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  1. Artists
  2. Guitarists

Shifting gear: 6 pro guitarists who started their own gear companies

News
By Michael Astley-Brown ( Total Guitar ) published 18 February 2016

The guitar players taking care of business – featuring Kirk Hammett, Zakk Wylde and more

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

Introduction

When signature models just aren't enough to satisfy their creativity, a handful of brave players have set forth on a quest to populate guitar shop shelves with their own gear creations.

Following the recent Kirk Hammett pedal controversy, we salute some of rock and metal's more inventive and business-minded guitarists, and the products that made them industry names.

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Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
1. Zakk Wylde

1. Zakk Wylde

In 2015 the former Ozzy man made headlines when he announced Wylde Audio, makers of bullseyed and pointy guitars plus high-wattage heads, officially launched this year and set to be distributed by Schecter.

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
2. Earl Slick

2. Earl Slick

2014 saw David Bowie's longstanding guitarist and collaborator release a line of surprisingly affordable Gibson and Fender-inspired designs with worn finishes, under the name Slick Guitars.

A few of Earl's surprisingly pricey-looking electrics – they actually go for around $239 each

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
3. Eddie Van Halen

3. Eddie Van Halen

After signature models with Music Man and Peavey, Eddie finally set up shop with Fender to create EVH Gear – from 5150s to Wolfgangs and Stripes, every era of Eddie's tone is available.

A few of Eddie's latest Wolfgang models, including the Tour Relic Wolfgang (second from left), a replica of the guitar Eddie's playing in the photo up top

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
4. Kirk Hammett

4. Kirk Hammett

Metallica's wah-happy lead guitarist made headlines last year when he announced KHDK, a pedal company started with industry vet, David Karon – and then again when a simple tweet enraged pedal builders.

Back to the products themselves, Hammett's signature Ghoul Screamer was the first pedal out of the gates, with the No 1 Overdrive and No 2 Clean Boost close behind, and plenty more in store.

KHDK's Ghoul Screamer, Hammett's super-charged take on the Tube Screamer

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
5. Tom Scholz

5. Tom Scholz

For the Boston guitarist and mechanical engineer, the urge to create was more than a feeling, and his line of Rockman headphone amplifiers made him the original guitar gear businessman and innovator.

The Rockman Guitar Ace headphones amp, with built-in compression plus clean, semi and heavy distortion modes

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
6. Brian May

6. Brian May

May built the original Red Special with his dad back in the 60s – to save him the trouble of putting more together by hand, the Queen guitarist launched Brian May Guitars in 2004, which produces the Special in various guises, from electrics to ukuleles.

The Brian May Guitars Red Special is a well kitted-out electric for £749

Don't Miss

10 guitar gear pioneers

10 guitar shop stereotypes

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Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Categories
Guitars
Michael Astley-Brown
Michael Astley-Brown
Social Links Navigation

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

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Kirk Hammett of Metallica wears a studded denim jacket as he plays live with his Mummy ESP signature guitar
“Guitars should be played”: Kirk Hammett has been anonymously selling his guitars online
Misha Mansoor digs in on his signature Jackson Juggernaut as he play live with Periphery. The stage is lit in purple and white.
Periphery’s Misha Mansoor on wild baritone tunings, high-gain theory and why he needs guitar lessons
Jackson Pro Series Lee Malia LM-87: The Bring Me The Horizon guitarist's new signature model is inspired by the Surfcaster and debuts a hunbucker/P-90 combo.
Jackson and Lee Malia unveil the LM-87, a shreddable but versatile Surfcaster-style offset electric
Jackson Pro Plus Series Misha Mansoor Juggernaut: the newly refreshed signature Superstrat is offered in Red Crystal and Blue Sparkle with a string-through-hardtail, and in Riviera Blue with an EverTune bridge. Stainless steel frets and an ebony fingerboard come as standard.
Jackson gives Misha Mansoor’s Juggernaut a new lick of paint and upgrades to stainless steel frets
Misha Mansoor poses with his new Jackson Juggernaut in Red Crystal. On the right, his heavy relic shell pink Jackson offset
Misha Mansoor on how the Bass VI inspired his Jackson baritone and a tuning so low it’s “absurd”
Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal Series: the new limited range strips the Soloist, Rhoads and Kelly down with a single Fishman bridge humbucker, Floyd Rose and black finishes as standard
Jackson unveils stripped down single-pickup shred classics in ltd edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
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