[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#000000″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” top_divider_style=”arrow2″ top_divider_color=”#FFFFFF” top_divider_height=”12px” bottom_divider_style=”arrow2″ bottom_divider_color=”gcid-heading-color” bottom_divider_height=”12px” bottom_divider_flip=”vertical” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-heading-color%22:%91%22bottom_divider_color%22,%22bottom_divider_color%22%93}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Ligne” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”|700|||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_font_size=”36px” header_2_font=”|600|||||||” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Some guitars tell a story. Others tell an entire chapter of metal history. And then there are those that cross paths with several legends at once. The ESP Alexi Laiho Signature V that we have just received at Matt\u2019s Guitar Shop clearly belongs to the latter category. A piece that is as radical as it is iconic, linked to two major figures of modern guitar: Alexi Laiho and Kirk Hammett.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Originally, this was the signature model developed by ESP Guitars for Alexi Laiho, frontman of Children of Bodom. A guitar designed for the most intense, fastest, and most technical form of metal. Laiho was not simply a guitarist: he was a true musical force, capable of combining extreme speed, a keen melodic sense, and raw expressiveness. His playing left a lasting mark on an entire generation of metal musicians.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This ESP Signature V perfectly reflects that DNA. Its aggressive Flying V shape, black finish contrasted with touches of yellow, and pickup configuration designed for high-gain tones make it a no-compromise instrument. It is a guitar designed for the stage, for volume, and for immediate impact. Every detail is intended to support demanding, fast, and extremely articulate playing, like that of Alexi Laiho.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But what makes this instrument even more fascinating is its time in the collection of Kirk Hammett, iconic guitarist of Metallica. A passionate collector, Hammett is known for his deep interest in rare instruments, prototypes, and guitars steeped in history. The fact that he kept this ESP makes it much more than a simple signature model: it is an object that has passed between two major worlds of modern metal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A subtle but revealing detail adds even more to its unique character: on the guitar\u2019s headstock, a small piece of tape bears the inscription \u201cD#\u201d, referring to its tuning, one half-step lower. This kind of mark, simple in appearance, actually tells the story of concrete, functional use, connected to the stage and the studio. It is precisely this that gives the guitar its living character.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In Alexi Laiho\u2019s hands, this instrument was designed to push the boundaries of melodic and extreme metal. In Kirk Hammett\u2019s collection, it becomes another testament to the history of the genre, carefully preserved by one of its greatest representatives.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Owning this ESP therefore means much more than acquiring a signature guitar. It means holding a fragment of the evolution of modern metal, connected to two guitarists who each, in their own way, pushed the boundaries of their style. A rare, intense piece, deeply rooted in the electric history of metal.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.matts-guitar-shop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/esp-laiho-flying-v-kirk-hammett-02.webp” alt=”An ESP Signature designed for Alexi Laiho” title_text=”esp-laiho-flying-v-kirk-hammett-02″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ admin_label=”Ligne” _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.27.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n
\n