Dean Club!!!

[B-Mac]

As some of you know, this weekend is the DOA event at Dean HQ in Tampa. Any of you going? I will be there. We will be playing two shows during the festivities. Plus lots of great partying. Fun times.

Here is an old photo of my Dean bass collection. I only still have two of these basses. But I have plenty more that Ive gotten since this was taken. Ah, memories of instruments past.
View attachment 3276012

I wish I was going.

I don't do Facebook so I'm not all connected with DEAN DOA

 

[NicJimBass]

Hello all. I know that I asked this question awhile back, then let it die, but I have a Dean Edge 09. One of my favorite basses. The sound of it is mediocre (it's like Dean's cheapest or second cheapest if you consider the playmate kit bass.). It needs a new pickup. I wasn't exactly sure what would fit. Another Dean owner around here , Rolo, used the EMG-HZ 40, and said it sounded good. Will this fit? I know it fit his, but I was just wondering. Here is his thread Dean Edge 09 Bass Upgrade

Best thing to do is measure the pickup you have, first. Usually, Dean goes with EMG-style pickups. For a 4-string the EMG35 (3.5" wide) is the most common size. The link you provided says he used an EMG40 (4" wide) pickup, which is more common on 5-strings.

You can find EMG's of all varieties on eBay or Reverb, or in the classifieds. For a one-pickup bass, you may look for either an HZ (passive), P, DC or CS. These are all humbucking pickups with good output. The HZ seems like a passive CS to my ears. The CS is a bit less harsh than the DC. The P gives a good P-bass tone. If you buy new, or, sometimes used, the pickup will come with everything you need- the pickup, wiring kit, volume and tone pots, and an output jack. The new stuff is either all or mostly solderless, so it's just a matter of plugging things in correctly.

 

[Tigerclaw_x]

I still didn't get a clear reply about old dean Edge basses with 5 piece neck and EMG pick ups. Are they good to go or not? How would they compare to lets say Raiden Extreme? Or maybe Spector Performer?

 

[TheBassmaster27]

Best thing to do is measure the pickup you have, first. Usually, Dean goes with EMG-style pickups. For a 4-string the EMG35 (3.5" wide) is the most common size. The link you provided says he used an EMG40 (4" wide) pickup, which is more common on 5-strings.

You can find EMG's of all varieties on eBay or Reverb, or in the classifieds. For a one-pickup bass, you may look for either an HZ (passive), P, DC or CS. These are all humbucking pickups with good output. The HZ seems like a passive CS to my ears. The CS is a bit less harsh than the DC. The P gives a good P-bass tone. If you buy new, or, sometimes used, the pickup will come with everything you need- the pickup, wiring kit, volume and tone pots, and an output jack. The new stuff is either all or mostly solderless, so it's just a matter of plugging things in correctly.

Cool. Thanks. I'll measure that pickup. When i read that pickup used on that upgrade, I actually commented asking how it fix, seeing as it was rated as a 5 string pickup on emg's site.

 

[B-Mac]

I still didn't get a clear reply about old dean Edge basses with 5 piece neck and EMG pick ups. Are they good to go or not? How would they compare to lets say Raiden Extreme? Or maybe Spector Performer?

They’re great, but that old Dean is passive, not active.

The Spector Perfomer is a newer bass with EMG SSD pups which are also newer than the EMGHZ pups on the ‘98 Dean you’re looking at.

 

[tom once dead]

Well I just signed into TB for the first time in a long while and saw I had an alert linking me to this old thread. Crazy to see it's still going after I started it over 10 years ago, who woulda thought!
I sold my Dean 2a ML Metalman off a long time ago, but here's the last remaining photo I could find of my old Dean being used the way it was meant to.

 

[TheBassmaster27]

Well I just signed into TB for the first time in a long while and saw I had an alert linking me to this old thread. Crazy to see it's still going after I started it over 10 years ago, who woulda thought!
I sold my Dean 2a ML Metalman off a long time ago, but here's the last remaining photo I could find of my old Dean being used the way it was meant to.

View attachment 3277951

Hey man! Thanks for making this club all those years back. Its a good place to come to get information on all things dean. There's tons of people around here now that know a whole lot about everything from obscure runs of instruments to repairs and upgrades, pretty useful stuff. I read all the old old posts, and I know this club started as more of a "Show Me Your Dean Bass" club, but it has evolved into much, much more. Feel free to stop by i guess. I mean, you did create the thread.

 

[B-Mac]

Well I just signed into TB for the first time in a long while and saw I had an alert linking me to this old thread. Crazy to see it's still going after I started it over 10 years ago, who woulda thought!
I sold my Dean 2a ML Metalman off a long time ago, but here's the last remaining photo I could find of my old Dean being used the way it was meant to.

View attachment 3277951

You rock!
Great to see you stop in!
...and thanks for getting things started way back when!

 

[BradWorld]

The big Dean DOA 2019 event in Tampa this weekend was awesome. We had a great turnout. The three nights of jamming were very cool. Here is a photo of me playing my buddy Richie's Czech Jeff Berlin bass supporting the shredders Bill Peck and Vinny Moore during the big main event Saturday night. The Czech Berlin is a fantastic bass. If you ever get the chance to play one, you will see that its a special instrument. I brought my 1983 Hollywood Baby Z bass. And my buddy Chris brought down my old custom shop Hillsboro that I sold to him during a moment of weakness. Add in all the basses that Dean supplied for us to jam on, there were a ton of great basses around. This year we had an unprecidented number of great bass players in attendance as well. Rock on Dean bass bros.

