ESP just put out an impossibly heavy Babymetal 9-string
Limited edition Japanese model boasts alder body, an EMG humbucker and many, many strings
Japanese 'cute metal' act Babymetal have always made pretty over-the-top music, so why not have an over-the-top custom electric guitar to go with it?
Enter the new ESP E-II MF-9 Babymetal nine-string – yes, nine-string – guitar, a collaboration between the band and ESP Japan.
In addition to the nine strings, the 27.99-inch scale model boasts an alder body, hard maple thin-U shape three-piece neck and a 24 extra-jumbo fret pau ferro fingerboard with Luminlay dot inlays.
There’s also a Hipshot fixed bridge, Gotoh tuners and a single EMG 909 humbucker with volume knob.
The limited-edition guitar comes in a Black Satin finish with black binding on the body and neck and the Babymetal logo stamped on the back of the headstock.
It's available now through October 31, 2020, and comes with a Babymetal emblazoned hard case.
As for the price on this Baby monster? 320,000 yen - which is around $2,945.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
For more info, head to ESP Japan.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**
Join now for unlimited access
US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year
UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year
Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
“It’s been road-tested, kicked around, X-rayed… We’ve made a guitar that's adaptable to all situations”: Fender and Chris Shiflett cut no corners in creating the new signature ‘Cleaver’ Telecaster – a long-awaited replica of his Masterbuilt model
“For guitar fans who understand the historical importance of the woman, the finish, and the Fender Stratocaster itself”: The original Mary Kaye Strat became one of the most iconic Fender builds of all time – now it’s heading to auction