Dean Club!!!

[B-Mac]

Ah, very nice! Hillsboro Basses kick arse.

Funny story. I was getting set to play at a Dean Guitars event a few years ago, and Jon Hill handed me a bass that just came off his bench after being assembled. My buddy Chris helped him unwrap the masking tape he used to protect the fretboard as he dressed the frets earlier that day. It was the very first USA Hillsboro Bass that came out of the then new Dean custom wood shop. I took it, ran on stage, and had a hell of a time with it. Been a fan of the Hillsboro ever since. There is a really bad quality youtube video of that performance floating around. \m/

Was it this?

 

[FenderBassist]

Just ordered a Juggernaut (my first Dean ever), black with rosewood fb. After reading the specs and reviews, it appeared to be what I was looking for...something well built and budget priced, to just put a set of flatwounds & StrapLoks on and play. The fact that it was a discontinued model and priced to sell (47% off, tax and shipping included) was eye-catching.

Haven't read all the posts yet, just found this thread....but am glad to read generally positive experiences with owning Deans.

I'll post a pic when it arrives and will request a number then

 

[B-Mac]

Just ordered a Juggernaut (my first Dean ever), black with rosewood fb. After reading the specs and reviews, it appeared to be what I was looking for...something well built and budget priced, to just put a set of flatwounds & StrapLoks on and play. The fact that it was a discontinued model and priced to sell (47% off, tax and shipping included) was eye-catching.

Haven't read all the posts yet, just found this thread....but am glad to read generally positive experiences with owning Deans.

I'll post a pic when it arrives and will request a number then

Welcome!

I hope you like thin necks. They’re 1.5” wide at the nut and 0.75” thick at the first fret and have a satin finish maple neck. To me it’s a ‘fast’ neck meaning it never feels sticky.

If that type of neck isn’t your thing then you may be disappointed.

I also bought Dean USA Hot and Vintage pups for mine but have yet to try them out. I’m hoping you have no problems with yours. They’re Korean made and are usually flawless. No sharp fret ends no fret sprout no high frets. Both my Juggernaut and Paramount were like that. The electronics were also fine though @Sub-Frequency did have some problems with his Paramount pups.

@Mark Yurick bought several Juggernaut basses he likes them so much

 

[FenderBassist]

Welcome!

I hope you like thin necks. They’re 1.5” wide at the nut and 0.75” thick at the first fret and have a satin finish maple neck. To me it’s a ‘fast’ neck meaning it never feels sticky.

If that type of neck isn’t your thing then you may be disappointed.

I also bought Dean USA Hot and Vintage pups for mine but have yet to try them out. I’m hoping you have no problems with yours. They’re Korean made and are usually flawless. No sharp fret ends no fret sprout no high frets. Both my Juggernaut and Paramount were like that. The electronics were also fine though @Sub-Frequency did have some problems with his Paramount pups.

@Mark Yurick bought several Juggernaut basses he likes them so much

Hi, thanks for the response and the advice, much obliged! Been reading up on other people's similar purchases (including yours), very encouraging about the build quality.

Yes, I do realize they are a slimmer neck and a 12" radius vs the 9.5" radius C shape Precision necks I've gravitated towards over the years. But I already expected a J bass to be thinner and will adjust to it for the times I end up using the (J)uggernaut bass (blues, reggae, Jazz standards). Having started out with Rickenbackers, I have an idea of what to expect. I think it'll be ok, but if not then I'll look at other options.

Sorr to hear about Sub-Frequency's issues. Will read up on what he posted, thanks!

EDIT: in the event that the neck just won't work for me, maybe I'll see if someone with a (P)aramount bass wants to trade necks, if they are interchangeable.

 

[Jimbowhit7]

Welp, it's been a while since I've posted. Sorry I've been gone so long! Been getting used to married life and whatnot.

Still using my Dean Paramount a ton, both at church and in recordings I've made (I now get write music with my wife, which is awesome ). Here's a couple of works in progress that I'm particularly proud of so far, especially with how well I feel I've gotten the bass to "sit" with the guitar tracks. I hope everyone here has been doing well!

