old Dean Explorer

[Roli]

Hi all,

I know that we´ve a few Dean experts on this board so there is a question for you!

I received an offer for an old Explorer shaped Dean guitar (I´ve not seen it in person yet!)

The seller sais that everyting (except one knob) is original, case is included.

What is a reasonable price for this istrument?

Thanks

[Scooter]

That's a Baby, right? I don't think they ever had much value, did they?

[jerseydrew]

That's a Dean Baby from the 80's. Changed parts, lots of dings which I can see.

Perhaps it's worth $500?

BTMN should know. He's a Dean addict.

[BTMN]

Dean fiend here but no expert at them. I do know it would be a Baby Z.

(Edited Cause I'm Blonde.)

I will link this on the Dean Forum in the Vintage section see if I can get you some info. A few guys over there come here too. Looks in decent shape. Bridge is right. Pickup looks right but as I said I'm no expert and it's isn't in front of me either.

[gerry]

hi roli,

that is my guitar. it is a dean baby z from 1982.

the baby z has a normal scale but a little bit smaller body.

i have two baby z which i am going to sell.

the dean baby z from 1982 and 1983 have the v headstock. this one is a very early one and has a very

rare blueburst finish.

a baby z with a blueburst or a pinkburst or a purpleburst finish is more expensive than a normal paint scheme.

i bought this guitar in usa and brought it to vienna, where i live personally. i paid euro 600,-- for it because it has the very nice blueburst finish. it has many dings, but that is what i like for an old good guitar. there are no exchanged parts as mentioned below, the baby z is completely original only one speedknow is wrong, it should have two black ones, but that is easy to change. the brindge and the tuners are schaller, orginal installed. the two baby z i have are completely identical except the colors. the very first baby z were equiped with 1 neck humbucker only, the second run came with two humbuckers. but i liked the one pickup versions much more. the pickup is a dimarzio which sounds really great. this is not a toy, this is a great guitar. nancy wilson from hearth used a baby z.

roli, i am from vienna, if you want to have the guitar you can have it for euro 600,-- that is what i paid for it.

this is a little bit higher price than you could have a baby z but it is a blueburst and therefore i was ready to pay a bit more. as i bought some guitars during the last two months i have to sell a couple of guitars i own, including the two dean baby z.

those guitars showed up two years ago more often than now. in europe you will not find any, i watched dean guitars on ebay for 3 years and i never found a vintage dean in europe.

the other one is bright red and has less dings but i loved much more the blueburst with the dings.

brgds gerry

tel. 06991 7663348

[gerry]

the very first baby z were equiped with 1 neck humbucker only, the second run came with two humbuckers. but i liked the one pickup versions much more. the pickup is a dimarzio which sounds really great. this is not a toy, this is a great guitar. nancy wilson from hearth used a baby z.

of course i mean the earliest baby z came with 1 bridge humbucker .

[serial]

Blueburst seems to be one of the most sought after finishes among Dean fans. Silverburst is another.

[cmatthes]

I also believe that the "V" headstock Baby guitars are a little more desirable than the "Shrimpfork" design from later (mid-80s) production.

[silentman]

I'm a fan of the shrimpforks.

[gerry]

I also believe that the "V" headstock Baby guitars are a little more desirable than the "Shrimpfork" design from later (mid-80s) production.

your are right. you know i became a dean fan because i could not find any vintage hamer standards.

the dean guitars come close to the hamer feeling and the dean z are really nice guitars. their value is just growing and growing.

the vintage baby z with the v headstock is a great guitar. with all that nice explorer shaped dean z the baby z was nearly not recognized, but during the last year i saw that the baby z are getting their attention.

the original baby z from 82 and 83 should not be mixed with the current baby z version which does not have the glued neck of the early ones.

also there are only i think two years of production where the baby z had a v headstock which changed after to a shripfork headstock.

i also do not like baby z with 2 humbuckers or 2 humbuckers with a tremolo. the body looks overloaded with all that hardware and pickups.

therefore i was looking only for single pickup versions which are rare.

the rarest finishes are pinkburst and blueburst.

again this is not a compromise or a toy guitar - this really rocks.

[jerseydrew]

All the above info is correct. Bluebursts are a rare color and do command more money. The earlier "Baby's" had the regular V headstock and are more desirable than the smaller "shrimp fork" headstocks.

Also, Gerry is correct, these guitars were not toys. The body is smaller but the neck and the scale length is standard size.

