Interviewing Charlie Starr about guitarists he’s played with is no straight-forward jam.

“Well letmetellya,” he says in his gentle southern accent. He’s perched at the back of the Blackberry Smoke tour bus, laptop out, reading glasses on, and bound for tonight’s show in Tennessee. “I’ve played with so many, it’s hard to just pick one.”

If you need an introduction — if you’ve been living on a different rock and roll planet for the past 15 years — Charle Starr is the frontman, guitarist and cheery raconteur of southern rock and rollers Blackberry Smoke.

He loves guitars. He loves guitarists. He loves jamming with them. And if you get him on the right day — hello reader, we got him on the right day — he loves talking about them.

When Guitar Player emails him, tentatively asking if he fancies an interview about the players he’s jammed with, he emails back immediately.

“I would love to do that! How’s your day looking today?“

And so it is that, just 10 minutes later, by the power of Zoom, we’re face to face. No prep. No research. No bullshit. Straight into it.

He unfurls a tick list of household names he’s shared stages with. Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers Band and Gov’t Mule: “There are stories there,” he says, smiling. Billy Gibbons: “What a profound experience to play with him, to travel with him.”

Let’s start at the beginning, I say. Which guitarist sat in with you first?

“Yeah, you might not believe this, but that was Slash,” he reveals. “He played us in this tiny club in Austin, Texas back in 2007. We’d been together about six years but we weren’t well known. But he knew us.

“It was packed that night. I think word had got out that Slash was in and he wanted to play. What was it like? Oh man, it was just so exciting.

"You have to know what Slash meant to me as a kid. In ’87 when Appetite… came out I was in eighth grade and Slash’s impact on electric guitar playing was massive.

“I’m a kid of that period. I loved ’80s rock, especially Eddie Van Halen. I loved everything about Eddie Van Halen. He was top of the heap.

“But then I got a bit older and I lost a bit of interest in the rock stuff. I was looking for something else — something different. And then ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ came out and that opening riff — it reeled me right back in.

“And in the video here’s this guy with long curly hair and a top hat playing a Gibson Les Paul. And what a solo — a solo you could sing, you know? It was like another verse to the song. I felt like it spoke to me, personally.”

Fast-forward 20 years and the top-hatted guitar maestro was ready to trade licks with Starr on a tiny stage in Austin.

“Man, Slash walked into that room and I fan-boyed,” he says with a laugh. “I was so embarrassing. I got him to sign something for me — and I remember looking behind me and the whole band was queueing up to get him to sign shit. Like he needed that, you know? But he signed it all.

“We played three songs — ‘Honky Tonk Women,’ ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’ and ‘Highway to Hell’ — and this tiny Texas club crammed full of people was jumping.”

A year later, Slash returned. “We were at the Viper Room in L.A., our first L.A. show. And we’re half way through our set and this big security guy came up to me and said, ‘Slash is here — can he sit in with you?’ We weren’t going to say no to that!”

Blackberry Smoke guitarist Paul Jackson had a Les Paul to spare.

“Slash came on and we’re like, ‘Well, what do you want to play?’ We had nothing worked out. And he said, “Let’s do these three songs we did before.’ So we did. And I’ve got to tell you, I was grinning from ear to ear. It was such an experience.

“I remember just looking at his hands — you know, those hands I saw as a kid on MTV growing up. You have to steady yourself. ‘I’m onstage with Slash,’ you know?”

That was 20 years ago — but it still happens, Starr says. You still have to steady yourself when you jam with guitar players that make you feel like a teenage fan.

Or even mandolin players

“A few weeks ago, we were playing North Carolina, and legendary mandolin player Sam Bush jammed with us,” Starr says. “Sam Bush is bluegrass royalty, man. He started the New Grass Revival. He came on with an electric Fender mandolin and that was a treat.”

It’s obvious Starr genuinely loves what he does.

“I do,” he says. “It’s always a thrill.

“Let me tell you about that one time before COVID,” he says, finding his stride.

“I was at home, off the road, and a friend of mine, the curator of the Allman Brothers Museum in Macon, Georgia — the caretaker of Duane Allman’s ’57 goldtop Les Paul — he called me up and he said, ‘Do you want to go to Birmingham, Alabama to see Metallica? James wants to play Duane’s goldtop.’ Of course I wanted to go!

“So we drove down there. It was early in the afternoon, and we went to Metallica’s tuning room." The backstage area is where the band congregates before a show to warm up, rehearse or talk. "I’ve seen this room in pictures and online,” Starr says, “and we took this small amp, a little Fender Princeton. A Princeton, man. It’s not a Metallica amp.

“And James came in with his guitar tech, a lovely fellow called Chad Zaemisch, and we had a little introduction, and he was just so cool and gracious.

“And he played Duane’s goldtop and he handed it to me, I played it, and we were just like a couple of kids, geeking out. It’s such a special guitar, I swear there’s a ghost in it.

“It has a story: Duane traded it for a sunburst Les Paul in Florida in ’70, ’71, and the goldtop made its way around the South. It was stripped and battered, and it was found in a pawn shop and eventually restored by Tom Murphy,” the man behind Gibson’s highly accurate Custom Shop reissues.

“I just enjoyed watching James playing it. And, ah man, even with that old guitar through a little Fender tube amp, with his right hand — that right hand — ‘Master of Puppets’ still sounded like ‘Master of Puppets,’ you know?

“And then he said, ‘Do you want to check out one of my Explorers?’ He has this ’58 Gibson Explorer. It’s a half-a-million-dollar guitar. So I was playing on that, and then Kirk Hammett comes in.”

Metallica’s lead guitarist is an avowed guitar collector whose gems include a 1957 Korina Flying V prototype and the 1959 Les Paul Standard known as Greeny, once owned by Peter Green and Gary Moore.

“Kirk was the sweetest guy. He knew the band and we were taking turns on Duane’s goldtop and he said, ‘Do you want me to go and fetch Greeny?’ and I hadn’t thought about that but, ‘Yeah, man, of course you should bring Greeny!’

“So his tech brings it in. Kirk handed it over and, let me tell you, I was shaking when he handed it to me. I put it in the middle position and played ‘Oh Well,’ and it sounded, well — it sounded like nothing else.

“He sat there with Greeny and I had Duane’s goldtop and we traded licks, just blues, really. And I was lost.

“Their tour manager had to take him away for a meet-and-greet, and we hung out for a bit, went to catering. They looked after us so well and we watched the show — their ‘in the round’ show — from the bottom of the stage. It was a day I won’t forget.”

Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith has become the latest big-name player afforded a chance to play Kirk Hammett’s fabled “Greeny” Les Paul, and like others before him, he’s fallen in love with it.

The guitar, first made famous in the hands of Fleetwood Mac’s founding guitarist, Peter Green, has been enjoying a renaissance with Metallica’s chief shredder. Green gifted the guitar to Gary Moore after he left Fleetwood Mac, making Hammett its third high-profile owner. Since he purchased it in 2014, the electric guitar has regularly featured onstage with Metallica.

But in a show of generosity, Hammett has been happy to let others take her for a spin, and Smith is just the latest to check out the guitar. His opportunity came when Iron Maiden were touring in Canada.

“Kirk's a great guy. I bumped into him in a hotel in Canada,” Smith tells eonmusic. “We were just checking in, and Metallica were there. The first thing I said to him was, ‘Oh, you bought Greeny.’ He goes, 'Yeah, I've got it. You want to play it?’

“So I went to his room, and he gave me the guitar and a little practice amp, and of course, I played ‘Oh Well’. He and Ross [Halfin, photographer] were doing photos, so I took it to my hotel room, and I had a little practice amp in there. I played it all afternoon.”

Just like Jake E. Lee, who played Greeny backstage at Back to the Beginning, Smith had a hard time letting go of the guitar.

“It plays great; it's the intonation, the feel, the sound,” he says. “There's no doubt about it, that is a special guitar. The mojo is off the charts. I mean, Peter Green and Gary Moore? The classic middle position, the out-of-phase neck pickup, and there it is, the sound!”

“I'm glad somebody's using it, and it's not on a wall in somebody's climate-controlled guitar locker,” he adds. “It's out there being played, as it should be.”

From "Black Magic Woman," to "Rattlesnake Shake," "Oh Well," and "Albatross" — which is believed to have inspired the Beatles to write "Sun King" — Greeny was heard on many classic early Fleetwood Mac tracks..

Gary Moore recorded the entire Blues for Greeny tribute album with the guitar, as well as "Parisienne Walkways" from his seminal Still Got the Blues record, proving the instrument still had magic in other player's hands.

Meanwhile, Smith has been talking about a prized guitar from his own collection that he got for free, and still uses decades later, and has reflected on the two lucky breaks that led to him penning two massive Maiden anthems.

And original Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell has looked back on the time he played "Whiskey in the Jar " with Metallica, and why he went on to call them “a pack of bastards.”

When Metallica invited original Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell onstage in Dublin to cover the group's take on the tune “Whiskey in the Jar,” in 1999, it was meant to be a moment for all to savor. But Bell says the experience left a sour taste in his mouth.

Two decades later, Bell branded the thrash-metal giants a “pack of bastards” for allegedly failing to pay him for the gig. But in a new conversation with Guitar World, he reflects that their chemistry felt off from the start — and even admits he’s carried one regret from that night ever since.

The folk song is about the Irish highwayman Patrick Fleming, who was executed for his thievery in 1650. In the early 1970s, Bell, alongside bass player and vocalist Phil Lynott, made the tune their own. It's been covered by many different artists, with the Dubliners’ 1968 version another notable rendition, but Bell’s lead work separated Thin Lizzy’s take from the pack. His superlative guitar solo didn’t hurt, either.

Fast-forward to 1998, when Metallica’s cover proved a roaring success. The band amped up the twin-guitar harmonies that would later define Thin Lizzy’s post-Bell era — after Lynott reshuffled the lineup with Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson — and it even won a Grammy.

So when Metallica rolled into Dublin for a show at the Point Theatre the following year, it made perfect sense that Bell should come onstage to perform the song with them.

“I didn’t know anything about Metallica,” Bell confesses. “But it was funny; they got in touch with me. Someone from their setup phoned me and said, ‘I work with Metallica. We’re doing a world tour. Would love to have you come along to play with us in Dublin and do “Whiskey in the Jar.”’”

Bell was then asked if he’d heard Metallica’s version of the song. When he said he hadn’t, the voice on the other end of the phone asked, “What planet are you living on?”

“I said, ‘Jupiter,’” Bell recalls with a chuckle. “Anyway, this courier arrived on a motorbike about two days later, and he had quite a few records, cassettes and DVDs of Metallica doing ‘Whiskey in the Jar.’”

Bell agreed to play the show, but was shocked by one detail.

“Once we got to Dublin, the thing that threw me was, I was trying out this Marshall amp, and Metallica walked in sort of like cartoons,” he remembers. “They said, ‘Hey, man, when we do this, we tune our guitars a whole tone down.’ I thought, ‘A whole tone? The guitar is going to sound like a fucking banjo!’”

Metallica began down-tuning around the mid-’90s, starting with Load, the first album recorded after the change. They dropped their electric guitars to accommodate Hetfield's vocal range as he aged.

“I just felt a bit out of place, especially as my guitar was in standard tuning and I was playing along in F instead of G. If I had the chance again, I’d tune it down because it was tricky playing it in F.”

For that matter, Bell says he would ask for money upfront. As it happened he got nothing for his time onstage with the thrash legends

“They are a pack of bastards," he told NME. "I couldn’t believe what they did, especially as they are so well off. I should have been paid £2,000 but got fuck all.

“If Metallica ever asked me to guest with them again, I’d ask for five grand in advance. In cash so I’d know I had it in my pocket.”

Bell told Guitar Player that the Thin Lizzy gig was a dream come true, but one particular show brought his tenure with the band to a dramatic end. He couldn't play without drinking, he had said, but he, too, couldn't play after drinking.

Last year, the guitarist announced an album of re-imagined acoustic versions of songs from the band's first three albums, splicing unheard Phil Lynott vocal takes with newly recorded guitars. It was the first time he'd recorded under the Thin Lizzy banner since his 1973 departure.

Meanwhile, his successor, Scott Gorham, says it took him a while to find his footing in the band, and the American learned to adapt their Irish roots to find his place in their lineage.

He may be a world-class shredder, but Joe Satriani is also celebrated for his work as a guitar teacher, and with good reason. His past students include some of rock and metal’s most celebrated players, including Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett, Alex Skolnick and Primus technical expert Larry LaLonde.

But not everyone has clicked with his teachings.

Cake guitarist Xan McCurdy says he wasn't thrilled about his Satch studies. After first picking up electric guitar at age 12 to impress his brothers, McCurdy developed an appreciation for “super mod and British sounds” in his teenage years. That led him to link up with teachers in the Berkeley, California area, including Satriani, in the mid 1980s.

“I felt like he was trying to build an army of shredders,” he says. “Like nonsensical, not musical things; just finger exercises. It was not even scales, just, like, getting your hands to flow, and have the ultimate dexterity, you know? And that was not what I was into because I did not care at all.”

Their differences boil down to two things: taste and, for McCurdy, a distaste for regimented routines.

“I mean, there was a moment when we all got into Van Halen,” he continues. “But I sort of found my little niche subculture world, and I was all about Chuck Berry and the blues guys.”

And so, while a generation of players practiced two-handed tapping and emulating the world’s hottest guitar player, McCurdy was putting his attention elsewhere.

“I didn’t take a lot of lessons, and he hated me because I didn’t practice his stuff enough,” he adds. “And then I found a guy who, instead of having this long-hair shred-master [vibe], this guy would just smoke a joint, and be like, ‘All right, so what do you wanna do?’”

That resonated with McCurdy, and he was able to home in on the parts of guitar playing that mirrored his emotional connection to music. His band's music grew past a sole adoration for Chuck Berry, with country, mariachi, disco, rock, folk music, and hip-hop all flavors for their widespread sound.

Obviously, not every had the same experience with Satch. Skolnick said he learned volumes from his strict attention to detail and practice. As his skills improved and he could go toe-to-toe with the local guitar teachers, he decided to study with their teacher.

“And the guys in the neighborhood had all studied with a guitar player named Joe,” he recalls. “I didn’t know anything about him. I just knew he was an Italian guy. His name’s Joe, and he’s a very serious musician. If you don’t do your homework, he’ll fire you as a student.

“Years later, everybody knows who that is. But at the time, he was this local legend. So I studied with him for a couple years, and that obviously had a huge impact.”

Skolnick's time with thrash icons Testament ultimately got him a gig with Ozzy, but it would be curtains after just one show — even though he doesn't believe his playing was the problem.

As for Satch, he's not teaching anymore, but he does keep an eye on up-and-coming talent, including one next-gen player who he says can “shred any guy out there.”

The rise of Eddie Van Halen as a generation’s guitar hero saw thousands running to their local Guitar Center to buy a Superstrat and master tapping licks. As his son, Wolfgang Van Halen, once said, EVH “kind of ruined” the ‘80s guitar scene, as a raft of copyists followed in his wake.

But for other impressionable musicians like Les Claypool, his influence would push them away from the electric guitar while inspiring them to reach new heights on their chosen instrument.

“Everybody wanted to be Eddie Van Halen,” the Primus bass player and frontman tells Rick Beato. So, his looking to the low-end of the scale made perfect sense — all these guitar players would need a bassist for the bands they started. Although it took a little coaxing from his schoolmate, Kirk Hammett, to become embroiled in band life.

“He actually tried to get me to sing for his band,” Claypool reveals. “We had algebra together, and he sat behind me. He would always go, ‘Hey, Claypool. Hey, Claypool, check it out, man.’

“I still, to this day, remember this ad. It was the ad for a Stratocaster where the guy's holding it, and he's going, ‘It's a rock machine,’ and the guy behind him is going, ‘No, it's a country machine.’ And he's [Hammett] like, ‘Here's my guitar, Claypool, man. It’s the one I'm getting.’”

Hammett, who of course would go on to take over the world with Metallica — although a Fernandes was his Strat of choice in the band’s early days — was just one of the players to have been enraptured by EVH’s flair and fretboard pyrotechnics.

“That first Van Halen album blew open everyone’s minds to the potential of electric guitar,” he told the New York Times of his influence in the wake of his passing in 2020. “His right-hand technique, the way he hammered on strings, with super-wide intervals that a person could not humanly stretch. It was an incredible sound. Eddie started this momentum of just getting sounds out of his guitar that no one got.”

The Hammett-Claypool tie-in never happened after he “chickened out” of being Hammett’s frontman. “I was a total Bobby Brady, croaking and cracking,” the bassist admits. But another band soon began their search for a bass player, and Claypool’s fate was sealed.

“There was a guy who had this bass for sale for 15 bucks, some old piece of shit, and — actually it was 30 bucks, and I had 15 — I said, ‘Dad, can I borrow 15 bucks?’ He's like, ‘Is that really what you want to do?’ And I said, ‘Yep.’ He's like, ‘Well, let's go down and talk to Al's Music.’ It was a buddy of his.

“We went down and we got a brand-new P-Bass copy, by Memphis. I got this thing, and I had to pull weeds all summer to pay for it. But then I was instantly in a band, because nobody wanted to play bass back then.”

Claypool and Hammett each fared well in their music careers, but behind the scenes, there was a fallout from their aborted attempts to play in a band together.

“I didn't find out till years later that he was kind of pissed at me for bailing on his thing to go play bass in this other band,” Claypool says.

In 1986, following the passing of Metallica founding bassist Cliff Burton, Claypool auditioned for Metallica. At that time, he'd started laying the foundations for what would become Primus and, with it, his rather atypical slap-and-tap bass style. It was a world away from Burton's approach to the instrument, and that wasn't lost on the band's drummer, Lars Ulrich. He reportedly told Claypool, “You're not really used to this kind of music, are you.”

“I was a carpenter and would have joined any band that paid me,” Claypool told Guitar World. “Kirk called me, but I didn't fit in. I had a blonde Mohawk and baggy skater pants and two different colored tennis shoes — and this was back when they had long hair and tight pants.”

Ultimately, he's glad he never got the gig. In Primus, he ventured into uncharted territory that never would have been explored had he joined a band basking in the success of Master of Puppets.

At the same time, like Van Halen, Claypool set out to do things with his bass guitar that others had not.

“My style in Primus evolved from me consciously trying to play bass and rhythm guitar at the same time,” he explains. “Primus was all about doing something that nobody had ever heard before, and the guitar players I used were textural players. I wasn't really used to playing with regressive players who wanted the bass to stay in the background. I was into Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, and Andy Summers.”

In related news, Kirk Hammett has given Guitar Player an extensive tour of his gear collection and revealed that he's sat on a mountain of riffs for the follow-up to the band's 2023 album, 72 Seasons.

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett says he and Metallica plan to start work on their next album once their current tour winds up next November.

To that end, Hammett has already cooked up hundreds of riffs for when the band is ready to begin work on the record, the follow-up to their 2023 release, 72 Seasons.

“I have 767 new ones for the next album,” Hammett tells Rolling Stone of the riffs.

“It is such a nightmare going through this stuff, too,” he added of the surfeit of riffs. “And I’m the one responsible for all of it and I can’t do it.”

Hammett’s riffs have been behind countless Metallica tracks. As he told Guitar Player in 2020, his talent for it was fueled by players like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Michael Schenker, as well as through under-the-radar selections by Judas Priest and Santana.

He still has many months to sort through his riffs and stockpile additional ideas while Metallica are on the road for 72 Seasons.

“I don’t foresee us starting the next album for at least another year because we’re still finishing the tour,” he says. “Once we fully finish this and go to all the outlying places like Asia and Australia and New Zealand, I think we’re gonna take a little bit of a break, not too much of one, and then we’re gonna get right back into it.”

In addition to Metallica’s next album, the guitarist is planning his first full-length solo album to follow-up on his 2022 debut EP, Portals.

“I’m just actively getting ideas together for my solo album,” he told Rolling Stone. “I guess the best way to describe it is it’s gonna be a fusion of all sorts of styles….

