Buzz Osborne discussed Kirk Hammett’s acquisition of Peter Green’s iconic guitar in a recent Garza Podcast appearance.
“I think the guy from Metallica bought his [Peter Green’s] original guitar who he had sold to Gary Moore who played in Thin Lizzy,” Osborne said. “And then when he died his estate I believe sold it to Kirk Hammett.”
“I think he paid two million bucks for it or something. Because and I asked him and I met him and he had the guitar and I got to hold it,” he continued. “And I go, ‘Did you get into Peter Green as a result of Judas Priest?’ He says, ‘Oh yeah.’ Same as me. Well, he’s got the money for it. I understand why he would want it. That’s Peter Green’s guitar.”
The guitar represents a significant piece of rock history. It has passed through the hands of notable musicians before reaching Metallica’s lead guitarist.
The legendary instrument, known as “Greeny,” carries an intriguing history that justifies its hefty price tag.
Gibson documented the instrument as a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard. The guitar features a unique tone from its distinctive reversed neck pickup, producing an “out-of-phase” sound similar to a Fender Stratocaster.
Guitar World revealed that Hammett purchased the guitar in 2014. He made the decision within about an hour when the opportunity presented itself.
The guitar’s path to Hammett followed an interesting route. Fleetwood Mac Ledge noted that Peter Green initially sold the guitar to Gary Moore for a nominal sum. Moore later sold it in 2006 for between $750,000 and $1.2 million due to financial difficulties. The instrument then changed hands through various private collectors before reaching Hammett.
Hammett has made the guitar his primary instrument since its acquisition. He emphasized that “the best tribute was to keep the guitar played and alive, rather than neglected by collectors who treat it only as an investment.”
