James has been using a new ESP JH model called the “Vulture” on couple of occasions in 2016. The guitar was pretty much a port over from James’ previous guitars, but few differences were present. But thicker wound strings do make a difference for chunky low-end. Now back around 10-15 years ago my son followed a guy with custom Metallica guitars and he had James pre Gibson lawsuit explorer EET Fuk And now it’s worth the investment. James Hetfield does more than just provide the band Metallica with growling vocals - he is also the bands rythym guitarist. James Hetfield is the vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter in Metallica, the biggest heavy metal band of all time. . This guitar was custom-made by Ken Lawrence in 1996. So I don’t remember the signature amount were made and any idea of some left and what worth approx. By using UPA you agree to our use of cookies to deliver a better site experience. All of the guitars were equipped with EMG 60/81 pickups, and featured Gotoh tuners and Tune-o-Matic bridge. Terms. a Wizard, a Marshall DSL, a Roland JC-120, and a Sears Magnatone amongst other amps. He’s used more recently a purple Snakebyte that I believe is baritone scale, and a black ESP Viper that I think is also baritone, I’ve seen live videos of him using it for Dream No More. Sometimes it’s subtle and sometimes it’s a lot. James bought this guitar from a friend from high school who played with him in the school’s jazz band. The most accurate and quickest way to match their tunings is with a chromatic tuner. and a custom shaped headstock. Used on various occasions for acoustic renditions of “The Unforgiven”, “Fade to Black” etc. This obviously annoyed Hetfield, which resulted in the iconic sticker being added to the guitar. After the neck snapped on his Electra Flying V in 1984, James started using couple of different guitars. Take our Guitar Gear Quiz Or Metal Gear Quiz Or Guitar Pedal Quiz and prove it! – Ibanez Tube Screamer JAMES HETFIELD - PERSONAL GUITARS. Welcome to ÜberProAudio - your definitive source for all things music gear. The modified EX body an all-mahogany and neck construction, ebony fretboard with 22 extra-jumbo frets, and venomous EMG active humbuckers. This website uses cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze web traffic. The string gauge is indicated by its thickness diameter. James started using this guitar around the release of the “Load” album in 1996, but it was likely used during the studio sessions as well. His first JH-2 has a 4M ninja star on the first fret, while the second guitar had diamond inlays across the whole fretboard. James also has a double neck version of this guitar, with two 6-string neck, one of them being baritone scale. After the amp was stolen prior to the recording of “Ride The Lightning”, James had to buy replacement Marshall JCM800 head and Marshall cabinets loaded with Celestion G12-65 speakers. James used this guitar as the backup guitar for the “Eet Fuk” white ESP, but he mostly kept it in the studio to use during the studio session on the Black Album and Load. I’ll try to dig up the interview online and add the quote to the page. Black model; can be seen live on Live Shit: Binge & Purge DVD on the song “The Unforgiven” . (5:32) “The three top strings are from a.010 set, and then the bottom three strings are from a.048 set,” he explains. Hammett mixes two Ernie Ball string sets to achieve his ideal string gauges. Developed after meticulous analysis of over 100 vintage and current production Tubescreamer/808 variants, some are calling this the king of Tubescreamers?! This guitar was used as one of James’ main guitars for the album St.Anger released in 2003, both in studio and for the tour. Let's see what guitar gear and equipment Metallica's James Hetfield's has been seen using in his guitar rig. (Dan), Lisbon on May, 01, 2019 We decided to try and select the few that were arguably most notable, but if you think that something else deserves a spot on the list below, message us using the form at the end of this article. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. 1977 - James Hetfileld very first guitar 1979 - GIBSON COPY SG 1969 with tremolo 1980 - ELECTRA 2236 Flying Wedge. One might assume that from gigantic strings come gigantic tone, but check this little tidbit from the absolute must-have book Jimi Hendrix: Musician by Keith Shadwick: “Hendrix described the setup on his Strat around 1967 as ‘Fender light-gauge strings, using a regular E-string for the B and sometimes a tenor A-string for a [high] E to get my kind of sound on the Stratocaster. About strings length. Click the gear images for more info & specs at Guitar Center and Amazon Guitars Stevie Ray Vaughan was known for using real thick gauges. In case you notice anything wrong with the information posted on this page, or you have knowledge of something that you would like to share, be sure