ESP Signature Series Guitars James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica

You know them as two of metal's most iconic guitarists who have defined the sound of heavy music for decades. We just call them James and Kirk. But no matter what you think of when you hear the rhythm and lead assault of Metallica, the power of their ESP guitars have played an important role in the sound of James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett. We're proud to once again introduce their latest ESP and LTD Signature Series models.

James Hetfield Snakebyte The first thing you should know about the Snakebyte is that it's a brand new body shape that was personally designed by James Hetfield. That much should be obvious the minute you look at the photo. Not only is it unlike any ESP you've seen before, but its bold lines invoke thoughts of great guitars of the past, along with a glimpse into the future of metal. 

The Snakebyte is available is both ESP and LTD versions. It has a set-neck construction at a very playable 24.75" scale, with a mahogany body and neck, and an ebony fingerboard with 22 XJ frets. Per James' direction, the Snakebyte features Sperzel locking tuners, Schaller straplocks, a Tonepros locking bridge/tailpiece, and EMG 81 (bridge) / EMG 60 (neck) active pickups. Both the ESP and LTD versions of the guitar are available in two finishes: Black and Snow White, and feature a pearloid snake inlay on the fingerboard.

Limited Edition Kirk Hammett ESP KH-2 SE and LTD KH-SE

As it turns out, it really is easy being green. Just ask Kirk Hammett, who specified this metallic greenburst finish for his custom ESP guitars he's been using on recent tours. But if you want to own the ESP KH-2 SE or the LTD KH-SE, you shouldn't delay. We're only making 100 of the ESP version, and 300 of the LTD version for the entire world. Yes, this is a limited edition guitar, making it as important of a find for serious players, serious Metallica fans, and serious guitar collectors alike.

Highlighted by a brilliant metallic greenburst finish, the ESP KH-2 SE offers neck-thrubody construction, a 25.5" scale, an alder body, and maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, 24 XJ frets (with frets 17-24 scalloped), and green pearloid skull inlays. Other high-performance features include Gotoh tuners, EMG 81 (bridge) / EMG 60 (neck) active pickups, and an original Floyd Rose bridge. The LTD KH-SE has a bolt-on maple neck, a basswood body, ESP tuners and pickups, and a Floyd Rose Special bridge.

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Gibson New Angus Young Signature SG Line

The Gibson Custom Shop is now offering its reproduction of one of the world’s most renowned SGs in the form of the Angus Young SG, a Limited Edition that captures the tone, look, and feel of this rare specimen among a classic breed, but which updates this legendary guitar with custom modifications requested by Angus himself.

Angus Young acquired his 1968 SG Standard in 1970, and has used it on all major AC/DC recordings and many tours since the band’s inception in 1973. Young’s ’68 SG is known to be a superb example of this model, with an unusually slim neck, pickups that blend just the right proportions of power and sweetness, and a resonant, vocal tone that represents the best of the SG formula. Listen closely to any classic AC/DC tune, and the tone is huge, but not filthy or fizzy.

Angus’s ’68 SG achieves a stunning clarity and definition right within its bone-crushing thump and grind. With utmost attention to detail, the Angus Young SG seeks to achieve that tone, aided by a pair of custom-spec Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbucking pickups. And with 50 guitars out of the total run of 250 aged in-house by Gibson and signed by Angus himself, this outstanding Custom Shop reproduction also nails the look of this legendary guitar, with upgraded modifications at Angus’s request, including an ebony fingerboard with “lightning bolt” inlays (a further 200 guitars will receive the VOS treatment). The Custom Shop Angus Young SG will also be sold with a custom Certificate of Authenticity, a Gibson Custom Shop hardshell case, and a full range of owner’s manuals and instruction sheets.

Along with the Gibson Custom Shop model, the company is issuing the Gibson USA Angus Young SG model.

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Gibson Sammy Hagar Signature Explorer

Gibson has announced that it will be launching a custom line of Sammy Hagar Signature Explorers.

The official press release from Gibson reads:

"Sammy Hagar Signature Explorer Sammy Hagar's scorching vocals and Gibson-fueled riffs have been the driving force for more than 60 million record sales, and the Red Rocker continues to explore new creative heights with his 'supergroup' Chickenfoot, with drummer Chad Smith, bassist Michael Anthony and lead guitarist Joe Satriani. To stamp this star's inimitable style on a guitar that is just right for this heavy-rocking, hard-driving new project, Gibson USA introduces the Sammy Hagar Explorer. Crafted in the image of the original Explorer of 1958—a guitar that was blindingly ahead of its time back in the day—and graced with an original blend of Sammy's Red Rocker and Chickenfoot styling, the Sammy Hagar Explorer is an eye-catching axe from every angle, and equipped for everything from searing to sublime tonal adventures, too.

Like every great electric guitar from Gibson USA, the Sammy Hagar Explorer begins with a foundation of supreme tonewoods. The body is crafted from solid mahogany and dressed with a cream binding—an elegant touch for an Explorer. It is dressed in Gibson's unique 'Red Rocker' finish in hand-sprayed high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, and adorned with a secret 'ghost image' of the Chickenfoot logo randomly placed on the back, an emblem that can only be seen when viewed from a particular angle in the right light. A quarter-sawn mahogany neck is glued-in in traditional Explorer style for supreme upper-fret access, and carved to a slim, fast profile that measures .800" at the first fret and .850" at the 12th. The rosewood fingerboard is also bound in cream, and the classic "drooped" six-in-line Explorer headstock carries a truss-rod cover with Red Rocker 'R'.

To power it all right over the top, Gibson USA has loaded the Sammy Hagar Explorer with a pair of its finest pickups. The zebra-coil '57 Classic in the neck position carries a smooth Alnico II magnet and is wound to the specs of a vintage PAF pickup, for creamy, rich tones with plenty of articulation and bite. A zebra-coil Burst Bucker 3 in the bridge position carries a few more turns of wire to emulate the tone of a PAF at the hotter end of the vintage spectrum, and is made with an unpolished Alnico II magnet like the originals, all of which yields plenty of grind and sting when pushed through a cranked amp. Anchored by the classic pairing of Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece at one end and a set of Mini-Grovers at the other, the Sammy Hagar Explorer exudes ringing resonance and sustain, and takes you from subtle ballad to screaming rocker with ease."

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Dean Trivium Signature Models

Dean Guitars has introduced a series of signature models for Trivium guitarists Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu.

Matt Heafy Model (MKH)

The MKH Signature model is based on the ML Series guitar, originally designed and introduced by Dean Zelinsky in 1977. The MKH has a 24-fret neck, not seen on a Dean ML for quite some time, a 12-inch-radius fingerboard and a newly designed sculpted tapered heel for clear access to the upper frets.

The frets are medium round crown allowing better intonation at blazing speeds. The neck is solid maple construction with an ebony fingerboard and is joined via set neck design at the 19th fret for better tone transference and continuity.

The body is a solid mahogany ML shape featuring the Rising Sun graphics, paying homage to Heafy’s Japanese heritage. The neck features a pearl inlay Trivium logo at the 12th fret. The headstock features Grover black 14:1 tuners, the Trivium logo, the Dean Wing logo and MKH on the truss rod cover.

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