Thanks to his success with Angra and Megadeth, metal guitar great Kiko Loureiro is in a strange and fortunate position: He has gear in his native Brazil, in his current home of Los Angeles, at Megadeth's band headquarters in Nashville, and in his wife's home country of Finland. As he tells Reverb, the time has come to downsize this international collection of guitars, pedals, and other musical equipment.
The Official Kiko Loureiro of Megadeth Reverb Shop opens next week and will feature more than 80 pieces from across his career, clearing a good bit of room in his various closets and storage lockers.
"I have a strong emotional connection with all of the equipment that I have, because at some point, it was part of my life," Loureiro says. "Now, I just realize it’s better if somebody can take this instrument and display it, use it, or hang on the wall—whatever, but do something with the instrument instead of it being there somewhere in São Paulo, Brazil, in storage."
Loureiro's shop will include Ibanez signature guitars, a handmade Achim classical acoustic, a Laney LionHeart head and cabinet, and a handbuilt custom Tagima that has toured with Kiko around the world—with the marks and play-wear to prove it.
Three Ibanez 100-TRRs Kiko signature models included in the shop are special in two ways: firstly, because they sport a discontinued red finish, and secondly, because Kiko used them himself on Megadeth's Dystopia tour from 2015 to 2018.
The Kiko 200 is Ibanez's second signature model for Loureiro—and features a fast neck, scalloped frets, and a bright green burst finish. "I’ve been using [it] during the process of composing the new album for Megadeth," Loureiro says. "Also, [for] all my solo concerts and clinics and all the videos that I posted on YouTube, I’ve been using the Kiko 200."
Another beautiful guitar is Kiko's custom, handbuilt Tagima K-1 electric, which was made by master builder Márcio Zaganin. Loureiro used this guitar on numerous tours all around the world and calls it his best Tagima.
"I want to know who is going to buy this guitar. I want to be friends with this person," Loureiro says. "I want to know the person who is going to carry on, who’s going to use the guitar and is going to, I don’t know, collect or something, but I want to have a friendship with this person."
Scroll through the gallery above to get a sneak peek at select items that will be available in The Official Kiko Loureiro of Megadeth Reverb Shop when it opens March 10.