Cool looking bass. IMO 4th best looking Fender bass design. Reminds me of a Gibson designed body with a Fender neck. I like stuff like that.
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What's wrong with the Fender Dimension Basses?
- Thread starter tlite
- Start date
I'm also puzzled as why this was only a short run.
It's not a P, a J or a PJ. However it's Fender response to Modern sound requirement. This configuration was also available during the 80' since Mark Lalonde of Garolou can be seen playing with a strange Jazz Bass (1996) with two large humbuckers which sound very much like a Roscoe Beck signature or 2010 US Dimension.
The US Ultra has an awesome asymmetrical neck and a new body shape which I like a log. The bass knob can achieve the tone of the G&L 2000. The awesome combination of split coils allows the selection of the two center coils, allowing a Stingray Tone.
I love P and J and I despised almost all active basses I tried with the exception of the 80' G&L and Stingray.
Actually what attracted me to this bass was the possibility to sound like a G&L, a Stingray or any other modern bass tone I like such as most Jam Bands.
It does not sound like a P or a J at all, and is not good at providing interesting psychedelic tone however, the bridge pickup has a pretty good J sound. The Neck pickup is not capable of providing a P sound at all, but can get a good G&L sound by boosting the bottom a bit.
I like the modern tone of this bass and like other modern basses I have tried, it allows slapping the strings hard on the frets while playing with sloppiness which the circuit compresses the attack while still providing a powerful well sustained round bottom. That's one of modern axes qualities that cannot be found in vintage instruments.
Even though I am not trying to promote classic Fender at all or buy Fender product exclusively, traditional P and J are very inspiring sounding and the Dimension even though has modern sound also has the classic Fender Vibes which I like a lot and distinguishes it from other modern basses.
I gladly sold my 90' custom Shop G&L 2500 and replaced it with a US Dimension V Ultra. I have no regret.
I use the dimension for all Jam Band stuff (where I used to use Jazz before) such as Moes, Phish, Dead, Widespread Panic as well as 80's gothic (Siouxie and the Banshees) and 90's classic such as Cold Play, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and so on...
I'm surprised that Fender is shying away from this. They should have added it to their permanent collection, but Fender, like Ampeg and many other manufacturer do not have faith on their innovations and stop production of any product that does not make the numbers immediately.
It's not a P, a J or a PJ. However it's Fender response to Modern sound requirement. This configuration was also available during the 80' since Mark Lalonde of Garolou can be seen playing with a strange Jazz Bass (1996) with two large humbuckers which sound very much like a Roscoe Beck signature or 2010 US Dimension.
The US Ultra has an awesome asymmetrical neck and a new body shape which I like a log. The bass knob can achieve the tone of the G&L 2000. The awesome combination of split coils allows the selection of the two center coils, allowing a Stingray Tone.
I love P and J and I despised almost all active basses I tried with the exception of the 80' G&L and Stingray.
Actually what attracted me to this bass was the possibility to sound like a G&L, a Stingray or any other modern bass tone I like such as most Jam Bands.
It does not sound like a P or a J at all, and is not good at providing interesting psychedelic tone however, the bridge pickup has a pretty good J sound. The Neck pickup is not capable of providing a P sound at all, but can get a good G&L sound by boosting the bottom a bit.
I like the modern tone of this bass and like other modern basses I have tried, it allows slapping the strings hard on the frets while playing with sloppiness which the circuit compresses the attack while still providing a powerful well sustained round bottom. That's one of modern axes qualities that cannot be found in vintage instruments.
Even though I am not trying to promote classic Fender at all or buy Fender product exclusively, traditional P and J are very inspiring sounding and the Dimension even though has modern sound also has the classic Fender Vibes which I like a lot and distinguishes it from other modern basses.
I gladly sold my 90' custom Shop G&L 2500 and replaced it with a US Dimension V Ultra. I have no regret.
I use the dimension for all Jam Band stuff (where I used to use Jazz before) such as Moes, Phish, Dead, Widespread Panic as well as 80's gothic (Siouxie and the Banshees) and 90's classic such as Cold Play, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and so on...
I'm surprised that Fender is shying away from this. They should have added it to their permanent collection, but Fender, like Ampeg and many other manufacturer do not have faith on their innovations and stop production of any product that does not make the numbers immediately.
The simplest likely reason is that sales did not meet expectations. It’s too bad because the Dimension (in all its variations) is a really cool instrument.
I recently bought a USA 2014 Fender American Deluxe Dimension V HH (in a limited Root Beer Metallic finish) because it’s lighter than either of my StingRay 5Hs (9lbs., 1 oz.); has a more versatile sound than my StingRays (all five switch positions provide a usable sound); and has that incredibly comfortable compound radius and asymmetrical neck profile.
