FAQs: US and Skyline - What's the Difference? At Lakland, our goal has always been to make basses that are "best in class" - and to offer them at the best price possible. When we noticed our competition making basses with features that used to be unique to our custom basses - and selling them at a distinctly lower price - we realized that there was a segment of the bass playing market we would not be able to reach unless we provided a comparable instrument at a more accessible price. The only way to do that - without compromising on quality - was to automate as much of the manufacturing process as possible. In late 2000, we set about designing a line of mass-produced basses that were mirror images of those handcrafted at the Lakland factory. The result: The Lakland Skyline Series. So, what is the difference between US and Skyline? (Besides the price and the country it's made in.) The answer is a lot and not much - depending on who you are, what you like and what your needs are. Let's break it down:
Lakland Skylines are designed in Chicago but made in a state-of-the-art overseas factory. Lakland determines all specifications and anything that can be done by machine is done by machine, including the fretting. Basses are manufactured in lots of 30 (or more) of each model. You may have heard about the long lead times - that's because we only have so much physical space, and it's impossible to inventory every bass in every color. We listen closely to our dealers and customers, and based on their input and orders we put into production the models and colors in demand at that time.
Most Skylines arrive at the Lakland factory fully finished, except for electronics. Lakland luthiers inspect each bass and do refinements according to an incredibly thorough set-up procedure that ensures each bass has proper string alignment, neck relief, fretting, tuner installation integrity, etc. The Skylines are then installed with the same electronics as the US models (except for the 01 models which are shipped with overseas electronics.) No Skyline bass leaves the Lakland facility until it's properly set up and in prime playing condition. We know the customer might not consciously notice it if the refinements weren't done, but we believe that this incredible attention to detail is the reason most players consider Lakland Skylines higher in quality than most mass produced American-made basses. Lakland US basses - and all their components - are made in the US. Bodies and necks are cut by machine, but everything else is done by hand, including fretting. Bodies
Skyline and US hollowbody shapes are exactly the same - they're cut by Computer Numeric Control (CNC) machines and use the same computer program. The overseas manufacturer copied all the other US bodies and the shapes are almost identical. Weight
Skyline bodies tend to run from 8.5-11 pounds. US basses run from 8-10 pounds. Lakland can be more selective about the woods used to make the US basses and that translates into more control over the end weight. Finishes
Skyline finishes are every bit as good as US finishes and are done in lots of 30 of the same color, which allows the overseas factory to keep costs down. Each Skyline model is only available in 2-3 colors and custom colors are not available. US Lakland basses are sent to the most reputable finisher in the industry and are done on a piece-by-piece basis. US finishes are available in 23 colors, and can be customized for an additional charge. In 2007, Lakland plans to offer an annual limited run of special colors - for the Skyline series only! Keep an eye on the website, and in touch with your local dealer to find out more. Tuners
All Skylines are equipped with Hipshot Lic (licensed) Ultra-Lite tuning machines. Note: Skyline tuners can be upgraded to their US counterparts, which turn more smoothly. Tuners on 5-string US basses are also the Hipshot Ultra-Lite design but made in the US. 4-string US basses come with Hipshot traditional open back tuners. (Note: Some models wind in reverse.) String Retainer
US and Skyline use the same string retainers. (4-string retainers are the button type. 5-string retainers are the bar type.) Nut
Skylines have a hard plastic nut that is precut and placed at the overseas factory. Lakland bass techs fine-tune the plastic nut before the bass is shipped. The US nuts are bone, and are hand made to fit each instrument.
Frets
Skylines - Necks come pre-fretted, and all fretwork is refined at the Lakland factory. On the US basses, all fretting is done by hand and can take more than a day for the best luthiers to do! Each fret is meticulously shaped to fit the radius of the fingerboard before it is glued in place with epoxy. Next, the fret tops are filed and crowned and the ends are rounded and polished. Once the neck has had a chance to settle, the luthier goes over the entire neck again to make sure it's up to spec. Pick Guards
Stock Skyline pick guards are made in overseas. The pick guards on US basses - and all replacement pick guards - are made in the US.
Pickups & Preamps
All Skyline models - except the 01 series - are installed with the exact same electronics as the US basses. (The 01 series has overseas electronics.) Consequently, the tones of Skyline (except 01's) and US basses are very similar. Bridges
Skyline and US bridges have the same exact trademark oval design, but are manufactured in different places. Both bridges are high quality but the finishes are slightly different. Necks
Graphite Reinforcement
Necks on both 4 and 5-string US basses are reinforced with a strip of graphite on either side of the truss rod, which provides a stabilizing effect. The 5-string Skyline necks also have graphite reinforcement but the 4-strings do not. Construction
US necks are made of quarter-sawn rock maple, which is highly sought after and very hard to find. Quarter-sawn wood is stronger and more stable and thus contributes to the ability of the neck to remain true. Skyline necks - along with the necks of 98% of the basses on the market today - are made of flat-sawn rock maple. Neck binding and blocks
Neck binding and blocks come standard on both US and Skyline versions of the Darryl Jones and Duck Dunn Signature basses. Binding and blocks can be added to any other US model for an additional charge. Binding and blocks cannot be added to Skylines. Fingerboards
US fingerboards come standard with birdseye maple (one of the rarest woods on the planet) or rosewood, but can also be made of ebony. US fretless fingerboards can be ordered with or without lines. All Skylines come standard with straight rock maple or rosewood fingerboards. Fretless Skylines come with lined fingerboards only and all Skylines except the Darryl Jones and Duck Dunn models can be ordered with lined ebony fretless fingerboards. Fretted ebony fingerboards are not available on Skylines. Left and Right-handed Basses
All US basses except the Hollowbody can be made left-handed. Left-handed Skyline basses are not available due to the limitation of the per model minimum order. Still confused? Then it might be time to contact a Lakland dealer and compare the two instruments. Whether your bass is a US or Skyline, each instrument is an individual just like you are. There's no substitute for taking a bass in your hands and playing it. Also keep in mind that no matter how well made or how good the set-up, an instrument's sound and behavior literally will change with the weather. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't expect reliable performance. All Lakland basses are designed to deliver the most consistent and comfortable playing experience possible. |
