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What's wrong with the Fender Dimension Basses?
- Thread starter tlite
- Start date
It was the one with the triplebucker (the Modern Player Dimension?). The switch instead of a tone knob threw me off initially but more than anything, the bass had so much buzzing on the neck definitely in need of a set up. I think between the two issues and the fact that my impression was it felt a little less sturdily build than other MIM made me put it back on the wall.
If you want the pure Dimension experience, find an AmDlx or an AmStd to demo.
I played the 5 string Deluxe Version with two pickups as I constantly try to compare what is out there vs. my Partscasters. They were on a flash sale for only $699. I figured if it felt and sounded good enough, it would make a great back up bass to my two Partscasters. I was able to dial in a lot of good sounds, and the build and set up on it were actually very good. My complaint was the flabby "B" string which I often detune to "A" , which only made it super flabby. I really wanted to like this bass, as it had a lot going for it, but felt like Fender really dropped the ball by not going with a 35 or 36" neck on the 5er. Maybe it's just me and too much time on the upright, but 34" necks just don't do it for me, and 35" necks w/two full octaves feel a little short as well. Give me 35" and 21 frets, and I'm a happy camper.
That’s interesting - my pair of AmDlx 5s have great B strings. This was a USA bass with a stealth retainer on the B?
I have tried a few of these. Not my cup of tea. Neck was too uncomfortable, and the preamp was pretty useless for the most part (tone controls were at the wrong frequency points, for me, with harsh treble). I was only able to get a couple of usable sounds from the American DLX 5 string (or whatever it is called). I really was hoping Fender finally came up with a decent active 5 string but it is not to be.
I just do not think it appeals to Bassists looking to by a Fender.
Why??? I believe it is because...
a) It is not a Precision or a Jazz bass
b) It is trying to go after a market share that is already saturated with quality, low-cost options (see Ibanez)
I like it but would never purchase one myself. It's just not my thing.
Why??? I believe it is because...
a) It is not a Precision or a Jazz bass
b) It is trying to go after a market share that is already saturated with quality, low-cost options (see Ibanez)
I like it but would never purchase one myself. It's just not my thing.
I agree but I'd add that it's also an area of the market that has some really interesting and quality niche instruments. There is no one iconic bass that fits the bill with the possible exception of the Stingray. There are so many good a reasonably priced basses here that the alternatives to a Fender often provide more bang for buck. My Lakland is twice the bass of the dimensions I tried both for sound and build quality and I believe the Spalted maple finish looks like it cost twice as much as the Fender.
There was actually a thread a while back that we Dimension owners had going about how good the low Bs are on dimensions.
"Fender Dimensions: World famous for the very best sounding low B."
From experience I have 4 MIMs and 3 are 5 strings. The low Bs are great.
Also I find the MIMs perfect for me. While they are MM style basses there is a lot of that aggressive Fender J tone in them. It’s in a sonic space between MM and J bass which is pretty cool. And for the price it’s ridiculous value.
Personally love the feel of the Fender dimension bass. Absolutely hated the triple bucker. Great instrument in my opinion, wish it had a either a MM style humbucker or a P/J configuration. Loved absolutely everything else about it!
THIS one has the case I wished mine would have had. I got one of those 'luxury' tolex cases that's pretty for pictures or collectors but gets destroyed in the gear trailer.
Yeah, I also wish my Fender Dimension had come in a plastic shell case instead of the vintage style wood & tolex kind. They look cool but don't protect well from bumps or changes in temp/humidity. The latches also tend to smack your knuckles when you release them and they flip open.
I purchased the SKB cases for each of my Dims - having them be stackable with my P5s was important to me. Plus, I’m not a Tolex case fan.
Which SKB cases did you buy, the ones with a cutout for a Jazz bass? Or is there one that's more specific for a Dimension?
I have played both the American Standard V and the American Elite V HH, which I still have and love. The Standard had to go for financial reasons. Both are absolutely amazing basses. Compared to Musicman 5 string basses (my personal benchmark) they have a B-string as tight as you could expect and a wonderful neck and neck profile. I also love the natural oil finish of the neck. If there's anything I could complain about than on the fact that the Elite (natural finish) has a 3-piece body. In that price class I would expect a two-piece body, perfectly matched, but that's just me.
