"Brendon Small, in a statement, mentions that his studio was burglarized, resulting in him scaling down his guitar collection. As a response, he's created a shop on Reverb to sell his now-excess gear."
Brendon Small, the creative mind behind Metalocalypse and the guitarist for the animated metal band Dethklok, has launched a Reverb shop to sell a curated collection of his electric guitars, tube amps, and various memorabilia used in his music and shows. The sale went live on July 30, 2025, motivated by a 2022 studio robbery that made him downsize his extensive gear collection.
The collection encompasses a mix of vintage, rare, and unique instruments, each with its own story and significance. Among the top picks are:
- ’90s Les Paul Premium Plus: Small’s first Les Paul and second-ever guitar, featured in the Home Movies episode "Guitarmegeddon" and early Metalocalypse/Dethklok demos. It has custom pickups swapped by Small himself, making it unique and slightly modified by his hand.
- Epiphone Prototype Signature Guitar: One of two built around 2007, featuring a matte black finish with strap locks and custom tuners. This model predates his official Epiphone signature release in 2013 and showcases early unique features.
- Gibson Thunderhorse Explorer: A limited edition run of 250 units, versatile enough to cover a wide range of styles from extreme metal to classic rock. Small praises its adaptability on and off stage, with the example for sale being in pristine condition.
- Ibanez Iceman (Fretless Guitar): A one-of-a-kind guitar used for the original Dethklok theme, modified by Small's brother by removing the frets, effectively turning it into a fretless guitar—a truly rare collectible piece with intense backstory and novelty.
In addition to these standout instruments, Small is selling signed setlists, cases, speakers, and other memorabilia linked to his musical career and the Metalocalypse series. Each item carries the legacy of being part of the music production or live performance history behind Dethklok’s animated and live metal phenomena.
This collection is notable not only for the instruments themselves but also for their direct connection to Small’s work on Metalocalypse and Dethklok, making them sought-after pieces for collectors and players interested in metal history and unique gear with a story.
The full collection and detailed photos, along with more information, are available on Reverb, where Small's shop opened at 10 a.m. Central Time on July 30, 2025. Small encourages others to play these iconic guitars and continue the legacy of his music.
[1] Reverb.com (2025). Brendon Small Launches Reverb Shop Selling Guitars, Memorabilia. [online] Available at: https://reverb.com/news/brendon-small-launches-reverb-shop-selling-guitars-memorabilia
[2] Guitar World (2025). Brendon Small's Rare Guitar Collection Goes Live on Reverb. [online] Available at: https://www.guitarworld.com/news/brendon-small-s-rare-guitar-collection-goes-live-on-reverb
[3] Ultimate-Guitar.com (2025). Brendon Small Sells Fretless Ibanez Iceman on Reverb. [online] Available at: https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/brendon_small_sells_fretless_ibanez_iceman_on_reverb
[4] Metal Injection (2025). Brendon Small Sells Signed Setlists, Cases, and More on Reverb. [online] Available at: https://www.metalinjection.net/news/brendon-small-sells-signed-setlists-cases-and-more-on-reverb
[5] Blabbermouth.net (2025). Brendon Small's Reverb Shop Sells Memorabilia from Metalocalypse and Dethklok. [online] Available at: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/brendon-smalls-reverb-shop-sells-memorabilia-from-metalocalypse-and-dethklok/
- Brendon Small, the creative force behind Metalocalypse and the guitarist for Dethklok, has featured a '90s Les Paul Premium Plus in his collection on Reverb, a guitar that appeared in the Home Movies episode "Guitarmageddon" and early Metalocalypse/Dethklok demos.
- The Gibson Thunderhorse Explorer, a limited-edition run of 250 units, can be found in Small's Reverb collection, a versatile guitar praised by Small for its ability to cover a wide range of styles, from extreme metal to classic rock.
- In addition to these guitars, Small is offering an Epiphone Prototype Signature Guitar on Reverb, which he used during the early phases of his career and predates his official Epiphone signature release in 2013.
- Small also lists a unique Ibanez Iceman (Fretless Guitar) on Reverb, a one-of-a-kind guitar that was modified to have no frets and was used for the original Dethklok theme.
- Apart from instruments, Small's Reverb shop includes signed setlists, cases, speakers, and other memorabilia linked to his musical career and the Metalocalypse series, making each item a piece of history connected to Dethklok's animated and live metal phenomena.
- Collectors and players interested in metal history and unique gear with a story can find a vast collection of electric guitars, tube amps, and memorabilia on Reverb, as Small encourages others to play these iconic guitars and continue the legacy of his music.
