2005 Fender Dimension V - 5 String P/J Bass

[FugaziBomb]

It also confirms the OP’s claim that it wasn’t a cheap bass, price wise.

Yeah, I was a little shocked when I looked up the price list from 2005 and saw that bass was over $1k considering the one on Reverb is listed for like ~$550 and has been on there for over a year with no takers. I suppose that's why that bass slipped into obscurity - I'm sure there weren't a lot of buyers at that price when you could get a 5 string SR from Ibanez for half that in 2005.

 

[WayneP]

I attached some of my rigs below

Nice collection!

The hum problem with your Dimension should be an easy fix – see my post above #5.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Official Pedulla Club #45 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
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[FugaziBomb]

To put it in perspective, an Am. Standard Jazz in 2005 retailed for ~$1500. I see Am. Pros listing for $1700 now, so that's around a 13% increase in the retail price, which would put that old Dimension bass at ~$1250 in today's market. Reduce that by 30% for a reasonable used guitar mark-down and that thing should be priced to move at around $875. That tells me that the OP shouldn't worry about knocking any value out of that thing by swapping it's guts out.

 

[bucephylus]

If the bass otherwise plays well for you, there are definitely ways to sort out the electronics.

To begin with, you might want to know whether the J pickup is single coil or humcancelling. Could be tough to find out, given the scarcity of that model. PJ’s with single coil J’s have a fundamental noise issue; and require replacing the single coil pickup with a humcancelling pickup to avoid noise.

Secondly, I have never had an active Fender preamp circuit, which was quiet to my satisfaction; and replaced the preamp in every one I’ve ever owned. YMMV.

As to whether the bass is worth the extra investment vs trying to flip it and get something else would depend entirely on the playing characteristics; weight, resonance, intonation, neck profile etc etc. Best of luck.

 

[burpgun]

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

I genuinely can't believe Fender let that thing out the door. Points for trying something different I guess.

 

[FugaziBomb]

I genuinely can't believe Fender let that thing out the door. Points for trying something different I guess.

I actually dig them. I've seen them pop up from time to time in that $400-$500 dollar range and have always kinda wanted one just for the kitsch. I mean it's an Ibanez-shaped-object with a Fender logo! How cool is that?

 

[burpgun]

I actually dig them. I've seen them pop up from time to time in that $400-$500 dollar range and have always kinda wanted one just for the kitsch. I mean it's an Ibanez-shaped-object with a Fender logo! How cool is that?

I'm kind of tripping on these basses. I pay attention to the market, have made regular cycles through shops even when I'm not buying, have bought Fender oddballs in the past like the Toronado guitar and I was completely unaware this model existed. It's clearly not my vibe but I appreciate Fender trying even if it was the market forcing the matter. I didn't like the better known Dimension either but I don't blame them for giving it a shot. Poor Fender seems stuck on making variations of legacy gear. I've also got a U.S. Jaguar bass and that model didn't have much life either outside of the successful imports.

 

[WayneP]

I appreciate Fender trying even if it was the market forcing the matter. I didn't like the better known Dimension either but I don't blame them for giving it a shot. Poor Fender seems stuck on making variations of legacy gear.

Indeed. It was this very problem that led Fender to introduce their “offshoot” brand, Heartfield, in the late 1980s, presumably same strategy akin to Toyota / Lexus et al. in the automotive market. The following is lifted from a press release to Fender dealers (the entire press release can be found at Heartfieldguitars.com under the Background tab.):

Two-and-a-half years go Fender was faced with two problems. (snip) Secondly, there was a segment of the market (approximately 25-30%) that was not being addressed by Fender stye product. All our previous attempts to penetrate it under the Fender banner had been in vain. One fact was consistent to both of these problems – the Fender name. (snip)

Which brings us directly to the cause of the second problem – why couldn’t we sell those other styles of guitars? Tradition.

In the dealers and consumer minds Fender means a particular group of instruments – Strats, Teles Ps and Js. We could tweak them a little here and there, but heaven helps us if we went too far. It seems like every time we did, we had messed with mom, apple pie, baseball the flag, etc. etc. (snip)

Because we had been unsuccessful in our attempts using the Fender name, we felt that marketing the right products using a different brand name might be the answer.

Hence, Heartfield was launched.

This 2004-2007 Dimension almost appears to be an attempt revisit the Heartfield experiment - the similarities are notable, i.e. the headstock, 24-fret neck, active electronics.

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

 

[BuddWorth]

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

***? That's some real music in that phrase ......!

 

[BuddWorth]

I attached some of my rigs below

Thank you Sir. I wrote a request to Fender to see if the board was available.. We will see..................

 

[BuddWorth]

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.

This is probably a stupid question...? WHAT IS A OP???? I know it's on reference to me, I think. What dose it stand for?

 

[who]

This is probably a stupid question...? WHAT IS A OP???? I know it's on reference to me, I think. What dose it stand for?

Original poster.

 

[TrustRod]

After that it hums when I'm not touching the strings.

This suggests it's not shielded or shielded properly. If the noise goes away when you touch the strings it is definitely not being caused by a non humbucking Jazz pickup as that is a classic example of lack of shielding.

 

[ggvicviper]

Nearly a year later, I wanted to see if any of these 1st gen Fender Dimensions were still on anyone's mind. They're kinda cool, but IMO, they're the least appealing of the three Ibanez Soundgear competitors Fender put out. I'm partial to the MB5; it's the only of the three that's passive, and it's light. Which ones did you like, if any?

First, the Heartfield DR:


Then, the Fender MB series:


Finally we have these 1st generation Fender Dimensions: