Getcha pull, metal faithful — the wait for an authentic Dimebag Darrell guitar is finally over. In Dime We Trust has announced the launch of Dime GuitarZ, the exclusive new home of Official Dimebag Darrell Licensed Guitars, now live at dimeguitarz.com. This is not another chapter in the ongoing “who owns Dime’s legacy” saga. This is the chapter.

The new venture is a direct collaboration between legendary guitar designer and builder Dean Zelinsky — the man who actually built the beloved axes Dime played, including the iconic Dean From Hell — and Rita Haney, AKA “DimebagzHag,” Dime’s lifetime partner and steward of his legacy. In other words, the two people closest to Darrell’s creative and personal life are now steering the ship.

Setting The Record Straight

Haney is not mincing words about the misconceptions that have swirled around Dime’s guitar relationships for two decades. “The mission is simple. To build the guitars Dimebag Darrell would be playing today,” she says. “There seems to be a misconception that Dime had a relationship with the Dean Guitars of today. It simply isn’t true… Darrell never had a relationship with them. He was killed three weeks after signing the deal. He had a relationship with Dean Zelinsky. He went there because DZ brought him there, that was Dime’s only relationship.”

She continues: “Dean Zelinsky built the beloved guitars he played including the Dean From Hell. That is who Dime wanted building his guitars and he stated that many times throughout his notes. In this case, imitation isn’t flattery, it’s a crime! Dime played Dean Zelinsky’s MLs when he had braces on his teeth and he died with one in his arms. Dime’s innovation for tech, his love and trust of DZ’s brilliance, THIS is what the direction of this company is, to fulfill those wishes.”

Also on board is Grady “Dragon” Champion, Dime’s longtime guitar tech and inner-circle confidant. “What can I say about my passion for all things Dime… he brought me into his world, taught me everything he liked and everything his sound was about. It all started with the guitars! The most important part was the guitar, and how it felt to him. I am honored to help bring Dime’s feel to these, plus to continue in that innovative spirit. Dime would be proud. This is my purpose!”

First Up: The Culprit Line

The debut release from Dime GuitarZ is the highly sought-after Culprit — one of Dime’s earliest original designs, originally produced in very limited numbers and the guitar that first established Darrell as a serious guitar designer in his own right. Long underplayed in the past, the Culprit is being reintroduced in a spread of signature Dimebag paint schemes, including Dime Slime, Dime Bolt, Black Jack and more.

The USA Culprits pack in a serious helping of Zelinsky’s modern innovations, including laser-engraved snakeskin bodies and his patented Z-Glide Neck. Z-Glide is a laser process Zelinsky developed to reduce friction by strategically removing much of the neck’s surface. As Zelinsky puts it, “we remove 72% of the neck’s surface. Your hand only comes in contact with 28%, the rest is AIR.” For anyone who has ever watched Dime’s picking hand blur across a fretboard, the appeal is obvious.

Every Dime Culprit will also feature the new DimeBooster circuit. With a Getcha Pull of the push/pull tone pot, players instantly get up to 15dB of clean, powerful boost. Even better, DimeBooster uniquely features “No Battery Required” — a 60-second charge via USB-C cable provides more than 20 hours of Dime Boosted playing time. It is a very 2026 solution to a very metal problem.

Zelinsky On Carrying The Legacy

For Zelinsky, this project is deeply personal. “I’ve been fortunate to have a long and incredible career in the guitar business. I’ve had the opportunity to design guitars for some of the world’s greatest players, build successful companies, and spend my life doing what I love. At this stage of my career, there is nothing I would rather be doing than building the Dime GuitarZ line.”

“Darrell did so much for my personal brand,” he continues. “Playing my guitar so prominently helped to introduce my designs to players all over the world. More importantly, Darrell was one of the most unique individuals I ever met. Authentic, loyal, passionate, and completely dedicated to his craft. I am actually most proud to call him my friend.”

“This project is all about continuing the legacy of one of the most influential guitar players who ever lived. If there’s one thing I know for certain, Dime would never want us standing still. He’d be sitting right beside me, pushing boundaries, constantly taking his original designs to the next level to create the ultimate metal guitars. Keeping Darrell’s Guitar Designing Legacy alive is an opportunity to give back to a friend who gave so much to me. His guitar playing fans throughout the world deserve to be able to get the real thing. After all the smoke clears from this 20-year saga, Darrell’s Guitar Designing Legacy will still be important to millions around the world. After everything I’ve accomplished in this industry, helping carry Darrell’s legacy forward may be the most meaningful work I’ve ever done.”

Where To Get One

Dime GuitarZ are available now at dimeguitarz.com, at Thomann.de in Europe, and via a growing roster of retail partners coming onboard. Per the announcement, dimeguitarz.com and its retail affiliates are now the only place to purchase Official “Dimebag Darrell” Licensed Guitars.

Need a reminder of what these tools were built to shred? Cue up the album that turned a generation of players into Dime disciples — Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power — and hear exactly what a Dean Zelinsky ML in Dimebag Darrell’s hands sounds like:

Head to dimeguitarz.com to explore the Culprit line and be first in line for what’s next. In Dime we trust.