Dropped another video today featuring my 1999 Dean JB model . . . please check it out!
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Dean Club!!!
- Thread starter tom once dead
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Longtime lurker, first time poster.
A Rhapsody Fretless followed me home from a string run a few weeks ago. This poor guitar had been mistreated, but I like a project. Came to me with a Bart hb in it with some ancient Legends on it, but was giving some serious upright fakery vibes when I tried it out, which is what I was after. I’ve found ads for it for sale over the past few years on the internet. This one has been tossed around!
Anyway I’ve got some chromes on there which are just what she needed imho - more tension and everything is ringing a little louder and fuller. (The replacement Legends I ordered are kicking a$$ on my fretted)
I flipped the truss rod cover for now. I’m actually debating refinishing the whole thing in metallic purple - that upper horn makes me think of Prince.
It feels about 8lbs which is awesome for wearing around the house. I have two small kids so usually I just wander between chores and refereeing for brotherfights all evening... easily done while wearing a bass that everyone else in town has already beaten up!
Anyhow - after a full setup in intonation, polishing the dings out of the synthetic board with some 0000, this little beauty is a fast ride.
I’m beginning to wonder if she’s just been a gateway bass for all kinds of players in town... this is seriously fun to play!
now I’m trying to figure out how to get a piezo on here. The bass guitar IRs from 3 sigma are ok... but I use the Piezo ones with my 6 string piccolo PRS, and it sounds like a dreadnaught.
Obligatory photos with bass approving dogs & cat:
A Rhapsody Fretless followed me home from a string run a few weeks ago. This poor guitar had been mistreated, but I like a project. Came to me with a Bart hb in it with some ancient Legends on it, but was giving some serious upright fakery vibes when I tried it out, which is what I was after. I’ve found ads for it for sale over the past few years on the internet. This one has been tossed around!
Anyway I’ve got some chromes on there which are just what she needed imho - more tension and everything is ringing a little louder and fuller. (The replacement Legends I ordered are kicking a$$ on my fretted)
I flipped the truss rod cover for now. I’m actually debating refinishing the whole thing in metallic purple - that upper horn makes me think of Prince.
It feels about 8lbs which is awesome for wearing around the house. I have two small kids so usually I just wander between chores and refereeing for brotherfights all evening... easily done while wearing a bass that everyone else in town has already beaten up!
Anyhow - after a full setup in intonation, polishing the dings out of the synthetic board with some 0000, this little beauty is a fast ride.
I’m beginning to wonder if she’s just been a gateway bass for all kinds of players in town... this is seriously fun to play!
now I’m trying to figure out how to get a piezo on here. The bass guitar IRs from 3 sigma are ok... but I use the Piezo ones with my 6 string piccolo PRS, and it sounds like a dreadnaught.
Obligatory photos with bass approving dogs & cat:
Attachments
Welcome!
Here is some catalog info for you
Rhapsody catalog info
Myself and @2many and @Wicked G and @BassJuju and @Zetabass are also Rhapsody owners and love them.
I love the scroll type look without the Carl Thompson price
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For a beat up bass that doesn't look to shabby! In fact it looks from the pix to be in decent shape for a bass that old.
@Portamenti
Welcome to Dean Club!!!
You have been issued member No. 228
I swear I saw that bass posted on TB somewhere else before. Bart's are not standard issue on any of the Rhapsody basses. In fact, I commented on the thread where I saw this. Glad you're enjoying it. I love the necks on Dean basses.
Someone makes separate piezo for each saddle but I can't recall who. Active with separate controls for each piezo at each saddle. Controls are stashed in the control panel on the back. My Dean Brian Bromberg and Ibanez SRF700 Portamento have such piezo's. A 'normal' piezo won't work, at least I don't see how it would work and you, more than likely, will need to add a preamp since your Rhapsody HBF is passive.
separate saddle bass piezo - Google Search
[edit] found it.
I bought a Dean 4 String Fretless to see if it’s my cup of tea
I thought for a minute I was clairvoyant!
Did you settle down the 'creeky' neck?
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Here's a bass the will really remind you of Prince. Prestige Wylde.
Not a Dean, but very close to it as it was made in the same South Korean factory.
This is why we need a ‘love’ button on talkbass
@Portamenti
Welcome to Dean Club!!!
You have been issued member No. 228
I swear I saw that bass posted on TB somewhere else before. Bart's are not standard issue on any of the Rhapsody basses. In fact, I commented on the thread where I saw this. Glad you're enjoying it. I love the necks on Dean basses.
Someone makes separate piezo for each saddle but I can't recall who. Active with separate controls for each piezo at each saddle. Controls are stashed in the control panel on the back. My Dean Brian Bromberg and Ibanez SRF700 Portamento have such piezo's. A 'normal' piezo won't work, at least I don't see how it would work and you, more than likely, will need to add a preamp since your Rhapsody HBF is passive.
separate saddle bass piezo - Google Search
[edit] found it.
I bought a Dean 4 String Fretless to see if it’s my cup of tea
I thought for a minute I was clairvoyant!
Did you settle down the 'creeky' neck?
yes!!! I did the old ‘loosen your neck bolts with strings at tension’ trick and it seated the neck in the pocket nicely... I haven’t had any creaks since... I’m hoping that’s all this one was!
I'll have to remember that trick if I ever have that problem with a bolt on.
I’m still creeping through the back pages - but you def need to look up the ‘method’ with strings at tension. I’ll try and find the deets at TGP or on the telecaster forum. Very popular with fender bolt on owners - and it worked for my fretless rhap.
Yours is a beaut. Please let me know if you ever find another!
But you’ve likely solved your neck issue - did you shim? Did you redrill? Only the next 30 pages will reveal!!!
I ended up finding one with a fretted neck. But I'm thinking of switching hardware from one to the other as one is chrome hardware and the other is black hardware.
The neck I took off from the black Rhapsody just has a different deeper pocket so no go. Two different factories. One was 'World' factory in Korea and the other was 'Un Sung' factory also in Korea. They're just different enough not to do it, at least not me. Plus I really don't want to butcher anything in the process.
So now I have a Hollow Body Rhapsody body without a neck. A black single passive Rhapsody with a neck (back on), a Hollow Body Rhapsody with a fretted neck and a Hollow Body Rhapsody with a fretless neck (the one with traditional F holes and the pup placed closer to the bridge.
Picked this up Saturday a week ago. 2006 Dean Edge 4QB. Spotted it on CL Tempest. Drove about and hour and 45 minutes one way for it. I already have one, but the price was so low I really couldn't pass it up...and yes, I realize that the PO wound the E and A strings around the pegs incorrectly.
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what a top!!!!
I am and I technically still have it, though it's been out on loan to my drummer for the past year for recording purposes. I still hold the deed to the land, though.
You going through all 142 pages? Good for you!
There's a lot of great info and great people who own and gig with their Deans.
Hopefully after Covid's done they'll all be out again gigging away!
New "Dean select 4 day". Got it at GC. Was damaged at end of fretboard (see pic). Got a good discount. I glued in a small piece of some odd wood from my stash (see pic). Not perfect but better. Never had a Dean, but it is absolutely beautiful. Plays like a dream and the neck profile fit my hand.