“All of a sudden I’m writing classical progressions, and all of a sudden I’m writing more heavy stuff and all of a sudden I’m writing like a funk thing….

“There will be vocals because the songs that I wrote scream for vocals this time around.”

Hammett says it’s too early to know who will do the honor of singing the material. But he does have an instrumental piece in the lineup that “sounds like it’s 2000 years old called ‘The Mysterion.’ It’s based on all this stuff that I’ve been reading, the ancient Greek texts, and it’s amazing to me because I wouldn’t have had this instrumental if I didn’t start reading these ancient texts.”

Hammett also pondered the possibility Metallica might revisit its controversial late 1990s Load and Re-Load albums again.

“Who knows? We might just say, ‘Okay, let’s go back to the ’90s again,” he suggest. “It’s not a bad idea!”

He says that while those albums were not well-received by fans back in the day, some of their audience seem to have come around to the records.

“When Load and Reload came out, there was a lot of backlash,” he says. “But nowadays I run into fans and they love that era. We play ‘Fuel’ and people go nuts. We play ‘Until It Sleeps’ and people know every word.

“It’s kind of like how when I was a teenager, I listened to all the Zeppelin albums except Zeppelin III because it was more acoustic and I just wanted the high-energy aggressive stuff. But over time I really came to embrace Zeppelin III and how wonderful it is.”

However Hammett is storing his new song ideas, one hopes he keeps a better hold on it than he did in 2014, when he lost his phone containing his riff ideas while at Copenhagen Airport. Metallica were working on their album Hardwired…to Self-Destruct at the time. The loss meant the guitarist had nothing to contribute to that record.

"I put riffs on my iPhone, but something very unfortunate happened to me about six months ago,” the electric guitar player told The Jasta Show in 2018. “I lost my iPhone [containing] 250 musical ideas. And I was crushed. It didn't get backed up.

“To try to remember those riffs? I can only remember, like, eight of 'em.”

In related news, Hammett and Gibson Publishing announced the guitarist’s new book last week. Titled The Collection: Kirk Hammett, the 400-page book spotlights some 65 guitars from the Metallica axeman's stash, including his famous “Greeny” Gibson Les Paul Standard, formerly owned by Peter Green and Gary Moore, and his 1979 Gibson Flying V.

So will Gibson Publishing's The Collection: Kirk Hammett come with a warning — or at least a towel to mop up the drool that will likely be prompted by the pictures?

"Maybe a trough," the Metallica guitarist suggests with a laugh.

The Collection: Kirk Hammett has just been released via Gibson.com and Gibson Garage locations. The 400-page book, featuring photos by Ross Halfin, is a spin-off of Hammett's The Collection episode last fall on Gibson TV and spotlights some 65 guitars from the Metallica axeman's stash.

It's offered in three formats that should please the range of Hammett's fans. The top offering is a Custom Edition of 300 copies with a lenticular cover and a portrait of the guitarist signed by him and Halfin. It comes with case candy that includes an Axe Heaven miniature replica of Hammett’s 1979 Gibson Flying V with case and stand, an exclusive pick tin with six Dunlop Kirk Hammett signature Jazz III guitar picks, and a Gibson Publishing Certificate of Authenticity. It's all contained in a presentation box that bears an illustration of the guitarist catching a wave.

There’s also a Deluxe Edition of 1,500 in slipcase packaging, signed by Hammett and including a poster; as well as the Standard Edition premium coffee table book.

In addition to photos of Hammett's guitars, The Collection: Kirk Hammett includes photos of the guitarist shot by Halfin on location in Hawaii and Los Angeles as well as rare images from Halfin’s photo archives, new interviews with Hammett by Gibson editor-in-chief Chris Vinnicombe and Gibson director of brand experience .Mark Agnesi.

"I always wanted to do a book about my guitar collection," Hammett, on break from Metallica's M72 World Tour, tells Guitar Player via Zoom from his home in Hawaii. The Collection follows It's Alive!: Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Movie Posters, a 2017 book that documented Hammett's collection of those items. It's also Gibson’s second guitar tome, following The Collection: Slash in 2023.

"Once the [movie poster] book came out, it opened up so many opportunities for me, for my collection," Hammett says. "I was able to showcase my movie poster collection in top-notch museums, as an art collection — that was directly the outcome of putting out a book.

“So I realized, wow, putting out a book has amazing benefits and returns. I have no idea what that might be for the guitar collection, but I'm just hoping that it gets to people who really just love and enjoy looking at these guitars like I do, and maybe somehow, some way, it might inspire people to start up their own collection."

And before you raise your eyebrows about that — "I do have resources," Hammett acknowledges, including scouts who find guitars for him — he's adamant that you don't need to have his kind of money to join the collector’s ranks.

"There are so many guitars out there that still are hanging out — in closets, underneath beds, in attics, in storage places — that need to come to light," contends Hammett, who began collecting guitars and amplifiers in earnest during the mid ’80s.

"If you think about how many guitars were produced in the years of 1952 to now, if you just reason that maybe half of those guitars have survived, that's still an overwhelmingly large number of guitars. It's got to be in the millions. There are so many guitars just lying around in corners that have value and worth.

“So I’m hoping this book can wake up and inspire people to go into zones that they never really explore and take a walkabout and see if there's any old guitar out there. If you're diligent enough, and savvy and smart and know how to make a deal, you can track down some really amazing instruments out there."

Included in The Collection book are many of Hammett's likely suspects, such as Greeny, the 1959 Les Paul Standard previously owned by Peter Green and Gary Moore, and the 1957 Korina Flying V prototype, which Hammett estimates is only the second or third ever made. There's also the 1979 Flying V that Hammett played in Exodus and used for the solos on Metallica's first few albums.

But the book allows him to dig deeper into the collection than the Gibson TV episode did. It includes, of course, his ESP models adorned with images of his horror collection as well as three Gibson SGs with noteworthy pedigrees.

"I came to SGs pretty late in the game," Hammett says. "It wasn't til probably Load/Reload that I started playing SGs, and it's 'cause [producer] Bob Rock put one in my hand: a '61 SG with P.A.F. pickups. And, man, what a sound it had!

“From that point on I've always been waiting for great SGs. There's a lot of SGs out there, but I just wanted to wait for one that was a cut above."

He gravitated toward the SG Customs with three pickups. One he found, from 1961, was previously owned by the Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante and played on the group's hit "Otherside" and in its "Fortune Faded" video.

But the real gem was another '61, a twin-pickup Les Paul SG custom that, it turned out, was owned by Les himself.

"It's a rare color, 'cause you usually see them in red, right?" Hammett recalls. "So I picked up this white SG and I plugged it in, and I couldn't believe how great it sounded, how great it played. I was like, 'Whoa! There's something about this SG.'"

Hammett subsequently took a photo of the electric guitar and sent it to his contacts at Gibson.

"I said, 'Guys, this SG is special. It's a cut above your standard SG.' The text back was, 'You need to send us more pictures. Send us a picture of the serial number and of the neck and of the pickups.'

“I was like, 'Okay, what's the big deal?'"

It turned out the guitar was indeed Paul's and featured in publicity photos as well as on the covers of Warm and Wonderful and Swingin' South, with his wife Mary Ford, and 1968's Les Paul Now!

"It was a match, and that was so cool," Hammett says. "The guy I got it from had no idea, either. I'm sure if he would've known the price would've been three times what I paid for it."

Hammett adds that he has "not really bought a guitar in a long time. I do trades, bro," which he acknowledges is its own weird kind of science. "I always trade up," he explains, "but in the process of trading up, sometimes you have some remorse: 'I got this really great guitar, it's Les Paul's SG, but, man, I wish I didn't have to part with that Ice Mist Stratocaster from 1963. That was a pretty weird guitar, too.'

“But I had to part with that. I'd rather have the SG than that Ice Mist Strat...

He laughs.

“But I still wish I had it!"

Hammett considers himself "a dynamic collector" and "not a hoarder," which makes it difficult to determine the size of his collection at any time. "My collection ebbs and flows," he explains. "It breathes. It doesn't remain static. Things come in, things go out, things change. And I like that. A collection should do that. Collections, I feel, should serve the creator." And, he adds, the guitars he chooses are made to be used rather than possessed.

"I do play all the guitars that I have," Hammett says. "The guitars you collect for their collectability and visual appeal I get bored with right away, 'cause they don't feel like instruments. I don't believe in turning a guitar into a piece of sculpture; I believe guitars should be played, and I'm actively purging my collection to get rid of guitars that I don't play because I believe they would be better off in someone's hands who'll actually play them. But I want to interact with my guitar, with my collection.

"I believe that certain guitars have music in them. Certain guitars have riffs in them — that's also kind of a standard bearer on whether or not I want to hang on to a guitar, 'Does this guitar have riffs in it?' I'll play it for 15 minutes, and if I’m reaching for the tape recorder the answer is 'yes.' Sometimes I'll play a guitar and it doesn't feel like it has any riffs in it; it's still fun to play, but..."

Hammett is already planning for a second volume of The Collection that would possibly include some of his vintage amplifiers as well.

Until then, he's preparing for the resumption of Metallica's tour on April 12 at the Sick New World Festival in Los Vegas, with U.S. dates booked into late June. The group is also planning to make another movie, although Hammett "can't really expound on that too much." In the meantime, he's spent part of the band's break writing music for whenever the studio next beckons.

"Before we start touring I always have a big, long check list of things to do, musically, and say, 'How much of this can I get done before we actually start rehearsing?'" Hammett says. "It keeps me busy, and I love staying busy...'cause I'm engaged with the music, and music is truly magic. Every day I feel like an empty vessel and I sit down with my guitar and stuff comes out and I don't even think about it. The music just flows.

“If I open myself up to these amazing creative forces that are out there — they're unseen, but they're in the room with me — the music will flow. Much of 72 Seasons, the writing for that album, and also on my Portals solo EP came just like that. It's bonkers, bro."

To explore and order The Collection: Kirk Hammett, visit Gibson Publishing.

It’s safe to assume guitar players with legendary levels of stock can play any guitars they want. And yet, as they made their names as trailblazing players, Prince, Robert Fripp and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett all did so with off-brand copies of Gibson and Fender classics.

Prince’s Hohner-made Mad Cat Tele copy is certainly the most famous of the bunch, sitting proudly in the extravagant guitarist’s vast collection of personality-matching instruments.

From his array of Cloud guitars to his Vox-HDC-77, Prince owned and played many six-strings that have caught guitarists' eye, but few rarely got used as much as his knockoff Tele.

The guitar most notably featured during hisRock and Roll Hall of Fame performance in 2004, where he showed why Rolling Stone should have put him on its list of 100 Greatest Guitar Players Of All Time the year before.

The Mad Cat deviated from the typical Telecaster template in many ways. It sported an ash body with a flamed maple top, and a walnut strip in the middle, a hardtail bridge more often seen on a Stratocaster and a leopard-print pickguard.

Hohner made just over 500 Mad Cats during the '70s. Prince allegedly acquired one late in that decade from a gas station for a measly $30.

He eventually made many modifications to it, installing Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups and later replacing them with Kinman Traditional pickups. A wireless receiver was built into the body of the guitar for the Purple Rain tour, a mod that his Purple Sadowsky Tele also received at the same time.

And then there's Robert Fripp, who opted for Japan-built Tokai and Fernandes copies of Les Paul. He's rarely seen without his Goldtop Fernandes, which sports a Seymour Duncan bridge pickup, a Roland synth pickup in the bridge position, and a Fernandes Sustainer at the neck, alongside a whammy-friendly tremolo system. All of it points to why Gibson’s recipe wasn’t satisfying his needs.

Like his former King Crimson bandmate Adrian Belew, Fripp eventually made guitar synths a key part of his sound, a trend that continues through to his Tokai LP-type, which boasts a similar set up, with the Roland GR-1 synth system.

“Why? Because it does two or three things that nothing else does,” he tells Guitar World. “The GR-1 has a fretless bass sound that is breathtaking, which I would use to have fun with Tony Levin. Tony would be doing some upright slides, I might slip in some fretless. Tony would look up wondering where the bass sound was coming from.

“It’s also stunning in terms of low-end for soundscapes, and it also has a piano sound, which I haven’t really used since 2003, but which was astonishing. I used it a lot in all the ProjeKcts.”

It does perhaps seem a little unfair to include Kirk Hammett in this trio of big brand dodgers considering his recent work with Gibson and the fact he is the current owner of Pete Green’s iconic “Greeny” Les Paul. However, before he had oodles of cash to throw at vintage gear, he’d shaped Metallica’s sound on a Fernandes FST-13 Stratocaster copy.

His FST-13, nicknamed Edna, was most notable during the band’s Ride the Lightning days, just a year after their bumpy start to touring life. The same guitar later appeared on the cover of Metallica’s $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited.

Hammett may have made the jump to Gibson since, but he helped put Fernandes — which sadly filed for bankruptcy last year — on the radar of metal guitar players across the world in the early ‘80s.

Metallica are arguably the biggest metal act in the world. With the electric guitar duo of Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield at the forefront of their sound, the thrash metal group forged the essential elements of the genre and became its most important champions.

But they had a lot of early struggles according to the group that introduced them to audiences on their first tour. The San Francisco metallers made their first U.S. road trip in 1983 as the opening act for the British group Raven. And apparently their sound and appearance led many in the audience to ask, “What the hell is this?”

Raven was formed in Newcastle, England in 1974 by brothers Mark and John Gallagher and quickly became a force within the growing New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene. After playing shows with Ozzy Osbourne, Motörhead and Iron Maiden in the early 1980s, Raven embarked on their first U.S. headlining shows in support of their third album, All for One.

“We came out to do our first tour of the States, and our management was the same as Metallica’s,” guitarist Mark Gallagher remembers. “They were just starting out, and [Megaforce Records founder] Jonny Z, who was our manager at the time, said, ‘I’ve got the biggest band on the West Coast from San Francisco. They’re gonna open for you.’

"We were like, ‘Really? Who’s that?’”

John Gallagher, Raven's bass guitar player says they couldn’t believe their luck.

“When you thought of the big bands in San Francisco, it’s a long list. I mean… there was Y&T and even Journey."

Instead, they were told they were going out with Metallica.

"We were like, ‘Who?’”

Management sent over a cassette of Metallica's debut, Kill ‘Em All, which had been released that July and would pave the way for a thrash metal movement. Recalls John, “I put it in, played it, and I’m going, ‘Does this sound like it’s at the right speed?’ It kind of sounded like if you put a Motörhead album on at 78 rpm."

“We kind of dug it,” Mark adds. “We thought it was like a more refined Motörhead, like, real kick ass."

Unfortunately, audiences didn't share their enthusiasm. "When we went out and played the shows, a lot of places didn’t like Metallica," Mark explains. "They were like, ‘What the hell is this?’

Adding to the unusual experience, Raven found themselves playing venues in some of the country's far-flung places.

“Other than the major markets, we played some nutty places on that tour, like Bald Knob, Arkansas, and some really weird gigs,” Mark says. “The whole thing was quite an experience.”

Debut tours are vital acid tests in the rise and fall of bands vying to be their generation’s next superstars. They can help launch a band to success and teach valuable lessons, like Alex Lifeson’s eye-opening experience opening for Rory Gallagher in 1974.

It all apparently paid off for Metallica. Despite their frosty reception, they would go from strength to strength and become one of the biggest bands in the world. The group is among the many acts who will be featured in Black Sabbath’s all-star final show in Birmingham this summer.

In addition, Metallica's former lead guitarist, Dave Mustaine, would find fame with Megadeth and battle it out with Metallica to lead the thrash metal pack. However, two of the band’s former guitarists, Marty Friedman and Chris Poland, have downplayed the rivalry between the bands and now say they learned a lot from Metallica’s success.

Guitar World’s full interview with Raven is due to be published on its website soon.

Every year we scour the web guitar stores to find you the best Cyber Weekend Guitar deals. And every year, there's always one that blows our minds.

This year, the award for Maddest – and, to be fair, possibly BEST – Cyber Monday Deal goes to Sweetwater who are offering this Gibson Custom Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V at a $6000 discount, knocking it down from its original price tag of $14,999 to a – cough! – much more affordable $8,999.

Dunno about you, but I might get two.

To be fair, if you've got the money and you're in the market for replica of the guitar that built trash metal, then it's an amazing deal. Gibson Custom Shop have perfectly replicated Hammett's ‘79 Flying V. Just like the original, this new version features a mahogany body, a three-piece mahogany “V” neck, a beautiful rosewood fingerboard, and a late ’70s Tune-o-matic bridge – and every scrape, scratch, dent, and mod has been included. It also comes with an SKB Flying V case just like Kirk’s original, and a bunch of Hammett/Metallica-themed collectibles.

For context, at $8,999, the Kirk Hammett Flying V is now $1,000 cheaper than the Gibson Custom 1958 Korina Flying V at $9,999! It's actually cheaper than other Custom Shop Gibsons AND it's limited to just 200 worldwide.

Sweetwater aren't mad – YOU'RE mad for not buying it.

Shop more epic Black Friday deals

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• Sweetwater: Save up to 80% on gear
• Waves: Plugins just $19.99

Kirk Hammett isn’t just the lead guitarist for the world’s biggest metal band. The long-running Metallica member is also the owner of some extremely rare and coveted Gibson guitars, including a 1957 Korina Flying V prototype and the 1959 Les Paul Standard known as Greeny, once owned by Peter Green and Gary Moore.

In a newly released video from Gibson TV, Hammett talks about 17 of his favorite vintage electric guitars. In addition to the two models mentioned above, he presents a 1952 Les Paul goldtop, 1960 Les Paul TV Special, 1956 Les Paul Custom, 1958 Les Paul Standard, 1958 Les Paul Custom, his “Sunny” 1960 Les Paul Standard, a 1963 Korina Explorer, vintage ES models and more.

To top it off, Hammett discusses his lifetime love of guitars in the roughly 90-minute documentary, from his first discovery of the instrument to his thrill of collecting them.

As he reveals in the film, he first became aware of the guitar’s power through the Beatles’ “Drive My Car,” when he was about five.

“I remember, I was playing with my cousin,” he explains. “At one point he jumped on top of a table and started playing air guitar to ‘Drive My Car.’ And I remember looking at him and laughing, thinking, Wow, you look so cool! And I I jumped up on the table and joined him!”

Kirk also explains his attitude about collecting vintage and rare models and stresses the importance of not getting too precious about a guitar’s condition.

“I’ve come to realize you could be screwing yourself if you pass on something just because the condition's not right,” he says. “If it's rare, it's rare.”

He is especially fond of player guitars and understands they are usually the most beat-up among vintage collectibles. He refers to Greeny as an example.

“Greenie is the ultimate player guitar,” he enthuses. “Two headstock repairs, two knobs are switched out… the pickup selector top is always coming off. There's so many nicks, so many dents. The finish is almost completely worn off. I can sweat, bleed, snot all over that guitar, and the value's never going to diminish.”

Once an ESP player, Hammett joined the Gibson family in 2021. The Gibson Custom Shop honored him in 2023 with the Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V, a re-creation of the guitarist’s first-ever Gibson axe. Hammett also made news in March 2023 when he purchased an ultra-rare black 1959 Les Paul Standard, which had been custom-ordered by a jazz guitarist to match his tuxedo.

The video is a prelude to the forthcoming book The Collection: Kirk Hammett, a deluxe coffee table book in hardcover featuring the stories behind Kirk’s rare and highly collectible instruments used in the studio and onstage. The Collection: Kirk Hammett will be out November 29. It is the second book release from Gibson Publishing. The first was last year’s The Collection: Slash. Visit Gibson.com for more information and updates.

You can explore the Kirk Hammett Collection at Gibson and Epiphone.

The thorny subject of the greatest guitar solo of all time has long been a fiercely contested debate, probably because every solo is different. How do you compare, say, “Comfortably Numb” with “Crazy Train,” or “Stairway to Heaven” with “Sultans of Swing”? It’s impossible. Still, public opinion ebbs and flows, and we wanted to find out which solos currently rank among our readers as the greatest of them all.

