Hammett is known for consistently taping sections of his right (picking) hand in order to protect his skin from abrasions from his use of
palm muting and fast picking techniques over lengthy tour cycles.
Guitars Hammett's touring guitars over the years have included: in São Paulo, 2010 •
ESP MM-250/MM-270 "Zorlac" – Hammett's first custom-made instrument by
ESP Guitars was the precursor to the whole KH series. Featuring vertical skulls and crossbones as opposed to the horizontal ones featured on today's KHs, and an upside down
Jackson Guitars style headstock which is what Hammett originally intended. The threat of potential lawsuits from Jackson Guitars over this model meant it was withdrawn as a custom shop option forever. As a result, the headstock was changed to the typical modern era
ESP style, but flipped upside down, the inlays were rotated 90 degrees and those became the modern-day KH series. •
ESP KH-2 MM-290 "Skully" – Hammett's main touring guitar and first modern-era KH model. This signature model is based upon the modifications he made to his original ESP custom model. •
ESP M-II Standard – with
EMG and
Seymour Duncan pickups. Hammett used this a lot in the studio and live. •
ESP KH-2 "Bride of Frankenstein" – New for 2009. •
ESP KH-4 Chrome – New for 2009. A remake of his former KH-4 guitar, with a chrome pickguard, chrome hardware, and chrome EMG pickups. •
ESP MII-NT – New for 2009. It is custom finished with occult-themed graphics. •
ESP KH-2 M-II "Boris Karloff Mummy" #I – This has been Hammett's favourite guitar for many years. It features a
Boris Karloff Mummy I graphic which Hammett owns the rights to. It will not be released by ESP. Hammett has two of these guitars, one with
Eye of Horus inlays and the other with hieroglyphics inlays. •
ESP KH-2 M-II "Ouija" – This guitar contains two spelling errors. It sports the words "WILLIAM FUED TALKING BAARD SET" but it in fact should say "WILLIAM FULD TALKING BOARD SET". Hammett also now plays a white version of this guitar on tour. •
ESP KH-2 M-II "Greenburst" A standard KH-2 with a custom green sunburst finish, green inlays, and green logo. •
ESP KH-3 Eclipse –
Pushead Spider graphic. It is taken from a classic
Les Paul Jr. shape with a Floyd Rose vibrato and EMG pickups. •
ESP Flying V copy – Cherry Red with white pickguard and gold hardware. Hammett uses this live mostly for the song "
Seek & Destroy". •
ESP Michael Schenker Flying V •
ESP VIPER Baritone – Used for performances of "
The Unnamed Feeling". •
Gibson 1968 Les Paul Custom – Mostly on ballads such as "
Fade to Black" and "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)". •
Gibson Les Paul Standard – Used on songs from
St. Anger. •
Ibanez RG – Used during the
Wherever We May Roam American and European tour. It was used as a stunt guitar and for
Deep Purple covers. •
Jackson Randy Rhoads Model RR1T – Custom made specifically for Hammett. It is usually tuned one step down from standard tuning, and used for songs like "
Sad but True" and "
The Memory Remains". •
TC Customs Death Magnetic Flying V – Used on the
World Magnetic Tour. •
Teuffel Birdfish – Designed and produced by German guitar designer/builder, Ulrich Teuffel. The model is limited (500 made) and is made to amplify sound using various pickups. This guitar is used live for "
The Judas Kiss". •
Teuffel Tesla On the 25th anniversary of Metallica's debut album ''
Kill 'Em All'', Hammett appears on the cover of Feb. 2008's
Guitar World sporting his new custom ESP. This model is the KH20, the 20th anniversary model from ESP. In 2014, Hammett purchased "
Greeny", a 1959
Les Paul formerly used by
Gary Moore and
Peter Green; using it on tour when playing a cover of
Thin Lizzy's version of "
Whiskey in the Jar".
Amplifiers and cabinets Throughout Metallica's career, Hammett has used a range of different amplifiers. For the first two albums, he used Marshall amplifiers and cabinets, with occasional effects. For the recording of Metallica's third album,
Master of Puppets (1986), he and
James Hetfield bought a
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ amplifier, and used Mesa/Boogie
Dual Rectifier heads. Even when he made his move to
Randall Amplifiers in 2007, he still used Mesa/Boogie amplifiers in his setup, and still does to this day. He currently uses two rack-mounted Dual Rectifier two-channel heads in tandem with his Randalls. In September 2007, Randall Amplifiers announced a partnership with Hammett to design a line of signature amplifiers, heads, combos and preamp modules. In December 2011, it was announced by Fortin Amps that they would team up with Randall to start a new line of tube amplifiers based on the Fortin Meathead amplifier. Hammett is currently using a prototype of the amplifier that he used for the Big 4 show at
Yankee Stadium and for all of the shows in India and Asia, and was recently sent a second prototype. •
Mesa/Boogie Rackmounted Dual Rectifier (x2) •
Randall RM100KH Signature Model (modified version of the MTS series RM100) (x1) •
Randall/Fortin Prototype head (x2) •
Randall 4x12 Cabinets (x4) •
Randall/Fortin 4x12 Cabinet
Effects To avoid problems with pedals being damaged during live performances, Hammett keeps his effect pedals in a rack along with his amplifiers. His
guitar technician controls them through a pedalboard sidestage. The pedal controller allows him to change between different effect pedals and amplifiers. Although using a wah-wah pedal since
Kill ‘Em All, the release of
The Black Album, saw prominent usage in Hammett's playing thereafter. In 2008,
Jim Dunlop started working in partnership with Hammett to create a signature wah-wah pedal, the KH95. In 2022 on an interview with
Rick Beato, he claimed to own "around 200" wah-wah pedals, citing his favorite one to be the Dunlop
Dimebag Cry Baby From Hell. Hammett said that the
Ibanez Tube Screamer has been an essential part of his sound since he was a teenager, but it was not versatile enough, which started him searching for a better pedal. In 2012, he co-founded KHDK Electronics with sound designer David Karon, hiring Antonin Salva as chief engineer, based in Prague. The company makes guitar pedals in
Paducah, Kentucky. They began developing pedals and trying out prototypes. In September 2015, the company launched its first series of pedals, surprising the industry. •
TC Electronic G-Major 2 effects processor •
Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor •
Dunlop KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Crybaby •
Ibanez Tube Screamer (
Keeley modified) •
DigiTech Whammy WH-1 •
Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler •
Line 6 MM4 Modulation Modeler •
Shure UR-4D Wireless Receiver • GCX Audio Switcher • Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro floorboard • DBX 1074 Quad Gate •
MXR Eddie Van Halen Flanger •
MXR Bass Octave Deluxe •
DigiTech Space Station • ToneBone Hot British Tube Distortion
Accessories •
Ernie Ball "Power Slinky" strings (.11-.48) •
Jim Dunlop Dunlop Jazz III Kirk Hammett (Green, purple sparkle, black sparkle) • Levy Custom Straps • "Kirk Hammett" - branded boutique custom straps • Peterson Strobe 420 Tuner • Bridge position:
EMG 81 • Neck position: Some Guitars
EMG 81 Others
EMG 60 (EMG 60 usually used for clean and to match harmony sections with James Hetfield) ==Discography==