Lakland Skyline GZ 44-64 PJ Black

Founded by bassist Dan Lakin and luthier Hugh McFarland in 1994, the company’s name, pronounced “lake-land.”

Lakland is well respected for the basses both from the weekend warriors/bedroom fighters to the top professional player around the world such as Darryl Jones, Geezer Butler, Gail Ann Dorsey, Kat Bax, Juan Alderete and Uriah Duffy to name a few.

Lakland is based in Chicago where the US models are made, and the brand skyrocketed from the mid 90’ties up to the status they have now. In the 00’ Lakland introduced The Skyline Series that are now made in Indonesia with great success the value for money is incredibly high. The basses are made of North American wood and features the same overall design as the US basses with some small changes in details. The basses are quality checked and PLEK in Germany at Warwick to meet the high standards of Lakland.

The Geezer Butler Signature Lakland Skyline 44-64 PJ bass is where rock heritage meets modern craftsmanship. It’s a bass that carries the legacy of Black Sabbath’s rumbling bass lines into the hands of today’s players, crafted by Lakland with the attention to detail and quality they’re renowned for.

The combination of an ash body and an ebony fingerboard in a bass guitar, when applied to rock music like Black Sabbath’s, offers a distinct tonal character that aligns well with the genre’s demands. Ash provides a solid, punchy foundation with pronounced clarity and sustain, enhancing the aggressive and driving bass lines. Ebony adds a sharp, defined edge to the higher frequencies, allowing for detailed articulations and a smooth playing experience. This blend results in a powerful, cutting tone capable of delivering the iconic, heavy riffs and grooves that define Black Sabbath’s sound, supporting both rhythm and lead roles with versatility and presence

The GZR-PJ signature bass pickups, developed by EMG in collaboration with Geezer Butler, aim to replicate the vintage Black Sabbath tone. These passive pickups blend a vintage style with modern touches, using Alnico V pole pieces and custom wound coils for a balance of punch and grit. The design eliminates noise and hum typical of early ’70s pickups, offering more power and volume. Geezer Butler endorses them for their authentic reproduction of his early tones,

At its core, the PJ pickup configuration provides the tonal versatility needed to tackle anything from doom-laden grooves to sharp, articulate melodies. The Precision pickup delivers the depth and power, while the Jazz pickup adds a layer of clarity that ensures every note cuts through. This bass is capable of both honoring Geezer Butler’s legendary tones and exploring new sonic landscapes.