Kerry King and ESP

[jayroc123]

I'm curious how long kerry king was with ESP? Was it most of the 90s?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Yeah, from ~1990/1991 - 1998. He left BCR because they didn't wanna build him what he wanted, but ESP did.

 

[Nightside]

I think he was with Esp until he morphed from Randy Savage into the bald tribal tattoo long goatee guy and they told him he couldn't play Esp anymore looking like that.

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

want

 

[sell2792]

want

View attachment 146597

Unfortunately the prices on these have gotten insane but I would absolutely love one.

https://reverb.com/item/83140440-edwards-kerry-king-kkv-crackle-slayer-japan-90s-by-esp

 

[JD27]

Only models he ever had worth wanting. Crackle vs Tribal (sometimes Tribal and Flames)… not even a choice there.

 

[jayroc123]

Yeah, from ~1990/1991 - 1998. He left BCR because they didn't wanna build him what he wanted, but ESP did.

The crackle is his best looking guitar IMO

 

[Moongrum]

https://reverb.com/item/83140440-edwards-kerry-king-kkv-crackle-slayer-japan-90s-by-esp

Edwards, eh?.....alright, fellas, next 5 pages we're going to argue whether if this is REALLY an ESP or not.

What differentiates this from the ESP version is that it is bolt-on, has ESP stock pickups, Kahler-style bridge, and rosewood fingerboard,

Holy shit, it really is a budget model and its 5k lol. Such a sick finish, though. That just looks like peak 90s metal to me.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

To think the crackle finish died while the tribal shit lived on.

The new Dean he's been playing is ugh, but if he does a crackle version, they'd be significantly less ugh.

 

[Marked Man]

Edwards, eh?.....alright, fellas, next 5 pages we're going to argue whether if this is REALLY an ESP or not.

Holy shit, it really is a budget model and its 5k lol. Such a sick finish, though. That just looks like peak 90s metal to me.

Edwards is Legit , although I would insist on an ebony board for any KK.

BTW, do those come with reflective wrap around '90s pro wrastler shades??

 

[Moongrum]

I think he was with Esp until he morphed from Randy Savage into the bald tribal tattoo long goatee guy and they told him he couldn't play Esp anymore looking like that.

Archived photo when he was bald but not yet afflicted by the tribal sickness yet....

 

[JSKrev]

I don't think the tribal shit came in until they started touring with nu-metal bands. The old BCR's he played in the 80's were awesome, but his later ones are awful.

 

[soul_lip_mike]

The ESP KK V was so damn cool. I was just a little kid dreaming as I read musician’s friend catalogs seeing things like the ESP Kerry King V, Washburn USA Dimes,James Hetfield Explorer, or the Hetfield flame V ESP. What I would give to have grown up money back then and buy them all.

 

[Nightside]

The first *new* BCR KKV from like 97-98 was awesome as af. I used to drool over it in the GW ad for BCR. Black burst flame top with a reverse ASM headstock and big diamond inlays. It was probably the most tasteful guitar that guy ever touched.

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

Flame Top you say?

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

Archived photo when he was bald but not yet afflicted by the tribal sickness yet....
View attachment 146617

What is that?
...Reverse spider chord?

edit: need to find the last few kk memes I made...

 

[manu80]

Read in a recent interview that he switched to esp because bc rich, once bought by another company, didn't want to make neck through guitars anymore

 

[Marked Man]

Read in a recent interview that he switched to esp because bc rich, once bought by another company, didn't want to make neck through guitars anymore

BCR never stopped making neck thrus at any time, especially among high end models.

 

[Eastcoastsavage666]

How about the black ESP MX with the reverse headstock and diamond inlays Kerry had in the 90s.

 

[sell2792]

How about the black ESP MX with the reverse headstock and diamond inlays Kerry had in the 90s.

An Edwards version sold on Reverb recently for the low, low price of like $2.5k.