Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Epiphone launch 1979 Flying V guitar

Metallica’s Kirk Hammett has joined forces with Epiphone to recreate the guitarist’s prized original ‘79 Flying V.

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The new collaboration with Epiphone is described as a “painstaking recreation” of the original ‘70s model and pays homage to the iconic Flying V that has become synonymous with Hammett, as well as many other thrash metal icons.

The original model is also one that famously appeared on the band’s run of fan-favourite albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including ‘Kill ‘Em All’, ‘Ride the Lightning’, ‘Master of Puppets’, ‘…And Justice for All’ and the self-titled LP – more famously recognised as ‘The Black Album’.

“I am extremely honoured to be able to put out an Epiphone Flying V today,” Hammett said in a press release. “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.”

Two colourways are offered for the new 2023 Epiphone edition – purple metallic and ebony – and the new signature model also features a mahogany body, a one-piece mahogany neck and a custom bridge. As for the electronics, it comes with a pair of Gibson USA Calibrated T-Type humbuckers, a 3-way pickup selector toggle and a 1/4-inch output jack.

The Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V is available now for £1,349 and can be purchased here. Check out the final design in the promotional video below.

This isn’t the first time that the Metallica lead guitarist has released a signature guitar this year. Back in March, Hammett joined forces with guitar manufacturer Gibson to create replicas of his iconic “Greeny” Les Paul.

The design was based on the original 1959 model, which is iconic in the guitar world for having belonged to Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) and Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy), before going to the thrash veteran.

In other Kirk Hammett news, the musician recently collaborated with Goodnight, Texas on the gritty single, ‘Runaways’. He has also been embarking on a global tour with Metallica to celebrate the release of their latest album ‘72 Seasons’. You can find remaining tickets for upcoming dates here.