Kirk Hammett is opening up about his lifelong love affair with guitars in a brand new coffee table book, The Collection: Kirk Hammett.
The Metallica shredder is diving deep into his arsenal of axes, telling the stories behind the iconic instruments that have shaped his legendary career.
Spanning a hefty 400 pages, the book (available now via Gibson Publishing) is packed with fresh interviews where Hammett geeks out over his most prized guitars, including his beloved 1979 Flying V and the holy grail of Les Pauls, “Greeny” – the 1959 Gibson once owned by Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac and Thin Lizzy’s Gary Moore.
The interviews were conducted by Chris Vinnicombe and Mark Agnesi, ensuring that every page is loaded with deep-cut details and killer insights.
Bringing the book to life is none other than legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin, who shot stunning new images on location in Hawaii and Los Angeles while also digging into his extensive archives for some rare gems.
According to Hammett, the book is more than just a showcase of his collection – it’s a tribute to the history and artistry behind these treasured instruments. “Every picture tells a story, and thanks to Ross Halfin and his exceptional photography, every picture in this book is worth a million words,” he says.
To hype up the release, Jason Momoa has lent his voice to a teaser trailer. “Every guitar has a story, and the thrill of finding the right one can be as electrifying as any song it will play,” Momoa says. “Collecting is an obsession, a passion, and a neverending quest for discovering the perfect tone. No one knows this more than Kirk Hammett.”
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The Collection: Kirk Hammett is dropping in three editions: a standard edition, a deluxe edition (limited to 1,500 copies), and a custom edition (only 300 copies), with both the deluxe and custom versions signed by Hammett himself.
Of course, Hammett isn’t just sitting back and admiring his guitars—he’s about to put them to work.
Metallica’s M72 world tour is back in action next month, kicking off its North American leg on April 19th in Syracuse, New York.
The band will head back to Australian shores in November, performing in stadiums across Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and Auckland from November 1st.
