This week, we look at the positive and welcome news that Höfner has been rescued from bankruptcy. Next, we look at the new ZVEX Effects DB-1 analog guitar meter. Finally, not so good news, Dean Guitars’ parent company, Armadillo Enterprises, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Guitar Journal ContentsHöfner Rescued!German Heritage PreservedHöfner & Hamburg-era BeatlesZVEX DB-1Analog MeterSet Range & Go!Dean Guitars Files for BankruptcyGibson Legal Battle
Höfner Rescued!
Back in December 2025, Höfner wasn’t looking good financially, and there were signs that they could have gone bankrupt. Thankfully, GEWA Music and Thomann are also backing the venture as major shareholders in GEWA Music and keeping this German guitar brand alive, preventing it from going under.
Höfner saved from bankruptcy! · Source: Höfner
German Heritage Preserved
Online reports state that Höfner will keep 24 of its core staff members and also keep parts of its manufacturing in Germany. The acquisition was confirmed in two ways: British music executive and Höfner expert Nick Wass shared the news on Facebook, and guitar YouTuber KDH got direct confirmation from Thomann.
Höfner & Hamburg-era Beatles
Hopefully, this will keep this famous brand alive. Obviously, Paul McCartney is known for playing his Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass with The Beatles, and so they are a brand with worldwide recognition. The band had a residency in Hamburg early in their career, and many fans will instantly recognise that left-handed violin bass.
The Höfner range is available at Thomman.
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ZVEX DB-1
ZVEX Effects has just released the new DB-1 analog guitar meter, possibly the first of its kind that I am aware of. It is a bit niche, but it could be very useful for musicians who need to reset levels for effects, amps, etc., and repeat them.
It uses a 10-million-ohm resistor in series with a super-sensitive Field Effect Transistor (FET)to achieve an ultra-sensitive meter with an ultra-transparent signal path.
Analog Meter
The ZVEX DB-1 is the first ultra-high impedance analog guitar meter you can place anywhere in your signal chain without it altering your guitar tone. It works identically in both directions, so the input and output can be swapped.
ZVEX DB-1 · Source: ZVEX Effects
Set Range & Go!
Perfect for testing signal levels, and it has a single Range knob so you can adjust the metering to taste. This control calibrates the needle’s sweep (and yes, it goes up to 11), allowing players to dial it in to the guitar’s pickups, etc.
It runs from a standard 9-volt DC power supply and retails for $229. A useful metering system that won’t suck tone, and with an easy-to-read meter.
ZVEX Effects are available at Thomman.
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Dean Guitars Files for Bankruptcy
It has been officially announced that Dean Guitars‘ parent company, Armadillo Enterprises, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Filed on June 9, 2026, alongside investment partner Concordia, the bankruptcy comes after years of financial strain. With Armadillo facing up to $50 million in liabilities, the future of the guitar brand is now highly uncertain.
According to recent court filings, Armadillo Enterprises faces a steep uphill battle to restructure its ongoing debts. The company’s financial disclosure highlights a massive disparity between its estimated assets of $1 million to $10 million and its estimated liabilities of up to $50 million.
Its largest creditor is Valley National Bank, which holds an unsecured claim of approximately $3.3 million following previous threats of foreclosure over unpaid debts.
Gibson vs Dean · Source: Dean Guitars
Gibson Legal Battle
Armadillo’s financial collapse follows a multi-year trademark lawsuit with Gibson over classic guitar body shapes. The court ruled that Armadillo infringed on Gibson’s designs and banned Dean from selling its popular V and Z-shaped guitars, a verdict that was later upheld on appeal.
Although a jury only ordered Dean to pay Gibson $1 in damages, the actual legal costs were devastating. Armadillo was ordered to pay $170,000 of Gibson’s legal fees and cover all court costs from the lengthy battle.
Because the final tally of those court costs is still unknown, the bankruptcy filing provides Armadillo with legal protection while leaving the final case outcome unclear. This could be a bad year for Dean Guitars; hopefully, they can weather this financial storm.
Dean Guitars are available at Thomann.
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