Dean,

Both pups in my new Premier Imperial have the same designation stamped on their undersides: JY-9.78-M3-F

See my other post: NGD - Imperial Pronz

I was hoping to see markings like your recently released ad for the USA DBZB/DBZ5 pups.

Are these Chinese made to your DBZB/DBZ5 specifications? Shouldn't both be stamped with different designations?

BTW...AWESOME design and AWESOME guitar!

Any chance you can build one in your USA Custom Shop with a 25.5" scale length neck?

Thanks,
Alex

From what we have been told the premiers were SUPPOSE to have the usa DBZB/DBZ5 pups in them but it looks like they will just have some stock pups in them. Wish someone would clear this up.

I received a reply to my e-mail message I sent Dean. Here's what he wrote:

"Pickups for the Premier series guitars are made overseas and were never
advertised with USA pickups. They are all wound to our specs.
The plates being used are generic so they would not indicate what the pickup
is. As you know DBZ is a new company and it takes time to get every detail
worked into the program. We are currently working on labeling for our
pickups."

Like I said before, these pups aren't bad and after playing with my amp settings today, I
dialed in a pretty good sound. I just wonder how much of a difference the USA wound
pups would make.

Thanks for the reply Dean.

Interesting. I think we need some more info on the USA wound pups to know for sure. Out of curiosity how do you like the coil tapped tones?

Actually, the coil tapped tones are very nice and clean. I like that the volume knob enables coil tapping for both pups; nice touch.

Wow! Really?

I gotta say I feel like I've been given the bait and switch assuming that my just orderd Premier Imperial is gonna come with those Chinese no-name pups.

How can you post an ad like this.



Sell a guitar with these pickup specs. http://www.dbzguitars.com/guitars/premier/imperial-fm.html

Yet deliver a product that looks like these in each position. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/algrande/IMPnPup.jpg

I think there should be a distinction between the two pickups then if they're all just called DBZB/DBZ5. Is that like a catch all term for all DBZ guitar pickups?

If I buy a car and I am told it is going to come with BF Goodrich tires yet it shows up with no name tires. I'm gonna be pretty upset. Even if I was told they were made in China to the same specs as the american BF Goodrich's. I would have expected to be told that prior to buying the car.

Dean, I love ya man but you gotta admit that's pretty misleading. Nowhere on this forum or website or YouTube videos is there any mention of there being several types of DBZB/DBZ5 pickups. You can't show everybody a pretty ad with specs and pictures of the New DBZ pickups then List your guitars to come with these pickups with the exact same name when they clearly are not.

In own 27 guitars. 17 of them Deans. I have purchased every DOA guitar that has been released except for this year. 2003 - 2008 all #50 of 50. This year was the first year I did not buy one because I decieded to bring my money and loyalty to DBZ. One of the selling points of the Premier Imperial series was the fact that they were advertised to come with the much talked about DBZB & DBZ5 pups. I just feel a bit scammed I gotta say. Just like if I were to order a Dean with DMT pickups I would not expect to be told... Oh yeah, sorry those are the no name Chinese DMT pups. But they are made to the same specs as the other ones we mislead you to think you were getting..

I just feel like. "Oh, did you think you were getting the real DBZ pickups?" "Yeah... about that." "These are kinda like those, really!"
I'll prolly end up pulling them out and replacing them anyways with some of those new unmarked Chinese Semour Duncans JB's.

Put yourself in our shoes Dean and tell me you wouldn't feel the same way. You can't find an ad or a spec sheet on this guitar that does not claim it comes with the DBZ pickups. It's Everwhere. You guys have gone out of your way to put it on every guitar. Then you show us this

and not expect us to think that is what you are refering to. I'm clearly not the only one who feels this is misleading and I doubt I will be the last. Maybe the specs should say that they come with DBZ designed pickups or something but calling them by the exact same name is misleading.
I'd like to see DBZ do well yet being misleading when you're trying to build brand loyalty IMHO is not the best means of doing that.

Feeling a little let down. Kevin.

Did you seriously think the Chinese imports were going to come with the pickups from the ad that clearly says USA Signature? I have been researching these guitars for the last 4 months and I have never come across any literature or site that said the imports were going to have the USA pups. The lit across the web only ref DBZB/DB5 and never USA. As you see from Deans email, the pups were done to their spec. Their spec being DBZB/DBZ5and not the "USA series moniker". If you want the USA series you should think about upgrading from the premier series or maybe DBZ will sell the p/u as a loose item. The main thing is they are OEM, like you said you'll prob just end up changing them out anyway. Also, are you going to take the pups out so you can show your friends?

