Kirk Hammett’s Epiphone “Greeny” 1959 Les Paul has finally arrived – and it has a Gibson-style open-book headstock
“Greeny is a guitar of the people and this is an amazing opportunity for more players to experience the spirit of Greeny,” says Hammett
Credit: Epiphone
Just days after he was seen playing it on stage with Metallica, Kirk Hammett‘s hotly anticipated Epiphone Greeny Les Paul has now arrived.
As expected – especially since it has a Gibson-style headstock – the new guitar comes in at a premium price point and will set customers back $1,499, making it the most expensive Epiphone Les Paul to date. It also ties with Dave Mustaine’s Prophecy Flying V Figured as the most expensive Chinese-made Epiphone.
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As well as the Gibson-style headstock, Hammett’s signature guitar features a Custom Greeny neck profile and a pair of Gibson USA Greenybucker humbuckers – which would cost $300 just on their own. They have been installed with the neck pickup reverse-mounted in a similar fashion to the original Greeny.
It also boasts CTS pots and Mallory capacitors with ’50s wiring, a Switchcraft output jack and toggle switch and a Grover Rotomatic with Spade Button tuners mounted on the Gibson open book headstock.
The guitar uses slightly more traditional tonewoods, though they still differ from the original Gibson USA Greeny – more specifically, it uses a mahogany body with a maple top and flame maple veneer, which is the same as on the Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard. There’s also a one-piece mahogany neck, an Indian Laurel fingerboard (instead of rosewood) and Mother of Pearl trapezoid inlays.
The guitar comes in Epiphone’s take on the classic Gibson Les Paul case of the 1950s – it uses a Lifton-style brown hardshell with a pink plush interior.
“Greeny is a guitar of the people and this is an amazing opportunity for more players to experience the spirit of Greeny,” Hammett says in a press release.
“Kirk worked with us every step of the way to ensure this Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop ‘Greeny’ model has the same sound and feel as his legendary original guitar,” adds Mat Koehler, Gibson Brand’s VP of Product.
“It was extremely important for him that we get it right. I know that we’ve done him proud because he couldn’t – and still can’t – stop playing the prototype.”