Lakland 5502DLX

132 Guitarist September 2008
LAKLAND SKYLINE DARRYL JONES 4 & 55-02 DELUXE
£1,075 & £1,329
BASSES
If it’s a passive signature model
bass that you’re after then
might we suggest that Fender’s
Artist Series Marcus Miller
Jazz (£950) is a relative snip.
Or, if you want something more
traditional but classy then try
the American Deluxe Jazz
Bass (£1,240). The Fret-King
Green Label Perception 60
(£1,449) comes with either JJ or
PJ pickup configuration and for
an extra £150 you may prefer
the ‘Vintique’ gold-plated
pickguard version.
The Rivals
Darryl Jones 4
Lakland Skyline Darryl
Jones & 55-02DLX
£1,075 & £1,329
We investigate the affordable Skyline Series which promises
to bring Lakland to many more players By Roger Newell
L
akland (pronounced
Lakeland) has been making
basses in Chicago since 1994,
when enthusiast Dan Lakin began
producing high-quality Fender-
style basses to custom standards.
As a working bass player he was
already repairing and modifying
instruments, plus a little buying
and selling on the side, and so was
aware of what made a good bass
even better. Creating his own high
quality instruments which offered
a combination of elements from
his favourite basses, was the
obvious next step. After countless
measurements and weights were
taken, a design was formulated, a
prototype built and the first
instruments premiered at NAMM
in 1994. Lakland basses now have
a legendary status of their own
and are renowned for their quality
and practicality.
Although the top-of-the-range
Lakland’s are still manufactured
in the USA, the Skyline series is
produced overseas. This began in
2002 in order to take advantage of
cheaper production costs and
enable them to offer a wider range
of instruments. So why our
sudden interest in the Skyline’s
now? Well, a new UK distributor
has been found, so getting one of
these highly desirable basses has
just become a whole lot easier.
Like many others, Lakland has
looked to the Far East to reduce
construction costs, but although
the initial assembly takes place
over there, all instruments are
shipped back to Chicago for full
assembly, electronics fitting and
final adjustments. This means
that every instrument is
individually tested and approved
by the parent company. The
general Lakland designs fall into
two categories: the original body
shapes and the more traditional
look associated with Fender
Precision and Jazz basses.
This Skyline Series adopts the
same visual principals and just
like their American-built fellows
there are options on fingerboards,
active electronics and alternative
pickups with price variations to
suit. We have chosen an example
of each, both with a secure five-
bolt neck-to-body joint, one has
active electronics and one passive.
Darryl Jones 4
The design inspiration here is
unmistakable and even the Lake
Placid blue finish on this review
model owes allegiance to the same
source. But this is more than yet
another Jazz bass clone, as the
slightly sleeker body size and the
overall attention to detail smacks
of confidence from the off. The
fully bound neck, through-body
stringing, tapered string posts,
chunky and efficient Lakland
bridge and matching body and
headstock – in one of the best
colours ever used on a guitar –
make this eye candy at its best.
Being a well-seasoned player
and having toured and recorded
with the Rolling Stones for almost
two decades, Mr Jones knows
what he wants from a bass. And
having played his part in the
design process you’d expect this to
be a real players’ instrument – it
most certainly is. The neck is
modelled on Darryl’s own 1966
Fender Jazz and the frets are
The Lakland range is a mix of traditional and original designs
PHOTOGRAPHY BYPHILIP SOWELS
GIT307.rev_lake 132 11/8/08 5:31:26 pm