Gibson has just officially announced a new partnership with Dave Mustaine, the thrash metal pioneer who founded MEGADETH 35 years ago, who joins Gibson as a Brand Ambassador. The new Dave Mustaine Collection will span acoustic and electric guitars across Gibson, Epiphone and Kramer.       

Dave will join the Gibson Artist Alliance to share in thought leadership, research & development, mentorship of the next generation of players, as well as philanthropic endeavors. In addition to the Dave Mustaine Collection, Dave will be featured in original content and special projects.       

“One of first albums I ever bought was Kiss Alive. On the back of that LP was the Gibson logo, followed by ‘Kiss uses Gibson Guitars because they want the best’. Period,” says Dave Mustaine. “Years later, I’m still that same fan, but now I’ve been playing, touring, writing, and performing around the world myself, and I can say that I could not agree more with that statement. As I was looking for a change in my guitars, I met with Cesar and got his perspective on the vision and direction Gibson is taking. I saw passion, respect for the instruments, a focus on quality and a company that is led by guitar players. I feel I am finally at home with Gibson and I am proud of what we’re building together. I can’t wait for the world to get their hands on the new Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer Dave Mustaine Collection guitars. This is a dream come true for me, don’t #@!# wake me up.”       

“It’s an honor to welcome icon, pioneer and visionary musician Dave Mustaine to the Gibson family as our brand ambassador”, said Cesar Gueikian of Gibson Brands. “Dave is one of the most influential metal icons and riff lords of all time, having paved the way for multiple generations of players to carry the flag for hard rock and heavy metal, from riff writers to shredders and everyone in between.”       

Prior to founding MEGADETH, Mustaine co-wrote many of the songs on Metallica’s Kill Em All and Ride the Lightning albums as the band’s original lead guitarist, which have certified sales totaling more than 14 million copies. Across the entirety of his recorded catalog, Mustaine has achieved a staggering sales tally of nearly 50 million albums worldwide.      

MEGADETH’s last studio album, Dystopia (2016), debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. The critically acclaimed album was featured in Best Albums lists from leading music magazines. MEGADETH won a Silver CLIO Award for their Dystopia VR album campaign, and the album’s blistering title track earned the band a GRAMMY Award for Best Metal Performance.         

In 2019, Mustaine was given a cancer diagnosis while he was out on the road and he approached cancer like he has dealt with all the hard blows in his life – with all his energy and passion focused on a singular goal. After intense treatment, he succeeded and his cancer is in remission, and all aspects of his life and business continues with his same intensity and perseverance. Nothing has slowed down for Mustaine who is currently working on MEGADETH’s 16th album for 2021.