Distressed, Burnt, and Ready to “Feuer Frei!”
Rammstein’s sonic firepower and eclectic style have been integral to the band since their formation in 1994. For lead guitarist Richard Z Kruspe — a.k.a. RZK — the interrelationship of aural and visual aesthetics is an imperative piece of the whole. Thanks to the unwavering dedication of the ESP Custom Shop’s luthiers, the RZK-II Burnt brings RZK’s and the band’s galvanizing artistic ethos to life, gouging, carving, and burning the guitar’s body and headstock to resemble an apocalyptic aftermath, blurring the boundaries between art and instrument. Of course, the RZK-II is engineered for tone, armed with a trio of premium tonewoods and a set of immensely flexible Fishman Fluence Richard Z Signature Modern humbuckers to meet the exacting sonic needs of RZK’s genre-transcending yet unabashedly aggressive repertoire. Derived from ESP’s single-cutaway Eclipse body shape, the RZK-II boasts a Floyd Rose Original double-locking tremolo system for maximum expressivity, leaving the guitarists at Sweetwater with only one thing in mind: “Feuer frei.”
Note: This guitar’s distinctive finish involves distressing, gouging, and burning the guitar. Any flaking, bubbling, or markings are intentional and a byproduct of this process. Please contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer with any further questions or concerns.
Formidable foundations
The ESP Custom Shop’s master luthiers spare no effort in the RZK-II’s aural assembly. Its alder body conjures tones brimming with presence and articulation, balanced and bright throughout the spectrum, with a mildly scooped EQ curve. A 3-piece maple neck imparts warmth and clarity onto your sound, complementing the rest of the tonewood trio. Up top, a rosewood fingerboard produces a glassy, shimmering veneer that keeps voicing well-defined while taming any unwanted high-end hiss.
Signature tones courtesy of Fishman and RZK
For a band like Rammstein, it would be nearly criminal for lead axe man RZK to brandish a guitar without active pickups. Fishman took this a step further, collaborating with the guitarist to produce a signature set of Fluence Modern pickups that empower the versatile voicing needed to capture Richard Z’s dynamic sound. With Alnico V magnets in the neck and Ceramic VIII magnets in the bridge, multi-voice magic is yours to wield, thanks to the push-pull capabilities of the volume knob. Each pickup features two voicing options: Voice 1 achieves Modern Active High Output and Voice 2 evokes what Fishman describes as “crisp, clean, and fluid.” From searing crunch and full-bodied boost to rich, organic, passive-style tones with superlative harmonic character and distortion response, Richard Z’s signature Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers are an arsenal of limitless active-pickup possibilities.
Note: Fishman Fluence Modern series humbuckers are designed with three voicing options. ESP’s RZK-II is only wired to toggle Voice 1 and Voice 2, not Voice 3, a single-coil sound. Rewiring or the addition of a mini-switch would enable all three voice options to become available. Please contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer with any questions or concerns.
Premier playability meets endless expression
The RZK-II’s 3-piece maple neck doesn’t merely bolster its tonal and harmonic complexity; it increases the dimensional stability of the guitar’s neck, resulting in a greater resistance to twisting, warping, and other environmental influences. Furthermore, the guitar’s Thin “U”-shaped neck profile and 12-inch fingerboard radius are optimized for speed, while the single-cutaway design and neck-through-body construction offer uninhibited access to the axe’s full 24-fret range. Sonic flexibility doesn’t end there, however, as the RZK-II is outfitted with a Floyd Rose Original double-locking tremolo system, serving up soaring squeals and destructive dive-bombs without ever going out of tune.
ESP RZK-II Burnt Richard Z Kruspe Signature Electric Guitar Features:
- Signature instrument for Rammstein’s RZK
- Innovative Distressed and Burnt finish achieved by hand via burning, gouging, and carving of guitar body by ESP Custom Shop’s master luthiers
- Alder body elicits bright, balanced tones with resounding presence
- Maple neck imbues sound with warmth and clarity for full-spectrum articulation
- Rosewood fingerboard evokes a crystalline voicing in each register while taming unwanted, high-frequency hiss
- Signature Fishman Fluence Modern pickups deploy Alnico V and Ceramic VIII magnets for dynamic, high-octane sonics
- Push-pull knob allows for 2 voicing modes for each pickup to accommodate versatile play styles without compromising active-design heat
- 3-piece neck design increases dimensional stability to improve resilience to warping, twisting, and the elements
- Neck-through-body construction and treble-side cutaway ensure unfettered access to all 24 XJ frets across the guitar’s 25.5-inch scale
- Thin “U”-shaped neck profile and 12-inch fingerboard radius blend speed, comfort, and precision to support players of numerous styles
- Floyd Rose Original double-locking tremolo system maximizes expressive potential with licks, lads, riffs, and solos
