- B.C. Rich x Stranger Things Warlock
- Ibanez H.R. Giger guitars
- Dean Doyle Annihilator X
- ESP USA Eclipse Nosferatu
- Schecter Al Jourgensen Triton
You’ve already seen our top 5 epic gaming and guitar collabs, which included a monstrous crossover in the form of the Jackson Diablo IV Kelly. But with Halloween creeping up, we thought it’d be fun to compile a list of axes specifically designed to shiver spines, rattle nerves and raise hell.
These blood-curdling electric guitars aren’t for the faint of heart. But if you’re feeling brave enough, we dare you to take a peek below…
B.C. Rich x Stranger Things Warlock
In 2022, the hit Netflix sci-fi horror drama Stranger Things returned for its fourth series and took a much darker turn. The kids had grown up, main antagonist Vecna had finally emerged, and by the end of the season, a huge “earthquake” ripped through Hawkins, the show’s fictional town.
To put it mildly, a lot of s*** went down. But most people remember Stranger Things 4 because of one thing: Eddie Munson. Portrayed by Joseph Quinn, this (spoiler alert) short-lived character was a D&D-obsessed, guitar-playing metalhead who brought a lot of heart and levity to an otherwise bleak, terrifying series.
His tragic death in the season’s finale almost broke the internet. But boy, did he go out with a bang. Brandishing a crackle-finished B.C. Rich Warlock atop his trailer in the Upside Down, Eddie shredded through Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” to lure the Demobats away from his friends, ensuring they could escape, even if it ultimately cost him his life.
To honour his selfless sacrifice, Netflix and B.C. Rich joined forces to launch a limited-edition replica guitar just like the one wielded by the Hellfire Club’s fearless leader. RIP, Eddie.
Ibanez H.R. Giger guitars
In the mid-2000s, Ibanez launched a line of guitars wrapped in striking biomechanical graphics by the late H.R. Giger. Never heard of him? Let’s just say the Xenomorph in Alien wouldn’t be nearly as horrifying without his iconic artwork. It inspired the creature’s nightmarish appearance, and Giger himself also had a hand in the film’s set design.
Several models made up the series, including Ibanez’s iconic RG, S Series, Iceman and SR Bass shapes. But they didn’t make loads of ‘em. Only a limited number were produced before the range disappeared into the void after 2008.
As a huge fan of the Alien franchise, I get serious FOMO every time one of these models randomly pops up on my Insta feed. I’m old enough to remember when they were available, but as a broke teenager, owning one was completely out of reach.
So naturally, I’m crossing everything for Ibanez to bring this wicked collab back. Second-hand examples are getting pretty spenny. And you’ve gotta stay frosty too, because tracking one down feels a bit like a bug hunt. Personally, I reckon the Alpha Series would look particularly menacing dressed in Giger’s graphics (wink-wink, Ibanez).
Dean Doyle Annihilator X
C’mon, if your stage name is Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein, you’re practically guaranteed a spot on a list like this. Best known as the guitarist in horror punk legends the Misfits, Doyle has spent decades looking like he stepped straight out of a classic monster movie.
And as you’d expect, his signature Dean guitar is anything but ordinary. In fact, it looks like something Lucius Fox would’ve built for Batman if he’d aspired to become a guitar hero instead.
Every inch of the Dean Annihilator X is sharp, from its insanely bevelled body to the custom bat inlays stalking their way up the fingerboard. And with 27 frets, a Floyd Rose trem and a lightning-fast neck profile, it’s built for players who like their riffs heavy and their solos downright terrifying.
It’s certainly not the sort of guitar you’d bring to a polite jazz gig. But if your idea of a good night involves horror films, face paint and enough gain to raise the dead, the Annihilator X might just be your perfect weapon of choice.
ESP USA Eclipse Nosferatu
ESP are no strangers to weird and wacky crossovers. They’ve done a few over the years, with the Stream-Miku-Custom signature model for virtual idol Hatsune Miku springing to mind. Plus, a range of Sonic the Hedgehog guitars spec’d to play just as fast as the blue blur can sprint. But an axe celebrating the centenary of F.W. Murnau’s classic silent horror, Nosferatu? Back in 2022, they made it happen.
This limited-run, USA custom shop Eclipse featured detailed pyrographic art from Dumitru “Dino” Muradian, with Count Orlok’s vampiric face quite literally burned into the guitar’s top. It also came equipped with hand-wound Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Black Winter pickups (very apt), stainless-steel frets, Sperzel Trim-Lok locking tuners and a beautiful neck carved to ESP’s Thin ‘U’ profile.
The precise pyrographic artwork was all done by hand and, as you can imagine, probably took a good while. That explains why only 15 of these were ever made. You’d have had to be as rich as the count to afford one too, with the ESP Eclipse Nosferatu carrying a monstrous £12,000 price tag at launch.
Schecter Al Jourgensen Triton
Nope, it’s not a broomstick. But it bloody well looks like a witch could hop on this thing and try to jumpstart it. All I know is that it’s definitely cursed…
Nearly a decade ago, Schecter unleashed the not-so-subtle Triton signature guitar for Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen. With a body made up of three sharp pikes, it looked like a Flying V that had sprouted an extra point straight down the middle.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say, and maybe Al genuinely loved the design. But my theory is that he got fed up with stage invaders and wanted a weapon-like guitar to keep them at bay.
Needless to say, it didn’t stick around for long. Turns out it was so frightening, it scared away all the customers. And these days, you’d probably have more luck finding the Blair Witch than one of these in the wild.
Dying to know more?
Don’t ghost us just yet! The scariest guitars on our list might have you spooked, but there are plenty more treats waiting in our learn section — from handy how-to guides to expert gear advice. And if you fancy digging up the latest guitar and music tech gossip, our gear news page is well worth a haunt.
Responses & Questions