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Dean Club!!!

#1,841
Switched said:
I haven't been a member of this club before, but I've been a member on TB and a Dean owner for many years. I think my DOA number is like 02-00133, or something. I wish I had grabbed the Razor NT and Psycho Cabbie basses before they went OOP.

Still, I love the ones I have. :)

View attachment 3572608
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How’s the Cadillac?

I missed the chance to buy one for a steal of a price on GC used last April

Have always been curious about them and their active tone
 
#1,842
My bass was delivered today and it is very nice. Two piece body, one piece neck. Hard to believe that it has been in the box since 2015.
20191022_215155.jpg
 
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#1,843
B-Mac said:
How’s the Cadillac?

I missed the chance to buy one for a steal of a price on GC used last April

Have always been curious about them and their active tone
Click to expand...

Tone wise, it is probably described about the same as any Dean Korean made active bass. It works, and sounds like a P or J hybrid as expected. Not bad for the price, but not mind blowing. Certainly functional, and I don't feel the need to go mad upgrading anything. :)

I bought the Caddy because a bass playing friend of a guitarist I know had one. We spent the night drinking and so on, and I played his a fair bit while seated. I liked the feel and neck (I prefer Dean's 38mm nut width compared to more common 42mm), and the finish and overall look is sexy. It looks like a bass wearing a tuxedo! Once I got my own, I realised I don't like playing it while standing. It's a bit neck divey (not as bad as the DOA V!), and the arm relief doesn't work for me (while standing). That said, it's really well finished with the classic black body and headstock, set neck, dark rosewood fretboard with MOP dots, binding on the body, neck, and headstock, Grover machine heads, and a decent bridge. Not too heavy at 3.8kg/8.4lb. It's getting regular use during seated practice.

If you are looking for something a bit unusual, look out for the silverburst DOA version.
 
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#1,845
Bass Man Stan said:
One of Dean's best headstock designs .IMHOView attachment 3572956
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That’s a DBZ guitar. Dean B. Zelinsky started DBZ (Diamond guitars) in 2008.

It isn’t a Dean guitar from the same Dean. Elliot ‘Dean’ Rubinson (Armadillo Enterprises) bought Dean in 1997 from Tropical Music. He also hired Dean B. Zelinsky shortly after that. Zelinsky stayed until 2008 when he started DBZ guitars.

Zelinsky left DBZ in 2012 to start Dean Zelinsky Private Label which has a different headstock too.


This is the Dean Zelinsky Private Label Mule Bass
upload_2019-10-23_10-18-5.jpeg
 
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#1,846
Bass Man Stan said:
My bass was delivered today and it is very nice. Two piece body, one piece neck. Hard to believe that it has been in the box since 2015. View attachment 3572838
Click to expand...
That looks sweet! How are the fret ends? How’s the back of the neck?

My fret ends were well dressed and the back of the neck satin finish smooth.

Since mine’s painted black I don’t know how pieces the body consists of.
 
#1,848
Bass Man Stan said:
Dean Zelinski founded dean guitar in 1977. The bass is perfect. I don't like the pickguard and the headstock logo looks like a mustache. Haven't got to play it much yet. This weekend I will dig in. Thanks
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That’s correct, but he sold it in the late 80’s

Tropical Music bought Dean

Elliot Rubinson then bought it in 1997.

The guitar headstock you are showing is a DBZ guitar co owned by Zelinsky 2008 or later.
Diamond Guitars - Wikipedia

It is not made by Dean owned by Armadillo enterprises

it is also not made by Dean owned by Dean Zelinsky in 1977

Dean Zelinsky - Wikipedia

Dean Guitars - Wikipedia

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

it gets even more confusing when you consider that Rubinson actually hired Zelinsky from 2000 to 2008 and that Diamond Guitars is still in business even though Zelinsky left to start his Private label.
 
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#1,850
Sorry for the confusion, when I said "one of Dean's best headstocks" I meant Dean Zelinski's trademark v headstocks. A few post back talkbass member Switched showed off his Dean famous V headstocks so I had to brag too. The red barchetta I pictured was his top model back then. Every box was checked when it was ordered even the matching flame maple headstock was a option.
 
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#1,851
Bass Man Stan said:
Sorry for the confusion, when I said "one of Dean's best headstocks" I meant Dean Zelinski's trademark v headstocks. A few post back talkbass member Switched showed off his Dean famous V headstocks so I had to brag too. The red barchetta I pictured was his top model back then. Every box was checked when it was ordered even the matching flame maple headstock was a option.
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Definitely cool looking!
 
#1,852
I like the large dean wings because they follow the headstock curve and look custom. The small one on the juggernaut looks out of place. I may paint the front of the headstock black and design my own logo. The wallpaper pickguard will have to go and be replaced with the same color just "pearliod" tortoise shell stuff that has some depth. The D'addario strings feel rough, but they are 4 or 5 years old. This weekend I will check it out against my fender Mexican jazz. I think I will end up selling the fender.
 
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