Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
I apologize in advance for the long post. Anyone here who knows me understands that I am an unabashed fan of and advocate for these guitars.
Offered for sale is a beautiful USA made Dean Hardtail in Translucent Blue. This was Dean's top of the line USA offering when Dean Z came back to Dean in 2001. Production started in 2002 with some 2001 prototypes existing. The guitar is completely original with the exception of the control knobs. The prior and only other owner replaced them with black top hats that have a blue marbled finish. List of features includes:
One piece premium mahogany back
Full 3/4" carved premium flamed maple top - a 10 top +
One piece mahogany set neck with a fairly standard Dean C shape
Unique Dean carved heel which provides the upper fret access of a neck thru guitar
Dark ebony fretboard with a unique and beautiful abalone insert pattern and the "Hardtail" inlay at the 12th fret. Half abalone half sterling silver
24 3/4" scale with 1 11/16" nut
Jumbo frets with plenty of life left
Grover machine heads
TonePros locking bridge
JB/59' pickups, standard to the guitar
Two volume, two tone with 3 way switch
Dean really spared no expense in the construction of these guitars. I currently own 5 of them, and everyone of them has a stunning top and perfectly straight and strong vertical grain pattern on the back. The guitar is in very good shape and plays/sounds wonderfully. The tone of these guitars is very much that of a Les Paul, given the very similar construction and appointments. Where this differs from a typical Les Paul sound is in the extended clarity the guitar offers over the sometimes too thick Les Paul mids. The upper horn has more mass than most other double cutaways, which helps maintain the girth in the mids while the cutaway and ebony board lend additional high end back into the sound, for what I personally feel is the perfect hard rock, rock or blues tone. Metal bands have played these as well with hotter pickups as the fret access is fantastic.
The only thing keeping this guitar from being mint are a blemish on the top, one on the side, a coupe of small scratches on the back and a small ding on the headstock. Nothing that goes through the finish to the wood. I had the ding on the top and side evaluated and it's about a $200 repair to clean and fill the dings. I had the same thing done on another Hardtail I own, and they can't be seen. All are documented in the photos for full disclosure. I do not know exactly what year this guitar is. The back of the headstock and neck are solid blue, and the blue mixed with the clear coat ran into the serial number and I can't read it. The "Made In USA" stamp is visible however. One piece backs were said to be phased out in 05' or 06', so this was made before that transition.
The main reason I'm selling is that I don't bond with the neck on this one. This guitar has a thicker "C" shape than is comfortable for my hands. It's not like a 58' LP neck, but between a 59' and 60' neck. I have 4 others with slimmer "C" necks, so this is the one that sits, and it's too nice and sounds too great to sit in the case.
Will be listing this shortly on Reverb for $1599. Forum brothers can buy this for $1299 plus actual shipping only. That's like me paying for the ding repairs. Now for pics:
****Edit - comes with original Dean Hardtail case.
Offered for sale is a beautiful USA made Dean Hardtail in Translucent Blue. This was Dean's top of the line USA offering when Dean Z came back to Dean in 2001. Production started in 2002 with some 2001 prototypes existing. The guitar is completely original with the exception of the control knobs. The prior and only other owner replaced them with black top hats that have a blue marbled finish. List of features includes:
One piece premium mahogany back
Full 3/4" carved premium flamed maple top - a 10 top +
One piece mahogany set neck with a fairly standard Dean C shape
Unique Dean carved heel which provides the upper fret access of a neck thru guitar
Dark ebony fretboard with a unique and beautiful abalone insert pattern and the "Hardtail" inlay at the 12th fret. Half abalone half sterling silver
24 3/4" scale with 1 11/16" nut
Jumbo frets with plenty of life left
Grover machine heads
TonePros locking bridge
JB/59' pickups, standard to the guitar
Two volume, two tone with 3 way switch
Dean really spared no expense in the construction of these guitars. I currently own 5 of them, and everyone of them has a stunning top and perfectly straight and strong vertical grain pattern on the back. The guitar is in very good shape and plays/sounds wonderfully. The tone of these guitars is very much that of a Les Paul, given the very similar construction and appointments. Where this differs from a typical Les Paul sound is in the extended clarity the guitar offers over the sometimes too thick Les Paul mids. The upper horn has more mass than most other double cutaways, which helps maintain the girth in the mids while the cutaway and ebony board lend additional high end back into the sound, for what I personally feel is the perfect hard rock, rock or blues tone. Metal bands have played these as well with hotter pickups as the fret access is fantastic.
The only thing keeping this guitar from being mint are a blemish on the top, one on the side, a coupe of small scratches on the back and a small ding on the headstock. Nothing that goes through the finish to the wood. I had the ding on the top and side evaluated and it's about a $200 repair to clean and fill the dings. I had the same thing done on another Hardtail I own, and they can't be seen. All are documented in the photos for full disclosure. I do not know exactly what year this guitar is. The back of the headstock and neck are solid blue, and the blue mixed with the clear coat ran into the serial number and I can't read it. The "Made In USA" stamp is visible however. One piece backs were said to be phased out in 05' or 06', so this was made before that transition.
The main reason I'm selling is that I don't bond with the neck on this one. This guitar has a thicker "C" shape than is comfortable for my hands. It's not like a 58' LP neck, but between a 59' and 60' neck. I have 4 others with slimmer "C" necks, so this is the one that sits, and it's too nice and sounds too great to sit in the case.
Will be listing this shortly on Reverb for $1599. Forum brothers can buy this for $1299 plus actual shipping only. That's like me paying for the ding repairs. Now for pics:
****Edit - comes with original Dean Hardtail case.
Last edited:
