I kick myself for having let this guitar go. I want it back more than anything else. I don't know that I'll ever find a guitar that made me as happy as this one did. I have convinced several of my friends to buy Dean guitars because of the sheer awesomeness of them. I have played hundreds--if not thousands--of guitars in my life. This guitar was the whole package. Each aspect of this guitar was better than all others before or since. I became a better musician because of this guitar. I could hardly put it down. The overall playability of this guitar made it a joy to use, and its aesthetic qualities are second to none, when it comes to mass produced guitars. The only things I would change are: it needs an on-board tuner, and it needs to be at my house again.

Sound
This guitar stole my heart. I found one at a local guitar shop and brought it home the next day--at the cost of the other 5 guitars I owned. I owned it for 5 years, and like an idiot, sold it when I was short for rent. I would kill to have another, but they're hard to find. I used this guitar in a hard rock band, as well as my solo sets. It's a rugged guitar, so it travels well. The sound is INCREDIBLE! it hits you in the chest, the same way a Martin does. The wide body allows for deep, expressive tones. The neck is perfectly designed. It sounds great in all applications. I have recorded 3 albums with it, and each time was a wonderful experience. I played over 200 shows… read more with it. I hardly ever had to tune it. It's great in any room. I plugged it into a behringer europower 9000, PA, with Peavey SB-2 speakers. This combination gave the guitar a beautiful tone. It blended with my voice like having another set of vocal chords. There is nothing I would change on this guitar. Ever.

Features
This guitar features a solid spruce top, with e beveled edge at the sound hole. The blond quilted maple back and sides are just beautiful. The fact that the quilted maple is visible on the inside, makes it a work of art. The cord jack is located on the bottom strap knob, which avoids drilling more holes than necessary into the wood. The electronics were good, but I wish it had come with an on-board tuner. The rosewood fretboard and abalone inlays, made this guitar stunning. Features Grover tuning machines.

Ease of Use
This is the easiest playing acoustic guitar I have ever played. The action on mine was so low that it felt like I was playing an electric. The wide body may be a bit big for some users, but it was great for me.

Quality
This guitar is solid! The top, back, and sides are solid wood. Though, like any guitar, exposure to extreme conditions will make a mess of things.

Value
I paid $325 for this guitar, used, though it lists for $499 new. It plays as well as any thousand dollar acoustic, and is just as durable.

Manufacturer Support
Dean is a great company, with an ear of customer service, but, they do not make it easy to find their older guitars. This guitar is a fine example.

The Wow Factor
I sold this guitar last year. I hate myself for that. This guitar made me love playing. I was always ready to let others play my guitar. They all said the same thing, "This is the most amazing guitar I've ever played!"

Musical Background:
Active Musician

Musical Style:
Folk/country/bluegrass/rock read less