ESP
ESP LTD KH-602 Kirk Hammett Electric Guitar Purple
70
EJ Score
Solid $1,289.31$1,275.00
The definitive Kirk Hammett signature model for the serious Metallica fan. Featuring a neck-through-body design, EMG active pickups, and a Floyd Rose bridge, it is built for speed, sustain, and high-gain precision.
Critics
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70
EJ Score
Solid Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Neck-through construction provides sustain for weeks and effortless upper fret access
- +EMG Bone Breaker pickups deliver tight, aggressive metal tones with surprising clarity
- +Floyd Rose 1000 series bridge offers rock-solid tuning stability for dive bombs
- +Beautiful purple sparkle finish stands out on stage
Cons
- −Active electronics require 9V battery maintenance
- −LTD build quality is excellent but lacks the prestige of the ESP Original series
- −High-gain focus makes it less versatile for low-gain or clean-centric genres
The Verdict
With a Solid EJ Score of 70/100 (partly due to its specific target audience), the KH-602 is a metal workhorse through and through. Community feedback on zZounds confirms it’s one of the smoothest playing guitars available, with many users preferring its value over the full ESP version. It captures the exact Metallica aesthetic and tone. If you are a shredder or a Kirk devotee, this is a premium tool that will not disappoint.
