Gear


Dean’s Gear Includes : DC Custom and Ovation Guitars , Voodoo Amps Heads, Cabs, and 50/50 cables, Celestion Speakers, SIT Power Wound Steel Strings/ SIT nylon strings, Guitar Heads pickups & accessories, Dimarzio straps, Graph Tech Guitar Labs Piezo pickups, preamps & (Trem & Tusq) nuts, Jim Dunlop Wahs &  Fretwire,  IN-Tune 1.5mm Custom Jazz Picks,  FX Doctor, Ollmann , Boss pedals and Shure mics - More details below:
 



 
DC Custom Tribal Plexi

     This hand built DC Custom  2pc Swamp Ash guitar is Dean's newest addition to his arsenal of guitars. The
 "Tribal Plexi " is a bolt-on neck/ body design that incorporates a fully scalloped quarter sawn maple 21 fret neck, Dunlop 6000 frets and Guitar Heads Neo Vintage Hex Single (n) and  (b) pickups. Note: The middle pickup is omitted (as well as tone controls) because Dean never uses these.  Black Kluson tuners , Wilkinson improved vintage 6 screw trem and Graph Tech's Graphite Black Tusq trem nut is also installed. Finish is a super thin nitro cellulous lacquer to allow maximum sustain / tone. A cool custom Plexi glass pick guard houses the electronics in this one unique axe!

    




 
DC Custom Tribal Zebra

     This hand built DC Custom solid zebra wood guitar is Dean's primary weapon of choice. The "Tribal Zebra" is a neck-thru body design that incorporates a full scalloped Brazilian rosewood 22 fret neck, Dunlop 6000 frets and Dimarzio YJM (n) and Hs3 (b) pickups. Note: The middle pickup is omitted (as well as tone controls) because Dean never uses these. The headstock and bridge pickup is reversed to give a true Hendrix inspired "lefty strung righty" string path. Sperzel locking tuners and Graph Tech's graphite trem nut is also used on this killer axe. Finish is a super thin nitro cellulous lacquer to allow maximum sustain / tone.




 
DC Custom Zebra

     Here's another hand built DC Custom solid zebra wood guitar  that Dean uses in the studio and on the road. The "Zebra" is a bolt-on neck and body design that incorporates a full scalloped Brazilian rosewood 22 fret neck, abalone inlays, Dunlop 6000 frets and Dimarzio YJM (n) and Hs3 (b) pickups. Note: The middle pickup is a Fender American std that is omitted from the wiring circuit (as well as tone controls) because Dean never uses these. The headstock is reversed and topped off with Sperzel Locking tuners and a Graph Tech's trem nut. The finish is a super thin nitro cellulous lacquer to allow maximum sustain / tone.




 
DC Custom Double-Neck

     "The Double"  DC Custom is one of Deans favorite axes to use on stage and in the studio. This BIG axe can produce a wide array of tones. The top of guitar is a 21 fret scalloped neck Nylon String. The bottom is a scalloped neck steel string . Both necks were built using 5AAAAA quality flame maple and tinted with vintage nitro cellulous lacquer. The body was crafted out of 2 pc Alder wood and finished in vintage creme nitro cellulous lacquer. The significance of the body and pickguard color pays tribute to the creator of Neoclassical Rock Guitar- Yngwie Malmsteen. The Nylon string guitar uses a string through body design (hardtail) to harness every inch of tone from the mammoth  body. Graph Tech's Ghost piezo pickups and preamp / eq system is used and performs nothing short of brilliant! The steel string guitar uses a vintage 6 screw tremolo, Dimarzio YJM in the middle and neck positions and a Dimarzio HS-3 in the bridge.  The headstock is reversed on the upper axe cause Dean thought this would look cool . Note - This was a pre-production prototype DC Custom therefore the necks retain the CBS style shape instead of the DC Custom Serpent Tail "Big Stick"  headstock. Vintage kluson tuners, Graph Tech's Tusq nut (upper axe) and brass (lower axe) are also installed. This axe was used for the leads on Brother.




