Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares has been a long-time user of Ibanez guitars – 22 years to be exact – and he’s even received his own signature model.

But after 22 years of a great partnership, Dino has decided to part ways with the guitar mogul and start a new relationship with a smaller company, Ormsby Guitars, according to his personal Facebook page.

For those who haven’t heard about Ormsby, they’re based out of Australia, owned and operated by one Perry Ormsby. It’s worth noting that although it is a small operation, the company has grown significantly in popularity over the past 5 years.

Dino’s statement can be found below:



It goes without saying that he is clearly very grateful for his time with Ibanez, and there is truly no bad blood to speak of. But that begs the question: why leave?

Ormsby is a much newer company, doesn’t have nearly the resources or track record, and certainly not the clout that a company like Ibanez has. But, perhaps that’s exactly what Dino’s looking for.

There is a certain freedom and one-on-one care that comes from working with a smaller company, and we wonder if he may have found his time at Ibanez – although incredible, and he’s clearly grateful – a bit limiting.

Smaller builders don’t have to answer to anyone, don’t have to worry about shareholders, and ultimately, a client as big as Cazares is great news for Ormsby, and they’re likely more willing to take risks and try new ideas, because even if sales are less than that of Ibanez’s signature, it’s still decent numbers for the comparably compact operation.

With all that in mind, the models Dino presented in the attached Facebook post are said to be “upcoming signature model prototypes.” and they show a familiar Ibanez RGD-esque shape to them. With similar double-cutaway design and notable bevels, it’s clearly something that Dino wanted to keep, but Ormsby has certainly made it their own.

The guitars also share their no-nonsense single-pickup and volume knob electronics that Ibanez’s model presented. However, one major upgrade is the addition of a multiscale construction, which one would assume is 25.5-26.5’, but no official specs list is available at the time of publishing this article.

Regardless of how you feel about the guitars or the switch as a whole, it’s a very interesting time in the guitar market when top level artists are starting to opt for smaller companies. Both the big guys and the little guys have their own sets of pros and cons, and it seems the tides are turning…

About The Author