The mid-1970s. Rock music was exploding, concerts were becoming spectacles of light and sound, and guitarists were pushing sonic boundaries. Yet, the guitars themselves, often relics of the 50s, seemed out of sync with this modern, evolving era of rock. Enter Dean Guitars, a brand born from the vision of a young innovator who sought to craft instruments that not only looked the part on stage but also delivered the performance demanded by a new generation of players. This is the story of how Dean Guitars came to be, a testament to passion, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of a rock ‘n’ roll dream.
Alt text: Portrait of Robert Zelinsky, Dean Zelinsky’s father, a pilot, inspiring the foundation of Dean Guitars.
The Genesis of Dean Guitar: A Young Visionary’s Spark
For Dean Zelinsky, the path to creating Dean Guitars wasn’t a straight line, but rather a journey forged in the crucible of personal loss and a burning ambition. In 1976, while his peers were navigating college or trades, Zelinsky, barely out of his teens, felt a different calling: guitar manufacturing. This audacious ambition was deeply rooted in the memory of his father, an aviation enthusiast and pilot whose life was tragically cut short in a plane accident when Dean was just twelve.
The loss of his father in 1969 was a defining moment. The accident, later attributed to negligence, led to a settlement years later. While no amount of money could replace his father, for Dean, this settlement represented an opportunity – a chance to honor his father’s entrepreneurial spirit and pursue his own burgeoning passion for the rock and roll world. His father had envisioned him as a businessman, a path Dean now felt compelled to follow, albeit with a rock ‘n’ roll twist. This sense of legacy, the feeling of his father watching over him, became the bedrock of his drive, fueling him through the countless challenges that lay ahead in building Dean Guitars.
From Repair Shop to Factory Floor: Building the Dream
Dean Zelinsky wasn’t a seasoned factory manager or a veteran luthier. He was, in his own words, “just a repair guy.” While he possessed a natural aptitude for understanding how things worked and a relentless drive to succeed, mass guitar production was uncharted territory. He could craft a guitar neck, expertly refinish a body, and perform intricate repairs, but the leap to consistent, large-scale manufacturing seemed immense. How do you move from crafting individual pieces to producing thousands while maintaining quality? This question became his obsession, driving him to learn and innovate at every turn.
This realization marked a pivotal shift in his focus. The painstaking process of crafting one-off, bespoke guitars held little appeal for Dean. He wasn’t drawn to the solitary world of a traditional luthier meticulously slotting frets by hand. His vision was grander: to design and build guitars that were not only exceptional but also accessible. Manufacturing, therefore, became the inevitable path. If Dean Guitars were to truly make an impact, they needed to be within reach of guitarists everywhere.
Designing for a New Era of Rock: The Dean Guitar Aesthetic
The rock scene of the 70s was a dynamic landscape. The raw energy of the 60s was evolving into something more theatrical, more visually arresting. Concerts were becoming immersive experiences, and rock stars were becoming fashion icons. Dean recognized that the guitars of the 50s, while iconic, were starting to feel disconnected from this evolving aesthetic. He envisioned Dean Guitars as instruments that would bridge this gap, guitars that were both visually stunning and sonically powerful, perfectly suited for the modern rock stage.
Dean’s design philosophy was clear: to create “classy works-of-art.” He aimed to capture the coveted features of vintage instruments – the warmth of flame maple tops on fully bound bodies, the crispness of ebony fingerboards – and combine them with modern innovations and a distinctive visual flair. He eschewed the large pickguards common at the time, opting to mount components directly into the wood to enhance sustain and create a cleaner look. And then there was the neck profile – the unforgettable Dean “V” neck, designed for speed and comfort. Crucially, Dean recognized the importance of powerful, contemporary pickups. Having used DiMarzio Super Distortions extensively in his repair work, he knew their aggressive tone was exactly what modern rock players were craving. Dean Guitars became the first production guitars to feature DiMarzio pickups as standard, a groundbreaking move that immediately set them apart.
