Guitars

Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 458 Location: Austin, Texas

So much for the 'turd' designation. That yellow Z on e-bay is going for $800 through a back-door BIN. I've been in contact with the seller, and I would have purchased it myself if I had not just gotten those 2 Z's today. I guess my yellow ML is worth quite a bit more than what I paid for it, judging from this. Would have been a cool set to have, but 3 in a week is pushing it, for me.
Dana <~~~

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 29

man... take a Tums... I hear it helps with G.A.S.... Laughing

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 8:43 pm

I thought it was maylox, Twisted Evil

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 7668 Location: Florida

I liked that guitar - Z, floyd rose - but the color was not high on my list.

Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 458 Location: Austin, Texas

I actually really like the color. You don't see many like that.
Dana <~~~

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 7668 Location: Florida

True, I'm just not a big yellow fan - unless it's put into song form about snow, huskies, Nanook, and the infamous dog-doo snowcone!

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5807

I thought that was your guitar...forgot yours was an ML.

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 108 Location: Michigan City, IN

hey anyone check out this guitar?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2577885704&category=41435&rd=1

I thought it's a pretty sweet deal I'm preying for it. Feel free to tell me what you think guys. It's guitar porn to me.

Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 458 Location: Austin, Texas

Oh man...that song is so funny!

Lon...nope, I would never sell my yellow ML unless I absolutely had to. It'd have to be an emergency or something, like somebody offering me $800 for it! Laughing

Dana <~~~

Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 458 Location: Austin, Texas

allthedamagedone wrote:

hey anyone check out this guitar?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2577885704&category=41435&rd=1

I thought it's a pretty sweet deal I'm preying for it. Feel free to tell me what you think guys. It's guitar porn to me.

That guitar is being sold by one of our own forum members, actually. Cool axe. I wouldn't count on getting it for anywhere near what it is right now, though.
Dana <~~~

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 108 Location: Michigan City, IN

guitarforceone wrote:

allthedamagedone wrote:

hey anyone check out this guitar?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2577885704&category=41435&rd=1

I thought it's a pretty sweet deal I'm preying for it. Feel free to tell me what you think guys. It's guitar porn to me.

That guitar is being sold by one of our own forum members, actually. Cool axe. I wouldn't count on getting it for anywhere near what it is right now, though.
Dana <~~~

I had a hunch it was a forum member that's why I asked. Smile

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:09 pm

Dana what z's did you buy??

Man i love that silver Z of jeff's

Rich

Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 458 Location: Austin, Texas

Rich, scroll down to about the middle of the page. I started a thread about it. Got a couple of vintage Z's today.
Dana <~~~

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:30 pm

found it dana and i replied ...

hey dana that num you called me from today is that your house num?

Rich

Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 458 Location: Austin, Texas

Thanks Rich. Yeah man, that's my home #.
Dana <~~~

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:36 pm

i was gonna call you and tell you something (that i completeley forgot now) but didnt cause i wasnt sure if it was a work num or not

Rich

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:43 pm

if dean created a solid siver guitar they could call it a ghoast

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 303

I swear to God, Tropical must have built about 90% of their guitars in '96. That's about the umpteenth '96 Tropical Dean I have seen on eBay.

Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 23

Please tell me what you all mean by "Tropical Turd" ?? Is this a real Dean?? Is it sub-standard? Please give me the lowdown...

Exclamation

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5807

Here's the Reader's Digest version. The Dean "Tropical" era refers to the time in between Dean Z owning the company, and the present owner Elliot Rubinson. Not sure how many years that was, maybe 4-6? Anyway, some of the guitar dimensions were "altered" a little, and many Dean purists don't like them. They tend to go for lower prices on ebay, but are damn fine guitars nonetheless. I've owned 3 and can attest to that. Others will throw out more info as well.

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 11:29 am

Guitars and Stuff... can I call you GAS? Tropical Music, the company that purchased DEAN Guitars from Dean Z, made some VERY NICE DEAN copies.. They owned the name but the guitars only RESEMBLED the 76-84 DEAN.. They weren't BAD, just different.

Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 23

Is the a Jon Hill instrument??

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 2132

Guitarzandstuff wrote:

Is the a Jon Hill instrument??

YES, with a little Ben Chafin and Tracey Heoft thrown in...but mainly Jon as he was the Production Manager at the time.

Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 23

Please tell me that they are not on par with the Class Axe era Bc Rich??

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 2132

well, I'll tell ya this...the guitars we made in '96 that where commissioned by Armadillo (Elliott) where great guitars...truly hand made custom shop type pieces.
The rest of the stuff was a hodge podge of whatever the request from music retailers happened to be...anything to get an order kinda thing.

I would love to buy some of those Armadillo commissioned axes from '96 if I could find them...they are just hidden at some collectors houses...like my double-neck! Twisted Evil

Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 23

Brian and all who have helped,

Thanks for the info. Is it possible that this is one of the "Elliot" guitars?? As you all probably figured out by now, I am the "Buy it Now" guy and paid $800 for this. I'm just worried as to the reference of "TURD" in this thread. Scares the s#%t outta me as I quickly sold a real nice Hamer Blitz to grab this piece. Did I make a mistake??

