Dean Rhapsody HBF Fretless. good starter fretless?

I've been looking at the same bass. What's the dilly-o with this thing? Anybody?

 

I think the Rhapsody HBF is a very nice bass. I'd buy one if I didn't already own a fretless Stingray 5.

To my ears, the one I tried out was quite warm sounding. The neck was also very fast for me and the bass seemed well built.

 

If you're looking for the Jaco sound, the pickup is in the wrong place.

Nice bass for the $$$ though.

 

I picked up one of the fretted HB models identical to the fretless a while back, and it's quite nice. If I didn't already own too many fretless basses, I'd have one in fretless, too.

Speaking about the fretted model, it is well made, very nice slim neck that seems to have no dead spots, truss rod allows for nice action, the sustain and character of the tone is very good, and the single EMG pickup is quite impressive. The semi-hollow body is nice and light, yet balanced ok, but I think it's more for sex appeal than actually contributing a great deal to the sound.

Damn nice bass. Never thought I'd own a Dean. Detailed images on my bass site.

 

Boy, you hit that nail on the head. Nice bass, nice playability, that pickup is placed in just about the perfect spot... to keep you from adding a bridge pickup.

No Jaco for you!

Otherwise, a nice, affordable bass. I found a new one a few months back for $299.

 

Really? Huh. Maybe that might be a Fretless bass for me to pick up sometime in the future (in which I plan to learn fretless).

But those F holes...arg...

 

Some of you may remember that I wanted to de-fret my Jack Casdy, but was thankfully talked out of it by a "Jacksters" member. After seeing this bass, I figured it should sound at least similar to the Jackbass; the pickup's in roughly the same position, and it is a semi hollow body. Although I like "the Jaco sound," I'm starting to like rounder, warmer sounding basses. I think I might get one and sell my MIM Jazz. (Oh the lies we tell ourselves just to get another axe!)

Mike J.

 

Why don't you get a second Jack and defret it?

 

I would, but, at $399.00 for the Dean, versus $719.00
for the Casady, I think the Dean has it. Plus two other reasons:
1) I like the idea of getting a new model of bass that I've never tried.
2) I've gotten lazy lately. I just want to open a box and play. I've had my MIM jazz since July 2000, and never did anything to it, I just bought more basses. Sad excuse for G.A.S., huh?

Mike J.