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ESP LTD Kirk Hammett Signature KH-602 - Purple Sparkle

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, 2 x Humbucking Pickups, and Floyd Rose Tremolo - Purple Sparkle
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ESP LTD Kirk Hammett Signature KH-602 - Purple Sparkle
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Our Product Research Team

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Hammett's New Look and New Sound

The image of Kirk Hammett with his ESP solidbody electric guitars slung over his shoulder has left an imprint on every rock guitarist in the last few decades. Yet the ESP LTD KH-602 adds a few new twists to his beloved signature model to bring it into a new era. Right away, you'll notice the show-stopping purple sparkle finish, inspired by Hammett's personal stage guitar. The second update is the inclusion of Hammett's signature EMG Bone Breaker humbucking pickups, injecting the LTD KH-602 with even more crisp clarity than ever before.

Built for Kirk's iconic style

While most guitarists change their gear on a whim, Hammett has been using and abusing his ESP KH-series non-stop since he first strapped them on decades ago. A big reason for that is their no-nonsense, player-friendly design. You'll find a comfortable and sleek alder body that's contoured to allow unencumbered performance. The guitar's maple neck is carved to an extra thin U profile to allow for your fastest runs. And, of course, you'll enjoy all of the stability and control of a Floyd Rose 1000 double locking tremolo.

Kirk Hammett signature EMG Bone Breaker pickups

The ESP LTD KH-602 is also a bold platform for the Metallica axeman to introduce his signature active EMG Bone Breaker humbucking pickups. Crafted using Alnico 5 and ceramic magnets, you'll appreciate how they deliver plenty of sweet character while still sounding bold enough for metal. If you're a fan of the aggressive tone that EMG has carved out, but desire a bit more restraint and clarity for non-metal styles, you're going to love the LTD KH-602 and its EMG Bone Breaker humbucking pickups.

ESP Signature series guitars deliver the goods

Working closely with the influential guitar players on their roster, ESP has built an impressive collection of artist signature instruments. From George Lynch to Ron Wood to Gus G. to James Hetfield; like Kirk, they are the who's who of rock and metal guitardom; and their signature axes sport the personalized features and specs that make them unique. ESP's Signature series is all about tone and playability — and because they're members of ESP's affordable LTD series, these guitars offer incredible value.

ESP LTD KH-602 Solidbody Electric Guitar Features:

  • Kirk Hammett signature guitar with striking finish
  • Deeply contoured alder body with double cutaway
  • Maple neck with extra thin U-shaped neck
  • 24 extra-jumbo frets on a sleek ebony fingerboard
  • Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo for ultimate pitch control
  • Active EMG Bone Breaker humbucking pickups

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Tech Specs

  • General
  • Number of Strings 6
  • Left-/Right-handed Right-handed
  • Body
  • Body Type Solidbody
  • Body Shape Kirk Hammet Signature
  • Body Material Alder
  • Body Finish Polyurethane Gloss
  • Color Purple Sparkle
  • Neck
  • Neck Material 3-piece Maple
  • Neck Shape Extra Thin U
  • Neck Joint Neck-through
  • Radius 13.77"
  • Fingerboard Material Macassar Ebony
  • Fingerboard Inlay Kirk Hammett Skull/Bones
  • Number of Frets 24, Extra Jumbo
  • Scale Length 25.5"
  • Nut Width 1.653"
  • Nut Material Molded
  • Hardware
  • Bridge/Tailpiece Floyd Rose 1000
  • Tuners LTD
  • Electronics
  • Neck Pickup EMG KH Bone Breaker Humbucker
  • Bridge Pickup EMG KH Bone Breaker Humbucker
  • Controls 2 x volume, 1 x tone
  • Switching 3-way blade pickup switch
  • Miscellaneous
  • Strings D'Addario XL120, .009-.042
  • Case/Gig Bag Hardshell Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: LKH602PSP

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

Blown Away

I've been playing for almost 35 years, and have owned many guitars over the years. I've been a diehard Ibanez fan for most of that, and have only recently been exploring the ESP/LTD line of guitars. I've never been into signature models, but I bought this guitar because I absolutely fell in love with the color and wanted to play the Bone Breaker EMGs. I am just blown away with this guitar. Hands down this guitar is nearly flawless. The finish is superb, the quality unmatched at this price point, and the Bone Breaker pups are Amazing! They are so full and fat, yet ring so clear. I only have one single complaint with this guitar. The fret dressing on the edges isn't quite as smooth as you'ld find on an Ibanez Prestige or an EII. But man, this thing is so sick. I can't stop playing it, and I'm literally on the verge of selling off some of my Ibby's to fund more ESPs. If you're on the fence about buying this guitar, just do it. It's so worth it. Want to say a special Thanks to my Sales Engineer Codie Priester. He is awesome, and I truly appreciate him putting up with me and all my questions and purchases!
Rated 5/5

Ride the Lightning…

Because that's what it feels like playing this monster. I have a lot of guitars. I've played more than my fair share of Super Strats throughout the years, especially from Jackson and Charvel. This was my first ESP/LTD guitar and while I wasn't unfamiliar with the brand, I didn't have a lot of hands on experience. But after two nights of Metallica playing at Ford Field in Detroit, my inner Metallica fanboy came out and demanded this guitar. And man does it deliver.

