NGD: Dean Inferno V

deeaa · Tue Mar 30, 2021 1:42 am

Can't wait...just about to pick up yet another Dean V...I'm addicted to these.

It's an Inferno, all mahogany, set neck, 22 jumbo frets. Original knobs replaced by rather ugly skulls, but I'll swap those for something more traditional.
Am not sure if I can stomach playing this wild looking a guitar, so I may end up covering the top with a plastic film to hide the flames and make it a little less striking. Nothing permanent, though, this is after all a special model that someone might appreciate well in the future.
These photos are from the sender. There's one scratch in the surface.

AnotherJim · Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:04 am

So I guess you are looking to play some soft rock with this?

deeaa · Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:06 am

Yeah only mellow tunes

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deeaa · Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:29 am

Happy owner...plays and feels great, and most importantly fits my "Wall O'Vees" nicely...still room for one more I reckon, however, preferably in white.

solteroblues · Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:54 am

I like the blue flames, I'd leave it as is. Great looking guitar!

Longblacktie · Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:25 pm

Those are some great looking Vs. you need an explorer to round out the collection

deeaa · Sun Apr 04, 2021 2:23 am

Longblacktie wrote:Those are some great looking Vs. you need an explorer to round out the collection

I had one, love the looks...but they're HUGE guitars. Unless you hang them really low they look pretty funny on a skinny geezer like I am.

Acrually many Vs are also too big looking for me, namely the Gibson '67 shape that is almost an inch longer than the '58 shape, where the body ends att the fretboard basically, while on a 67 the body extends far over the board. I had one of those before too. These Deans are kind of between the two classic shapes, and even they are clearly bigger than the black Epiphone 58...except for the retro V on the right which is between the epi and the other Deans in size.

You don't really notice the size difference unless you play them or put in a V case which is tight for the two leftmost ones and very loose for the Eli.

Also the strap buttons I had to relocate in each so the guitar is in the same position standing up. I can't look at tte board when I play and sing, so I have to have the frets in the same position for all guitars. That's why I also only use one type at a time, and these times it's a 58 V shape only.

Here's a bad and rare picture of me playing an Explorer live...looks huge.

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deeaa · Sun Apr 04, 2021 2:32 am

Heh, while looking for the photo I found a picture of my live rig circa 2005. I think I played this guitar only on two gigs or so. The Fenix strat never.

Marshall JMP-1 and a Boss SE50 through a Hush unit into a 120w Samson power amp (soon replaced by a Peavey Classic 60/60) and a Marshall 4x10" cab. There was also a small mixer and two speaker emulators for DI line to PA.

: kamat.jpg (25.86 KiB) Viewed 2511 times

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deeaa · Sun Apr 04, 2021 7:35 am

Here you can see the size difference between a true 58 body Dean Schenker Retro and the bit closer to '67 body size Dean Inferno and Schenker. About an inch in length. And even this Retro V doesn't fit inside the Epiphone V case!

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deeaa · Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:41 am

Well, just couldn't live with those bright flames, so on the weekend I painted the top of the guitar white.
Then I added a really light touch of metallic flake lacquer, over which I applied a thick layer of normal lacquer.
Put in a Gibson 498T pickup.

Turned out better than I had hoped for, even the missus was quite taken and said it looks classy as hell...and it really does look awesome IRL.
Still pondering whether to put white/metal top hat knobs and a white switch in, but the black contrasts nicely too. Difficult choice.

Will take her apart maybe a month from now when the lacquer is fully cured and give it a proper machine polish.

Super happy with this, always wanted a striking white V and now the flamed board doesn't look too over the top either.

ID10t · Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:53 am

deeaa wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:41 am 20210420_130244.jpg
20210420_130252.jpg
20210420_130258.jpg

Well, just couldn't live with those bright flames, so on the weekend I painted the top of the guitar white.
Then I added a really light touch of metallic flake lacquer, over which I applied a thick layer of normal lacquer.
Put in a Gibson 498T pickup.

Turned out better than I had hoped for, even the missus was quite taken and said it looks classy as hell...and it really does look awesome IRL.
Still pondering whether to put white/metal top hat knobs and a white switch in, but the black contrasts nicely too. Difficult choice.

Will take her apart maybe a month from now when the lacquer is fully cured and give it a proper machine polish.

Super happy with this, always wanted a striking white V and now the flamed board doesn't look too over the top either.

Looks good. Might I suggest some polka-dots?

I would stay with black accessories, unless you get white pickups your going to be showing black.

deeaa · Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:05 am

Yeah the black knobs do look real good. I'll post pics of the option tomorrow. but for now, I also think black is the way to go.

Mossman · Tue Apr 20, 2021 3:58 pm

Good call on painting that... I thought the flames looked tuuuurible.

deeaa · Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:53 pm

Mossman wrote:Good call on painting that... I thought the flames looked tuuuurible.

Yeah, they were striking for sure, but not too stylish or classy. Perfect for someone playing psychobilly punk, but I just couldn't imagine playing it live with a straight face. Can't even bring myself to wear any flashier stage clothing than a T shirt really so that was certainly too much for me.

Besides, I wanted to keep my wall of vees black and white

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Inforobinhood · Thu Apr 22, 2021 7:31 pm

Definitely a great addition! Kudos on the new paint job! Looks great!

Mossman · Thu Apr 22, 2021 7:59 pm

deeaa wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:53 pm
Mossman wrote:Good call on painting that... I thought the flames looked tuuuurible.
Yeah, they were striking for sure, but not too stylish or classy. Perfect for someone playing psychobilly punk, but I just couldn't imagine playing it live with a straight face. Can't even bring myself to wear any flashier stage clothing than a T shirt really so that was certainly too much for me.

Besides, I wanted to keep my wall of vees black and white

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Yeah, like I think the James Burton Telecaster looks cool...

But it looks cool for somebody else to play. I'd feel like a tool if I went on stage with that guitar.

Longblacktie · Sat Apr 24, 2021 4:08 pm

White V looks great!

Explorers never "feel" big to me. they feel better balanced than V's and LP's.

deeaa · Sat Apr 24, 2021 4:23 pm

I like the way both the LPs and Vees 'offer' their neck upwards naturally, body much lower than the neck.

But the most important thing...now the color scale is nigh perfect going from white to black

There would still be room for a black V with a white guard though...

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