ESP Owners Club-Show Us Your ESPs!

[Lozek]

That's cool! Josh is one my fav metal players. Is there big difference in the output level between the bridge and neck. I am not familiar with the Fishman single coils, but I really love the Fluence moderns.

I actually haven't got the neck working yet. I've been battling with an EMG push-pull pot to control voicing on the Modern for the last few days, their switching methodology is a little different than Fishman, I've tried a bunch of different things but can't quite figure the logic. Last night I gave up and switched over to a standard pot, got the Modern working in Voice 1 but nothing so far from the single. It's got six wires and I've grafted what I believe is the correct one onto a quick-connect plug, I need to re-visit and see where I've gone wrong.

 

[grimmchaos]

Ugh I have a problem - I'm addicted to ESP guitars.

Thanks to @cardinal for the black one (added a couple red parts to it so it can be the Vader to my white Stormtrooper Horizon).

 

[narad]

MXMXMXMXMXMXMXMX

 

[Masoo2]

MXMXMXMXMXMXMXMX

View attachment 142228

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

het set?

 

[narad]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

het set?

Yup. Sounds way better than the other MX I had with the 81 tbh. They just roar into the VH4. I have the same set in a KL and thought the same the last time I tried it out... just a killer pickup set (though aesthetically not what I would have chosen here).

 

[soul_lip_mike]

Man I want an MX and it makes me sad I'll likely never be able to have one.

 

[dima qb]

this one was very cheap (~4k USD)

 

[narad]

Man I want an MX and it makes me sad I'll likely never be able to have one.

Eh, the MX guys like to pretend like they only made a dozen, but there's quite a few out there. I think they've gotta be pretty close to peak price, in dollars anyway.

this one was very cheap (~4k USD)

I think people were scared it might not be legit ESP. But I'm at ESP all the time, so easy for me to verify. Guess that's a Japan perk.

 

[Thesius]

Sending it off for a refinish soon here. Some 80s Akira Star with the ugly ass pickguards removed.

 

[dima qb]

I think people were scared it might not be legit ESP. But I'm at ESP all the time, so easy for me to verify. Guess that's a Japan perk.

Yeah, my friend told me that digimart and yahoo are always on on your PC
Are you bidding on old Phoenix?

PS. Is it possible to ask you to find one ESP's book ?

 

[narad]

Yeah, my friend told me than digimart and yahoo are always on on your PC
Are you bidding on old Phoenix?

PS. Is it possible to ask you to find one ESP's book ?

Lol, yea, I figured we knew the same guy. I'm probably not going to, it's not really my thing. My friend NCYO Guitars really wants it though.

Sure, just PM me or message me on FB. But Mark Furtner buys all the books so it's tough.

 

[Andromalia]

Yup. Sounds way better than the other MX I had with the 81 tbh. They just roar into the VH4. I have the same set in a KL and thought the same the last time I tried it out... just a killer pickup set (though aesthetically not what I would have chosen here).

Is it a refin ? Looks like nitro aging out or a really bad polish work. I believe those were polyurthane ?

 

[MetalDestroyer]

Is it a refin ? Looks like nitro aging out or a really bad polish work. I believe those were polyurthane ?

I’ve seen poly finish sink on those $300 BC Rich guitars they loaded every GC with for a few decades. Probably has to do with grain filler (or lack thereof)

 

[narad]

Is it a refin ? Looks like nitro aging out or a really bad polish work. I believe those were polyurthane ?

They're all poly -- the lines are just finish sink catching the light in a certain way. This effect happens to all old ESPs but you see it most on the black finishes. On horizons for instance, you see the the ridge lines where the wings attach to the maple center block.

 

[He_Ma]

Euge apparently got another 80s ESP (M-1 Custom "Kimono") and is giving me GAS once again. Reverse lawsuit headstock looks really cool on this guitar:

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

ESP USA delivered. Absolutely exceptional axe and a joy to play.



My only real gripes:

- my continued HATRED for Fishmans. Just not voiced for me, and the 2nd voicing is a twang farm. EMGx 81/60 set on the way.

- the volume knob. Being a flat top, unlike the carved and recessed knobbed Horizon-I, it’s badly in the way. I’ll probably plug it and drop the tone knob, maybe move the toggle up too.

