By 1985 Dean Hollywoods were made in Japan by ESP.Р”В«y the end of 1985 Dean had also inked a deal to bring in Dean Autographs, like the one seen here, made in Korea. The Bel Aire had a neck and hardware imported from ESP in Japan, though final assembly continued to be Stateside.

In 1983, with Guitar Player Magazine doing cover stories on the return of the Strat, Dean came up with itРІР‚в„ўs own take on a Fender with its first РІР‚СљSuper-Strat,РІР‚Сњ the Bel Aire, one of the first guitars (there are competing candidates) to sport the now-ubiquitous h/s/s pickup configuration.

Unable to keep up with demand, Dean inevitably-like virtually everyone else, in time-turned to Japan for help. Indeed, players thought Deans were so good they were highly successful and the company quickly expanded its offerings. The former reason might be a debatable point, but thereРІР‚в„ўs no question that those early Deans were darned good guitars. IРІР‚в„ўm sure itРІР‚в„ўs only a matter of time that РІР‚СљMIKРІР‚Сњ will become another compelling sales factor when youРІР‚в„ўre shopping for guitars.Р”Вean guitars were the brainchild of suburban Chicago native Dean Zelinsky who started building the now legendary upscale, hybrid РІР‚СљGibson copiesРІР‚Сњ in the late 1970s, like the folks at nearby and contemporary Hamer partly in response to the perceived inattention to quality at Gibson at the time, and partly because Zelinsky liked Explorers and Vees and was annoyed that Gibson didnРІР‚в„ўt make any fancy flamed-top versions. Turns out the Koreans had also gotten pretty good a making guitars. And, now that large-scale guitar-making-except for the highest quality custom shop work-has pretty much left Korea, for a combination of economic and political reasons, attitudes are being adjusted once again. Now that Japanese guitars are too expensive to import into the U.S.-and now that most folks understand how good Japanese guitars could be (with a good set-up)-itРІР‚в„ўs not uncommon for eBay auctions to feature РІР‚СљMIJРІР‚Сњ as a positive selling point. Vintage 1987 Dean Z Autograph Electric Guitar

Dean guitar history