 

[B-Mac]

Just visited the Dean Guitars website again and they have some new offerings that were not there a few days ago.

Namely an Edge 1 6 string and some cool looking Edge Pro 6 string variants that I am drooldrooldrool over.
Check'em out.

Edge 1 6 String Vintage Mahogany | Dean Guitars | Iconic Rock 'n' Roll Guitar Company
Edge Pro 6 String Walnut Satin Natural | Dean Guitars | Iconic Rock 'n' Roll Guitar Company
Edge Select 6 String Burled Poplar SN | Dean Guitars | Iconic Rock 'n' Roll Guitar Company

 

[B-Mac]

Of my many basses I still don't own a Jazz bass.
I've been looking at the Dean Juggernaut for a steal of a price on a brand new open box bass.
Really thinking about buying it. Black with tort PG and maple FB.
Korean made.
Anyone here ever play one?

 

[B-Mac]

The big Dean DOA 2019 event in Tampa this weekend was awesome. We had a great turnout. The three nights of jamming were very cool. Here is a photo of me playing my buddy Richie's Czech Jeff Berlin bass supporting the shredders Bill Peck and Vinny Moore during the big main event Saturday night. The Czech Berlin is a fantastic bass. If you ever get the chance to play one, you will see that its a special instrument. I brought my 1983 Hollywood Baby Z bass. And my buddy Chris brought down my old custom shop Hillsboro that I sold to him during a moment of weakness. Add in all the basses that Dean supplied for us to jam on, there were a ton of great basses around. This year we had an unprecidented number of great bass players in attendance as well. Rock on Dean bass bros.

View attachment 3283687

@BradWorld
When you were down there did you ever see one of these?

Dean USA Hillsboro 5 Single Exotic – Gloss Natural

 

[B-Mac]

As you may or may not know I own 21 (I think?) Dean Basses. Some have Bartolini pups, some have EMG pups, some have Bass Lines (Seymour Duncan) pups while others have DMT pups which have either blank covers or lettered covers.

My questions are:
Did Dean ever use any other pups other than the above?
Are the DMT pups on all the basses that have them made by Dean USA or are they outsourced and made in Asia somewhere?

Anybody know?

 

[B-Mac]

Got my Dean Paramount today (was supposed to arrive next week)! Used it with the band 2 hours later and it sounded and played great! strings were new and the action was just right.
View attachment 3263582

@Tony Sun ...I am thinking about buying one of these:Juggernaut
How is your Paramount holding up?

 

[B-Mac]

I still love the Paramount. It's the first one I go to grab, and it's definitely my lightest bass. Yes, gigging with it. It's my standard tuned bass. I used my LTD for my down-tuned. If you can find one at the price point I found mine, I say grab it.

@Sub-Frequency ...I am thinking about buying one of these:Juggernaut

How is your Paramount holding up?​

 

[TheBassmaster27]

As you may or may not know I own 21 (I think?) Dean Basses. Some have Bartolini pups, some have EMG pups, some have Bass Lines (Seymour Duncan) pups while others have DMT pups which have either blank covers or lettered covers.

My questions are:
Did Dean ever use any other pups other than the above?
Are the DMT pups on all the basses that have them made by Dean USA or are they outsourced and made in Asia somewhere?

Anybody know?

First of all, I think it's cool that you have 21. A lot of the pickups vary model to model. The pickups you have listed seem to be the ones on most models. However, if you pay the custom shop enough I'm sure they would put in anything(within reason). DMT pickups is where it gets a little odd. I would assume if you have a custom shop bass or guitar with DMT pickups, the pickups would be USA made. Putting Asian pickups from some ghost builder or out sourced place, would be kinda fraud(unless it is listed somewhere, which i couldn't find.) At the same time, the budget instruments (Edge 09, the pack guitars etc..) have DMT pickups, and there is no way those are made in America that the price they are. Unless Dean is taking a loss or something.

 

[B-Mac]

As some of you know, this weekend is the DOA event at Dean HQ in Tampa. Any of you going? I will be there. We will be playing two shows during the festivities. Plus lots of great partying. Fun times.

Here is an old photo of my Dean bass collection. I only still have two of these basses. But I have plenty more that Ive gotten since this was taken. Ah, memories of instruments past.
View attachment 3276012

I didn't realize the Demonator basses were that big!

 

[B-Mac]

Anyone have a Brian Bromberg sig. Dean? I missed one a couple years ago been curious about them...

I bought one last month. Awesome active bass

 

[B-Mac]

My latest used additions since January 7, 2019 (all sellers pics)

Dean Exhibition Faded Denim ABG w/Aphex 34" 4 string set neck used

Dean Brian Bromberg Active 4 string bass 34" 2 Dean jazz style pups and piezo saddle pup neck thru

Dean European Select Edge Improv Flame Natural EMG-CS pups (1999) 34" NT (used)

Dean Hillsboro Eric Bass Signature Gold Metallic Active Humbucker bolt-on 201? (not delivered yet)

 

[morgansterne]

I'm set to try out/buy a local used Dean Playmate 5 acoustic/electric Saturday. It's at a good price (under 100). I would be using it with my dad's poetry/music performances that we do a couple times a year (with a small amp or PA speaker).
What should I be looking for as red flags on such basses? I don't know much about acoustic basses. I'm going to buy it unless I see something specifically wrong with it and hoping for any advice on what I should look for. Thanks