Metallica fans worldwide are familiar with Kirk Hammettâs 1979 Flying V. It was Kirkâs first Gibson and established his passion for Gibson guitars. Its purchase was inspired by famous Flying V⢠players Kirk admired and because he was looking for a fuller sound. And what a sound! Kirk still plays the original guitar to this day, and used it on all the early Metallica albums, including Kill âEm All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, âŚAnd Justice for All, and The Black Album, making it one of the most important heavy metal guitars of all time.
Now Epiphone is partnering with the Gibson Custom Shop to release the Epiphone Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V, a meticulous recreation of Kirkâs prized original. It features a mahogany body, a one-piece mahogany neck with volute, GroverÂŽ RotomaticÂŽ machine heads with âspadeâ buttons, and a custom bridge. The electronics are also top-notch, with a pair of Gibson USA Calibrated T-Type humbucker⢠pickups wired to CTSÂŽ potentiometers and an Orange DropÂŽ capacitor, and a SwitchcraftÂŽ 3-way pickup selector toggle switch and a 1/4â output jack. A Kirk Hammett logo adorns the rear of the headstock, and a black hard-shell case with a red plush interior is also included.
Body
Shape: Flying V
Body: Mahogany
Neck
Material: One-Piece Mahogany
Profile: Rounded âCâ with Volute
Nut width: 43 mm
Fingerboard: Indian Laurel
Scale length: 628.65 mm
Number of frets: 22
Nut: Graph Tech
Inlay: Mother of Pearl Dot
Hardware
Bridge: Custom Bridge
Tail Piece: LockTone Stop Bar
Machine Heads: Grover Rotomatic with Spade Button
Tuners: Nickel
Electronics
Neck Pickup: Gibson USA Calibrated T-Type
Bridge Pickup: Gibson USA Calibrated T-Type
Controls: 2 Volume, Master Tone, CTS Potentiometers, Orange Drop Capacitor