“This, ladies and gentlemen, is Dimebag’s number one guitar”: Dimebag Darrell’s Dean From Hell guitar makes a surprise comeback with Pantera

Dimebag Darrell’s legendary Dean From Hell electric guitar has made an unlikely return to the stage in the hands of Phil Anselmo for Pantera’s recent show in Cleveland.

The sticker-laden Dean ML was originally maroon-colored when it ended up in the possession of Dimebag, who first won it in a competition in 1981.

Dime temporarily sold the instrument, but, knowing that he'd soon want the electric guitar back, Texan luthier Buddy Blaze repainted it, upgraded its hardware, and presented it to Dime as a surprise.

It became Dimebag's Number One guitar, and is the axe most commonly associated with the late guitar great, despite the fact he pivoted to Washburns in the 1990s and put the DFL into retirement.

Over three decades later, Pantera guitar tech Grady Champion has reflected on his “surreal” experience of getting the iconic guitar stage-ready for Anselmo to use on Goddamn Electric.

“I’m messing around with the OG,” he’s heard saying in a clip posted to Instagram. “This, ladies and gentlemen, is Dimebag’s number one guitar. She’s gonna have some new life tonight, [and] Philip is gonna be surprised.”

There’s a poignant moment when Champion drapes the guitar over Anselmo’s shoulder. He had no idea that the guitar was going to be handed to him as the track, from 2000 LP Reinventing the Steel, reached its riff-infested final throes.

The lightning design paint job is one Zakk Wylde – who is filling Dime’s shoes in the band for their current tour – has had wrapped around one of his Wylde Audio Warhammer guitars in tribute to Dime. In Cleveland, it met the real deal.

Clips from the social posts show clear war wounds across the Dean From Hell. Its headstock, especially, wears its history proudly on its sleeve, having helped turn Pantera from fresh-faced upstarts to one of metal's biggest acts by the time it received a well-deserved retirement.

It’s not clear if the DFL will get further stage time during the shows ahead, but either way, its rare appearance in the wild is something to celebrate.

Pantera's legacy may also be set to live on in other ways. Zakk Wylde says there have been talks of turning unfinished Dimebag demos into new songs, while Pantera superfan Kayla Kent is looking to start a new band, and her first demo shows Dime’s spirit is very much alive and kicking.