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Good Value for The Money
I've wanted an acoustic bass guitar for years but don't play it enough to justify the prices I've seen. I couldn't resist the Dean at under [...] and I wasn't disappointed. This instrument feels quite light for its size yet the neck feels very solid with a large round shape to it. I never expect an instrument to be playable out of the box and, sure enough, I had to loosen up the truss rod (with the included Allen wrench).

I'm not sure if the strings it came with were Rotosound or ordinary phosphor-bronze, but that's not the sound I'm after. I agree with another reviewer who opted for flatwound strings (which are hard to find for acoustics, but a set of Fender electrics, 9050M's, gave it a kind of smooth, "upright-like" tone once you find the right touch. I mentioned the truss rod and, to be honest, the neck has a bit of a hump on the high string side, resulting in some buzzing on the G and D strings around the 9th-10th frets. I'm still in the setup stage and I like to tinker so I hope to tweak the saddle and nut and possible shave the frets/fingerboard if I can't get rid of that buzz.

Cosmetically, the satin finish and detail are very impressive. For this price I expect imperfections and there is a dark blemish on the soundboard where a tiny bit of what I suspect is painted-on purfling bled, possibly while the finish was being sprayed (it is a Chinese-made instrument and I've seen it on cheap violins). There's also a tiny half-grain-of-rice-sized chip in the neck finish that I hope a furniture pen and a little lacquer will take care of.

Other than that, it looks great, plays well and has a nice woody tone. If I saw this instrument "on the rack" I would have guessed it was at least twice the price if not more. I haven't even tried the electronics; I bought it to record acoustically and use my electric for amp-time.

For the money, you cannot go wrong with this.
I have the 5 string model and have played the 4s at stores. I'm very impressed with this instrument for the price! The quality is excellent, the bass itself plays well - my only issue is while the action sits quite low and the instrument is very playable, the string noise with the roundwounds is annoying. I believe I will try some flats or coated strings, because I wouldn't want the action higher on the bass. I haven't had much chance to plug it in, but that is because my huge Ampeg cab is at the rehearsal space. This is my jump-in-the-car and go jam bass, and it suits that purpose fine.

Great playing instrument
Each time I pick up this bass I'm impressed with how fine an instrument it is for the price. My entire technique is improving as I have to rise to meet the clarity of sound my Playmate provides. The craft of its manufacture is high, the tone is clear and volume good, and the price is spectacular. My first worry was that this would be a dumbed down, inferior version of the Dean Performer EAB. That fear didn't materialize. The same Dean attention to quality has gone into this instrument as into the higher end Performer. Note: My Playmate has a cutout body for reaching the entire fingerboard...and I didn't buy through Amazon.

Fantastic Bass with a GREAT Price!
I don't usually write these little review things on websites, but I am extremely pleased with this purchase. I bought this bass solely for the purpose of quiet practicing/jamming in my apartment, where an amplified electric bass would not be welcomed with open arms. If you're considering it for this purpose you'll be completely satisfied. For the cash spent, it doesn't get much better than this. This is a sturdy instrument that you won't have to worry about being too 'careful' with. I've found myself hauling this thing around to friends houses, get-togethers, etc. with no case and having a blast with it. The finish and general appearance are nothing fancy at all, but if your about the music, you won't even notice. It has a different feel and requires a slightly different playing style than electric bass (just as an acoustic guitar differs from electric) but I found myself adjusting quite easily. I highly suggest changing the stock strings to flatwounds, which are smooth as silk on this thing, because this instrument tends to create a bit of finger noise with the roundwounds. I've been playing guitar/bass for 16 years and own several expensive instruments and this well built, inexpensive gem has no problem keeping up. Overall: A ton of fun and a unique playing experience!

Be discerning...
When I saw this in a catalogue it seemed like a deal I couldn't pass up. Electric and acoustic AND a bass. I mean, what would an ACOUSTIC bass sound like? I, of course, knew they were out there but the base cost seems to be around 0, so I bought this one. Why, even one almost exactly similar with just a sidecut in it for easier reaching of the high frets is like more. So, I tried this out. Right out of the box there were a lot of little rattlings inside the guitar. I had to fish out chips of glue that came off. They will look like beads at first. Then I had to tune the guitar, and even afterwards there was much buzz and rattle no matter how gently you struck the strings. As well, the tone was not so deep so as to differentiate bass from treble. I guess that wouldn't matter if you're just buying it for personal enjoyment. Yet, still, then there's a straplock on the bottom of it- but none on the top! Do we wind the strap at the bottom of the neck?!?! As well, after tuning it, and then also taking into consideration a very un-deep tone, the strings were awkwardly loose as- as some put it, "rubber bands." I bought this bass for two reasons: For something light that I could pick up and play at a whim and at the first strike of musical idea; something that I wouldn't have to plug in. The key was a mixture of convenience and feasible function. I don't feel that either were met. It seems that for anything acoustic, the base cost for something practical is near the 0 mark, especially for a bass, since they would have to figure out how to make a deeper tone out of the same technique used to create a regular acoustic guitar...