Dean Exotica Spalt Maple Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Feature:
No accessories came included with my Dean guitar bought at the Guitar Center. I really like the pick up and equalizer. It has a totally different sound than my Martin- not better or worse- just different(more clear with the high tones and less muddy when tweaking the mid range higher than normal).

Quality:
The fit and finish of this guitar is unbelievable- it is a beautiful instrument. The quality is a double edged sword- they are put together well and are built with some really nice tone wood but the neck bracing looks rather cheap and unfinished(you have to look in the tone hole to see this though). This guitar is very light as well which is a good thing.

Value:
The value of this guitar is unmatched for the most part. You get a beautiful instrument that is all wood(exotic at that) that sounds better than most costing 3,4, or 5 times as much.

Desirability:
When I saw this guitar I was attracted to it immediately but expected it to sound crappy like the flashy Ibanez guitars I had been trying out. Man when I picked it up and started playing I had to do a double take on the price tag.

Sound:
I am very pleased with how this instrument sounds-especially for the price. I shopped for weeks playing all of the different brands I could find and tried each brands low end and high end guitars. This Dean sounds better than most Ibanez, Yamaha, and Takamine for any price. Only when compared to the Martins and the extremely high end Gibsons will you find a huge difference in sound. It sounds as good as the Taylors that cost 3 or 4 times as much.

Ease of Use:
The guitar came set up well and stays in tune very nicely. It has a onboard tuner which is very convenient(it can be used to tune other guitars in the room- it is that sensitive). The playability is great for a stock setup at the price you get it for- if you really want it to play like butter spend about $75 getting the action lowered by a real professional(not the guy in Guitar Center). Overall action is better than most guitars for 3 or 4 times the price.

Support:
I have not had to have service with this guitar but the Dean website is quite extensive and informational. They seem to stand behind their products and have somewhat of a cult following.

Overall:
I bought this guitar as a second(back up) guitar to my Martin DXME that I gig with. I have ended up using it almost as often as the Martin though(its tone fits the sound of some songs better). If it was damaged or stolen I wouldn't waste my time looking around again- I would immediately buy another one.