2005 Fender Dimension V - 5 String P/J Bass

[BuddWorth]

I got this bass new from guitar center in 2005. I plugged it in to a friends amp, After that it hums when I'm not touching the strings. I have taken back to G.C. nothing was
done about it. I look for the small IC board in body to no avail. I have gig with it put up with the humming, I just basically made it a wall hanger. What I payed for it was spendy at the
time. Now I'm searching the web for information about it. I can only find one picture and nothing else. I'm seriously considering do as total rehab and trash the well preserved Fender
20 year old bass guitar.... Someone tell me where to get OEM parts or new pickup and knobs to use.. Thanks

 

[FugaziBomb]

I got this bass new from guitar center in 2005. I plugged it in to a friends amp, After that it hums when I'm not touching the strings. I have taken back to G.C. nothing was
done about it.

That's crazy! It's only been 20 years and they won't take it back??

I'm seriously considering do as total rehab and trash the well preserved Fender
20 year old bass guitar

Those were never nice basses. They're not collector pieces, either. There's one on Reverb that's been listed for a year and hasn't moved. Their whole existence was based on Fender trying to take a bite out of Ibanez's market share. If you like it and it plays nice, just do yourself a favor and swap the pickups and preamp with some nice after market stuff. It's a PJ pickup config, which can be inherently noisy due to the J pickup not having a reverse wound counterpart. A lot of modern PJ sets include a noiseless J pickup for that reason.

 

[superheavyfunk]

That's crazy! It's only been 20 years and they won't take it back??



Those were never nice basses. They're not collector pieces, either. There's one on Reverb that's been listed for a year and hasn't moved. Their whole existence was based on Fender trying to take a bite out of Ibanez's market share. If you like it and it plays nice, just do yourself a favor and swap the pickups and preamp with some nice after market stuff. It's a PJ pickup config, which can be inherently noisy due to the J pickup not having a reverse wound counterpart. A lot of modern PJ sets include a noiseless J pickup for that reason.

Cmon. That’s not helpful dude. We can do better.

OP, I’ve never played a Dimension bass but I assume based on what you said that it’s active. Maybe you can just get a new preamp. I’m sure you can find a used (or even new) Fender preamp for a reasonable price somewhere

 

[FugaziBomb]

Cmon. That’s not helpful dude. We can do better.

I think it was wildly helpful. I'll reiterate for the OP: don't sweat trying to find 20 year old OEM parts bin electronics for a bass that has no collectors value. Get nice pickups and a nice preamp for it and make it into a sleeper. There's a huge market of way better electronics than that bass was shipped with - take advantage of that.

 

[WayneP]

Here’s a recent TB thread on the hum / buzz topic. I had the same problem with my bass; you can find my remedy in Post #10.

Official Pedulla Club #45

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Official Heartfield Club #36 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Make Your Own Cables: A How-To Guide
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Administrator, Official Pre-Gibson Tobias Owners Club
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My Basses
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/p-bass-still-has-buzz-after-shielding-it.1662917/#post-28769243
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Official Pedulla Club #45

 

[lowfreqgeek]

I think it was wildly helpful. I'll reiterate for the OP: don't sweat trying to find 20 year old OEM parts bin electronics for a bass that has no collectors value. Get nice pickups and a nice preamp for it and make it into a sleeper. There's a huge market of way better electronics than that bass was shipped with - take advantage of that.

I'm not sure what your referencing. The Dimension wasn't released until 2013 and never had a P/J setup. Maybe you're confusing it with the Zone? In 2005, there was a 5-string Deluxe Zone with P/J and active preamp. The American Deluxe was a pretty nice bass. The Mexican version was... a mexican Fender.

It would help to know what bass the OP actually has.

 

[superheavyfunk]

I think it was wildly helpful

I’ll grant that he did mention getting a new preamp and pickups but it was buried amongst a bunch of unhelpful opinions on OPs instrument of choice. “Wildly helpful” is a bit of an overstatement

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I am thinking the bass is Fender Precision Lyte since the OP bought it twenty years ago and it is a PJ configuration.

 

[who]

I'm not sure what your referencing. The Dimension wasn't released until 2013 and never had a P/J setup. Maybe you're confusing it with the Zone? In 2005, there was a 5-string Deluxe Zone with P/J and active preamp. The American Deluxe was a pretty nice bass. The Mexican version was... a mexican Fender.

It would help to know what bass the OP actually has.

I am thinking the bass is Fender Precision Lyte since the OP bought it twenty years ago and it is a PJ configuration.

This seems to be the bass that the OP has. Kind of confusing that Fender reused the name for a completely different bass later.

