Gear Watch: Dean Guitars’ John Entwistle Signature Series

Dean Guitars has unveiled two new John Entwistle signature basses at NAMM, named the Spider and the Hybrid.

The Spider is a limited edition, where the Hybrid will be a standard model available in a USA model and one presumably built overseas.

The John Entwistle Spider is an extremely limited run with only 25 produced worldwide. With it’s angular design and spider inlays, it’s a unique homage to the legendary Who bassist. The 34” scale neck-thru bass features a Mahogany body, Flame Maple Top and back, and an ebony fingerboard. Padauk spider webs stretch across the bass top while matching “black widow” inlays are used for fret markers, with a pearl spider inlay sitting at the 12th fret. Gold hardware and a Babicz bridge finish off the bass’s look. The pickups are EMG Lo Z’s with an active 3 band EQ. An Aphex Exciter/ Compressor/ Big Bottom Circuit is also included in the electronics, which Dean says is an industry first.

The more available Hybrid bass features a similar body style with more rounded edges. The USA version includes several upgrades from the standard, such as the bump up to a Mahogany top and body from Alder, rosewood or ebony fingerboard instead of maple, and the addition of the Aphex Exciter/ Compressor/ Big Bottom circuit. The USA also features EMG Lo Z pickups versus the standard’s EMG HZ humbuckers. Both models are available in several finishes.

Though prices have not been released, a press release stated the standard Hybrid model will sell for under $1000.

John Entwistle Spider Details:

• Flame Maple Top & Back w/ Mahogany Body
• Padauk Spider Web, Logo & Cavity Covers
• 34” Scale
• Maple Neck Thru w/ Padauk Stringers
• Ebony Fingerboard/Brass Nut
• Padauk “Black Widow” Inlays
• Pearl “Spider” Custom 12th Inlay
• Grover Tuners w/ Hipshot
• Gold Hardware, Babicz Bridge
• EMG Lo Z Pickups w/Active 3 Band EQ
• Aphex Exciter®/Compressor/Big Bottom® Circuit
• Gloss Natural Finish
• Limited Run only 25 Produced Worldwide

USA John Entwistle Hybrid Details:

• Mahogany Top/Body
• 34” Scale
• Bolt-On Maple Neck w/ Dean Custom 4-Bolt Neck Cavity
• Rosewood or Ebony Fingerboard
• Abalone Dot Inlays
• Die Cast Tuners w/ Hipshot
• Black Hardware
• Dual Purpose Die Cast Bridge
• EMG Lo Z Pickups
• Active 3 Band EQ
• Aphex Exciter®/Compressor/Big Bottom® Circuit
• Metallic Red, Classic Black & Trans Brazilia Finishes Available

John Entwistle Hybrid Details:

• Alder Top/Body
• 34” Scale
• Bolt-On Maple C Neck
• Maple Fingerboard
• Black Dot Inlays
• Die Cast Tuners
• Chrome Hardware
• Dual Purpose Die Cast Bridge
• EMG HZ Humbucker Pickups
• Classic Black & Trans Brazilia Finishes Available

For more details, visit Dean Guitars’s website.