I was asked about my guitars, so here is a list of what I have and what I had.  I have to admit I am an obsessed guitar player and collector.  This is pure Guitar Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) at work.

Yes, I have bought and sold a lot.  Yes I regret many of the sales.  That’s how it is with musicians, I am told by many other who share my story (and likewise lament their losses).

I favor Dean Guitars.  Heavily.  They have the best products on the market in their class, in my opinion.  Were I to join a band and tour, Dean is who I would seek an endorsement from.  

Pity they don’t endorse blogs.

6 of my 11 guitars are Dean, 2 are Fenders and the others one offs. 

Likewise I seem to be drawn back to Peavey amps.  My first amp was a Peavey and now I have two with a third on the way.

First up is my baby, my favorite of all.  This guitar was a limited edition that I saved and preordered.  The neck plays like glass and the tone is astonishing, and yet it is actually not the most expensive of my guitars.  While the sensible thing would be to pack it away and keep it in collectors condition, I cannot.  The guitar begs to be played and it plays well.  I took it with me to Guitar Center to sound test an amp, and I enjoyed the surprise on the door attendants face as he checked it in:   “Serial Number?” he asked?  “2″ I replied.  It gets a lot of looks.

• Dean Owners of America (DOA) 2007 special edition Hardtail 
  • Blue Burst quilted maple top and matching headstock
  • Set Mahogany/Rosewood Neck & Fingerboard
  • 24-3/4″ Scale & 1-11/16″ Nut
  • 22 frets
  • Mahogany body
  • ABA Birds Eye inlays
  • MOP Headstock Logo
  • #2 of 50 made
  • Brush Satin pickups and hardware
  • Grover Tuners
  • Natural wood “reveal” binding

My daughter named this guitar the Holy Aura due to the way the grain in the finish almost glows.  I saw it in Mills Music, wanted it and ended up getting it as a surprise Christmas present.  I have never been a huge fan of Telecasters, but this one made me a believer.  It also made me a believer in “Made in Mexico” guitars.  While MIM guitar quality used to be legendary as crap, this guitar proves what I had read about the improvements.  The wood is exceptional, the body seams perfect and the playability wonderful.

• Fender Telecaster Thinline ‘69 Reissue semi-hollow body electric 
  • Natural, finish (with semi-hollow Mahogany Body)
  • Maple, 7.25” Radius fingerboard
  • 1-Piece Maple, “U” Shape neck 
  • 21 Vintage Style Frets
  • Vintage Style 3-Saddle Strings-Thru-Body Tele Bridge
  • Fender®/Schaller® Vintage “F” Style Tuning Machines
  • 25.5” scale
  • 2 Vintage Style Single-Coil Tele® Pickups with Alnico Magnets
  • Chrome hardware
  • 4-Ply White Pearloid pickguard 

This is the Second Cadillac, the Second Northwest Guitars purchase and really a replica of the guitar that did the most to fuel my obsession with Dean Guitars.  Kerry Livgren of Kansas played one very like it in the video “People of the Southwind” in 1980, and I have wanted one ever since.  I got my chance last year, and without knowing it, ended up with a collectors item, as only 250 of this model were made.  I planned to put it away, but like the Hardtail, it plays so nice, keeping it in a box is a crime.

• Dean Cadillac 1980 Reissue (limited 3 pickup edition)
  • 24 ¾ scale 1 11/16 Nut
  • Set Mahogany Neck
  • Grover Tuners
  • 3 Gold Humbucking Pickups.
  • Tune-O-Matic Bridge and Stop Bar Tailpiece
  • Mahogany Body
  • Rosewood Fretboard with Pearl Block Inlays
  • Multi Ply Binding
  • 22 Frets
  • Gold Hardware
  • Gloss Black Finish
  • Dean V Headstock  

This was on sale at my favorite Dean dealer, Northwest Guitars, and when the price made the last drop i could not stand it.  The Dean V was an icon form my early days, so this was a pure nostalgic indulgence.  Imagine my surprise when I tried it out and the guitar just wailed.  It is one of my favorites now, it just plays so nice.  I eventually want the Z and the ML that match.

• Dean ‘79 reissue Flying V Cherry Burst 
  • Mapleflamed top
  • Mahogany Body
  • 24-3/4″ Scale & 1-11/16″ Nut
  • 22 Frets
  • Set Mahogany Neck
  • Rosewood  Fingerboard
  • ABA Dot Inlay
  • Grover Tuners
  • Nickel Hardware
  • Dean Zebra Pickups
  • Multi ply body binding  

After getting back into guitars in the late nineties I started looking for my electric sound.  This was my second purchase, ordered form a music store in Lynnwood.  I plan to Hot Rod this guitar soon, with locking tuners, SD pickups and nickel hardware.

