Dean Guitars There is a link to some Deans. You know years ago, they were pretty pricey, well built lil axes. The last time I picked one up off the shelf at the store, the input jack plate fell off before I got it plugged in. I do not think the Deans of today are any match for the highly crafted and well designed PRS. I dont think we are even in the same categories. Deans though used to have Gibson quality...in the 70s?? I can't remember, but its not the same company I grew up with!!

Randy, you must have unfortunately tried out what I think was one of a VERY small percentage of deans with any factory flaws. I have owned a Dean Exotica BB acoustic for over five years now and it has been a wonderful guitar especially for the price. In those past five years I have been to quite a few guitar and Music stores here in Nevada and also in Arizona. During those music store visits I have tried out many Deans including Hardtails, EVOs, Cadillacs, Avalanches, Edge basses, Exotica acoustics, and Performer acoustics. Almost every one of these guitars have been an excellent deal and played and sounded very nice.
If you check out the user reviews on Harmony-central.com for the Deans they consistently get good marks of 8.5 to 10 compared to other makers in their price ranges. Right now I've got my eye on a Dean EVO Special Select which is a Les Paul double humbucker style guitar selling for 550$. It has a really sweet sound, Smooth neck, great looks, and a nice manageable weight. I have compared it to many of the "plain jane" stuff that Gibson is offering in the 800$ to 1000$ range and to me it excells.
I do not work for Dean guitars but I would recommend them to anyone because I feel they represent one of the best values in todays guitar markets.
Oh, just to mention Hardtails are NOT an inexpensive guitar they start at around $2200 but the ones Ive tried feel and sound fantastic.

Yes, you are right about that model. For 2 grand it better be a nice guitar. I was going on about the 199$ to 400 dollar Deans I have auditioned. Many of these models had throw-away pick-ups, freq response and gain was below average. Tuning these bad boys and staying in tune was an adventure as the machines were unable to maintain accuracy. A friend of mine had a Dean doubleneck, which sounded like s--- when he played, as it was absolutely unable to remain in tune. The models I played had cheap pots, switches and the frets were in need of some tuning. I really did like the "old" Deans..Because they were well built, Gibson like creatures, with a lot of tude and vibe. Maybe this poisons my review of them, but I am just reporting what I have seen...Which was'nt pretty. This is not the same Dean Company from years back, I wish it were!

I hate to disagree on this subject with you again but I guess its just a matter of individual taste. I find that in the 200 to 400 dollar range the Deans seem to be generally nicer built than the competition such as Squire, Epiphone, ESP, Fernandes, etc. and are head and shoulders above junk such as Rogue or Johnson etc.
Having to replace pickups and pots is just about a given for almost ANY guitar under about 450$; so can you really fault Dean for that?
I live in a major city (Las Vegas) with alot of Guitar stores within two to three miles from my home including a Guitar Center and a Sam Ash. I enjoy going around on weekends and what not trying out lots of guitars(mostly ones in the under 600$ range) And I will continue to say that dollar for dollar Dean is one of the best if not the best value.
I think that many guitarists fall into a mode of comparing any of these modestly priced guitars with much more expensive guitars.You can compare apples and oranges but you really can't compare apples to caviar! It seems that there is alot of brand snobbery amongst guitarists. I have tried out alot of the new "lower priced" Gibsons that have some really crude
necks and rather rough finishes. But...,since they
say Gibson on the headstock alot of guitarists will still think they are superior to some of the lesser known brands.
The original Deans of the late 70s and 80s were
almost custom level handmade instruments so it's unfair to bring them into the equation. Just like you would'nt compare a vintage 68' Les paul Standard to a new Epiphone Les Paul Standard you can't really compare an original 79' Dean ML to a new production Dean ML.
There are many great guitars coming out of Korean factories now Dean and otherwise. I think people have to always bear in mind the context of their price points and I will continue to feel Dean Guitars are very competetive values.

I'm game...the original post though was comparing them with a PRS. I say the older ones would have been on a par with PRS. I love guitars in the 200-300 dollar range (used) because I hop them up and sell them at o profit to young kids in the area. Jacksons and Ibanez are always my faves here, cause they usually just need a P/U exchange. The Floyd Roses are always quite serviceable, the hardware and fret work is usually excellent. I usually get into RG models @150 -250 bucks. I live in Topeka, Kansas. My best friend used to run a Music Store. They carried every Dean you could imagine. I spent days and hours, going up and down the wall, grabbing them down and having a go. I am a Fender man at heart. But I love playing guitars. I gave them all a run, frankly I was in disbelief. They did not carry any of the top of the line Deans, just between 199-500 bucks.If you played one of the old ones (sounds like you have) you know what I mean. These are not the same guitars.In the early 80s, I was living in Denver, I went to some of the Music Stores Downtown and I saw them old Deans goin for 500-700 bucks.(the real ones) At the time, this old man was sellin Peavey guitars like hot cakes...(which I thought was crazy) He had 3 Gold Top Les Pauls, hard shell case, on sale for 300 bucks each...and could not give them away...So times change..I know that. Its just I didnt consider them guitars I played at my buddys shop as Deans...Times had really changed there.

i work in a music store, where we carry Deans ranged $100-$550, so i asked my boss about the HardTail, which he had played and loved at NAMM. i haven't had a chance to try the new EVO we just got in, but for around $550 it's a great deal. Dean seems to be making quality products for a lower price than thet big names, judging by their acoustics, which is what we mostly carry.

I can't speak on the comparison of the Hard tail versus a PRS. Others mentioned the Dean Evo Special Select.The Special Selects are Korean made. I have one of those & I am very pleased with it for the money spent. I also later played one of the Evo Premium guitars, made in Europe. Felt even nicer. Had actual Seymour Duncan pickups and nice white binding all around.

Recently I played a Hard tail. The detail is really well done. It felt exceptional to play. I didn't get to turn it up too much but the tones were good. I still prefer the body style of the Evo or a LP, but, if I were to get a new axe, I definitely would seriously consider the Hardtail.

From what a good friend of mine that has owned a (now)small music store (thanks to Mars & Guitar Center and Sam Ash!)for a long time and knows the business, says, the new Deans made here in the US are some of the best guitars now being made. And he is not a Dean dealer.

Just my opinion and info I have.

Andy

Back in the 80's, I would have taken a custom Dean axe, over a PRS!

Dean, (way back) made some of the best guitars. Along with the USA made HAMER custom guitars....WOAH! They were both making incredible guitars, yet, extremely underrated. Quality of both were second-to-none.

However, I haven't played a newer hard-tail yet, so, I can't give a comment on it. But, I would like to try one.

Chris