 
DC Custom "The White One"

    This hand built DC Custom Alder wood body guitar is another one of Dean's favorites - The black / white color scheme pays tribute to his mentor, Shred Lord Joe Stump. The  "White One"  is a bolt on  5AAAAA  flame maple neck Super Strat that incorporates a full scalloped 21 fret neck, Dunlop 6000 frets and Guitar Heads Hex Pole Neo-Vintage Pickups. These Pickups feature a warm vintage tone, and are made with modern technology. While their tone replicates the pickups from the late 50s, they have a output of 6k Ohms. Dean also omits the middle pickup on this axe (blank cover installed) tone control is disconnected and a kill switch is added to cut out the bridge pickup if needed! The headstock is also reversed and vintage kluson tuners installed. A Graph Tech graphite trem nut is also used on this killer axe and a Guitar Heads handmade evil strat input jack is installed. Finish is a super sweet Olympic white nitro to allow for the sonics to breath.




 
Ovation Viper USA

     The Ovation Viper (USA) model is what Dean  Cascione used to record Alba, Farewell, Brother and the rhythmic portion of Guitar Chop Shop. Tone from this instrument is killer right from the Kaman /Ovation factory -  no mods required - just plug in and go!!




 
SIT Strings

       SIT (Stay in Tune) Strings are made in the USA
and deliver the tone and longevity that meets the
needs of Dean's demanding playing style. Dean alternates between the "Rock Lights" and the "Extra Light" SIT PowerWound String Sets. See Gauges Below:
 

S-942 - EXTRA LIGHT .009 .011 .016 .24PW .032 .042
S-9.544* - ROCK LIGHT .0095 .0115 .016 .24PW .034 .044

 


 



 
Voodoo Amps / VROCK 100W

      Voodoo Amps V-Rock 100W is one Brutal Tone Monster! The VROCK is a full tube amplifier , Hand built in the USA! The Head uses (4) EL-34 / (3) 12 AX-7 tubes as well as Mercury Magnetics transformers in both power and preamp stages. The head also incorporates and EFX loop, so tone is not sacrificed. The cabs are all 4x12 design- patented Voodoo Amps , built using Baltic Birch plywood and metal handles and hardware. These 4x12 cabs are loaded with 2 types of Celestion speakers : (2 Green Back Vintage 30's and 2 GT75's) to give a full range of tone . The amp / preamp circuit is designed to give maximum organic drive and delivers killer sonics!!




 
DOD YJM 308

     FXdoctor.com modded DOD YJM 308 pedal: True Bypass, 741 chip and blue LED. Tone is similar to original DOD 250 Grey pedals. Dean uses this pedal for all Lead Tones.




 
FX Doctor Preamp 250

     FXdoctor.com hand built DOD 250 grey clone. Components exact to what was used in the 70's model with the addition of a blue LED and true bypass. Tone is very similar to original DOD 250 Grey pedals (true bypass / led does change the original circuit a bit, therefore the tone changes also). Dean alternates with the modded YJM 308 pedal for all Lead Tones.




 
Jim Dunlop 535q Wah

     The Jim Dunlop 535q has factory installed wah / expression control settings as well as a "kicker" boost. Signature tones from Hendrix to Wylde can easily be achieved - Dean uses this coupled with the Preamp 250 on "Driven".


Ollmann Captain Hook
The Ollmann Captain Hook preamp pedal uses hand built circuitry and includes a true bypass and blue led. The Captain hook is similar to the early 70's Tube Screamers and is used on all of Dean's rhythm track recordings.

 


Ollmann Lost Soul

      The Ollmann Lost Soul pedal uses hand built circuitry and includes a true bypass and blue led. The Lost Soul has 3 modes , Germanium Transistor mode for warm boost and a bit of Fuzz, CL for Clean Boost, and SI for Silicone Transistor Boost / Sustain. The Tone characteristics of this pedal is similar to the DOD 250 of the 70's




 
Ollmann / Dean Cascione Prototype
"Evil Twin"
 

     This is a new pedal being custom built by German designer Richard Ollmann for Dean. The Pedal will use (2) 12AU7 tubes for the power circuit and have built in controls for level, gain, tone and eq. Richard even included an all out "Shred" toggle - this will trigger an all out ballistic shred mode!!! Internal circuit will be 12-15 vdc.
 




 
Boss Reverb RV-5

     The Boss RV-5 is a digital reverb with 6 killer digital voices. Dean primarily uses the Concert Hall setting during live performances only. This pedal is plugged directly into the EFX Loop.
 


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