to leave a comment above. This was the last time he’d use a distortion pedal in his signal chain, as he moved toward using a Mesa Boogie/Marshall combo to get most of his sound. We use a 13.5 and on a set of 9s it’s an 11 when I think it really should be a 12. Tune-o-Matic bridge, Gotoh tuners, and EMG 81/60 active pickups. But, in the mid-1980s, as the band was circling the globe and recruiting legions of would-be diehards, James’s blight of broken strings suddenly ceased. The guitar features matte black finish and tarnish metal pickguard. “I use a hybrid .008-.048 set because thicker unwound strings don’t make much of a difference, yet they’re harder to play. EMGs didn’t come into play until the EP: Garage Days Re-revisited (1987) and …And Justice for All (1988). Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. James’ most recent guitar. James used this guitar extensively from 1996 as one of his main live guitars. One of James’ main guitar during the St. Anger album, seen both during the studio sessions and on the tour that followed the release of the album. $4.49 $ 4. – ProCo Rat Distortion pedal And the reason for that is, you know, as a lead guitar player, I need to be able to like bend out the light strings. Heavy gauge strings (.013 to .053) add the finishing touch. Stevie Ray Vaughan used very big strings and his guitar tone was fantastic. James’ Les Paul Custom was made in 1973, and prior to James started using it, it was custom fitted with a pair of EMG 81/60 pickups with custom-made gold plated covers, and Sperzel locking tuners. This amp was also later modified by Ken Fischer to allow bypassing the preamp. The first number at the top is the gauge, or size, of the high E string and the bottom is the gauge of the low E string. James used it as a backup guitar from around 1984 to 1988. Many electric guitar players used to use a 10s, or 11s for the high E, Stevie used 13s! The guitar was built by ESP and painted by Dino Muradian to feature an elk skull surrounded by barbed wire. The James Hetfield Snakebyte is coiled and ready to strike. Guitarists such as Billy Gibbons, Dave Navarro, Eddie Van Halen, James Hetfield, and many gigging guitarists at Sweetwater all turn to Dunlop for their tonal tools. GroundGuitar is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Let's see what guitar gear and equipment Metallica's James Hetfield's has been seen using in his guitar rig. So the A string would become your low E, the D string your A, the G string your D, the B string your G, and the .013 E string your B. James started using two ESP-made Flying Vs in 1996 called the model JH-1, designed and built by Matt Masciandaro. “And the reason for that is, as a lead guitar player, I need to be able to bend the light strings, and if … He also enclosed his Marshall cabinets with foam and blankets to cancel out the unwanted frequencies. James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963 in Downey, California, United States) is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. The guitar can be seen on Metallica’s instagram and some Metallica “The Night Before” material on their YouTube channel. Winners will also take home their choice of a Hetfield or Hammett signature ESP guitar as well as an Ernie Ball Prize Pack complete with their favorite gauge of Slinky guitar strings and other prizes. Used in the studio for the intro on “Wherever I May Roam” from the Black Album. – Black Album Rest of the specs were transferred over from his earlier guitars, including EMG pickups and Tune-o-Matic bridge. Also seen briefly during the music video of “Nothing Else Matters”. Bon Jovi who were headlining arrived by helicopter during Metallica’s set. After signing the deal with ESP in 1988, James added a Jagermeister sticker over the original Gibson logo on the headstock, and added another larger Jagermeister sticker just behind the bridge. James’ King V was finished sometime in mid 1985, and featured white body finish, Tune-o-matic bridge, Grover Tuners, and two Seymour Duncan Invader pickups (presumably requested by James himself). James has at least two of these guitars. This latest model is manufactured to the exact specifications of James' Truckster, a modified ESP Eclipse-style stage guitar used on the St. Anger tour. During the live gig, James does resort to using a couple of effects to replicate the sound from the studio, and those effects, of course, varied over the years. The Don of Downpicking, James Hetfield, was something of a string snapper in Metallica’s garage days. Malmsteen actually uses an 8 for his high E. Petrucci goes back and forth between heavy bottom 9s and 10s depending on the year. His sound is more result of his amp setup, and the use of an EQ. The guitar actually predates Dave Mustaine’s first Jackson – who is one of the people responsible for promoting Jackson guitars in the early years and making them relatively popular. UberProAudio is reader supported. Just prior to recording “Death Magnetic” in 2008 James decided to restore this guitar. – Kill ‘Em All, Ride The Lightning Yikes, that's a big string gauge. Another string spec is the scale length. During Metallica’s set, Bon Jovi decided to hover over the audience in his helicopter for some reason, disrupting the concert, which was already not going good due to poor sound both on and off stage. It's odd to ever Imagine Hetfield using 9s, IIRC he uses 11-54s nowadays. - He also has an ESP LTD 7-string guitar (coined "The Goblin") and an ESP LTD F-300M. The pickups are the same as on all of James’ guitars – EMG 81/60, and Sperzel Locking Tuners were used as well. It was nothing to do with his endorsement. What about “Carl”, the wooden explorer out of the garage they used for multiple albums, Honestly his best guitar has to be the “kill bon jovi” model because of the sound and girth of the guitar. This guitar is essentially a twin sister to the previously mentioned Gibson Explorer. Partial list of guitar players who use "wimpy" 9 gauge strings: Jimi Hendrix Ed Van Halen James Hetfield BB King Carlos Santana And how about even wimpier 8 gauge: Tony Iommi Jimmy Page Eric Clapton Billy Gibbons Peter Frampton Now that's certainly a laundry list of thin, crappy tone. For some reason the pilot decided to hover over the stage, which annoyed James. http://www.guitarscollector.com/1989—esp-mx-220–fuck-em-up-.html. What started as a single sticker on the body reading “So Fucking What”, over the years became sort of a collage of various different stickers – among others, a mudflap woman, LA Raiders logo, and Wyoming’s Bucking Horse and Rider Logo. 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,278. On a set of 10s, it’s a 13 that you typically see. There is a reason the old .010–.046 set is so widely used: This string set can work with the widest variety of guitars and tunings—especially with current production guitars that sport bigger frets than vintage axes. Let's checkout his gear. In 2009, Hetfield was ranked number 8 in Joel McIver’s book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists. – Master of Puppets – Dunlop James Hetfield Black Fang 1.14mm – Used more often in the recent days. The headstock on it does resemble that headstock on the later MX-250 model, which is somewhat shorter in length. [James Hetfield Metallica Gear Run by Chad Zaemisch], – Ernie Ball Power Slinky strings (.11-.48). James Hetfield does more than just provide the band Metallica with growling vocals - he is also the bands rythym guitarist. There's no right way, there's only your way. On Bass he uses Hofner H1133 B Bass nickel flat-wound strings in gauge 045, 055, 075, 095. as well as Roto-sound strings including RS88 Black Nylon bass strings gauge of 065, 075, 100, 115. Regarding the “Kill Bon Jovi” sticker, it originates from the 1987 Donington Monsters of Rock festival. Used mostly live for songs that required dropped tunings like “Frantic” and “Invisible Kid” from the 2003 album St. Anger. In 2011 a white version with black hardware was also released, featuring identical specs. The barbed wire extended on the fretboard as well, serving as inlay. 1982 - GIBSON COPY Flying V. 1984 - … Note: as an Amazon Associate UberProAudio earns from qualifying purchases. What happened to it after Metallica was formed is unfortunately unknown, since James started using a white Flying V by that time. Ah yes, the industry standard . Used nowadays for his effects during live performances. ^ that’s the link to the video where he talks about what happened to the SG. String up your guitar with these Dunlop nickel-plated strings and you'll see why. Appreciate that Grim. Do big guitar strings sound different? We appreciate your support! They were all MX-250 models, which is largely similar to the older 220 model – except for the ebony fretboard instead of rosewood, and some minor differences in body and headstock shape. Ah yes, the industry standard . First one is the Maltese cross behind the bridge, which added sometime in 2002. More specific info about whether the guitar was used on any of the songs recorded in the studio is something we unfortunately couldn’t find out. The guitar has the usual EMG 81/60 set of pickups, mahogany body and maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, Tune-o-Matic Bridge and Sperzel Locking Tuners. Choosing which guitar strings to use is one of the biggest decisions a guitarist can make regarding how their instrument plays, both in terms of tone and feel. If you’re interested in his current live gig, be sure to watch Metallica Gear Run on YouTube. Metallica Mastermind and chief riff smith James Hetfield has been using guitars from ESP Hetfield since 1988 and looks back on a number of successful Signature instruments since then. Just like his Electra Flying V, James restored his white Explorer and played it on “Death