$200 Dean - Made in China
- Thread starter Van Noord
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Dave Locher
New member
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
I bought a Dean Evo XM a few years ago because it was SO cheap and it had features I like: mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood (or some dark wood) fingerboard.
Here is what I got: a basswood (?) body with a mohagony WRAP, a neck that felt like nails at every fret, tuners that did not actually work, the studs that held the tune-o-matic bridge FELL OUT of the body when I took off the strings.
Reviews were decent. My plan had been to use the neck and parts on a body I built. No go. Got my money back on my first and last internet guitar purchase.
Just saying: sometimes "too good to be true" is simply too good to be true.
I bought a Dean Evo XM a few years ago because it was SO cheap and it had features I like: mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood (or some dark wood) fingerboard.
Here is what I got: a basswood (?) body with a mohagony WRAP, a neck that felt like nails at every fret, tuners that did not actually work, the studs that held the tune-o-matic bridge FELL OUT of the body when I took off the strings.
Reviews were decent. My plan had been to use the neck and parts on a body I built. No go. Got my money back on my first and last internet guitar purchase.
Just saying: sometimes "too good to be true" is simply too good to be true.
Van Noord
New member
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
Oh for sure! That's the thing, lots of good reviews from buyers. Some saying how surprised they are at how smooth the fret edges are and that they were expecting way worse. Mahogany body? Probably a Chinese mahogany equivalent or low-quality Eastern cousin wood. I'm hip to that.
Videos have the thing sounding fierce and quite consistent from user to user. Even the out of box setup is good they say. (shrugs)
They even have an inspection sign off sticker on the back, so someone on the line supposedly gives it a once over at completion. Lol!
The tuners and bridge really aren't any different than what's on my lowend Ibanez RG, which is fantastic guitar.
If it's good, I figure I could slap an extra Black Winter that I have in there, block the bridge and string it with some 10-52s and giver a rip!
Oh for sure! That's the thing, lots of good reviews from buyers. Some saying how surprised they are at how smooth the fret edges are and that they were expecting way worse. Mahogany body? Probably a Chinese mahogany equivalent or low-quality Eastern cousin wood. I'm hip to that.
Videos have the thing sounding fierce and quite consistent from user to user. Even the out of box setup is good they say. (shrugs)
They even have an inspection sign off sticker on the back, so someone on the line supposedly gives it a once over at completion. Lol!
The tuners and bridge really aren't any different than what's on my lowend Ibanez RG, which is fantastic guitar.
If it's good, I figure I could slap an extra Black Winter that I have in there, block the bridge and string it with some 10-52s and giver a rip!
ICTGoober
New member
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
One of the local stores I do service for has one just like that. It plays GREAT, and sounds good. Yes - the fretwork was very impressive considering it's a beginner's axe. They have it marked at $169, and I can't believe it's been hanging over a year. Maybe the right person has to love that green, or something.
One of the local stores I do service for has one just like that. It plays GREAT, and sounds good. Yes - the fretwork was very impressive considering it's a beginner's axe. They have it marked at $169, and I can't believe it's been hanging over a year. Maybe the right person has to love that green, or something.
Van Noord
New member
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
That's just it.... ^^^^ the green is a lot to take in and handle. But regardless, it's a magnificent color in it's own right.
This guitar would by no means be a number 1, 2 or 3 guitar. It's just a fun guitar to play once in awhile. A real wow factor guitar...something distinct and totally "out there".
I think I'm wrong in that this guitar is/was more towards the $300 range new, so yeah someone's just got to see it who wants it, and is willing to part with their cash at that moment, for it...
Something to mention though is that I'm seeing reviews of this guitar going back 12 years. So it's not new production Chinese crap like we've been seeing the past 5 years. Just a thought because I know that my low-end Ibanez RG 340 EX is twice the guitar that they make at the same price point today. Basically, older cheap guitars are better than newer cheap guitars from big manufacturers... FACT! Lol!
The guitar has long since been discontinued but there seems to be a lot of new old stock left. Obviously not a big seller, but potentially a small collector's piece in the distant future. Unique if nothing else.
That's just it.... ^^^^ the green is a lot to take in and handle. But regardless, it's a magnificent color in it's own right.
