Lakland Skyline 44-64 GZ - Black Review

Problems problems

The build quality and playability are fine EXCEPT for endemic inability of factory to equally space the holes for the tuners. Ridiculous. At least mine, though badly done, didn't result in keys actually interfering with one another as another customer stated. The volume pots are absurd, the worst of "audio" taper, only making sound between 8 and 10 on my replacement Fender 1-10… read more numbered dials. The P pickup is a gloroius monster but the J is so weak as to be about useless. I couldn't raise the J pickup anywhere near the strings, with the screws just backing up loosely and above the pickup. Went into the cavity, added a piece of almost 1/4" dense foam underneath the J which got pickup up where it needed to be. Weak output, still. I wanted to replace the two 'audio taper' A250k pots with two Bourns 'linear taper' B250k pots BUT... nearly the entire circuit is EMG's plug-in system, no solder in most of the interconnections. I decided to replace everything, using the good-playing instrument as a platform for Seymour Duncan pickups and Bourns linear volume pots. When today I removed the two P pickup sections I found that the foam (of the foam blocks, which have springs in them, for pushing the pickups up against the screws's restraint for pickup height adjustment) were just squashed goo. No "foam" left, the pickups just sitting on top of the springs. I bought the bass new 4 months ago. The foam material turned to flattened goo sometime during this period, I guess. It's hard to believe this bass left a factory and numerous later checks with an "OK", because of: the tuner key error in spacing, the ridiculously non-height-adjustable J pickup, its very weak signal, the 8-to-10 only volume pots. I hope that with new pickups, properly up near the strings, and with linear taper pots which actually behave as volume controls instead of "off below 8" switches, this will become a useable instrument.

---

Cancel Comment

The Black Beauty!

This bass is phenomenal in every way! I can't recommend it enough.

---

Cancel Comment

One of the best values in bass history

The fit and finish compare extremely well to my $2300 Music Man Stingray. The set up is much better. These are a delight to play with essentially a slim taper Jazz neck and the Ash body gives the dark EMG GZR pickups more attack but you can dial that down with the tone knob. The ultimate PJ. I have 4 premium basses and this one gets played 50% of the time.

---

Cancel Comment

GEEEEEEEEZER!

Wow! I'd been looking to put some EMG Geezer Butler pickups into one of my older basses for a while now because they sound amazing and are so versatile. I decided to instead go with this beauty, and I'm glad I did. Thank you to Kyle Malone who found me a discounted one at a great price. I still cant find a the blemish!This bass can do all things. I've ended up selling 2 of my other… read more basses after getting this black on black on black beast. Limitless tones through a clean amp, and takes crunch, drive, and pedals like a champ.

---

Cancel Comment