Electronics for Fender Dimension IV HH

[amreagan]

I just picked up a Fender Dimension American Deluxe IV HH to replace my G&L Tribute L-2000. It seemed like a logical replacement, and I've read a decent number of posts about the Dimension. I ordered it without playing one because you can't just drive across town and check one out since there aren't a ton of them around. The bass as an instrument is phenomenal. I love the neck and the shape, but the preamp doesn't sound as good as the Tribute. I like the cut/boost low, mid, high, setup, but the depth of cut/boost seems far less dramatic than the tone controls of the Tribute even in passive mode. The L-2000 had growl and bite that the Dimension just doesn't get. Sure, I can distort the signal, but it's more like I'm distorting a line level output than having a pedal truly change the characteristics of the pickups. There are several posts indicating the audre preamps are a significant improvement, but I haven't really seen anything to the effect of whether or not they can make the existing Dimension pickups more aggressive. Does the audre simply improve the tone of the Dimension's mellow characteristics, or can it provide a hotter output? I haven't played a bass that feels better in my hands, and electronics are one of the cheaper improvements to be made. Most of the Dimension talk I've seen is a couple of years old. Anybody have anything to add?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Audere is the name of the company that makes pre-amps & AFAIK they're supposed to be transparent, meaning your pickups will still sound the same when all the EQ controls of the pre-amp are at zero (no cut, no boost):

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

IME, you need natural "growl & bite" from the pickups, it just sound synthetic if it comes from the pre-amp.
Your issue is that those pickups are not a normal shape, so replacing them is not so easy, or maybe the results not so pretty:

Link Removed

 

[Passinwind]

I know this is a crazy idea, but seems feasible. Has anyone tried to capture the plastic housing for the Dimension pickups and modify design to fit other pickups and print them with a 3D printer? It seems like the most likely method to get some other pickup options for the Dimension. Even if the G&L pickups are too big to fit the housing I'm sure there are some others that would fit.

You could probably just make a silicone mold and have any number of people cast up something for you.

 

[amreagan]

It would probably be easier to just route out the body and make room for different pickups. The only advantage of trying to squeeze different pickups into the housing for the Dimension pickups would be resale. The real problem is that I'm not in a position to spend $1500 on a bass and I think it might take that or more to get something that sounds as good as the L-2000 tribute, but plays as effortlessly as the Dimension. I did notice tonight though that the acoustic timbre of the of Dimension is significantly more guitar-like than the G&L. I'm thinking that the Dimension with L-2000 pickups might still sound less beefy than the G&L.

 

[amreagan]

After having played a couple of gigs with the Dimension, I have to say that the brighter sound of it over the G&L actually works better in a band of six with three guitars. I still prefer the bite of the G&L when playing by myself, but the Dimension is such a great performance instrument. It plays effortlessly and cuts through the mix better.

 

[Rodslinger]

I just picked up a Fender Dimension American Deluxe IV HH to replace my G&L Tribute L-2000. It seemed like a logical replacement, and I've read a decent number of posts about the Dimension. I ordered it without playing one because you can't just drive across town and check one out since there aren't a ton of them around. The bass as an instrument is phenomenal. I love the neck and the shape, but the preamp doesn't sound as good as the Tribute. I like the cut/boost low, mid, high, setup, but the depth of cut/boost seems far less dramatic than the tone controls of the Tribute even in passive mode. The L-2000 had growl and bite that the Dimension just doesn't get. Sure, I can distort the signal, but it's more like I'm distorting a line level output than having a pedal truly change the characteristics of the pickups. There are several posts indicating the audre preamps are a significant improvement, but I haven't really seen anything to the effect of whether or not they can make the existing Dimension pickups more aggressive. Does the audre simply improve the tone of the Dimension's mellow characteristics, or can it provide a hotter output? I haven't played a bass that feels better in my hands, and electronics are one of the cheaper improvements to be made. Most of the Dimension talk I've seen is a couple of years old. Anybody have anything to add?

I've owned many L-2000s and 5 different Fender Dimensions. They all growl like lions in a fight. The midrange forward punch and growl is what made me gravitate towards Dimensions. I never messed with the preamp in any of those Basses. I always keep it flat unless I'm playing a horrible room. Other than that my amp has enough knobs to keep me tone busy. I recorded this whole album with an American Dimension 4 string in C-Standard, Ampeg SVT 4Pro and Ampeg SVT 212AV can. Y'all about Mega growl

 

[Rodslinger]

After having played a couple of gigs with the Dimension, I have to say that the brighter sound of it over the G&L actually works better in a band of six with three guitars. I still prefer the bite of the G&L when playing by myself, but the Dimension is such a great performance instrument. It plays effortlessly and cuts through the mix better.

No doubt!

 

[amreagan]

Dimension is definitely easier on the back compared to l-2000 as well