I happen to think the Dimension looks cool, too.
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Fender represents (to their customers and also to those who don't buy Fenders) a company that....just doesn't change anything. If you want something different, given their reputation, you don't look at Fenders. If you like Fenders, you don't want anything different.
I'm sure there are exceptions here and there, but history has shown time and time again that there aren't enough people that will buy something truly different from them for them to go out on a limb with anything but small runs. Dimension - I have to give it to them - although it wasn't that much of a departure (As has been said, it's kind of Fender swimming in Leo Fender's history just after he left Fender, but with slightly different shapes of things to disguise it (didn't fool anyone - we noticed)), it was something - they took a shot. Unfortunately, as it wasn't a P or J (or a P with a J neck), or a PJ, it ultimately didn't sell well enough for Fender to continue it.
I'm sure there are exceptions here and there, but history has shown time and time again that there aren't enough people that will buy something truly different from them for them to go out on a limb with anything but small runs. Dimension - I have to give it to them - although it wasn't that much of a departure (As has been said, it's kind of Fender swimming in Leo Fender's history just after he left Fender, but with slightly different shapes of things to disguise it (didn't fool anyone - we noticed)), it was something - they took a shot. Unfortunately, as it wasn't a P or J (or a P with a J neck), or a PJ, it ultimately didn't sell well enough for Fender to continue it.
From what I've heard that is the case. These were a massive investment to produce and the sales just weren't living up to it. So much so that each Dimension cost Fender money to sell, a lot of people bought theirs new at a discount too(costing someone even more), and then resale was poor so the original buyer also took a loss.
Feels like the Ibanez effect. I got nearly $2000 CAD of bass for ~$500 of bass and pedals. My Dimension was only $950 and it's quality from headstock to strap button. I'm also not sure why people thought these were ugly. It's like a mix between a 72 P, and Jazz, a ying-yang, and a Gibson, that sounds either like a super J or a Stingray. That's a great combo IMO.
I adore mine, especially with the newer American Pro bridge and teal pickguard.
I get approving remarks all the time on the tone of my Dimension. My bandmates recognize it immediately, even over JamKazam when they don’t have to usual visual cue.
Give it 20 years, and they'll become collectors items that Fender will bring back to thunderous applause.
“Introducing the Fender American Deluxe Dimension Bass Reissue.” Yup, more than conceivable.
Whats wrong with it could be the official Mel Brown video! The tone is heavily distorted...Is that what Fenders bean counters really think young musicians are looking for? Add to that the Dimension is a quite a conservative looking instrument...
Weird, and very strange indeed.
Weird, and very strange indeed.
I have the Squier model and I love it. actually I made a test and put it here with poll. most of TBers voted for Stingray.
Well, you are wrong. The American standard dimensions are passive.
That’s correct.
I wonder if it’s possible to turn an active Dimension into an active/passive Dimension, perhaps with a push-pull pot replacing the master volume control.
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I don't see why not. AFAIK the Standard and the Deluxe used the same pickup. You'd probably have to change the whole preamp though as it's one solid unit but I'm sure that's also doable.
I wonder if preserving the function of the five-way selector would be tricky at all.
I have the Modern Player (with the Triplebucker) and it has the most comfortable neck that I've played. And it sounds amazing. It lacks a little bit of bottom end, but it has its own sound and I love it.
It's possible, but would be an involved mod. I would just get another preamp that does passive/active, another switch figure out how to utilize the stock pickups with the new harness. Hardest part would be how to get the pickup switching figured out.
The stock preamp uses low value pots (like 50-100K) for active mode. There would need to be 250-500K pots for the volume and tone in passive mode. Not sure if there are concentric pots that would have these wild values that could be retrofitted into the preamp.
There would also need to be a workaround for the switch, as it is wired into the preamp board in a very mod unfriendly way. The bridge pickup connects to the main preamp board, the neck pickup connects to a sub board on the switch and then a connector goes to the main preamp board.
You can see this in this service diagram. http://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/O... 0143712XXX Service Manual REV A 6-1-2016.PDF
I tried one of those in a store once and I really liked it a lot.
My experience to a "T." Except I think I broke even in my American Deluxe Dimension. It was very well-built, but the sound didn't really excite me.
To each his own.
I like the sound a lot. It’s “just different enough” to be distinctive and cool to my ears. The fact that my bandmates are impressed and the fact that I enjoy playing it are good enough reasons to keep it—but especially because it’s about a pound-and-a-half lighter than my two StingRays, neither of which I like as much.
I like the sound a lot. It’s “just different enough” to be distinctive and cool to my ears. The fact that my bandmates are impressed and the fact that I enjoy playing it are good enough reasons to keep it—but especially because it’s about a pound-and-a-half lighter than my two StingRays, neither of which I like as much.
