Metallica

Metallica is built around two guitarists, James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, who have both been long-time ESP and EMG users. Hetfield is closely associated with Explorer-style guitars, though the band began with Gibson Flying Vs, and today he mostly plays his ESP Snakebyte signature model along with the single-cutaway ESP Eclipse with its "Iron Cross" design. Hammett plays an ESP KH-2 M-II in Ouija and Boris Karloff "The Mummy" finishes, a Jackson Randy Rhoads RR1T, and Gibson Les Pauls, including a custom model for ballads.

The band's amplifier sound has long rested on Mesa/Boogie, which both guitarists have used in the studio and live since the Mark IIC+ appeared in the early 1980s, together with Randall amps and, in Hetfield's case, Diezel. Hammett's live rig has used rackmount Dual Rectifiers, and Hetfield's "Papa Het" rack is full of Boogie gear. Hetfield has said he keeps the stage setup lean, with two cabinets and a lot of sound coming from in-ear monitors.

Gear lists for the band describe particular tours and eras, so treat specific models as snapshots rather than a permanent rig. Guitar Radar follows the band's signature gear, tour rigs and collaborations with guitar brands.