As one of the heaviest metal men ever to burst out of Canada and North America, and a major force in Europe and Asia for many years, Jeff Waters is not only the hot guitarist at the center of the band Annihilator, he virtually is Annihilator. Ranked an impressive #3 in Joel McCiver’s 2009 book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists, Waters also lays down the band’s bass parts (hiring pros to cover touring duties), is the band’s chief producer, and covered lead vocal duties between 1994-97. In short, Waters, lives, breathes and eats metal—and when he really wants to rock, he straps on an Epiphone, namely the new Jeff Waters “Annihilation-V” signature model, a guitar primed for total destruction.
Bred to Shred
It all starts with the wood, and the Jeff Waters “Annihilation-V” is born out of select mahogany, long tonewood of choice of countless metal players. Its body is made from solid mahogany in the radical Flying V shape that Jeff prefers, while its neck is carved from another piece of solid mahogany and glued in with a deep-set Flying V neck joint for unparalleled upper fret access. A “D” profiled SlimTaper™ neck combines comfort with the lightning fast speed, while a 24-fret phenolic fingerboard offers an ultra smooth, resonant and durable surface for all your shredding action.
The body of each “Annihilation-V” is crafted from solid mahogany to a Jeff Waters-approved Flying V shape, and finished in either Pitch Black satin or Annihilation Red gloss. The “lap edge” of the body also includes a built-in grip pad so the “V” can easily be played while seated.
Primed for Tone
And there’s plenty more. The Jeff Waters “Annihilation-V” carries the rock-solid hardware and premium upgrades you’d expect in a top-flight instrument. Epiphone’s new LockTone™ Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbard tailpiece form a tight and resonant string-to-body coupling at the tail end, while efficient 14:1 Grovers at the other end keep it all tightly in tune.
Epiphone StrapLocks ensure this baby isn’t taking a dive, too. And with all these performance features, the “Annihilation-V” has attention-getting looks, too. Available in a choice of Pitch Black satin or Annihilation Red gloss, it includes custom red or silver (depending on finish) “Annihilation Devil” fingerboard graphics, Jeff Waters’s signature at the back of the headstock, and black plated hardware, naturally. All this, a plush-lined hardshell case, and Epiphone’s Limited Lifetime warranty and 24/7/365 Gibson Customer Service—put it together, and it just could be the ultimate metal guitar package.
Body and FinishThe neck of the “Annihilation-V” is made from solid mahogany and glued into the guitar’s body with a deep-set Flying V neck joint. It is carved with Jeff’s preferred SlimTaper™ “D” profile, with a traditional “V” headstock and with a phenolic fingerboard with red or silver position markers, including an “Annihilation Devil” graphic at the 12th fret.
