25 smokin' electric guitars under £500

2525/25

Dean Razorback DB £495

Basswood body; bolt-on maple neck; rosewood fingerboard; 24.75" scale; 2 x Dean humbuckers; 2 x volume, master tone and 3-way pickup selector; Grover machineheads, Tune-o-matic bridge; metallic red, metallic white and classic black finish

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We wish we could afford a US-made Razorback, but we’re talking two grand plus. Even the Chinese made Razorback with its set-neck, Floyd Rose vibrato and Seymour Duncan Dimebucker humbucker will rid you of £995. Hmm, what we need is a Razorback that looks the part but only costs 500 quid.

Funny we should say that…

The DB has the iconic spiky body and huge Dimebag-designed headstock. It’s only when you look closer that you see why this guitar is so keenly priced: instead of the mahogany body you get basswood; the neck is a bolt-on; you get a fixed bridge in place of the Floyd Rose locking vibrato; and there’s no Seymour Duncan Dimebucker in the bridge position.

Verdict

In use, it’s Dime’s signature pickup we miss most. The DB’s humbuckers are poky enough but they just don’t have the balls we expect from one of Dime’s metal machines. Here’s an idea: we’ve spotted the Razorback DB online at £314. Get a Seymour Duncan Dimebucker (approx £80), have it fitted and you’ll have a killer metal guitar that plays great at a bargain price.

3 Stars

Pros: lethal looks, the neck profile.
Cons: we miss the Dime pickup.

Buy: Dean Razorback DB is currently available from Thomann and PMT Online.

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