Last week, it was revealed that Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett was auctioning off the guitar that he played in the video for Metallica’s massive hit single “One.” Now, that guitar, signed by Hammett, has been purchased at auction — for one hell of a sum.
Kirk’s ESP 400 series guitar sold at $112,500 via Heritage Auctions. The item was signed with silver ink on the instrument’s natural body, and came with a certificate of authenticity and a hard case.
“Released in early 1989, Metallica’s ‘One’ video was the first video the metal band ever made,” says the item description from the website. “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. 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. It was an intense proclamation that showed Metallica was going to be a band to reckon with in the mainstream in the years to come.
“Very clean and all-original ESP Strat-style guitar. Has a 1 & 11/16th width nut on a rosewood slab neck. Signed on the body in silver ink by Kirk Hammett and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, also signed by Kirk Hammett. 7.90 lbs. Original hard case included. Condition: Excellent.”
Check out the guitar below:
Congrats to Kirk and the guitar’s buyer on this massive purchase. Meanwhile, any time your parents, teachers, friends or religious officials tell you that heavy metal music is just a bunch of dead-end noise that means nothing, remember that a guitar played by a thrash metal band in their big video just went for more than some of us make in five years.
Here’s the video for “One:”
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Words by Chris Krovatin