 

[FugaziBomb]

I’ll grant that he did mention getting a new preamp and pickups but it was buried amongst a bunch of unhelpful opinions on OPs instrument of choice. “Wildly helpful” is a bit of an overstatement

They aren't opinions. The original Dimension bass is a forgotten product line from Fender that has zero demand on the used market. That's a plus for the OP because he doesn't need to feel guilty about pulling the electronics to replace them with something way better - say an aftermarket PJ set with a proper noiseless J at the bridge position. It's also not his "instrument of choice" as he says it's been hanging on a wall since the Bush administration.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I got this bass new from guitar center in 2005. I plugged it in to a friends amp, After that it hums when I'm not touching the strings. I have taken back to G.C. nothing was
done about it. I look for the small IC board in body to no avail. I have gig with it put up with the humming, I just basically made it a wall hanger. What I payed for it was spendy at the
time. Now I'm searching the web for information about it. I can only find one picture and nothing else. I'm seriously considering do as total rehab and trash the well preserved Fender
20 year old bass guitar.... Someone tell me where to get OEM parts or new pickup and knobs to use.. Thanks

First of all, post a pic for us to see. Secondly, there are many many many pickup and preamp options available. A qualified pro - a local independent repair shop, not Guitar Center- will be able to diagnose the issue. Often times these types of issues are easily resolved. Who knows... maybe new pickups and/or preamp will improve the sound of your bass.

 

[WayneP]

This seems to be the bass that the OP has. Kind of confusing that Fender reused the name for a completely different bass later.

View attachment 7103314

What is the bass in the picture? The headstock looks like what was on the Heartfield basses, but it isn’t a Heartfield

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Official Pedulla Club #45 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Make Your Own Cables: A How-To Guide
Administrator, Official Heartfield Club #36
Administrator, Official Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Official Pre-Gibson Tobias Owners Club
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Official Pedulla Club #45

 

[FugaziBomb]

What is the bass in the picture? The headstock looks like what was on the Heartfield basses, but it isn’t a Heartfield

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Official Pedulla Club #45 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Make Your Own Cables: A How-To Guide
Administrator, Official Heartfield Club #36
Administrator, Official Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Official Pre-Gibson Tobias Owners Club
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Official Pedulla Club #45

The first Fender bass with the model name "Dimension" was a PJ designed to complete with Ibanez, who were killing it with the nu metal artists of that generation. 3 band EQ, gun metal finish, 2+2 headstock - all of the hallmarks of the Ibanez Sound gears of the time. They have no common lineage to the current production Dimension basses, which ironically are also designed with the intent to complete in another market share - this time Musicman.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Cmon. That’s not helpful dude. We can do better.

You and I might be able to, he can't.

 

[FugaziBomb]

You and I might be able to, he can't.

Ouch. Kinda petty coming from the guy who claims he can "do better" than me. I'm one of the only people in this thread that actually answered the OPs questions AND talked to him via DM. Maybe you need to do better.

 

[WayneP]

The first Fender bass with the model name "Dimension" was a PJ designed to complete with Ibanez, who were killing it with the nu metal artists of that generation. 3 band EQ, gun metal finish, 2+2 headstock - all of the hallmarks of the Ibanez Sound gears of the time. They have no common lineage to the current production Dimension basses, which ironically are also designed with the intent to complete in another market share - this time Musicman.

Thanks for the info. That bass is so obscure it’s hard to find a picture of it! I came across this web page that claims it was made from 2004-2007, so maybe the OP’s date is correct and this is indeed his bass. It also confirms the OP’s claim that it wasn’t a cheap bass, price wise.

Official Pedulla Club #45

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Official Heartfield Club #36 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Make Your Own Cables: A How-To Guide
Administrator, Official Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Official Pre-Gibson Tobias Owners Club
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Administrator, Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
Official Pedulla Club #45
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Official Heartfield Club #36

 

[BuddWorth]

I got this bass new from guitar center in 2005. I plugged it in to a friends amp, After that it hums when I'm not touching the strings. I have taken back to G.C. nothing was
done about it. I look for the small IC board in body to no avail. I have gig with it put up with the humming, I just basically made it a wall hanger. What I payed for it was spendy at the
time. Now I'm searching the web for information about it. I can only find one picture and nothing else. I'm seriously considering do as total rehab and trash the well preserved Fender
20 year old bass guitar.... Someone tell me where to get OEM parts or new pickup and knobs to use.. Thanks

 

[BuddWorth]

I am surprised at the out pouring of players that spoke up! Good Bad Or Indifferent is all GOOD!! I should have posted picts
Before now. I feel like I disrespected the Group.. Hope this help! Stay FROSTY!!!!!

 

[BuddWorth]

Thanks for the info. That bass is so obscure it’s hard to find a picture of it! I came across this web page that claims it was made from 2004-2007, so maybe the OP’s date is correct and this is indeed his bass. It also confirms the OP’s claim that it wasn’t a cheap bass, price wise.

Official Pedulla Club #45

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Official Heartfield Club #36 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Make Your Own Cables: A How-To Guide
Administrator, Official Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Official Pre-Gibson Tobias Owners Club
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Administrator, Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
Official Pedulla Club #45
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Official Heartfield Club #36

I attached some of my rigs below

 

[Brandon Shea]

Very cool bass! I found it in Fender's 2005 catalog.