Later on, you could see a number of Mesa/Boogies being included, most notably the MkIIC+ that was used on the Master of Puppets album.ĭuring the Justice For All period, some Rolands were included in the mix, and have remained present ever since. We are talking JML2203, JCM800, and others. In his early days, Hetfield mainly used various Marshall amps. When it comes to amps, things are pretty straight forward. This six-string features a shape that is very similar to an explorer, and a number of upgrades Hetfield insisted on. One of the more popular ones is the ESP LTD Snakebyte. More recently, Hetfield has entered an endorsement deal with ESP guitars, which resulted in a number of great models being produced under his signature line. He has two of these awesome guitars – one named ‘So What’ and the other going by the name of ‘More Beer’ of all things.īoth of these have seen a number of upgrades over the years, such as active electronics from EMG being installed and more. It’s no secret that Hetfield is a Gibson type of guy and that he prefers Explorers. His 1984 Gibson Explorers are also among the most iconic pieces in his collection. These days it’s spending more time as an exhibit that something he would use on stage. In the end, his Electra Flying V was so badly damaged that it wasn’t even playable anymore.Įven so, Hetfield kept this guitar and went on to restore it. Over time, he formed a bond with this instrument which is only possible when you go through thick and thin with it. It was a cheap axe he got from a friend, but something about it kept him coming back to this rather mediocre guitar. James’ Electra Flying V is by far one of his most interesting guitars.
#GUITAR RIG PRESETS METALLICA SERIES#
Ibanez Ts9 Tube Screamer – ClassicĮsp Ltd Snakebyte Signature Series James Hetfield Electric Guitar With Case, Black Satin The number of specific guitar models Hetfield has used over the years is too long to count, but we are going to mention some of the more memorable pieces from his collection.īut first, here’s a little bit of Hetfield playing the riff for Judas Kiss, in case you forgot what he sounds like when he’s tearing up a metal riff. It’s either Flying V’s, Explorers, or maybe sometimes SGs as well. You will rarely see this man with a super Strat or Strat body guitar in his hands. One of the most popular things about James Hetfield, aside from his music and talent, are his guitars. Hetfield never liked to complicate things too much, but he did have his personal style when it came to his gear and setup. Some of that stuff is considered a golden standard today, but some of it still remains somewhat in the shadows. James Hetfield Rig RundownĪchieving the type of hard sound Metallica relied the most on during their initial years was made possible by a very specific choice of gear they’ve used. Today we are going to do a quick rundown of his gear, and see what he used or still uses on stage to this day. His talent, very peculiar singing style and overall great charisma are what put Metallica on the map in the first place. If there is one individual in this band who is responsible for the most of the achievement, it’s James Hetfield. They are considered to be the face of metal music, even today. This group of guys took a new and aspiring type of music, infused it with energy, and spread it out around the world. You’ve probably guessed it, we are talking about Metallica. With all that said, there is one band out there who single-handedly pushed this genre of music from a very niche environment to mainstream.
From that point in time until today, metal has been through a lot. This genre slowly started coming out in the early ’70s with Black Sabbath showing us just how good the guitars can sound. The story of metal music is a very interesting one. Preset created by Keith Thacker, name: Master of Puppets, artist: Metallica, track: Master of Puppets era.
He still plays it live today, for songs like “Sad but True” and “The Memory Remains”.
Kirk started playing it in 1983, just after recording “Kill ‘Em All”, and used it during recording sessions of “Master of Puppets”, which he almost completely recorded with this guitar. They quit fuckin’ making it, so I’ve been screaming at them. They don’t make the Thunderverb 50 anymore. The only way I can explain it is if you turn it this way it’s Master Of Puppets, and if you turn it this way it’s Tom Petty.
In this article we are going to look at the rig that Kirk used in 1986 for the Master of Puppets album. Over the years his rig has changed based on the needs of the album they are touring, but it has remained mostly faithful to a few select pieces of gear. Kirk Hammett is known as the lead guitar player in Thrash Metal giants Metallica.