PJ conundrum

[ead]

Since moving my rather weighty BBP34 some months back I've been on the look out for a light passive PJ bass that could take it's place as a gigging bass for the covers band I play in (and hopefully will again soon).

I'd had a go on a Lakland Skyline fairly recently but the weight of these seems to vary a fair bit and I was on the look out for one appearing in the FS section.  Nothing was grabbing my attention until what might, or muight not have been, a Fender PJ455 appeared on ebay.  I took a punt on it as is was an E series so like to be OK even if not one of the top fligh models.

Wouldn't you know it, a 44-64 Custom PJ turns up on our FS section as the Fender was in transit.  As the owner was happy to do a part trade I bought that one thinking I'd just flip the Fender.

Long story short, they are both really nice basses and both c.8.5lbs.  The Lakland has the J pickup in the 60s position and is pristine; the Fender has it in the 70s position and is roadworn.  I've but a nice Gotoh bridge on the Fender as some groovier Spector knobs.  The previous owner had already put some nicer knobs on the Lakland.

Both sound really punchy but one needs to go so a real dilemma here.  Any thoughts learned BCers?  Mandatory pics to prove it happened:

  

Edited November 13, 2020 by ead

[yorks5stringer]

Sod the Basses, what do you mean by 'groovier' knobs?

Do you mean they are groovier in a 70's sense (Man) or groovier in the sense of deeper grooves? These are the little things that can sway a decision....

[ead]

51 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said:

Sod the Basses, what do you mean by 'groovier' knobs?

Do you mean they are groovier in a 70's sense (Man) or groovier in the sense of deeper grooves? These are the little things that can sway a decision....

Spector knobs, but not sure which category they belong in

[uk_lefty]

I'd say the Fender for the 70s position pickup and because it doesn't look like the typical Fender style. 

[machinehead]

It's difficult to give input someone else's decision but...

I don't know if it's directly relevant but I have a USA Fender Vintage Hotrod Jazz.  It has a compound radius neck and is built to a very high spec and standard.  It's a PJ with 70s jazz PU position.

This seems to work really well with the P-PU when blended and very funky soloed.  That makes me favour Fender PJs but since I haven't owned a Lakland that opinion might be of limited value.

Still, it's a nice problem to have and I hope you make the best choice. 😕

PS.  I also have a Warwick LX PJ, a USA Fender Jaguar PJ and an Ibanez Talman TMB100 PJ.  The Ibanez stands up surprisingly well in that company!

Frank.

Edited November 12, 2020 by machinehead
I haven't owned a Lakland, not HAVE owned. Doh.

[CameronJ]

Do us a comparison video!

[ead]

41 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

Do us a comparison video!

What, with playing and everything? 

[ead]

The Fender is definitely a PJ455 btw.  I took the neck off and both neck and body confirm this.

[Paulhauser]

I'd keep the Lakland purely because of the aesthetics, really like the bound maple neck with block inlays plus I prefer pristine over roadworn 🙂

 

[Pea Turgh]

I like the black one.

[ead]

1 hour ago, Pea Turgh said:

I like the black one.

This is the kind of in depth analysis I like 

It's kind of tempting to put the Lakland neck on the Fender body which would look devastatingly cool.

[ead]

1 hour ago, Paulhauser said:

I'd keep the Lakland purely because of the aesthetics, really like the bound maple neck with block inlays plus I prefer pristine over roadworn 🙂

 

I know what you mean but I'm quite chilled about basses that have been played a lot as it possibly/probably means they are decent examples of the breed.

[Jonesy]

5 hours ago, Paulhauser said:

I'd keep the Lakland purely because of the aesthetics, really like the bound maple neck with block inlays plus I prefer pristine over roadworn 🙂

 

Bound neck and blocks does it for me too, as does the machine heads and more traditional look of the Lakky. 

[TrevorG]

I'd follow Solomon and find a third choice that you have no doubt about. I say that because  you sound a little uncommitted about both. The right bass is your best friend regardless of make or model. IMHO

[Frank Blank]

4 minutes ago, TrevorG said:

I'd follow Solomon and find a third choice that you have no doubt about. I say that because  you sound a little uncommitted about both. The right bass is your best friend regardless of make or model. IMHO

☝️ this, with the mandatory bells on.

[ead]

1 hour ago, TrevorG said:

I'd follow Solomon and find a third choice that you have no doubt about. I say that because  you sound a little uncommitted about both. The right bass is your best friend regardless of make or model. IMHO

 

1 hour ago, Frank Blank said:

☝️ this, with the mandatory bells on.

I didn't mean to sound uncertain or uncommitted .  Had events happened in a different order, or over a slightly more extended time period, the circumstances would have different and I would have ended up with only one of the two.  Either of these two without the other would have been absolutely great.

It's entirely possible I might end up keeping both for while so I can try them out with the band.  But if you insist on me getting a third one then I had also been looking for a Squier Standard Series Precision Bass Special which seem to have a good following.

[TrevorG]

2 minutes ago, ead said:

 

I didn't mean to sound uncertain or uncommitted .  Had events happened in a different order, or over a slightly more extended time period, the circumstances would have different and I would have ended up with only one of the two.  Either of these two without the other would have been absolutely great.

It's entirely possible I might end up keeping both for while so I can try them out with the band.  But if you insist on me getting a third one then I had also been looking for a Squier Standard Series Precision Bass Special which seem to have a good following.

Easy with the "insist"!!! I thought I was advising a fellow player. Not leading a junkie into oblivion!!

[TrevorG]

.....the Squire sounds good though...

[LeftyJ]

I much prefer the looks of the Lakland, I love that colour scheme with all the natural wood and black blocks, bindings and pickguard. I do like the wider pickup spacing of the Fender though, but I don't like the look of a P-bass without a pickguard, it looks too bland to me (unless you're in an 80s rock band).

[chris_b]

On 11/11/2020 at 18:43, ead said:

. . . . . . Both sound really punchy but one needs to go so a real dilemma here. 

IME Lakland  is a step up on most Fenders, and judging by your photos, the Lakland looks like a classy bass.

[LukeFRC]

33 minutes ago, ead said:

 

It's entirely possible I might end up keeping both for while so I can try them out with the band. 

I was just going to suggest this... there might be things that only pop out at volume in the mix. Not literally pop out.... unless it’s dead spots or something.

[ead]

54 minutes ago, TrevorG said:

Easy with the "insist"!!! I thought I was advising a fellow player. Not leading a junkie into oblivion!!

I feel it's too late for me now, the status of 'junkie in oblivion' was passed a while back I suspect 

[ead]

48 minutes ago, LeftyJ said:

I much prefer the looks of the Lakland, I love that colour scheme with all the natural wood and black blocks, bindings and pickguard. I do like the wider pickup spacing of the Fender though, but I don't like the look of a P-bass without a pickguard, it looks too bland to me (unless you're in an 80s rock band).

 

47 minutes ago, chris_b said:

IME Lakland  is a step up on most Fenders, and judging by your photos, the Lakland looks like a classy bass.

The Lakland is definitely the looker of the two.  The Fender has the slight stealth element about it, and tbh I was wondering about sticking a pickguard on it maybe in the same style as the BBP34.  A bit like this: