<![CDATA[ Latest from Guitar World in Kirk-hammett ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/tag/kirk-hammett Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:57:13 +0000 en <![CDATA[ “One of the most historically significant guitars in rock and roll”: Ace Frehley’s iconic 1975 Gibson Les Paul expected to sell for more than half a million dollars at auction ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/juliens-auctions-music-icons-may-2026 XJEHtuhNgDrr6FEdknTSd3 Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:57:13 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I just wasn’t ready to spend $250,000 on a guitar at that stage in my life and my career”: Butch Walker turned down the opportunity to buy the Greeny Les Paul before Kirk Hammett bought it ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/butch-walker-greeny-les-paul qS6raZDZoSvzZALRot5usP Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:20:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I can put them in every guitar, and it’s gonna sound exactly like I need it to”: Metallica has rolled out something special to help celebrate 50 years of EMG ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/guitar-pickups/metallica-2026-limited-edition-pickups 6guVnd8YDZMt4fDAjNVS3Z Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:50:01 +0000 Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:55:35 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Whether it’s mounted on your pedalboard or standing at the heart of your shrine, this pedal is a torch held high for rock ’n’ roll”: Jim Dunlop drops an Iron Maiden Killers edition of its Cry Baby wah ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/guitar-pedals/jim-dunlop-iron-maiden-killers-cry-baby-wah BdLeXtTSVyEEAJ75tXBkXB Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:57:43 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Kirk Hammett’s in front of me with a guitar trying to teach me stuff. They’re like, ‘Get your stuff. You’re flying on the private jet with us’”: Daron Malakian on the time he saved a Metallica gig – and ended up filling in for an injured James Hetfield ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/daron-malakians-metallica-cameo mnDBLXPDNNztNKA8RgFnZA Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:16:44 +0000 <![CDATA[ “The first thing I said to him was, ‘You bought Greeny.’ He goes, ‘Yeah, I’ve got it. You want to play it?’” Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith had a chance encounter with Kirk Hammett – and ended up babysitting his iconic Les Paul ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/adrian-smith-greeny-les-paul vHUcN9amDjPdMEzK6SfYwG Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:11:02 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It was the perfect guitar for him to pay tribute to Tony”: Kirk Hammett’s guitar auction shatters expectations – with his mystery Back to the Beginning SG fetching $70,000 more than anticipated ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/gibson-ceo-4-and-kirk-hammett-guitars-sold-at-juliens-auction SGvm6tpMDtHUqQUnAPrKvZ Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:18:48 +0000 <![CDATA[ “When I finished, I sent Kirk Hammett a picture and said, ‘Do you want to use it?’ He replied in all caps, ‘YES!’” Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian has spent 4 years learning how to build guitars – and his prized SG was played at metal’s most historic concert ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/cesar-gueikian-ceo-4-kirk-hammett-back-to-the-beginning-auction-feature hyAAGWmWT4nws2fCxpk9fT Fri, 21 Nov 2025 11:54:42 +0000 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 10:17:07 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I’m nervousof that guitar because it’s so expensive. I can barely look at it”: Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil on how you can shake the Earth with one finger, and why he fell in love with Kirk Hammett’s Greeny – even if he’s still Team Strat ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/biffy-clyro-simon-neil-futique maYT4NDKChLFnk74HuBtPZ Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:09:43 +0000 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:17:11 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We built 19 different models. He more or less changed what we were doing”: EMG founder on why this Metallica guitarist’s pickup set was the most challenging he’s ever made ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/guitar-pickups/emgs-rob-turner-on-the-hardest-pickups-hes-ever-had-to-make ebrWDNrSZDJXXn5sjTkALE Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:04:03 +0000 Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:59:30 +0000 <![CDATA[ “If that's not done properly, then the guitar won’t be playable”: The hardest part of building a Gibson guitar from scratch, according to CEO Cesar Gueikian ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/the-hardest-part-of-building-a-gibson-guitar-according-to-ceo-cesar-gueikian 8X7bk4z3TWKmCpsVNWpWPb Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:31:19 +0000 Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:13:10 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Let’s hop to it”: James Hetfield wins Halloween by donning inflatable kangaroo costume to rip through a thrash classic – and he doesn’t miss a beat ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/james-hetfield-plays-for-whom-the-bell-tolls-dressed-as-a-kangaroo z47j8xZky43j7uf8cXx4Kc Mon, 03 Nov 2025 11:53:59 +0000 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:45:22 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Instruments that shaped metal forever”: The mystery Gibson SG Kirk Hammett played at Ozzy Osbourne’s last show is heading to auction – along with more than 150 other guitars from his collection ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/kirk-hammett-guitar-auction-november-2025 CLvxahKEdyvcBepsTbea67 Thu, 30 Oct 2025 09:26:15 +0000 Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:28:58 +0000 <![CDATA[ “A counterpart to the legendary Hummingbird”: Kirk Hammett and Gibson have released the Raven – putting a horror-themed twist on the classic dreadnought design ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/acoustic-guitars/gibson-custom-kirk-hammett-raven vRCrvbVofW997oz2TzN76Z Wed, 29 Oct 2025 12:51:47 +0000 Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:51:32 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I’m a big Metallica fan. I’ve seen Kirk playing it over the years and know what a big deal that guitar is”: Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil is a Strat player through and through – but here's why he couldn't say no to Gibson's ‘Greeny’ reissue ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/simon-neil-on-his-gibson-custom-shop-greeny-les-paul gt8yJHHvQJE7wM5J8vq8CF Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:10:49 +0000 Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:13:18 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We love ugly guitars”: KHDK Electronics has started making guitars ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/khdk-electronics-tease-first-guitars 3BbLsRX88wigg3yMWZjSMA Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:36:22 +0000 Wed, 15 Oct 2025 16:05:19 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I was instantly in a band because nobody wanted to play bass back then”: How Eddie Van Halen led to Les Claypool picking up the bass – and how he nearly joined Kirk Hammett’s band ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/les-claypool-on-why-he-picked-up-the-bass TBnPHxtWQLiPBL6YCmevrf Wed, 10 Sep 2025 15:49:55 +0000 Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:04:04 +0000 <![CDATA[ “After Kirk introduced me to Greeny, it felt only right to return the favor”: Kirk Hammett let Al Di Meola play his iconic Greeny – so the fusion virtuoso let him play his prized Elegant Gypsy Black Beauty ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/al-di-meola-and-kirk-hammett-swap-axes 39tNWqFktCB4yTv3geLyP9 Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:14:33 +0000 Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:50:52 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We all talked to each other before we went on – Kirk, Zakk and Slash. Kirk said, ‘I’m nervous, man!’ I said, ‘I am too’”: Jerry Cantrell looks back at the “walk-off home run” of Ozzy Osbourne’s final show ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jerry-cantrell-ozzy-osbourne-back-to-the-beginning V6ucftBR28LMNzEsMoheuG Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:57:43 +0000 Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:53:23 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I didn't want to put it down. I've missed it ever since!” Jake E. Lee played Kirk Hammett’s legendary Greeny Les Paul backstage at Ozzy Osbourne’s final show – but he almost wishes he hadn’t ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jake-e-lee-played-kirk-hammetts-greeny-les-paul ZALobDYetpkjBjPioU9vnH Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:17:37 +0000 Wed, 10 Sep 2025 13:51:36 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Theory C: it’s a scoop knob... they built James’ parametric EQ into the amp”: Metallica spark a Mesa/Boogie mystery as unidentified amp spotted in 50th Anniversary message to ESP Guitars. Could this be a James Hetfield signature? ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/amps/metallica-kirk-hammett-and-james-hetfield-reveal-mystery-mesa-boogie-amp-in-esp-guitars-shout-out 9Sn2itjoxTFfnBPasuyGjJ Fri, 29 Aug 2025 13:50:41 +0000 Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:42:18 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I hope this pisses off some more Tele purists! We have enough ‘regular’ boring guitars out there”: Jack White unveils Thinline version of his wild Triplecaster – which was specifically requested by Kirk Hammett ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jack-white-unveils-thinline-version-of-his-wild-triplecaster 4FEyYbSPj9Z2FFw9o7wKQ3 Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:44:42 +0000 Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:57:58 +0000 <![CDATA[ “The idea is Kirk was gonna play rhythms along with James. That changed everything, and some people don’t like it”: Bob Rock says Metallica's divisive Load album redefined the Hetfield-Hammett guitar partnership ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/bob-rock-explains-how-load-changed-metallica-as-guitar-players QmFqFhWxokhyVJ7QemESjW Tue, 05 Aug 2025 08:39:04 +0000 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:37:18 +0000 <![CDATA[ “The company's performance has deteriorated due to the rise of the secondhand market and intensifying competition”: Iconic Japanese guitar firm Fernandes Guitars files for bankruptcy again – but there's still hope for fans of the brand ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/music-industry/fernandes-files-for-bankruptcy-again-but-theres-still-hope XNjMmqXeVbwf84tqtSrr9d Tue, 22 Jul 2025 15:24:51 +0000 Mon, 28 Jul 2025 14:28:47 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I’m just like, ‘Oh my God. This is a compliment and a diss at the same time from Kirk Hammett!’” Tim Henson addresses