So we ran a poll on GuitarPlayer.com to find out and here we present the results. We’ll take a look at the stories behind the songs and find out just what made those lead guitar breaks so great through conversations with Brian May, Kirk Hammett, Michael Schenker and others.

20. Gary Moore | “Still Got the Blues”

GUITARIST: GARY MOORE (1990)

The definitive blues guitar ballad.

Presented as the title track from his 1990 album, this wistful tune in A minor became Gary Moore’s calling card fairly late in his career, when he reinvented himself as a blues artist. There’s a point in the solo where you can hear the Belfast great switch from the neck humbucker to the bridge on the 1959 Les Paul Standard he nicknamed Stripe and start deviating from its main theme, mainly sticking within the A minor pentatonic scale, with a few notes from the Aeolian and harmonic minor scales.

Moore was plugged into his prototype Marshall JTM-45 reissue head with one of the company’s newly designed Guv’nor distortion pedals out in front. More than 30 years later, this remains one of the most raw and expressive blues tracks, with Moore almost fighting his guitar at points, yet never failing to deliver the goods

19. Metallica | “Fade To Black”

GUITARIST: Kirk Hammett (1984)

Metallica’s first ballad features some of Kirk’s most epic playing.

Recorded at Flemming Rasmussen’s Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen in February and March 1984, Ride the Lightning, Metallica’s sophomore album, was more progressive and stylistically greater in scope than the all-out thrash assault of their debut, Kill ’Em All. That change is evident on “Fade to Black,” which features acoustic guitars and a nonstandard structure more akin to the “Stairway to Heaven” school of songcraft. But it is the song’s timeless melodic solo that most vividly signals a stylistic shift in guitarist Kirk Hammett’s playing. And the signature element he employs for the last solo is arpeggios.

“I have been playing that song for so long now,” Kirk tells our sister publication Total Guitar. “For the very last solo, I know how I want to start it, but then I am in an area where I can improvise for 16, 18 or 24 bars, and then [drummer] Lars [Ulrich] will hit a certain fill, which means that it’s up and it’s time for the arpeggio part. And then I just slide right into those arpeggios.” And they are arpeggios played on two strings, Hammett specifies. “When guitar players first started incorporating arpeggios into their playing, before the whole Yngwie sweep-picking thing, arpeggios were played on two strings – not three or four strings,” he explains. “And that was what the vogue was at the time in the 1980s, so I have been playing those for a long time. I use my middle finger just to anchor my position on the neck.”

That’s a great tip from the man who plays the solos. But how should you tackle them yourself? First, there are two essential scales you’ll need to know: the B natural minor scale and the B Phrygian mode, both shown below. These cover you for the entire opening 30 bars, which, let’s face it, is a lot of music, so this is a good reason to learn a couple of shapes if ever there was one.

To make it simpler, most of your time is spent in the natural minor scale. Not until around bar 20 will you find yourself briefly landing on the C note, which appears in the Phrygian mode. The bottom line is that Hammett improvises this part of the solo live – and these are the shapes he uses.

Up next are those two-string arpeggio shapes, and they’re 16th notes – all of them! At 142 bpm, it’s pretty fast, but Hammett doesn’t pick every note, opting to use pull-offs to make those rapid licks easier. It’s definitely something to experiment with and if you’re still struggling, you could try adding in an occasional hammer‑on, too.

18. Steely Dan | “Kid Charlemagne”

GUITARIST: Larry Carlton (1976)

Messin’ with the “Kid.”

Steely Dan’s catalog is filled with remarkable guitar solos, but Larry Carlton’s brilliant work on The Royal Scam’s “Kid Charlemagne” remains the most celebrated. Carlton strings together a series of tasty phrases that follow the underlying chord changes with a blend of inside and outside playing that is technically mind bending and emotionally satisfying.

“I was pretty familiar with the tune, so I just improvised,” he tells Guitar Player. “People think I’m kidding when I say that, like I had worked the solo out beforehand, but I didn’t. It was straight improv, and it worked.” Very well, in fact. Perhaps more has been written about his solo than of the song itself.

Despite the acclaim, Carlton was, and remains, nonplussed. “When the record came out, there was a wonderful review of the tune in Billboard and they raved about the solo,” he says. “I put the record on and listened to it with my wife, and at the end of it I said, ‘I don’t know. It just sounds like me.’”

17. Cream | “Crossroads”

GUITARIST: Eric Clapton (1968)

The finest rock and roll cover of an acoustic blues song.

It started as a blues tune called “Cross Road Blues” by Robert Johnson and became one of the finest examples of natural ability, soulfulness and showmanship from a virtuosic 22-year-old guitarist named Eric Clapton. His reimagining of the song as “Crossroads” further cemented a legacy that by then had earned him the nickname God.

Famously recorded at San Francisco’s Fillmore West venue for supergroup Cream’s Wheels of Fire album, Clapton’s arrangement retains the soul and spirit of Johnson’s original but updates it for a contemporary audience raring to cut loose and be entertained by dazzlingly quick, passionate musicianship.

Remarkably, Clapton is no fan of the performance: He complains that the band lost the “one” in the first verse of his second solo break, thereby throwing off his phrasing. That’s perfectionism for you. For everyone else, this four-minute track remains a source of fascination more than 50 years on.

16. Eric Johnson | “Cliffs Of Dover”

GUITARIST: Eric Johnson (1990)

Heavenly tones from the Texan great.

This instrumental won Eric Johnson a Grammy for its exquisitely tasteful guitar playing and jaw-dropping tones. For the recordings, the Texan musician mainly stuck with his early ’60s ES-335, though he chose to use his 1964 “Virginia” Strat for the opening lead and parts of the main solo. The guitars were fed into a 100-watt Marshall Super Lead, with an Echoplex and BK Butler Tube Driver to help achieve those smooth, violin-like tones and warm sustain.

“I first heard him in 1986 on Live at Austin City Limits,” Joe Bonamassa told us in 2015. “It was ‘Cliffs of Dover,’ and it was just terrifyingly good guitar playing. I wasn’t even sure if it was real! Then I saw him live, and his tones were the best I’d ever heard. I wondered how this guy was getting all of these sounds out of his Strat. I’d never seen anybody have such a forward-thinking rig like that.”

15. Prince | “Purple Rain”

GUITARIST: Prince (1984)

The Purple One’s defining guitar moment.

The epic outro to “Purple Rain” – which takes up nearly two thirds of the song itself – stands out as some of Prince’s finest work on the six-string, wailing away in G minor pentatonic and occasionally including some more modal notes, like the minor 6th. There’s also that repeating motif that dances around the 2nd and minor 3rd intervals.

It’s simple and effective, setting things up for the vocal melody that comes in toward the end. It’s not a busy solo by any means. Rather, the Purple One chose to leave a lot of space in between the lines he played and focus on big hooks instead of monster licks.

Prince would extend the solo for up to 15 minutes in live performance. While there are many great live renditions of this track, his half-time performance for 2007’s Super Bowl in Miami is the stuff of legend. Shredding alone onstage in the middle of a storm, Prince seemed to be living the moment for which this song was written.

14. Deep Purple | “Highway Star”

GUITARIST: Ritchie Blackmore (1972)

Race with devil on English highway.

“I wrote that out note for note about a week before we recorded it,” Ritchie Blackmore said of his remarkable and most definitely memorable solo to “Highway Star.” “And that is one of the only times I have ever done that. I wanted it to sound like someone driving in a fast car, for it to be one of those songs you would listen to while speeding. And I wanted a very definite Bach sound, which is why I wrote it out – and why I played those very rigid arpeggios across that very familiar Bach progression – D minor, G minor, C major, A major. I believe that I was the first person to do that so obviously on the guitar, and I believe that that’s why it stood out and why people have enjoyed it so much.

“Over the years, I’ve always played that solo note for note, but it just got faster and faster onstage because we would drink more and more whisky. [Keyboardist] Jon [Lord] would have to play his already difficult part faster and faster, and he would get very annoyed about it.”

13. Guns N’ Roses | “Sweet Child O’ Mine”

GUITARIST: Slash (1988)

A game of two halves.

Slash’s solo on this Guns N’ Roses breakthrough single is rock guitar at its finest. The first half is laid-back and modal, built around the Eb minor scale with a few major 7ths thrown in for a harmonic-minor flavor. The second half is much more aggressive and bluesy, and sticks mainly to position one of the pentatonic scale an octave up the neck in the same key. The bends feel that much wider and the vibrato more pronounced.

Slash plays the first section on the neck pickup for thickness and warmth before switching over to the bridge for more bite, with his Cry Baby engaged. Perhaps most impressive is his off-the-cuff sense of feel and how he strings it all together, which is the mark of any great guitar solo. Remarkably, although Slash’s riff was responsible for the song’s creation, he wasn’t fond of the song originally. “We were a pretty hard driving band, and that was sort of an uptempo ballady type of a thing,” he said. “So it’s grown on me over the years.”

12. Ozzy Osbourne | “Crazy Train”

GUITARIST: Randy Rhoads (1980)

Fretboard fireworks galore on Ozzy’s Blizzard of Ozz comeback.

The Double-O has often cited Randy Rhoads as the man who saved his career – and when you hear the solo on “Crazy Train,” you understand why. Although Rhoads’ classical- and modal-based approach was far from Tony Iommi’s blues leanings, he was, like Ozzy’s old bandmate, a true inventor.

There’s a section toward the end of this solo that actually sounds like a train squealing off the tracks, thanks to the use of a chromatically ascending trill that then descends in key. Rhoads concludes the solo with a fast-picked F# minor pentatonic phrase before a rapid Aeolian legato run ending with a big bend on the 19th fret.

The shredder performed the solo with his customized Jackson guitar through a Marshall and a couple of 4x12s while sitting in the control room. “We’d plug the guitar directly into the console,” recalls Blizzard of Ozz engineer Max Norman. “We’d preamp it in the console and send it down to the amp from there. That way we could control the amount of gain that hit the amp.”

11. Michael Jackson | “Beat It”

GUITARIST: Eddie Van Halen (1982)

Breathtaking results from an unlikely pairing.

Asked to contribute guitar to Michael Jackson’s Thriller album, Pete Townshend declined but offered a suggestion: How about Eddie Van Halen? Jackson and producer Quincy Jones thought that was a great idea, and got Ed onboard to play the solo to “Beat It.” But after hearing the part where he was asked to solo, the guitarist was unhappy with the chord changes and had the engineer edit the tape to create a new pattern that better suited what he had in mind.

Ed knew Jackson might be surprised and possibly unhappy with his executive decision. “So I warned him before he listened,” he told CNN in 2012. “I said, ‘Look, I changed the middle section of your song.’ Now in my mind, he’s either going to have his bodyguards kick me out for butchering his song, or he’s going to like it. And so he gave it a listen, and he turned to me and went, ‘Wow, thank you so much for having the passion to not just come in and blaze a solo but to actually care about the song and make it better.’” And he did it for free.

10. The Beatles | “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”

GUITARIST: Eric Clapton (1968)

An uncredited Slowhand makes a rare guest appearance with the Fab Four.

By 1968, George Harrison was penning compositions that rivaled those of his bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was every bit as good as anything his musical partners wrote, but no one could get up the enthusiasm for it, so Harrison invited his pal Eric Clapton to play on the session, knowing it would put the Beatles on good behavior.

Using Harrison’s 1957 “Lucy” Gibson Les Paul through a Fender Deluxe amp, Clapton doesn’t so much mimic the haunting, aching main melody as he creates a harrowing song within a song. His descending bends and release notes, and that inimitable vibrato, are on full display and are appropriately tear-jerking, weaving a dramatic narrative that builds to a shattering climax.

9. Chicago | “25 OR 6 TO 4”

GUITARIST: Terry Kath (1969)

Wah-drenched ecstasy.

This magazine once described Terry Kath’s “25 or 6 to 4” solo as “Wes Montgomery meets Jimi Hendrix,” and it’s a fair point, as Kath was influenced first by jazz and, later, hard rock. As a founding member of the jazz-rock band Chicago, he held down guitar duties for the group until his tragic death from an accidentally self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1978.

Though his superb playing graced many tracks – notably “Introduction” and “Free Form Guitar,” both from the group’s 1969 debut, The Chicago Transit Authority – there’s no denying the power of his soloing on the group’s early hit “25 or 6 to 4.” Kath uses his wah generously to add emotion to his lines, giving them at times a frenetic despair.

Kath most likely played his Gibson SG Standard, as pictured on Chicago Transit Authority’s inner sleeve, using his favored string set, as revealed to GP: the high E string from a tenor set and a standard set for the rest, moved down one string (i.e. high E for the B string, B for the G string, and so on).

8. Lynyrd Skynyrd | “Free Bird”

GUITARIST: Allen Collins (1974)

The Bird is the word.

As it happens, the four-minute-and-24- second guitar solo that closes “Free Bird” was originally added to give singer Ronnie Van Zant a chance to rest his vocal cords during Lynyrd Skynyrd’s relentless performance schedule. At 143 bars long, the solo is far and away the most epic offering here (in fact, it’s 286 bars of recorded music because the whole thing is doubled).

The tune appeared on the group’s eponymous debut album in 1973, and guitarist Allen Collins delivered the lot on his 1964 Gibson Explorer. As Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Gary Rossington once told Guitar World, “The whole long jam was Allen Collins himself. He was bad. He was super bad! He was bad-to-the-bone bad. When we put the solo together, we liked the sound of the two guitars, and I could’ve gone out and played it with him. But the way he was doin’ it, he was just so hot! He just did it once and did it again, and it was done.”

7. Dire Straits | “Sultans Of Swing”

GUITARIST: Mark Knopfler

An understated guitar hero fingerpicks his way to glory.

Right when the world was crowning Eddie Van Halen the new King of Guitar, along came the rather unassuming Mark Knopfler – schooled in rockabilly, blues and jazz – who demonstrated that you didn’t need walls of distortion to turn heads.

Knopfler composed this pub-rock classic on a National steel guitar but thought it sounded “dull” – that is, until he picked up a Stratocaster, at which point the song “came alive.” Using nary a hint of grit on a Fender Twin, he fingerpicks not one but two standout solos.

The first features a lyrical section of elegant, Chet Atkins-style single-note and chordal bends that sigh and swoon with dreamy romanticism. In itself, that would be enough, but the outro solo is the real attention-grabber, on which Knopfler builds to a dazzling set of spitfire 16th-note arpeggios – cleanly played, precise and rousing every time you hear it.

6. The Jimi Hendrix Experience | “All Along The Watchtower”

GUITARIST: Jimi Hendrix (1968)

The greatest solo in a cover version.

This song tops any list of covers that are better than the original. Guitarists invariably refer to it as a Hendrix cover rather than a Bob Dylan original, proof of how much Hendrix made it his own. Jimi’s rhythm playing is astounding, both in the intro and in the deft chord/ melody work of the verses, and of course, there’s the small matter of four guitar solos to consider. The man many refer to as the best of all time makes the most of his Strat and Marshall rig here, but it’s his offering at the 2:20 mark that we’re interested in. Following an opening run of octaves, he gets into his stride with a typically blues-based minor pentatonic approach in C#.

At 2:32, the main solo explodes into a trademark combination of rhythm and lead, plus funky scratching on muted strings. It’s worth playing along with the scratches, trying to keep a loose wrist and consistent down-up strumming. Those few beats alone will teach you a lot about Jimi’s groove and feel.

To get the sound, select a bridge-position single-coil pickup, dial in delay at around 350ms, add compression for sustain and opt for a Vox wah pedal or something similar. You’ll hear the wind begin to howl.

5. Eagles | “Hotel California”

GUITARISTS: Don Felder & Joe Walsh (1977)

Those iconic twin-guitar harmony lines took the Eagles to new heights.

The title track from the Eagles’ fifth album, and without doubt the song the band will be most remembered for, “Hotel California” frequently tops greatest guitar solo polls. The solo begins at 4:20, forming an extended coda, over which guitarists Don Felder and Joe Walsh trade licks before joining together to play those iconic harmonized licks at 5:39.

As it turns out, those harmony lines work in a relatively simple fashion. Felder and Walsh play an arpeggio of every chord, and the harmony is created by one of the guitars always playing one note lower down in the chord. For example, the notes of the Bm chord are B, D and F#, so, if the higher guitar plays an F#, the lower guitar will play a D, and so on.

This nugget of information can take you a long way to mastering those descending arpeggios. We won’t go as far as to say you could easily work it out by ear, but if you know the chords to the song, it’s possible to jam along. And you can’t say that about many of the solos on this list!

4. Queen | “Bohemian Rhapsody”

GUITARIST: Brian May (1975)

It might just be the biggest rock song of all time.

Following Freddie Mercury’s 1991 death and a cameo moment in 1992’s Wayne’s World, “Bohemian Rhapsody” became a trigger point for a worldwide outpouring of affection and respect for Queen. Their renewed popularity would continue into the new millennium as Ben Elton’s We Will Rock You musical and the band’s discovery of a different way to exist behind frontman Adam Lambert brought their music to a new generation.

And “Bohemian Rhapsody”? Unsurprisingly, it’s Queen’s best-known song, and its brief nine-bar solo is a short and sweet musical interlude, bridging the verses to lead into what’s become known as the song’s “operatic section.” Those two words alone should warn you that this song shouldn’t work. There’s no chorus and, aside from two verses, no repetition. But of course it does work, and Brian May’s solo is the perfect melodic break.

His phrasing is loose and natural, moving across the backbeat rather than sticking to a rigidly timed grid. The fastest licks are expressive bursts, rather than repetitive noodling, and his articulate pre-bend and vibrato technique demonstrates his beautiful touch. Somehow, within the confines of the complex structure of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” this solo is made to order.

3. Led Zeppelin | “Stairway To Heaven”

GUITARIST: Jimmy Page (1971)

Heaven-sent soloing.

From the moment Jimmy Page plays the opening run on his ’59 Fender Telecaster, right through to the flurry of notes and the wailing bend that completes it, this is guitar-solo perfection – a masterpiece of composition. Rather than wander aimlessly, Page creates a song within a song.

The opening phrases set the scene, as he adds notes to the pentatonic scale to follow the song’s final chord progression. A rapid mid-solo repeating lick raises the bar before a game of question-and-answer with a haunting overdubbed guitar leads into that last flurry and bend. As we say, it’s all about the composition: licks that track the chord changes, the contour of the melody and the pacing of the widdly bits all take the listener on a journey.

Three takes were recorded (the other two allegedly still survive, presumably locked in a Led Zeppelin vault somewhere), all of them improvised, although Page has reportedly said that he had worked out the opening line. But while we’re all certainly curious to hear those solos, let’s face it: They’re not going to be any better than the one we’ve come to know and love all these years.

2. Van Halen | “Eruption”

GUITARIST: Eddie Van Halen (1978)

Eddie’s iconic solo that shook the world.

With its mix of fast legato hammer‑ons and pull-offs, pinched harmonics, whammy-bar dives and two-hand tapping, Eddie Van Halen’s mind-blowing instrumental guitar solo inspired a generation of guitar heroes. While the tapping gets the attention, his tone, blistering legato and creative note choices are all equally important. Amid all that virtuosity, Eddie still played with joyous rock and roll abandon.

Remarkably, Ed was never completely happy with the released recording. “I didn’t even play it right,” he told Guitar World. “There’s a mistake at the top end of it. Whenever I hear it, I always think, Man, I could’ve played it better.”

His admission aside, the track is a technical opus. The first eight bars are a bluesy affair, whose virtuoso legato licks perhaps recall the mojo of Jimmy Page’s breakdown solo in Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” It’s a theme Eddie develops over the following eight bars, taking notes from the major and minor pentatonic scales to add chromatics.

His tapping finale is probably one of the least understood solo sections in rock history. Eddie’s taps are not always on the beat, which makes for tricky timing changes as he switches from tapping the first and fourth sextuplet notes to the third and sixth notes. From start to end, “Eruption” is a masterpiece that would take most guitarists a lifetime to perfect.

