Matt Heafy’s Epiphone MKH Les Paul Custom Origins Collection launched last month – adding both six- and seven-strings in left- and right-handed configurations to the Trivium guitarist’s ever-expanding range of signature guitars.
But as the guitarist explains in a new interview with Guitar World, he and Gibson – Epiphone’s parent company – have already held discussions regarding new signature models.
While he remains rather tight-lipped about such endeavors – probably as they’re nothing more than conceptual at this stage – Heafy says “there’s talk of some MKH Kramers down the line”, in theory in both six- and seven-string setups, and even some headless Steinbergers.
“Because why not when Gibson owns the company who started the headless guitar!” Heafy exclaims.
He adds that he’s even joked with Gibson about the possibility of a nine-string signature model, though admits that such an idea is “probably very niche”.
A nine-string would be quite the jump for Gibson, which to this day has never outfitted an electric guitar with more than seven strings.
Matt Heafy is somewhat of a modern-day renaissance man, constantly working on new projects pertaining to Twitch streaming, black metal, gear design and everything in between.
Elsewhere in the interview, he reveals he’s been working with renowned Swedish producer Jens Bogren on a new digital amp suite.
“[It’s] something people had been saying they wanted,” he explains. “I love Jens, he’s one of the greatest producers/mixers of all time. We should have something together in about a year or so, aimed at people who don’t want to spend money on an amp head or pedal – those who prefer connecting their guitar to their computer.
“We’re not the biggest band in the world but we know our supporters better than most bands do. We listen to what they want and what they need.”
Be sure to check out our full interview with Matt Heafy, in which he talks in depth about his new Epiphone MKH Les Paul Custom Origins Collection, and discusses the inspirations behind his black metal project, Ibaraki, how Ihsahn inspired him to take the genre somewhere new, and how he got MCR frontman Gerard Way to guest on the record.
