Now Dean has released a new Pat’s Picks video detailing the guitar’s specs, as well as offering a demo of the V in action, including the tones available via its EMG 81 and Sustainiac pickups.
And while the Limited Edition V is priced at a rather hefty $8,666, Dean Guitars CEO Evan Rubinson recently told Stay Metal Ray that the company is planning a range of King models at lower price points.
"My idea is good, better and best," Rubinson said. “So we have the USA, of course, it's kind of on its own. We have the limited run that we're starting with, but then we're also going to have regular-production USA guitars.
(Image credit: Dean Guitars)
“But the good, better and best will all be imports. The best will be about probably a $1,399 guitar, and that will have Kerry King's signature Kahler on it. It'll have the Sustainiac. It'll have exactly, almost an identical replica of what he plays. it'll just be an import model. And that's going to be the highest end that we make that's going to come from overseas."
He continued, “Then we're going to do kind of a middle tier, probably around $699 or so, and that will still come with a Sustainiac. It will come with a Kahler, but not a Kerry King signature, and it'll have a few downgrades, so to speak. And then we're also going to do probably a $399 or a $499 that may be a fixed bridge Kahler instead of a tremolo system. And that, of course, is going to cater to the intro guys and maybe people that are saving up for that $1,399."
Rubinson also hinted at a possible mega-metal Dean guitar package featuring King, Dave Mustaine and Dimebag Darrell.
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“To have Dave Mustaine, Dimebag, as well as Kerry King under one roof, it's incredible," Rubinson said. "And hopefully we're going to do something really cool with a three-guitar package, one with each artist that is super iconic, and it'll be a limited series.
"This is in the works right now, no guarantees, but something where we'd have one exclusive guitar for each of our iconic artists and we'd sell it as a package as kind of an exclusive thing - hand-signed, artist appearances and the whole deal."
For more info on the USA Kerry King V Limited Edition, head to Dean Guitars.
Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
