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Dean’s Rhapsody line consists
of several budget-price models with high-end features such as bubinga
tops, EMG electronics, and semi-acoustic bodies in 4-, 5-, 8-, and 12-string
configurations. We’ve recently looked at several mass-production
import 4’s and 5’s, so now it’s time to check out something
more exotic and see how a mass-production manufacturer balances keeping
costs low with the special requirements of 8-string production.
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Construction:
4 out of 5
Our test Rhapsody’s bubinga top/mahogany-core body was coated with
a carefully applied polyester matte finish, and the woods were carefully
chosen for light weight and sonic clarity. All neck and body glue lines
were tight and the final shaping and sanding well executed. A typical
4-string already has a lot of string tension; add four more strings and
you need a neck designed to handle it. The Rhapsody’s multiple laminations
add strength, but the absence of graphite or metal bars surprised us.
The girthy C-shaped neck feels strong, so tension may not cause any problems
down the road. However, graphite or metal reinforcement would be worth
the extra expense.
Our tester’s
fret dressing was good, with only a couple of high points that caused
a little buzz. One type of 8-string hardware not to skimp on are the tuners
- Dean wisely chose Grover enclosed bass and guitar gears. The Grovers
stayed in tune even with hard pick playing. One cosmetic oddity: A beautiful
piece of flame maple was laminated over the neck’s treble side, while
the other two neck pieces were plain - giving the back of the neck an
unbalanced appearance.
The two-piece
bridge is hefty and well designed. The absence of individual string-height
adjusters isn’t a problem, because the slotted bridge saddles’
height follows the fingerboard’s curvature, so bass- or treble-side
adjustments don’t create uneven-feeling string heights. Our tester’s
nut slotting appeared rough, but the depths were correct and the open
strings’ fundamentals sounded clear. Overall, the Rhapsody is well
designed and constructed.
Electronics: 4 out of 5
EMG HZ pickups have become a budget-bass standard in the last few years,
and their wide tonal range makes them a great choice for the Rhapsody
8. The EMG-designed 3D preamp uses a single 9-volt battery tucked inside
a durable-feeling plastic box with a spring-loaded door that avoids the
usual fingernail-busting latch. The bass and treble controls have reasonable
amounts of cut and boost - no speaker-blowing bottom end or unusable highs.
The midrange knob gives the octave strings upper-mid sparkle and definition.
Overall, the active controls’ well-tuned frequencies do not overpower
each other, and they bring out the instrument’s full range. Inside
our tester’s control cavity, the shielding paint was applied haphazardly,
leaving open patches. however, we did not hear excess electronic buzz
or directional hum. The soldering job was neater than on most import basses
we’ve seen, but the output jack’s plastic case - not the best
choice for durability - reminded us of the Dean’s price range.
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Playability:
5 out of 5
Most 8-string basses are neck-heavy because of the additional tuners
and extra headstock mass required to support them. So we were amazed
at how well our tester balanced played sitting and on a strap.
Our Dean
arrived with a low setup that caused a few buzzy notes, but a quick
trussrod adjustment remedied this. The neck’s width took some
getting used to, but a thinner neck would sacrifice stability and
place the strings uncomfortably closer together. One pick-wielding
staffer had no problem getting used to the Rhapsody, whipping out
chordal passages and classic 8- and 12-string riffs such as Pearl
jam’s “Jeremy.” Other staffers found the Rhapsody
easy to play after slightly adjusting their fingerplaying style.
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Sound: 5 out
of 5
Acoustically the Rhapsody resonates loudly with a warmth and clarity that
also came through plugged in. Our tester sounded great through various
high-end and budget bass amps, including a Carvin RC210 combo, an Aguilar
preamp and 400-watt power amp driving a 1x15 cab, and a Demeter preamp/Stewart
power amp through an Eden 4x10 XLT. We also borrowed an amp from our “Guitar
Player” Soundlab roommates. We then split the Dean’s signal
with a Maxon CS505 Stereo Chorus and put it into an SVT in combination
with a 100-watt Soldano Lucky13 2x12 combo with EQ set flat and the gain
cranked. The result was an ominous, room-filling sound perfect for a rock
trio. At a rehearsal, band members looked a the Rhapsody suspiciously,
but they were convinced it wasn’t a novelty item once they heard
it fatten up the rhythm section. It worked great on rock and folk tunes
but was a bit much for R&B and gospel numbers.
Value: 4.5 out of 5
Import-bass quality continues to improve, raising standards and expectations.
Our tester’s only problems were the kinds of cosmetic flaws common
to imports. It’s hard to beat - or even find - a well-made 8-string
listing for less than $700.
Bottom line:
An
inexpensive 8-string with high-end features and rich tone.
Bass Player
May 2001
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