This guitar would by no means be a number 1, 2 or 3 guitar. It's just a fun guitar to play once in awhile. A real wow factor guitar...something distinct and totally "out there".
I think I'm wrong in that this guitar is/was more towards the $300 range new, so yeah someone's just got to see it who wants it, and is willing to part with their cash at that moment, for it...
Something to mention though is that I'm seeing reviews of this guitar going back 12 years. So it's not new production Chinese crap like we've been seeing the past 5 years. Just a thought because I know that my low-end Ibanez RG 340 EX is twice the guitar that they make at the same price point today. Basically, older cheap guitars are better than newer cheap guitars from big manufacturers... FACT! Lol!
The guitar has long since been discontinued but there seems to be a lot of new old stock left. Obviously not a big seller, but potentially a small collector's piece in the distant future. Unique if nothing else.
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Van Noord
New member
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
It's similar to what Epiphone did with their white Les Paul model few years ago.
https://guitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Epiphone-Matt-Heafy-Snofall@990x349.jpg
It's a maple fretboard, with a thin colored acrylic veneer applied which then has an equally thin acrylic clear coat over it.
It's similar to what Epiphone did with their white Les Paul model few years ago.
https://guitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Epiphone-Matt-Heafy-Snofall@990x349.jpg
It's a maple fretboard, with a thin colored acrylic veneer applied which then has an equally thin acrylic clear coat over it.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
I have played a bunch of those for musical and geographic reasons.
- It's a cheap guitar
- It's a decent guitar (don't hang too much on decent)
- It does make a visual statement
- There are tons of that trash out there, so zero collectible factor. Merely an interesting thing
- $200 is too high. Should be available somewhere/some way ~150.
Our bass player used a bass version for gigs a number of times and said it sounded and played surprisingly well. Again - expectations are everything when slumming like this. There are pink and yellow ones too....
Know yourself out and get a neon green Black Winter set for it.
I have played a bunch of those for musical and geographic reasons.
- It's a cheap guitar
- It's a decent guitar (don't hang too much on decent)
- It does make a visual statement
- There are tons of that trash out there, so zero collectible factor. Merely an interesting thing
- $200 is too high. Should be available somewhere/some way ~150.
Our bass player used a bass version for gigs a number of times and said it sounded and played surprisingly well. Again - expectations are everything when slumming like this. There are pink and yellow ones too....
Know yourself out and get a neon green Black Winter set for it.
Van Noord
New member
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
No, not painted. It's an acrylic veneer ontop of the maple. It's like plastic.
NegativeEase
New member
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
The funniest thing to me about this cheaper Dean Import -is as a kid in Florida and Atlanta, I grew up in the late 80s and 90s mostly only knowing Deans during their Tropical Music days -where they made pretty crap instruments that from what I understand weren't widely available in the US -however, due to being in Florida and the South, I'm guessing that's why I still knew them as common to the used stores and Pawn shops.
Mahogany body? Maple neck? Dressed jumbo frets? Average bridge and tuners? Decent sounding hot humbuckers? Fluorescent green? Matching acrylic fretboard? Nothing but positive reviews?
For $200?
The funniest thing to me about this cheaper Dean Import -is as a kid in Florida and Atlanta, I grew up in the late 80s and 90s mostly only knowing Deans during their Tropical Music days -where they made pretty crap instruments that from what I understand weren't widely available in the US -however, due to being in Florida and the South, I'm guessing that's why I still knew them as common to the used stores and Pawn shops.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
Roughly the equivalent of spraying it with plastikote and then a lacquer layer. (Don't try that kids...)
Not a fan of the feel. But again - not what it's about.
Roughly the equivalent of spraying it with plastikote and then a lacquer layer. (Don't try that kids...)
Not a fan of the feel. But again - not what it's about.
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NegativeEase
New member
Van Noord
New member
Masta' C
Well-known member
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
My thoughts, exactly!
It's begging for George Lynch-style tiger stripes
Or Type O Negative...
My thoughts, exactly!
It's begging for George Lynch-style tiger stripes
Wattage
High Voltologist
Re: $200 Dean - Made in China
Aceman and "Poison tribute" wraps this thread right up lol
Aceman and "Poison tribute" wraps this thread right up lol