Vintage 1980 Dean ML Guitar - Very Rare!

Late 70s and early 80s, Dean guitars were a private company, handmade, in very limited numbers. The 23 yr old owner, Dean Zelinsky, was an innovative, luthier prodigy. Dean guitars were the highest quality wood, a perfect fast neck, the Dimarzio pickups provided thick heavy rhythm, warm mid-tones, and endless harmonic sustain. In that era, most felt it was the Best Metal guitar.

The Dean guitar story ended in 1986, when Dean sold his company to Oscar Medeiros. The new company focused on selling to Latin bands overseas. Dean Guitars had all but disappeared from the US market at that point. They were cheaply built Japan knockoffs for 15-20 years. (Dean has recently returned building guitars).

I purchased this Dean ML brand new in 1980. This vintage collectible is all-original; including tuners, frets, pickups and head stock; no headstock cracks or repairs. It was common for the huge headstock to get cracked or sheared off, which affected the sound. Serial #80 - 02480 reflects the company's low production - less than 6000 Dean USA guitars built from 1976 to 1986. The number of existing original MLs may only be a few hundred, and many will have headstock repair. Condition: frets excellent, explosive, responsive pickups, and the easiest neck you've played. It's wide like a Les Paul. No body obstacle, so you can rip to the top frets. Tune down a half note, and double track your rhythm parts, and it's a wall of sound. Sounds like 4 guitars. Dean guitars were the innovator for the low note, fat vibrato squeals, like Zak Wylde/Pantera. One cool thing. Maybe it was just is guitar. It has this unique out of phase lead sound, when backing off one pickup volume. The high fret notes, using the squeal pic attack, sound an octave higher. Screams! (like those Mariah Carey high notes). The guitar has your typical bumps, buckle rash, a surface indent and one paint chip spot, as is typical of age and stage use. (see images). A rare chance, to make this vintage Guitar collectible yours. Original guitar case included. Local Pickup preferred. (If needed, Fed Ex shipping is additional)