ESP Custom Shop Kirk Hammett Signature KH1 KH-1 Flying V Black vs ESP Phoenix

The ESP Custom Shop Kirk Hammett Signature KH1 KH-1 Flying V Black and the ESP Phoenix are both electric guitars sharing sustaining, transparent, warm. The ESP Custom Shop Kirk Hammett Signature KH1 KH-1 Flying V Black leans tight and high gain. The ESP Phoenix leans full.

Similarity
citedBlended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.

52% moderately similar

Shared genres
citedGenres both listings are associated with.
  • Metal
  • Hard Rock
Shared tone character
citedDerived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.
  • sustaining
  • transparent
  • warm

ESP Phoenix

Unknown brand · electric guitar

Citation fame
citedCitation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.
17%
0%
Description

The ESP Custom Shop Kirk Hammett Signature KH-1 in black is a Flying V built to the Metallica guitarists specification, drawing on the aggressive angular shape Gibson introduced in the 1950s but built to ESPs high-gain metal-oriented standards with active or hot-output pickups suited to Hammetts lead and rhythm playing. Hammett has been an ESP signature artist since the mid-1990s, and the KH-1 designation marks one of the earliest and most enduring models in that long-running partnership. It suits metal and hard rock players wanting a Flying V voiced for high gain.

The ESP Phoenix is a set-neck single-cutaway with an offset, elongated body outline distinct from the Les Paul shape ESP's Eclipse follows. Built on a mahogany body with a 24.75-inch scale and passive or active humbuckers depending on the run, it is aimed squarely at metal, with the extended lower horn improving upper-fret access.

Genres
citedGenres this gear is documented as being used in.
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Rock
Tonal lean
  • tight
  • high gain
  • mid-forward
  • full

Related searches

ESP Custom Shop Kirk Hammett Signature KH1 KH-1 Flying V Black vs ESP Phoenix — Shared Character & Differences — NodeTone