NAMM 2012: ESP Debuts New Jeff Hanneman Signature Models, LTD "Slayer-2012" Guitar

As part of a whole slew of new products being introduced at this year's Winter NAMM, ESP has unveiled two new signature models for Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman, the ESP Jeff Hanneman EC and the LTD JH-600EC.

On top of that, the company also introduced a new limited edition guitar, the LTD Slayer-2012, which features custom graphics commemorating the release of the band's 1988 classic, South of Heaven.

You can get more info from ESP at their official website, and don't forget to check out all our NAMM 2012 coverage here.

From ESP: “The aggressive, high-performance sound of Jeff Hanneman and Slayer have long been associated with ESP,” says director of marketing and artist relations Allen Steelgrave. “We’re sure that Jeff’s new Signature Series guitars and the limited edition SLAYER-2012 model will be immediately appreciated by all musicians who take no prisoners with their own playing.”

The ESP Jeff Hanneman EC is a customized version of the popular ESP Eclipse model, built to Hanneman’s specifications. It features neck-thru-body construction at 24.75" scale, an alder body with arched top, a maple neck with ebony fingerboard, and 24 XJ frets. The new Jeff Hanneman EC guitars have a traditional-style full body thickness but with a waist cut. Components include EMG 81 (bridge) / EMG 85 (neck) active pickups, and the ESP version includes an EMG SPC Control. Both the ESP and LTD versions of the guitar come in a black finish, with red upside down star inlays on the fingerboard, Kahler Tremolo, and an extra “dummy” 3-way toggle switch in the standard Eclipse position on upper body area.

The new LTD SLAYER-2012, like last year’s popular Slayer-2011 model, is a limited edition guitar that uses the iconic skull and pentagram-themed artwork from one of Slayer’s most well-known albums, South of Heaven. The guitar has bolt-on construction at 25.5" scale, a comfortable alder body, maple neck, ebony fingerboard with 24 XJ frets, and includes EMG active pickups and a TOM bridge with string thru body.

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Josh Hart

Josh Hart is a former web producer and staff writer for Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado magazines (2010–2012). He has since pursued writing fiction under various pseudonyms while exploring the technical underpinnings of journalism, now serving as a senior software engineer for The Seattle Times.