Dean Club!!!

[B-Mac]

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

The Playmate EAB 5 is one of Dean's lowest line ABG's. The EAB 4 Playmate is the lowest line.
They came out in 2006. They have a Passive Piezo system where there is only a sliding volume control and a sliding tone control. They are not very loud as this is Passive not Active.
@McG gigs with the 4 string version. By 2008 there were non-Playmate versions that look identical but do not have the word playmate on the headstock. Since these have a Piezo under the saddle I'd plug it in before you buy it to make sure all the strings have consistent loudness. Check the set neck where it connects to the body for cracking. Check the headstock where is connects to the neck for cracking. Check the nut to make sure that the ends at the E string and G string have not chipped off. Make sure the neck is straight and not warped or twisted. These are things I'd check for on any used ABG.

Below are some catalog pages for you.
2006

2007/2008

2008

 

[morgansterne]

Great info thanks @B-Mac

 

[B-Mac]

Great info thanks @B-Mac

 

[B-Mac]

Great info thanks @B-Mac

Here's a vid on a Dean EAB. For some odd reason it is described as an EABC, but it is obvious that it is NOT a cutaway.

 

[-Stingray]

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

How is your Paramount holding up?​

It's holding up just fine.

On a related note, I'm thinking about picking up a Hillsboro but have nowhere to test drive one. I'm assuming it has the same zing the SBMM Subs and EBMM Stingrays do, given the same MM pickup configuration.

Can anyone confirm?

 

[-Stingray]

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?

Not sure what they used on the Paramount, but they were the worst garbage ever. Had to replace it with a Seymour Duncan right out of the gate. Once I did that it had the trademark P-bass tone.

 

[B-Mac]

Not sure what they used on the Paramount, but they were the worst garbage ever. Had to replace it with a Seymour Duncan right out of the gate. Once I did that it had the trademark P-bass tone.

How garbage? Super hot? As in very bright?

 

[B-Mac]

It's holding up just fine.

On a related note, I'm thinking about picking up a Hillsboro but have nowhere to test drive one. I'm assuming it has the same zing the SBMM Subs and EBMM Stingrays do, given the same MM pickup configuration.

Can anyone confirm?

I own a Hillsboro Eric Bass signature pictured above and can take measurements as I don’t have an EBMM to compare to.

 

[B-Mac]

It's holding up just fine.

On a related note, I'm thinking about picking up a Hillsboro but have nowhere to test drive one. I'm assuming it has the same zing the SBMM Subs and EBMM Stingrays do, given the same MM pickup configuration.

Can anyone confirm?

10th of an inch scale

3 1/2” x 1 7/8”

Looks like these dimensions
Google Image Result for https://www.bestbassgear.com/images/diagrams/Nord-MM-4-Tech-Drawing.jpg

 

[-Stingray]

How garbage? Super hot? As in very bright?

Muddy and distorted. If I backed off the volume 30% it was passable, but not optimal. Even engaging the active input switch on my head didn't help. The new pups fixed the problem though.

 

[B-Mac]

Muddy and distorted. If I backed off the volume 30% it was passable, but not optimal. Even engaging the active input switch on my head didn't help. The new pups fixed the problem though.

Thanks

 

[B-Mac]

It's holding up just fine.

On a related note, I'm thinking about picking up a Hillsboro but have nowhere to test drive one. I'm assuming it has the same zing the SBMM Subs and EBMM Stingrays do, given the same MM pickup configuration.

Can anyone confirm?

I believe the Dean USA Hillsboro models came with basslines pups which are Seymour Duncans

 

[Crystalman85]

I've recently been thinking about getting a dean edge 1 vintage natural 5-string bass. I've been curious about that bass for quite sometime. I am intrigue by the musicman-styled pickup. I'm thinking about getting one sometime soon. especially since I've been in the market for a passive bass. my other choices would of been either the dean edge 2 5-string bass or the dean edge 1 6-string bass. that bass I saw on musician's friend the other night and I thought it looked pretty cool. I normally play 5-string basses, but if this bass is available, I might consider getting one.

 

[B-Mac]

I've recently been thinking about getting a dean edge 1 vintage natural 5-string bass. I've been curious about that bass for quite sometime. I am intrigue by the musicman-styled pickup. I'm thinking about getting one sometime soon. especially since I've been in the market for a passive bass. my other choices would of been either the dean edge 2 5-string bass or the dean edge 1 6-string bass. that bass I saw on musician's friend the other night and I thought it looked pretty cool. I normally play 5-string basses, but if this bass is available, I might consider getting one.

The new 6 string Dean Edge 1 is passive.
I’ve been eyeing it as well. The price is pretty amazing.

The 5 string is one pup and is a carryover from previous years

The six string Edge 1 is a new offering as they’ve never had a 6 string Edge 1 before. All other Edge 6 strings were variants of the Edge 4 which were all 2 band active. Same is true for the Edge 8-string

Edge 1 6 String Vintage Mahogany | Dean Guitars | Iconic Rock 'n' Roll Guitar Company

 

[B-Mac]

I've recently been thinking about getting a dean edge 1 vintage natural 5-string bass. I've been curious about that bass for quite sometime. I am intrigue by the musicman-styled pickup. I'm thinking about getting one sometime soon. especially since I've been in the market for a passive bass. my other choices would of been either the dean edge 2 5-string bass or the dean edge 1 6-string bass. that bass I saw on musician's friend the other night and I thought it looked pretty cool. I normally play 5-string basses, but if this bass is available, I might consider getting one.

The new 6 string reminds me a lot of the Edge Hammer model, but that was also active.

I also noticed on their website that the Dean Edge Pro is no longer neck thru which makes me wonder what is better about it than the newer Edge 4 which has different electronics than previous Edge 4 basses

 

[BradWorld]

I believe the Dean USA Hillsboro models came with basslines pups which are Seymour Duncans

My USA Hillsboro, as well as several of my friend's USA Hills, came with USA DMT pickups wound in the Dean Tampa shop.

 

[B-Mac]

My USA Hillsboro, as well as several of my friend's USA Hills, came with USA DMT pickups wound in the Dean Tampa shop.

How are they?

 

[B-Mac]

My USA Hillsboro, as well as several of my friend's USA Hills, came with USA DMT pickups wound in the Dean Tampa shop.

So would this have been possibly a special order?
Dean USA Hillsboro 5 Single Exotic – Gloss Natural
Dean USA Hillsboro 5 Single Exotic – Gloss Natural

 

[BradWorld]

So would this have been possibly a special order?
Dean USA Hillsboro 5 Single Exotic – Gloss Natural
Dean USA Hillsboro 5 Single Exotic – Gloss Natural

I am pretty sure I remember that being a NAMM bass. Even though that one says its a 2018, the sn indicated 2010. I can try to dig up some photos from NAMM and DOA and see if I can find it... if I have time, which is scarce these days. LOL.

The DMT bass pickups sound awesome by the way. Especially the Hot P and Hot J pickups. The stand up very well to the best of Duncan and Dimarzio. Never had a DMT MM style pickup.

 

[B-Mac]

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

@morgansterne how’d it go on Saturday?