# ESP Japan Information



## Church2224 (Apr 4, 2012)

ESP is a brand that many forum members, myself included, love for their attention to detail, quality, ect. But the way they are made, locations, people who work on them, ect. is often unknown to us all. 

I know that that all of the Standard, Signature, Custom, Original and Navigator models are MIJ as verified from online sources, but are they CNC, Hand made, or is it a difference between the lines? Also any idea who the main people are. 

ESPs are also apparently made all over in Japan in different facilities, just wondering, where are these facilities located? 

Note I tired searching the ESP Forums, no luck there.


----------



## jl-austin (Apr 4, 2012)

I have often wondered this as well. Also, I assume they do not own their main production factory, similar to Ibanez (until recently)?


----------



## MaxOfMetal (Apr 4, 2012)

jl-austin said:


> I have often wondered this as well. Also, I assume they do not own their main production factory, similar to Ibanez (until recently)?



On the contrary, ESP has owned their own production facilities for many years.


----------



## Zado (Apr 4, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> On the contrary, ESP has owned their own production facilities for many years.


LTD is the one who hasn't,right?


----------



## MaxOfMetal (Apr 4, 2012)

Zado said:


> Is LTD the one who hasn't,right?



LTD, Grassroots, and Edwards models are not made by ESP Japan, but are built in full, or in the case of some Edwards models in part, by Cortek (Cort) in either South Korea, Indonesia, or more recently China.


----------



## jl-austin (Apr 4, 2012)

I guess that stands to reason, I know you can make small changes to the main production guitars, for a small fee.


----------



## MaxOfMetal (Apr 4, 2012)

jl-austin said:


> I guess that stands to reason, I know you can make small changes to the main production guitars, for a small fee.



Changes can be made to Standard series and up, but they need to be made in a run requested by a dealer. Things like special colors, different pickups, etc. Full spec changes aren't an option as far as I know (scale, cuts, etc.).


----------



## Zado (Apr 4, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> LTD, Grassroots, and Edwards models are not made by ESP Japan, but are built in full, or in the case of some Edwards models in part, by Cortek (Cort) in either South Korea, Indonesia, or more recently China.


 Thanks man,you are a precious source of infos


----------



## Stuck_in_a_dream (Apr 4, 2012)

Aren't Schecter & ESP owned by the same person/company? I read this a few times (maybe even here) but can't find a link.

*EDIT:*
Here is what I found about ESP Japan from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESP_Guitars

Type:	private company
Industry:	musical instruments
Genre:	All
Founded:	Tokyo, Japan, 1975
Founder(s):	Hisatake Shibuya
Headquarters:	10903 Vanowen Street
Burbank, California 91605
United States
Area served:	Worldwide
Key people:	Makoto Suzuki president
Products:	Custom Electric guitars, Electric guitars, Bass guitars.
Owner(s):	Hisatake Shibuya
Subsidiaries:	LTD Guitars, Grassroots Guitars, Edwards Guitars, Xtone Guitars, ESP Navigator.
Website:	www.espguitars.com


Apparently, according to this, Hisatake Shibuya is also the owner of Schecter Guitar Research.


----------



## jl-austin (Apr 4, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Changes can be made to Standard series and up, but they need to be made in a run requested by a dealer. Things like special colors, different pickups, etc. Full spec changes aren't an option as far as I know (scale, cuts, etc.).



I was quoted a price from ESP thru my dealer for an M1 in white. I've been told that you can order any standard series in any production color. Meaning any color that they normally sell.

It typically takes awhile, and they charge around $500 extra, but they will do it. I've also been told they will make modifications to the guitar as well, (like rev headstock on a horizon), but I am not 100 percent sure of, because I have never asked.


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 4, 2012)

jl-austin said:


> I was quoted a price from ESP thru my dealer for an M1 in white. I've been told that you can order any standard series in any production color. Meaning any color that they normally sell.
> 
> It typically takes awhile, and they charge around $500 extra, but they will do it. I've also been told they will make modifications to the guitar as well, (like rev headstock on a horizon), but I am not 100 percent sure of, because I have never asked.