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[B-Mac]

Welp, it's been a while since I've posted. Sorry I've been gone so long! Been getting used to married life and whatnot.

Still using my Dean Paramount a ton, both at church and in recordings I've made (I now get write music with my wife, which is awesome ). Here's a couple of works in progress that I'm particularly proud of so far, especially with how well I feel I've gotten the bass to "sit" with the guitar tracks. I hope everyone here has been doing well!

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Glad you’re enjoying the married life!

 

[Jimbowhit7]

Glad you’re enjoying the married life!

Thank you. It's been great, my wife and I have been doing really well.

 

[FenderBassist]

Actually, now I'm curious if the (P)aramount and the (J)uggernaut bass necks are interchangeable. If the Dean necks are longer than Fender replacement necks, it could be a possible replacement option.

 

[B-Mac]

Actually, now I'm curious if the (P)aramount and the (J)uggernaut bass necks are interchangeable. If the Dean necks are longer than Fender replacement necks, it could be a possible replacement option.

Don’t know.

The Dean necks are 22 frets
Fender necks are either 20 or 21 frets depending on the model

 

[B-Mac]

Welp, it's been a while since I've posted. Sorry I've been gone so long! Been getting used to married life and whatnot.

Still using my Dean Paramount a ton, both at church and in recordings I've made (I now get write music with my wife, which is awesome ). Here's a couple of works in progress that I'm particularly proud of so far, especially with how well I feel I've gotten the bass to "sit" with the guitar tracks. I hope everyone here has been doing well!

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What are you using on these tracks?

 

[Jimbowhit7]

What are you using on these tracks?

Like what gear outside of the Paramount?

 

[B-Mac]

Like what gear outside of the Paramount?

Yes

Just asking as I just plug straight in with everything pretty much flat.

 

[Jimbowhit7]

Yes

Welp, here's the comprehensive list:

Untitled
Bass: ProCo RAT2 into 1970s Yamaha B100
Guitar: Squier Affinity Tele (Blond) > RAT2 > Digitech Digidelay > Old Blood Noise Endeavors Dark Star > 70s Yamaha B100

CFB
Bass: Boss CE-5
Acoustic (Ibanez AEG20II): Boss CE-5
Electric (Squier Tele): OCD clone > Digidelay > OBNE Dark Star
(Didn't use any amps/preamps on CFB)

 

[Jimbowhit7]

I'm particularly fond of the bass sound I got on "Untitled" with my RAT2, lots of midrange and distortion seemed to sit well with the guitar tracks.

 

[B-Mac]

I'm particularly fond of the bass sound I got on "Untitled" with my RAT2, lots of midrange and distortion seemed to sit well with the guitar tracks.

I’d love to hear it live rather than through my phone or laptop

I’m sure it is earth shaking.

 

[Jimbowhit7]

I’d love to hear it live rather than through my phone or laptop

I’m sure it is earth shaking.

It's best through headphones to be honest, but yeah, it's pretty great. Not much low end, but the booming mid range more than makes up for that XD

 

[Jimbowhit7]

Finished recording the bass and guitar tracks for the untitled project! The Paramount is an absolute beast on this!
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[FenderBassist]

Well done. I just pulled the trigger on a Paramount bass as well. Already have 4 Precision style basses (setup for Standard A440 tuning) but do not like having to change the setup on any of them for E flat A430 tuning,

and I stopped using 5 string basses years ago,

so will use the Paramount for that. Will make certain blues people very happy.

 

[B-Mac]

Well done. I just pulled the trigger on a Paramount bass as well. Already have 4 Precision style basses (setup for Standard A440 tuning) but do not like having to change the setup on any of them for E flat A430 tuning,

and I stopped using 5 string basses years ago,

so will use the Paramount for that. Will make certain blues people very happy.

I’m confused (it doesn’t take much nowadays) are you getting one of each?

 

[FenderBassist]

I’m confused (it doesn’t take much nowadays) are you getting one of each?

Yessir, decided to get one of each. A Juggernaut with flats (for situations where I use a P bass with flats, as an alternate bass), and a Paramount with rounds set up for E flat standard tuning (for those situations requiring it).