BTW- Brian, I checked out some of your music. REAL NICE!!

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 2132

Guitarzandstuff wrote:

Brian and all who have helped,

Thanks for the info. Is it possible that this is one of the "Elliot" guitars?? As you all probably figured out by now, I am the "Buy it Now" guy and paid $800 for this. I'm just worried as to the reference of "TURD" in this thread. Scares the oatmeal outta me as I quickly sold a real nice Hamer Blitz to grab this piece. Did I make a mistake??

BTW- Brian, I checked out some of your music. REAL NICE!!

Thanks,

To answer your question, I don't think so...the reference is usually directed toward guitars that where made in '95 and early '96. I can't speak for this guitar, it might be one...but some people use that term with some sort of perverse affinity. I don't think it is really a bad thing...if you have any questions just PM me. I worked for Dean during this time so I'll try and help.

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 3:01 pm

.. and I was a DEAN dealer at the time. I bought quite a bit of stuff from Tracy back then. I think you got a really cool instrument there.

Jay

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 176 Location: Mass.

transblueZ wrote:

True, I'm just not a big yellow fan - unless it's put into song form about snow, huskies, Nanook, and the infamous dog-doo snowcone!

trudgin' across the tundra, mile after mile....

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 4:17 pm

Never saw the yellow one. Not all the tropical guitars are terds. The USA ones are pretty good. The Korean ones sucked ass.

I wish that Z were an ML. Id bite.

Guest

The worst part about the tropical era guitars were the Korean junk coming out of the Samick factory. The body and headstock shapes weren't even correct. The USA stuff ranges from mediocre junk to some truly spectacular instruments. This is one of the best tops I've ever seen on a guitar....... my 1996 Tropical Dean Caddy:

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 9:43 pm

now THAT is spectacular!

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 9:50 pm

That's a nicer top than I have seen on some custom jobs.

Truely Killer Cool

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 9:53 pm

nice guitar..

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 10:47 pm

GregCrowe wrote:

The worst part about the tropical era guitars were the Korean junk coming out of the Samick factory. The body and headstock shapes weren't even correct. The USA stuff ranges from mediocre junk to some truly spectacular instruments. This is one of the best tops I've ever seen on a guitar....... my 1996 Tropical Dean Caddy:

Greg, I have to disagree with the "Korean Junk" statement. I've owned an ML Tropical that was Made in Korea, and it was a very nice neck-thru with a killer quilt top, even though the specs were very strange. Steph owns it now, and it was also owned by Joe/Dinasty, who will also attest to the fact that it was a really nice, well-made guitar. Also, I have 2 Tropical USA ML's...neither of which were made to the specs of the originals. However, both of them are extremely nice guitars and they play and sound great.

That Caddy is killer!! I remember when you got it off e-bay....for a rather unbelieveable price, if I am not mistaken. Very Happy

Dana <~~~

Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 458 Location: Austin, Texas

Oooops, sorry, that last post was from me. Rolling Eyes

Dana <~~~

Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 458 Location: Austin, Texas

Oh yeah, btw, I am one of the few "defenders" of the Tropical Series. I only say "turds" because that is the way they are referred to here. The ones I have are kick-butt.
Dana <~~~

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 176 Location: Mass.

Vanilla Gorilla wrote:

Never saw the yellow one. Not all the tropical guitars are terds. The USA ones are pretty good. The Korean ones sucked taint.

Now there's a term I haven't heard in a while.....

Guest

I remember back in 1996 I actually ordered a new USA ML(bolt-on w/ Original Floyd and Lawrence XL-500). The first one I got was damaged by UPS. I was kind of thankful because it was a total turd with a neck way too thick to ever love and really mediocre fretwork. The second one they made me was much better with mid-size neck. I kept it for a few years and sold it off when I got a couple vintage ML's.

Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2003 10:22 am

The last guitar I ordered from Tropical Music was a USA neckthrough V with original Floyd in a flame purpleburst... got lost somewhere in the sale to Elliott. Never came Crying or Very sad

Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 23

Can anyone confirm that this yellow Z is TRULY a USA made guitar?

Is it hand made??

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 2132

Vanilla Gorilla wrote:

Never saw the yellow one. Not all the tropical guitars are terds. The USA ones are pretty good. The Korean ones sucked taint.

I wish that Z were an ML. Id bite.

Yea, most of the "Turds" where for overseas orders. The Koreans wheren't even considered "Turd" status.

Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:45 pm

Guitarzandstuff wrote:

Can anyone confirm that this yellow Z is TRULY a USA made guitar?

Is it hand made??

Anybody?? Jayba??

Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:59 pm

100% SURE!! MADE WITH PRIDE IN THE USA!!