Magnetic” in 2008. The added mass is very minor compared to the change in tension. This is the second James Hetfield signature model from ESP, released in 1998. Metallica and iconic maker of Slinky guitar strings Ernie Ball are partnering in a new venture, the 'Hetfield + Hammett Experience' at Metallica HQ On this album James was using pretty much the same setup, although the tone is noticeably different. In the early days however, he seemed to have used the standard 11-gauge set: They were both playing through Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ slaved into moded 100W Marshall JCM800s used on the previous album. Used for the unplugged show on MTV in 1998. For the Black Album James used a modified Marshall amplifier, his old Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+, the new Mesa Boogie Mark IV, as well as the Strategy 400 power amp and ADA MP-1 preamp. The Don of Downpicking, James Hetfield, was something of a string snapper in Metallica’s garage days. The metal logo headstock and fretboard snake inlay warn all who approach to tread lightly or be infected from an extremely heavy bite. James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963 in Downey, California, United States) is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Kirk Hammett’s Guitar Strings: – Currently Kirk uses a mixed set of Ernie Ball RPS Slinky strings. Get the gear to sound like James Hetfield and get their tone. More recently James Hetfield ditched most of his pedals and instead uses a TC Electronics G-Major 2. There is supposedly only 25. It’s grey with a purple-ish hue to it. One is that sort of chronically in electric guitar string sets, there’s a much lighter gauge B-string than there ought to be. ESP kh-20 the blk n white 2009 limited run of ouijas some James hetfield trucksters n vulture ESP ... ESP only and the james hetfield esps jh-1 hot rod jh-3 eclipse 2 trucksters ESP only blk camo emg 81/60 and the hetfield … Let me know what the response is Vai, Satch, Petrucci, & Malmsteen all use 9's or lower. The first number at the top is the gauge, or size, of the high E string and the bottom is the gauge of the low E string. Oh boy..tell the virtuosos that use 9 (and lower) gauge strings that they are useless for tone and don't stay in tune live. You decide! This guitar was built for James in 1998, and it was based on the Eclipse model already available, at the same time being sort of a prelude of the JH-3 model which was released a year later as the third official James Hetfield signature model. I’d like to discuss two terrific YouTube videos Rick Beato and Rhett Shull recently made regarding string gauges. The unit is controlled by his tech but it allows James to get effects from older albums without going through a box full of effects. Kirk Taylor also paints James' hotrods and motorcycles. Dunlop DEN1046 Nickel-plated Steel Electric Guitar Strings … The guitar looked pretty much stock, and James most likely used the 12-string neck to record some of the fills during chorus of the song. Most significant feature of this guitar is that it was the first ESP model to feature a set of custom-designed EMG pickups based on James’ feedback – dubbed JH-B and JH-N, also known as the JH “Het” Set. Since the late 80s he’s been almost exclusively using ESP guitars, equipped with a pair of EMG 81/60 pickups – which eventually led to James’ own signature pickups dubbed the “Het” Set released in 2009. Everything you need to know about the story behind the song, amp and pedal settings as well as used guitar techniques. Purchase a chromatic guitar tuner. And James Hetfield by the way played a heavier gauge strings and commonly stuck with 11’s. What soon came to be his main one was a white 1984 Gibson Explorer decorated with a sticker on it reading “So What”. Hetfield is known for using very few effects in his signal chain, and for those he does use they are usually controlled by his guitar tech behind the scenes. The guitar features mahogany body and neck with rosewood fingerboard, and matte black finish with artificial wear added to it. For changing string gauges or ... locking tuners like on the higher end ESP models I.e. His custom Black Fang pick is based on a vintage tortoise-shell pick (which he used for the first 20 years of the band), while his White Fang is based on a Dunlop Flow pick. From around 1989 to the mid 90s James went through a large number of nearly identical black ESP Explorers. All the hardware is gold-plated, including the pickup covers which were custom made by EMG to feature a metal top piece. Do big guitar strings sound different? – …And Justice For All But thicker wound strings do make a difference for chunky low-end. Elixir Strings Electric Guitar Strings w … Elixir Strings Electric Guitar Strings w … It was equipped with a Tune-o-Matic bridge, Gotoh tuners, and EMG 81/60 active pickups. We may have thrown you for a bit of the loop for those who are not aware Paul Stanley was a painter. Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. The contest launches today, September 7, and runs through October 31. James Hetfield of Metallica donates his used guitar strings to Wear Your Music to be made into guitar string bracelets and pendants. The only strings I've ever found to do that were Ernie Ball's, I mean end of story. One of the designs is inspired by the pick that James Hetfield uses on tour. “ To have artists like Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield trust our strings for over 35 years is something the Ernie Ball family is incredibly thankful and proud of. These two pedals are what he turns to when it is time to spice things up. 1982 - GIBSON COPY Flying V. 1984 - … James is a firm believer in wah pedals and selective signal filtering in general. When buying a set of guitar strings, there will usually be six different numbers listed on the package. Therefore, heavier gauge will not need more clearance because they are under greater tension. Guitar packs are numbered from the thinnest string (.08 /.08 / .010 0.11) to the thickest. There is a reason the old .010–.046 set is so widely used: This string set can work with the widest variety of guitars and tunings—especially with current production guitars that sport bigger frets than vintage axes. James used this double neck ESP on couple of live performances of “Fade to Black”. Check out our stellar "Who Plays What" section to get the news scoop on what your favorite players use for gear in their rigs. Early on chuck played flats, but with all the strings moved across (throw out the low E) and a .010 or .011 for the high E. You can see the in Newport '58 film that he's using flats (the light reflects off all 6 strings) and that three are wound and three aren't. Wait! String Gauges of 50 Legendary Guitar Players. Click the gear images for more info & specs at Guitar Center and Amazon. Blabbermouth Archive Search - posts including james hetfield from an archive of over two hundred thousand heavy metal and hard rock articles spanning over a decade. Contest runs September 7 through October 31, 2017. Hammett mixes two Ernie Ball string sets to achieve his ideal string gauges. Used on “Kill ’em All” in combination with a modified Marshall. [ESP Guitars – VULTURE]. Arrives before Christmas. James’ third ESP, which first appeared sometime after the release of “…And Justice For All” in 1988. Although almost identical to the “So What” Explorer, this one featured different stickers on it – making it easier to separate the two. The first one was made in 1996, and has chechen wood top and granadillo fretboard with aztec-inspired inlays. The following are some of them that have been seen: - ESP LTD James Hetfield Snakebyte Electric Guitar, ESP LTD Iron Cross James Hetfield Signature Electric Guitar, ESP LTD Vulture Signature Series James Hetfield Electric Guitar, - ESP James Hetfield Truckster Electric Guitar Distressed Satin Black, - Gibson 1973 Les Paul Custom "Iron Cross" (ESP made a James Hetfield Iron Cross Signature), - ESP James Hetfield LTD Truckster Electric Guitar Aged Primer Gray. 1977 - James Hetfileld very first guitar 1979 - GIBSON COPY SG 1969 with tremolo 1980 - ELECTRA 2236 Flying Wedge. Another James Hetfield signature model from ESP. One of the guitars had red flames, while the other one had green – but except for that the two guitar were identical to each other. - Line 6 Variax Acoustic (Used for live performances of "The Unforgiven"), - Jackson King V guitar (white, used in the 80's during Master of Puppets tour). Heavier gauge strings are “heavier” because they are thicker and thicker because the core of the string is thicker. Shop the best selection of Ernie Ball strings: guaranteed low price, free shipping, 0% financing, 8% back in rewards. Think you know something about guitar gear? Ernie Ball, the iconic maker of Slinky guitar strings and instrument accessories, has announced the launch of the Hetfield + Hammett Experience, a partnership with longtime Ernie Ball artists and legendary guitarists James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett that will grant three lucky winners the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hang with the guitarists at Metallica Headquarters in San Francisco, CA. James had to use it for Sad But True in a concert, maybe multiple concerts after one of his guitars was dropped and broken. Around 2007, prior to the recording of Death Magnetic James started experimenting with Krank Krankenstein and Revolution 1 amps, which he ended up using on the album. What guitar picks does James Hetfield use? Profits to charity. There's hundreds more guitar rigs in our famous Who Plays What section! The guitar has mahogany body with a set neck with rosewood fretboard featuring custom middle finger inlays. This guitar in contrast to the previously