Swedish guitarist and YouTuber Ola Englund recently weighed in on the ongoing legal battle between the Dimebag Darrell estate and Dean Guitars in a new video on his channel, calling out the guitar manufacturer for their alleged fraudulent actions. Englund expressed his desire to see the matter resolved and Dime’s legacy preserved without further damage to either party’s reputation.
Back in 2021, the Dimebag Darrell estate, managed by the late guitarist’s girlfriend Rita Hanney, filed a lawsuit against Dean Guitars, accusing the company of breaching contract terms and attempting to trademark Dime’s Razorback and Stealth guitar body shapes without authorization.
The lawsuit claimed that Dean Guitars and co-defendant Concordia Investment Partners neglected to make payments for various contract stipulations and filed unauthorized trademarks for the Razorback body shape, even though the original agreement stated that Dime would maintain ownership of all designs and trademarks.
After Darrell was tragically murdered on stage in 2004, Dean Guitars continued to produce his designs under the agreement until the Dimebag estate decided to terminate the contract. The lawsuit obtained by Ola Englund alleged that Dean Guitars’ affiliate company, Concordia, committed fraud by filing a trademark registration for the Razorback on January 9, 2007, despite having no rights to the design.
In his recent video, Englund passionately discussed the situation, asserting that Dean Guitars’ actions were fraudulent and should be enough to put an end to the company’s involvement with Dimebag’s designs. He questioned why nothing had happened since the lawsuit was filed and expressed his desire to see Dime guitars back in production so that the late musician’s legacy could continue. Ola believes that Dean Guitars should drop the matter to prevent further tarnishing of their own reputation, which he said was already damaged.
Here is what Englund said about the lawsuit:
“There is a signed agreement that Dean Guitars shall never be able to claim or to have any rights to the trade names or designs. It was always Dimebag’s shapes — and Dean Guitars trademarked them. That’s a fraud right there! In my opinion, that should be the nail in the coffin for Dean Guitars right there.
Why hasn’t happened anything since? … It just feels like stalling. Personally, I would just like to see Dime guitars up and running already; we want to see a continuation of Dime’s legacy. I think Dean Guitars should just let this one go right now before tarnishing their own name even more. It’s already pretty tarnished.”
Englund’s recent statements shed light on the ongoing legal dispute between the Dimebag Darrell estate and Dean Guitars. His perspective highlights the importance of preserving the legacy of the late Pantera guitarist and the need for a swift resolution to the lawsuit. As fans eagerly await the return of Dime guitars, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what impact it may have on the reputations of both the Dimebag Darrell estate and Dean Guitars.
