Dean Guitars was established in 1976 in Chicago, IL by Dean B. Zelinsky, is currently owned by Armadillo Enterprises in Tampa, Florida (the copmany that also owns Ddrum). They have a 110,000 square foot facility where they produce a line of USA made guitars. They have a line of import models as well.

They had their beginnings in 1976 when the teenager Dean Zelinsky decided he wanted to create a different kind of guitar design than what was present in the market. Dean started to design guitars that would defy traditional shapes and create good tone and playability for the guitarist. His first guitars were v-shaped and pointed which was both a function of design and helped enhance the guitars tone.

After nearly ten years of production, Zelinsky decided that he no longer wanted to manufacture guitars and sold the company. Oscar Medeiros had ownership of the brand name and trademark until the mid 90s. The guitars Medeiros created under the Dean name were also considered quality instruments.

Medeiros stopped manufacturing Dean Guitars in the mid 1990s or so when Armadillo Enterprises purchased the company and began making them. It was not long before they contacted Zelinsky. He worked for the company as an executive and creative director.

Dean Zelinsky is back in the guitar market with his new guitar company, DBZ Guitars, which was made public in August 2008. Dean Zelinsky no longer has any affiliation with Dean Guitars.