Dean Guitars
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Tampa, Florida, United States of America |
| Area served | Global |
| Key people | Elliott Rubinson - CEO |
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Products | Dean ML, Dean V, Dean Z, Stealth, Soltero, Vendetta, Razorback, Split Tail, Leslie West Signature Guitar, Michael Angelo Batio Signature Guitar, Dave Mustaine Guitars, Michael Schenker Guitars, Vinnie Moore Signature Guitar, Rusty Cooley Signature Guitar, Edge Bass, Exotica Acoustics |
| Owner(s) | Armadillo Enterprises, Inc. |
| Subsidiaries | Luna Guitars DDrum |
| Website | www.deanguitars.com |
Contents |
[edit] Company Overview
Dean Guitars Established in 1976 in Chicago, IL, is currently owned by Armadillo Enterprises in Tampa, Florida.[1] They have a 110,000 square foot facility that houses expanded warehousing, a quality control center, administrative offices, an assembly operation for U.S.A. made Dean guitars, and state-of-the-art woodshop. [2] They have a line of import models as well. [3]
After nearly ten years of production, Zelinsky decided that he no longer wanted to manufacture guitars and sold the company. Oscar Medeiros had ownership of the brand name and trademark until the mid 90s. The guitars Medeiros created under the Dean name were also considered quality instruments.
Medeiros stopped manufacturing Dean Guitars in the mid 1990s or so when Armadillo Enterprises purchased the company and began making them. New owner Elliott Rubinson was credited with resurrecting a left-for-dead Dean Guitars in 1997. [4]Production of the uniquely shaped Dean electric guitars and other musical instruments accounts for the majority of Armadillo's sales each year[5] .
[edit] Artists who use Dean Guitars
Dean features a diverse line up of artists who use not only their Custom Models, but Standard, off-the shelf models too...from thrash metal icon Dave Mustaine of Megadeth to jazz bassist Jeff Berlin. Dean Guitars' popularity soared with the return of Dimebag Darrell in 2004, guitarist for Pantera and Damageplan. Dean offers over 30 different Dimebag models today. Dean Guitars also conceived the Six-String Masterpieces: The Dimebag Darrell Art Tribute where some of the most recognized and influential names currently working in rock music, tattooing and visual arts all customized their own Dean ML in Dime's memory. [6]
Artists who have signature models with Dean Guitars include: Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Michael Amott of Arch Enemy, Michael Angelo Batio (solo artist and clinician), Leslie West of Mountain, Rusty Cooley of Outworld, Vinnie Moore (solo artist), Eric Peterson of Testament, Michael Schenker of MSG, Rudolph Schenker of Scorpions.
[edit] Guitar and Bass Models
The company is best known for their line of electric guitars that include the ML, Razorback, Cadillac, Soltero, Split Tail, Vendetta and the Dean V.
The company's bass guitar models include the Demonator, Edge, Metalman, Rhapsody, EVO and Zone.
Dean Guitars offers a full line of acoustics as well. In addition to the traditional acoustic instrument shapes, Dean also has acoustic versions of their ML and V electric guitars.
In 2007, Dean Guitars began producing their own pickups in their USA facility called Dean DMT.[7]
At the 2009 NAMM trade show, they unveiled the new Dime Blacktooth amplifier, which will be shipping mid-year.[8]
[edit] Affiliated Companies
Armadillo Enterprises, the parent company of Dean Guitars, also owns Luna Guitars and Ddrum each having large artist rosters including Vinnie Paul, Carmine Appice, and Shawn Drover of Megadeth.
[edit] References
- ^ Music Trades Magazine December 2007
- ^ http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/133012901.html
- ^ Music Trades Magazine April 2008
- ^ http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/print/192801648.html
- ^ http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2007/02/12/smallb1.html
- ^ http://www.tbo.com/life/MGBTCPRWH1F.html
- ^ www.buddyblaze.com
- ^ Premier Guitar Magazine online video from show
