Dean Palomino Solo

[Billnc]

I haven't played a Regent, About 12 years ago I was going through some archtops and I played a Korean Broadway. Even at 'my price' it was a bit steep but it was one of the best archtops I've played, any price point within reason! Some of their other archtops have been lacking IMO but some are great i.e. Joe Pass models are great or not so good.
A student/friend of mine got a Palomino 3 pick up and it is very good, he plays Rockabilly Gretches etc and I enjoyed playing it. I gigged my Palomino Solo tonight and really loved the three hours with it.
This price point has some truly good guitars in it now, stuff I've owned that I paid far more for is no better. The fact that we are looking at Epiphones and Eastmans in this price point with solid tops etc, solidly built is a good thing.
Every mass producer also makes some 'dogs'. I've been playing 30 odd years, I've been playing the Palomino instead of sleeping the past few days. I'm jaded and this thing is fun for me.
My guess is there are great examples of both models out there. If I were after anything other than playability and were taking a chance, Epiphone will probably resale better and faster than a Dean. Epiphone is famous for archtops, Dean for pointy metal guitars. I will say my particular Palomino is killer.
My primary instruments are Archtop guitar and Fretless bass, and damn if shopping for either isn't REALLY difficult.
Have fun and I hope this helps.

[ah.clem]

That's great information, thanks. I have some thinking to do. BTW, I also play bass; upright, electric and ABG. I completely understand the problems shopping for fretless instruments; rare birds in any music store at the best of times.

[WhoisLevang]

I have come to believe that ANY guitar made in a factory, (with some exceptions of course) is a crap shoot. I looked at a Dean Palomino Solo in a shop 2 weeks ago. It was like a factory second. The floating pick up was mounted at an angle on the neck so that the pick up was bearing down on the top of the guitar. I pointed it out to the guitar guy who was also their tech and he removed the two front screws so that he could bring it up to a "floating" position. He had set the thing up previously, and the bridge was floating pretty high on the thumb screws to get the action he had on it. I played it, and it was a very muddy toned guitar. Sort of "waterlogged" sounding. I am sure many things could produce the problem, but for the 5 bills they wanted, I passed on it.
I have a Robelli Manhattan on it's way to me. I read Mr. Beaumont's review of one here, but also read several other reviews to the contrary on other sites. I have to wonder if the one he saw was a clunker like the Solo I saw. ( the Palomino was gorgeous too!, just dead sounding and flawed )
I think the Robelli I have on the way was made in the Peerless factory. I am hoping for the best. I owned 2 "American Standard" Strats; one an original 72 and the other an early 90s. Neither one of them played as well as a Chinese "Affinity" Strat (their bottom line guitar at the time) I paid 120 bucks for!!!
I know that when you get into the upscale guitar market you can probably expect better quality and QC, but with factory guitars I think it's the luck of the draw. I met a guy in Louisiana who had run one of Leo Fenders guitar factories. He didn't play guitar or even care about music, he had just held the job, so.... maybe my 72 had come from his shop?

Glad your Palomino was a good'un!!!