“Zero f**ks given”: Dean continues its resurgence with the updated Zero platform – ushering in a new wave of Z-style guitars following Gibson’s lawsuit
After announcing the return of its V-style electric guitars last week, Dean Guitars has maintained its momentum by unveiling its Zero Select EverTune Fluence.
Like its pointy predecessor, the Zero arrives at an interesting time for the resurgent US brand, which is back to releasing V- and Z-shaped models after Gibson’s lawsuit last year.
Further still, the Zero Select EverTune Fluence (like the recently released Vengeance) was one of the many – notably pointier – models that were first previewed back in March 2021, but ultimately slipped into obscurity after seemingly failing to make it to stores.
But the Zero, it seems, is back for good, and actually ready to ship, with this specific Zero Select EverTune Fluence model sharing the Dean shelves with two other Explorer-y variants of varying aesthetics and hardware options (one has a Floyd Rose, the other is through-body).
As such, take this as an early sign of Dean’s first steps towards selling Explorer-style guitars under the Zero umbrella, after the company was ordered to stop production on its original V and Z models.
This time round, Dean has once again tweaked its original Z template, with the Zero’s Eastern mahogany body and flame maple top offering slightly pointier extremities and sharper bevels.
The rest of the guitar is headed up by a slim C three-piece maple neck, 24-fret ebony fingerboard – with jumbo stainless steel frets and pearloid Ultra Diamond inlays, no less – and, as the name implies an EverTune hardtail bridge.
As is also implied by the guitar’s official title, the EverTune Fluence Black Cherry Burst Zero comes packing with a pair of Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers, which are wired to pickup-specific volume pots and a master tone parameter.
Other notable features of the Indonesian-made axe include a 12” ‘board radius, 25.5” scale length, GraphTech NuBone nut and Mini Grover tuners. Glow in the dark side markers also make the cut.
Dean seems to (quite literally) be making a point with these releases, given the legal troubles that have circled the brand in recent months. Not only has Dean had a run-in with Gibson, its producer, Armadillo Enterprises, is also facing foreclosure action from its lenders, as well as a lawsuit involving previous CEO, Evan Rubinson.
When the V-style guitar arrived last week, the company issued a pointed accompanying tagline: “Back with a Vengeance and Zero apologies.” The sentiments are no different this time round, with Dean assigning a similarly direct, if perhaps even bolder, mantra to its Zero model: “Zero f*cks given.”
The Zero Select EverTune Fluence Black Cherry Burst is available now for $1,499.
Visit Dean Guitars to find out more.
