Dean USA ML Custom

Sometimes the best guitar stories combine personal tragedy with musical innovation, and Dean Zelinsky's ML design represents exactly that kind of meaningful creation. When Zelinsky developed the ML in 1977, he wasn't just trying to build another flashy rock guitar - he was solving real problems with sustain and resonance while honoring his friend Matthew Lynn, who'd lost his battle with cancer.

That larger headstock isn't just aesthetic drama - it's creating higher string angles and increased string length that contribute directly to the guitar's overall resonance and sustain. When you're playing single notes that need to sing over a dense rock arrangement, those extra degrees of string angle make a genuine difference in how long your notes ring out.

The alder body with 3-A flame maple top provides exactly what working rock guitarists need: lightweight comfort that won't leave your shoulder aching during extended gigs, but with enough mass to deliver serious sustain. That tri-tone emerald green sunburst creates visual drama that photographs beautifully under stage lights.

Those BKP Abraxas pickups represent some serious thinking about modern rock tone. They deliver the clarity and punch needed to cut through dense mixes without getting harsh, while providing enough warmth to make clean passages musical rather than sterile.

The compound radius fingerboard from 12" to 16" serves both rhythm and lead playing perfectly - comfortable chording in the lower positions, effortless single-note work as you move up the neck. Those 6100 jumbo frets and fast action with zero buzz mean your technique never gets held back by fighting your instrument.

At 8.9 pounds, this guitar feels substantial without being unwieldy, and that Jackson neck profile strikes the right balance between comfortable grip and fast playability. The 24-3/4" scale provides that slightly warmer, more singing sustain that serves melodic rock playing so well.

- Solid alder body, 1-3/4" thick
- 3-A flame maple top
- Tri-tone, emerald green sunburst
- Alder set neck, Jackson neck profile
- Single-ply binding on body, single ply on neck on the headstock (cream)
- Dean series III headstock
- Ebony fingerboard, abalone block inlays with mother of pearl boarders
- 1-11/16ths (graphtech) nut width
- 12" - 16" compound radius fingerboard
- 6100 jumbo frets
- 24-3/4" scale
- 3-way toggle switch
- Two volume, two tone knobs
- Matched BKP Abraxas pickups
- All gold hardware, Grover tuners
- Weight is approximately 8.9 lbs.