Let's start with the aesthetics. First and foremost, it's gorgeous. The shape and style isn't unlike other ESP M style guitars. The reverse headstock adds some attitude to an already killer shape. The sparkle paint job is outstanding. Pictures don't do it justice versus seeing it react to different lighting. The sparkle flakes are also really good size and not tiny. The macassar ebony board on mine is very dark and not streaky. Feels smooth too. Black hardware looks stellar against the finish and while this is a small detail, the green EMG logo on the Bone Breaker pickups is a great contrast. A little bit of the Joker in there.

Playability is excellent. The radius is roughly 13.7" which feels flat and comfortable for fast playing and big bends. The radius doesn't feel much different than the 12" radius on my 83 San Dimas. Fretwork is impeccable. No sharp edges or dead spots or fretting out. Setup was near perfect from the factory. I'm going to make some slight tweaks once I change strings, but on the whole it's great. The neck is a thinner neck but it's nicely rounded. Has some good width to it as well. It feels comfortable in the hands. The 1000 series Floyd holds tuning well and looks great blacked out. My only complaint about the Floyd is the fine tuners on 1000 series Floyds always fee stiff. And that's not just this guitar. Most 1000 series Floyds have this issue. Minor complaint though. The guitar demands to be played fast and aggressively. Sure, you can play anything you want on it, but it feels like it's meant to be shredded on.

Pickups are the EMG Bone Breaker set, based off the venerable 81/60 set Kirk's been using for years, but with some tweaks Kirk likes. Honestly I love these EMGs. I haven't had a guitar with EMGs in years. The bridge pickup retains my favorite qualities of the 81 and sounds great in its own right. The neck does wonderful for fluid soloing and cleaner rhythms. I've put this guitar through my own actual tube amps (mostly of the hot rodded Marshall style variety) as well as a few plugins (one in particular based around the Mesa Triaxis - to get some authentic early 90s Mighty Met sounds). It sounds great in both scenarios.

So in action? It's great. It's reignited my playing. I spent days going through every Metallica riff I remembered and learning some new ones. The actives have that immediacy for fast tracking that you'd expect them to have. And the guitar is designed for high speed riffing and soloing. If you're a Metallica fan looking for a great signature instrument as a piece of memorabilia or just looking for a great shredder, you can't go wrong. Also props to Sweetwater for getting this to me sooner than expected. I ordered it in November not expecting it until this March, due to back order. It came two days after Christmas. Not always something they have control of, but it really enhanced my holidays. Anyway, it's great guitar, it plays awesome, looks awesome and sounds awesome. And still comes with a proper hard shell case! A lot of guitars in this price range are coming with just gig bags now so this is welcome.
Music background: Guitarist/Former Gigging Musician/Metallica Fanboy
Rated 5/5

Buy it!

41 yrs semi pro, have had just about every nice guitar possible, this is the end of my journey. Checkmate!
Rated 5/5

Killer Freaking Guitar!!!

Hello from Michigan! Normally, I don’t leave reviews for instruments I have purchased, but I felt it necessary to leave one for this. First off, full disclosure, I am a very picky person when it comes to guitars. I have been playing for over 30 years and I know what I like. Having said that, I have driven my sales rep, James, absolutely crazy, I’m sure. But he stuck with me and I finally found a great double cut away, 24-fret Floyd Rose equipped monster. This guitar played amazing right out of the case. My KH602 was a demo, but you would never know it just by looking at it. The set up on this guitar was beyond perfect. The action was so low, I actually had to raise it a little which almost never happens. The guitar plays solid as a rock and is absolutely gorgeous. If you are hesitant about trying an ESP guitar, have no fears because they are just great for the money. Perfect set up and rocksolid construction. You just can’t go wrong. I play everything from blues to middle and ESP guitars always live up to whatever music I want to play. I have tried all kinds of guitars from different manufacturers and there are two companies, in my opinion, that make the best instruments for the music I like to play: ESP & PRS. I have bought both from Sweetwater on more than one occasion and they always arrive perfect. I will work with Sweetwater until the day I die. Their attention to detail and professionalism is unequaled when it comes to online retailers. I could never say enough good things about them. Looking for a killer metal guitar and a great company to get that guitar from? Look no further than the ESPKH602 and Sweetwater Sound. Hopefully you find this review helpful. Cheers!
Music background: Blues to metal and everything in between for over 30 years
Rated 5/5

Great Guitar!

This is what you expect from a guitar costing 5k or more. The fretboard is super fast, the pickups have a really nice crunch to them, and the Floyd Rose works flawlessly. I've spent hours jamming, dive bombing, and generally beating the hell out of this thing and it has performed perfectly every time. The purple sparkles make it stand out above all my other guitars. I would recommend this to the metal player.
Music background: Rock, metal
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