The latest offering out of ESP’s corner is a new James Hetfield signature guitar. The model – limited to only 500 pieces – is a faithful recreation of the axe the rocker is currently using on Metallica’s WorldWired Tour.

The guitar sports a mahogany body, a quilted maple top, a three-piece mahogany neck, a Macassar ebony fretboard, and an arresting See Thru Purple Sunburst finish. It’s designed for playability, with a 27-inch scale length that provides better accessibility to the higher frets and a thin U-shaped neck that encourages smooth transitioning. Additionally, the guitar is tuned to B-E-A-D-F#-B, a popular baritone configuration employed in metal.

Tone comes by way of signature EMG JH “Het” active pups at the neck and bridge. These are governed by two volume knobs and a pickup toggle switch. Elsewhere, the guitar comes with a set of LTD locking tuners and a TonePros locking TOM bridge.

Retails at $1,399. More information at espguitars.com.