The Johnny Beane Podcast

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we take a look at Charvel’s brand-new Pro Plus Dinky DK24 models—four metal-focused guitars loaded with serious firepower, including Seymour Duncan Nazgul pickups, Floyd Rose tremolos, stainless-steel frets, and killer new finishes like Zombie Fade.

Charvel has expanded the Pro Plus Dinky DK24 lineup with four new models designed for speed, precision, and heavy music. While these guitars are built for shredders, the pickup and hardware combinations make them especially interesting for modern metal players.

🔥 What’s New?
🎸 Three HH models feature Seymour Duncan Nazgul bridge and Sentient neck humbuckers.
⚡ The HSS model uses a Seymour Duncan Full Shred TB-10 at the bridge with Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 single-coils.
🤘 Two HH models come equipped with Floyd Rose 1500 Series double-locking tremolos for dive bombs and extreme whammy-bar work.
🎯 The HH HT model features a Charvel HT6 string-through hardtail bridge.
🌳 The hardtail is the only model with an Ash Dinky body; the others use Basswood.
🏁 All four guitars feature 24 stainless-steel jumbo frets.
💀 New finishes include the seriously metal Zombie Fade, along with Amber Tiger Eye, Crimson Eclipse, black, white, and other options.
💰 Prices range from approximately $1,199 to $1,399, putting these models in an attractive mid-price range.

These are also significant as the first new Charvel models released since the death of company founder Wayne Charvel. His influence on the Superstrat and modern custom-guitar movement continues to be evident in guitars like these.

Which one would you choose—the Nazgul-loaded HH with a Floyd Rose, the hardtail, or the HSS model? And would YOU take the Zombie Fade finish? 👇

#Charvel #GuitarGear #MetalGuitar

Mike Dirnt Is Selling Green Day’s Most Iconic Tour-Worn Gear! 🔥🎸

Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt is selling a collection of iconic guitars, basses, amps, clothing, and stage-worn gear through his official Reverb shop — and some of these pieces have serious Green Day history behind them!

🎸 Highlights from Mike Dirnt’s Collection:
🔥 Basses that were actually burned on stage during Green Day’s Nimrod and Warning tours
🎸 American Idiot-era Fender Mike Dirnt Signature Precision basses
💥 An “unintentionally smashed” Gibson Grabber bass
🎶 A signed Fender bass used on the Nimrod album
🔊 One of the first Ampeg SVT-810 cabinets Dirnt bought with his first Green Day paycheck — and used on the Dookie tour
🎛️ Mesa/Boogie amps and speaker cabinets with thousands of touring miles
🎸 A 1962 Fender P-Bass in Fiesta Red from Dirnt’s personal studio collection
📺 Clothing worn in Green Day videos including “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “Oh Yeah”
👕 Tour outfits from the American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown and ¡UNO! eras

Dirnt says he’s collected countless guitars, basses and amps over the years because each instrument can inspire a song. Now, after years of recording and touring, he’s ready to pass some of that history on to the next generation of players and Green Day fans.

🔥 The Mike Dirnt Reverb shop goes live September 9!

Would you buy a Green Day bass that was actually burned on stage? 🎸🔥

#GreenDay #MikeDirnt #BassGuitar #GuitarCollecting

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we take a look at an incredible Van Halen moment from the Guitar Center Drum-Off finale at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles!

On Thursday, August 20, Michael Anthony, legendary bassist of Van Halen, joined powerhouse guitarist Phil X and drummer Kenny Aronoff for a live performance of Van Halen material. The chemistry between these three musicians was absolutely electric—and hearing Michael Anthony back on stage delivering that unmistakable Van Halen sound is something fans won’t want to miss!

🔥 Michael Anthony + Phil X + Kenny Aronoff
🎸 Van Halen material LIVE
📍 Fonda Theatre — Los Angeles
🥁 Guitar Center Drum-Off Finale — August 20, 2026

Watch the performance, share your thoughts, and let us know: Would you have wanted to see this lineup perform a full Van Halen set?

#VanHalen #MichaelAnthony #PhilX #KennyAronoff

Brad Gillis Recalls the Bizarre Scorpion Incident With ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we dive into one of the strangest backstage stories from Night Ranger’s early days on the road with ZZ Top.

After briefly joining Ozzy Osbourne’s band following the tragic death of Randy Rhoads, guitarist Brad Gillis returned to Night Ranger and immediately found himself touring with some of rock’s biggest names, including KISS and ZZ Top.

Gillis remembers how warmly both legendary bands treated Night Ranger—but one ZZ Top tour produced an unforgettable backstage incident involving bassist Jack Blades and a tiny scorpion.

🦂 The Scorpion Incident
Night Ranger was touring with ZZ Top during the band’s early years.
Billy Gibbons frequently hung out backstage with the younger band.
During one show, reportedly in New Mexico, Jack Blades left his coat or shirt on a chair.
A baby scorpion apparently crawled inside the clothing.
After the show, Blades put the garment back on—and was stung by the scorpion.
When Gibbons heard what happened, he reportedly asked if it was a small scorpion.
When Blades said yes, Gibbons warned: “Those are the most poisonous.”
Blades was taken to the hospital and successfully treated.
The scorpion was captured and eventually preserved in a glass display.
Billy Gibbons reportedly turned it into a bizarre souvenir for Blades, complete with a message wishing him mercy!
🎸 From Backstage Pranks to Rock History

What makes the story even more memorable is the friendship between the bands. Gillis says ZZ Top essentially took Night Ranger under their wing when they were still a new group riding the success of “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.”

More than 40 years later, Night Ranger and ZZ Top are still sharing stages, making Gillis’s memories of the band—and especially the late Frank Beard—even more meaningful.

It’s one of those incredible rock-and-roll stories that sounds completely made up… until you hear it from someone who was actually there.

What would YOU do if you put on your jacket and got stung by a scorpion backstage? 🦂😂

#TalkingGuitars #JohnnyBeaneTV #BradGillis #NightRanger #ZZTop #BillyGibbons #JackBlades #FrankBeard #ElectricGuitar #GuitarPlayers #RockAndRoll #ClassicRock #GuitarHistory #RockHistory #OzzyOsbourne #RandyRhoads #KISS

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we’re talking about a very cool tribute to one of rock’s most legendary albums!

🔥 Billy Sheehan is celebrating the 40th anniversary of David Lee Roth’s Eat ’Em and Smile in a unique way:

🎸 Sheehan has reunited with Ray Luzier of Korn and other musicians to record 4–5 songs that were considered for the original album but never recorded.
🎶 The project is nearly finished and could be released within about a month.
🤘 Sheehan is also re-recording a couple of songs that appeared on the original Eat ’Em and Smile.
⭐ The original lineup featured David Lee Roth, Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan and Gregg Bissonette.
❤️ Sheehan describes his time with Roth as “the most amazing time of my life” and says the Eat ’Em and Smile tour was beyond anything they imagined.

Released in July 1986, Eat ’Em and Smile was Roth’s first solo album following his split from Van Halen—and it remains a landmark record for fans of guitar, bass and ’80s rock.

🎤 Would you like to hear Billy Sheehan’s new recordings of the unreleased Eat ’Em and Smile songs? Let us know!

#VanHalen #DavidLeeRoth #BillySheehan #EatEmAndSmile