Yeah ESP does to small changes like that. The Axe Palace advertises that a lot. You can change colors, woods, pickups, binding, headstock, bridge, and I think even neck profile (Thin U instead of extra thin u for example) and a few other things. It does not have to be a run. I would talk to the dealer, I know a lot of changes can be done, and the prices are not bad at all IMHO, especially for the quality the Standard Series are. 

For instance I got quoted for this beautiful guitar with passives for like a hundred more 

The ESP Guitar Company | 2012 USA Website

Still in its stock format it is one of the best guitars i have ever laid my hands on


----------



## Stuck_in_a_dream (Apr 4, 2012)

Here is their address in Japan from Bloomberg web site:

2-10-11 Takada
Toshima-Ku
Tokyo, 171-0033
Japan

Contact info: 
Phone: 81 3 3982 1036
Fax: 81 3 3982 3684


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 4, 2012)

Stuck_in_a_dream said:


> Here is their address in Japan from Bloomberg web site:
> 
> 2-10-11 Takada
> Toshima-Ku
> ...



Good find man!


----------



## Grand Moff Tim (Apr 4, 2012)

So wait, does this mean I could get a Standard series Horizon 7 with passives, for an upcharge? Or are pup swaps only an option on sixers, since they wouldn't require a different route like the H7 would?


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 4, 2012)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> So wait, does this mean I could get a Standard series Horizon 7 with passives, for an upcharge? Or are pup swaps only an option on sixers, since they wouldn't require a different route like the H7 would?



No you can get it on the horizon 7s. The site I looked at said all, if not most, EMG and SD models were available.


----------



## Zado (Apr 4, 2012)

Stuck_in_a_dream said:


> Aren't Schecter & ESP owned by the same person/company? I read this a few times (maybe even here) but can't find a link.
> 
> *EDIT:*
> Here is what I found about ESP Japan from Wikipedia: ESP Guitars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> ...


indeed,yes.

here you can find that both schecter japan and schecter usa are related to ESP

http://www.espguitars.co.jp/company-info/esp.pdf

though maybe you cannot read kanji,see that schecter is mentioned a couple of times there


----------



## bouVIP (Apr 4, 2012)

This explains the relationship 
Schecter Guitar Research - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 4, 2012)

bouVIP said:


> This explains the relationship
> Schecter Guitar Research - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



I know the same guy who owned ESP owned Schecter, just did not know he own Musicians institute, Awesome.


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 4, 2012)

Check this out, this is an interview with the owner of ESP, this is pretty damn cool IMHO

Hisatake Shibuya | NAMM.org


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 4, 2012)

Also here is something else 

http://www.extreme-guitars.com/ESP-Guitars.htm

In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products (ESP) in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation as a provider of high-quality replacement parts. At this time, ESP also began crafting guitars under the ESP and Navigator brand in the Japanese market..

ESP replacement parts were first introduced into the US in 1983. ESP began crafting custom instruments for local New York artists between 1984 and 1985. Among these artists were Page Hamilton (Helmet), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Vinnie Vincent & Bruce Kulick (KISS), and Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones). At this time, ESP also introduced the 400 Series as the first production line distributed in the US.

During this same period of time, ESP began making the bodies and necks for Kramer Guitars. Other manufacturers using ESP as an OEM were Robin Guitars, Schecter Guitar Research and DiMarzio. Many traits of the Kramer line are still visible including neck construction and body bevels. ESP tooled up for Tom Anderson's shaved bolt on neck heel on the Schecter bodies, and has since become a feature of their house brand.

In 1986, George Lynch discovered ESP while on tour in Tokyo. Lynch walked into an ESP shop looking for a replacement neck and learned that ESP also built custom guitars. As a result, his famous ESP Kamikaze was made. ESP soon introduced the M1 Standard, MI Custom, Horizon Custom, and the Surveyor bass into the market.[citation needed]
At this time, ESP released George Lynch's Kamikaze as its first signature model. ESP based its headquarters in a loft in downtown New York City on 19th Street. In 1989, the headquarters were moved to 48th Street near the famous music stores.

