Dean Custom Zone Bass Review – Loud, Fun and Great Value

Body And Neck:
Electronics:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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When a bass guitar has color options including ‘Nuclear Green’ and ‘Fluorescent Pink’ you know it’s going to be anything but subtle. And this Dean Custom Zone Bass – one of our favorite budget basses – certainly makes its presence known both on and off stage, although it promises much more than vibrant colors alone.

Body And Neck

The body, the color, the attitude – you’re either going to love it or hate it. At GuitarFella, we love it! Dean’s Custom Zone Bass comes in a choice of three lively colors, depending on the marketplace: Nuclear Green, Fluorescent Pink, and an equally luminous Fluorescent Yellow. These colors are not glow in the dark, but are certainly capable of a few turning heads.

The body itself has a curvy double-cutaway shape made from basswood as is standard on many basses in this budget category. The C-shaped neck is bolt-on and made from maple, and comes fitted with a 20-fret painted maple fretboard that matches the color of the body.

The frets are marked with large black blocks, which help identify the fret number quickly amid a lot of color. Overall the bass is comfortable, quick and easy to play, and just feels fun and well-made – despite being so mass-produced.

Hardware

The electronics on this Custom Zone Bass are pretty simple. It’s fitted with just one passive DMT-designed Precision-style bass pickup in the middle position, which is controlled by a master volume and master tone control.

On the pointed Dean-branded headstock (which is solid black, whatever color body you go for) you will find a set of four sealed die-cast tuners in black – the same color as the rest of the hardware, including the bridge and dome control knobs. Finally note that no case is included, which isn’t really a surprise at this price point.

Sound

The sound quality will always rely on the amp you play it through, but this Custom Zone Bass offers a very acceptable range of tones. The pickup isn’t bad at all. Simple, yes – but it gives a clear sound with good power and a nice punch.

The single pickup and controls don’t allow for as much versatility as some other basses in this price range, but it performs well in most genres, especially heavier rock and metal (as the intense color palette may suggest).

Conclusion

Although this Chinese-made Dean shows off a very affordable price tag, it’s in no way exclusive to beginners. Sure, the very playable neck and simple electronics make for a great beginner’s bass, but experienced bassists will find as much enjoyment from this, if not more, especially if they want something that will draw attention on stage. And, providing you have a good stage-worthy amp, this beauty is well worthy of stage performances.

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