Kirk Hammett’s mixed response to his ‘boomer bends’ comments ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/tim-henson-responds-to-kirk-hammett-boomer-bends JB8WCs9r3MYd2VrQ7WQqX6 Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:59:42 +0000 Mon, 21 Jul 2025 12:02:59 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Cliff played guitar as well as bass – I picked up a few things from him that ended up on Master of Puppets”: Before Robert Trujillo and Jason Newsted, Cliff Burton set the musical bar for Metallica and established an indelible legacy ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/cliff-burton-set-the-musical-bar-for-metallica uLKivCtqpyQybjnSPfVcg Sat, 12 Jul 2025 18:38:00 +0000 Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:25:04 +0000 <![CDATA[ Kirk Hammett’s mystery SG from Back to the Beginning was built by Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian – and now it’s being auctioned off for charity ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/gibson-ceo4-kirk-hammett-back-to-the-beginning GvCT5RwwHtsUYYb3GvEYgg Fri, 11 Jul 2025 14:44:15 +0000 Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:19:45 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I’ll list them on eBay or Reverb”: Kirk Hammett doesn’t want his guitars to go unplayed – so he’s been secretly selling them online ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/kirk-hammett-reveals-hes-been-selling-his-guitars-anonymously wiekL2fiCN54zkcexThuSZ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 12:29:28 +0000 Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:59:29 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It’s become a bad habit. I bought a 1955 Tele and turned it over to carve my initials into the back. My friend screamed, ’Don’t do that!’” Kirk Hammett on his favorite Metallica solo and tone – and his most prized purchases from other guitar heroes ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/kirk-hammett-guitar-collection-book Pu9jmwEByGEm5vze758Mr3 Tue, 08 Apr 2025 12:27:51 +0000 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:01:03 +0000 <![CDATA[ “They’re basically Les Paul copies, let’s be frank. It’s a Les Paul-style guitar and I already have amazing Les Pauls”: Kirk Hammett owns over 100 guitars but none of them are PRS. He explains why ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/why-kirk-hammett-doesnt-play-prs mjL7gSPyui5Fn7FmZGxB5a Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:35:46 +0000 Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:23:04 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I turned up at one of his shows with Greeny and said, ‘Bro, check it out...’” Kirk Hammett on the time Jack White played the original Greeny onstage ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jack-white-played-greeny-live RYpFFQ8M2rFUVtVk7os7wN Thu, 27 Mar 2025 15:21:49 +0000 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:17:02 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Is he gonna call Eddie Van Halen a boomer?” Kirk Hammett weighs in on Tim Henson and the boomer bends controversy ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/is-he-gonna-call-eddie-van-halen-a-boomer-kirk-hammett-weighs-in-on-tim-henson-and-the-boomer-bends-controversy rdCa6efaVvTJ9JnZzFJTon Tue, 25 Mar 2025 13:31:50 +0000 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:01:39 +0000 <![CDATA[ “If I’m really, really honest with myself, it’s probably my second-best-sounding guitar”: Greeny will always be Kirk Hammett’s pride and joy. But this uber-rare 1959 Gibson ES-335 is a close second – and it has a surprising history ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/kirk-hammett-1959-gibson-es-335 Ka25eJt8WkYtL52eri9XoB Thu, 20 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0000 Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:29:23 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We kind of dug it, but a lot of places didn’t like Metallica. They were like, ‘What the hell is this?’” When Metallica hit the road for their first national tour, crowds weren’t convinced by their music ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/raven-on-touring-with-metallica-in-1983 DbXNDeu32UzxGM7FDNWhTU Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:15:41 +0000 Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:13:26 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I’ve jammed with him at Kirk’s place. I’ve spent a night at his house and we’ve ended up with guitars in the kitchen”: Jerry Cantrell and James Hetfield have talked about making an album together ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jerry-cantrell-james-hetfield-album wMRrDj6RwUJmERyNgvaQki Tue, 07 Jan 2025 10:45:30 +0000 Mon, 13 Jan 2025 10:46:55 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Greeny is getting a bit jealous!” Kirk Hammett sent Jack White his signature Gibson Les Paul – and received the White Stripes legend’s wild Fender Triplecaster in return ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jack-white-kirk-hammett-swap-signature-guitars wtkYLTWFWQDSKSX9yxVbRX Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:12:27 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:20:43 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Well, yesterday was nuts”: Metallica pull out all the stops for All Within My Hands charity gig – bringing out oddball Danelectros, Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament and rarities ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/concerts-gigs-tours/metallica-all-within-my-hands-show-2024 SmGtnDBifs6o9fXLD4kqwG Mon, 16 Dec 2024 17:20:03 +0000 Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:23:16 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I went to Lars’ house, and he played me the tape of Hit the Lights. I said, ‘This song sucks. You need more guitar solos’”: They forged a new sound, and in 10 years, they were the biggest band in the world ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bands/metallica-the-first-10-years 55CZ987auvR5dwLXt9JzeJ Thu, 12 Dec 2024 22:02:01 +0000 Wed, 18 Dec 2024 16:22:53 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Reveal coming soon”: At long lost, is Gibson finally working on James Hetfield signature guitars? ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/gibson-james-hetfield-signature-models-tease hE3dS2SP8mQbatPK7tKxrb Thu, 12 Dec 2024 11:25:30 +0000 Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:37:14 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I gave my friend a call and said, ‘What have you got for me today?’ He goes, ‘Oh, I have a guitar for you…’” How Kirk Hammett ended up in possession of the legendary ‘Greeny’ Les Paul – and why he had no interest in it at first ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/how-kirk-hammett-got-greeny 87okVxbTG5uDYGtqvBZo2T Fri, 01 Nov 2024 11:45:31 +0000 Mon, 25 Nov 2024 15:52:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I can’t stop being bewildered by all these people who say, ‘That guy sucks!’ I’ve got news for you – you don’t get to where you’re at if you suck! Okay?” Kirk Hammett on why bad solos are dying – and dealing with armchair guitar critics ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/kirk-hammett-72-seasons-metallica-guitar-solos-critics p9EFoW7SLyP8XcoiFqDbrc Wed, 25 Sep 2024 13:20:12 +0000 Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:37:55 +0000 <![CDATA[ “There's various tunings, and also things that happen naturally, like strings breaking and guitars going out of tune”: Metallica are currently touring with a whopping 64 guitars – and 36 need to be ready to go at any given moment ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/metallica-64-touring-guitars 3jM4wkDQaRAc3xNHDy8TDa Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:52:31 +0000 Wed, 11 Sep 2024 08:57:36 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I don’t think bad guitar solos even exist anymore. Everyone is just so much better than they used to be”: Kirk Hammett doesn't pay attention to solo trolls – and thinks “bad” solos are a thing of the past ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/kirk-hammett-bad-solos-thing-of-the-past kQL6ibuA4Sb7G3cSe2T8vG Fri, 23 Aug 2024 11:19:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Less versatile than the Greeny tributes… but it’s the perfect weapon to seek and destroy”: ESP LTD KH-V Kirk Hammett review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/reviews/esp-ltd-kh-v-kirk-hammett mQMqbrShXz9HzfzC3gQmNC Tue, 21 May 2024 09:28:45 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:21:25 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It was funny when I first met James Hetfield. I was like, ‘Thank you for teaching me how to play guitar. You paved the way for me’”: Mastodon's Bill Kelliher on how meeting his guitar heroes pushed him to improve his craft ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/mastodon-bill-kelliher-meeting-guitar-heroes-james-hetfield DoF9zTUKGANZhEDGFvhhP8 Wed, 15 May 2024 16:01:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ “James really absorbed the dual-harmony thing and took it to heart. He made it his but it was originally Cliff’s”: Kirk Hammett on Joe Satriani’s influence and Metallica’s ’84 masterpiece Ride the Lightning ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/metallica-ride-the-lightning-kirk-hammett y7fxxZUfztZsuSTwRt6jsM Fri, 10 May 2024 09:07:48 +0000 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 12:31:41 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Us guitar players in the West, we all have the same base vocabulary, the same handful of stereotypical licks. But Mdou’s music, it’s almost free of that stuff”: Mdou Moctar finds a new fan in Metallica’s Kirk Hammett ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/mdou-moctar-kirk-hammett 7j6oUTs6ve34EZuTb9oTXF Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:48:56 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:18:11 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It’s like Brian May walked over to his tone booth and just turned it up to 11!” Kirk Hammett names his favorite Queen song – and it’s a seriously deep cut ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/kirk-hammetts-favorite-queen-brian-may-song Ys9KLkogjwZzQP5zCcDWba Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:26:25 +0000 Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:26:32 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Artfully aged by the Murphy Lab to match the look and feel of Kirk’s original”: Gibson’s Custom Shop takes on Kirk Hammett’s mod-heavy, “blacked-out” 1989 Les Paul Custom – and it’s safe to say it’s nothing like Greeny... ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/gibson-kirk-hammett-1989-les-paul-custom WaizWvQKPDrmoVzbMi8P4g Tue, 23 Jan 2024 18:19:14 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It was a huge risk – to this day I’m wondering if I pulled it off or not. But it was how I felt inside. I didn’t want picture-perfect solos”: Kirk Hammett reflects on his all-improv lead approach – and explains why he doesn’t sweat onstage mistakes ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/metallica-kirk-hammett-looks-back-on-2023-m72-world-tour-72-seasons Kavbex7MFKqrJ5kfQxCWPS Fri, 12 Jan 2024 10:54:17 +0000