Dean AXS AX E CAIDIE Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Dean Exotic Cutaway Acoustic-Electric guitar is part of Dean Guitars' extensive lineup of acoustic-electric guitars. Dean Guitars is an American guitar manufacturer known for its wide range of high-quality instruments across all price points.

The Exotic series combines traditional acoustic guitar construction with modern appointments, resulting in instruments that play and sound fantastic while still being affordable. This particular model from the Exotic series offers players a great-looking and great-sounding acoustic-electric guitar perfect for practice, performance, and everything in between.

With its cutaway body shape, slim neck profile, and Fishman electronics, the Dean Exotic allows players to easily access higher frets while also letting them plug into an amplifier or PA system. The guitar's solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide a balanced, full-bodied tone.

Overall, the Dean Exotic Cutaway Acoustic-Electric is an excellent choice for any guitarist looking for a versatile, stage-ready acoustic guitar that doesn't break the bank.

Body Style and Design

The Dean AXS AX CAIDIE Acoustic-Electric Guitar features an exotic cutaway body design that provides easy access to higher frets while retaining balanced resonance.

Constructed with layered exotic wood, the single cutaway caidie body shape produces warm, balanced acoustic tones. The slender upper bout flows into deep Florentine cutaways for fretting ease. Solid mahogany forms the gracefully curved back and sides, selected for its richness and sustain. The solid spruce top further enhances resonance and projection.

The thin layered exotic wood finish adds intricate visual flair to the caidie body's graceful curves. From intricate sapwood patterns to the smoothly arching lower bout, the AXS AX CAIDIE's exotic body makes a striking visual statement.

The body shape and design play a key role in an acoustic guitar's tone and playability. The caidie shape of the AXS AX CAIDIE provides a comfortable feel while producing balanced resonance. The cutaway allows easy access to higher frets for solos and melodic playing. Mahogany and spruce are tonewoods prized for their acoustic properties. Together, these design elements create an instrument with excellent playability and acoustic sound.

Other popular acoustic-electric guitars like the Martin D-15M also utilize traditional body shapes and premium tonewoods. The D-15M features a dreadnought body with mahogany back and sides and a solid spruce top. This creates the bold, projecting tone Martin dreadnoughts are known for. While the AXS AX CAIDIE pursues a more balanced acoustic voice, both guitars demonstrate smart use of body materials and design.

Ultimately, the player's musical needs and tastes will determine which acoustic-electric suits them best. The AXS AX CAIDIE offers an exotic visual flair and comfortable feel complemented by its balanced tone. For those seeking the power of a dreadnought, the Martin D-15M represents an excellent choice. With the variety of body styles and designs available, guitarists can find an acoustic-electric well-matched to their playing style and sonic preferences.

Neck and Fretboard

The Dean AXS AX E CAIDIE features a mahogany neck with a rounded "C" profile that is easy and comfortable to play. The fretboard is made from rosewood and has 19 frets plus clear and accurate dot inlays.

Specifically, the neck has a 25.5" scale length with a nut width of 1.69" and 12" radius. This allows for smooth transitions when soloing up and down the neck. The rosewood fretboard provides a warm, rounded tone and has a pleasing texture. Overall the neck and fretboard specs allow for fast yet comfortable playing across various styles from rock to blues.

The mahogany neck material contributes to the warm, rounded tone while still having good clarity and definition. Mahogany is a popular neck wood choice due to its strength and stability. The rounded "C" neck profile further enhances playability by fitting nicely in the hand. The scale length, nut width, and radius specs all work together to provide a great feel.

The rosewood fretboard is another factor in the great tone and playability. Rosewood has long been prized as a fretboard material for its complex overtones and crisp note articulation. The smooth feel also contributes to fast playing and comfortable chording. Overall the neck and fretboard design allow the Dean AXS AX E CAIDIE to cover diverse musical styles with ease.

Another acoustic-electric guitar with similar design goals in terms of versatility and playability across styles is the GEWA VG500178. It features a spruce top with mahogany back and sides, and a mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard. The body style and woods aim for a balanced tone, while the neck has a comfortable "C" profile. This makes the VG500178 adept at various musical genres too, much like the Dean AXS AX E CAIDIE.

Hardware

The hardware on the Dean AXS AX Exotic Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar provides a solid foundation for the rest of the instrument. The bridge and tuners keep the guitar in tune while the pickguard protects the body from wear and tear.

The bridge is a quality rosewood design that transfers string vibrations efficiently. Combined with the bone nut and saddle, it provides excellent sustain and resonance. The Grover tuners do a superb job of holding the guitar in tune, even during aggressive rhythm playing. Turning the tuners is smooth and precise.

The tortoise style pickguard matches the rosette and binding, adding a stylish accent. It shields the spruce top from pick scratches and wear from your strumming hand. The pickguard is installed with care for a seamless fit.

Overall the hardware is well chosen for optimal functionality, reliability and aesthetics on this acoustic-electric guitar. The components work together smoothly to maximize playability.