Soundwise both basses are excellent: They combine a chunky yet flexible sound with still a massive touch of Fender. 21 frets (yes) and with the 5-way switch (Elite/Deluxe) I am ready for almost any situation: Position 1 gives (at least to me) a close approximation to my Fender Precision, Pos. 2 to the Jazz Bass (not as close but still nearby), Pos. 3 is THE Dimension hallmark sound, just great, chunky but still very articulate, Pos. 4 is what I consider the Musicman setting. Reminds me of the same coil setting on a Stingray/Sterling HH. Pos. 5 is what I call the "Super Jaco". The 3-band EQ on the Elite is the most musical and tasteful I have ever had the pleasure to play. It just works very subtle and smooth. Also in comparison to previous Musicman HH basses I played (except the Bongo) ALL 5 settings on the Elite are extremely usable - there is no rubbish setting.
Why did the model not work for Fender? Expectations and marketing strategy set way to high. Overkill on the market with too many lines in parallel - customers are still confused about what is what. No profile - what does the Dimension Bass stand for? We had no time to figure out. No high profile Endorsers - Yolanda is wonderful but just not enough for YouTube and to give confidence to the customer.
I am also pretty sure that some Sr. Managers passed the decision to not give the model more time on the market to unfold because margin numbers did not look good enough - worth to speculate that smaller companies would have been happy with the sales! Would it have done harm to keep the Dimension as an "active bass flagship" in the Elite portfolio or establish a passive American Pro Dimension bass? We don't know. It would have taken more time. And isn't it obvious that a new bass model needs even more time next to iconic Mommy P and Daddy J? They decided against it, unfortunately.
As for the ongoing discussion "meh, it is neither P or J". Correct it is not, yet it is more Fender than Musicman or anything else. And people would have gotten used to it, as they got used to the Bongo (that is btw not selling enough units, too - but is kept as a prestige model).
Soundwise both basses are excellent: They combine a chunky yet flexible sound with still a massive touch of Fender. 21 frets (yes) and with the 5-way switch (Elite/Deluxe) I am ready for almost any situation: Position 1 gives (at least to me) a close approximation to my Fender Precision, Pos. 2 to the Jazz Bass (not as close but still nearby), Pos. 3 is THE Dimension hallmark sound, just great, chunky but still very articulate, Pos. 4 is what I consider the Musicman setting. Reminds me of the same coil setting on a Stingray/Sterling HH. Pos. 5 is what I call the "Super Jaco". The 3-band EQ on the Elite is the most musical and tasteful I have ever had the pleasure to play. It just works very subtle and smooth. Also in comparison to previous Musicman HH basses I played (except the Bongo) ALL 5 settings on the Elite are extremely usable - there is no rubbish setting.
Why did the model not work for Fender? Expectations and marketing strategy set way to high. Overkill on the market with too many lines in parallel - customers are still confused about what is what. No profile - what does the Dimension Bass stand for? We had no time to figure out. No high profile Endorsers - Yolanda is wonderful but just not enough for YouTube and to give confidence to the customer.
I am also pretty sure that some Sr. Managers passed the decision to not give the model more time on the market to unfold because margin numbers did not look good enough - worth to speculate that smaller companies would have been happy with the sales! Would it have done harm to keep the Dimension as an "active bass flagship" in the Elite portfolio or establish a passive American Pro Dimension bass? We don't know. It would have taken more time. And isn't it obvious that a new bass model needs even more time next to iconic Mommy P and Daddy J? They decided against it, unfortunately.
As for the ongoing discussion "meh, it is neither P or J". Correct it is not, yet it is more Fender than Musicman or anything else. And people would have gotten used to it, as they got used to the Bongo (that is btw not selling enough units, too - but is kept as a prestige model).
I think Fender might've released too many variations of the Dimension too fast. It got confusing and prevented people from getting a good sense of what a quintessential Dimension actually was. I have several and I'm still not sure which variation is the most "standard" one.
