Dean Exotica Freedom Reviews 
4 / 5 based on 2 reviewsI was browsing the internet one day and came across a beautiful guitar like no other. Low and behold I fell in love and had to have one. I researched the stores in my area in found it at Alan's Music. Just as soon as I could stuff my wallet, I was out the door. I ended up purchasing this master"PIECE" for $560, but since Alan's Music likes to rip people off, I had to purchase a case separately becuase "Dean doesn't supply cases with their guitars"!!! Luckily i was able to talk them down on the cheapest case they had and walked out the door $640 poorer.
All to often in life we fall in love, or should I say lust with people or objects. This, I believe, is one of those times. This guitar was wonderful and stunning...before I picked it up. The maple flamewood is incredible and should be on every guitar. I'm in love with the custom inlay on the neck and the abalone around the sound hole. When I played this guitar in the store I was hopeful that with A LOT of saddle work, I could make this guitar sound as good as my Taylor (I have a 25th anniversary 414 CE that has had some custom work done to it, email me and I'll tell you all about it). Needless to say I bought it with hopeful intentions. Now don't get me wrong, it sounds alright, but maybe I'm just biased becuase I'm used to my Taylor. (everything sounds like crap when compared to a quality Taylor...even a MARTIN!!!)
On any Dean acoustic guitar, underneath the saddle, they've added 2 extra strips of plastic. Why? Well I'm glad you asked. I'm guessing they figured that one could adjust the height of the saddle by removing these 2 strips. Yea i adjusted it alright...took my palm sander to it and knocked it down some more after that...and then again. This thing still has horrible action and is just awful when it comes to staying in tune. I don't care if this thing has Grover tuners or not, if the guitar is a piece of trash, it's not the tuners fault. Dean should be shut down for charging this much and calling it "Quality." Message for Dean--> go to a real guitar company (i.e. Taylor, Martin, oh heck...even Takamine) and take some notes on guitar building for sound quality and not just looks.
The body on this guitar is solid, however if it doesn't sound good, it only serves as a showpiece on my guitar stand.
I was once told that "we live and we learn." Well, so far in my life, I have found no better example to apply this quote, than with the purchase of a Dean guitar. Remember how i said i was hopeful? Let's just say all hope was gone when the discouragement of saddle work, tuning, new strings, and an empty wallet seeped into my brain the night of the purchase. I kid you not my friend, I cried. Through the tears and snot that night, I pressed on in my quest to fix this guitar. You know how people say, "Winners never quit and quitters never win," well i would like to sit here before you now and testify that there are certain times when one must realize that no matter how hard they try, winning is not an option. This, my friend, is a prime example of that concept. Do not give in to the temptation of purchasing this guitar...Please learn from my mistake!
Benjamin Taylor from ALABAMA! rated this unit
on
2002-11-29.
I ordered this unit from,"Oklahoma city guitars".I saw it on ebay and thought it was breathtakingly beautiful.I immediately bid on it and one it for $499.00 with a case.The guitar with a case lists for about $700.00
First of all looks!!!It has a gray and black flamed maple finish,ivory white binding all around the neck and body,an abilone rosette, and most importantly,there is an inlay of the arm and torch of the statue of liberty shooting up the fretboard in mother of pearl.The smoke from the torch spells freedom,(also in mother of pearl).The guitar has great projection and sounds wonderful plugged in.
the inner lining is falling out of The case it came with.The strings it came with were of low quality and made the guitar sound horrible.
The construction is excellent.The overall quality is that of a $2000.00 guitar
This guitar is a limited edition.It commemerates a very difficult time in our history.As a work of art,it conveys patriotism and freedom in a very tasteful way.The maple gives it a very bold distinct sound and the electronics are excellent.
Bryan Moon rated this unit
on
2002-09-25.
