Dean Palomino Solo

[Billnc]

Looks like we have the same tailpiece. Seems solid enough, I'd bet you just have shipping damage. It is not an original design, I don't know how other manufacturers wood tailpieces are designed, might look into that.
Removing the pick up is probably the best bet to see if it is solid.

[VKat]

In that case it looks more like a temporary fix rather than a solid design. I imagine the screw holes will get looser and looser with each strings set change and since the tailpiece accepts a fair amout of string tension each Palomino Solo will end end up with a broken tailpiece like mine did sooner or later but before long.

What I'm thinking about but I still don't have enough time to implement the idea is reinforcing the attachment points on the tailpiece plane with a brass plate and use threaded holes. It's still not the best design I'd prefer but installing a hinge properly sounds like too much work for me and I'm not in a mood to pay for the job as my simple idea is quite manageable with DYI at an acceptable quality level. I mean I have enough experience in smaller repairs of all kinds of musical instruments and other stuff.

It's a real shame on Dean because I really like the guitar and they screwed up the tailpiece (literally saying by the way! :-) ).

[Billnc]

I haven't taken it apart, it may have something else in the design, but it does look like yours. Do you know how Benedetto and others design their wood tailpieces? If it is the same I'm not too worried. We'll see.

[Billnc]

Found it, Bob uses a fastener. wire looking thing

[ah.clem]

Bill, have you played an Emperor Regent? How does it compare in sound, fit and finish? I can't find either instrument within 150 miles of my location. I believe that they are different scale lengths, but how do they compare other than that? Not being able to play either leaves me relying on other's opinions. Thanks.

[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!!!

[JBGM]

I know this thread is old, but since I found it while searching for advice about this guitar, I think this is the best place to add information related to the Dean Palomino Solo... and also about the Epiphone Joe Pass, and Gibson ES-335

WITH A PICK

FINGERSTYLE

These videos shows a comparison of two classic jazz songs played with a pick and fingerstyle. The guitar comparison is between Dean Palomino Solo vs. Epiphone Joe Pass vs. Gibson ES335. In my opinion, these three guitars give a fine jazz tone; however, for what I am playing, I like the Epi the most... but you decide for yourself.


The sound was recorded with following setting: Guitar to Cube 80XL amp, all settings at 5, reverb at 2. Shure 57 mic in front of the amplifier, connected to a Yamaha mixer (102c). The mixer rec output was connected to the computer mic input jack with 35% level. Gain on the mixer was set to 5 for pick and 7 for fingerstyle.


The process of searching for a nice jazz tone has been very frustrating for me. Plenty of good advice simply tells you: trust your ears. The problem is that guitar stores normally do not have a great selection of jazz guitars, and without parallel comparison it is REALLY difficult to decide which guitar is better suited for that personal quest for tone. Then you realize you do not have what you are looking for (or that you do) when you play at real volumes in a live venue. Before these guitars, I went through Gibson Les Paul, Gretsch Electromatic 5420, Epiphone Lucille. I own the 335 and bought the Epi and Dean last week; I have to return one of them soon... probably it will be the Dean. The Dean Palomino Solo produces more feedback than the Epi JP,


What I have learned in searching for THE jazz tone is: (i) visit Matt Otten's web site and read his advice on music, gear, technique, and tone; it is the most honest and realistic advice I have read on the web. BTW, Matt produces incredible tones in the most unlikely guitars... that tells you something about technique. (ii) Pickups: Gibson Classic 57, Ibanez 58, Epiphone Alnico Classic are great for a jazzy sound. (iii) The hollow body produces a tone depth that no semi-hollow or solid guitar can emulate, so limit your energy investment chasing that rabbit. (iv) Some people complain about plywood being used in cheap guitars... that is BS because the legendary Gibson ES 175 is made of plywood. (v) You do not have to spend a fortune to get a decent tone; many snobs tell everyone that if it is not made in the USA at a premium of several thousand, the guitar is worth nothing; nowadays production systems around the world in the very competitive market of guitars can deliver very good quality a reasonable prices.


I post this video with the hope that it will assist guitar buyers in making a decision.

[GNAPPI]

I have a Dean Palomino, it's a 3 P90 model and a very surprising guitar. I now have quite a bit of experience with 175's and their clones and I always liked the idea of P90's in an archtop but could never justify a 175 with them.

My Palomino has 3 P90's,a Strat type switch, master volume and tone, a configuration Gibson would do well to try. That said, the guitar plays very much like my 175, the P90's aren't noisy (at the volume I play at) and I REALLY like the strat switch, 3 pup, master volume / tone control setup.

It's heavier than my other guitars though. I have no idea on its long term usability but at ~$400-$500 I don't expect it to last 60 years. If you like P90's and want a starter archtop the Palomino is a very cool guitar.

[Jonah]

I continue here... not to create a new thread.

Dean Palomino Solo. Some reviews say it has a solid top. Is it really so?

It is a rare bird here and occasionally I swa it for sale new for about usd 600 with hard case (whic is even a bit expensive imho).. I am going to go and try it anyway just for an experience. It is not far from my office...

But it is very strange that some specs say it is solid. Is it really possible?