ESP Marks 40 Year Anniversary

Written by: Sean Austin

Date: February 23rd, 2015

40 years is a long time for a company to stay in business, especially in the current economy. The best way to ensure longevity in any industry is to find a niche, get your brand’s product in the hands of those who use it most, and keep your customer happy. ESP has been known as the premier heavy metal guitar manufacturer for nearly their entire run, finding their way into the legacies of such legendary acts as Metallica, Slayer and the Deftones among countless others. By matching quality woods and designs with killer electronics by EMG Pickups ESP has maximized the quality of their axes and delivered a product that does what it supposed to and has consistently thrilled the callous-handed cult worldwide.

This year marks ESP’s 40th anniversary and to commemorate the event the company has put out a limited run of gorgeous pieces including two from the Eclipse series, an EC, an MH and its 7-string brother, the H7. While all of them are beautiful, high quality shred machines, I’m going to concentrate on my favorite in the series: the EC-2015.

I will be completely truthful, the first time I saw an ESP Eclipse I absolutely hated it. Since the time I was young, anytime I see a Les Paul-shaped guitar (with the exception of the Heritage models, I’ve been lusting over those for years) I get a severe case of the fantods. It always seemed like a cheap and desperate attempt to capitalize on the respectable legacy of the Gibson guitar company. However, after seeing what my good friend Zakk Mild, one of the most tasteful and talented metal guitarists in New Jersey, does with his LTD EC-1000QM, my mind was swiftly changed. Be sure to check out his band,Huldra, for a taste of what I’m talking about, you shan’t regret it.

Since being converted by my good friend I have definitely warmed up to the series. The line’s features include super fast, playable necks, locking tuners, a Tune-o-matic style bridge, and top notch EMG pickup configurations. However, if I’m being honest, the finishes offered always turned me off. The satin black finish always looked corny to me, their version of the sunburst finish comes off as gaudy and cheap, and I feel like they ruined their beautiful selection of quilted maple with a black cherry finish that while isn’t completely hideous, just doesn’t suit my personal tastes.

Well, I feel like they finally nailed it with the EC-2015. They did us right by covering that gorgeous maple with a see-thru satin finish in a color all of us metalheads can get with: black. Looks, which are on point, aside, this thing is stacked. Specs are listed at the bottom of this article, so I am just going to touch on the features that I like the most.

First off, ESP changed up the pickup configuration on this one, opting for the EMG 57/66 array, which are PAF-style and feature Alinco-V magnets complimented by steel pole pieces. A little change from your typical 81/85 setup, they get more of a classic, warmer sound than their more metallic, sharp sounding counterparts. Fans of Gibson’s Burstbuckers and ’57 Classic Humbuckers take note.

The guitar also comes with a certificate of authenticity from ESP and a special 40th Anniversary hardshell case. Both the front and back of the headstock are imprinted with ESP’s 40th Anniversary logo, which further makes these beauties stand out from the pack. Limited to 300 pieces worldwide and with a relatively modest street price of $1,099, I would recommend you jump on this one if you like what you see.

All in all, this guitar has the potential to make a believer out of even the most hardened Les Paul purist. It really has it all, ESP’s widely beloved thin U-shaped neck, a gorgeous finish, a fresh set of pickups atypical to the brand that help distinguish it from previous models, and most importantly, a consumer friendly price tag. The only thing missing for me is the binding they put on the neck of the EC-1000QM, but hey, there’s a 50th Anniversary coming up in 2025, right?

Specifications:

• Construction: Set-Neck
• Scale: 24.75″
• Body: Mahogany
• Top: Quilted Maple
• Neck: Mahogany
• Fingerboard: Ebony
• Fingerboard Radius: 350mm
• Finish: See Thru Black Satin
• Nut Width: 42mm
• Nut Type: Molded
• Neck Contour: Thin U
• Frets/Type: 24 XJ
• Hardware Color: Black
• Strap Button: Standard
• Tuners: LTD Locking
• Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM Bridge & Tailpiece
• Neck PU: EMG 66 Brushed Black Chrome
• Bridge PU: EMG 57 Brushed Black Chrome
• Electronics: Active
• Electronics Layout: Vol/Vol/Tone/Toggle Switch
• Case: CECFF40
• Case Included: Y

ESP Announces LTD Jeff Hanneman and Metallica Guitars

Written by: Jimmy McQuade

Date: August 1st, 2014

At Summer NAMM 2014, which concluded its three-day stint last Saturday in Nashville, TN, ESP introduced two truly killer commemorative guitars. The first, to honor the life and work of Jeff Hanneman, the guitarist of Slayer who, sadly, passed away last year, is the limited-edition LTD JH Tribute guitar in Urban Camo; and the second, to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the release of Metallica’s seminal 1984 thrash-metal album, is the (likewise) limited-edition LTD “Ride the Lightning” guitar. Both of these axes are due in stores this December.

Working closely with the estate of Jeff Hanneman, ESP modeled the LTD JH Tribute on Hanneman’s own ESP in a recognizable urban-camouflage print. Not only does it look badass but a percentage of the proceeds from this guitar will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, a service organization providing aid to veterans who have served in the military since the September 11th attacks, which was an organization very close to Hanneman’s heart. In a statement on the Premier Guitar site, Matt Masciandaro, ESP’s President and CEO, says of the Hanneman tribute: “He was a good friend to many of us at ESP, and his passing last year was a shock to us all. For his family and for Slayer fans around the world, we felt that commemorating his contributions to music and supporting the Wounded Warrior Project via this new model was an appropriate measure.”

Coming to us a year after the success of ESP’s “Kill ‘Em All” guitar, which was released on the occasion of the 30-year anniversary of Metallica’s first album, the LTD “Ride the Lightning” model carries on its alder body a print of the album’s cover with lightning striking an electric chair, which is set against a deep blue, almost violet background. ESP will only be producing 300 of these guitars, so the demand among guitar enthusiasts, voracious collectors, and rabid Metallica fans will be high. Masciandaro, on Premier Guitar’s site, comments that “ESP and Metallica’s guitarists James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett have a relationship that goes back more than two decades,” a relationship that has spawned some of the greatest songs in metal, rock, or just music generally. Here are the specs for these bad-boys:

The LTD Jeff Hanneman Tribute Guitar:

• Body Material: Alder

• Neck Material: Maple

• Neck Type: Bolt-on construction

• Neck Scale: 25.5”

• Fingerboard Material: Ebony

• Number of Frets: 24 XJ frets

• Pickups: EMG 85 (neck) & EMG 81 (bridge) Pickups

• Pickup Type: Active

• Bridge: Kahler Hybrid Tremolo Bridge

• Body Type: Neck-Thru

• Special Features: Limited Edition Urban Camo Finish, special Fingerboard Inlay with Hanneman “H Dagger” fret-markers as well as a “1964-2013” 12th fret inlay, and includes a certificate of authenticity.

The LTD “Ride the Lightning” Guitar:

• Body Material: Alder

• Neck Material: Maple

• Neck Type: Bolt-on construction

• Neck Scale: 25.5”

• Fingerboard Material: Ebony

• Number of Frets: 24 XJ frets

• Pickup Type: EMG 60 (neck) & EMG 81 (bridge)

• Pickup Type: Active

• Bridge: TOM Bridge

• Body Type: String-Thru

• Special Features: Limited Edition Album Artwork graphic body, Metallica logo Fingerboard Inlay, and each guitar includes an ESP form-fit case with the Metallica Logo, and a certificate of authenticity.