North Hollywood, CA (October 5, 2017) -- ESP Guitars has introduced two new limited-edition versions of the iconic Kirk Hammett (Metallica) Signature Series guitars: the ESP KH Ouija Natural and the LTD KH Ouija Natural. Both models feature graphics taken from the famous talking board game, and are the first Ouija guitars to be offered with a quilted maple top in natural finish.
"It was around 1990 that Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett first approached us at ESP with the idea of a guitar that made use of graphic elements from the famous Ouija talking board. We later created the quilt maple KH Ouija Natural after being inspired by some wood-based designs of actual Ouija boards,” says Matt Masciandaro, ESP president and CEO. “We built a custom model for Kirk, who loved it. The Ouija has only been offered as a limited-edition model, and the KH Ouija Natural is also being created in small quantities to preserve its rarity and collectibility.”
The production of the two models are limited to 25 pieces available worldwide for the ESP version, and 666 pieces available worldwide for the LTD version. The ESP KH Ouija features quilted maple pickup covers that allow the Ouija graphic to extend across the guitar nearly uninterrupted. It also offers a 5mm-thick solid quilted maple drop top, a scalloped fingerboard on frets #17-24, and premium components. It is built by hand at the ESP Custom Shop in Japan.
The LTD Ouija Natural offers black binding on the body and headstock, a Macassar ebony fingerboard, and serial numbers that reflect the order of the guitar’s build (from 001 to 666).
Both guitars feature a quilted maple top with graphics from the Ouija board, which ESP licensed from Hasbro for the guitar’s release. Other common features include an EMG 60 (neck) / EMG 81 (bridge) pickup set, and both models include a special Ouija hardshell case and a Certificate of Authenticity.
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ESP Guitars
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primack’s Pedalboard
Primack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taver’s Teles
Vadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taver’s Pedalboard
Taver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmon’s Pedalboard
Harmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
