Dean 5 String - Does anyone know what model?

[tazza1]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dean-5-String-Bass-Guitar-Bass-Amplifier-Combo_W0QQitemZ250592173632QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item3a58751e40"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dean-5-String-Bass-G...=item3a58751e40[/url]

Does anyone know what model bass this is as I've got one (in solid black) & I've never been able to find out much about it.
Notice the cut out for your forearm. I think these were manufactured in Korea probably mid 90's as I bought mine secondhand in early 2000.
For a five string the string spacing is quite narrow which is good for me as I've got smallish hands.

Any info would be welcome.

Cheers!

[tazza1]

[quote name='Johnston' post='775967' date='Mar 16 2010, 08:57 AM']I have a 6 string version of that, got mine 98ish, it had been in the shop for a few years before I got it at a heedy discount. I' Also trying to find out what model it is and mine does indeed say made in Korea .
[attachment=44874:11012010592.jpg]

From what I can gather they were basically the same as some of the washburns of the same era. Only differences were in the headstock and the body contouring. The washburn having a more traditional contour.

I tried the dean forum but the only info forthcoming was 'they were from the tropical years' a period it seems that many Dean aficionados look down on .[/quote]

They probably look down on them because they're made in Korea & are not as flamboyant as other Deans. The headstock is very understated compared to other models but I prefer that. I love the neck on mine & the only thing wrong with the bass is that someone removed the active electronics so it's passive only now. Still sounds good though. Nice to know someone else on this forum has one!

[tazza1]

[quote name='Johnston' post='776292' date='Mar 16 2010, 02:21 PM']quick question for you. I've just got mine out for the first time in ages and noticed the back of the bridge isn't sitting on the body. Like the strings are bending it forward.

Is yours like that or does the whole thing sit flat on the body??[/quote]

I'll check mine tonight for you. I'm never sure whether it's best to store them with the strings tuned to concert pitch or release the tension on them.
Mine's still tuned.

[endorka]

I also have a similar Dean 6-string from around 1995/1996, picture below;



It was my main bass for over a decade, great sound and great neck. I still have it, and indeed it does suffer from the bent bridge effect you've also noticed.

It's been in the wars a bit since that photo was taken, but is still a great instrument. Model is "Dean DB96".

Jennifer

Edited March 16, 2010 by endorka

[endorka]

Cool :-)

The neck really is quite excellent - someone broke the neck on mine at a gig (!), right at the headstock. Fortunately they knew a good luthier who was able to repair it, and he was really impressed with the design of the neck, thinking that the combination of thinness and strength was an incredible achievement.

I bought this particular instrument because I liked the tone - all of the other 6 strings I tried back then had the "muso tone", whereas this one could get a far rockier tone if required. I ended up putting Rotosound flats on it and it sounds a bit like a P-Bass. Nice :-)

I think I paid between 400 and 500 pounds for it, can't remember what the RRP was. How about you?

Jennifer

[tazza1]

[quote name='Johnston' post='776292' date='Mar 16 2010, 02:21 PM']quick question for you. I've just got mine out for the first time in ages and noticed the back of the bridge isn't sitting on the body. Like the strings are bending it forward.

Is yours like that or does the whole thing sit flat on the body??[/quote]

I've just checked mine & the bridge is sitting flat on the body. It's still almost in tune too!!. My gold hardware is looking a bit worse for wear now & it looks nowhere near as nice in black. Just picked it up for the first time in about 3 years & it brought back memories of bands & gigs from the past - sigh! It was my main bass for a long time - Still love it.

[tazza1]

[quote name='endorka' post='776627' date='Mar 16 2010, 07:47 PM']I also have a similar Dean 6-string from around 1995/1996, picture below;



It was my main bass for over a decade, great sound and great neck. I still have it, and indeed it does suffer from the bent bridge effect you've also noticed.

It's been in the wars a bit since that photo was taken, but is still a great instrument. Model is "Dean DB96".

Jennifer[/quote]

Wonder if that makes mine a DB95?

[tazza1]

[quote name='Johnston' post='775967' date='Mar 16 2010, 08:57 AM']I have a 6 string version of that, got mine 98ish, it had been in the shop for a few years before I got it at a heedy discount. I' Also trying to find out what model it is and mine does indeed say made in Korea .
[attachment=44874:11012010592.jpg]

From what I can gather they were basically the same as some of the washburns of the same era. Only differences were in the headstock and the body contouring. The washburn having a more traditional contour.

I tried the dean forum but the only info forthcoming was 'they were from the tropical years' a period it seems that many Dean aficionados look down on .[/quote]


Looking again at the Ebay auction I can see some differences between yours & Jennifers bass & mine and the one up for auction. I think yours & Jennifers are higher models than mine (& the auction one) - your have soapbar pickups & dot markers whereas the auction bass & mine have a PJ configuration & the Dean logo as fret markers.

[tazza1]

[quote name='Johnston' post='777055' date='Mar 17 2010, 09:49 AM']Yea I seen a 5 string with soapbars in cak converters only other Dean of the same style I have seen in the flesh with the angled neck joint and sweet contouring although it was a horrible natural yellowish colour, they were looking a hideously extreme price for it.


From what I can gather after Dean Zelinsky sold the company in the late 80's alot of production went to korean factorys including samick who also built for washburn.

I know the wasburn XB400/500/600 of the same era look like they came from the same factory just the contouring and headstock are different from what I could see and used the same hardware. So have kind of made the assumption they are effectively the same. If I can remember from a review in an old bassist magazine the soap bars were active and PJ was passive on them. So assumed using the very tenuous link theory that the Dean equivalent could quite possibly be the same !!

But now I have a Model number I think I will e-mail the dean distributor with a few decent pics and see if I can get more info on the whole line.

If you could supply pics of your own Tazza I will include them if you like[/quote]

Thanks for the offer but unfortunately my digital camera is playing up at the moment. If I can borrow one I'll take some pics & post back here