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Dean Club!!!
- Thread starter tom once dead
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Around 2008 Dean's Asian guitar makers started using S/N's that had an order of year month and number of models made that month. Prior to that, the S/N's didn't make too much sense and you really had to depend on catalog descriptions to figure out a year of manufacture for your instrument. I went through my catalogs and the Dean Z Tour is featured in a 2005 catalog. Nothing mentioned about the Dean V Tour or Dean ML Tour. In a 2007-2008 catalog the Dean Z Tour is shown again, but this time the Dean V Tour and Dean ML Tour are mentioned as also available similar to the catalog page I posted from a 2009 catalog. The 2008 catalog doesn't mention the Z Tour, V Tour or ML Tour at all.
Based on your S/N not tying into a date, as they certainly were not manufactured in 2002, I'm going to have to say that your Dean V Tour is no later than 2008 and no earlier than 2005. Additionally, the Dean V Tour doesn't appear in any catalogs after 2009. The Metalman V, Metalman V 2A and V Stealth appear in later catalogs up to 2021 and then are not shown after that.
Thank you for all of your research to help me figure this out.
I am in agreement for your date range for the build date for this bass.
The original owner said he got the bass new 15 years ago.
This bass has the v shaped nut with a floating bridge. I only have seen the picture you sent me of the bassist in Germany with the exact same bass as mine.
Most of the pictures I have found of V shaped Dean basses have a square combination nut and bridge as one assembly.
I'm going to guess the info I have from the original owner that there were only 11 made may be true.
I will post any updates as I discover them.
Thanks again for all your help!
I am in agreement for your date range for the build date for this bass.
The original owner said he got the bass new 15 years ago.
This bass has the v shaped nut with a floating bridge. I only have seen the picture you sent me of the bassist in Germany with the exact same bass as mine.
Most of the pictures I have found of V shaped Dean basses have a square combination nut and bridge as one assembly.
I'm going to guess the info I have from the original owner that there were only 11 made may be true.
I will post any updates as I discover them.
Thanks again for all your help!
Appears to be an '07 model built in the Un Sung factory in South Korea.Here's my Dean Edge Pro 5 I picked up in '06
Here's a page from the Dean 2007-2008 Catalog
Oh, mine is an '05, I think. It has the EMGs. But maybe I did pick it up in '07 . It's been a min lol. Either way, I stinkin' love that bass! 24 frets on a medium C, the weight and balance is impeccable, the sexy book-matching, the neck-thru, THAT BRASS NUT, the active EMG-HZs, the action.... just superb. For a $750 bass, that thing sure does carry....
Yeah, they’re sweet. I have two in 4 string version with the badass II bridges.
Best kept secret out there. Veeerrry underrated bass. @2many loves them too!!!
Around 2008 Dean's Asian guitar makers started using S/N's that had an order of year month and number of models made that month. Prior to that, the S/N's didn't make too much sense and you really had to depend on catalog descriptions to figure out a year of manufacture for your instrument. I went through my catalogs and the Dean Edge Pro 5 is featured in a 2005 catalog. So it is possible that yours's is a 2005 if you actually did buy it new in 2005 or shortly thereafter.
Well, I would not say I "love it". I do like it. It's hardly been used since I bought it back in 06 as a temporary replacement for my Rhapsody five where the retired railroad worker fell on the neck and has since been repaired. Rhapsody five... Best sounding electronics. (been tweaked by PO?)
Razor five is the best "gunslinging" guitar of the bunch and I play that a lot too.
EP5 Purchased new from ebay store in LA for 847 bucks sits stored away and basically unused it's whole life.
I think the lacquer job on the gold hardware was crappy from the factory.
new in box dean edge pro five in tiger eye
Razor five is the best "gunslinging" guitar of the bunch and I play that a lot too.
EP5 Purchased new from ebay store in LA for 847 bucks sits stored away and basically unused it's whole life.
I think the lacquer job on the gold hardware was crappy from the factory.
new in box dean edge pro five in tiger eye
To all the Dean aficionados out there. Came across some nice Dean basses that you do not see often. Two Cadillac Basses and a USA Hillsboro. Not in any way connected to the sellers.
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Dean Cadillac 04 - Black with White Trim | Reverb
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Dean Cadillac 2010 - Gloss black | Reverb
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Dean USA Custom Hillsboro - Oiled Cocobolo Top 4-String Electric Bass Guitar w/ Black Tolex Case (2023) | Reverb
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Dean Cadillac 04 - Black with White Trim | Reverb
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Dean Cadillac 2010 - Gloss black | Reverb
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Dean USA Custom Hillsboro - Oiled Cocobolo Top 4-String Electric Bass Guitar w/ Black Tolex Case (2023) | Reverb
My first white bass.
Just happens to be a 2011 Dean Hillsboro Single MM 2 band Active.
Was never too crazy about a white bass, but with the Maple Neck and Tort pickguard I'm liking it, plus the price was right.
Just happens to be a 2011 Dean Hillsboro Single MM 2 band Active.
Was never too crazy about a white bass, but with the Maple Neck and Tort pickguard I'm liking it, plus the price was right.
Speaking of white basses, my first was also a Dean, but not as sold.
I ran out of glow paint and money so while the head and neck are glow, the body is white until I redo it all, .
The only identifying mark that remains is Grover on the tuners.
I even scratched off the pup name. It was short, maybe EMG, but not something like bartolini unless writ very small.
The bass is due for a tear-down and refinish and I'm hoping to recover any hint of the serial #.
This is the only remaining pix of it prior to personalization.
I bought in Fall 2005, $400 and based on the posts here my best guess is "standard Edge Fretless" based on the finish.
One thing I love most is the little ribbon to help remove the battery! I'll be adding this feature to the rest of my new basses.
I ran out of glow paint and money so while the head and neck are glow, the body is white until I redo it all, .
The only identifying mark that remains is Grover on the tuners.
I even scratched off the pup name. It was short, maybe EMG, but not something like bartolini unless writ very small.
The bass is due for a tear-down and refinish and I'm hoping to recover any hint of the serial #.
This is the only remaining pix of it prior to personalization.
I bought in Fall 2005, $400 and based on the posts here my best guess is "standard Edge Fretless" based on the finish.
One thing I love most is the little ribbon to help remove the battery! I'll be adding this feature to the rest of my new basses.
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Based on the orientation of the script logo on the headstock it is pre-2005, but no earlier than 2001.
2001 catalog page.
2003 catalog page.
2003-2004 catalog page.
2005 catalog page
Your Edge 4 would have had DMT pups. EMGHZ were on the Edge Q 4. Bartolini were on the Edge Q4B
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Too bad those catalogs don't have an MSRP to further help. 
I had never heard of the brand before I saw mine in the shop. A markerless fretless was a dream at that time and I've been happy with it these 18yrs. I otherwise know nothing about the brand even near 20yrs later.
I had never heard of the brand before I saw mine in the shop. A markerless fretless was a dream at that time and I've been happy with it these 18yrs. I otherwise know nothing about the brand even near 20yrs later.
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