1. Pink Floyd | “Comfortably Numb”

GUITARIST: David Gilmour (1979)

Gilmour’s greatness comes through in waves.

In a 1992 interview with MTV’s Ray Cokes, Gilmour was asked what he thinks of Keith Richards’ theory that songs, lyrics and guitar solos are “just out there in the air and you sort of grab them.” Gilmour agreed. “I think he’s right. They sort of appear as if they are out there in the air. But I don’t know how they get there.” But the best ones he said, just happen. “The best ones do, but often you work very hard and struggle over them.”

Gilmour's two "Comfortably Numb" solos are certainly among his best, and it’s easy to understand why our readers voted his efforts to be the number-one pick in our poll. But the real question is, which of those two solos qualifies for inclusion? Whichever way you go — and granted, most fans prefer the first solo to the second — there's certainly plenty to justify the song's position at the top.

The tone is legendary. Gilmour’s signal chain consisted of his iconic black Strat, then featuring a DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup, into a HiWatt DR103, with the essential EHX Ram’s Head Big Muff pedal. The FS-1’s fatness and the Big Muff’s smoothness leave no hint of the harsh treble that can plague Strats. With some extra help from an MXR Dyna Comp, Gilmour had so much sustain that he could hold notes as long as he wanted. As in his live rig, he combined a WEM 4x12 cab with a Yamaha rotary speaker lower in the mix, to add subtle modulation. The epic delay was added in the mix.

The first solo, in D major, uses the Strat’s neck and bridge pickups together, permitted by a custom switching arrangement. His phrasing here is the more unconventional of the two, with arpeggios and sliding passages. Gilmour’s use of the bar for vibrato – aided by its shortened tremolo arm – again distinguishes him from typical bluesers, inspiring many a fusion player in the process. He rakes into the beginning of many of the phrases, similar to Brian May, extracting all the excitement he can from every note.

By comparison, the outro solo’s licks are more standard, with phrases similar to Hendrix’s. The passages at 4:57 and 5:12 could be from “All Along the Watchtower” or “Foxey Lady,” but in this epic track few listeners would make the connection. It sounds both masterful and improvised at the same time. Gilmour has explained he created this impression by recording five or six takes and compiling the finished solo from the best bits of each. The result is stunningly well written, with a combination of repetition and development that keeps the excitement building for two minutes. The Hendrix-style blues lick returns at 5:27, longer and more intricate than before. The aggressive double-stops first appear at 5:15, and by 5:35 he has turned that idea into a motif.

For the climax, Gilmour shoots up an octave just when it seems he’s wrung every inch of expression from his maple neck. He descends back down the neck, incorporating one of his spectacular three-fret bends on the way, and finishes with another take on that double stop motif. It has all the excitement of an improvised performance, and all the structure of a careful composition.

Both solos share brilliant rhythmic awareness. Gilmour uses triplets, sextuplets, 16th and 32nd notes freely, within the same phrase. And check out the effect at 5:10 when he plays a lick in 16th notes and then immediately repeats and expands in sextuplets. A good solo can have great tone, rhythms, melody or expression, but only a work of rare brilliance features them all to this degree.

Japanese luthier Fernandes Guitars, whose instruments have been played by Kirk Hammet, The Edge, and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, has filed for bankruptcy, Guitar World reports. 

A statement posted to its website on July 13 [translated from Japanese], reads: 

“Fernandes Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as ‘Fernandes’) is currently owed a considerable amount of debt to multiple creditors, and unfortunately, it has become impossible to continue business.

“We apologize for the inconvenience caused to creditors and related parties, but in light of the total amount of debt, Fernandes plans to file for bankruptcy proceedings as soon as possible.

“Creditors and business partners who have claims or debts against Fernandes will be contacted in writing by the attorney representing them in the bankruptcy proceedings… We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patronage over the years.”

The website Tokyo Shoko Research states that, as of January 2024, the company’s debts amounted to 433.89 million yen, which is approximately $2.75m. 

The firm, which was founded in 1969, and operated as Saito Musical Instruments before its name change three years later, blamed its worsening performance on the second-hand market and intensifying competition.

Its early success came from producing copies of popular US-made guitars, with two main lines produced. Its Fernandes lines specialized in Fender-style instruments, and Burny in Gibson replicas. 

The guitars were originally produced in Japan, with some models transported to the US, where they were sold as budget alternatives to known American brands. 

Fernandes slowly built a reputation for producing quality beginner guitars that players would continue to grow with as their skills developed. 

Pressure from Fender and Gibson in the '80s, however, forced the company to change up its logos to better differentiate from the luthiers it was copying. 

Metallica’s Kirk Hammet, who acquired ‘Edna,’ a Fernandes FST-13, in the early ‘80s, was one of the biggest name players to represent the firm. The guitar featured on the cover of The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited.  

As revealed during an interview with Music Radar, The Edge's guitar tech confirmed that two Fernandes guitars, a 2009 Retro Rocket Sustain and a 2003 Native Sustain, featured as part of his touring rig at the time.  

Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong was Fernandes’ most vocal advocate. He’s owned his ‘Blue’ Fernandes Revival RST-50 Strat copy since he was 10 years old. It’s been used during almost every Green Day show. 

Fernandes has also produced signature guitars for some big names, including Brad Gillis, Dave Kushner, and another Metallic alumnus, Robert Trujillo. 

Over the last decade, Fernandes has ceased building guitars for the USA market, perhaps reacting to the aforementioned increase in competition. But despite that, its Sustainer pickup has remained a popular product outside of Japan. 

Operating similarly to an eBow by using electromagnetism to vibrate strings for increased sustain, it has the extra benefit of letting players use a pick with the system. 

That's a quirk that won over key players in the prog rock elite. King Crimson’s Robert Fripp and Steve Hackett have both played Les Paul-style Fernandes copies fitted with Sustainer pickups. 

Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien also fitted his signature Fender EOB Sustainer Strat with the pickup system.   

With the news so fresh, the future of the firm is currently unclear. For a business with a history as rich as the Japanese company's, there is always the possibility of a bailout from another, similarly-minded brand. 

Over the last five years, we’ve all seen Gibson transform into the forward-thinking, history-conscious brand it is today. Central to that change has been fellow music lover and “guitar nerd” Cesar Gueikian who joined the firm in 2018.

An accomplished guitarist, Cesar has performed and recorded with a host of notables including Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Rob Trujillo, Dave Mustaine, Richie Faulkner, Jared James Nichols, Mana and more. All in all, he is a passionate musician with a love of songwriting who really understands and appreciates the artists working in today’s guitar world.

Along with his world-class business acumen, Cesar’s passion for music has helped shape the successful Gibson we see today. In addition to playing a key role in revamping the company’s strategy, just some of his achievements include creating Gibson Media, launching Gibson TV, and securing partnerships with an impressive list of Gibson artists.

“I have had the opportunity to work closely with Cesar as we have rebuilt Gibson over the past five years,” said Chairman of Gibson Brands, Nat Zilkha. “He has established a remarkable track record at Gibson, shaping our product, our marketing, our artist relationships, and many of our important growth initiatives.

But the praise doesn’t end there; a plethora of Gibson artists has stepped forward to weigh in on the man Slash described as “one of, if not the smartest, most passionate Gibson guitar enthusiasts I've ever met.”

Tony Iommi commented on how Cesar helped reverse Gibson’s ailing status. “I can’t believe how Cesar has transformed Gibson from a brand on its way down and out to the success it is today,” said the Black Sabbath guitarist. “He went out of his way to meet with musicians and take note of what we were saying, gathering a great team around him. It’s now a company I’m proud to be associated with.”

Kirk Hammett kept it short and sweet: “I’m going to quote what a wise man once said to me: do epic shit, bro!”

Meanwhile, Cesar himself had this to say: “I am honored and humbled to take on the permanent CEO role! Gibson is a passion project for me. Our board of directors, chaired by Nat Zilkha, has been incredibly supportive over the last five years, giving me an opportunity to merge my biggest passion, which is not just music and guitars, but Gibson guitars with my business background, and I don’t take this for granted.”

Further support came from Lzzy Hale (“Cesar operates on a level of passion that is otherworldly”); Dave Mustaine (“I can’t think of a better, more passionate, intelligent person, to be at the helm of [the] Gibson empire”); Emily Wolfe (“Cesar has a knack for innovation in the gear world”); and many more artists besides.

Cesar’s colleague Mark Agnesi also sang his praises, adding, “I can’t think of a better leader to take Gibson forward into the next chapter,” as did Mat Koehler who said, "Cesar becoming Gibson's CEO means everything to my team and I, and we couldn't be more excited about the future with him at the helm.”

With more back-slapping than a warehouse full of Maestro Echoplexes, it’s fair to say the general feeling is that Gibson has been, and will continue to be, in good hands for the foreseeable future.

Congratulations, Cesar! Here’s to another five years.

Gibson has announced the next rare guitar on offer via their Certified Vintage program is a ‘Burst called 'Sunny.'

This “immaculate” 1960 Les Paul Standard was previously owned by Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett who gave the guitar its nickname on account of its tone.

“'Sunny' is special because not only is she in immaculate condition, but her tone is so present and bright,” said Hammett. “It’s like the sun cutting through clouds on an overcast day. Hence the name ‘Sunny.’ That’s the truth. The name came because she was so full and bright sounding.

Appearing on electric guitars in 1957, Gibson PAF humbuckers are generally prized for their open, articulate sound, though each pickup is unique (the bridge pickup in ‘Sunny’ measures 8.2k ohms while the neck pickup reads 7.6k).

This, along with the natural variation in wood, gives each ‘Burst a unique personality.

And with its highly figured maple top and rich Cherry Sunburst finish, this example stands out as among the most desirable of its type.

Originality is also a crucial factor when it comes to determining the value of vintage guitars and ‘Sunny’ appears with no major mods. However, like so many Les Pauls from this era the original tuning keys appear to have perished, though Gibson says the guitar has now been restored with “correct 1950s Kluson single-line/single-ring” tuners.

Such repairs are essential in order for the instrument to remain playable. As Mark Agnesi told us in a recent interview: “If you’re talking about value, what’s it really worth to you if you can’t play it?”

Fully authenticated by its maker, this 1960 Les Paul Standard, serial number 0 1490, is covered by Gibson’s new limited lifetime warranty and ships with its original case along with a modern Gibson Deluxe Protector Case.

“The reason I chose Gibson Certified Vintage for the worldwide offering is because having a mint vintage Gibson guitar can sometimes feel like having a brand-new Gibson guitar,” continues Hammett. 

“They’re made that well. And this is what’s really special; the fact Gibson recognizes this and is willing and ready to re-warranty these beautiful instruments.

 “I think this is just a great reflection of Gibson’s integrity towards the past, present, and future.”

All Gibson Certified Vintage guitars are offered via the Gibson Garage in Nashville, TN.

Select models will be available for purchase here.

'Sunny' is available now for shipping or pickup at the Gibson Garage.

Call (615)933-6000 for more information.

Following up the recent news of another Greeny Les Paul replica, Gibson has announced the latest creation in their ongoing collaboration with Metallica’s Kirk Hammett.

The Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V – a recreation of the guitarist’s first-ever Gibson axe – is now available worldwide via Premium Gibson dealers and Gibson.com.

Priced $14,999, the Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V joins the ranks of the highly collectible Custom Shop artist models – many of which have appreciated in value over the years.

Check out this 2010 limited-edition Gibson Custom Shop aged/signed Kirk Hammett Flying V replica listed at $16,500, for example.

Limited to just 200 instruments worldwide, Gibson’s latest batch of Kirk Hammett guitars was crafted in Nashville, Tennesse at the Custom Shop and expertly aged by the Murphy Lab. Each comes with a Certificate of Authenticity photo signed by the Metallica star.

Considered one of the most important electric guitars in the history of metal, Hammett’s original 1979 Gibson Flying V appears all over Metallica’s earlier albums, including Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, …And Justice for All, and Metallica a.k.a. The Black Album.

Inspired by V-toting metal guitarists like K.K. Downing of Judas Priest and Michael Schenker of Scorpions, the young musician purchased his Flying V because, according to Gibson, he was “looking for a fuller sound.”

Featuring a single-piece mahogany body finished in Murphy Lab aged Ebony nitrocellulose lacquer, the Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V boasts a Kirk Hammett V Profile neck with an Indian Rosewood fretboard.

Hardware includes M6 Schaller tuners, a custom replica bridge and a '79 V truss rod cover, while Hammett’s “full” signature tone is provided by a pair of T-Type humbuckers. Comes with an SKB Flying V case.

Visit Gibson for more information.

Carter Vintage Guitars recently had an example of the holy grail of vintage electric guitars, the 1959 Les Paul Standard, come through its doors. And this wasn't just any regular '59 Les Paul, either.

This particular '59 sported a Factory Black finish and a Bigsby, to boot.

The shop didn't have the guitar for very long, though, before none other than Metallica's Kirk Hammett – already the owner of "Greeny," the legendary Peter Green- and Gary Moore-owned '59 Les Paul that possesses a unique, "out-of-phase" tone – snapped it up.

"This is one unique, amazing sounding guitar," Hammett said of his latest six-string acquisition in an Instagram post. "Greeny is a little jealous!"

According to Carter, the Les Paul was custom-ordered by a jazz guitar player by the name of Joseph Arena.

Arena reportedly wanted a black guitar to match his tuxedo, but, ironically (given how much this guitar was likely just sold for) he couldn't afford the then-pricier Les Paul Custom.

Ordered through Sam Ash in Hempstead, New York, the gorgeous guitar has – Carter Vintage says – stayed with the buyer's family until now. 

Interestingly, this black '59 Les Paul has a very similar story to a black Gibson Les Paul Standard that has pride of place in Joe Bonamassa's collection.

Just like Arena, the original buyer of Bonamassa's "Black Burst" wanted the Les Paul Custom for its black finish, but couldn't afford it, and instead asked for a black Standard. 

As Bonamassa's tech, Mike Hickey, points out in his demo of the vintage beauty above, the "Black Burst" – though it's treated with care – does get taken out on the road by Bonamassa and played onstage. 

Hammett, in turn, loves to use "Greeny" at Metallica shows, once telling Total Guitar, “This guitar needs to be out there. It’s a gift to the music world and I should just keep giving that gift.” 

With that in mind, we'll be eager to see if the black '59 Les Paul Standard makes any onstage appearances during Metallica's upcoming world tour. 

For tickets and more info on the thrash titans' upcoming shows, visit metallica.com.

***The following originally appeared in the June 2011 issue of Guitar Player***

Certain guitar solos are infused with magic. They may or may or may not be technically challenging, flashy, or otherwise virtuoso, but they have that special something that sets them apart from what came before, and they typically alert guitarists everywhere that their world has forever changed. 

What’s more, those magic solos tend to inspire legions of guitarists to attempt to unlock their technical and tonal mysteries, and permeate the six-string community’s collective unconscious, re-emerging later as direct and indirect influences on individual players’ styles. Somewhat paradoxically, however, there is no consensus on which solos have achieved this iconic status.

When we began working on this story, we came up with a lengthy list of solos to include. Our first task was to set up some guidelines. We decided to limit the list to electric rock solos, along with blues and jazz-rock fusion solos that influenced rock. We also set a limit of one solo per artist.

At that point, there were still many more than 40 solos on the list, so we had to make some hard choices. To start, guitarists who were hugely influential overall, but couldn’t be tied to an ultra-influential solo – such as Tony Iommi and George Harrison – were cut. 

We then had to narrow down our selections to just one for each artist, which was difficult for someone like Eric Clapton, whose entries at that point included “Crossroads,” his cover of Freddie King’s “Hideaway” on the Blues Breakers album, and his historic wah workout on “White Room.” Once the smoke cleared, however, we had reached consensus. 

The solos are organized chronologically – including those that fall within the same year – because we thought it would be instructive to see how they relate to each other historically. 

We hope that you like we came up with and perhaps even discover an overlooked gem or two for yourself...

1. Elmore James “Dust My Broom” (1951)

Jimi Hendrix originally called himself Jimmy James and Maurice James in homage to Elmore, and every bluesman since the ‘50s – particularly slide players – owes something to the King of the Slide Guitar. 

Played in an open-D tuning (D, A, D, F#, A, D, low to high), probably on a Kay flattop or Harmony Sovereign with a D’Armond pickup, the slide hook on this tune, and the solo based on it, reappear countless times throughout blues and rock music.

2. Les Paul “How High the Moon” (1951)

The super-syncopated, slap-back soaked runs, chukka-chukka doublestops with bluesy bends, plucky cascading figures, and idiosyncratic ornamentations in Paul’s two solos helped propel this standard up the charts, and further established Paul as the most creative electric guitar player of his generation. 

It was recorded with his “old Epiphone” – a.k.a. “the Clunker” and “the Breadwinner” – with custom-wound hot pickups and other major modifications.

3. Scotty Moore “That’s Alright, Mama” (1954)

Armed with his Gibson ES-295 through a ‘52 Fender Deluxe, Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black, and their bud Elvis, had no idea what a firestorm they were about to create with this early single. 

Moore’s simple, to the- point style covered the drummer-less bases quite easily with a fat tone and swinging musicality, giving this rather hillbilly ensemble some dangerous sonic heft.

His break on “That’s Alright, Mama” inspired everyone from George Harrison to Keith Richards to Jimmy Page, as well as Danny Gatton, who never missed an opportunity to throw a Moore homage in the middle of one of his famed rockabilly rave ups. 

Moore’s barking double-stops and approximation of a tic-tac bass line on “Mama” are as hooky as it gets, making this solo one of the most important ever.

4. Eddie Cochran “Sittin’ in the Balcony” (1957)

Slinging a 1955 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body 'G'-branded guitar with a Gibson P-90 in the neck slot, Cochran, with his iconic presence and echo-drenched tones, hugely impacted early rockers – such as Lennon and McCartney, who bonded over Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock” upon meeting in 1957 – and innumerable players thereafter, particularly Brian Setzer. 

The twangy solo on Cochran’s first hit, “Sittin’ In the Balcony,” crackles with the influence of his heroes Chet Atkins, Joe Maphis, and Johnny Smith.

5. Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode” (1958)

While some people might not consider this song’s intro a “solo,” it might be the most important rock guitar part ever recorded. 

The doublestops essentially usher in the post-Elvis rock era, and the tone and balls of this iconic part would echo in the playing of George Harrison, Keith Richards, Eddie Van Halen, and Angus Young... and that's just one tenth of one percent of the players who have copped these licks. 

Listen to it again. You’ll see.

6. Hank Marvin “Apache” (1960)

A primary influence on nearly every British guitarist of a certain age, Marvin created a dreamy, echo-y sound on this #1 U.K. hit that was achieved by playing his Stratocaster – the first in England – through a Meazzi Echomatic tape delay and a Vox AC30 tube amp. 

Marvin mostly used the bridge pickup, but picked near the neck, and palmed the vibrato arm to impart his trademark twang.

7. Freddie King “Hideaway” (1960)

Freddie (a.k.a. Freddy) King cobbled “Hideaway” out of parts lifted from tunes by Hound Dog Taylor, Jimmy McCracklin, Robert Lockwood Jr., and even Henry Mancini. 

Between the breaks where he recycled bits of “The Walk” and “Peter Gunn,” King played stinging solos that he plucked on a P-90 equipped Les Paul using a plastic thumbpick and metal fingerpick. 

Eric Clapton did his own version of the tune on John Mayall’s 1966 album, Blues Breakers, and the success of “Hideaway” made it a launch pad for a number of other King instrumentals that would further his notoriety as one of the top blues guitarists of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

8. James Burton “Hello Mary Lou” (1961)

Having turned pro as a teenager on the Louisiana Hayride, Burton was a seasoned vet by the time he became the lead player in Ricky Nelson’s band, which was featured regularly on the TV show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. 

Burton was a great rock and roll player, as evidenced by his Chuck Berry-style solo on “Believe What I Say,” but he also inspired legions of pickers with his explosively twangy lead break on “Hello Mary Lou.” 

