Containing songs from throughout Metallica's career, the list contains some obvious picks – and some unexpected deep cuts
(Image credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Earlier this week, Dunlop released Kirk Hammett's second signature Cry Baby wah pedal, the KH95X.
The pedal is essentially the same as Hammett's first signature Cry Baby, the KH95, but for a purple sparkle enclosure and gold-embossed logo on the footswitch. The bottom of the pedal, however, boasts something that caught our eye.
Below a quote from Hammett about his love of the Cry Baby is a list of his 11 favorite wah-driven Metallica solos, and – aside from a couple obvious picks – it contains some songs you might not expect.
The list contains songs from throughout Metallica's career – from their 1983 debut album, Kill 'Em All (No Remorse) to 2008's Death Magnetic (TheEnd of the Line). It features the climatic lead break from the metal institution's biggest hit, Enter Sandman, and the solo from the band's 1998 cover of Bob Seger's Turn the Page.
Another notable inclusion is Shoot Me Again,from 2003's famously solo-less St. Anger. In this instance, we can assume that Hammett's referring to the wah-coated, palm-muted figure at that song's beginning.
In an interview with Guitar Worldlast year, Hammett discussed the relationship between the wah pedal and his solos, explaining that he doesn't use the effect to write the solos themselves.
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"When the songs are strong, the solos come easy," Hammett said. "And back then [during the recording of the band's 1991 self-titled album], I’d compose a solo and then, if it felt appropriate in the studio, I’d bring in the wah and see if it brought anything more out. But I’ve never really written a guitar solo with a wah pedal.
"It’s always been after the fact. And it’s only been to get more intensity and more emotion out of the sound. I’m not from, like, the Eric Clapton school of wah, where I step on it on every downbeat. I don’t think anyone really does that anymore, anyway.”
The Dunlop KH95X Kirk Hammett Collection Cry Baby Wah pedal – featuring the list of Hammett's favorite wah solos – is available now for $199. We've reprinted the full list below.
Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.
