This Flying V first appeared well before Kirk joined Metallica. It was his main instrument during his time in Exodus, and logically, it serves as the bridge between his local club days and his start in Metallica.
According to Kirk, he got the guitar from Leo’s Music on the corner of Telegraph Ave and 55th St in Oakland, and traded his Stratocaster for it, plus some money he made working at a Burger King.
He brought this guitar with him when he replaced Dave Mustaine in Metallica, and it was his main studio guitar on Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning, but it was also used partially on Master of Puppets, Garage Days, and …And Justice for All.
The Specs and The “Stock” Theory
The guitar is a standard 1970s model with a Mahogany body and a set-neck construction. Based on the physics of Mahogany, which emphasizes low-midrange notes, this wood choice was perhaps a factor that may have contributed to Metallica’s early sound. However, the impact that wood has on the sound, especially in highly distorted electric guitars, is obviosly very debatable.
Also, based on the most reliable sources, the guitar remained completely stock until 1987. If this is indeed true, it implies that the aggressive tones on the first three or four albums were actually generated using passive, low-output Gibson pickups. This goes against the assumption that active pickups were essential for that era, and the aggression likely came entirely from the Marshall JCM800s and Kirk’s right hand.
The 1987 Overhaul
Fast forward to 1987, coinciding with the …And Justice for All cycle, and the guitar finally underwent a radical overhaul. The passive pickups were removed and replaced with active EMGs. This modification makes sense logically for that time period, as the band was moving toward a scooped, compressed sound that required the tight low-end and high attack that EMGs provide.
Around this same time, the bridge was swapped for a Leo Quan BadAss bridge. Since standard Gibson Tune-O-Matics can suffer from intonation issues and energy loss, this high-mass replacement was likely installed to improve stability for the heavier touring schedule.
Leave a Reply