Setting Up Shop: The Evanston Factory and Early Days
With his designs taking shape and his vision solidifying, Dean needed a factory. He found it at 2125 Dewey Ave. in Evanston, Illinois. Still living with his mother, the 25-minute commute in his Chevy van became a daily ritual. Days stretched into nights, often working until midnight and then rising early to do it all again. His drive down Sheridan Road, through Chicago’s affluent North Shore suburbs, served as a constant reminder of his aspirations. He was building more than just guitars; he was building a future, envisioning the house he would one day own. This dream fueled him through the countless challenges of launching a guitar manufacturing business on a shoestring budget at just 19 years old. Instead of the rock anthems that fueled his passion, he tuned his van radio to WBBM, Chicago’s business station, absorbing stock market reports and futures trading. The rock star dream was temporarily sidelined, replaced by the burgeoning ambition to become a successful businessman, just as his father had hoped.
Alt text: Dean Zelinsky meticulously working on guitar designs, combining inspiration and innovation for Dean Guitars.
Crafting Iconic Shapes: V, Explorer, and the Birth of the ML
The initial focus was on translating his designs into tangible guitars. “24/7 it was designs and process,” Dean recalls, obsessively refining his concepts and figuring out the most efficient manufacturing methods. He knew he wanted to build Vs and Explorers, shapes that were already familiar to guitarists, but he aimed to elevate these classic forms, to create Dean Guitar versions that surpassed the originals in both quality and design.
To perfect his body profiles, Dean needed access to vintage Gibson Vs and Explorers. These were rare and valuable, and contemporary Gibsons didn’t capture the essence of the originals. He turned to Ibanez, known for their meticulous copies of classic Gibson designs. Through a connection, he acquired Ibanez Korina V and Explorer models. These guitars became the templates for his patterns, literally dissected and sacrificed to ensure the accuracy of the Dean Guitar shapes. This willingness to deconstruct and rebuild, to learn from existing designs and then surpass them, was central to Dean’s approach.
Alt text: Close-up of the iconic Dean Guitar V headstock, a key element in the brand’s visual identity and recognition.
The body shapes were evolving, but the headstock remained a crucial design element. Dean had long been fascinated by Gibson’s asymmetrical V headstock attempts, recognizing the potential but feeling they hadn’t quite nailed the execution. He knew the headstock was vital for creating a truly memorable and recognizable Dean Guitar. Branding was already on his mind – the ability for a Dean Guitar to be identified from afar, even from the back of a concert hall. His breakthrough came from a simple yet ingenious idea: mirroring the V body shape and scaling it down to create the headstock. The result was bold, distinctive, and undeniably Dean. Despite some initial feedback, Dean instinctively knew this V headstock was integral to the Dean Guitar identity.
The question then arose: what to call these instruments? Gary Gand, a respected figure in the local guitar scene, visited Dean’s workshop and immediately saw the potential. When asked about the name, Dean confessed he hadn’t decided. Gand’s suggestion was direct: “Why don’t you call them Dean Guitars?” Dean initially resisted, disliking his own name. But Gand persisted, emphasizing that “Dean” was a strong, memorable name, perfect for a guitar brand. The idea, though initially unappealing, began to take root. After further consideration and positive feedback, Dean embraced the idea, and “Dean Guitars” was born.
To solidify the brand identity, a logo was needed. Gary Mann, a local artist who frequented Dean’s repair shop, offered to help. His initial winged logo concept, while rough, sparked an idea. Dean sought a more refined version and enlisted Wayne Kibar, a professional graphic artist. For a mere $30, Kibar created the iconic winged Dean Guitar logo. While initially a departure from Mann’s raw design, Dean quickly fell in love with the polished, powerful aesthetic, realizing it was the perfect visual representation for the Dean Guitar brand, especially when emblazoned on that distinctive V headstock.
Production Challenges and Innovative Solutions
With the designs finalized and the logo established, the focus shifted to production tooling. Dean became consumed by the intricacies of manufacturing, spending sleepless nights mentally designing jigs and fixtures, visualizing the entire production process before even securing the factory lease. He essentially built the factory “in his head” first, meticulously planning every step.
Alt text: A custom-built fingerboard inlay jig at the Dean Guitars factory, showcasing the precision tooling developed for production.