Electronics

The Dean AXS features a unique hybrid electronics system with both piezo and magnetic pickups. This allows for a wide range of acoustic and electric tones from a single guitar.

The magnetic pickup is a Dean humbucker mounted near the bridge. It provides warmth and body to the plugged-in electric tones. The pickup is quite hot and delivers a punchy, midrange-focused sound when driving an amp.

The piezo pickup is tucked under the bridge saddle. It accurately captures the bright, crisp acoustic tones of the guitar. Since it's isolated from the body, feedback is minimized. The piezo pickup combined with the 3-band EQ gives the AXS impressive tonal shaping capabilities for live performances.

There are master volume and tone controls, as well as a 3-band EQ. The treble, midrange, and bass EQ controls allow you to get the perfect plugged-in tone by boosting or cutting frequencies. The onboard preamp also includes a built-in tuner, so you can conveniently tune on the fly.

Overall, the flexible dual pickup configuration and thoughtful preamp make the Dean AXS shine as both an acoustic guitar and electric guitar.

Sound Quality

The Dean AXS AX provides a remarkably full-bodied acoustic tone, especially for its smaller body size. Although it lacks some of the booming low-end of a jumbo acoustic, the balanced mids and bright, articulate highs give it a very pleasing tonal balance. The degree of natural resonance achieved on this small-bodied acoustic is impressive. The amplified tone retains the crisp definition of the guitar acoustically but with nice added warmth and sustain from the preamp and pickup. The slightly scooped midrange translates into a clear amplified sound with sparkling highs and just enough low-end oomph without getting muddy. The pickup is able to capture the nuances of the acoustic tone without quackiness or thinness on the amplified channel. Overall, the Dean delivers warm, balanced acoustic tones and rich amplified sounds that belie the compact size and affordable price point of this model.

Playability

The Dean AXS AX offers excellent playability for the price point. The slim neck profile provides comfort for smaller hands, while the low action and medium jumbo frets make chords and solos smooth and fast up and down the neck.

The neck is crafted from mahogany which provides a rounded, comfortable feel. The 25.5" scale length along with the 1 11/16" nut width supply ample room for complex chords and riffing. The neck is set into the body at the 14th fret for easier upper fret access.

The action on the AXS AX straight out of the box is quite good. The strings sit close to the frets making them easy to press down without buzzing. This allows for ease of play whether strumming open chords or soloing higher up the neck. The guitar feels great right away without need for a setup.

Overall, the Dean AXS AX offers very nice playability at its price point. The comfortable neck, quality hardware, and accessible upper frets make this guitar a pleasure to play for beginners and experienced players alike. It's ready for chord strumming, riffing, or improvised solos right off the shelf.

Pros

• The AXS AX has a rich, warm tone that both fingerpickers and strummers will love. The tone is well-balanced across the tonal spectrum, with articulate low end, pronounced midrange, and crisp, bell-like highs.

• The guitar's cutaway design and slim neck provide excellent upper fret access. The neck has a comfortable modern C profile that facilitates intricate chording and lead playing.

• The built-in electronics sound very natural and detailed. The under-saddle piezo pickup accurately conveys the AXS AX's organic resonance and sweet overtones. The controls allow shaping the EQ to suit different styles.

• The exotic sapele back and sides look absolutely stunning, with an eye-catching wood grain pattern. The satin finish enhances the visual depth and dimensionality. The abalone rosette is another nice aesthetic touch.

Cons

• The tonewood used for the top, back and sides (catalpa) is on the inexpensive side and doesn't produce the richest sound compared to more premium tonewoods like mahogany or rosewood.

• The neck profile is quite chunky which some players may find less comfortable and ergonomic, especially for small hands or long practice sessions.

• The neck geometry uses a 12" fretboard radius which can make it harder to do wide bends as the strings lie flatter against the neck. A more curved radius would facilitate better string bending.

• The pickups and preamp are serviceable but lack the nuance and tonal control of higher-end electronics on more expensive acoustic-electrics. The EQ controls are basic and may not allow precise tone shaping.

Conclusion

Overall, the Dean AXS AX E CAIDIE is a solid acoustic-electric guitar that performs well for its price point. It has a comfortable and playable neck, decent built-in electronics, and produces good amplified tones. The guitar's exotic cutaway body style gives it a unique look and feel.

For an acoustic-electric in this price range, the Dean holds up respectably against comparable models like the Epiphone DR-100CE and the Yamaha FGX800C. While it may not have the same premium appointments and electronics as more expensive guitars, the Dean AXS offers good bang for your buck if you're looking for an affordable acoustic-electric with visual flair.

The guitar's laminated wood construction means it likely won't age and open up over time like a solid wood instrument. However, it provides reliable playability and amplification right out of the box. For guitarists needing a stylish, wallet-friendly electro-acoustic with stage-ready electronics, the Dean AXS AX E CAIDIE is a viable option worth considering.