mentioned MX220 styles quite an amount of stickers on it. The MX220 with the Oakland Raiders sticker (the “FUK EM UP” one) , is actually not black at all. The amp might’ve been a vintage 1959 Super Lead, so we’re not exactly clear about it. The guitar also has few unique visual features on it. Ernie Ball presents the “Hetfield + Hammett Experience” sweepstakes. Oh boy..tell the virtuosos that use 9 (and lower) gauge strings that they are useless for tone and don't stay in tune live. This guitar was used by James for the recording of the album Master of Puppets in 1985 (. “I use a hybrid .008-.048 set because thicker unwound strings don’t make much of a difference, yet they’re harder to play. James Hetfield Metallica Gear Run by Chad Zaemisch, http://www.guitarscollector.com/1989—esp-mx-220–fuck-em-up-.html. 3 grand prize winners will get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fly to Metallica headquarters and hang with James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, an ESP LTD James Hetfield or Kirk Hammett signature guitar, a year's supply of Ernie Ball PARADIGM strings, and much more. He used a MF-207 in the St Anger dvd and I believe live too. JAMES HETFIELD - PERSONAL GUITARS. The thing was, you'd buy a .010 banjo string and a set of medium gauge strings that started with a.013. Knowing that, and the fact that this was James’ favorite guitar at the time, the album Ride the Lightning (1984) was largely recorded using this particular guitar equipped with the stock Gibson pickups. For changing string gauges or tunings: 1)Make a TRIANGLE shaped wood. Author Topic: String gauge of the pros (Read 19173 times) Mr. Air. But, in the mid-1980s, as the band was circling the globe and recruiting legions of would-be diehards, James’s blight of broken strings suddenly ceased. Playability, bending, vibrato. Malmsteen actually uses an 8 for his high E. Petrucci goes back and forth between heavy bottom 9s and 10s depending on the year. If you aspire to that level of riff mastery, then start with the heaviest gauge that feels comfortable to play—we recommend 10-52, 11-52, or 11-56. Getting a Grin Again with The Ten-Gauge. (5:32) “The three top strings are from a .010 set, and then the bottom three strings are from a .048 set,” he explains. On the first album James was using what looks like a Marshall JMP2203 Master Volume modified by Jose Arredondo. It has a mahogany neck and body. Both of the guitars have mahogany bodies, and maple necks with rosewood fingerboards. Greetings, tone hounds! A 100w Wizard Modern Classic was used as the main amp on the album. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in a Los Angeles newspaper, searching for band mates. All gauges are listed in thousandths of an inch, and range from .008 all the way to .56. This is not to say that heavy strings don’t produce a different tone. One can be seen in this video: This guitar was seen briefly in the music video for “Nothing Else Matter” (around 3:00 mark). La Bella Light stainless steel Double Ball end Guiatr strings 0.009-.046 S946. Welterweight; ... and james hetfield uses 10-46, except for some bizarre rumour that he changed to 10.5-48 for an album called 'St Anger', which confuses me as no such album exists. For these two albums, James added a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier and began to use the TriAxis preamp next his old ADA MP-1. He’s also been using the guitar with man-to-wolf inlays live after not having used it for a long time, guessing he had it restored or something. He is proficient on the bass guitar, lead guitars, keyboards and drums. In 1987 James removed the original pickups, and had them replaced with EMGs 81/60. Early on in rock history, flatwounds were all there were. Note: James has hundreds of guitars, in this section you can find the most used. The only difference is the shape of the headstock, which was rather copied over from the standard ESP Eclipse model. Contributors: Michael, punchlinecharlie, babillou, Mike, tyronmcjr, Sami.o.joki. ... locking tuners like on the higher end ESP models I.e. As far as his gear goes, James started out with a relatively cheap Gibson Flying V copy which he used on Metallica’s debut album “Kill ’em All”, but soon replaced it with a couple of white 1984 Gibson Explorers that served him well for the next two albums. James Hetfield:.009-.042 As you can see, a lot of the great players of our time have used some pretty everyday-player gauges. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. James Hetfield's gear and equipment including the Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar and Shure SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone. This guitar was originally equipped with Gibson Dirty Fingers pickups (496R/500T ), but sometime in the late 80s – presumably around 1987 when Kirk Hammett switched to EMGs as well – James took the pickups out and replaced them with the EMG 81/60 set. The body is painted black, with green flames on it. 