20 Year Old Sweetie

[BTMN]

Blackie V is a 1996 Dean USA V made in Plant City a part of the Tampa Bay area near the end of the "Tropical Music" era. It is a May of '96 guitar and the 2nd one made that month. Has a JBN and a Duncan DistortionB that I put in it. The guitar has a Mahogany body and due to the line up/down the middle of the neck, and conversations with Pat Baker at Dean and Ben Chafin who were building guitars at Dean then, it is probably a Maple neck with an Ebony board. I bought it from a guy in Louisiana who was the second owner after Sammy Duette sold it in his hometown. Sammy of Goatwhore fame and a couple of other groups. Sammy was a Dean endorsee in 1996 and he may have ordered it with the Maple neck. Of course, that was speculation on all involved in that conversation, as there are no records that I know of from 1996 with specs of made or ordered guitars. I have had the guitar for about 9 years and dig the guitar a ton. I added the 3M reflective Stars years ago and have a Black Z, see below, :cool2: with some Stars on it also.nder::eek5:

BlackStar, a Czech made Korina Z prototype. Korina body and neck with Ebony fretboard and Bowtie inlays. Pearl inlay Dean logo is a real nice touch on the Czech made stuff. Schaller hardware and stock generic pickups of unknown made origin.

The Stars were inspired by the guitar player in White Zombie's Green metalflake Iceman. :headbang::headbang::headbang:

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

V needs moar Stars!!!

:headbang:

Kewl stuff,as always,BTMN!!!

 

[BTMN]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

Nope. There are just enough not to be crowded. Thank you for the kind words. :cool2:

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

No problem,man,I could look at your Gear pics all day!!!


A friend had one of the Czech Zs,absolutely killer guitar,'cept for teh Red finish(not partial,but not a deal-breaker)!

 

[BTMN]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

OOH Trans Red Korina Z? :eek5:

 

[kramersteen]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

**** i would tap that ****.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

Dunno if it was Korina or not,but def had the Ebony board...

 

[kramersteen]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

What i really need to know is who the **** is Dean?

haha

 

[dave74]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

At least she's over 18! lol

 

[BTMN]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

Dean is Dean Zelinsky the founder and around 1984-85, the seller of the Dean Guitar brand.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

Very cool V and story.

Mr. Chafin is an interesting man. A good while back, I remember talking to him about the Czech made Deans. He had an appreciation for those guitars and spoke very highly of the craftsmen that made them. The Czech shop made high end Violins and other wood instruments. If I remember right, Dean contracted them to make some of the quitars at a time when economic conditions were pretty much killing them (the Czech factory, not Dean). Dean took advantage of an opportunity that benefitted both parties, at least for a little while. I remember Ben telling me that the one thing they couldn't get right was the color of the finishes. He visited that shop several times working on helping them to get the finish right. They never really were able to with any consistency. If you've seen a few of the Czech made Deans you'll know what the deal is. The brighter colors especially, were sometimes just ridiculously overstated. I guess it's understandable that burst finishes and the like would not be something that would be second nature to a Violin maker.

 

[BTMN]

Czech Made Dean Goodness!

Czech Made Dean Goodness!

Yeah, but, the Natural finishes were just WONDERFUL!! Ben and I have had that conversation a few times. Usually after I get another Czech Dean. Of course, that has been a while. I have the Black Z from earlier, a Trans Amber Korina Z that was broken at a store and repaired by Dean, with some work done by Ben, as a matter of fact after I got it. :cool2:

Scar

Pair of Czech made Korina V Cuties, Tatianna and Tanya, in Trans Amber and Clear.

 

[BTMN]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

Rand-O? Your friend still own that Trans Red Z? :evil: :27: :eek5: :23:

 

[Aceman]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

Saw Chafin last week.

Saw a Dean like that with Stars on ebay and passed a while back….wasn't yours was it???

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

IMHO, the Explorer style body is the worst ergonomically suited to play standing up- the neck sticks out in mid air, making actual playing leverage even more difficult than even a neck heavy axe. It IS one of the best ever for playing sitting down though- just cradles the lap and brings the neck back in..

Also, the V, is almsot unplayable sitting down, but is one of my favorite guitars for playing upright, and hangs just about perfect chest high.

 

[BTMN]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

No Ace. That one was a bolt on out of Ohio. Evilbay would be a last place for me to sell.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Czech Made Dean Goodness!

Re: Czech Made Dean Goodness!

Yeah, but, the Natural finishes were just WONDERFUL!! Ben and I have had that conversation a few times. Usually after I get another Czech Dean. Of course, that has been a while. I have the Black Z from earlier, a Trans Amber Korina Z that was broken at a store and repaired by Dean, with some work done by Ben, as a matter of fact after I got it. :cool2:

Yep. Which also makes sense.

BTW, very purdy !

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

Rand-O? Your friend still own that Trans Red Z? :evil: :27: :eek5: :23:

Not sure,TBH..."If/when" I run across him(very infrequently),I'll be sure to bring it up.

 

[dystrust]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

IMHO, the Explorer style body is the worst ergonomically suited to play standing up- the neck sticks out in mid air, making actual playing leverage even more difficult than even a neck heavy axe. It IS one of the best ever for playing sitting down though- just cradles the lap and brings the neck back in..

Also, the V, is almsot unplayable sitting down, but is one of my favorite guitars for playing upright, and hangs just about perfect chest high.

Have you ever played an Explorer when standing? Mine is one of the most comfortable guitars I own. Maybe it's a case of how the guitar hangs on different players? I find Strats horribly uncomfortable when standing, but love playing one sitting down.

 

[hydro]

Re: 20 Year Old Sweetie

I'd like to hear more about the Czech Deans. I have long coveted a Dean although I need another guitar like a fish needs a bicycle.