Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has teamed up with the grasp luthiers at Gibson Customized in Bozeman, Montana, to introduce the Kirk Hammett Raven, a “majestic counterpart” to the agency’s legendary Hummingbird mannequin. 

Restricted to 100 guitars worldwide – and consequently priced at a good-looking £4,399 – the guitar shares the Hummingbird’s square-shoulder form, however units itself aside with a “darkish, creative twist on the Hummingbird aesthetic”.

Supported by a standard scalloped Superior X-bracing, the Kirk Hammett Raven sports activities a Sitka spruce high with mahogany again and sides, with a round-profile mahogany neck topped with a 20-fret certain ebony fingerboard with mother-of-pearl star inlays.

Grover Rotomatic tuners full the spec sheet, alongside TUSQ elements – together with the nut, saddle and bridge pins – guarantee tonal consistency and tuning stability.

The place this instrument actually stands out, although, is in its visible appointments. The Kirk Hammett Raven pays homage to Gibson’s custom of wildlife-inspired designs, with an intricately ornate double pickguard, raven-themed tailpiece accent and a putting mother-of-pearl raven cranium inlay within the headstock.

The guitar can be bolstered by an L.R. Baggs Component VTC +4 electronics system, with discreet quantity and tone controls situated contained in the soundhole. They provide “quick access with out disrupting the guitar’s aesthetics”, plus an extra 4dB of output for additional headroom when wanted.

Every Kirk Hammett Raven ships with a black Gibson Customized hardshell guitar case adorned with an identical raven cranium graphic, in addition to a certificates of authenticity and customized raven-themed strap. In a really cool contact, too, every guitar is hand-signed by Kirk Hammett himself on the soundhole label.

“This Ebony-finished acoustic is destined to turn out to be a collector’s treasure,” says Gibson. “Availability is extraordinarily restricted – safe yours earlier than they vanish into the evening.”

Whereas today a lot speak of Kirk Hammett’s guitar assortment centres round Greeny, the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Customary previously owned by Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Inexperienced and Gary Moore, he definitely has a penchant for gothic six-strings, together with his White Zombie and Ouija ESP signature fashions, that are staples in his Metallica reside arsenal.

Be taught extra in regards to the Kirk Hammett Raven at Gibson.

Sam is the Affiliate Information Editor for Guitar.com and MusicTech. Completely immersed in music tradition for almost all of his life, Sam has performed guitar for 20 years, studied music know-how and manufacturing at college, and likewise written for the likes of Guitar World, Whole Guitar, Steel Hammer and MusicRadar.