Ever since he replaced Dave Mustaine in Metallica in 1983, Kirk Hammett has broadened the group’s horizons. As a guitarist, his vision and technique takes in everything from Cuban folk music to jazz. As a metal icon, he’s the very essence of the brooding virtuoso, a genius whose impossibly fiddly solos (before St. Anger, anyway) are tossed off with cooler-than-thou nonchalance.
The good news is that there are inexpensive options that will put you close to that mighty tone. ESP’s entry-level LTD range also throws up some realistic options, and at $699, depending upon the shape of guitar that suits your style; you can go for either the KH-203 or KH-202 guitars. If you’re a bit tech savvy, you can buy EMG-81 humbucker pickups as a retrofit unit (about $124, excluding fitting) and put it together with the Afterburner circuitry ($57) for added output.
In the amp department, a Mesa/Boogie Recto-O-Verb “Series 2” 1x12 combo will set you back a cool $1,479, but it has a 50-watt output and delivers a scorching range of modern metal tones. The Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 1x12 combo is a cheaper option that supplies 100 watts of grunt for around $709. Hammett’s Line 6 DL4 delay pedal and MM4 modulation stomp box modeler retail for $349 apiece, but cheaper options abound, so shop around. Finally, check out Line 6’s Über Metal pedal ($139.99) to add bite to your tone. Hammett also loves to stomp on a wah pedal for solos, and his wah of choice, of course, is a Dunlop Crybaby Classic wah-wah pedal with a Fasel conductor for $203.
