The late, great Dimebag Darrell wasn’t just an iconic guitarist – he also dabbled as a guitar designer, famously – with some inspiration from his modded Dean ML – developing both the Razorback and Stealth models.
These two angular metal guitars were the six-strings he became most known for. But had things turned out differently, Dimebag might have had his name on a few more designs.
In a new interview with Guitar World, Rita Haney – Dimebag’s longtime girlfriend and estate trustee – reveals that the Pantera legend had as many as five guitar body shape ideas that have never seen the light of day.
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“There are still five other body shapes that no one has seen,” she says. “I’m about to share them with Dean [Zelinsky], and he’ll be the first person to put eyes on them. I’ve coveted those, it’s crazy that I haven’t shown them to anyone.”
Haney is honoring Dimebag’s legacy with Dime Guitarz, a new venture for which she’s partnered with the guitarist’s close colleague and original Dean collaborator, Dean Zelinksy.
Zelinksy, who first designed the ML model that Dimebag popularized, later worked with Dimebag on bringing his vision for the Razorback to life.
The company already has one guitar to its name, the Culprit. That particular model is based on another unsung electric guitar from Dimebag’s guitar lore – a Washburn of the same name, which was developed in the late 1990s.
Dime Guitarz’s progress hasn’t been easy, though. A high-profile legal dispute erupted between Dimebag’s estate and Dean Guitars over breach of contract and trademark disputes.
Earlier this year, while attempting to reclaim Dimebag’s guitar designs, a court ruled definitively in Dean Guitars’ favor, giving them continued use of the Stealth and Razorback models.
Haney tells Guitar World that an appeal to bring those two designs to Dime Guitarz has already been lodged. Until then, the next best alternative may be to dive into Dimebag’s old notes and pull out a few confidential gems.
“I can say that I want his legacy to continue on in a hundred years,” Haney says when pressed on those five designs. “And I want Dime Guitarz to be known for pointy guitars. It’s for any style of music you want to look tough with, not just heavy metal.”
Guitar World’s full interview with Rita Haney will be published online soon.
Dime Guitarz isn’t the only new gear venture that’s been set up to honor Dimebag. Haney is also working with Dimebag’s former guitar tech, Grady Champion, on a new line of Warhead Amps.
