Kirk Hammett Pedalboard
Full effects breakdown — core pedals, signal chain order, and budget alternatives
Kirk Hammett's signal chain centres on 2 essential effects: Wah (Dunlop KH-95 Kirk Hammett Signature Wah), Delay (Boss DD-3T Digital Delay). The resulting sound: ESP KH-2 (EMG 81/60 pickups) into a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier. The wah is a variable bandpass filter — sweeping it mid-phrase creates the vocal, talking quality that defines this playing style. The musical use is slow and deliberate, not fast rocking. The Dunlop KH-95 Kirk Hammett Signature Wah is used as an expressive, slow filter rather than a rhythmic chopper — the sweep speed and depth define the character of the wah sound. A cocked (stationary) wah position also works as a fixed midrange peak for a vocal tone without movement.
Essential Pedals
These effects are non-negotiable for Kirk Hammett's tone. Skip any one and the signature sound is lost.
Optional / Contextual Effects
Kirk Hammett uses these situationally — great to have but not required for the core sound.
£1,000 Pedalboard Breakdown
Specific gear recommendations at the £1,000 budget tier.
Also used by: Eric Clapton, Billie Joe, Noel Gallagher, Josh Homme, Derek Trucks
Pedalboard at Every Budget
The effects chain scales with budget — budget tiers keep the essential categories intact with less expensive alternatives.
- WahDunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Wah
- EQMXR M108S 10-Band EQ
- DelayBoss DD-3T Digital Delay
Signal Chain Order
Delay last in the chain (or in the effects loop) ensures the repeats are clean reproductions of the effected signal. Running delay before drive would create driven, distorted repeats that accumulate into an indistinct wall.
- Guitar
- Wah (before dirt for classic wah-wah sound)
- Delay (after modulation, before reverb)
- Amp
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FAQ
Kirk Hammett Pedalboard — Common Questions
Kirk Hammett's pedalboard includes: Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Wah, Boss DD-3T Digital Delay. The core effects in Kirk Hammett's sound are Wah, Delay.
The standard signal chain for Kirk Hammett's pedalboard follows the professional convention: guitar → tuner → wah (if used) → compression → overdrive/distortion → amp → modulation (chorus/flanger) → delay → reverb. Delay last in the chain (or in the effects loop) ensures the repeats are clean reproductions of the effected signal. Running delay before drive would create driven, distorted repeats that accumulate into an indistinct wall.
Kirk Hammett typically uses a transparent overdrive or boost to push the amp's front end rather than relying on a dedicated distortion pedal.
Building a Kirk Hammett-style pedalboard depends on budget. At £200 you can cover the essentials (~£298 for the full rig). At £500 the pedalboard includes Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Wah, Boss DS-1 Distortion. At £1,000 (full rig: ~£946) all the key pedals are covered.
Kirk Hammett uses the Boss DD-3T Digital Delay for delay. It sits after the overdrive in the signal chain, either in the amp's effects loop or at the end of the pedalboard.