Hopefully you are not worried about being able to play in tune either.
You may as well just play your BG, the differences are only visual.
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Double Bass Dean Pace EUB megathread
- Thread starter DaBassman
- Start date
Hopefully you are not worried about being able to play in tune either.
You may as well just play your BG, the differences are only visual.
- Oct 7, 2000
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I actually have a Dean Pace 5 and a few different fretless basses. True, the Pace doesn't really sound much like an upright but I must say that it's a lot more convenient to haul to gigs than my doghouse. The Pace really doesn't sound like any of my fretless basses either. I have a some custom stuff that's J and MM based. The Pace really has a voice of its own and it either works or doesn't work for your particular situation.
It's pretty solidly built and the stand makes perfect sense if you set it up right (no pun). There's very little to it so there isn't much to go wrong. If there is a weak spot, it's the electronics. I replaced mine with the Graphtech Ghost system and it made a huge improvement in both sound and reliability. I heard that Dean's solution to the electronic problems was to eliminate the preamp this year. That means that it's now just a piezo bridge going through a volume control to a jack. I hope they lower the price enough to make adding an outboard buffer preamp feasable.
It's pretty solidly built and the stand makes perfect sense if you set it up right (no pun). There's very little to it so there isn't much to go wrong. If there is a weak spot, it's the electronics. I replaced mine with the Graphtech Ghost system and it made a huge improvement in both sound and reliability. I heard that Dean's solution to the electronic problems was to eliminate the preamp this year. That means that it's now just a piezo bridge going through a volume control to a jack. I hope they lower the price enough to make adding an outboard buffer preamp feasable.
Has the Dean Pace always had a 6" radius neck? I played a Pace last year at a trade show in Birmingham, and I'm pretty certain the neck was flat like a fretless bass. Am I remembering this wrong? If so, how much better is the new neck radius? (And yes, I know some people don't consider it to be a proper EUB before people go on about it!)
No, the new ones w/ the piezo are 6", the originals w/ mag p/u were virtualy flat. It's like playing a 2x4 with strings. Any kind of radius is going to be more like a URB. Which is good, for arco and just for the feel...and with the right strings, it can sound killer.
Just thinking, would a Dean Pace benefit from a preamp? I'm using the newer model with piezo bridge system. The LR Baggs Para looks very interesting. Any thoughts anyone?
The Dean has a built in preamp. I don't know what you'd get by adding another one into the mix.
Wow - I hadn't checked my posting for the longest time since nobody initially responded. 
Thanks, Mick - I'll give it a shot!
Thanks, Mick - I'll give it a shot!
What the Heck is going on, can anybody explain to me what was wrong with the old strings?Just got a new Dean Pace 4 string to play in a traditional Hawaiian band. I'm used to playing a DB with high action, seems to suit Hawaiian music the best.
I changed the strings to the Labella 760N's as many have suggested but I'm still getting a buzz on my A and G string when place my fingers on certain the "fretboard." This is especially true when I hold down my C note on the A string and the Bb note on the G. Is my action too low? How do you adjust for this? Mahalo
I changed the strings to the Labella 760N's as many have suggested but I'm still getting a buzz on my A and G string when place my fingers on certain the "fretboard." This is especially true when I hold down my C note on the A string and the Bb note on the G. Is my action too low? How do you adjust for this? Mahalo
Your fingerboard needs to be dressed by a qualified luthier to remove the bumps.
Afterwards you'll be able to lower the action and it'll be easier to play!
Afterwards you'll be able to lower the action and it'll be easier to play!
Hi Fly Bass.... I was interested to read about your involvement with the design of the Dean Pace. Can you let me know the details re: the electronics upgrade? I currently own a Pace. My e-mail is:[email protected].
Cheers Luis-Portugal
Cheers Luis-Portugal
FlyBass didn't come back on TalkBass since december 2006, so your best move is to get in touch with Dean Guitars directly:
Invalid Link Removed
Good luck.
François
TB mod
Invalid Link Removed
Good luck.
François
TB mod
Flybass was/is the inimitable Mick Donner, a renowned instrument designer who's worked for Peavey, Parker Guitars, and Dean, and who is now freelancing and playing more than ever. He's the designer of the Pace Bass. He's also a good friend who I know through my connection to the band he played for in the 80's, Invalid Link Removed.
I was interested in Pace basses last year for a while, and talked with Mick about him upgrading the electronics. According to him, the stock piezo electronics in the factory Pace are cheap, in order to meet the price point that Dean established for the Pace. The problem is that the electronics do not properly buffer the piezo output, so the sound is much harsher and treble-oriented than the bass is capable of. That's why a lot of players have to fiddle around with lots of string types to get a usable sound, and have to hit the EQ pretty hard.
At one point last year, Mick was offering Pace owners installation of the excellent Ghost electronics from Graph Tech for a moderate fee. His original Pace design included the Ghost, but it was too expensive for production. Mick says that Paces with the Ghost sound much, much better and capture more of the EUB vibe.
He may still be doing the upgrades. I'll check with him.
I was interested in Pace basses last year for a while, and talked with Mick about him upgrading the electronics. According to him, the stock piezo electronics in the factory Pace are cheap, in order to meet the price point that Dean established for the Pace. The problem is that the electronics do not properly buffer the piezo output, so the sound is much harsher and treble-oriented than the bass is capable of. That's why a lot of players have to fiddle around with lots of string types to get a usable sound, and have to hit the EQ pretty hard.
