ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

[PFDarkside]

I know Hammet has had signature guitars forever from ESP, but did Hetfield ever have one back when he was playing Explorers? (I know he's got that goofy Truckster now, but before the Gibson lawsuit in the late 90's was there a JH EX sig?)

 

[H8Red442]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

I think whatever he used was his and his alone aside from a few. THere was the Grynch for a while there in a limited run. There are also about 900 or so of the black explorer with the black diamond plate on them.

 

[lex666]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

Check eBay. I've seen black ESP explorer shaped guitars for sale. I'm pretty sure ESP used to sell the same production model James used, but I don't think its a 'signature' model.

Edit:

BTW - Gibson released a GOW last year - a white explorer with EMG's and no pickgaurd. IIRC, James used this same model too, back in the day. I'd rather have that explorer than the ESP, but thats just me.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

When the real ESP's come up they are some serious coin ($3,000+) although I'm sure they're great guitars. The LTD series never had the exact setup I'd want (I think it was bolt on + TOM and set neck + FR).

I saw that GOM, it looked pretty cool, but when I got into Metallica he was playing ESPs already, that black, rear routed EXP has really made a mark on my guitar playing psyche.

 

[millsart]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

I remember seeing an explorer that had the diamond plate stuff on it in some catalogs, and I recall Hetfield playing one a bit.

If that was a sig model or just a cool looking factory option guitar that he also played I don't know lol. That was back before anyone and everyone had signature everything from using their sig amp, through their sig cable, with their sig line of picks, pickups, fx boxes, wearing their sig clothing line, eating their sig cereal etc, you get the idea


Zakk Wylde Bullseye Bites, Tasty multigrain cereal with marshmellow bulleyes guitars in every bite. Just the thing to go with your Wylde amp, guitar, emg pups, Boomer stringrs, MXR effects, Dunlop Wah, BLS leather vest etc. What has the world come to ?


Back to topic though, I really do recall in the 90's there being a Hetfield model of some degree because I'm quite sure back then I would of given most anything to have one because he was like god to me back then. (sort of looked like how you'd think god should as well, til he cut his hair as well)

 

[NevermindUs]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

and i may be wrong, but arent they eclipses based off of the fuel les paul?????????????? i heard that somewhere.......

 

[jmh151]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

The Eclipses were around longer than the Fuel Les Paul. ESP has been making Les Paul replicas for quite some time in Japan under the ESP and Edwards name.

Hetfield never had a true ESP Explorer signature. His personal guitars had set necks. The limited runs ESP did with the diamond plate were bolt on construction, as were Kirk Hammet's signatures for a very long time. The were just cosmetic copies.

 

[millsart]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

The Eclipses were around longer than the Fuel Les Paul. ESP has been making Les Paul replicas for quite some time in Japan under the ESP and Edwards name.

Hetfield never had a true ESP Explorer signature. His personal guitars had set necks. The limited runs ESP did with the diamond plate were bolt on construction, as were Kirk Hammet's signatures for a very long time. The were just cosmetic copies.

Good to know, but man, thats just lame beyond words. I priced some diamond plate at Home Depot, that stuff is EXPENSIVE

To do the work of cutting it it to fit the guitar body, drilling the pot holes etc and then putting it onto a bolt neck version of the guitar..... I just don't get that

 

[Sleeping Martyr]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

Hetfield's signature guitar runs were all limited except for the truckster. Theres the JH-1 (black flying V with hot rod flames on it, my favourite one) the JH-2 (Black diamond plate explorer, James also has a chrome plate one) the JH-3 (Black eclipse with some ornamentation on it) the Grynch (Viper style Baritone with and EMG afterburner circuit) and the Truckster. All of them have an EMG-81 in the bridge and an EMG-60 in the neck

 

[jmh151]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

Good to know, but man, thats just lame beyond words. I priced some diamond plate at Home Depot, that stuff is EXPENSIVE

To do the work of cutting it it to fit the guitar body, drilling the pot holes etc and then putting it onto a bolt neck version of the guitar..... I just don't get that

I thought I read that ESP outsourced the diamond plate services to this company

http://www.sharp-concepts.com/customdesigns.htm

Either way, you can take an Epiphone goth Explorer, send it to these people (or maybe they have the faceplate on file?) and make a more accurate copy for alot cheaper.

I don't get ESP's old signature line. They'd make handmade, neck thru guitars for Hammet, set neck guitars for Hetfield, then release $1400-$3400 "signature models" of those guitars with bolt on necks. Seemed a huge ripoff.

I think they've stopped that practice, but the price is still high

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

There were several...a few Explorers, a black diamond plate, and a plain black one 2 Flying V's...one with red flames and one with green flames then a LP style piece with flag inlays...all with the Hetfield EMG set up...now that truckerster thing but all those other ones were done aroun Load/Re-Load...

 

[ex-250]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

2 Flying V's...one with red flames and one with green flames

there is only one green flames model in existence, and its owned by hetfield.

id know, cause im obsessed with that guitar :banghead: its the coolest **** thing ever



anyhow, heres some images to all these words...

JH-1

JH-2

JH-3

grynch

truckster

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

I'll trust you if you say that the green flame V was not a production signature guitar however there is more than one...I saw Metallica on the Re-Load tour and at one point James was plaing a green flame V and a roadie brought him out another green flame V...no sure what the difference was but both were green flame graphics...also, the Atlanta GUitar Center had one for sale about 10 or so years ago...

 

[ex-250]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

haha, thats not what i mean really. shoulda worded it different. he very well could have several of them, i have no idea, but hes the only person to possess one. at least officially. ive seen people get aftermarket replica paint jobs of that. but he is the owner of one straight from ESP.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

dude has a really 'dirty white boy' kinda style to his guitars. i would probably dig if i drove a ford truck and you know......................liked metallica hahahaha

I heard "Baritone Viper?" and figured being called the Grynch it would be green, that got me all excited but man. green flames? hahaha just no too sure about that one.

 

[mixedmedia]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

Last time I liked Metallica (black album) he was still playing the Explorer shaped ESP and thus it just seems odd that his signature guitars are anything but thanks to the Gibson lawsuit.

I don't know how people get excited about the pointy Explorer they make now or any of Hetfield's current sigs considering how much he was identified with the Explorer but different strokes for different folks.

Anyone else think the green flames on the Viper (SG shape) look a bit like a squid? Made me think of that cartoon about the redneck squids on CN.

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: ESP Hetfield Signature guitars?

Hetfield is the reason I got an Explorer... but I like the gibson with the pickguard and pickup selector on the lower horn... Don't like the others really, HATE the pointy ones... in fact I bought a washburn limited instigator... cool but I should have just bought another gibson!