Burton’s playing on Merle Haggard’s early ‘60s hits like “Mama Tried” and “Swingin’ Doors,” inspired the late, great Roy Nichols, who said, “I learned a lot from Burton, and I copied some of his licks, but I couldn’t copy him to a ‘T’.”

9. Jeff Beck “Over Under Sideways Down” (1966)

Along with the Rolling Stones, no band inspired more hard-edged guitar-wielding maniacs than the Yardbirds. Beck’s playing on their classic garage rock anthem is, like much of his playing at this time, inspired by the groovy sounds of the sitar. 

Equal parts spacey modal madness and meth-infused pentatonic fury, it still ranks as some of Beck’s most inspired playing, and that says a lot. 

And not only was Beck’s otherworldly playing inspirational to a generation of guitarists, but his punky stage demeanor and nasty sonic streak (a ‘54 Fender Esquire into a Tone Bender fuzz and AC30), served notice to everyone that a new sheriff was in town, and he was kicking ass.

10. Albert King “Born Under a Bad Sign” (1967)

If Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix lift your licks lock, stock, and barrel, your influence has been spread very far and very wide. In fact, one can make the case that Albert King was the most influential King, just by virtue of the not-so-subtle tributes by his admirers. 

King Albert’s authoritative bends and economical phrasing are required study for anyone who wants to play blues-rock guitar. On this cut, the Velvet Bulldozer lives up to his nickname, making his Gibson Flying V moan, scream, and move mountains with sweeping bends and a stinging tone that delivers all of the nuances in his playing. 

It also proves that, even though SRV and Clapton could “do” Albert, they were never really even close. 

11. Eric Clapton “Crossroads” (1968)

This one is a giant among giants. Little did Slowhand know, after he walked off the Winterland stage in San Francisco, he had created a template setting the standard for expressive, lyrical, howling blues-rock guitar. 

Armed with a ‘64 Gibson ES-335 and a couple of non-master volume 100-watt Marshall stacks, Clapton’s first break is a textbook example of how to build a solo’s intensity, while the second manages to kick it up one more notch for maximum climax. 

Not a duff note in the bunch, impeccably phrased, and with a vibrato that’s as classy as they come, Clapton could have never played another note and he’d still be one of the most influential players ever. 

12. Jimi Hendrix “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)

One can only guess what sort of “light bulb” moment Jimi experienced when he first heard this tune from Bob Dylan’s 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Maybe it was the biblical references in the lyrics, or the great melody – or perhaps just the wide-open space for improvising afforded by the four-chord progression. 

Whatever it was, the version that appeared on Hendrix’ Electric Ladyland album gave rise to one of Jimi’s most memorable solo outings. Playing soulfully and inventively using a wah and fuzz, Hendrix reinvented “All Along the Watchtower” to such a degree that it’s sometimes easy to forget who actually wrote the tune!

13. Peter Green “Black Magic Woman” (1968)

B.B. King once said of Green, “He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats.” After establishing himself as a masterful blues stylist in John Mayall’s band, Green quickly evolved both as a player and a songwriter with Fleetwood Mac. 

On his D minor tour-de-force “Black Magic Woman,” Green pulls off an incredibly captivating melody, and his beautiful phrasing and soulful bending on a Les Paul with “magnetically out of phase” pickups was pure gold. 

Carlos Santana made the song a huge hit on Abraxas, and Green was also influential on Irish blues rocker Gary Moore, who would own – and eventually sell – Green’s famous Gibson. 

14. Robert Fripp “21st Century Schizoid Man” (1969)

Fripp’s serpentine solo on this alarmingly virtuosic track combines a supersaturated sustained tone with atypical intervallic movement, non-bluesy bends and trills, and note choices and phrasing that had more in common with Coltrane than Clapton. 

Playing a three-pickup ‘59 Les Paul Custom through a Marshall stack and probably either a Burns Buzzaround or a Colorsound Tone Bender, he recorded the seminal progressive rock solo.

15. Jimmy Page “Heartbreaker” (1969)

Selecting the most influential Page solo led to a heated debate. 

But the squawking tone of a ‘58 Les Paul into a Marshall SLP 1969 Super Lead, maniacal cluster picking, wicked hammer-ons and pull-offs, and behind-the-nut G-string bending in the first solo on “Heartbreaker” – not to mention the smoking second solo – explain why everyone from Brian May to Steve Vai to Steve Morse have hailed it as a definitive guitar solo.

16. B.B. King “The Thrill is Gone” (1969)

With a tone sweeter and thicker than molasses, B.B. King graced this song with one of his most emotive blues solos of all time. King knew what the tune called for in context of the highly produced album Completely Well (his first with strings), and it wasn’t about showboating. 

Far from it, judging by the way he grooves so succulently behind the beat. Besides being a big hit for B.B., “The Thrill is Gone” showed guitarists the power of playing slow and cool. 

In an era when Johnny Winter was introducing blues-rock shredding, B.B. King’s huge vibrato and deep soul defined what “playing from the heart” was all about. 

17. Leslie West “Mississippi Queen” (1970)

Leslie West’s massive and massively influential tone on Climbing! – which included “Mississippi Queen” – was created by playing through a Sunn Coliseum P.A. head and four 4x12 speaker cabinets. 

“The head had four microphone inputs and a master volume control, huge transformers and gigantic KT88 tubes, and the cabinets were loaded with Eminence speakers, which never hurt your ears, even with the treble all the way up,” West told GP in 2010. 

He was playing Gibson Les Paul Juniors at the time, and used a single-cutaway 1956 Jr. with a single P-90, strung with La Bella Electric Guitar strings (with a .010 banjo string for the high E and the other strings moved down one to create a light-gauge set) on the track. 

The song reached #21 on the Billboard charts, assuring that West’s signature sound was heard across the country and around the world.

18. Duane Allman “Statesboro Blues” (1971)

By 1970 Duane Allman and Dickey Betts had forged one of the most iconic guitar sounds of all time with their harmonized melodies on songs like “Revival” and “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.” 

But as far as slide players went, few at the time got more acclaim than Duane himself, after the 1971 release of The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East. Duane’s slick phrasing and fat, singing tone on the opening track of the double live album was inspired by hearing Taj Mahal’s rendition of the song with Jesse Ed Davis on slide. 

Sonny Landreth, who remembers seeing the Allman Brothers at the time, recalls: “That huge tone that Duane got when he played slide on a Les Paul through a Marshall was a real game changer. I don’t remember anyone else who had a sound like that back then.”

19. John McLaughlin “Meeting of the Spirits” (1971)

Although he had already done revolutionary work with Tony Williams’ Lifetime, Miles Davis, and as a solo artist, McLaughlin’s combination of molten Gibson-through-cranked-Marshall distortion, impossibly fast and complex yet ultra-precise picking, and unique phrasing on The Inner Mounting Flame shattered all existing concepts of “electric guitarist” and lit the fuse of fusion.

20. Ritchie Blackmore “Highway Star” (1972)

Actually a harmonized pair of solos, the tasty bends, rapid-fire triplets, and whammy manipulations on this Strat-into-a-Marshall-amp (via a reel-to-reel tape recorder preamp) solo make it one of Blackmore’s most memorable.

The Deep Purple guitarist’s influence on legions of rock and metal shedders from Morse to Malmsteen to Mustaine is undisputable.

21. Billy Gibbons “La Grange” (1973) 

Gibbons made his mark on this classic shuffle with two solos. 

The first, done on a ‘55 Strat, enters screaming with that classic rear pickup Fender bite, before Gibbons flips to the front pickup for a swinging double-stop workout and some liquid pentatonic runs delivered with his impeccable sense of time and swing. 

But it’s the track’s second solo that the guitarist is most famous for, and the one that every hard rock player would study, due to Gibbons’ insane pinch harmonics. With his “Pearly Gates” ‘59 Les Paul, the Reverend squawks, grunts, and chokes out so many pinch harmonics that it would be laughable if it wasn’t so damm bad ass. 

22. Brian May “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975) 

Brian May’s touch, tone, and orchestral instincts have proven impossible to imitate, but that hasn’t stopped people from trying. 

His majestic lines on this classic are quintessential May, with precise picking, impeccable phrasing, and a bold, loud sound. 

The solo’s placement in the mix was influential, informing how bands such as Boston and Styx featured their solos. You’ve got to assume Dr. May’s harmonized lines at the end of the song got Tom Scholz’s attention as well.

23. Larry Carlton “Kid Charlemagne” (1976)

Carlton was already a session legend known for his smooth-as-silk lines that were reminiscent of Wes, Pass, and Trane when he cut this Steely track. 

But when Mr. 335 combined a rock dude’s tone with a jazzer’s harmonic sensibilities, he created the standard by which every jazz rocker would be judged. 

Ask Steve Lukather, Robben Ford, or Mike Stern what impact this solo had on them. 

Alright then.

24. Carlos Santana “Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile)” (1976)

Santana masterfully caresses the tune’s main melody with his trademark singing sustain and thick tone, never quite giving up the goods until the outro solo where he lets it all hang out in an outpouring of soulful yet wicked playing. 

He displays a fluid, tactile control at all times, and his tone is more open-sounding and less compressed than in recent years. 

And when he kicks the wah on, look out – he ratchets up the intensity tenfold, just when you think it can’t go any higher. Simply put, “Europa” is a study in pace, melodicism, and space – as well as good, old fashion burning!

25. Al Di Meola “Race with Devil on Spanish Highway” (1977)

Sure, there were people who could play fast before Di Meola, but nobody had made it such a central part of their deal before Big Al came along. 

Di Meola’s picking ability coupled with his sick, self-described “mutola” technique raised the bar for audacious shred and players interested in pushing the limits of picking. 

Far from being a pattern-minded monotone shredder, Di Meola’s Latin influences and his compositional sense have always made his displays of virtuosity supremely musical. 

And for all of the shred haters, Di Meola proved that the emotional impact of many notes is just as valid as a few well-placed ones. 

26. Eddie Van Halen “Eruption” (1978)

What can you say about this cadenza from hell? Cut in 1978, this has to be one of the most influential pieces of guitar playing ever. 

EVH took a Strat with a humbucker, an MXR Phase 90, and a plexi Marshall, and then played some supercharged Clapton licks that boggled just about every 6-stringer’s mind in the world. 

It was Van Halen’s two-handed tapping that truly grabbed everyone’s attention, however, and made this the most recognizable solo of the next two decades. “Eruption” made an impact on millions of rock dudes and seemingly every kid who set foot inside a Guitar Center.

27. Allan Holdsworth “In the Dead of Night” (1978)

As Bill Bruford put it, this solo was, “94 seconds of liquid passion married to a blinding technical facility that was to go down in the annals of rock guitar history. 

"All the hallmarks of his brilliant playing were there in this solo: poise, pace, melody, the Slonimsky interval jumps, the whammy bar, and all over a killer groove.”

28. Mark Knopfler “Sultans of Swing” (1978) 

When Mark Knopfler released this fingerpicked two-pickup masterpiece, he showed guitarists that you don’t need distortion or a plectrum to rock. 

With a Strat on the bridge and middle pickups, a Fender Twin Reverb and a Roland JC-120, Knopfler played two deft, bouncy solos that referenced Chet Atkins with snappy popped notes, crying bends, and clever arpeggios. 

Along the way he influenced just about every clean tone for the next 20 years. When people talk about an “out of phase” Strat tone, they’re talking about this tune.

29. Michael Schenker “Rock Bottom” (1979)

The 1970s was a great time for live records, with classics from Frampton, Lizzy, and Ted Nugent, but one of the sweetest solos to grace a double LP came from UFO’s Michael Schenker. 

The extended break on this tune has everything great about Schenker: melody, dynamics, tone for days, and burning. 

This lead would fascinate rockers all over the world, including George Lynch, Vinnie Moore, Akira Takahashi, and Kirk Hammett.

30. David Gilmour “Comfortably Numb” (1979)

Few solos can match the vibe of Gilmour’s work on this iconic piece. 

Playing a ‘79 black Stratocaster with a ‘62 neck and DiMarzios through Hiwatts and Yamaha RA-200 rotating speaker cabinets, Gilmour transformed what are essentially blues licks into a signature statement that affected the molecules in myriad musical minds. 

This is arguably his crowning achievement as a soloist.

31. Angus Young “You Shook Me All Night Long” (1980)

It serves to reason that a song that is all about getting it on should have a solo that is sexy, right? 

Damn straight. 

Young’s turn on this global hit finds him harnessing his kinetic blues tendencies into a steamy, attitude-laden solo that is actually kind of funky. 

His tasteful major pentatonic flavorings as well as his gorgeous tone – thanks to a wound up old Marshall and a Gibson SG – are the icing on the cake of his impeccable groove, intonation, and phrasing.

32. Randy Rhoads “Crazy Train” (1980)

After Van Halen, it wasn’t easy for an L.A. rocker to make a mark, but Randall Rhoads did so in a big way on his debut with Ozzy. 

Rhoads took what he had gleaned from Mick Ronson, Gary Moore, and Bach, and synthesized it into this metal tour de force. 

He wasn’t the first guy to blend classical music and rock, but he was absolutely the gateway drug for players like Zakk Wylde and Tom Morello.

33. Stevie Ray Vaughan “Pride and Joy” (1983)

The second cut on SRV’s debut album, Texas Flood, “Pride and Joy” blasted onto the airwaves courtesy of a great melody, catchy lyrics, and a gamechanging solo in which Vaughan threw down a barrage of killer licks with a gargantuan tone from his Fender/Dumble rig. 

SRV’s deft songwriting and his Albert King/Hendrix-influenced style succeeded in making what was fundamentally a classic “tay-hass” shuffle into a huge AOR hit that every classic rocker is expected to cover in perpetuity. 

Bottom line is, after SRV came along, anyone who thought they could play blues with fire and passion got a schoolin’ the size of Texas.

34. Yngwie Malmsteen “Black Star” (1984)

Mike Varney’s rep as a finder of great guitarists was already solid when he wrote about a kid from Sweden with a funny name in 1983. 

Many players’ first exposure to Malmsteen was on this shred fest. With his blinding speed, dazzling classical arpeggios, gorgeous Strat-into-Marshall tone, and larger than life vibrato, he didn’t raise the bar for rock technique – he obliterated it. 

Yngwie changed the game forever with this one, just ask any rocker who has swept an arpeggio since then.

35. George Lynch “The Hunter” (1985)

Dokken's George Lynch has inspired countless rock and metal players for nearly 30 years with his perfect blend of structured melodicism and off-the-rails fury – all in the space of a 16-bar solo. 

This solo is a perfect example, as he eases into it with memorable, understated melodic motifs that are helped along with some thick-ass tone and sick vibrato. 

Halfway through, however, Lynch begins to turn up the jets. Alternate picking, sweep picking, and legato playing become one within a single winding phrase, giving him a sound and style that are difficult to ape. 

However, Lynch did show the way for shred-obsessed guitarists on how to structure a meaningful statement in the middle of a tune and leave an everlasting mark. In fact, his solos are the only thing that don’t sound dated about Dokken.

36. Kirk Hammett “Master of Puppets” (1986)

Kirk Hammett’s influences include his teacher Joe Satriani, Michael Schenker, and Thin Lizzy. And nowhere are those influences more prominent than on this tune. 

Hammett’s whammy bar work and speed picking would inspire countless kids to notch their mids, cram their theory, and play blazing solos over chugging grooves.

37. Joe Satriani “Always with Me, Always with You” (1987)

Satriani is obviously known as a master technician, but it’s his melodic side that has left the biggest imprint on guitardom. 

This sweet ballad showcases Satch’s singing tone, skillful ornamentation, and ability to blend the tasty with the jaw dropping. 

The reach of this solo is apparent in hundreds of instrumental guitar records, country ballads, movie soundtracks, and car commercials.

38. Kurt Cobain “Come As You Are” (1991)

Although he took about as many solos and Johnny Ramone, the late Nirvana guitar anti-hero played a memorable one in this song from 1991. 

Presumably using a Boss DS-1 for dirt and an Electro-Harmonix Small Clone chorus for the warbly modulation, Cobain simply quoted the vocal melody in a snotty, vibey way, and the kids went crazy. 

Suddenly, young players – many with a sanctimonious disdain for ‘80s-style wanking – were taking a break from strumming through songs and trying their hands at playing single-note lines.

39. Zakk Wylde “No More Tears” (1991)

Logic dictates that Zakk Wylde was doomed to failure when he got the gig with Ozzy. 

A blond kid with a Les Paul? Really? 

But then people got a taste of his huge tone, squealing harmonics, and rapid-fire pentatonics and a new star was born. 

On this tune Zakk channeled Rhoads, Billy Gibbons, and Frank Marino into a solo that was emblematic of the new generation of metalheads.

40. Dimebag Darrell “The Great Southern Trendkill” (1996)

The post-Van Halen, post-Randy Rhoads world was in dire need of a champion when Darrell Abbott came on the scene. 

He took the styles of those guys, mixed in some Ace Frehley, some Lynyrd Skynyrd, and a heapin’ helpin’ of moonshine and created the ass-kicking solo here. 

Dime made it cool to love Holdsworth, EVH, and Billy Gibbons all in the same song.

Often cited as the best blues guitar player to emerge from England, Peter Green began his brief career with the unenviable task of replacing Eric Clapton in John Mayall's band. Recorded in '66, A Hard Road – the second Bluesbreakers studio album – proved Green and his '59 Les Paul were up to the task.

While sharing Clapton's respect for American bluesmen, the 21-year-old Green had his own take on Les Paul tone.

His quick, stinging vibrato; penchant for clean, cutting timbres (often drenched with reverb); acute sense of dynamics; and unmatched melodic subtlety set him apart from all English blues players before or since.

Green's haunting, 10-second-long sustained notes in the instrumental "The Super-Natural" established him as England's new tone god.

After a short stay in the Bluesbreakers, Green left to form Fleetwood Mac, which played its first gig at the '67 Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival.

Green wrote prolifically for the band, penning "Albatross" (rumored to have inspired the Beatles' "Sun King"), "Black Magic Woman," "Rattlesnake Shake," and "Oh Well."

In early '68, the group's debut album, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, reached #4 on the British charts. Soon Green added the 18-year-old Danny Kirwan – whose beautiful playing bore an uncanny resemblance to Green's own – to create a twin Les Paul lineup.

In '70, Green abruptly left Mac and the music biz. He sold his magic Paul – with its unique, snarky honk and mysteriously wired pickups – to Gary Moore, who used it to record Blues for Greeny, a 1995 collection of 11 Green originals rendered with tone and heart.

During his brief career, Green played through a variety of tube amps – including a Marshall head and 4x12 cab (A Hard Road) and Orange half-stacks (early Mac).

Most often, however, he wailed through silverface Fender Twin Reverb and Deluxe combos.

Peter Green’s famous '59 Les Paul – now dubbed ‘Greeny’ – currently belongs to Kirk Hammett who acquired the iconic electric guitar from U.K. guitar dealer Richard Henry.

“I rolled into London and I called him up and said, ‘Hey, Rich. What have you got for me? Anything interesting?’” recalled Hammett.

“I plugged it in and I checked the bridge pickup. It sounded nice, bright, full. Great tone. The tonal spectrum was very, very smooth from low to high. I checked the neck pickup. I thought, ‘Oh my God. This is so nice.’ It has that full-on Still Got The Blues sound; I recognised it instantly.

“Then, you know, I put it in the middle position and started playing and all of a sudden, I was like, ‘Holy… Lord!’ I looked up at Richard and I said, ‘I’m not giving this guitar back to you guys.’”

Hammett, who regularly plays Greeny live and in the studio, wowed the audience at an all-star Peter Green tribute performance hosted by Mick Fleetwood at the London Palladium in 2020.

“It was amazing,” said Hammett. “It was a full circle thing for me having Peter Green’s guitar and playing “The Green Manalishi.” That song has been with me for a very, very long time. And to be able to play it with Mick Fleetwood and a bunch of other players who just understand that era of Fleetwood Mac was an amazing thing.

