Dimebag and Dean are done - lawsuit follows
- Thread starter straymond
- Start date
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HeHasTheJazzHands
Well-Known Member
Well that explains why we've been getting less and less Dimebag guitars then? Judging by what the CEO told her, they aren't selling like they used to?
Wonder if this means they're starting a new Dimebag company.
EDIT: I guess "Dime Guitars" was the hint.
Probably gonna be a side hustle with Dean Zelinsky.
Wonder if this means they're starting a new Dimebag company.
EDIT: I guess "Dime Guitars" was the hint.
Probably gonna be a side hustle with Dean Zelinsky.
Basically, Rita wants more money, and Dean doesn't want to make a million import Dime models anymore.
Dime didn't have any kids. There is no "legacy", it's just Rita's pocketbook at this point.
Dime didn't have any kids. There is no "legacy", it's just Rita's pocketbook at this point.
aesthyrian
Well-Known Member
I wonder if Ola is drooling over the potential of a Dime Solar. Surely they would be of better quality than the Dean imports. Of course, Solar doesn't have the proper distribution to really handle such a name yet.
HeHasTheJazzHands
Well-Known Member
Okay now I can see why she sued. According to her, the contract ended in 2020, Rita and Dean couldn't come to a deal, but Dean continued to make Dimebag sigs and use his name, likeness, and designs, also without paying Rita. Apparently they also didn't own the Razorback and Stealth shape and one of Dean's partner companies tried to "illegally" trademark the Razorback.
Seems like she's getting a bit bold and trying to claim ownership of the ML shape too? Due to some loophole with his old Washburn endorsement?
Seems like she's getting a bit bold and trying to claim ownership of the ML shape too? Due to some loophole with his old Washburn endorsement?
I'm interested to see what these dealings related to when Rita wasn't involved were.
The complaint, rightly so, glosses over the fact she wasn't involved for many years and other deals/contracts were made in that time.
That's the thing, the complaint is meant to favor the plaintiff, it's basically the layout of their argument. It'll be interesting to see what the contracts actually say.
....look...I just need new Modifier models, man. Somebody c'mon here and get with it.
Lorcan Ward
7slinger
Would Dime models sell that well in 2021?
Superstrats came back with home recording and now with everyone in their bedroom and homes I don’t see pointed guitars being nearly as popular anymore.
Superstrats came back with home recording and now with everyone in their bedroom and homes I don’t see pointed guitars being nearly as popular anymore.
Which is why we've seen the number of import models shrink, and a move toward small runs of more expensive limiteds and USA models.
Armadillo basically laid it out: it's been nearly 20 years, just about every dime has been wrung out of these guitars.
But Rita is demanding they just make more guitars, because she makes money off of how many guitars are made and how many advertisements are run. More is more.
Now there are a couple unknowns, because we don't have the contracts in front of us. Did Armadillo breach anything? Maybe.
Reading between the lines in the complaint, it seems that a deal was struck when Vinny was still in control, something that isn't favorable to Rita, and since the contract was up, she's fighting to get more. Anyone who has negotiated contracts knows that once you make certain concessions it's impossible to get them back. I have a feeling Vinny made such concessions and now Rita is trying to roll things back to where they were more favorable.
Andromalia
Pardon my french
Well, Dime did pass away 16 years ago. His fanbase probably is mostly just old dudes now. It makes sense that his signature guitars sell less and less, especially since they aren't really mainstream.
Yeah. I think Dean has been pretty smart with what they've been doing with the lineup. Moving upmarket to cater to the fans who are now older and have more disposal income to throw at USA made runs of oddball Dime models.
But that's fewer units, and if royalties are fixed and not proportionate it's smaller checks. They're also not going to be running print ads for small runs.
To be fair...Dean would look a lot better without Dime's face all over it and they could focus on their guitars and not the "Getcha Pull" Fest that they pretty much are.
Then Rita can do a Schecter offshoot like Wylde and do a million horribly ugly Sime guitars..only difference is Dime is dead and with every passing year he loses relevance so they won't sell all that hot.
Then Rita can do a Schecter offshoot like Wylde and do a million horribly ugly Sime guitars..only difference is Dime is dead and with every passing year he loses relevance so they won't sell all that hot.
So Wylde Audio part 2?
You know, except the dude is dead not just their relevance. Wait...maybe both.
RoRo56
Well-Known Member
Whoever proofread that legal document missed a fairly big spelling mistake on the first page.
Sad seeing stuff like this go down. Reading through it she was obviously pissed at the percentages Vinnie negotiated while he was in charge of the estate. Can't admit to herself that the market and relevance for Dime has definitely shrunk considerably.
Sad seeing stuff like this go down. Reading through it she was obviously pissed at the percentages Vinnie negotiated while he was in charge of the estate. Can't admit to herself that the market and relevance for Dime has definitely shrunk considerably.
sepsis311
Devil's Advocate
Our existence is proof that there are alternate universes, I am sure we are one of them. Only in an alternate universe, does someone who doesn't even play guitar, and is the girlfriend, have claim for an endorsement deal of someone who is deceased. Only in an alternate universe, could she get a new endorsement for her deceased boyfriend, who probably has never even played that brand guitar, and will likely be photoshopped holding one, in the most distasteful display of disaster.
WarMachine
Well-Known Member
This makes me feel a little weird about ordering a Razorback Rust that i bought Saturday......
But to be fair, i always wanted one. Finally pulled the trigger on it. I'm a Dime fan, not a Rita fan.
But to be fair, i always wanted one. Finally pulled the trigger on it. I'm a Dime fan, not a Rita fan.
The Mirror
Well-Known Member
You got some points there, but are you questioning that Dime ever played his actual signature model (which of course he didn't) or if he ever played Dean guitars?
The latter would be wrong as Dime loved the Dean ML (many pictures of him playing original Dean MLs) and his Washburn Signature is basically a direct copy of it since he couldn't get a signature deal directly with Dean as they were de-facto not existent for the exact time when Pantera started to become huge.
Him getting a signature deal with the new founded Dean Guitars in '04 (unfortunately just a month before his death) was probably a dream come true for him.