Between 1990 and 1992, ESP expanded its Signature Series as well as its standard product line. The US replacement parts business was discontinued in order to switch focus solely on the guitar and bass line as well as the custom shop. There are about 41 signature series guitars.

In 1993, ESP moved its headquarters again but this time it was relocated to Los Angeles. There, ESP opened an office on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. In 1996, LTD was created to produce ESP's high-quality products in a more affordable line of production. Soon after the introduction of the Korean and Indonesian-made LTD lines, ESP discontinued selling the majority of its Japanese-made flagship instruments in the United States due to the prices involved in exporting to the Americas. The lone exception was ESP's artist signature lines, which remained ESP (rather than LTD) models. In the early 2000s, ESP resumed shipping the standard Japanese-manufactured lines to the United States (where they are very popular among metal and hard rock players), albeit at greatly increased prices compared to the early 90s..

ESP was initially known for making high quality and customized replicas of famous American guitars, including hot rodded Fender Strats and Teles, as well as Gibson Explorers. The latter model (known as the EXP/MX) shot to fame when avid ESP user James Hetfield's band Metallica became extremely popular in the late 80s/early 90s. Models similar to Hetfield's black ESP even today sell for hundreds of dollars beyond the original retail price. However, just like Ibanez, when the Gibson company realized the extent to which ESP was denting into the sales of its own guitars, it filed a suit to prevent the sales of these guitars in the Americas and ESP redesigned its lines to be less similar to the American models.

In 2002, ESP was ranked among the music industry's fastest growing companies. This is largely due to the Fender buyout of Jackson Guitars, with whom ESP had struggled to compete throughout the 1980s and 1990s. With the buyout, many Jackson endorsers switched over to ESP, due to their stunningly similar design, playability, and quality of their guitars and basses (this has ignited a feud between players, with Jackson players citing ESP as inferior and copy instruments, while ESP players say the same about Jackson). Some of these artists who left Jackson for ESP included Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Adam Darski (Behemoth), Alexi Laiho and Roope Latvala (Children of Bodom), Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel (Atreyu), Galder and Silenoz (Dimmu Borgir).​


----------



## bouVIP (Apr 5, 2012)

Also ever since I've played the mh-417 I have wondered why it was a made in china model. 

My assumption was that china models were cheaper and anything with 200+ was an Indonesian guitar...


----------



## CapinCripes (Apr 5, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> Yeah ESP does to small changes like that. The Axe Palace advertises that a lot. You can change colors, woods, pickups, binding, headstock, bridge, and I think even neck profile (Thin U instead of extra thin u for example) and a few other things. It does not have to be a run. I would talk to the dealer, I know a lot of changes can be done, and the prices are not bad at all IMHO, especially for the quality the Standard Series are.



son, as strange as it feels typing this i think you just made me a believer in esp. hell has officially frozen over. still wont touch ltd's with a ten foot pole.


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 5, 2012)

CapinCripes said:


> son, as strange as it feels typing this i think you just made me a believer in esp. hell has officially frozen over. still wont touch ltd's with a ten foot pole.



I was once an ESP skeptic like yourself, then I picked up some of the MIJ Standard Series guitars, then I was a believer 

I am just a prophet, a messenger if you will, for the all and mighty ESP guitars company.


----------



## jvms (Apr 5, 2012)

So, does that mean I can geat Horizon III 7 string through the Axe Place without going Custom Shop? 27 frets maybe? If yes, it would a dream coming true!


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 5, 2012)

jvms said:


> So, does that mean I can geat Horizon III 7 string through the Axe Place without going Custom Shop? 27 frets maybe? If yes, it would a dream coming true!



Not quite. Some models are still not available in other parts of the worlds. Also from my understanding changing string amount and other structural things such as scalloped frets cannot be done.


----------



## drgordonfreeman (Apr 5, 2012)

Great thread. Incredibly informative, especially about a company that not very many people know very much about.