[gerry]

All the above info is correct. Bluebursts are a rare color and do command more money. The earlier "Baby's" had the regular V headstock and are more desirable than the smaller "shrimp fork" headstocks.

Also, Gerry is correct, these guitars were not toys. The body is smaller but the neck and the scale length is standard size.

thks

[custom53]

All the above info is correct. Bluebursts are a rare color and do command more money. The earlier "Baby's" had the regular V headstock and are more desirable than the smaller "shrimp fork" headstocks.

Also, Gerry is correct, these guitars were not toys. The body is smaller but the neck and the scale length is standard size.

thks

Weren't those Baby Zs with the regular "V" headstock called "Hollywood Z"...? I had one years ago that I bought from Kim Keller when he had a shop in Columbus...

[serial]

The old Deans have a different feel than the old Hamers, but I think they're the closest thing out there. The bodies are thinner, so they're VERY lightweight. The 81 necks are a bit too skinny for me (more of a skinny V). Mine are '80s and the ML Bass is an '81 with a nice slim, but comfortable neck on it.

They have gotten much hotter in the past 9 months. I got mine as they started to take off last summer and just today I got an email from the guy I bought my V from asking if he could buy it back. Super Ds sound fine in these guitars, even though I'm not normally a fan of those pickups. I've got a blueburst Z Standard ('81) that needs some work, but I might end up getting rid of it if I can get something cool. It just doesn't match the others!

[HamStd]

Steve: Don't you also have a Brazilaburst Z or was that the one that was "smacked" by UPS??? That is one of the best colors that Dean did.

Peter

[BTMN]

I passed on a Pearl White, faded to Lite Cream Pearl, Baby Z about 10 years ago with a V headstock on it. It was $200 at the time.

Not to hijack the thread to much but I love that Triple shot Of Vintage Dean Serial Steve has assembeled there. The closet thing to Vintage I have in a Dean are the three '96 USAs I have. The Trans Red V in my Triple shot of Dean here is one of those three. The other two are an '06 Prototype ML and a Trans Green '06 Z both Korean made.

"Stop light, Red Light uh uhh huhh....."

[Devnor]

I love that green model Z you have there BTMN. Here's my Dean:

2006 Time Capsule ML

Trans Purpleburst Finish

5A Flame Top

Ebony board

Abalone block inlays and logo

7 ply binding

Schenker pups

Floyd Rose

[cmatthes]

Steve: Don't you also have a Brazilaburst Z or was that the one that was "smacked" by UPS??? That is one of the best colors that Dean did.

Peter

Sadly, that was a nice minty one that got totalled in shipping last year.

Hell, even I wanted to cry when I heard about that one!

[gerry]

man, after all those posts here and on the vintage deanguitar forum i am thinking about keeping both baby z

i should make that little money with something else...

[gerry]

man, after all those posts here and on the vintage deanguitar forum i am thinking about keeping both baby z

i should make that little money with something else...

done

my baby z blueburst stay with me together with the red one.

yeahh great, now i feel like if i bought a new piece.

gerry

[jerseydrew]

I had an '81 Dean V at one time. I have to admit I didn't care for it. Although it looks pretty cool. I really can't get used to V shape neck guitars. I need to have a C shape. In addition, back in the day, the Dimarzio was one of the best pickups you could buy, it doesn't compare with pickups today.

This pic is from a couple of years ago.

[Armitage]

While nothing compares to the build quality of my Hamers, I do love my USA Deans.

My USA Dean Time Capsules;

First is a set of three I custom ordered;

The rest of my USA Dean Time Capsules;

My Early 80's USA Deans;

[BTMN]

Guess this is an officially hijacked thread.

Sorry Roli that we steered the seller into keeping his Baby.

Good idea Gerry. I think it will make you smile in the end. Does either of your Zs have a V profile to the neck?

Since Bill went crazy I kinda feel the urge too.

Life IS Good! Where is my Sunburst?!

Might have to look for a '79 Z Cherry Sunburst one of these days.

[gerry]

Guess this is an officially hijacked thread.

Does either of your Zs have a V profile to the neck?

Since Bill went crazy I kinda feel the urge too.

yes - the red one has a V neck profile but i really like this neck shape.

the blueburst has a very flat c profile which is also very nice for fast playing.

[cmatthes]

Alright, now you guys are just showing off!

(Keep it up, okay?!)

Great shots of cool guitars.