Those pups are USA-pups if I'm correct.

I believe hes saying that for the past 12 or so months the DBZ site has said its coming with DBZB/DBZ5 pups. Then a month ago you get an ad saying they are USA made without and explanation until we were shown an email recently.

I respect Dean Zelinsky and his company but I can see Vekin's point. It's not uncommon to see an import guitar in the same price range come stock with USA pickups (dimarzios, seymour duncans's, rockfields etc) Maybe this money went to better woods or towards a higher quality build but I understand how he can feel misled. I don't believe he's taking a shot at the company just feels a little misled by how a certain aspect of the guitars was managed.

Just checked the ProductGuide and it shows DBZ custom pups on the USA Boleros and DBZ/DBZ5 pups on the Premiers and Infinitys
EDIT:
The "DBZ customs" are probably the full name of the pups who are DBZ's own pups for USA.

I would agree then the premiers should have DBZB/DBZ5 pups on them. Whether made in china or USA it was never speciified so as long as the are DBZB/DBZ5 spec pups then it is all good.

Why would I not. I have 2 import Deans that both came with USA pups. It said they came with a DMT Baker Act & A DMT Time Capsule. I didn't have to ask if those were the USA Baker Acts or the Chinese ones. I could fill this page up with $750 dollar import guitars that come with everything from Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, EMG, Bill Lawrence, DMT, Fender, all name brand Pickups that are manufactured in the USA. So why is it far fetched that I would think a guitar advertised with pickups with the same product name as shown in that ad would be any different. A JB Pup is a JB pup. An EMG 81 is an EMG 81. If I order a guitar that says it comes with a DiMarzio Super Distortion I should not have to ask if it is an actual Super Distortion or one made by somebody else to Super Distortion specs.

As for me wanting to take the pickups out and show them to my friends... No, but I can't say I have heard many Chinese pickups that did not need to be replaced. I've bought, sold and built more guitars in the last couple of years than you have owned in your life. Everything from $500.00 dollar imports to $5000.00 dollar one off customs. This is not my first day at the Rodeo.

If you've studied these guitars for the last 4 months you may have noticed that the only guitars in the Collection that state they come with the DBZB/DBZ5 pickups are the imports. Not one of the DBZ USA guitar specs makes any mention of these pickups. So where was I to believe they were to be going? I see an ad that says DBZB pickups, I see guitar that says it comes with DBZB pickups. Why am I not to assume they are the same thing. Not to mention both of the dealers I have spoken to were under the same impression.

I have 10's of thousands of dollars of guitars with Deans name on them. This is the first time I feel as though I was not given what I ordered.

Are the chinese pups built to the same specs as the usa DBZB/DBZ5 pups or are they completely different? I can understand if they are the same specs as the USA ones but if they are a completely different pup then I would feel as though thats false advertising. Probably just a case of the marketing guys being really busy an forgetting to change it but still something that should be immediately corrected.

EDIT: Said something wrong here, my bad.

Just looking at the photos would lead one to believe they are a totally different bird. You can see on the USA DBZ's that the adjustable screw poles extend through the bottom of the Pup where as they are not present on the Chinese pups that look like every other POS Chinese Pup I have ever seen. I will we curious to get these on a meter when they come in to see if they are even close to the specs listed. If the markings are not different in anyway on the bottom how can they tell what is what. Do they just have a pile of necks and a pile of bridges pups and hope they don't get mixed up. I suspect when you toss a meter on those pups you are gonna find they are both the exact same thing and not the 15.10 vs 7.95 as listed in the ad. I'm not positive but if I were a betting man....

Few observations:
1. The Deans which advertise the pickups you listed do designate the pickup as "USA", DBZ did not make that designation.
2. Fill this page to your hearts content with all the imports and their options you listed above, at the end of it all, just tell us that you assumed they came with USA series pickups even though no advertising supported your assumption that the imports would also have the USA custom pups. The forum didn't lie to you, DBZ didn't lie to you, just your mind.
3. Frankly I could care less how many guitars you have bought and sold and for what values. If you pride yourself on high value then you should look at getting a USA series DBZ rather then the import. You may feel better and you will get the pickups you really want.
4. The USA series ad's that I have found said USA Custom DBZ pickups
5. No one else is moaning about it. I guess they understood the advertising.
6. Not trying to be a dick, so welcome to the forum.

I believe Wymore said he was going to put the DBZ pups to the meter when he got some in. We should ask him for his findings.