I was always intrigued by ESP. Admittedly, the first time I saw an ESP guitar was when I saw the guys in Metallica playing them in the late 80's/early 90's. I had never heard of the brand before, so naturally, I was highly curious. If you think not much is known about them today, back then, absolutely nothing was known about them. I asked around to anyone who knew anything about guitars, and no one really knew anything at all about ESP. I eventually just dropped my interest, as I figured it was probably some incredibly high-end/high-cost custom brand anyway.

Now that they've become significantly more popular and more and more people are playing them, I'm significantly more inclined to give one of the actual MIJ ESP models a go.


As a side note, I think the next thread some one makes ought to be "How does Max know so much?!"

"_Max is a guy that many forum members, myself included, love for his attention to detail, quality posts, ect. But how he gets his knowledge, locations he gets it, people whom he gets it from, ect. is often unknown to us all._"


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 5, 2012)

drgordonfreeman said:


> Great thread. Incredibly informative, especially about a company that not very many people know very much about.
> 
> I was always intrigued by ESP. Admittedly, the first time I saw an ESP guitar was when I saw the guys in Metallica playing them in the late 80's/early 90's. I had never heard of the brand before, so naturally, I was highly curious. If you think not much is known about them today, back then, absolutely nothing was known about them. I asked around to anyone who knew anything about guitars, and no one really knew anything at all about ESP. I eventually just dropped my interest, as I figured it was probably some incredibly high-end/high-cost custom brand anyway.
> 
> ...




Haha we need a thread like that! Max, do we have your permission to do so?

I was once skeptical of ESP. I went through a "Buy American" phase and some forums I read convinced me that anything MIJ was inferior. I was focusing on Carvin, Jackson, PRS, Suhr, ect. Well then I picked up an M-II. One of the best guitars I ever played and I love it. Now, I am obsessed!


----------



## drgordonfreeman (Apr 5, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> I was once skeptical of ESP. I went through a "Buy American" phase and some forums I read convinced me that anything MIJ was inferior. I was focusing on Carvin, Jackson, PRS, Suhr, ect. Well then I picked up an M-II. One of the best guitars I ever played and I love it. Now, I am obsessed!



Same here. 2 years ago, I purchased my first MIJ guitar: a Jackson DK2T. Totally changed my opinion about MIJ guitars.


----------



## CapinCripes (Apr 6, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> Yeah ESP does to small changes like that. The Axe Palace advertises that a lot. You can change colors, woods, pickups, binding, headstock, bridge, and I think even neck profile (Thin U instead of extra thin u for example) and a few other things.


so that means i could get one of the new volcano red horizon's with passives and the extra thin flat profile without going custom shop? or is just one option allowed and not two?


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 6, 2012)

CapinCripes said:


> so that means i could get one of the new volcano red horizon's with passives and the extra thin flat profile without going custom shop? or is just one option allowed and not two?




I know they will definitely do the passive option, say with Duncans as they either have Duncans or EMGs. As for the neck I would call them just to be sure, but I know a couple of people who have ordered Standard Series with different neck profiles. It might depend on the dealer if they move a lot of ESPs or not or if they will do a lot for their customers.


----------



## xxx128 (Apr 17, 2012)

I always thought that the edwards guitar line was manufactured by esp in japan. On the back of the headstocks it will say "made in japan".


----------



## phrygian12 (Apr 17, 2012)

Taken from the Japanese Wikipedia of Electric Sound Products. 


I tried to make sense of it with a translator, so there's probably alot of stuff that's wrong, but you get the idea. It'd be nice if someone who knows Japanese could translate the whole Wiki artical for us. 



> In 1975, Yamaha instrument of free design as a consultant through the firm Kanda - stringed instrument, Fuji has been involved in the planning of Satoshi Shigeru Shiino EG series of Greco-brand.
> 
> The original shop in Shibuya, a renovated building was a clinic, Katsutoshi Morizono , Hideki Issima , justice Takanaka , Kenji Omura , Hirofumi Tokutake , Masami Tsuchiya. visited, management was uneventful. Thereafter, the founder Shiino by differences of opinion with other staff leaving companies aim to expand. (and subsequently, Vestax was founded)
> 
> ...





xxx128 said:


> I always thought that the edwards guitar line was manufactured by esp in japan. On the back of the headstocks it will say "made in japan".