At one point last year, Mick was offering Pace owners installation of the excellent Ghost electronics from Graph Tech for a moderate fee. His original Pace design included the Ghost, but it was too expensive for production. Mick says that Paces with the Ghost sound much, much better and capture more of the EUB vibe.
He may still be doing the upgrades. I'll check with him.
I tested out a Dean Pace at a local music store. I did take lessons for 3 months on a rented Upright Acoustic and decided I loved the tone and sound, but did not have the time commitment to really get proficient.
The guy plugged it into an Ashdown Electric Blue combo and I got fooling around on it. I noticed the lack of much curvature to the fretboard and had to think how to get into thumb position on higher octaves, but it requires more electric techique than upright.
I dug the tone into the little combo amp. I have an Acoustic Elecrtic Bass Guitar, but never play gigs or rehearse with it due to feedback issues. For loud amplication puposes, the Dean seems like it is easy on portability, cost, transition.
There was nothing other than volume on the tester which was fine for me. Tweaking the eq, it got good middy and low end bassy tones.
I saw the NS Wav there, but did not have time to play it. I now have gas for the Dean or another EUB.
From a playing, but not detailed inspection, I rate it pretty good.
Visually, the NS had more fret markers, and seemingly better components. Looking around the Palatino might be in the running, but no where to test it out.
The guy plugged it into an Ashdown Electric Blue combo and I got fooling around on it. I noticed the lack of much curvature to the fretboard and had to think how to get into thumb position on higher octaves, but it requires more electric techique than upright.
I dug the tone into the little combo amp. I have an Acoustic Elecrtic Bass Guitar, but never play gigs or rehearse with it due to feedback issues. For loud amplication puposes, the Dean seems like it is easy on portability, cost, transition.
There was nothing other than volume on the tester which was fine for me. Tweaking the eq, it got good middy and low end bassy tones.
I saw the NS Wav there, but did not have time to play it. I now have gas for the Dean or another EUB.
From a playing, but not detailed inspection, I rate it pretty good.
Visually, the NS had more fret markers, and seemingly better components. Looking around the Palatino might be in the running, but no where to test it out.
Hey guys,
Got my Christmas gift, and it's a Dean Pace EUB. I'm pretty excited.
Anyway, the reason I wanted an EUB is because I played double bass in various orchestras for 7 years or so.
If you know about the Dean then you know I have a problem, I can't play arco (with a bow) because the bridge is flat and the finger board isn't radiused enough.
So my question is, can I modify it so I can play it with a bow, or, worst case scenario, am I going to have to somehow return/sell this and get something else?
I think I can build a bridge that would get the two middle strings where I want them, but are the pickups going to perform properly with that setup?
That then leaves the fingerboard, if I build a bridge that is as minimal as possible just so I can bow the middle strings, how big of an issue is the fingerboard going to be? Having the action too high would be the concern, but if it's only 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch at the bottom I think I can handle that.
Thoughts? Opinions? Ideas? Concerns?
All is appreciated. Thanks.
Got my Christmas gift, and it's a Dean Pace EUB. I'm pretty excited.
Anyway, the reason I wanted an EUB is because I played double bass in various orchestras for 7 years or so.
If you know about the Dean then you know I have a problem, I can't play arco (with a bow) because the bridge is flat and the finger board isn't radiused enough.
So my question is, can I modify it so I can play it with a bow, or, worst case scenario, am I going to have to somehow return/sell this and get something else?
I think I can build a bridge that would get the two middle strings where I want them, but are the pickups going to perform properly with that setup?
That then leaves the fingerboard, if I build a bridge that is as minimal as possible just so I can bow the middle strings, how big of an issue is the fingerboard going to be? Having the action too high would be the concern, but if it's only 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch at the bottom I think I can handle that.
Thoughts? Opinions? Ideas? Concerns?
All is appreciated. Thanks.
I'd think that anything less than a fingerboard replacement would be an exercise in frustration for you, since you already know what a proper double bass feels like. I've played the Pace, and other than the fact that it points skyward, it doesn't replicate a DB experience for me in any way. It feels more like my old Steinberger bass, if I mounted it on a broomstick.
I'd probably look at swapping it out for a more DB-like instrument. If you're limiting yourself to EUBs only, the Ergo basses have gotten a lot of positive buzz here. Not too expensive.
Finally, no EUB... not even the most expensive one, is a double bass. Oranges and apples.
I'd probably look at swapping it out for a more DB-like instrument. If you're limiting yourself to EUBs only, the Ergo basses have gotten a lot of positive buzz here. Not too expensive.
Finally, no EUB... not even the most expensive one, is a double bass. Oranges and apples.
I had this problem - hum when touching the strings. In my case (and I suspect yours) the problem was a loose earth (ground). I took off the bridge and repositioned the ground wire so it was making good solid contact with the bridge and it fixed the problem.
I suspect that what happens is when you change the strings, the load on the bridge being released and then taken up again helps the ground wire re-make contact and the hum disappears for a while.
Phatbass
I suspect that what happens is when you change the strings, the load on the bridge being released and then taken up again helps the ground wire re-make contact and the hum disappears for a while.
Phatbass
Hey, I'm new on here. had a question on a Dean Pace. I'm mainly an electric player. But I bought a Dean Pace about 2 years ago used. I know the strings on it aren't stock but don't know what they are. But they need to be changed. I know I'll need flatwounds. Anyone have any suggestions for a good set of strings? Thanks 
