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Dean Z 79 Floyd
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1
VS
Playability
75
Sound
79
Build
58
Value
76
Score
71
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Playability
75
Sound
75
Build
69
Value
68
Score
73
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Dean Z 79 Floyd vs Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1

Reasons to Get
Dean Z 79 Floyd over Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1

Decorative Top
Flame Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile
V vs Medium Oval
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Body Type
Solid Body vs Hollowbody
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs P90P90
High output without hum
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Bigsby Tremolo
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Value Score
76 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 over Dean Z 79 Floyd

Country of Manufacturing
South Korea vs India
Built with higher quality standards
Neck Profile
Medium Oval vs V
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Body Type
Hollowbody vs Solid Body
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
P90P90 vs HH
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Floyd Rose
Intense vibrato with a solid arm

Other Key Differences
Dean Z 79 Floyd vs Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1

Bridge Pickup
USA DMT Time Capsule vs 9A5 Bridge
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
USA DMT Time Capsule vs 9A5 Neck
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Spruce
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Limba
Different Neck Wood
Nut Material
Locking vs Boneite
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Dean Z 79 Floyd vs Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1

Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the Dean Z 79 Floyd's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Dean Z 79 Floyd has the upper hand when it comes to sound, value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 is the better choice.

The Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Dean Z 79 Floyd meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Dean Z 79 Floyd
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Dean Z 79 Floyd Overview

  • From Dean's 2021 Classic series
  • Made in India
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple top
  • Eastern Mahogany body
  • Eastern Mahogany neck
  • Indian Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: USA DMT Time Capsule (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: USA DMT Time Capsule (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Special bridge
  • V Set neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Grover 18:1 tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 Overview

  • From Reverend's 2021 Signature series
  • Pete Anderson Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated Maple Back/Sides, Laminated Spruce Top body
  • Three-Piece Korina neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: 9A5 Bridge (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby B-70 with Roller Bridge bridge
  • Medium Oval Set neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Reverend Pin-Lock tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Woods Used in the Dean Z 79 Floyd

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1

Limba wood pattern used for guitar building
Limba
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Limba is a relatively rare wood that shows exotic tight dark grain stripes. It comes in white or black. As a tonewood, it is comparable to Mahogany but with richer mids. Find out more about Limba.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Dean Z 79 Floyd has an HH configuration while the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 has P90P90 pickups.

Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

On the other hand, P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Dean Z 79 Floyd pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Dean Z 79 Floyd's switch options
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Dean Z 79 Floyd.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Dean Z 79 Floyd
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 79
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1
Pickups 100
Sustain 70
Versatility 56
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 75

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Dean Z 79 Floyd compares to the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Dean Z 79 Floyd is built in India while the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 is made in South Korea.

India is not a popular country for building electric guitars, but it's where some respectable brands build other instruments. You can expect an affordable price and nice build quality, similar to Indonesia.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

Winner: Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Dean Z 79 Floyd has a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

On the other hand, the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 comes with a Boneite nut. This is an artificial material made to imitate the favored type of nut: bone. This allows it to sound and feel pretty much like bone, but without the inconsistency of natural materials.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Dean Z 79 Floyd's brige is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

On the other hand, the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1's is a Bigsby Tremolo. Bigsby tremolos are built differently than regular tremolos. They have a stiffer arm, which is something a lot of people like because the arm won't wiggle around a lot. On the other hand, this type of tremolo is more complicated to restring and it might not be as newbie-friendly as other simpler tremolos.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

The Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Nevertheless, the Dean Z 79 Floyd has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Dean Z 79 Floyd
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in India
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Boneite Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Dean Z 79 Floyd
Quality of materials 55
Features 60
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 58
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1
Quality of materials 56
Features 70
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 69

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Dean Z 79 Floyd Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 43mm (1.693'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Dean Z 79 Floyd and Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Dean Z 79 Floyd Neck Profile
Dean Z 79 Floyd's neck profile
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 Neck Profile
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Dean Z 79 Floyd has a V type of neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

The Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Dean Z 79 Floyd Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Dean Z 79 Floyd and the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison are balanced for most hand sizes.

Dean Z 79 Floyd:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Dean Z 79 Floyd and Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 Frets Size
Both have a similar Jumbo fret size

Both have a Jumbo fret size. This is one of the tallest frets you can get. You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. It will give you the best sustain and all types of chords will be easier to play. However, you can end up changing the pitch of your notes if you press too hard, which is something people used to feeling the fretboard do when trying Jumbo frets for the first time.

Final Playability Scores

Dean Z 79 Floyd
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 75
Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Dean Z 79 Floyd vs Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1
General Dean Z 79 Floyd Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1
Brand: Dean Reverend
Year: 2021 2021
Configuration: HH P90P90
Strings: 6 6
Made in: India South Korea
Series: Classic Signature
Colors: Red Black Satin, Natural Satin
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Hollowbody
Body Material: Eastern Mahogany Laminated Maple Back/Sides, Laminated Spruce Top
Bridge: Floyd Rose Special Bigsby B-70 with Roller Bridge
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover 18:1 Reverend Pin-Lock
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Eastern Mahogany Three-Piece Korina
Decoration: Abalone dot Pearloid Blocks
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: V Medium Oval
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Locking Boneite
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: USA DMT Time Capsule (Humbucker / Passive) 9A5 Bridge (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: USA DMT Time Capsule (Humbucker / Passive) 9A5 Neck (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 1 2