They are, but from my understanding they're made in a different factory from the ESP Original/Custom and Navigator series. A long time ago I read that both the Edward series and ESP standard series are made in the same factor, the U.S. ESP's the one available to us anyway are basically the Edward series. They're high end, but not fully pimped like the Original and of course custom? I don't know if that's true or not, I had read it from the ESP message boards a few years ago when I was trying to see if anyone had knew where to order a MV-CTM or those Edward 27 fret models. 

There's two locations in Japan where you can walk in and choose what types of woods you want on your guitar, basically make a custom order right there in the shop along with buying whatever they have stocked.


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 17, 2012)

The Edwards and Standard series are made in different ways actually. The Edwards are made in China and then the final work is done in Japan while the Standard Series are made in the same factory by the same people who make the Custom Shop models in the same way as the Custom Shop models, just mass produced. 

My dealer actually said that he could send me pics of the factory where they are made to confirm it. I also asked Nick at the Axe Palace and he said the same thing.


----------



## phrygian12 (Apr 17, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> The Edwards and Standard series are made in different ways actually. The Edwards are made in China and then the final work is done in Japan while the Standard Series are made in the same factory by the same people who make the Custom Shop models in the same way as the Custom Shop models, just mass produced.
> 
> My dealer actually said that he could send me pics of the factory where they are made to confirm it. I also asked Nick at the Axe Palace and he said the same thing.




Awesome, thanks for clearing that up. Would any ESP dealer be able to get any Edwards? say like those Snapper looking models? or those 27 fret models?


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 17, 2012)

phrygian12 said:


> Awesome, thanks for clearing that up. Would any ESP dealer be able to get any Edwards? say like those Snapper looking models? or those 27 fret models?



Unfortunately not that I know of. ESP dealers pretty much get any CS or Standard series available to the USA, which is steadily growing. Although you can special order ESP Standard Series guitars with some cool options that are not production models. Like say you want an M-II in transparent red with a flame top and mahogany body? They will do it. 

Also I know the ESPs are made by CNC machine. Some on at Guitars @ B music visited the factory and talked about it and how they were made an inspected.


----------



## bouVIP (Apr 17, 2012)

I have no idea how accurate this is but I saw this

Edwards GuitarsThe Whole Story, and More - My Les Paul Forums

also I want an Edwards E-CY-165CTM now! it looks so fine!


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 17, 2012)

bouVIP said:


> I have no idea how accurate this is but I saw this
> 
> Edwards GuitarsThe Whole Story, and More - My Les Paul Forums
> 
> also I want an Edwards E-CY-165CTM now! it looks so fine!



Yeah man that is 100% the real deal, in regards to the Edwards series. Good find man.


----------



## Bower1 (Apr 18, 2012)

phrygian12 said:


> There's two locations in Japan where you can walk in and choose what types of woods you want on your guitar, basically make a custom order right there in the shop along with buying whatever they have stocked.



I am making this my goal to go there later this year and choosing something. Since I am going to be in Asia for the next year and some. So GASed for an ESP. DO WANT.


----------



## bouVIP (Apr 18, 2012)

so I'm guessing that Edwards guitar aren't possible to get through Sam Ash or Guitar Center right?


----------



## MaxOfMetal (Apr 18, 2012)

bouVIP said:


> so I'm guessing that Edwards guitar aren't possible to get through Sam Ash or Guitar Center right?



Nope. They are not sold in the US....officially. I've seen some pop up on eBay that are sold as "NEW" from dealers in the US. I bet some of the bigger ESP retailers can find ways of getting them through the back door. 

Every now and then meestursparkle will have some as well.


