Rock Hits
Kirk Hammett’s Guitar From Metallica’s ‘One’ Music Video Is Up for Auction
The guitar Kirk Hammett plays in Metallica’s music video for the unforgettable …And Justice for All single “One” is now up for auction via Dallas collectibles dealer Heritage Auctions.
Bidding is open for the next five days, and, as of this posting, the instrument holds a current bid of $26,000 — not including a buyer’s premium to be added as a percentage of the final bid.
As longtime Metallica heads know, the guitar in question is a natural wood finish Strat-style ESP model from the Japanese instrument maker’s 400 Series. It comes complete with three single-coil pickups, black hardware and a Floyd Rose tremolo system. It has a 1-11/16th width nut on a rosewood slab neck, weighs nearly 8 pounds, and it comes in its original hardshell case. Not to mention, the instrument’s also signed by Hammett in silver ink and includes a certificate of authenticity.
See some photos of the Kirk Hammett guitar down toward the bottom of this post.
“Released in early 1989, Metallica’s ‘One’ video was the first video the metal band ever made,” Heritage Auctions says in its description of the instrument. “Having released three albums with no promotional videos accompanying them, having a five-minute video edit of their fourth album’s third single was a major deal back then.”
The listing continues, “Shot in black and white and splicing footage and audio from the 1971 film Johnny Got His Gun, the ‘One’ video was a staple on MTV. But it wasn’t just a Headbanger’s Ball staple — it was on MTV during the daytime in between videos from U2, Debbie Gibson and Bon Jovi.”
What a throwback. Even over 30 years later, “One” still holds a special place in many Metallica fans’ hearts. Just last month, a thrash metal-loving YouTuber made a Metallica-Megadeth mashup that inventively combines the audio from “One” with that of Megadeth’s classic “Countdown to Extinction.”
Now, one lucky bidder may end up thrashing on the Metallica “One” guitar itself.
Check it out at entertainment.ha.com.