NAMM 2015: Fender Announces Dee Dee Ramone Precision Bass Guitar

Fender has announced its Dee Dee Ramone Precision Bass guitar, based on the instrument Dee Dee played with seminal punk rock band the Ramones. The bass, which was debuted at the Dee Dee Ramone Exhibition at New York City’s Hotel Chelsea from December 10 to January 1 (See the video below), will be available for sale at authorized Fender dealers and on fender.com January 22, which ties in with the 2015 Winter NAMM Show. From Fender: Punk bass starts with Douglas “Dee Dee Ramone” Colvin. As the pounding heart of the Ramones, he pioneered a no-frills sound and style that left a permanent mark on rock music. On a white Fender Precision Bass slung impossibly low, he defined punk bass with simple but breakneck bass lines delivered with such pulverizing sound, speed and conviction that he singlehandedly set the template for generations of punk bassists to come. The Dee Dee Ramone Precision Bass guitar honors him with reverence and authenticity, just like any bassist since who’s ever planted his feet in a wide stance, slung a P Bass below the beltline and yelled a manic “1-2-3-4” count-off. Features include an Olympic White gloss finish, maple neck with “C”-shaped profile and vintage-style heel truss-rod adjustment, 9.5”-radius maple fingerboard with 20 vintage-style frets, split single-coil pickup, three-ply black pickguard and vintage-style bridge with four single-groove saddles. Additional features include Dee Dee Ramone’s signature on the back of the headstock, special “Dee Dee Ramone One Two Three Four” inscribed neck plate, vintage-style heel truss-rod adjustment, Seventies Fender logo decal and a single disk string tree. Finally, the Dee Dee Ramone Precision Bass guitar includes an exclusive 40-page full-color scrapbook featuring never before seen photos of Dee Dee, as well as his personal illustrations, artwork and doodles, and a biography and quotes from musicians and personal friends of Dee Dee. It also includes a sticker and 18” x 24” color poster of Dee Dee playing his P Bass live with the Ramones. “Dee Dee is the very definition of a punk rock icon,” said Justin Norvell, vice president, marketing for Fender. “He exemplified that fact, that all you need is the desire and will to pick up an instrument, and you can change the world. We are incredibly honored to recreate his bass guitar and to help edify his place in musical history in a way that fans can share.” For more information, visit fender.com.Photo: Ed Perlstein