KIRK HAMMETT

A little backstory first. Some of you know that I (Tom) am an avid guitar player and collector. I started playing the electric guitar (after four grueling years learning the classical guitar) at the age of 15. It was the year 1985, and after working two weeks at my dad’s factory during my summer holidays, I was finally able to afford my first electric guitar. It was a Gibson Les Paul knock-off, but I didn’t care. I wanted to rock out like Ace Frehley (KISS) who, was a Les Paul player. And so nevertheless, Gibson guitars to me were always the coolest, the most beautiful and best sounding guitars.

In the fall of 2023, I was strolling through the picturesque canal sidewalks of Amsterdam with my family, when I received a call from Kirk Hammett’s manager, Shelley. For those who don’t know, Kirk is the lead guitarist in Metallica. It turns out my photographer friend, Ross Halfin, had referred me to design what was to be a massive coffee table book on Kirk’s guitar collection, focusing on his Gibson guitars, but also featuring his famous ESP and Fender guitars etc. Gibson guitars is now a new client of ours. It truly was unbelievable.

The book (the three editions) contains many very cool product photos, showcasing all the details and warts of these beautiful instruments. Not only that, but Ross and Kirk had been taking photos at various locations around the globe. This lifestyle aspect makes this book so exciting. Because the last thing we wanted to make was a boring-looking guitar ‘catalog’ book. Hell, there is even a full spread of Kirk on his surfboard catching a big wave in Hawaii.

While Metallica was touring Europe in the summer of 2024, I was asked to come up to Paris, where team Hammett was stationed for several days at a posh hotel. At this point, I had received a full, real-size dummy of the entire book from the printer. The task at hand was to meet with Kirk, Ross, and Shelley to review 400 pages of text and photos, adjust, amend, edit, whatever was necessary to have them sign off on the book design. Luckily, all went well and we had a great time. Kirk even let me play his beloved ‘Greeny’, the legendary 1959 Gibson Les Paul, previously owned by Gary Moore and Peter Green (of the original Fleetwood Mac).

None other than t42’s very own Toby created the super cool illustration for the limited edition book. We hope you dig it, too!!