Image: Korkusuzkopek at Turkish Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 — via Wikimedia Commons
Dean V
| Category | Strings (electric guitar and bass) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Classification | bass guitar, electric guitar |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
| Wikidata | Q5246519 |
Overview
The Dean V is an angular electric guitar (and, in some years, bass) produced by Dean Guitars. Its body shape is an unmistakable V inspired by the but with Dean’s own design proportions and headstock. Since the late 1970s it has been offered in numerous variants, including through-neck Dean V Standard and Custom models, later bolt-on budget versions, and collaborations with metal and hard-rock artists.
Origin & History
Dean Zelinsky founded Dean Guitars in 1976 in Chicago, and the V was among the earliest Dean models to enter production, alongside the Dean Z (an Explorer-inspired design) and the Dean ML (a cross between the two). The V, like its peers, was aimed at hard-rock and metal players who wanted angular aesthetics paired with high-output pickups and long sustain. Famous early users included Michael Schenker, who played a custom Dean V briefly in the late 1970s.
How It’s Played
The V handles as a stage guitar rather than a seated one — the V-shape makes conventional seated playing awkward, but on a strap the long upper horn and balanced weight make it comfortable. Dean’s signature high-output humbuckers push amplifiers into overdrive readily, and the mahogany body and set-neck construction (on higher-end variants) provide thick sustain suited to extended solos.
Cultural Significance
The Dean V sits alongside the Jackson Rhoads and the Gibson Flying V as one of the defining V-shaped metal guitars. Its visibility in metal-guitar magazine culture and artist endorsements has kept the silhouette current across multiple generations of players.
Related Instruments
- – the angular ancestor
- Dean ML – Dean’s cross between a V and an Explorer
- Dean Z – Dean’s Explorer-inspired sibling
- Dean Razorback – Dean’s Dimebag Darrell signature design
- – another iconic V-shape metal guitar
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it only a guitar?
Most Dean V production is six-string guitar, but Dean has also made V-shaped basses in some years.
Is it the same as a Gibson Flying V?
It is Dean’s own interpretation of the V silhouette, with different proportions, headstock, and electronics.
Image: Dean guitars, photo by Korkusuzkopek at Turkish Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).