Dean Guitars in financial trouble

[jp]

The fate of Dean Guitars hangs in the balance as Armadillo faces demands to surrender all equipment and inventory – inside the Succession-esque drama determining the future of the US guitar brand

We go in-depth on the guitar firm’s most serious legal wrangle yet, as two separate lawsuits allege Armadillo is liable for nearly $10 million in debt

www.guitarworld.com

It looks like Dean Guitars is in some financial hot water. I hope they pull through. I don't like to see any long-standing guitar business go under, especially an American family-owned company.

 

[Harp Tail]

I always considered the Dean Cadillac an iconic original and Mr. Zelinsky a visionary - fingers crossed!

 

[GGJaguar]

There's a lot going on there. Yeesh.

 

[GAD]

Wow that was quite a read. I've never been a big Dean fan, but they've always had a following. The loss of those major endorsers and the rest of the history doesn't make look good for Dean (and Luna). I didn't realize they had been sued by Dimebag's estate - I can't imagine that's a good sign.

 

[chazmo]

OMG, that is a real financial mess. Doesn't look good.

 

[walrus]

New Dean model?




(actually a Doug Irwin custom build...)

walrus

 

[chazmo]

As long as Mr. Irwin makes one in RED, that'd work.

 

[Bill Ashton]

I tried to read it and understand it...guess I am just not a "business guy." If I was in the jury, I might ask "Why didn't you just pay your bills?"

 

[Harp Tail]

The planet would be in better shape if owning a brand wouldn't be separated from manufacturing goods under that same brand

 

[Rocky]

Well, that's a mess.

I was never a big fan, but Dean Zelinsky made some nice guitars in the late 70's before he sold/lost the company. Once they became mostly imports, I thought of them running somewhere outside of the top five of the pointy guitar market, sort of the same as the post-Bernie Rico BC Rich mold. Outside of Diamond Darryl, they didn't have any endorsers of note in the later years. It happens.