Kirk Hammett's Sound
Thrash's most recognisable lead voice — wah, minor pentatonics and horror-movie melody.
Wah-soaked high gain with heavy delay and a fast, nervy vibrato
The rig
The gear associated with the sound. Each item opens a live Reverb search — vintage examples where they exist, modern equivalents where they don't.
Guitars
- ESP KH-2Find on Reverb
- 1959 Les Paul 'Greeny'Find on Reverb
- ESP KH OuijaFind on Reverb
Amps
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+Find on Reverb
- Randall KH signatureFind on Reverb
- Marshall JVMFind on Reverb
Effects
- Dunlop KH95 Cry BabyFind on Reverb
- Ibanez Tube ScreamerFind on Reverb
- Boss delayFind on Reverb
Pickups
- EMG 81 / KH Bone BreakerFind on Reverb
- Original PAFs in GreenyFind on Reverb
Why it sounds like that
Master of Puppets (solo)
Wah half-cocked with long delay — the midrange spike lets the lead cut through a very dense mix.
Fade to Black
Sustaining, melodic lead with a wide, slow vibrato that sounds nothing like the rest of the album.
One
Fast wah-swept runs over machine-gun rhythm; the pedal is doing rhythmic work, not just tonal.
Similar sounds
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