“Greeny was so at home with that song, and all the tones were just sitting there waiting to be used inside of her. It was a transcendental experience. When it came time to do the solo, I dug deep. I didn’t know what I was going to play, but having Greeny in my hands and with that Marshall Bluesbreaker and with that band, I knew I was going to be okay.”

Gibson has launched an exciting new Custom Shop venture in style with the release of ten Flying V guitars designed in collaboration with boutique luthier Leo Scala.

Kicking off their Master Artisan Collection, Gibson has employed the artful skills of world-class craftsman Scala who has provided some patent-worthy tweaks to the iconic ‘modernistic’ design released in 1958.

With further collaborations in the pipeline, we spoke to Gibson brand president Cesar Gueikian to find out more about this innovative approach to electric guitar building.

Is this the first time Gibson has worked with an independent luthier?

Yes. This has been many years in the making. It’s a collaboration we’ve been working with Leo Scala on for over two years.

Leo Scala is also well-known for making custom guitars for Guns N’ Roses' Richard Fortus…

Yes. That’s how I connected with Leo. Richard was the one who said, “Hey, I think you should meet with Leo Scala. I think out of all the creative boutique luthiers, Leo is the best one I’ve worked with.”

He’s not only a passionate musician and guitar maker, but he’s also very passionate about Gibson and Gibson history. He’s highly respectful of the history and what Gibson has inspired him to do. So that’s why Leo and I met.

How did you meet Leo Scala?

I met Leo in person at his workshop and he started showing me some of the things that he has been coming up with over many, many years and some of the things he was making. 

We connected immediately. He has such great respect for the instrument, quality, history and craftsmanship. Taking all that into consideration was an inspiration to do something new.

Leo is somebody that has broken the mold and has been innovating on his own while being inspired by the things [Gibson] has done in the past.

What new concepts has Leo Scala introduced?

We have two new innovations patented by Gibson with Leo Scala as the inventor: the hybrid chevron tailpiece and the dogear humbucker. Those are his ideas and creations. We paid tribute to him as the guy who invented them. And we’re putting them to work in this collaboration.

With the hybrid chevron tailpiece, you can string through the body, or use it as a stop-bar. That was a great idea by Leo. As was the dogears on a humbucker.

It’s a simple idea, but very effective…

Yeah, I think that’s right. But within that simplicity is an incredible amount of custom work on each guitar. I’m very much into that.

The guitars look immediately familiar. But the more you look, the more you notice how different they are…

And each of the ten has a different finish shade – a different degree of natural. All these subtle things [Leo Scala] thinks about and applies are why it takes so long to make these guitars.

Do you have a favorite?

Yes. The Seraph. It’s absolutely unbelievable. But every one of the Leo Scala Master Artisan guitars are incredible.

How long did they take to make?

It’s a lot of work before starting, and then the process is about one-year. It’s a highly involved process. 

One of the great aspects of this series is that it was started by our artisans in the Custom Shop and then passed to the master artisan Leo Scala. So it was started by Gibson and finished by Leo.

What did they look like when they left the Custom Shop?

They left the Custom Shop as korina guitars with Brazilian rosewood fingerboards. Leo then makes the instrument what it is. That’s really powerful, I think.

All the metal parts – including the chevron tailpieces and stop-bars – and the pickups are all done by [Leo Scala.] It’s all handmade. He wound every pickup. There is a lot of work that goes into it. I mean that’s why it took one year to make ten guitars. But each guitar is unique.

So it’s fair to say they’re works of art in themselves?

They absolutely are.

Are you reserving one for Gibson?

We have one that’s going to stay in the Gibson Vault.

And will it get played?

Without a doubt. Our guitars are going to be making music. Our original ’58 Flying V that we’ve had in the Vault for a very long time was on stage two weeks ago with Richie Faulkner and Judas Priest here in Nashville.

Gemini, my ’59 ‘Burst that has a sequential serial number to Greeny, is going to be on stage soon with John Notto of Dirty Honey. So these guitars were made to be played. Guitars that come into our collection are very much going to be used on stage and in the studio.

Considering so much work has gone into making these guitars look a certain way, what would you say to those people concerned about playing them?

We wanted to make sure these instruments create the opposite reaction to picking up a mint condition guitar. That’s why they’re so heavily aged. We wanted people to not worry about just picking them up and playing them.

What concept did you have in mind specifically when it came to esthetics?

They’re not Gloss or VOS like you would normally get out of the Custom Shop. We offer that, but these particular guitars were all about: what would they look like today if they have been heavily used over the decades since 1958? That was the concept of the design for Leo Scala.

1,000 dings looks better than one, right?

Right. And it’s all in the right places. Leo Scala paid a lot of attention to that. You know, what would be the result of decades of play wear: the arm, picking, fretboard wear… It’s all done in a really nice way.

It’s refreshing to see Gibson working with an independent luthier. Things seem to have changed a lot in recent years…

Yes. We were very selective, obviously, but on the other hand we’re really excited about it. What we just did with Leo Scala and what’s going to be coming out in future gets me motivated.

When I go to the Custom Shop, I can see the passion of our builders – some of whom have been with us for decades.  

Gibson seems an altogether happier place these days…

I certainly think so. I think it’s been a complete 180 as a result of the actions we’ve taken. Not what we’re saying, but the actions. I like the fact we’re doing things that are paying tribute to our very iconic past while looking towards the future.

That comes with a lot of communication and collaboration, and respect for our craftsmen and craftswomen. 

It’s about celebrating people’s skills, experience and depth of knowledge. Everyone is so excited about what they’re building.

Visit Gibson for more information.

When Rage Against The Machine were forced to reschedule their 2020 reunion tour to 2021 – and then to 2022 – Tom Morello found himself at home for the longest sustained period of his adult life.

While dealing with family demands, the guitarist also experienced something he had encountered before: a seemingly incurable case of writer’s block. “It was a drought in my head, like, ‘I’ve got nothing,’” he says. “For the first four months or so, I was completely uninspired.”

A breakthrough came from an unlikely source, however, when Morello read a Kanye West interview in which the rapper boasted about recording vocals for a new album straight to his iPhone.

Taking the same approach, Morello set his phone on a folding chair in front of a Marshall half-stack, started playing riffs and assorted noises, and before he knew it, the spark of creativity had returned.

“It sounded great,” he says. “I began sending these riffs and licks to producers and artists around the world, and that was the genesis for my new record.”

The Atlas Underground Fire (Mom+Pop Music) is Morello’s follow-up to his 2018 solo album, The Atlas Underground, and like that set it’s a collaborative affair, only this time all the recordings were done remotely (the only exception being a 2014 live version of “Highway to Hell” recorded in Australia and featuring Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Vedder).

Its diverse mix of guest artists includes Bring Me the Horizon, Chris Stapleton, Phantogram, Damian Marley, Sama’ Abdulhadi and others, with a range of musical styles that incorporates blazing rock, transfixing dream pop, modern country, crushing EDM and more.

Morello’s daredevil, transcendent approach to guitar playing is as fierce as ever. The album brims with superhero riffs, hellfire shredding and all sorts of sonic wackiness, and he maintains that he hasn’t even begun to unlock the instrument’s potential.

“I firmly believe that the electric guitar has a future, not just a past,” he says. “And that future is going to require thinking outside of the box and not just retreading the same old ground hoping for different results.

“That’s why on these Atlas Underground records I really look to try to forge an alloy between my Marshall stack, big riffs, crazy guitar sounds and futuristic bass drops. The idea is that the electric guitar has a lot of room to grow, and I’m trying to prove it on this record.”

Even though you hold the position that there’s still so much to do on the guitar, are you sometimes surprised by how many players tend to be traditionalists? Do you feel like they’re stuck in one lane?

I don’t know if it’s so much being stuck in a lane. It’s really just loving the tradition of the instrument. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, and they should enjoy it. For me, the excitement comes not from just hearing familiar sounds but also from creating sounds previously unknown to mankind.

I spent my first, whatever, 10 years of being a musician learning the Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads solos. I did my 10,000 hours of chromatic scales. 

It was really at the onset of Rage Against the Machine when I started self-identifying as the DJ in the band and started looking at the instrument in different ways, trying to forge a unique, artistic vocabulary on a tried-and-true instrument.

At first, did you have producers and engineers tapping your wrist – “We don’t do that.” We imagine it was fun for you to upset the apple cart.

That is absolutely correct. The first record I made prior to Rage Against the Machine was with a band called Lock Up. I remember I was just in the fledgling stages of figuring out stuff to do with the toggle switch, and the producer hated it. 

He was like, “That’s getting in the way of the guitar solo.” And I thought, Maybe that is the guitar solo. There was an internal voice telling me to follow my dreams, but there was this external voice saying, "Crush those dreams in the nest.”

On the new album, you recorded your guitars to your phone. You hadn’t done that before?

Maybe with voicemails, to keep track of ideas, but the idea that “this is the take that’s going on the record” never occurred to me. I’ve got to thank Kanye for that.

Obviously, there were sonic limitations to that approach, but it seems as if you embraced them and used them to your advantage.

Exactly. I mean, listen to the record – those guitars sound like kick-ass electric guitars. The one thing I liked about the process was how it changed the whole creative formula. 

Rather than there being four guys in a room looking at each other writing a song, it was me alone every day with my phone going, “What’s the plan for today?” It may be an F-sharp day. It may be a drop-D day or a crazy R2D2 noises day.

You do get some incredible sounds on your phone recordings. Your track with Damian Marley, “The Achilles List,” is a real speaker ripper.

[laughs] Yeah, yeah. There was no science to the process. I remember once my engineer and producer friend Carl [Restivo], who I was sending stuff to, he was like, “Could you just move the phone back a few inches?” I’m like, “I’ll try to remember that tomorrow, man.”

How did your version of “Highway to Hell” with Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Vedder come about?

I was on tour with the E Street Band in Australia, filling in for Steve Van Zandt, and we were in Perth, the birthplace of Bon Scott. I was going to pay my respects to his grave in the Perth Cemetery. It was nighttime, and I couldn’t find his grave – there are no eternal flames burning.

From out of the distance comes this motorbike, and there was this heavyset dude with a German World War II helmet on and a T-shirt that read “I Don’t Give a Shit, But If I Did, You’re the One I’d Give It To.” I’m like, “That guy’s going to know where Bon Scott’s grave is.” [laughs]

Sure enough, he led me right there. I paid my respects, went back to the hotel bar and saw Bruce Springsteen. I said, “Do you think there’s any way that the circle of the E Street Band and the circle of AC/DC might overlap?” And he was like, “Never thought about that before,” but he went upstairs and thought about it.

We began rehearsing “Highway to Hell” at soundchecks, and then we found ourselves in this huge Melbourne soccer stadium with 80,000 people. Eddie Vedder happened to be at the show; he came down to see Bruce.

A lightbulb went off. I knocked on Bruce’s dressing room door and said, “We’re in Australia, where AC/DC is king, where ‘Highway to Hell’ is the unofficial national anthem of rock and roll liberation. What if we open the show with ‘Highway to Hell’ with Eddie Vedder?” And he was like, “That sounds like a pretty good idea.”

We did it, and it was an apex moment in the history of live rock and roll.

Are you surprised that Bruce isn’t given his due as a guitar player? He’s a phenomenal guitarist.

A great guitar player. I would single out Darkness on the Edge of Town as some of my favorite guitar work. Tone, feeling, melodic choice. It’s one of my favorite guitar records.

It was awesome doing guitar duels with Bruce. I had to learn 250 songs before going on tour with him, and we played songs outside of that. It can be a song he played in a bar in 1972. Just off top of his head knows it. He’s a human jukebox.

Your track with Phantogram, “Driving to Texas,” is gorgeous. Not many people would picture you fitting into what we call “dream pop.”

I worked with Josh from Phantogram on a song on the last Atlas Underground record. He and Sarah, his partner in Phantogram, reached out and wanted to do a song this past year. I was like, “I would love to.”

I love their production and their sort haunting, left-of-center, spooky vibe – “Where’s that going to take my guitar playing?” It took it in this kind of crazy, ethereal place. The solo at the end feels like this avenging angel coming down to pass judgment on the protagonist one way or the other.

Your track with Chris Stapleton sounds like taking Dylan into the 21st century. You mix these wild, spacey guitar sounds with country…

Chris is a great guy. I met him at the Chris Cornell Memorial show. We got on a Zoom call to write a song together. He’s in Nashville, I’m here, and we just spent the first two hours talking about what it’s like trying to keep the grandmas alive and keep the kids from going crazy.

That therapeutic conversation became the basis for “The War Inside.” He reminds me of Chris Cornell in a number of ways. He has this effortless ability to craft great melody out of thin air.

You’ve talked about your “misfit toys” guitar collection. Did some of them make it onto this album?

Absolutely. Each day I would pick one of those misfit toys, bring it down and maybe randomly decide, We’re going to use a delay and my $50 Kay guitar today. Then I’d just see what comes out, and who does that get sent to?

The Arm the Homeless guitar is all over it. The drop-D Tele is on it. So is my $50 Kay, my first guitar ever. It’s loud and proud on the record. The Audioslave guitar, which used to be the Budweiser guitar until I burned off the lacquer, that makes an appearance.

The Jimmy Page double-neck is on there, although I only used the six-string part. The baritone guitar I used for “Hold the Line” with Grandson [the pseudonym of Canadian-American Jordan Benjamin]. Most of the solos are played with the Arm the Homeless guitar, and then the rhythm tracks were just on whatever guitar I happened to choose on that day.

A lot of guitarists dream of owning ’59 sunbursts and the like. You don’t seem like you were ever that guy.

I’m not that guy at all. I will tell you, when making records with Brendan O’Brien in the past, because he is that guy, he would bring stuff from his studio and I would always be like, “It’s just a frigging Stratocaster, dude.” But then I’d think, “It actually does sound super good.” [laughs] If you like super good.

We spoke with Alex Lifeson recently, and he told us that you had invited both him and Kirk Hammett to perform on one of your new tracks. We assumed it would be on this album.

It’s a great song, and it will most definitely see the light of day. I ran into Kirk at a non-rock-and-roll-related event, and we hadn’t seen each other in years. I got to thinking, Wouldn’t it be awesome to do something?

I thought about who would be the third member of that triangle, and then I thought about Alex Lifeson, who is one of my favorite guitar players. So I reached out to him. It’s full-on head-cutting.

Given the times we live in, are you planning to return to your protest singer alter ego, the Nightwatchman?

At some point in the future, the Nightwatchman will rear his head. Right now, this process has been so liberating, and it’s been a life raft of hope during a time of anxiety. I’ve been in the bunker making these songs, and now at last people get to hear it.

Pick up a copy of Tom Morello's The Atlas Underground Fire here.

The Gibson Les Paul Standard boasting the serial number 9 2208 – known to the world as "Greeny" – possesses a near-mythical backstory matched by few electric guitars in the world.

Owned first by Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green, then by Gary Moore, and finally – with a few, less famous owners in the intervening years – by Metallica's Kirk Hammett, the legendary 'Burst possesses a unique, "out-of-phase" tone. 

A product of Green replacing the guitar's neck pickup and accidentally putting it in backwards, the one-of-a-kind tone surfaces when the guitar is played in the middle position. For this reason, Greeny's always been thought of as a singular guitar, unique even among the legendary ranks of sunburst 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standards. 

However, a recent discovery puts at least some of Greeny's singularity in doubt. As it turns out – Guitar World reports – the famous 'Burst has an older brother of sorts, and it's owned by none other than Gibson Brand President Cesar Gueikian.

Amazingly, Gueikian discovered his Les Paul's close relationship to Greeny completely by chance, while on the phone with Greeny's current owner. 

“Cesar’s my bro, and we’re constantly talking about guitars,” Hammett told Guitar World. “One day over the summer he called me up and said, ‘I just got an amazing Les Paul – it’s in The Beauty of the ’Burst book.’ I asked him for the serial number, and he read it off. And as I was reaching for my copy of The Beauty of the ’Burst to look it up, he said, ‘Wait a second – what’s Greeny’s serial number?’ So I took a picture of it and texted it to him. 

"He looks at it and he goes, ‘Oh my god – it’s within four serial numbers of Greeny. This is amazing!’ ”

Stranger still, according to Gibson records, Gueikian's Les Paul – which he and Hammett have lovingly dubbed "Gemini" – is, despite being four serial numbers ahead of Greeny, the guitar's closest relative. 

“I got in touch with [Gibson Head of Product Development] Mat Koehler and the rest of the team, and we figured out that the numbers in the middle are only Skylark amps,” Gueikian explained. “So the guitars are sequential twins in terms of being Les Pauls and ’Bursts.”

Of course, Greeny's pickup situation remains unique – Gemini's middle position tone isn't "out of phase" – but Gueikian believes that Gemini still bears some striking similarities to its more famous sibling.

“Our hypothesis is that they were probably cut from the same maple billet, because the flame patterns are very similar – slightly off – and the mineral streaks are almost identical in the way that they run vertically,” Gueikian said.

Shortly after the chance discovery, Hammett and Gueikian got together in Northern California and, naturally, switched Les Pauls.

“I picked up Cesar’s guitar and played [Gary Moore’s] 'Still Got the Blues,' because it’s the greatest song to play for that syrupy Les Paul neck tone," Hammett said. "And it sounded dead-on like Greeny.”

We recently asked a handful of some of the guitar world's best-known players to recommend their favorite lesser-known solos.

Here’s what Metallica’s electric guitar whizz Kirk Hammett had to say…

1) UFO | “Rock Bottom” from ‘Strangers in the Night’

GUITARIST: Michael Schenker

“I love the version on Phenomenon, but on the live version from Strangers in the Night, Schenker shows the full breadth of his playing style. He plays melodically, he plays modally. He has this European sensibility in his note choices. He ups the intensity of the song slowly, and at one point he does a harmony line with the keyboards. The intensity builds as he plays with more and more energy, until the drum break in the middle. Then the chord change hits. He pushes the intensity dial up to 13, playing toward this crazy, emotional, dynamic conclusion. It’s wonderful and beautiful, and I have so much reverence for it.”

2) Judas Priest | “Beyond the Realms of Death” from ‘Stained Class’

GUITARIST: Glenn Tipton

“That middle solo by Glenn Tipton is amazing. His sense of melody is astounding, but it’s also his tone. It’s so great, and every single passage he plays makes sense melodically. It’s really catchy and hummable, and you can sing along to it.”

3) Santana | “She’s Not There” from ‘Moonflower’

GUITARIST: Carlos Santana

“His use of the wah pedal, his attack and energy across the three solos in the song... He uses a couple of techniques that are a little off the cuff – super-long delay time, and pressing on the string behind the bridge to give a whammy-bar effect. The phrasing and tone on these solos are amazing.”

Pick up Santana’s Moonflower here.

Get Stained Class by Judas Priest here.

Grab UFO’s live album Strangers in the Night here.

With guest spots from Vernon Reid, John McLaughlin, Kirk Hammett and Carlos Santana, drummer Cindy Blackman Santana’s latest album – Give the Drummer Some – has its focus firmly on guitarists.

It might surprise people that your wife, a drummer, created such a weighty electric guitar record.

Perhaps, but I can see it quite clearly because of the core principles of who she is. She’s Tony Williams Lifetime, so that’s John McLaughlin. But there’s also Cream and Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix. She’s all of that.

Is there any difference in how you two work when she’s playing in Santana or when you’re playing on her music?

You know, it’s different for me, because for the last 25 years I’ve been the director or the producer. Playing on Cindy’s album was very relaxing for me, because all I had to do was listen to the music and do my best to complement each song. I wanted to please my wife and the music, so that came easily. [laughs] It was a privilege. And I mean that with honor and with zest and joy. Cindy’s record was presented before me as a gift, and I liked being in a position to be directed or pointed toward something.

Your playing throughout is spectacular, particularly what you did on “Imagine.”

