Review: Lakland Skyline 44-60 Custom – English summary

Lakland are offering their basses in two distinct lines: The US-series comprises of instruments made completely at Lakland’s own workshop, while the Skyline-series has the woodwork and finishing performed in Indonesia. The Skyline-basses are then shipped to Chicago, where they are equipped with the electronics and set up, using human craftsmanship alongside a German PLEK-machine.

Kitarablogi.com tested the passive Skyline 44-60 Custom (current price in Finland: 1.599 €), which is the company’s take on the venerable Fender Jazz.

The review sample is a beautiful instrument, very carefully crafted from quality woods, hardware and passive electronics.

These very nice, licensed versions of Hipshot’s Ultra-Lite tuners keep the headstock’s weight down.

Lakland-basses tend to feature quite low and slim frets, which probably add a percussive element to the attack of each note. Some players will be concerned about how well small frets hold up to modern roundwound strings, though.

Lakland’s own bridge is a fine and sturdy design offering both through-body stringing, as well as the traditional Fender-style of stringing through the raised lip of the bridge plate.

****

The lightweight Lakland Skyline 44-60 Custom plays like a dream, thanks to the expert set-up, the flatter-than-vintage fretboard radius (10″) and the slim neck profile. The action was effortless with no string buzz whatsoever.

The Skyline 44-60 is a prime example of a J-type bass’ versatility. This bass really covers all of the usual bases with plenty of panache. The singlecoil pickups sound great and don’t pick up excessive amounts of electromagnetic buzz. When used together they act as a humbucker, because the bridge pickup is reverse-wound/reverse-polarity in relation to the neck unit.

Here’s what the Lakland sounds like recorded through a SansAmp Bass Driver DI:

neck pickup – fingerstyle

both pickups – fingerstyle

bridge pickup – fingerstyle

both pickups – plectrum

both pickups – slap

Lakland strike a home run with their Skyline 44-60 Custom. This bass proves that a joint venture, coupled with the appropriate amount of quality control, can really result in excellent musical instruments.

****

Lakland Skyline 44-60 Custom

1.599 €

Finnish distributor: Modulen-Music Group

****

Pros

+ workmanship

+ PLEK-set-up

+ playability

+ weight

+ sound

Cons

– small frets not everyone’s cup of tea