• Dean Cadillac Select
  • 24 ¾ scale 1 11/16 Nut
  • Set Mahogany Neck
  • Grover Tuners
  • Zebra Humbucking (Coil Tapped) Pickups.
  • Tune-O-Matic Bridge and Stop Bar Tailpiece
  • Mahogany Body with Arched Figured Maple Top
  • Rosewood Fretboard with Pearl Block Inlays
  • Multi Ply Binding
  • 22 Frets
  • Gold Hardware
  • Tiger Eye Finish
  • Dean V Headstock

This was the first guitar I saw in Mills Music that I drooled over and ended up buying.  The finish is lush and beautiful and tone is really nice.  I had never bought a jazz guitar before.

• Dean Jazz Stylist Standard hollow body electric 
  • 25-1/4″ Scale & 1-5/8″ Nut
  • Set Neck
  • Grover Tuners
  • Gold covered humbucking pickups
  • Gold Vintage Tailpiece with floating Tune-O-Matic Bridge
  • Mahogany Body with Flame Maple Top
  • Rosewood Fretboard W/Dot Inlays
  • Transparent red Finish
  • Multi-ply Binding
  • 20 Frets
  • Mother of Pearl Dean Logo

This was a cheap indulgence, under $200.  I wanted a cool looking guitar with a bolt on neck to play with, and maybe do some custom work too.  It actually plays much better then I expected, and I pull it out quite often.

• Dean 2006 ML XM solid body electric guitar 
  • Lightweight Paulowinia Body
  • Maple Neck
  • Rosewood Fretboard
  • Dual Humbuckers
  • String thru body design
  • 24-3/4″ Scale & 1-11/16″ Nut
  • Tune-O-Matic Bridge

This next one is a multi problem cheap solution.  I needed a travel guitar, sometime thrashable but of decent quality to practice on.  I also wanted a single coil guitar so i could explore the strat sound, as well as a tremolo.  I bought this from my cousin.

•   Fender Squire Strat (no picture available)
  • 2-point fulcrum tremolo 
  • 22 frets
  • 3 alnico single-coil pickups
  • Sealed die-cast tuners
  • Solid agathis body

  • Rosewood fretboard 

I played in a church band in the late 90s and this guitar was my mainstay.  At the time I bought in in 1997, I had not bought a new guitar in many years and felt my old Yamaha was not up to the stress of a band.  This was a balance of price and quality. It is the only one of my guitars I named, but that’s another story.

• Takamine EG-332C Acoustic/Electric 
  • Dreadnought Cutaway
  • Spruce Top
  • Nato Sides and Back
  • Bound Rosewood Fingerboard
  • 3 band EQ Preamp
  • Piezo Bridge Pickup
  • Chrome Hardware
  • Schaller Tuners

This guitar I played in a Kennelly Keys music store and decided to buy it.  It is hand made in Canada, but under $300 dollars, and has a nice warm mellow tone.  Proof good things come cheap sometimes. 

• Art & Lutherie 12 string (Canada) 
  • Dreadnought
  • Solid Cedar Top
  • Wild Cherry Sides and Back
  • Silver Leaf Maple Neck
  • Indian Rosewood bridge with Fully Compensated Tusq Saddle
  • Indian Rosewood Fingerboard
  • Inlayed Rosette
  • Handcrafted in Quebec
  • Chrome Hardware

This next guitar was a graduation present in 1979, and despite its age it is still a nice sounding guitar.  In need of new tuners, I use it mostly for alternate tunings

• Yamaha FG-335 
  • Dreadnought
  • Spruce top
  • Mahogany Back and Sides
  • Rosewood Fingerboard
  • Chrome Hardware

Amps:

• Vox DA5 -  Small, battery powered and loud.
• Peavey Transtube Bandit - The best Solid State Combo I have owned
• Peavey Blazer (broken) - a project for another day
• Peavey Ultra Tube 60 112 (coming Wednesday) An oft overlooked all tube amp
• Crate CE-30 Acoustic Amp

Effects:

• Morley Power Wah II
• Boss Pedals:
  • CH-1 Super Chorus
  • CS-3 Compression Sustainer
  • DD-20 Giga Delay
  • FL-2 Flanger
• Pandora PX-4
• Art Mullti Verb3

There you have it not that you really wanted or needed to know. 

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