That track blew me away. I had no idea what was going to be coming out of the speakers when they played it for me. I had no preconceived thoughts about what I was going to do. So when they turned it up, I immediately felt like a kid who could jump up and down on a bed. I looked at it like, Okay, I’m in AC/DC or Led Zeppelin. I’m in Queen! I was given the chance to tear it up, and that’s what I did. I brought the energy. I mean, we have reverence for the Beatles and John Lennon, but I wasn’t thinking of those confinements

Can you talk a little bit about playing with Vernon Reid on “Black Pearl”?

Oh, that was great. I loved Vernon from the beginning. I think one of the main things that Vernon and I have in common, besides playing the guitar, is that we both love Dionne Warwick and Sonny Sharrock – Dionne for the way she carries a melody, and Sonny Sharrock for how he was this tornado, a force of nature.

One thing I’m looking to do is make an album that honors his music. I would have Sonny’s band but also invite different musicians – Vernon, Jeff Beck, Eric Johnson, Kirk Hammett – just playing nothing but Sonny Sharrock music. It’s a dream I have.

It’s interesting that John McLaughlin is on Cindy’s album. You guys go back a long way, to at least 1973, when you recorded Love Devotion Surrender together.

That’s true. I’d love to do something else with him in the future. Maybe I’ll invite him to participate in this Sonny Sharrock adventure. But I love what he did on Cindy’s record. Everybody played so beautifully.

And you know, something else I want to say: Thank you for having the passion to keep the six strings alive. Your spiritual frequency, the frequency of this magazine, is very much needed. We need to create a whole new army of guitar players – not guitar heroes, not that. We need real guitar players. I’m watching a new wave of youngsters, under 12 years old, coming out with some divine, mean intentions. So that’s encouraging.

Visit Cindy Blackman Santana's website to order Give the Drummer Some.

Barely a couple of days after the sale of the ESP 400 Series S-Type he used in Metallica's "One" video, another legendary Kirk Hammett guitar is headed to the auction block.

This particular instrument is the head-turning, glow-in-the-dark, custom ESP "Ouija Board" guitar that Hammett used onstage, and on Metallica's blockbuster 1991 self-titled album, plus the band's three subsequent efforts – Load, Reload, and S&M. 

Put on the block by Gotta Have Rock and Roll, and said to be in "very good" condition, the guitar features graphical elements invoking ouija boards, plus EMG pickups and a Floyd Rose tremolo. 

Notably, as a unique mark of its authenticity, the guitar features a hand-written note on the back from Hammett that reads "This guitar has been one of my main touring & recording guitars of the 90s… This guitar has been used extensively on the albums Load, Reload, Garage Inc., Black Album, and S&M."

Along with its original touring case, a certificate of authenticity, and photos of Hammett with the guitar, the Ouija Board ESP will be sold with a signed, stage-used guitar strap.

The auction for the custom, Kirk Hammett-used ESP Ouija Board guitar goes live tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14. The minimum bid for the guitar – which is valued at $300,000 – $350,000 – is $225,000.

For more info on the guitar, head on over to gottahaverockandroll.com.

The ESP 400 Series S-Type guitar that Kirk Hammett used in the music video for Metallica's 1988 hit, "One," has sold at auction for $112,500.

Sold by Heritage Auctions, the autographed, 7.9 pound guitar features a rosewood slab neck, Floyd Rose-style trem, a trio of single-coil pickups, a natural finish, and black hardware. Having begun with a starting bid of just over $20,000, the S-Type was bought by an anonymous bidder.

Taken from the band's 1988 album, ...And Justice for All, "One" was Metallica's first top 40 hit, and remains – as one of their most well-known songs – a live staple for the band.

The guitar was accompanied by a certificate of authenticity – also signed by Hammett – and its original hard case.

For more info on the guitar, stop by entertainment.ha.com.

The ESP 400 Series S-Type guitar that Metallica's Kirk Hammett used in the music video for the band's 1988 classic, "One," is on the auction block.

The autographed, 7.9 pound guitar – which is in "excellent" condition, according to its listing – features a rosewood slab neck, Floyd Rose-style trem, a trio of single-coil pickups, a natural finish, and black hardware.

The guitar is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity – also signed by Hammett – and its original hard case.

The current bid for the guitar – the auction for which is being held by Heritage Auctions – is $26,000. Bidding for the guitar ends this Sunday, April 11.

For more info on the guitar, stop by entertainment.ha.com.

Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green and the Early Years of Fleetwood Mac – the concert film documenting the all-star Peter Green tribute show that took place February 25, 2020 at the London Palladium – was originally supposed to be released in select theaters around the world this month.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic however, the film will instead be streamed online via video on demand.

nugs.net will premiere the film – which features Kirk Hammett, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Steven Tyler, Noel Gallagher, Jonny Lang, and many more – on April 24, after which it will be available for five days on demand.

A physical release of the film on DVD will follow – in tandem with the release of its accompanying soundtrack album – on April 30.

“Peter Green taught me two unassailable lessons when it came to music: less is more and don’t worry about being clever," Fleetwood said of Green in a statement. "He played from his heart, which is why so many people, musicians, and appreciators alike gathered in London to pay tribute to him, all of us together bearing witness to the magic of Peter’s music.

“He revealed himself in his art, which sometimes happens at great cost, as it was with Peter. He showed so much of himself that he had to withdraw. And he did. May he rest easy. He was loved and he will be missed.”

Tickets for the livestream are on sale now, for $19.99. 

To purchase a ticket, stop by nugs.tv.

ESP has teamed up with Metallica's Kirk Hammett to launch the 30th Anniversary KH-3 Spider guitar.

Based on the KH-3 model Hammett used extensively on Metallica's 1992 Black Album tour, the KH-3 Spider features an alder body, extra-thin U-shaped three-piece maple neck with a neck-thru-body construction, and a 24-fret Macassar ebony fingerboard with a 24.75" scale length, skull and crossbone inlays, and scalloped frets from position 17 to 24.

Sounds come by way of Hammett's signature EMG Bonebreaker pickups, while a Floyd Rose 1000 bridge also comes standard on the guitar.

Based on the design from Hammett's original KH-3, the spider graphic on the guitar's lower bout was created by graphic artist Pushead.

“I really like the feel of the single cutaway shape, and thought it would be great to add a locking trem and my usual EMG pickups,” Hammett said. “Not to mention also having the perfect area to plaster the killer Pushead graphic that was drawn specifically for this guitar back in the day!”

The LTD version of the ESP 30th Anniversary KH-3 Spider will be available in February for $1,299, while the hand-crafted ESP version will arrive later this year for $4,699.

For more info on the guitar, stop by espguitars.com.

Earlier this year, on February 25, Mick Fleetwood hosted a blockbuster tribute concert for his former Fleetwood Mac bandmate, Peter Green. 

The concert – which took place at the London Palladium – featured Kirk Hammett, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Steven Tyler, Noel Gallagher, Jonny Lang, and many more.

Above, you can watch a professionally shot clip of one of the highlights of the show, Hammett and Gibbons' take on the Green/Fleetwood Mac classic, "The Green Manalishi."

Taken from the upcoming film documenting the show – Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green and the Early Years of Fleetwood Mac – the performance features an extended solo from Hammett, played on Green's legendary "Greeny" 1959 Les Paul Standard.

The Metallica axeman first purchased the guitar – which for many years belonged to another British blues-rock guitar giant, Gary Moore – in 2014.

Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green and the Early Years of Fleetwood Mac will be released in cinemas in March 2021, with select screenings on March 23 and 28. You can check out the film's trailer below.

For more info on the film, stop by mickfleetwoodandfriends.com.

Earlier this year, on February 25, Mick Fleetwood hosted an all-star tribute concert for his former Fleetwood Mac bandmate, Peter Green. 

The concert – which took place at the London Palladium – featured Kirk Hammett, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Steven Tyler, Noel Gallagher, Jonny Lang, Bill Wyman, John Mayall, Neil Finn, Andy Fairweather Low, Christine McVie, Zak Starkey and more.

The show was made all the more poignant just a few months later, on July 25, when Green passed away at the age of 73. 

Now, a film and live album documenting the show – Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green and the Early Years of Fleetwood Mac – have been announced. The film will be released in cinemas in March 2021, with select screenings on March 23 and 28.

The live album will be available in gatefold 4LP, 2CD/Blu-Ray mediabook, and digital audio sets, and will arrive on April 30, 2021, via BMG.

“The concert was a celebration of those early blues days where we all began, and it’s important to recognize the profound impact Peter and the early Fleetwood Mac had on the world of music," Fleetwood said in a statement. 

"Peter was my greatest mentor and it gave me such joy to pay tribute to his incredible talent. I was honored to be sharing the stage with some of the many artists Peter has inspired over the years and who share my great respect for this remarkable musician. ‘Then Play On’...”

For more info on the film, stop by mickfleetwoodandfriends.com.

To mark the 30th anniversary of Stevie Ray Vaughan's death, Guitar Player ran a long-lost interview with SRV. The interview, conducted by Tom Nolan in 1988, found Vaughan in optimistic mood. 

Vaughan talked about his recovery, about his influences and experiences playing blues in clubs when he was too young to get in, and of his enthusiasm for new projects. 

To accompany the piece, we reached out to some of the guitar world's best players for their thoughts on Vaughan's playing, and their tributes reflect a talent that influenced generations of playing and changed how we think of blues guitar. 

Eric Johnson

“Stevie was one of the rare guitarists who was a complete musician. Great guitar playing, excellent singing and great songs – the whole package. I remember when he was playing in Paul Ray and the Cobras many years ago, there would be the wonderful moment where Stevie took center stage and would start singing, ‘Well, it’s flooding down in Texas, all the telephone lines are down…’ And the rest of his musical journey is beautiful history. I loved it, and he was a very kind human being.”

Tommy Shaw (Styx)

“SRV was one of those originals who you couldn’t watch for just a minute and then move on to something else. His genuine ‘lost in it’ presence when he played makes you want to go there too. His groove on ‘Pride and Joy’ is so universal and timeless. 

“It’s a great one to remember him by. He was a year younger than me and we never crossed paths, but I always admired his amazing talent, like everyone, left only to imagine the music he would have created.”

Richie Kotzen

“Stevie Ray Vaughan was and still is a very important musical figure in my life, and played a huge role in my development as a guitarist. I remember when I was still living at my parents’ house, my friend and I would sit for hours in our barn – which had two rooms that were converted into an eight-track recording studio – and jam over the chord changes to ‘Lenny,’ over and over and over.

“As a youngster, I was very much into soul and R&B music, as well as heavy metal, but I had very little knowledge about the blues. It was Stevie Ray Vaughan who introduced me to blues, and from there I discovered other artists, like Robert Johnson and Albert King. I was about 15 years old when my band had the privilege of being direct support to Jimmie Vaughan’s band, the Fabulous Thunderbirds.

“I can remember the devastation I felt when I learned of Stevie’s passing. It was unthinkable to me that someone that special, unique and important could be taken from us so soon. Legend, icon, guitar genius… Those words only scratch the surface in describing the impact and influence of Master Stevie Ray Vaughan.”

Steve Stevens

“New York City in the early ’80s was a hotbed of recording studios, producers and great musicians. We were all aware of what each other was doing. In 1983, Billy Idol, producer Keith Forsey, myself and our band were camped out at Electric Lady Studios, the house that Hendrix built. 

“Somehow, word got to us that producer Nile Rodgers was over at the Power Station with David Bowie and a stunningly great guitarist named Stevie Ray Vaughan. That record was Let’s Dance. As soon as the single was released that March, I knew there was a new and important guitarist in town.

“What was truly amazing about that record was that Stevie was able to keep his blues soul intact in a musical setting that was anything but. That is really a mark of greatness. His playing on that record is so supportive of the songs, yet still lets you know this guy was a monster player with deep roots. It was certainly no surprise that it launched him into a massive solo career of his own.

“‘Crossfire’ just might be my favorite SRV tune. The live interplay between his vocal and guitar really pulls you through the song. Obviously, the solos are ripping. Stevie, like Hendrix and all the legends of electric blues guitar, has that ability to hang on a note and, through vibrato and sheer will, bend it in and out of shape in an almost microtonal way. 

“The end result is more like the human voice than a guitar. He was a bona fide real-deal American blues guitar player, complete with the pain and sorrow to make his every note sound like his life depended on it.”

Joe Satriani

“I loved how Stevie would play melody, rhythm and lead guitar all at the same time. His timing was so good that he could not only pull it off but also put you at ease and make you feel exhilarated at the same time! 

“He was brilliantly gifted in that way. It never sounded like he missed a note or played too many. With his own unique brilliance, his influences and his 10 fingers, he reinvented how to play blues on a Fender Stratocaster.”

Steve Morse

“SRV’s band was playing at a Texas club where the Dregs were also booked. Everybody loved his playing, and I admired his powerful left-hand bends and vibrato. Smooth as silk, but mighty at the same time. 

“Years later, I was on my last legs from illness, too weak to travel, and SRV’s bus driver and road manager offered me a spare bunk to lay on while they repositioned the bus from West Texas to Atlanta, where I made it home.

“Bottom line is that he was a straight-up great player who created a Hendrix-y blues style that is still imitated today. I never heard a bad solo from him, and every one was full of passion.”

Steve Vai

“Stevie Ray was the gold standard for contemporary blues. He gave no excuses and did his thang in the most powerful of ways. God bless you, sir.”

Kirk Hammett

“My first exposure to Stevie Ray Vaughan was probably in 1984. I remember that [former Metallica bassist] Cliff Burton and I were in a hotel room and the MTV video for ‘Couldn’t Stand the Weather’ came on.

“At the time, I thought, Okay, just another blues player, but of course Cliff instantly jumped on it. He said, ‘Wow, this guy is amazing!’ and then pretty much ran out and bought the first couple of Stevie Ray Vaughan albums.

“I mean, hindsight is 20/20, but I didn’t really pay much attention to him until he passed away. I still regret that. I regret I didn’t pay attention while he was alive, because I would’ve tried to see him as much as possible.

“So, after he passed, someone gave me a VHS tape of one of his shows. I threw it into the VCR to give it a shot and was completely blown away. Up to that point, my only visual exposure to his playing had been the MTV video, but this was a whole concert. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I had been so wrong about this guy.

“He was so damn special, so good, and I hadn’t noticed. I was hit with that regret and felt really bad, wishing I could have been more exposed to his music and been able to understand what he was about when he was still here. Maybe even talked to him, played with him.

“After that concert tape, I became obsessed with Stevie Ray Vaughan. I tried to find all the live performances that had been filmed, and, of course, I bought all the albums and started learning the songs. From 1990 to 1996, he became probably one of the most listened-to guitar players of my life.

“What really blows me away is that Stevie Ray Vaughan is the complete package. By that, I mean someone who competently plays his instrument, understands music theory and melody, but also understands attitude, tone and performance.

“And all the subtleties! Stevie Ray Vaughan was all about subtleties. Those little things added up to such huge overall results. He could write, sing, perform and improvise. That’s the complete package. You could tell he was playing from the heart 99 percent of the time. 

“Even the songs he had to play every night were still being played with 100 percent conviction. And that conviction, where he was with his musicality – well, you don’t just wake up and find yourself there. You get there by hard work.

“That means practicing and practicing and practicing. Playing with other musicians as much as you can. Pushing the limits and expanding your musical horizons. You can tell that Stevie Ray Vaughan did that. And that inspired me to do the same.

“The thing about Stevie Ray Vaughan is that he didn’t just turn on his generation; he turned on a much younger generation as well. After those first few albums hit, all these young blues players started showing up, and that was an anomaly.

“Up to then, all of the ‘new’ blues players were in their 30s or 40s, but now you were getting young kids like Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang and John Mayer, who were breaking the model of what a blues player is supposed to be.

“They were young white kids who were totally committed to blues, and not just mixing it up with rock and roll. They were true to the genre, and that was a phenomenon that came about thanks to Stevie Ray Vaughan.”

Gibson has given Metallica's Kirk Hammett an official, custom reproduction of "Greeny," his beloved, and legendary, 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard.

Originally owned by the late blues guitar legend and Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green - and sporting a famously backward neck pickup that gave the guitar its trademark, "out-of-phase" sound - "Greeny" was purchased by Hammett from vintage guitar dealer Richard Henry in 2014.

Hammett has used the guitar - which was later sold onto the equally influential Gary Moore - extensively since, both onstage with Metallica and at the star-studded Peter Green tribute concert that took place at the London Palladium in February. 

"Special thanks to Cesar [Gueikian] and Mark [Agnesi] at Gibson for making me a Greenie twin!" Hammett wrote on Instagram.

The elephant in the room, of course, is whether or not this means we'll soon be seeing a Gibson Custom Shop Greeny replica produced on a wider scale.

There have been a number of unofficial replicas - not to mention the countless guitarists who've had the Greeny neck pickup mod applied to their own Les Pauls - but an official Greeny replica run would definitely be timely, given the guitarist's recent passing. 

Replica run or not, we'll certainly keep our eyes peeled!

A few years ago, Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett sat down with Jude Gold for Guitar Player’s April 2017 issue. The wide-ranging conversation was heavy on gear, including a discussion about the guitarists’ touring rigs.

During the interview, Gold asked Hetfield and Hammett, “If I was onstage with you at a soundcheck and you handed me your guitar and said, ‘Here, give it a swing,’ what do you think might surprise me about playing through your rig?”

Hetfield: You’d probably be surprised that there isn’t a giant backline, and that it’s not as loud as you might expect it to be. I have two cabinets and that’s it. A lot of our sound is coming through in-ear monitors, and a lot of it is coming through the Meyer wedges we use on stage. 

We’re very happy with our monitor sound. A huge wall of amps doesn’t seem necessary to us anymore. We like to be a little more streamlined, so we can show up at a TV show, a radio thing, a stadium, or a club, and things will work the same in every setting.

Hammett: If you picked up any of my guitars, you might be surprised that they’re not super easy to play, because I play with relatively high action. If a guitar’s action is really low, I don’t like it. I need to have some space between the string and the neck.

There would probably be less wear and tear on my hands and my fingers if I lowered the action a little, but I like the guitar to fight back - especially because my right-hand attack is so aggressive. 

I don’t want it to be too smooth and seductive, because my playing style is half caveman, half Lord Byron. My strings aren’t even particularly light. At home and in the studio, when we’re in [A 440] concert pitch, I use Ernie Ball .011s. When I’m on the road, though, and playing for hours and hours each day, I’ll go down to .010s.

What are your go-to stage guitars these days?

Hetfield: It’s mostly ESP guitars for me - all of which have Ernie Ball strings and my EMG Het Set pickups. I’m really loving my ESP Vulture - which has a Flying V type of design that I came up with last year - and also my ESP Snakebyte.

I’ve also got a few Gibsons in there - just for diversity. I love the V shape, the Explorer shape, and the traditional Les Paul shape. Those shapes fit my body best, and I love playing them. But that Vulture guitar! It’s nice and light and it’s really lively sounding.

Hammett: We actually have two entire sets of touring guitars and amps. We call one the Black System, and the other the Blue System, and they leapfrog when we’re touring. If, say, the Black system is at a show in London, the blue system might be on its way to Switzerland. 

On one system, I’ll have my original 1988 ESP KH-2 “Skully” guitar - the very first ESP that I ever got - as the main guitar. The other system features my ESP “Mummy” guitar, which I’ve been playing since the ’90s.

The problem used to be staying consistent with the amp sounds, because one system would usually have a better-sounding amp than the other, and James and I would always know which system sounded better. But we solved that problem when we switched to Fractal Axe-FX processors. Now we have the same guitar sound everywhere - even in rehearsal.

Hetfield: We’re really pleased with Fractal. It’s amazing. For my rig, we went into the studio and put some sounds into it - a combination of my Mesa/Boogie amps mixed in with a little bit of my Diezel sound. The clean sounds are from the Roland JC-120.

On stage, Mesa 2:Ninety power amps drive my cabinets, but those cabs aren’t miked at all. They’re only there for my monitoring, for getting feedback, and for just feeling it. The Fractal is going direct to the board.

