obviously cannot sound exactly like a stingray, but I find the Stingray-esque sound it producess very pleasing, and prefer it to a modern 5 string 'ray. I can get that old stingray sound that I have in my head, as well as a passable jaco tone (its not fretless) or bernie edwards, or vintage motown, or blues brothers etc etc.
There is a comprehensive matrix of 60 sound samples on the Lakland website [url="http://www.lakland.com/ac_5502.htm"]here[/url]

Overall these basses have a level of construction and playability up there with the £2,000+ range basses, and a wide range of great sounding solid tones. If you play in a band who's setlist spans many genres and or eras, then this bass is a good quality and very usefull tool that will sound right, and feel comfortable to play all night.

The dust is realy building up on my other basses now.

Good luck finding 'the one' - I have.

Moo

Edited November 13, 2009 by Moo

[d-basser]

I just bought an older 55-02 second hand and I have to agree, top quality instrument with great versatility. I use mine for rock/punk type stuff mostly and it is great.

[OliverBlackman]

The 55-02 i played on was a very pleasent bass, ok to play on, not a bad feel, good build quality. But that was it. I like my stingray because it has a beefy neck and it really barks when you dig in, the p bass is like an old man in an armchair and delieveres a really warm sound, the warwick is like a smooth criminal, really crisp sound. The 55-02 for me, was like an accountant, a bit dull. (no offence to accountants)

[chris_b]

Good choice. Good review.

[markorbit]

Yes, I've just ordered a 55-02 and enjoyed the review. Cheers.