Epiphone teams up with Kirk Hammett for an affordable “painstaking recreation” of his 1979 Flying V
It’s much more budget-friendly than the Gibson Custom Shop version which landed earlier this year…
Credit: Epiphone
Epiphone has teamed up with Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett for an affordable recreation of his 1979 Gibson Flying V.
Described as a “painstaking recreation of Kirk’s prized original”, the Epiphone Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V clocks in at much, much more affordable than the Gibson Custom Shop which landed earlier this year.
That, as you’d expect such a Gibson Custom Shop model to cost, came with a price tag of $15,000, while the new Epiphone version is priced at a far more modest $1,299.
As keen Metallica fans will point out, Hammett’s 1979 Flying V has been a mainstay of his guitar lineup for decades, and can be heard on the band’s first five albums: Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, …And Justice For All and The Black Album.
Epiphone even goes as far as to describe the axe as “one of the most important heavy metal guitars of all time”.
In terms of specs, the Epiphone Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V comes in two colourways – Ebony and Purple Metallica – and features a mahogany body, one-piece mahogany neck with volute, Grover Rotomatic machine heads with “spade” buttons and a custom bridge.
Elsewhere, the guitar sports a pair of Gibson USA Calibrated T-Type humbucker pickups wired to CTS potentiometers and an Orange Drop capacitor, controlled via a Switchcraft three-way pickup selector switch.
There’s also a Kirk Hammett logo on the rear of the headstock, and the guitar comes with a black hardshell case with a red plush interior.
“I am extremely honoured to be able to put out an Epiphone Flying V today,” Kirk Hammett says. “Epiphone represents great sounding guitars at accessible prices, which is fundamentally important for up-and-coming musicians. I’m beyond pleased that I can offer the ‘79 Flying V in this capacity. It means so much to me to be able to put good guitars in the hands of young players.”
Adds Jenny Marsh, Director of Global Cultural Influence at Gibson Brands: “We’re bringing the collaboration with the legendary Kirk Hammett to every stage for the first time through Epiphone, allowing every guitarist to wield the power and passion of Metallica’s music.”
The Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V is available now for $1,299. For more info, head to Epiphone.