Why aren't Dean basses more popular?

[Phud]

My Favorite Dean.

 

[mtdkingstonheir]

I own 36 bases. Yes I have a problem. 10 of them are Deans and I love them all.

I recently bought a very lightly used Dean Hardtail Bass and I am just loving it! The one I have is from 2008. Brass nut, EMGHZ pups active preamp V/V/B/M/T Monolithic Bridge and neck thru. Sustain is awesome with the neck thru and it probably has the lowest action of any bass I own including my 2009 Ric 4003 or 2014 Fender American Deluxe P-Bass or my 2009 Gibson Les Paul Standard. I also really like my Edge Pro, which is similar to the Hardtail in some ways. I also have a Czech made Jeff Berlin Signature Burle Maple that is sweet. A lot of the upper end Dean's made in the 2000's are sweet and can be bought used for a real steal. I also have the Rhapsody 8-string that I play from time to time just to be amazed at how it sounds compared to a normal 4 string bass. Plus I have a few acoustic/electrics that I really enjoy. And yes, there are some Deans that I do not think are all that great, but that doesn't mean all DEANs are like that.

I am currently looking at a DEAN Vendetta Razor Wire in Gloss Amber that is an open box special and it is really nice...did I say I have a problem?

Here's some pix of most of my DEAN basses.

View attachment 2937377 View attachment 2937378 View attachment 2937379
HARDTAIL

There are a lot of head stock snobs who say a lot of things without ever actually checking things out. They like the four tried and true oldie-but-goodies and nothing else. Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker and Gretsch. Throw Guild in there too for good measure. Heck, I have some of these brands too and truly enjoy them, but I have Deans and Ibanez and Tune and Schecter and even a Dillion. However, I do admit that nothing jumps out and grabs me from any of DEANs newer offerings....not like the basses in the catalogs from the 2000's. Maybe this has something to do with Elliot Dean Rubinson passing away and his son taking over? Maybe, maybe not, who knows?

So just keep this in mind when you ask for opinions. It is always best to try basses out before you poo-poo them. Make your own decision based on trying them out if you possibly can before you buy.

Very nice basses. Glad you like them. I agree that so many folks are swayed by the name on the headstock versus the feel/sound of what bass/guitar they are playing. There is nothing wrong with Fenders, Ernie Balls, Gibson, Rics, etc... (I own a few), but folks who don't at least try Ibbys, Deans, ESPs, Jacksons, etc... are doing themselves a great disservice.

 

[B-Mac]

View attachment 2937715 My Favorite Dean.

Been LUSTING (worse than G.A.S.) for one of these for a while. I almost jumped on one from MGR that was really hacked up around the pup cavities due to a pup change, but it was just so bad that I realized it would always bother me if I bought it

 

[B-Mac]

Very nice basses. Glad you like them. I agree that so many folks are swayed by the name on the headstock versus the feel/sound of what bass/guitar they are playing. There is nothing wrong with Fenders, Ernie Balls, Gibson, Rics, etc... (I own a few), but folks who don't at least try Ibbys, Deans, ESPs, Jacksons, etc... are doing themselves a great disservice.

Agreed! Disservice to their wallet too! So far I ‘ve been pretty lucky with my used Dean purches. Only 3 were purchased brand new.

 

[B-Mac]

Very nice basses. Glad you like them. I agree that so many folks are swayed by the name on the headstock versus the feel/sound of what bass/guitar they are playing. There is nothing wrong with Fenders, Ernie Balls, Gibson, Rics, etc... (I own a few), but folks who don't at least try Ibbys, Deans, ESPs, Jacksons, etc... are doing themselves a great disservice.

Nothing wrong with the big brands, except maybe they stop being innovative because they tend to always have to maintain high volume to keep prices somewhat reasonable. They tend to lean more corporate instead of innovative and artistic.

Here’s a little analogy about big brand loyalty or preference. My former father in-law me would mock me becsuse of all the craft beers I’d try. He actually thought beer from Bud or Miller or similar was better because it was from one of the big breweries. To me that is kind of the situation with big brand preference or even price factor for bass guitars based on similar assumptions, i. e. Oh it can’t be any good since it is so inexpensive or not made by XYZ company.

While that may be true in some instances it is not the norm. I can say this because I have a wide range of basses from a wide range of manufacturers except for boutique brands. My lowest line Basses are a Koa, a Jay Turser and a Samick and they all play fine without issue. Will they hold up as long? That remains to be determined.

Also, I never understood the need to have 5 or 6 Fender P-basses or Fender J- basses. I enjoy my 2014 American Deluxe P-bass and I’d like to get a matching Fender J-bass, but to have 5 or 6 of the same model doesn’t make sense to me. How different are they? Plus the Relics and reissues and signature series....of the same thing. I guess it’s more a reassurance or confidence in brand thing?

I can understand this with Rics though since the same model (4003) can be so different from year to year, especially the necks.

 

[Phud]

Been LUSTING (worse than G.A.S.) for one of these for a while. I almost jumped on one from MGR that was really hacked up around the pup cavities due to a pup change, but it was just so bad that I realized it would always bother me if I bought it

I've seen pictures of that bass on a previous thread. It was a hack job for sure, and an unnesscessary one at that. The stock active pups sound fine to me. Strings were an issue when I first got it, but the folks here on TB helped resolve it.