Dean Guitars MAB1 Armored Flame

Alder body
Maple neck + ebony fingerboard 24 frets
Grover oil bath
Floyd Rose Original
EMG 81/SA/85

Made in Korea but with a finish that is unmatched and its effect on stage! it made me change my mind on models manufactured in this country! The mine has an ebony fingerboard veined (not completely dark rosewood but close enough to the more beautiful) of superb quality! It's soft, tender and very aesthetic. Guides are large pearl inlay of the most beautiful effect.
The Floyd is a REAL floyd, not one of those things like licensed and fully road.
The pickups are EMG active

UTILIZATION

The handle? Never seen a highway as fast! It is comfortable and easy to access!! As soon as one goes through the 24 boxes of jewelry, we take almost for Malmsteen, Vai or ... MA Batio bah!
The beast is massive but light and very comfortable (The body is smaller than a Start ')! We are halfway between a Start and an Ibanez Sabre from home ... only better!
The body is super nice profile and extremely light because ... Rah! It's like an old John: It's hard to use another one!
The only thing regrettable is the location for the battery: It is necessary to unscrew the back plate to change it ... but it does not change every day ... Compartment would have been more convenient excellent ... but hey! Not too bad!

SOUNDS

For my part, I play Hard / Heavy style Maiden, Dio, Purple, Malmsteen ... etc ... and replaced all my strats! This gives a sound that enters the heart of the matter while keeping hot side! Clearly, this is a superstrate 'inflated to block! The feel is precise and it navique Dream Theater to a good old carefree Purple!
Connected Live a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 100 or a ZOOM G9.2tt (on a console or the input of the amp), it sounds ...

I put 9 because the micro EMG S Central is not used much except perhaps to have a more attenuated! and a switch would been more, but it really titillating story!

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a year now (I also model LAZER, black satin embossed varnish but I did not because they are too fragile!) And it accompanies me everywhere (except in the toilet though ... !)! On stage, it sends both the heavy sound than the aesthetics ... I advise all those who hesitate to try and go there with closed eyes!
Dean is a great brand, and this guitar rivals the 1000 LAG ARKANE without worry! For my part, I think Dean MAB1 ARMORFLAME ARKANE LAG and 1000 are two guitars (middle) high-end quite similar, but DEAN outweighs the look (and this switch has not decayed too fragile rounded ) ... IBANEZ then let down your ...