- Seeing the hit or miss feedback on ESP USA, I am happy to inform this is 99% flawless and exceptionally constructed. 2 faults: super small tooling marks on both sides of the binding behind the nut, virtually unnoticeable. Secondly, WTF with the epileptic scratches to the electronics cover plate??? Several shops have received this lately and I’m going to request a replacement. Even the trem spring cover is blotchy. Bad QA/QC. We could all guess reasons why, but it’s just stupid. Like someone’s cat was used to remove the usual plastic film, LOL.

The rest of the guitar is perfect. The extra thin U is a little thicker than the matching neck on my LTD SD-2, which is very mildly disappointing, but still thinner carved than the thin U on the Horizon. Nice case candy, leather ESP strap and strap locks, although recessed would have been a better option depending on where you wear it. It sits medium height on me just fine, zero neck dive, and I can comfortably pretend to shred all the way up and down the fretboard.

Compared to the OS, it’s close. The ESP OS line is their absolute tops. For the cost the OS has better quality inlays, including luminlay side dots, which the V-II does not. The playability and resonance is equal, the feel of the USA is just as high end, like a Jackson CS or Artist and higher PRS. The color is absolutely rad, and deep in the right lighting. It was my second choice to the Alien Blood Splatter, but no V-II’s with it are due in for another 6 months or so (as far as I’m told, but I’ll probably try to buy one if it comes). It was pricey, but that is the current market and these can’t be ordered anymore. I absolutely love the thing overall, so worth it for me.

FWIW, I only landed the Horizon out of GAS while waiting for the V-II, but it’s so good it is staying. The only reason I’d part with it is for a rare color OS. If you want a high end V-II, this being the only option, is a good one. If you want the best quality production ESP, OS series all the way. I wanted the thinner neck carve, zero pickup rings, and to look absurdly obnoxious. Delivered in spades.

 

[cardinal]

Beautiful guitars @MAJ Meadows SF !

If you think just lowering the knob will help, could try these:

ESP Custom Lab | PARTS

アーティストのリレーションシップによりデーターを蓄積する者。 テスト、研究を繰り返し、妥協を許さないクラフトマン。 各セクションの精鋭が集結し、優れた製品を提案するエンジニアリングチーム。 それが

espguitars.co.jp

 

[soul_lip_mike]

The

Seeing the hit or miss feedback on ESP USA, I am happy to inform this is 99% flawless and exceptionally constructed. 2 faults: super small tooling marks on both sides of the binding behind the nut, virtually unnoticeable. Secondly, WTF with the epileptic scratches to the electronics cover plate??? Several shops have received this lately and I’m going to request a replacement. Even the trem spring cover is blotchy. Bad QA/QC. We could all guess reasons why, but it’s just stupid. Like someone’s cat was used to remove the usual plastic film, LOL.

ESP USA's biggest misses are the quality of the quilt and flame tops. Since yours is a sparkle you were at no risk of being disappointed in that department. Excellent choice.

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

Beautiful guitars @MAJ Meadows SF !

If you think just lowering the knob will help, could try these:

ESP Custom Lab | PARTS

アーティストのリレーションシップによりデーターを蓄積する者。 テスト、研究を繰り返し、妥協を許さないクラフトマン。 各セクションの精鋭が集結し、優れた製品を提案するエンジニアリングチーム。 それが

espguitars.co.jp

Ah! Super useful!!!

The

ESP USA's biggest misses are the quality of the quilt and flame tops. Since yours is a sparkle you were at no risk of being disappointed in that department. Excellent choice.

100% agreed. They nail the paint jobs and wild finishes, but nowhere near the consistency in figured maple like PRS manages.

I used to hyper-focus on otherworldly quilts and flames, or exotic tops, but since I’ve been lucky to acquire some amazing tops on other brands, my tastes have shifted to pure metal cheese in neons, colorshifts, crackles, and sparkles. A nice metallic finish is also on the list, and ESP knocks those out of the park.

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

Euge apparently got another 80s ESP (M-1 Custom "Kimono") and is giving me GAS once again. Reverse lawsuit headstock looks really cool on this guitar:

His ESP sigs and collection is nuts. And his amp collection. I’ve been hoping to find a 6550 tubed 80s JCM 800 for a while. The dude is a total pro.