Kirk Hammett

In a 1993 live performance in Basel, Switzerland, Kirk Hammett is seen playing an Ibanez RG 170 Black, as captured in a video by Metallica Bootlegs on YouTube. This model, part of Ibanez's solid body electric guitars, features a humbucker-single coil-humbucker pickup configuration and a double locking tremolo, making it a versatile choice for Hammett's dynamic playing style.

As seen on "I Disappear" music video. It was also one of the primary instruments used by Hammett for his lead work on Load. (https://short.do/-gdNUZ)

This guitar has an alder body, heavy-relic Sea Foam Green finish, white pickguard, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, 21 frets, and 25.5" scale. The guitar has 3 "black bottom" single-coil pickups. It has a Vintage-style synchronized tremolo, Kluson tuners, volume, 2 tones, and 3-Way blade pickup selector controls.

According to Kirk Hammett's guitar tech, the Metallica guitarist got his ESP Karloff Mummy guitar "back in '96, and ever since then, it's been the main recording guitar," (7:00). "For some reason, the pickups are just right, the wood's just right, it just sounds that little tiny bit better," Hammett's tech said.

According to Metallica's 2010 tour gear list, one of Kirk Hammett's guitars is a Jackson Flying V Randy Rhoads.

As shown in the Kirk Hammett and his guitars video, he used this guitar on only 1 song on the show (Am I Evil) since it has no tremolo and a single coil pickup.

As it can be seen on the "One" music video, Kirk used a ESP strat style. There is just a few information about this range of guitars, we know that the 400 Series guitars were manufactured in Japan during the 1980’s, the 400 Series were named for their suggested list price: $400.00.

The earlier batch of 6-string (400 Series) guitars had: Black & gold ESP decal on the headstock. 21 frets. ESP stamped on the saddles. The headstock had a ‘rounder’ profile than the later models.

The later models had: Solid black ESP decal. 22 frets. Blank (non-stamped) saddles. The headstock had a ‘sharper’ look/shape.

Kirk Hammet exchanged a remake of Greeny with Jack White on Jan. 6, 2025. source: Guitar World.

Also, at 37:29 in this interview with Dean Delray, when asked if he used Greeny on a record, Kirk responded by saying:

It's all over Hardwired to Self Destruct. And it's really funny because when we started doing tracks for that I thought, you know, I know Greeny sounds great, but is it just me or what? So what we did is we got this one track and I played four different guitars, basically my best four sounding guitars and Greeny, and we did the Pepsi challenge. We did a blind test, and we trucked in four different people, and I picked out Greeny every single time, and so did everyone else, as the best sound.

Kirk Hammett talks about his signature ESP White Zombie electric guitar:

"I first started using ESP Guitars way back in 1987. I kinda discovered them through my friend who had an endorsement with ESP at the time, and he told me that ESP was interested in working with me and would make me anything I wanted them to make, so I was really happy about that. So I got to go to the ESP factory in New York, and I said, ‘okay, this neck, put it on this body, with this pickup configuration, make it black, put skull inlays on it, and there.’ Eight months later, I had that guitar, and that's my Skully guitar that I have been playing forever and ever. This guitar, White Zombie, it’s another movie from the thirties that came out around the same time as The Mummy came out in 1932… I have this movie poster, I love movie posters of course had put it on a guitar. It fulfills all the things I need for a guitar - it sounds good, it looks good, and it plays good."

Kirk Hammett received the ESP Custom V Red Sparkle as the third and final guitar in a series of ESP USA V-II models, as showcased by ESP Guitars on Instagram.

At 1:45 in the video by Orkun Yüksel, Kirk Hammett is seen playing a Fender Telecaster. To my knowledge, this guitar has not been used by him live or in the studio before.

In a 1991 Guitar World interview, Kirk Hammett mentioned using a 1989 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe with two EMGs on "The Black Album," explaining its use instead of his '74 Gibson Flying V.

Matt Heafy gifted him his signature guitar and Kirk played with it in concerts.

Kirk shows of his 1963 Korina Explorer at 1:02:26

This Gibson was used quite extensively till about 2008 when it was replaced with a red Gibson Les Paul. You can see the guitar from 0.23 seconds and at 0.53 seconds you can see the Gibson ''open book'' head stock too

In this video, at 31:32, we can see Hammet with a Ritchie Blackmore Signature Stratocaster, it can be told that this is a Ritchie Blackmore model by the Finish Colour and the Signature on the top of the Headstock as well as the Scalloped Rosewood Fretboard however the Scalloping wasn't visible in the footage.

In the official music video for "The Unforgiven II" by Metallica, Kirk Hammett is seen playing a guitar that closely resembles a Danelectro 59 DC. Although I initially identified it as such, the unique pickguard and pickup configuration led me to believe it may actually be a Danelectro 4021. This guitar matches the distinct features observed in the video, including the pickguard, pickups, and knobs.

he is holding the guitar in this image

In the 1993 live concert in Basel, Kirk Hammett is seen playing the ESP Custom Shop Kirk Hammett Signature KH1 KH-1 Flying V Black. This early '90s signature model is known for its rarity, with variations in features like pickups and inlays, making it a unique choice for performances.

The subject shows several pictures of him using the guitar.

During the early days of Metallica, Kirk Hammett used a Fernandes RST-50 "R8 Stratocaster" after initially recording "Kill 'Em All" with a Flying V. This is highlighted in a photo on the Kirk Hammett's Guitars Facebook page.

In this photo Kirk is seen playing his signature Flying V!

In this performance of "The Judas Kiss" in the "Quebec Magnetic" release, Kirk uses a black Teuffel Birdfish.

He is holding the guitar in this image. It was taken during the recording of the black album.

Another of Kirk Hammett's signature ESP guitars is the Ouija Board themed guitar. "I love the look of the pickups, they're very cool guitars," Hammett's tech says at (9:15).

You can see Kirk Hammett playing this guitar at a few shows lately, usually in nothing else matters and a few others

Throughout the whole video, Kirk is using a Composite Acoustics guitar. I was actually there at Bridge School when Metallica was performing, and Kirk's acoustic guitar tone sounded amazing!

According to Metallica's 2010 tour gear list, one of Kirk Hammett's guitars is an ESP KH-2, with a "Caution Hot" sticker on it.

Manufactured by TC Custom during 2008 for the Death Magnetic Tour.

In an interview with MetalCastle, Kirk Hammett mentioned that he received the ESP V-II Metallic Gold as one of three new ESP guitars he would acquire this year.

Kirk Hammett also plays a ESP Green Burst guitar. "It's to match the pedal," Hammett's tech says in this interview at (7:50), in reference to Hammett's signature Dunlop Crybaby Wah pedal.