Abbath Doom Occulta

Band - Immortal

In the past Abbath used a GHL Jackson Randy Rhoads copy which he modified with new pickups, hardware, and a custom paint job. Currently he has primarily been using a ESP LTD DV8-R Dave Mustaine Model which he has modified to accept a Floyd Rose tremolo system. Abbath uses Engl Blackmore amps, Peavey Bandit amps and used to use Mesa/Boogie amps. In an issue of Guitar World which features an interview with him, it is mentioned that he has an endorsment deal with ESP.

Sam Totman

Band - DragonForce

Sam's main live gear consists primarily of a Ibanez STM, his own signature line, a Ibanez VBT700 Custom V, Jackson custom flying V, Ibanez IC400 Iceman, Ibanez Iceman ICT700, Peavey Triple X Cab. Before the recent endorsement with Ibanez, Sam used to play Jackson RR3s on stage. In Early Dragonforce work, Sam used a Kramer Vanguard series guitar.

Herman Li

Band - DragonForce

Herman Li uses Ibanez E-Gen18 guitars. This new signature model is based on the Ibanez S-Series and was released in 2008. It has a bolt-on neck made of maple and walnut with a 24 fret rosewood fingerboard. The upper frets on the guitar are scalloped. The body is made of mahogany with a flame maple top stained purple sporting gold tuners and an Edge Zero locking tremolo. The pickups are also custom-designed signature models made by DiMarzio.
Before Li received his signature model, he had been been known to play Ibanez S Prestige guitars, a seven string Ibanez (used in Revolution Deathsquad, Storming the Burning Fields, and the "bridge" section of Operation Ground and Pound), and a decade old Ibanez S5470. Herman also has been seen playing both an Ibanez S2170FB and an Ibanez S2170FW.

Alexi Laiho

Band - Children of Bodom

Alexi Laiho has used the Lee Jackson GP-1000 Preamp and Marshall JCM 800 cabinets (with Celestion speakers) and various power amps for most of his career but has recently started using the Kerry King Signature Marshall head. He first used an Ibanez RG 220B to record the first Children of Bodom record and eventually switched to Jackson Guitars and used them for several years until one of his guitars was stolen. He asked Jackson to make him another one, but the time-table they gave him for its production was too long (around a years time). They treated Alexi like a normal customer because the Jackson guitar company was bought out by Fender. ESP came to him and said that it would take around 3 months for his new signature model to be up and running so of course, Alexi took this offer. Thus he switched to ESP guitars, and also signed a contract with them making it so that he could only use their guitars live with Children of Bodom.

Kurt Cobain

Band - Nirvana

Kurt Cobain used a modified 1965 sunburst finish Jaguar with a Gibson Tune-O-Matic type, black chrome Schaller bridge, modified circuitry, and humbuckers. It was his main guitar during the Nevermind era and featured a red-swirl mother-of-bowling-ball pickguard, one volume knob, two tone knobs, and a bound neck. There was tape covering the on/off and phase switches, which were disconnected and replaced with a Gibson-style toggle switch. Full-sized humbuckers reside in both the bridge and neck positions, the neck being a DiMarzio PAF and the bridge a DiMarzio Super Distortion, until the In Utero tour when it was replaced with a black Duncan JB.

Dimebag Darrell

Band - Pantera

Dimebag was the creator of the Dean Razor one of the most know guitars in the metal scene. His Razor Explosion was rated as the most metal guitar in Guitarworld Magazine of 2008. His very first guitar was a 1979 Dean ML sunburst. Then he was most commonly seen with his favorite guitar the Dean From Hell with his own designed custom paint job. Then he has his own line of picks in his guitars call Dimebuckers made from Seymour Duncan. He also has his custom control knobs in on them called traction knobs. Then each of his guitars where topped of with a Floyd Rose custom bridge.RIP

J Mascis

Band - Dinosaur Jr.

The guitar that he only plays is a Fender Jazzmaster. He got his first one at a pawn shop while going to get a Fender Strat but it was not there so he got the Jazzmaster in its place and stook with him. He now has his own signature verson of it with a glitter blue paint job and a tune-o-matic bridge.