To bring his manufacturing vision to life, Dean needed skilled help. He advertised for a lead woodworker in the Chicago Tribune. Mirza Yousef, a recent immigrant from Pakistan with a “degree in woodworking,” answered the call. While Yousef’s guitar knowledge was non-existent, his woodworking skills were undeniable, and crucially, he wasn’t afraid of the powerful and potentially dangerous machinery required for guitar manufacturing. Dean, a guitar player himself, was more cautious around routers and shapers. This unlikely partnership proved to be pivotal. With Dean’s guitar expertise and fixture designs and Yousef’s woodworking prowess, they worked tirelessly, day and night, building and testing the tooling needed to mass-produce Dean Guitars. They developed patterns for bodies with routing for electronics and binding, neck jigs for the signature V profile, tooling for truss rods, fingerboards, inlay routing, fret slotting, and even machines for radiusing fingerboards. The list of custom tooling was extensive, a testament to the complexity of setting up a guitar factory from scratch. With Yousef on board, the dream of Dean Guitar production was becoming a reality.
Alt text: Neck rounding jig in the Dean Guitars factory, highlighting the specialized equipment for shaping guitar necks consistently.
Beyond the V and Explorer, Dean felt the need for a third, original model to complete the initial Dean Guitar lineup. He wanted something truly unique, something that would further differentiate Dean Guitars. The idea for the ML emerged almost organically. If you combined the sharp angles of a V with the solid body and sustain of an Explorer, what would you get? Laying a V and an Explorer body on the floor, Dean began to experiment, tweaking and adjusting the shapes until he arrived at the asymmetrical yet balanced form of the Dean ML. It was unconventional, defying the symmetry typically associated with “V” shaped guitars, but it worked. The Dean ML became the third pillar of the Dean Guitar brand, an instant classic and a testament to Dean’s innovative design approach.
Alt text: A Dean ML guitar body during the glue-up process in the factory, showcasing the iconic and original ML design.
Infiltrating Gibson: Sourcing Secrets and Building a Supply Chain
Tooling was only one piece of the puzzle. Dean now faced the daunting task of sourcing materials and establishing a reliable supply chain. He had experience working with “off-the-shelf” guitar parts in his repair days, but setting up a production-level sourcing operation was a different beast altogether. Where do you buy lacquer that wouldn’t crack, buffing compounds that would achieve a mirror finish, the specific wood filler that gave Gibson SGs their distinctive grain? In a pre-internet era, finding these sources seemed like an insurmountable challenge.
The solution, audacious and resourceful, was to “infiltrate Gibson.” Dean reasoned that all the answers to his sourcing questions lay within the walls of Gibson’s Kalamazoo factory. He placed an ad in the Kalamazoo newspaper seeking guitar builders, hoping to find someone with inside knowledge of Gibson’s processes and suppliers. Remarkably, someone responded and drove to Chicago for an interview. While a job in Chicago wasn’t feasible for the applicant, he was willing to help. He became Dean’s inside connection, providing initial information and then connecting him to contacts within Gibson’s backrooms. Through these clandestine phone calls, Dean was able to piece together Gibson’s supply chain. He spoke to a guitar buffer who, after checking the labels, identified the buffing compound supplier. This network of backroom contacts proved invaluable, leading Dean to suppliers for lacquer (Mobile Chemical), buffing compound (Stutz Company), lacquer colors (V. J. Dolan), binding plastic (General Tire and Rubber), and ebony (Vikwood). This carefully constructed network of vendors was crucial, and once established, these suppliers, eager for new business, readily shared details about Gibson’s specifications and materials. Even lumber sourcing had a serendipitous connection: Dean found a mahogany supplier in Chicago where his grandmother had worked decades earlier.
Lacquer was a particularly critical challenge. Standard lacquers were prone to cracking and “checking,” a major issue in Chicago’s harsh winters. Guitar lacquer needed to be specially formulated with plasticizers for flexibility. Mobile Chemical, Gibson’s lacquer supplier, had already navigated this learning curve. Dean contacted Mobile Chemical, knowing their minimum order was massive. He respectfully asked if they could produce a small batch of lacquer similar to Gibson’s, timed with Gibson’s production run, and sell him just one drum. The salesman understood the ingenuity of the request. Dean secretly began buying “Gibson lacquer,” driving to Kankakee with a trailer to pick it up himself.
