gear of the month

After Dimebag Darrell gave Hard Rock the guitar, he handwrote a letter of authenticity. It reads: “THE DIMEBAG CROWN ROYAL! This is a tough one to give up. It’s



After Dimebag Darrell gave Hard Rock the guitar, he handwrote a letter of authenticity. It reads: “THE DIMEBAG CROWN ROYAL! This is a tough one to give up. It’s too nice to play live, so I guess there is no better place than the Hard Rock to put it on display. Crown Royal purple to 24-karat gold inlays, this jewel marks the 40 million gallons I’ve pounded rockin’ over the years. Enjoy!” Needless to say, this guitar is one of the most treasured artifacts in the Hard Rock collection and a fitting tribute to an incredible guitarist. It’s currently on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Adam Chandler

“Dimebag” Darrell Lance Abbott was a rock star’s rock star. On December 8, 2004, the Pantera and Damageplan guitarist was gunned down doing what he lived for—thrashing onstage with Damageplan and partying with fans at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. His untimely passing left a gaping hole in the metal world, one that will never be filled with the same fun-loving personality and musical sensibility.

Dimebag was famous for embracing his devoted legions and being both generous and genuine with fans. If it meant answering endless questions at a guitar clinic, signing every piece of merch or gear after a show, or just taking the time to listen to a metalhead’s compliment and offer a high-five, Abbott seemed happy doing it.

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Dave Davies invented distortion. With frustration pushing him to wits end, the Kinks’ guitarist lashed out with a razor blade on the speaker cone of his Elpico amplifier because

Dave Davies invented distortion. With frustration pushing him to wits end, the Kinks’ guitarist lashed out with a razor blade on the speaker cone of his Elpico amplifier because he couldn’t get the desired guitar tone. (We’ve all wanted to stab our gear at one point, right?) Little did Davies know that a small tear around the speaker’s cone—still keeping the cone fully intact—would create one of the most important musical sounds of the 20th century that led to the instantly identifiable riff in the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me.”

Davies was a man of many guitars, but probably best aligned with the Gibson Flying V. Throughout his years with the Kinks and various solo projects, he used several Gibson models including this 1978 Gibson Les Paul Artisan. During the early ’80s, he preferred to use this guitar live when playing tunes from Low Budget, Give The People What They Want, and Chosen People, including the ripper “Freedom Lies.”

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