Hammett: For a while, we didn’t have any cabinets onstage, but that was just too weird. I need to hear something. I need to feel the air being pushed by the speakers for it to sound natural to me. So I have one cabinet on stage for monitoring, and one cabinet in a flight case with a fixed mic on it.

The following is an excerpt from an archival GP interview with Kirk Hammett, in which we asked the Metallica guitarist to list the five guitar solos that changed his life. 

“Let Me Love You Baby” - Jeff Beck Group

Why? It was the first guitar solo I figured out by myself!

“Mother Mary” - UFO

Hearing Michael Schenker for the first time changed how I wanted my own solos to sound in terms of phrasing, technique and being something that was memorable and catchy.

“Machine Gun” - Band of Gypsys

A sonic, mystical, multi-dimensional journey into some otherworldly soundscape that triggers my imagination every time I hear it. I feel captivated by the mere mention of this song!

“Sails of Charon” - The Scorpions

To me, Ulrich Roth was one of the first guitarists to use that neo-classical guitar style, and this solo was totally unique at the time, simultaneously melodic and dynamic, with a climax so incredibly ripping. How can so many notes be so perfectly in place?

“Warrior” - Thin Lizzy

This solo was the first time I’d ever heard a wah pedal. I remember that when that sound came out of the speakers, it startled me. The one guy that I’ve always thought did not get enough credit was Brian Robertson, and his style and feel is something that I aspire to.

It’s not that Metallica frontman James Hetfield isn’t thrilled that his band’s new album, Hardwired … to Self-Destruct [Blackened], debuted at number one worldwide—the sixth Metallica release in a row to do so. It’s just that there’s another number that is more important to him—zero. That’s how many empty seats the singer/guitarist likes to see at Metallica concerts. It’s also how much space the singer/guitarist would, in a perfect world, have between the audience and stage.

“I want to see faces,” says Hetfield, who works with stage designers and venue managers to get the barricades at Metallica shows as close to the stage as local ordinances will legally allow. “I need to see eyes. I need to see the reaction. I need to get the energy. And, yes, I am pretty surprised at the huge response to Hardwired. People buying the record and making it number one is a very nice thing. But I don’t worry about whether we’re number one, two, or three, or whatever. For me, when people show up to watch us play, that’s when it feels successful.”

Similarly, aside from spending time with his family, Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett can’t think of anything he loves more than taking the stage with Hetfield and his other two band mates—bassist Robert Trujillo, and drummer Lars Ulrich.

“I rarely have a bad Metallica gig because I enjoy myself so much up there,” says Hammett. “I’m like all other guitar players—I like hearing my guitar really loud. I’m not even really talking about filling the arena or stadium full of guitar sound. That’s cool, too, but I just love standing in front of any amp cranked up to that sweet spot where it gets warm—whether it’s in my house, in a club, a small hall, or even back at [Metallica] HQ.”

Although both guitarists have, in recent years, relocated their families out of Northern California (the Hammetts to the Hawaiian Islands, the Hetfields to Colorado’s Rocky Mountains), HQ remains the tricked-out San Rafael, California, office/rehearsal facility/recording studio/clubhouse/pinball parlor where most things Metallica still go down. For this interview, though, the guitarists called in from the winter leg of their 2017 World Wired Tour—Hetfield from Beijing, China, before the band’s show at the Sports Arena, and Hammett, a few days later, after their concert at Singapore’s Indoor Stadium. And these “Enor-moDomes” are small venues for Metallica, who will likely be playing American stadiums later in 2017, when they embark on their first U.S. tour since 2009.

But whether Metallica is playing arenas or stadiums, the band’s worldwide success is all the more astonishing if you remember where they used to play ….

When I started at Berkeley High School in the mid ’80s, I often noticed flyers on nearby telephone polls advertising Metallica gigs at a local club called Ruthie’s Inn—sometimes with Exodus or Megadeth on the bill. What were those shows like?

Hetfield: Ruthie’s was a lot of fun. Back then, we had no worries, no agenda. And it was our local hang, too. Going there was our weekend ritual. No matter who was playing, we’d be there.

Hammett: We didn’t require much—just a few amps, a drum kit, and some guitars, and we were good to go. We were always having sound problems, but it didn’t matter, because we were only concerned with getting up there and being as heavy, aggressive, confrontational, and visceral as possible. Nowadays, it’s the same basic ingredients, but the glaring difference is that we have better equipment, and a higher level of quality that we need to hit.

When I finally had a band and gigged at Ruthie’s a few years later, it was a rainy night, and there were buckets everywhere inside the club—even on the stage—to catch water coming through the ceiling.

Hetfield: Actually, at our show in Shanghai a couple of nights ago, there was a leak in the arena’s roof, and it was dripping right onto my dry T-shirts for stage! [Laughs.] Since those days, we have evolved into a worldwide band that is still going after 35 years—which is still unbelievable to think about.

Obviously, with success, you were able to hire pro guitar techs and tour managers. But is their any staffer you have now that you never dreamed you’d have?

Hammett: Yes. Mike Gillies. He runs our Pro Tools rig and records every single live show, rehearsal, and TV appearance we do. He also maintains a huge reference library of all our music—which is helpful if, say, we’re in doubt about a part on a song we haven’t played in a long time, or we want to hear what tempo we were doing a song at on the last tour. He has a lot of album stems, too, so he can often isolate the original part for you, slow it down, or even change the pitch to match whatever tuning you’re in. His position is not one we ever asked to be filled. His job just sort of evolved over time.

I understand you guys have a tuning room set up at every venue. A whole room just for tuning?

Hetfield: It’s a band room, actually, where we can run through songs and go over vocal harmonies and guitar parts, etc. And when we’re performing in places like China, it can be interesting, because there are certain songs we’re allowed to play, and others we’re not. So, because of the censorship that still happens, there may be some songs we need to rehearse that we haven’t played in a while. Sometimes, a new riff comes up in there, so we record it on the spot, and maybe it ends up on the next record. Also, while we’re in there, we’ll figure out if there are particular sounds we need to work on with the crew. But we have an amazing road crew that is very well prepared, so we usually don’t even need to soundcheck.

If I was on stage with you at a soundcheck, and you handed me your guitar and said, “Here, give it a swing,” what do you think might surprise me about playing through your rig?

Hetfield: You’d probably be surprised that there isn’t a giant backline, and that it’s not as loud as you might expect it to be. I have two cabinets and that’s it. A lot of our sound is coming through in-ear monitors, and a lot of it is coming through the Meyer wedges we use on stage. We’re very happy with our monitor sound. A huge wall of amps doesn’t seem necessary to us anymore. We like to be a little more streamlined, so we can show up at a TV show, a radio thing, a stadium, or a club, and things will work the same in every setting.

Hammett: If you picked up any of my guitars, you might be surprised that they’re not super easy to play, because I play with relatively high action. If a guitar’s action is really low, I don’t like it. I need to have some space between the string and the neck. There would probably be less wear and tear on my hands and my fingers if I lowered the action a little, but I like the guitar to fight back—especially because my right-hand attack is so aggressive. I don’t want it to be too smooth and seductive, because my playing style is half caveman, half Lord Byron. My strings aren’t even particularly light. At home and in the studio, when we’re in [A 440] concert pitch, I use Ernie Ball .011s. When I’m on the road, though, and playing for hours and hours each day, I’ll go down to .010s.

What are your go-to stage guitars these days?

Hetfield: It’s mostly ESP guitars for me—all of which have Ernie Ball strings and my EMG Het Set pickups. I’m really loving my ESP Vulture—which has a Flying V type of design that I came up with last year—and also my ESP Snakebyte. I’ve also got a few Gibsons in there—just for diversity. I love the V shape, the Explorer shape, and the traditional Les Paul shape. Those shapes fit my body best, and I love playing them. But that Vulture guitar! It’s nice and light and it’s really lively sounding.

Hammett: We actually have two entire sets of touring guitars and amps. We call one the Black System, and the other the Blue System, and they leapfrog when we’re touring. If, say, the Black system is at a show in London, the blue system might be on its way to Switzerland. On one system, I’ll have my original 1988 ESP KH-2 “Skully” guitar—the very first ESP that I ever got—as the main guitar. The other system features my ESP “Mummy” guitar, which I’ve been playing since the ’90s.

The problem used to be staying consistent with the amp sounds, because one system would usually have a better-sounding amp than the other, and James and I would always know which system sounded better. But we solved that problem when we switched to Fractal Axe-FX processors. Now we have the same guitar sound everywhere—even in rehearsal.

Hetfield: We’re really pleased with Fractal. It’s amazing. For my rig, we went into the studio and put some sounds into it—a combination of my Mesa/Boogie amps mixed in with a little bit of my Diezel sound. The clean sounds are from the Roland JC-120. On stage, Mesa 2:Ninety power amps drive my cabinets, but those cabs aren’t miked at all. They’re only there for my monitoring, for getting feedback, and for just feeling it. The Fractal is going direct to the board.

Hammett: For a while, we didn’t have any cabinets onstage, but that was just too weird. I need to hear something. I need to feel the air being pushed by the speakers for it to sound natural to me. So I have one cabinet on stage for monitoring, and one cabinet in a flight case with a fixed mic on it.

Do you feel like the Fractals sound as punchy on stage as your tube heads do?

Hetfield: Well, they probably won’t ever sound exactly the same as amps they’re replacing, but we’ve worked really hard to get them extremely close. And I’ll tell you, for convenience’s sake for our crew, and for consistency out front for our soundman, Big Mick [Hughes], it’s an amazing setup.

Metallica hasn’t done a U.S. tour in eight years. Any hints as to what the new stage is going to be like?

Hammett: At this point, we have a lot of plans, but we can’t go into detail because it’s still developing. One thing we are going for is a cleaner look—less gear onstage, and more focus on what the four of us are doing.

Do you guys still get the same emotional release from playing the guitar as you did when you started as teenagers?

Hetfield: Absolutely. I’ve probably said this before, but my wife will know when I’m in a crappy mood, and she’ll say, “Hey, when’s the last time you played guitar?” Guitar really does put me in a happy state—a content state. I love just sitting and playing. And I’ll tell you, when you’re out on tour and you play your rig through a giant P.A. system in a stadium, it’s still cool. It’s like a kid living the dream.

Kirk, what directions are you going as a lead player these days?

Hammett: Well, it’s really strange. My ten-year-old son plays cello, and my eight-year-old son plays violin. They’re just starting, but there’s a lot of classical music in the house. And in much the same way as when I used to put on Jimi Hendrix and get licks from “Red House,” I’ve started doing that with classical pieces. I’ll hear a little thing and go, “What is going on there?” Then, I’ll grab my guitar and figure it out. I had never thought of doing that with classical music. I’m also loving tango music. I can’t believe how emotional it is. I totally love Cuban music, too, and I am obsessed with Bossa Nova, as well. I love Jobim. I spend a totally inappropriate amount of time sitting with my acoustic guitar playing Bossa tunes over and over.

When a guitar player walks into HQ for the first time, is there anything about the place that might blow his or her mind?

Hammett: Well, it’s like Guitar Center, but personalized. [Laughs.] James and I really like Les Pauls, so you’ll see a lot of those. You’ll also see a lot of ESP guitars—my models, and James’ models. You’ll see amps stacked high—new amps, vintage amps, and boutique amps. There’s also whole bevy of guitar effects—stompboxes and rack stuff—and a piano that everyone poses with, but never plays. Honestly, we’re so stocked up on gear, that I’m shocked when we discover we don’t have something and need to buy it.

I have a lot more guitars than I actually need, so I’ve started going through them to figure out which ones really sound good and which ones mean something to me. The rest I’ve started selling anonymously on eBay. I won’t tell anyone that I’m the owner, because if I do, the transaction gets complicated.

Your rigs are slimming down, your stage is more streamlined, and your guitar collections might be shrinking. Listening to the new record, it seems as if you’re also streamlining musically a bit—back to raw thrash metal, but with a modern sound.

Hetfield: I think we get a little older in life and want to simplify things and stick to the stuff that works. As far as the album itself being streamlined, though, I don’t know. We had so many riffs, the album had to be on two CDs!

I love the way the album sounds. I think [producer] Greg Fidelman did an amazing job at helping us get the sounds we wanted. It sounds really powerful, but also smooth, so that you can really turn it up without it punishing your ears. You don’t get ear fatigue listening to it. It’s warm, but fat. That’s really what we were after.

In an age of dropped-tunings and 7-and 8-string guitars, I’m amazed at how heavy you guys made the songs in E sound. It’s like you somehow made E sound heavier and deeper than it should.

Hetfield: I think that’s part of the lively feel to Hardwired—staying in E on many songs, instead of recording dropped, like we do live. We’ve experimented with that quite a bit. Having one song that’s tuned down—“Dream No More”—creates some good diversity, but when you have everything tuned down, eventually it all just sounds the same.

The “Moth Into Flame” chorus lick is so catchy. How did that materialize?

Hetfield: We probably played it on the road somewhere, and it got recorded and put in our library. It doesn’t really matter who put the riff in there, because all four band members have tons of ideas stored up—especially now, since it’s been eight years between albums. When it’s time to plan a record, Lars and I sit down, as we’ve done with all our albums, and we go through all the riffs to find find the A+ riffs. “Moth” was definitely one of the A+ riffs.

What are some of the craziest, wildest, most Spinal Tap moments that have occurred on your big stages?

Hetfield: Lots of things have happened to us on the road, from electricians being electrocuted to big pieces of pig parts flying up on the stage at festivals, to bolts and darts being thrown at us. I haven’t really done the falling off the stage thing yet, but our career’s not over [laughs]. Our stages have been extremely dangerous over the years. There has been fire hidden underneath the stage, things that fall over and explode, roadcrew members seemingly falling out of lighting rigs. We’ve done lots of crazy things that scared people, which is always pretty fun. In the movie Through the Never, there’s that new, improved And Justice for All statue crumbling down and bouncing into the crowd. We’ve even had big Tesla coils onstage. I don’t think anyone else has done that.

Hammett: During the Ride the Lightning tour, I think I fell off the stage two or three times. Part of the reason for that was we used to drink before we went on, and sometimes my footing wasn’t as good as it could have been. Next thing you know, I’m on my back. One funny thing that comes to mind is the night we changed the key of “Jump in the Fire” from G to F#, because we had figured out that if it was down a half-step, we could utilize open strings—which always makes things sound bigger. So, later, when we’re deep into our set, the song finally comes up, and someone forgets that it’s now down a half-step. Everything’s off by a minor-second. We’re a full two minutes into the song, and it’s still completely atonal. I mean, to be fair, when you have in-ear monitors, and all you can hear is yourself, it’s hard to figure out that you’re in totally a different zip code than everyone else. But that was hilarious. It was microtonal f**king chaos.

I wanted to congratulate you on cofounding KHDK Electronics, Kirk. What’s it like being in the guitar-pedal business?

Hammett: It’s a lot more fun and creatively satisfying than I expected it to be. I love the fact that I’m manufacturing pedals that I want to use. It’s such a great feeling to be able to think something up, have it built, and then have it sitting in front of you. My partner, Dave Karon, and I have been trying to get these pedals into everyone’s hands—musicians in rock bands, funk and soul bands, blues bands, jazz bands, and country bands—because we are not just a heavy-metal pedal company. We’re also in the process of building pedals for a few other guitar players right now, and I’m really excited about that, because I want them to get the same feeling I got when I had that first KHDK Ghoul Screamer sitting in front of me. There I was, thinking, “Finally! A Tube Screamer with more knobs and compression.” I want to be able to offer that kind of situation to players who have an idea for a pedal that they’ve always wanted to have, but that no one has built.

What do guys think of djent? Do you check out bands like Meshuggah, who are still very much metal, but are taking the rhythmic complexity factor to the next level?

Hetfield: Of course. Yeah. We’ve done quite a few shows with Meshuggah. They’re one of a number of bands out there that are really pushing the limits as far as sonics go, as well as playing some extremely intense and challenging stuff. It blows my mind that I have no idea how they can remember those songs. Then again, people ask us the same question—“How do you remember that song?” Well, you write it. That’s how you remember a complex song. When you write the song, it’s a lot easier to remember than if you’re trying to learn someone else’s thing.

Kirk, you’ve been public about the fact that in recent years you’ve become alcohol-free. Has quitting drinking helped your playing?

Hammett: Yes, it has. Alcohol just stopped working for me. So, about two-and-a-half years ago, I quit drinking. I had been in this routine for years and years where we’d play a show, and, afterwards, I’d go out and get drunk, come back to my hotel room, grab my guitar and start playing, and two or three hours later, pass out and go to sleep. I still play guitar in my hotel room after shows, but now I do it without being drunk. And this means that the next morning, I remember what I played the previous night. It stays with me. Because of that, I’ve reconnected with my guitar in a way I never expected. It’s the weirdest thing to have been playing guitar since I was 15 years old, and, then—36 years later—connect with it in a completely different way. It blows my mind.

Kirk’s Green Machine

Since the summer of 2014, Kirk Hammett has been the owner of what may be the most hallowed Gibson Les Paul in history: “Greeny,” the famous ’59 Standard once wielded by revered British bluesman Peter Green. Yet Hammett doesn’t feel like he’s the guitar’s owner.

“I just feel like I’m the guy taking care of it for this period of time,” says Hammett, who purchased the instrument for “under seven figures”—a bargain, apparently. “Greeny has its own fan base. It has its own life separate from mine, and I love that. It’s not tied to me like some other guitars are. And everyone who sees Greeny wants to take a picture with it. It’s as if my wife were a famous movie star and I’m constantly having to step aside so people can take pictures with her.”

The guitar is legendary for at least three reasons—Peter Green’s use of it on iconic Fleetwood Mac recordings (“He wrote ‘Green Manalishi,’ ‘Oh Well,’ and ‘Albatross’ on that guitar,” raves Hammett); its long tenure with Gary Moore, who purchased it from Green in 1969 (“Gary played it on Black Rose, one of my favorite Thin Lizzy albums”); and the spooky out-of-phase sound it gets with both hum-buckers engaged.

Famed luthier Jol Dantzig had the opportunity to examine Greeny’s pickups and controls in 1984. “Everything looked totally stock,” he later told GP’s Andy Ellis. “The pickups were wired in phase, but I knew they didn’t sound stock when played together. Then, I used a compass to measure the pickups’ polarities. I discovered that one magnet was oriented north-to-south while the other was oriented south-to-north. The pickups were magnetically out of phase. This was the secret we’d all been searching for.”

Hammett was impressed by the guitar from the moment he first plugged it in. “I was in London one fine summer day when a dealer friend invited me to check it out,” says Hammett. “We ran it through a vintage Marshall Bluesbreaker 2x10 combo, and immediately the bridge pickup had a nice, full tone with lots of presence. I checked the neck pickup and thought, ‘Wow, that’s one of the fattest neck sounds I’ve ever heard.’ But when I put it in the middle position, oh my god—it sounded like a Strat through a 100-watt Marshall fully cranked.’ Seven hours later, after making a counter-offer, the owner called and told me we had a deal. I had never even thought about owning Greeny before that day. I was just on tour, and Greeny came to me.”

To hear Hammett playing Greeny with Metallica, listen to his solo on “Hardwired,” the first track on Hardwired … to Self-Destruct. He played the part on Greeny while plugged into three amps—a modded Marshall head, a Mesa Dual Rectifier, and a Kirk Hammett signature-model Randall KH103 “Meathead” with a KHDK Ghoul Screamer pedal engaged for extra drive.

“That solo is all blues licks,” says Hammett, who also played Greeny on several other tracks on the album. “The licks are just strung together in such a way that it sounds like a heavy metal solo. If you really listen to it, though, the opening lick is just a Robert Johnson lick that’s turned up.”

Despite being a near-priceless hunk of guitar history, Greeny has been touring with Hammett and Metallica.

“I play it on ‘Whiskey in the Jar,’ which is a song Greeny has probably played numerous times before I came along,” says Hammett. “A lot of people have played that guitar, including Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher, and George Harrison. And the guitar will continue to get played. I’m not going to put it in a f**king display case. That piece of wood is all the right things at all the right times, and it was created for all of us.”