Dean Bass Guitar Review 2023: Edge 09, Custom Zone Bass, Edge Select…

Are you looking for a dean bass guitar review, then you’ve come to the right place. In this review, we’ll take a close look at all the features of this popular instrument, so you can decide if it’s the right one for you.

About Dean

Dean Guitars (sometimes known as Dean) was founded in 1976 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Dean Zelinski, an inventor, started the company. The company’s headquarters are located in Tampa, Florida (USA).

Between 1978 and 1988, the brand became well-known. Its moniker became well-known in the 1980s when Dimebag Darrell of Pantera toured the United States with Dean guitars slung around his neck.

Oscar Madeiros, the proprietor of Tropical Music, purchased the company in 1986 and refocused the brand on Latin singers until 1995. It caused the brand to vanish from American markets until Armadillo Enterprises’ Elliot Robinson purchased it in 1997.

Armadillo Music’s product line has evolved beyond electric guitars and basses. They’ve also enlisted the help of several professional musicians. Michael Angelo Batio, Leslie West, Michael Schenker, Dave Mustaine, Michael Amott, and Jacky Vincent are among others on the list, in addition to Dimebag Darrel.

Megadeth’s Dave Mustain, in particular, plays a distinctive Dean VMNT guitar on the album “Rust in Peace.”

Dean has created a large number of signature bass and electric guitars. The V and ML series, in particular, are particularly popular among metal and hard rock performers.

Bass guitars, solid-body electric guitars, acoustic guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos, amplifiers, resonators, guitar cases, accessories, and custom guitar pickups are all part of their product line.

Electric guitars by Dean

The V, Z, ML, Cadillac, Splittail, EVO, Icon, Soltero, Vendetta, and Deceiver models are among Dean’s electric guitar lines. They also have a “Custom Zone” where they build some of their more expensive models.

Dean has several hallmark models. Their most well-known signature models bear the Dimebag Darrell moniker. In contrast, others bear the name of Megadeth’s leader, Dave Mustaine, who collaborated with Dean USA to develop the Mustaine Signature VMNT Holy Grail electric guitar.

Leslie West, Angelo Batio, Michael Amott, Bret Michaels, Rusty Cooley, and others have signature electric guitars made by Dean.

Dean Bass Guitars

Dean has been creating bass guitars for nearly 40 years, and their process has only become better over time.

Their basses are tailored to the needs of modern bassists, with a concentration on modern rock and edgy tones.

The Edge series is Dean’s most famous bass guitar line, although it isn’t the only one. In addition to entry-level bass guitars for the average musician, the company also offers some professional options and some truly unique models, such as a 12-string bass.

The following is a list of their bass lineups:

• Edge 01, Edge 03, and Edge 09, as well as Edge Pro and Edge Select Custom Zone
• Evo 12-string bass Metalman Series Bass Hillsboro Series Bass Rhapsody
• The Resonator Acoustic-Electric Bass Acoustic Series is a collection of acoustic-electric bass instruments.
• Series of Exotica Acoustic-Electric Basses

They have a signature bass model, the Jon Lawhon Hillsboro, which they create. This bass features alder, maple, jatoba woods, and DMT active humbucking pickups.

DMT designed their best bass pickups, I might say. Pat Baker, a Dean USA Custom Shop engineer, founded DMT Pickups, which collaborates closely with its “parent” firm.

Dean Bass Guitar Review

Dean Edge 09 Bass Guitar Review – Overall winner

Neck & Body

Like many other entry-level guitars, Dean Edge 09 has a basswood body with a basswood top. The offered finish options are reasonable and include something to suit everyone’s preferences.

The neck is made of an average maple piece with a quicker profile. Standard rosewood fretboard with pearl dot inlays. Overall, it’s a discreet bass guitar with a decent build quality that doesn’t appear cheap. That last part is becoming increasingly rare in this price range.

Hardware

When it comes to entry-level instruments, you know that hardware is the one area where the essentials are the rule. Edge 09, on the other hand, features a vintage-style flush bridge with five fully adjustable saddles.

On the other hand, there are five die-cast tuning machines of reasonable quality on the other end of the firm. While the hardware – which comes in chrome – is functional, you don’t want to push it beyond its limits.

Electronics

Dean Edge 09 is unique in that it features a single soap bar pickup design. Even though this is a low-cost bass guitar, this type of configuration is uncommon. The single-pickup design’s intrinsic simplicity is noticeable in aesthetics, but it also impacts the instrument’s tone.

A single tone and volume knob are used to control the pickup.

Edge 09’s sound is where you can see what it’s made of. That single soap bar pickup is clumsy and lacking in refinement. If you need to do some precise work, this isn’t the bass guitar you’re searching for.

Metal and hard rock are what Dean Edge 09 was designed for. In other words, you can get away with a little dirt in genres where the definition isn’t as important as tone. Edge 09 can be a great axe for rocking out if you take it for what it is.

The Dean Custom Zone Bass

The Dean Custom Zone Bass is based on the well-known Zone bass, a hit in the 1980s. Playing the bass in its modern incarnation is fun because it allows for bespoke tuning for a strong pickup and is also incredibly tactile.

You can use this bass for training, jamming, recording, and electrifying shows in rock concerts and small venues.

Pros

• The build quality is excellent, as the entire musical instrument is made of high grade lightwoods, ensuring that it will endure a long time.
• The bass’s lightness allows the guitarist to flail and swing it around, giving him or her complete control over the strum.
• The super flexible fingerboard is useful for adjusting intonation to your liking.
• The bass is strong, the lows are guttural, and the highs are powerful.
• Can be properly timed with an electric guitar’s effect loop (FX loop) for tuning the preamps and equalizers, resulting in some immersive sound effects.
• The bass looks stunning from all angles thanks to the brilliant green and black hardware.
• When it comes to plucking, muting, picking, and slapping, this bass stands out. It’s great for people who want to improve their strumming skills.

