NGD: 2007 ESP Alexi Laiho Sawtooth Custom Shop (Glow in the dark content)

[Blytheryn]

Pics first because they’ll do better at describing this than I ever will. I got lucky and scored this from Japan and it arrived on Monday. I’ve been playing it every free minute of the day I’ve had since it arrived.

I’ve been lusting after a proper Kiso Alexi for years at this point and I couldn’t be more satisfied. The guitar is in 9.5/10. For a 17 year old guitar it’s in marvelous shape, and the minor signs of wear do not bear mentioning.

The binding, inlays and pinstripes have all aged into this ghostly off-white and it really adds an almost spectral look to it. Love it. The neck on these older Alexi’s is a much thicker profile and is identical to my 1/10 Katakana. The 2022 Tokyo Arrowhead I had had a much thinner profile, and while very nice, I just gravitate towards a thicker neck.

Along with the thicker neck, the guitar is very beefy and solid feeling. It comes in at 7.8 lbs and truly sits in your lap in a very significant way. It feels more like a tool or weapon than an instrument. Given that it is from 2007 it comes with the EMG HZ H4 and that pickup just rules. It’s instantly that tone from Stockholm Knockout and Are You Dead Yet.

Unlike the Edwards or Standard models of the Sawtooth, the CS version features glow in the dark pinstripes and inlays, that glow vividly when charged with UV or natural lighting. Even during the day in lower light settings you can catch the inlays glowing faintly under your palm as you play and it’s the coolest thing.

There’s something special about the way they built these back then that is unique to this era. Love this guitar.

 

[Nightside]

Fuuuuuuuck dude that's fucking awesome as af. My cousin has the Edwards version and it's been his main player for like 17 years now. Even after he finally got his custom shop arrowhead he still plays the sawtooth mainly. I forgot the custom shop version glows in the dark. That's even more badasser.

 

[Nightside]

Also props for the triple ace Robin Olds pic on the wall.

 

[Blytheryn]

Fuuuuuuuck dude that's fucking awesome as af. My cousin has the Edwards version and it's been his main player for like 17 years now. Even after he finally got his custom shop arrowhead he still plays the sawtooth mainly. I forgot the custom shop version glows in the dark. That's even more badasser.

Also props for the triple ace Robin Olds pic on the wall.

Cheers man. Testament to how good those Edwards are too. The glow in the dark is really such a cool detail. Adds another level to the guitar.

Robin Olds was a true legend.

 

[Nightside]

Have you noticed any difference in the thickness of the binding? My cousin has the Edwards sawtooth. I had the Edwards arrowhead. He's got the custom shop arrowhead. We've had a couple other standard series Esps with neck binding. For some reason the binding on his custom shop arrowhead is like paper thin. Like half the thickness of the binding on our other guitars. I wasn't sure if it's a custom shop thing or a custom shop arrowhead thing or just someone used different binding on his particular arrowhead.

 

[Blytheryn]

Have you noticed any difference in the thickness of the binding? My cousin has the Edwards sawtooth. I had the Edwards arrowhead. He's got the custom shop arrowhead. We've had a couple other standard series Esps with neck binding. For some reason the binding on his custom shop arrowhead is like paper thin. Like half the thickness of the binding on our other guitars. I wasn't sure if it's a custom shop thing or a custom shop arrowhead thing or just someone used different binding on his particular arrowhead.

Custom shop guitars have a much thinner binding.

 

[Nightside]

Also I see that both of your Alexis have different Floyd studs. I also don't know why they flip flop on this all the time too. My CS KH4, 90s MII Deluxe, and SS MII UC had wood screws. My Edwards arrowhead and SS MII NTB had bolts with bushings. My cousin's CS arrowhead, Edwards sawtooth, and SS MII NTB have bolts with bushings but his technical house snakeskin RR carved top has wood screws.

I actually commented about this on the Esp website when the KH2 vintage page had pictures of both. Never got a response.

 

[Blytheryn]

Also I see that both of your Alexis have different Floyd studs. I also don't know why they flip flop on this all the time too. My CS KH4, 90s MII Deluxe, and SS MII UC had wood screws. My Edwards arrowhead and SS MII NTB had bolts with bushings. My cousin's CS arrowhead, Edwards sawtooth, and SS MII NTB have bolts with bushings but his technical house snakeskin RR carved top has wood screws.

I actually commented about this on the Esp website when the KH2 vintage page had pictures of both. Never got a response.

I think they transitioned over from wood screws to bolts and bushings in the late 2000’s. I’ve heard rumors that certain custom shops favored using wood screws over bolts and bushings but that’s just a rumor.

 

[CanserDYI]

The coasters are my favorite part <3 happy ngd!

 

[Nightside]

I think they transitioned over from wood screws to bolts and bushings in the late 2000’s. I’ve heard rumors that certain custom shops favored using wood screws over bolts and bushings but that’s just a rumor.

I've seen 80s and 90s Esps with the bolts and bushings though so I can believe the rumour. I can't say I prefer one over the other. I've had both and they both perform well. The only real reason I see to favor the bolts with bushings would be the larger diameter hole in the wood with more surface area taking the pressure.