James Hetfield with his old Jackson King V (Double Rhoads?)

[eakinj]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k8xipvEWQjc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

About 2:21 he's sitting there with it, and it's hung prominently on the wall in the studio. Looks like he was playing one of his real old school Gibson Flying V's. Guess he's really trying to go with the old vibe.

[euronymous]

They used lots of gears from 80s to get the inspiration
Its a KV with tom.

[eakinj]

I was kind of surprised to see it on the wall and even more so when he was fiddling with it. I thought it had a broken headstock or neck or something or other and that's why he stopped playing it (It's been too long since I cared, so I forgot

[toejam]

I believe that V is his first one, the copy of the Gibson.

[MartinBarre]

Vid's not showing here?

[toejam]

[GuerillaPete]

Glad Jaymz dusted the cobwebs off his KV to record this song.
I do hope the album is on the right path to their old style. Knowing Lars, he'll screw it up with bad sounding - and playing, drums. We shall see.

[shramiac]

I do hope the album is on the right path to their old style. Knowing Lars, he'll screw it up with bad sounding - and playing, drum. We shall see.

Hah! He finally got a decent snare sound but his bass drums sound like poo judging by the new song!


Never like Metallica so maybe I'm biased?!

[RR2772]

Yep that is Kill Bon Jovi Jackson V used for C# tuning on the Puppets tour and was also in the studio for recording of Puppets. Last seen around 1987 for the Garage revisisted EP and playing the 100 club in London UK.

Hetfields Gibson V is a copy and bolt on neck. Used to be red way back in 1980 when he got it.

Most importantly James got his V 1 year before Mustaine got into them!

Since Metallica seem to be open to their roots and vibe maybe there is hope for something of value but without Burton it wil never be the ultimate.

[Snakepit]

Yep that is Kill Bon Jovi Jackson V used for C# tuning on the Puppets tour and was also in the studio for recording of Puppets. Last seen around 1987 for the Garage revisisted EP and playing the 100 club in London UK.

Hetfields Gibson V is a copy and bolt on neck. Used to be red way back in 1980 when he got it.

Most importantly James got his V 1 year before Mustaine got into them!

Since Metallica seem to be open to their roots and vibe maybe there is hope for something of value but without Burton it wil never be the ultimate.

"The Thing That Should Not Be" is in D-Standard. I've also seen him play "Fade To Black" with it live.

[RR2772]

Yes on the studio recording of it and as we know it on Puppets.

However live in 1986 it was C# and he did use the King V for that!

Listen from 37 minutes in for Thingy in Canada 1986. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ESicEzUtqk

Also Quebec: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LQD5khtl8U

There was a guitar shop magazine with Kirk that mentions it. Kirk played an Aria pro II and they had trouble staying tune with tuning being that low.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

I've got a few theories on this! I have checked out some concerts from back in the day and I think the white King V had a few roles. During the Ozzy tour in 86, it was just a normal alternate guitar during the set, prob in standard tuning because they didn't play Thing. Later on that same year when they moved to headlining sets with more songs, it was employed in the lower tuning for Thing. As far as recording, in the new book about MOP, James said he did use it for tracking, but didn't think it sounded quite as tight as his Explorer, so he ended up using that more. As far as Kirk for Thing live I have only ever seen him use that red HSS Fernandes. I have an old GFTPM mag where he mentions that Aria Knight Warrior, but I've only ever seen him playing it in backstage/bus photos and a press photo...it's like it was more of a guitar he would use for practice on tour while his Jackson and Strats were in the gear truck. I'd bet he got it as part of the deal with Cliff's basses.

RR2772, do you know the number of that guitar shop mag? I would love to check it out!

[RR2772]

No sorry I can't.

As I recall Kirk's Thingy live guitar was an Aria Pro II and Kirk had 2 of those. Yes the V was pictured at Sweet Silence so used I guess and it became the Explorers. James had 2 and got a third build by ESP. The V was used for ligthning title track first.

[AIC70]

That's cool - I always went with the story that the neck broke and he shit-canned it. Glad to see it still lives on

[RR2772]

I also thought the neck had broken on that white V and it was trash never to be seen again. So cool to see that it actually still exist and gets played sometimes but not in touring mode anymore.

Where did the broken neck story come from?