James acquired this guitar around 1991, during the band’s work on the Black Album. It was one of the first MX-250 models he began using after switching from the MX-220, which he’d favored previously. Although he went on to collect several MX-250s over the years, this particular guitar became his favorite and the one he used most extensively throughout his career.
In terms of specs, the MX-250 model was largely based on the MX-220. The body shape was refined with sharper edges, and the headstock was shortened, removing the “dip” found on earlier models.
Most of the MX-250s James used, including this one, were fitted with EMG active pickups, Gotoh tuners, and an ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge with a stop bar.
What sets this particular MX-250 apart from the others is a custom fretboard inlay, depicting a man transforming into a wolf.
Recent Usage
In 2019, James brought this guitar back into rotation, after it had been retired from stage use since the late ’90s.
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