Cons

• The instrument’s delicate neck may give you the impression that it will break.
• On the E string, the guitarist may experience some buzzing.
• The bright green color may not appeal to everyone.
• The fretboard or fingerboard polishing isn’t up to snuff.

Dean Edge Professional

Another 5-string bass guitar is available; however, this one is priced in the middle range.

The Dean Edge Pro 5-string guitar boasts a big, powerful tone with plenty of clarity in the mids, round highs, and definite low-end.

Mahogany, walnut, and maple are used to make this bass. The fretboard is ebony and maple and is built in three pieces. The construction quality is excellent, and the bolt-on neck is the only feature that distinguishes it from a more expensive bass guitar.

This design increases resonance and produces a tight low-end sound that no other bass can match.

The sound is contemporary, warm, and complete. It also boasts a beautiful shape and line that improves performance and feel.

It includes two DMT-designed active humbucker pickups with a 3-band EQ providing plenty of customization in terms of pickups. The sound encompasses as many genres as there are in today’s music.

Finally, I’d want to applaud the HiMass bridge. This sophisticated design lifts the strings slightly to provide multiple benefits: it improves the space between the strings while lowering the tension, making the bass easier to play. It also helps with stability, balance, and sensation. Last but not least, it enhances intonation—hardware of the highest quality.

Because of its high price, it is not a popular bass. You could acquire a Fender Deluxe Active Precision Special bass for a similar amount.

Here’s a video of it in action. Overall, I think it’s funky, groovy, and one-of-a-kind. It would be ideal for slap players.

Dean Edge Select

The premium option.

The Edge Select resembles the Edge Pro in appearance. However, the construction materials vary.

It has an Ash body with a burled poplar center and a maple center. The fretboard is constructed of Pau Ferro and maple and is crafted in three pieces. The walnut is also used for the neck.

Aside from the ash, walnut and Pau Ferro materials are the best grade tonewoods you’ll find on bass guitars. These add a lot of solidity and warmth. They also give the bass a beautiful and elegant finish.

Except for the bolt-on neck, the construction is as high-end as possible. Despite this, it has a deeper sound than any other Dean bass guitar and most bass guitars in the same mid-price category.

The Edge Select series is designed with the most discerning audiophiles in mind. Even though it is not a popular pick, you need to play it to be convinced of its quality and value.

A HiMass bridge is included, and the same DTM active humbucker pickups with a 3-band EQ.

It’s pretty adaptable. On the other hand, the sound leans toward traditional tones rather than modern rock.

Hillsboro bassist Jon Lawton is an excellent pick for a mid-level player.

Dean Metalman Z

Great heavy metal option

The Neck And Body

Not long ago, if you wanted an Explorer body or something similar, you had to spend a lot of money. It’s a little different these days. Dean sells this lovely version of Gibson’s Explorer for a reasonable price.

With a body composed of basswood, you know it’ll be a lightweight guitar right away, which is perfect in this case. The headstock has a full black finish with some white embellishments. The maple neck has a rosewood fretboard with standard dot inlays and is a bolt-on item.

Hardware

In terms of hardware, we’ll use the usual configuration. One thing that 99 percent of budget bass guitars have in common is hardware, which we don’t mind as long as it works for the end-user.

A fixed bridge with fully adjustable saddles, all in black, is what you’re looking at. Tuning machines are the standard die-cast ones, which perform fine as long as the guitar is not pushed beyond its limits. They are more than suitable for a beginning.

Dean wanted to spice things up a little with electronic pickups as well. This bass features a humbucker instead of opting for the usual Precision or P/J pickup setup. That’s intriguing for many reasons, not the least of which being that they chose one over two.

It’s close to the bridge and is controlled by a single volume and tone knob. Even if some people dislike this arrangement, it’s a breath of fresh air in a market flooded with cookie-cutter bass guitars.

Sound

Defining Dean Z Metalman Bass’s sound is aggressive and forceful. It isn’t precise or clear, but it carries a powerful punch. As a result, it’s ideal for budding metal bassists. If you spend enough time dialing in the tone, both on the bass and the amp, it can still be used in several music genres.

FAQs

Is Dean A Decent Bass Builder?

Dean has been creating bass guitars for nearly 40 years, and their process has only become better over time. Their basses are tailored to the needs of modern bassists, with a concentration on modern rock and edgy tones.

How Do You Tell Whether A Dean Guitar Is Vintage?

The back of the headstock of Dean guitars made in the United States will feature a six-digit serial number. The first two digits represent the year, and the remaining digits are usually the production number; however, this is not always the case.

What Is The Age Of My Dean Guitar?

A seven-digit serial number is printed on the back of every Dean guitar manufactured in the United States (some 90s models may be stamped on the fretboard). The last two digits of the manufacturing year are the first two numbers in the series.

Conclusion

Fidlar can see why Dean isn’t well-liked on the medium and high levels. In essence, this is a brand that hasn’t established enough reputation due to several internal changes. They haven’t come up with a single hallmark model that will appeal to both professional and intermediate players.

We also understand why so many people are willing to give it a chance and try out some of their entry-level electric guitars. Many of these instruments are exceptional value for the money, and they offer an easy way to get into guitar playing without breaking the bank. As a result, this brand has become one of the best bass guitar in recent years.