Fender expands their Dimension series bass guitars with new models, featuring new pickup design and electronics.
Related Feature:
Fender Modern Player Basses
Five new USA-made models are added to the previously released Modern Player Dimension bass.
These new bass guitars come with a look and sound that is quite different from the popular Precision and Jazz bass designs. The instruments’ appearance and humbucking pickup configuration makes them more akin to Stingray basses than Fender, and the apparent similarities may very well be intended. This may be Fender’s attempt at capturing a piece of the humbucker-equipped bass guitar market.
Justin Norvell, vice president of Fender marketing, said “Just like in the ‘50 and ‘60s, we did this in a very real and organic way — with the input of dozens of artists over the two and a half year development cycle. Every part of this is new, and it was a great adventure to put the Precision and Jazz Bass temporarily out of our minds and start from a blank slate in a new direction. We’re really pleased with the result.”
American Deluxe Dimension Bass
The American Deluxe Dimension Bass and American Deluxe Dimension Bass HH come with an ash body carved to the Dimension shape, featuring a comfortable asymmetrical neck heel. They come in either standard or five-string models, both featuring a maple neck carved into an asymmetrical “C”-shaped profile. For neck and intonation stability, Fender equipped these bass models with Posiflex graphite neck support rods, a heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel, and a five bolt neck plate.
To match the neck’s asymmetrical profile, the American Deluxe Dimension Bass models come with compound-radius maple or rosewood fingerboard,with 21 medium jumbo frets and a bone nut. The headstock retains a familiar shape, a reminder that the instrument is from Fender. It also has a glass finish and Stealth “A” string retainer.
These new models feature Fender’s Dimension Humbucking pickups, one humbucker for the standard model while the HH models come with a pair. An 18-volt onboard preamp with three band active EQ gives you modern humbucking bass tones that you can shape to your liking. The HH models come with a five way pickup selector, which allows for split coil combinations. Other hardware features include, three-play black pickguard, knurled chrome control knobs, Fender Hi-Mass bridge, vintage-style tuners with tapered shafts, locking strap buttons, side-mounted oval output jack and rear-mounted battery compartment. Finish options include elegant Natural, Black, Cayenne, and Violin Burst gloss. The bass is sold with a hard-shell case, leather strap and a 10’ cable.
Deluxe Dimension Bass V
Deluxe Dimension Bass
The Deluxe Dimension Bass is a more affordable version, and only comes in a single humbucking pickup configuration. The Deluxe Dimension Bass IV and Deluxe Dimension Bass V comes with an ash body or alder body for the black finish model. It is available in Natural, Black, and Aged Cherry Burst gloss finishes. Features include a graphite-reinforced maple neck with “C”-shaped profile and smooth satin finish, 9.5”-radius rosewood fingerboard with 21 medium jumbo frets.
The same pickup and electronics are used on the Deluxe Dimension Bass models, including a single Dimension Bass humbucking pickup, 18-volt onboard preamp and the three-band active EQ. Other hardware include Fender Hi-Mass bridge, standard open-gear tuners (five-in-line die-cast mini tuners and headstock “tunnel” string retainer for A, D, and G strings on five-string model), three-ply black pickguard, knurled chrome control knobs, side-mounted oval output jack and rear-mounted quick-release battery compartment. This model is bundled with a deluxe gig bag.
The MSRP for the American Deluxe Dimension Bass models range from $2,239.99 to $2,479.99. The Deluxe Dimension Bass models are more affordable with an MSRP of $999.99 for the 4-string model and 1,079.99 for the 5-string.
You can find out more about the new Dimension basses by visiting Fender.
Related Articles:
Checkout our roundup of top bass guitar pedals.
Fender takes the top spot in our list of the best bass guitars brands!
Did you know you can now get light-weight Portable Bass Amps?