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,278. Martin Authentic Acoustic MA175 Custom-Light-Gauge Acoustic Guitar Strings, 80/20 Bronze. James used this guitar to record “Some Kind of Monster” from the 2003 album St.Anger. It also means our strings have been along for the epic ride of ‘Seek & Destroy,’ ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls,’ ‘Sad But True’ and many of the band’s biggest hits. A photo posted by Metallica (@metallica) on Apr 16, 2016 at 8:53pm PDT, The guitar features a V-shaped mahogany body finished in black satin, a set neck with ebony fingerboard and 305mm radius. Let me know what the response is Vai, Satch, Petrucci, & Malmsteen all use 9's or lower. James Hetfield does more than just provide the band Metallica with growling vocals - he is also the bands rythym guitarist. Additionally you can buy them in a custom tin: Dirty Donny Custom Artwork Pick Tin. James’s first ESP, and one of this most recognizable guitars. – St. Anger In the April 1989 issue of Guitar Player James explained that the Kill Bon Jovi sticker on his Jackson King V came about after their appearance at the 1987 Donington Monsters of Rock festival. James used this guitar predominantly during the “Reload” tour, having another two nearly identical guitars as a backup. The guitar features see-thru black cherry finish on a mahogany body with figured maple top, and the neck is a 7-string featuring rosewood fingerboard. And no, not a house painter, but a real artist in his own right. The album also marks the introduction of Roland JC120 combos into James’ setup, used for the clean sound ever since. – Death Magnetic It is equipped with Gotoh Locking tuners, Tonepros Locking Tune-O-Matic bridge and tailpiece, and a set of EMG JH pickups. James actually has two of them, only difference between the two being the inlays on the first fret. In case you want to talk to me privatly, please use the contact form and I will get back to you as soon as possible. . The only strings I've ever found to do that were Ernie Ball's, I mean end of story. However, for the Black Fang, Dunlop uses modern Ultex. ... Dunlop James Hetfield Pick Tin Papahet + 6 Guitar Picks Metallica JIM DUNLOP. Most noticeable feature on the guitar is without a doubt the black diamond plate which is fitted on top of the body, giving this guitar it’s recognizable look. The number you see is 1/1000 of an inch. So, what happened? - ESP Explorers, including a black and chrome version. Rest of the specs are identical. He still uses it live occasionally. – Dunlop Tortex .88mm – James’ main pick since the early days. Let's checkout his gear. Popular . On the other hand, for a Marshall-style, midrange-heavy, tight-crunch tone, lighter strings with humbuckers and a gain-y amp—without too much bass in the preamp—will get you there. His early sound was a result of using a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ as preamp slaved into moded 100W Marshall JCM800 for the dirty tones, while using a Roland JC120 for cleans. If still in his possession, this guitar certainly holds a great sentimental value since James mother died just year later after buying him this guitar. For a more in-depth look into James’ setup and technique be sure to pick up The Art of James Hetfield book co-written by James Himself. The guitar had the usual EMG 81/60 pickup setup, with one of necks being the twelve string and other one a regular six string. Except for that, the specs were transferred over from the earlier models – including the usual set of EMG 60/81 active pickups, Tune-o-Matic bridge, and Sperzel Locking Tuners. - Roland JC-120 (James uses the head version more recently of this amp), - Wizard Modern Classic Amp heads and Wizard 4x12 cabs, - Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ (Master of Puppets), - Line 6 POD X3 Pro (to emulate the JC120 sound). James has uses a large amount of guitars. . The guitar was officially released in 2008, and James used it often for live gigs ever since. - Dunlop Ultex Black Fang guitar picks (by James and Dunlop), - Custom Yellow/Black Picks from pick factory. – Garage Inc. James used this guitar for the tour that followed the release of the “Load” album. Dino used a technique called pyrography – a process of burning a design on the surface with a heated metallic point. This guitar is heavily inspired by James’ 1973 Gibson Les Paul which he used extensively during St.Anger era. James used this guitar to record the intro on “The Unforgiven II” from the 1997 album “Reload”, and it was seen in the music video for the song. Then you'd put the .010 on as your high E string. Visit our Who Plays What section to see hundreds of famous musician's guitar, bass, and drum rigs or search the site: Seen the new Maxon Overdrive pedal? 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