Bass Guitars Homemade in Chicago and Played Around the World


The Pirruccello brothers took over Chicago's Lakland Bass during a tough economy and turned it around. They're now tenants and supporters of the Jane Addams Resource Corporation, with an emphasis on job training skills. Those skills include the making of electric components for their instruments, work which used to be done overseas. We find out what goes into the making of the bass guitars that are favored by many superstar bands, including Black Sabbath, U2, and the Rolling Stones.


Read an interview with Lakland President John Pirruccello.

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How did you and your brothers first become involved with Lakland?

I started working at Lakland in 1997. I was a musician at the time, and became involved with the company with a friend that had started it. We ran it together from about 1997 to 2009. My brother came in around 2004 to engineer and start producing all of Lakland’s electronics for us. From the beginning, we were all musicians.

How did your involvement with the Jane Addams Resource Corporation begin?

Really, they’re just our landlords at this point. As it turned out, they do a lot of retraining for skilled laborers to learn how to use CNC [Computer Numerical Control] equipment. They train people how to use those types of machines as well as other job skill training for people looking for work. We haven’t done anything official with them yet, but as we grow, we plan on drawing from their pool of trainees.

What it boils down to, they’re our landlords, and they own the building. I believe we have donated some instruments to their causes just to get more involved. We’re in communication with the board of directors about what we’re likely to do with them in the future.

Is that something you saw yourself getting involved with when you took over Lakland?

No, because when we first took over Lakland we were at a different location. We stayed there for a year. Then we started looking for a new space. We got in touch with the Jane Addams organization, and they assisted us in building out a new space and getting us set up in the building.

What’s next for Lakland? What are your plans for the future?

The type of machinery we use for milling [guitar] body and necks are the same type of machines they train people on at Jane Addams Resource Corporation—the exact same type of machines.

The initiative is to start doing more in-house production and expand our product line. We’re anticipating some growth. That’s going to translate to new hires. We’re planning on working with Jane Addams to get some of their trained folks in here to work with us. Right now, we’re only 12 employees, but we’re hoping to double within the next two years.

What about your connections with bands like U2, Black Sabbath and the Rolling Stones? How are they made, and what’s that like?

Connections are made in a lot of different ways, but mostly it starts with a common denominator. First off, we get contacted directly by artists all the time, wanting to know more about our instruments.

When we start working with the bigger stars like Adam Clayton of U2, or Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, it might begin with a management company or guitar tech that works for them on their tours—someone who has experience with a Lakland bass and recommends that they try one.

That’s how it happened with U2. Their guitar tech was a tech with a band in Ireland who was familiar with our stuff and told Adam Clayton to try our basses.

Most of the artists we work with, they usually call or email. Occasionally, we’ll go to a show and get our information in there. If we let a bass player know we’re there, they’ll let us in because they know about the brand. Some even stop by the shop. Adam Clayton showed up unannounced one day. Darryl Jones from the Rolling Stones likes to pop in.

How is it working with your brothers Bo and Steve every day?

It’s great. We all get along really well. We’re brothers, but we’re all fairly easygoing guys.

There doesn’t seem to be any drama when your siblings are your coworkers. We get along very well. It’s nice to be able to count on your family. They tend to just take things that much more seriously, as far as meeting deadlines and achieving goals.

Interview has been condensed and edited.

Lakland basses have been used by musicians in several performances. Watch a few below.

Death Cab for Cutie

The Foo Fighters 

Rod Stewart 

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