Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett’s signature Gibson Flying V is available with $6000 off at Sweetwater... and frankly, Nothing Else Matters any more

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Buy the Metallica lead guitarist’s signature model for $8,999 in Sweetwater's Black Friday sale (wah-wah pedal not included)

Gibson Flying V
(Image credit: Future)

Ride The Lightning without breaking the bank thanks to a new deal from Sweetwater. The US instrument giant is currently selling the signature Gibson Flying V of Metallica legend Kirk Hammett for $8,999. That’s a $6,000 markdown from its RRP of $14,999!

Over his 40-plus years in Metallica, Kirk has played to countless stadiums full of people and sold hundreds of millions of records. With his 1979 Flying V Solidbody in your collection, you can sound just like the thrash metal maestro, recreating his blistering solos and iconic riffs, as heard on Enter Sandman, Creeping Death and other megahits.

Gibson Custom Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V Solidbody Electric Guitar
Gibson Custom Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V Solidbody Electric Guitar: was US$14,999 now US$8,999 at Sweetwater Sound

Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett’s signature Gibson Flying V model is available at 40% off this Black Friday, bringing its price down to $8,999. A jaw-dropping discount and one of the biggest we're likely to see this Black Friday.

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According to its manufacturer, the 1979 Flying V was Kirk’s first-ever Gibson guitar, and he still plays it today. You can hear it on Metallica’s earliest and most treasured records: Kill ’Em All, Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets, …And Justice For All and the chart-topping, blockbuster 'Black Album'. It also makes an appearance on Metallica’s latest full-length, 2023’s 72 Seasons, proving how storied a history the instrument has.

Only 200 editions of this signature model were ever built. When bought via Sweetwater, each comes with a certificate of authenticity, proving you’ve got your hands on a replica of possibly the most listened-to guitar in heavy metal history. The retailer calls it a “museum-grade” recreation of Kirk’s own instrument.

Sweetwater add: “This guitar’s mahogany body, 3-piece mahogany Kirk Hammett ‘V’ neck, beautiful rosewood fingerboard, and late ’70s Tune-o-matic bridge may as well have been taken off of Kirk’s original axe, adding up to a stunning sonic recipe that summons the very foundations of metal.”

In fact, this signature is accurate to a fault. It comes with a “well-worn finish” which recreates every scratch and scrape Kirk’s original 1979 Flying V has weathered over the past four decades of trailblazing. The gaffer tape on the back and the dents in the headstock? In a bizarre twist of fate, those are practically your guarantees of reliability with this model!

Of course, despite the deliberate knicks, this Flying V still plays like a pristine bit of kit. That quality and the pedigree together make $8,999 a steal. If that still sounds a bit pricy, though, you needn’t spend it all upfront. Sweetwater has a monthly financing choice for you if you so choose, letting you pay $191.23 a month over a 48-month period.

If you're after more amazing discounts, don’t forget to take a look at our Black Friday music deals page.

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Matt Mills
Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.