Chad Zaemisch, the guitar tech for Metallica’s lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield, has shared some insight into Hetfield’s favorite guitar. The OGV, or the original Electra Flying Wedge, stands out as Hetfield’s preferred instrument. Zaemisch said:
“Basically, since the OGV — [James Hetfield’s original Electra V] as you call it — is the latest one we’ve gotten out, it’s his favorite thing. So that’s the most popular to him right now [but] he likes them all.”
Maintaining Metallica’s Guitars
The conversation with Zaemisch shed light on the regular maintenance required for Metallica’s guitars, especially when touring different climates. Chad explained:
“But they’re all pretty much the same. I mean, ESP guitars — you don’t really get like, ‘This was a bad batch’ or like, ‘Well, this one’s good or that one’s not.’ They’re all pretty consistent.” He also details the adjustments needed when moving instruments from one climate to another, focusing on maintaining the action of the guitars through slight truss rod adjustments.
The Special Les Paul
Among the various guitars that Hetfield uses, there is a special mention of a Les Paul with a Bigsby, which poses a unique challenge. Zaemisch added:
“But I’ve got one Les Paul that has a Bigsby on it, and that’s probably the most difficult one just to string it and to keep it in tune. And I’m not really using it on this tour — I’ll have it out with me, but that one takes a lot of extra time.”
Watch the whole interview below.
