ESP Guitars this week unveiled a series of new guitars at the 2012 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Trade Show. Included were signature models from Jeff Hanneman of Slayer, Rob Caggiano and Frank Bello of Anthrax, and Kirk Hammett of Metallica. These models are a portion of the 19 new models that ESP Guitars is introducing this year.
To celebrate 25 years of partnership, the new LTD KH-25 guitar is a replica of Kirk Hammet’s custom ESP, complete with stickers as seen on his original model. The LTD KH-25 was originally available only as a custom series model, and is now available at the LTD level of guitars produced by ESP. This model includes a bolt-on neck with basswood body, a Floyd Rose Special, and ESP’s new ALH-200 active humbuckers.
Additionally, the new KH-DC and LTD KH-DC models were introduced featuring a new double-cutaway body design, a first for ESP Guitars. The body and neck are both made of mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. Both ESP and LTD models also feature gold hardware with gold covered EMG active pickups.
Jeff Hanneman of Slayer also has a new signature series model out, the ESP Jeff Hanneman EC and its LTD equivalent, the LTD JH-600EC. The model is based on the popular ESP Eclipse body style, but with an added Kahler Tremelo, as well as a neck-thru construction, EMG active pickups, and red upside-down star inlays. To add to the Slayer collection, ESP also introduced the LTD SLAYER-2012 guitar, based on their M Series body styles, complete with string-thru body, active pickups, and the artwork to Slayer’s 1988 album “South of Heaven” on the body.
And last, but not least, are Rob Caggiano and Frank Bello of Anthrax signature model guitars and basses. The Caggiano model is based on the ESP Horizon body style and available in both ESP and LTD versions. The guitar features a bolt-on construction with ash body, maple neck, and rosewood fretboard. Custom inlays, glow in the dark fret markers and DiMarzio pickups add Caggiano’s specifications to the guitar.
For bass players, Frank Bello’s signature model bass is based on the ESP Vintage-4 body and available in both ESP and LTD versions. This bass features a black satin finish with a black anodized aluminum pickguard, EMG active pickups, and a bolt-on neck.
For more information, including where to purchase these instruments, please visit http://www.espguitars.com/news/2012-newmodels.html