I was here 600 people before you were.

I agree, but it's a bit misleading, seeing the ad says DBZB and the DBZ5's (USA ones) and the ProductGuide says Custom DBZ pups.

Awesome! I guess that should have been welcome back,my appologies.

I totally understand where Kevin is coming from.

I too saw the new pups ad and when the price was right on the Imperial I wanted,
I pulled the trigger believing I was going to get the USA pups. The Chinese pups
are not bad at all and I've dialed in a great tone out of them on my amp. Dean
admitted in his e-mail to me that "...DBZ is a new company and it takes time to
get every detail worked into the program. We are currently working on labeling for
our pickups." I'm sure the 2010 Product Guide will be more specific so as to avoid
any confusion.

What I didn't quote from Dean's e-mail was this:

"If you are not happy with your pickups please let me know and I will do what
I can to remedy. Everyone must be happy with their DBZ Guitars!"

Dean is a class act, period. I'm satisfied with his clarification and will keep the Chinese
wound pups.

Dean Zelinsky is a really cool dude. He really cares about his guitars and I can't wait to see this company grow.

That response from Dean just goes to show the class he has. +1 to Zelinski.

Cool, that's really one of the many things that I like about DBZ! They really give what you want.

KEVIN -
SORRY TO HEAR YOU ARE DISAPPOINTED...OR IN SOME WAY, WE LET YOU DOWN.
WE NATURALLY WANT EVERYONE TO BE HAPPY WITH THEIR DBZ GUITARS.
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT DEALER YOU PURCHASED YOUR DBZ IMPERIAL FROM?
DEAN

I knew there was a reason I bought a DBZ.

I was contacted today by Pete as well as Dean regarding the confusion in the pickups. I feel much better now that we have gotten to the bottom of this. Dean was a little bummed I didn't just call and ask him about it instead of throwing a hissy fit in the forum. (my terminology.) I guess It's been so long over at Dean Guitars since I could do that I had forgoten about that kind of connection between guitar player and guitar company. I was telling Pete today that one of the reasons I liked and became loyal to Dean Guitars back in 2003 was because I felt as though I had a voice. There were only 3 or 4 hundred of us on the forum I think. It was nice having that connection with a guitar company. It made me loyal to the point where all I've bought and played since then are Dean guitars.

Sometimes you've got to be carefull what you wish for. Along with Dean Guitars contiued growth & success... (That as a "fanboyz" was rooted on.) Came the loss of that connection I once felt. To me a nice guitar is a nice guitar. It could have any name on it. But the last I checked Orville Gibson had not returned any of my calls. That makes a big difference to me. It's why I lost the warm and fuzzy feeling down in Tampa. So as much success as I wish DBZ guitars. I think I might just keep it to myself this time. Just kidding. I just hope it never grows to the point where you gotta throw a hissy fit in the forum and nobody would ever listen to you or care anyways.

I'm Happy now that we figured out figured out where the all the confusion was coming from. The imperial pups are correct and are wound to DBZ's specs. The import pickups are what are concidered the DBZB/DBZ5 pickups as stated. It is the USA signature pickups in the ad that were accidently mislabled DBZB/DBZ5. Hence the confusion.
Here is what Dean had to say about it in his Email to me.

(From DBZ:)
Kevin -
Nice to hear from you.
One call to me and you know I would straighten this out.

Here is the story.
Premier series was never advertised with USA pickups.
We always stated they were DBZ pickups which they are but not USA DBZ pickups.
We have a factory in China that makes pickups wind to our specs.
Most people importing just tell the factory “put in something hot from your inventory.”
That is not the case here.

So when I heard all this noise about “not the pickups we advertised” I was real confused.
Then I looked at the pickup ad.
Our new graphic artist (hired him about a month ago) used the name of the import pickups on the USA ad.
I never paid much attention to the ad because it was not really an ad going into a magazine...was just something for the web
as we are not ready to promote our pickups now. So now it is 100% clear to me about why you were confused. It was our fault.

We are going to clean up that ad, proper name of USA pickups and re-post in forum.

Let me know when you get your guitar.
Thanks Dean.

Seems like there was a full page ad posted a few weeks back for the BOP that showed a USA BOP but with import specs and a USA price. I'm not sure if that one made it into the magazines. As they say............. "stuff" happens.

edit.......... looks like it was a Guitar World thing:

http://www.dbzguitars.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=719

Dean Zelinsky is once again a prince among luthiers.

Better yet, a King with a big K!