Hardware sourcing also presented challenges. Dean had a parts account with Gibson from his repair days, allowing him to purchase tune-o-matic bridges. However, this ended when Gibson realized Dean Guitars was buying their parts. This brief period explains why some early Dean Guitars were equipped with Ibanez bridges. Dean eventually convinced Helmut Schaller to sell him Nashville Tune-o-matics, with shipments discreetly sent to his home address.
Alt text: Buffing a brass V plate at Dean Guitars, showcasing the in-house metalworking capabilities for custom parts.
Metal parts, specifically truss rods and the distinctive Dean “V” and jack plates, proved difficult to source externally. Dean decided to bring metalworking in-house. He purchased raw steel and brass and set up metalworking equipment in the factory. They manufactured their own truss rods and brass plates, polishing them on the same buffing machines used for guitars and clear-coating them in the paint room – a truly vertically integrated operation.
Assembling the Team: From Furniture Finishers to Jamaican Buffers
As production processes solidified, Dean continued to expand his team. He hired a lead finisher, not from the guitar world, but an experienced furniture finisher. Dean trained him in the nuances of achieving a flawless, mirror-like guitar finish. For buffing, Dean developed the process himself and trained a worker from Jamaica who had never seen a buffing machine before. Dean’s hiring strategy was unconventional: he sought factory workers with a strong work ethic and a willingness to learn, rather than experienced guitar builders. “My criteria was more ‘how badly do you need a job?'” he recalls. He soon realized that while guitar players weren’t ideal factory workers, they were essential for final assembly and setup, bringing crucial musical expertise to the final stages of production.
Marketing Dean Guitars: Launching a New Brand
Beyond the immense task of setting up production, Dean also had to build a sales and marketing operation from scratch. He needed a marketing plan, a sales strategy, and a way to introduce Dean Guitars to the world.
Alt text: Zan Skolnick, Dean Guitars’ first Marketing Director, holding a Dean Guitar and the marketing plan.
One day, Dean’s uncle visited the factory and, impressed by what he saw, asked about his sales strategy. Dean’s initial plan was simple: “I think I am just going to take an ad in Guitar Player Magazine.” His uncle suggested a friend, Zan Skolnick, who had marketing experience. Zan, an amateur playwright with a background in marketing and PR, visited Dean and quickly grasped the opportunity. Dean explained the state of the guitar industry – Gibson and Fender, once icons, now under corporate ownership and seemingly out of touch. His plan was to create exceptional guitars and capitalize on this perceived gap in the market. Zan immediately resonated with Dean’s vision. Before leaving, he declared, “I already have our first ad: ‘A New Standard of Excellence…The Finest Guitars Since You-Know-Who Sold Out To The Big Boys!'”
Alt text: Dean Guitars’ iconic “A New Standard of Excellence” advertisement, highlighting the brand’s commitment to quality.
Zan Skolnick became Dean Guitars’ first Marketing Director. He immersed himself in the music industry, contacting trade magazines and quickly understanding the landscape. In their second meeting, Zan declared, “NAMM has a new West Coast Show in January…we need to be there!” Zan was right. The preparations for Dean Guitars’ debut at NAMM 1977 began, marking the next exciting chapter in the Dean Guitar story. But that, as Dean himself says, is a story for another day…
Coming Next…
The Launch of Dean at NAMM – January 1977
Cram for NAMM
The journey to get the first Dean Guitars out the door was fraught with challenges. It took nearly 18 months from factory setup to the first production models. Warped bodies, stolen ebony shipments, necks that were too thin, and the complexities of neck gluing and truss rod adjustments were just some of the hurdles. Many guitars ended up in the dumpster as Dean and his team navigated the steep learning curve of manufacturing and worker training. These early trials and tribulations, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and the unwavering belief in the Dean Guitar vision, laid the foundation for a brand that would become a true rock ‘n’ roll icon.
