Dave Mustaine has worked alongside several guitar companies over the years, but it sounds as if he's most pleased with Gibson – who recently unveiled several different makes and models as part of the Dave Mustaine signature line.
Mustaine took time to speak with Greg Prato for Ultimate Guitar in the midst of Megadeth's tour, sharing some details on how he got together with Gibson in the first place.
You can read and excerpt from the first published part of the interview below...
"This is a wonderful situation. I had been a Gibson fan since I was just a young guy and I'd seen my first Kiss record. Because it said on the bottom, 'Kiss uses Gibson guitars and Pearl drums because they want the best.' And I thought, 'I want to use the best! How do I get one of these Gibson things?' So, I finally became a musician and got in a band, and start learning about these differences between guitars that people who don't want to be best play, and people who play Gibson because they want to be the best. So, I realized that Gibson was a lot more expensive than a homeless kid can afford – and I went my way about 'procuring' guitars in a very scandalous way. Meaning, using a window to pick up my guitar. But I did make amends to the guy that I had nicked that guitar from and went back and gave him a guitar to replace it – because I felt terrible about what I had done. And believe it or not, it was a Gibson copy of a Les Paul. So, I've always had an affinity for Gibsons.
"And the one time when it looked like I was going to be able to endorse them, I went there and they had a different manager and things weren't really great at Gibson at the time. The A&R guy they had there was not really loving his job, I guess – that's the only thing I can think, because he was the interface between the public and the company, and he just kind of seemed like he didn't want to be there. They sent me a guitar and I swear I hit a chord and the bottom E string goes, 'Plinggg!', and I said, 'Yeah, I think I need to go somewhere else.' And I did. I was semi/sort of/kind of happy, and that contract came up, and I could not get Gibson out of my heart.
"I wanted so bad to be a Gibson endorser. So, the opportunity came up finally – they were looking for an ambassador. They had new management, the company had been bought by new people – same quality instruments but different mindset. I've never been treated better by a guitar company. Never. And there's been some really good companies, but no one compares to them. Their guitars are the best. Their quality control is mind-blowing. And I think my new guitars are the best-sounding guitars I've ever played.
"I loved my Jacksons, but I also knew that there was something that Gibson had that Jackson didn't. There is just kind of a swagger that I have now going out there with my real Flying V – not my copy of a Gibson Flying V. Not my impression of a Gibson Flying V. But a real, bona fide, motherfucking Dave Mustaine signature Flying V. I like that idea."
Read more at Ultimate-Guitar.com.
(Photos - Gibson)
