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Saturday, 31 July 2010

Dean Playmate EAB Acoustic-Electric Bass

bass.jpgThe Dean Playmate EAB Acoustic-Electric Bass is a full-size bass guitar that produces a deeper, fuller tone than basses costing much more. Long, easy-playing neck.

Reviews

Want to tell other customers about your experience with Dean Playmate EAB Acoustic-Electric Bass?

Overall Overall: 8.42 Quality Quality: 8.12
Features Features: 7.85 Value Value: 9.11

Unbelievable value for price Overall quality: 8
Experience w/product I own it Features Features: 4
Reviewer's Background Active musician Quality quality: 5
Reviewer's Play Style rock, jazz, blues, folk Value quality: 10
This is the only acoustic bass I've found that's loud enough to jam unplugged. That's why I got it. I don't care that the pick-up is minimal quality; they could have left it off, for all I care. (If you want one to plug in, get something with a smaller box and better electronics) It is very playable. My luthier can't believe it was only this much. This is the bass for camping trips, living room jams, etc. Get the Playmate gig bag. Short armed people will not be comfortable with this instrument, but it's size is why it sounds good. The more it's played, the better it sounds. I practice on this one all the time. When I go back to my electric with the band, then I'm in better shape.

Posted by firefinger from Boone, NC on Aug 26, 2007

Great value, Great Sound Overall quality: 9
Experience w/product I own it Features Features: 8
Reviewer's Background Hobbyist musician and home recording Quality quality: 7
Reviewer's Play Style Rock, blues, country, bluegrass, acoustic, + Value quality: 10
First off the bass sounds great acoustically, almost piano like. Maybe not as good as the Tacoma, but a heck of a lot better than most acoustic basses. I run it plugged in thru a ART tube MP preamp and it also sounds very good. But I get an even better sound when I mike the bass and add a little of the pre-amped sound. I think the sound is very flexible. It can sound growly and it can sound thumpy almost like an upright.

When I got the bass, the action was a little too low. I would get buzz on the low E if I dug into it. A quick adjustment of the truss rod to add some relief corrected the buzzing issue.

The build quality of the bass is good. There are a few places where the binding should have been shaved to fit a little more flush to the body, but it's minor and you really have to feel around to notice. It's nothing you can see. The finish is a little funky (maybe that is why mine was a b-stock). I like the satin finish, but there are flecks of dust or something under the finish. Again you can't see it but you notice it when you run your hand over the instrument. I'm sure a quick buffing would correct this problem but it is very minor.

I couldn't be happier with this bass. It sounds great and plays great. Maybe it is the new toy syndrome, but I haven't touched my P or J basses since I got this thing.

Posted by latentaudio from WNY on Jul 15, 2007

Good bass for the money Overall quality: 8
Experience w/product I own it Features Features: 8
Reviewer's Background Hobbyist/Mobile Guitar Rack Quality quality: 8
Reviewer's Play Style Rock, Alt. Rock Value quality: 8
I've waited awhile before writing a review so I can give a valid opinion but this bass has aged rather well over the past few months. It took some adjustments to get it dialed in. I didn't change the strings as many have with this instrument and now I'm kind of glad I didn't. Within the past couple of weeks the tone has developed nicely to a point where I hope it doesn't change any more. Very nice sustain too. My only gripe is it's size and even that is more or less a problem of me being a guy with a beer belly. Sitting down it's a stretch for me to get a comfortable position but as I'm losing the beer depository it's much easier to play. From my experience the EAB gets the grade of a solid 'B'. It's not an excellent bass but it has enough guts to warrant an above average mark in my book.

Posted by Retriever S.A. from Indiana on Jul 4, 2007

It does what I want Overall quality: 9
Experience w/product I own it Features Features: 6
Reviewer's Background Active Musician Quality quality: 9
Reviewer's Play Style Anything that rocks Value quality: 10
I've been a musician for about 40 years now and have played nearly any instrument rock-n-roll has used over that time. I got this bass to use for recording in my little home studio; I didn't care if I plugged it in, or mic'd it up. As it happens,the pick-up doesn't sound nearly as good as just playing accoustically through the mic, so that's what I do. It sounds great that way.

Like several otheres have pointed out, I did have a little fret buzz at first, but a decent set of strings cured that; I didn't even have to make any truss adjustments.

It's a nice bass. Needless to say, it's not a $1000+ instrument, nor did I expect it to be. It's a budget instrument and I feel I have a bass that's worth far more than that.

Keep your expectations realistic and you won't be disappointed. If you're expecting a custom built bass, with the finest electronics, expect to pay the price. This is a cheap acoustic bass that's reasonably playable, but it can't make you a better musician than you are: if you're good, you'll sound good, if you suck, you'll still suck. It's that simple.

Posted by Old Al from Ames, IA on Jun 29, 2007

Great quality with minimal expense. Overall quality: 9
Experience w/product I own it Features Features: 8
Reviewer's Background Hobbyist for 25 years Quality quality: 9
Reviewer's Play Style Southern Rock, Rockabilly, Blues Value quality: 10
I have wanted an acoustic bass for quite a while and jumped at the chance to buy the Playmate. Reading the positive reviews on this site made the decision that much easier. Primarily I play a six string, but the guys I play with needed a bass player; guess who got elected.

I am very impressed with the overall quality of this instrument. I played several models that retailed for several hundred more than the Dean, but it out-performs them all. The finish [black] is flawless, the tuners are sturdy and smooth, and the action went from marginal to perfect with a 270 degree counter-clockwise turn of the included allen wrench. This guitar has a deep rich tone that is consistent while picking single notes or chords. Anyone looking to get a great entry-level bass should seriously consider buying a Dean Playmate.

Posted by AnthroRock from Fort Worth, TX on May 24, 2007

 
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