----------



## bouVIP (Apr 18, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Nope. They are not sold in the US....officially. I've seen some pop up on eBay that are sold as "NEW" from dealers in the US. I bet some of the bigger ESP retailers can find ways of getting them through the back door.
> 
> Every now and then meestursparkle will have some as well.



oh thanks. Yeah I've been on ebay and saw they have the Edwards I want on there, but I really wanted to try it first. lol

Well I still plan on getting one eventually cause they look so bad ass


----------



## phrygian12 (Apr 19, 2012)

bouVIP said:


> oh thanks. Yeah I've been on ebay and saw they have the Edwards I want on there, but I really wanted to try it first. lol
> 
> Well I still plan on getting one eventually cause they look so bad ass



That's one of the models I'm after. That cream white one or I think it's just natural quilt maple? anyway it's up on Ebay right now. Fawk I really want one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESP-Edwards...r-/280863546197?pt=Guitar&hash=item4164c59b55

if only LTD could make these models, I'd be all over that in a heart beat. The Horizon 27 fret LTD is cool, I've been tempted to buy one, but I kinda want different colors like these.


----------



## SkullCrusher (Apr 22, 2012)

jl-austin said:


> I was quoted a price from ESP thru my dealer for an M1 in white. I've been told that you can order any standard series in any production color. Meaning any color that they normally sell.
> 
> It typically takes awhile, and they charge around $500 extra, but they will do it. I've also been told they will make modifications to the guitar as well, (like rev headstock on a horizon), but I am not 100 percent sure of, because I have never asked.



I was talking to ESP UK on the phone the other day and the standard series, and they said that you can have black or white for no extra charge. Metallic colours would be about £150 more ($250). they can also do pretty much anything else like different hardware, more or less pickups, wiring, different woods etc. and the way this chap was talking it doesent cost that much to something pretty different.


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 22, 2012)

SkullCrusher said:


> I was talking to ESP UK on the phone the other day and the standard series, and they said that you can have black or white for no extra charge. Metallic colours would be about £150 more ($250). they can also do pretty much anything else like different hardware, more or less pickups, wiring, different woods etc. and the way this chap was talking it doesent cost that much to something pretty different.



No it is fairly cheap. I remember Zimbloth posting that an M-II NTB with a with a quilt top, maple fretboard, and mahogany body would be around $2,500 USD. Honestly that is a damn good price imho.


My M-II NTB is a special order in Woodland Camo and cost around 1,900 new. I would talk to the dealer specifically though. I asked DCGL to do it and they said they only do special orders for they camo and other runs. The Axe Palace said they would do a lot more even if it is a one off. It is a great deal IMHO, Seeing as the Standard Series are of similar quality to other CS guitars out there.


----------



## glpg80 (Apr 22, 2012)

I went through a dealer to get the neck contour changed and colour changed to snow white with a matching headstock on my 2010 ESP M-II.

Snow white is not sold in the USA, but is in Europe, UK, Germany, etc.

Wait time was roughly 1.5 years, but the neck was defective. Since i went through a dealer in the USA you are allowed to use ESP USA as an intermediary. They took acceptance of the guitar - verified it was their problem at the factory, replaced the neck free of charge and also replaced the case for safe measure.

Now it is the best playing/sounding guitar i own. Hands down worth the wait and the customer service was bar none amazing.

Make sure you talk thoroughly with your dealer in ordering anything special or special custom, and be prepared to wait.


----------



## SkullCrusher (Apr 23, 2012)

glpg80 said:


> I went through a dealer to get the neck contour changed and colour changed to snow white with a matching headstock on my 2010 ESP M-II.
> 
> Snow white is not sold in the USA, but is in Europe, UK, Germany, etc.
> 
> ...





Awesome mate. Luckily enough here in the UK they sell Mii in snow white of the shelf. Im probably going to buy one after I get back from holiday in june. How much would your recommend the miis?

The chap told me to have an Mi in snow white it would be a wait time of around 4-6 months?


----------



## glpg80 (Apr 23, 2012)

SkullCrusher said:


> Awesome mate. Luckily enough here in the UK they sell Mii in snow white of the shelf. Im probably going to buy one after I get back from holiday in june. How much would your recommend the miis?
> 
> The chap told me to have an Mi in snow white it would be a wait time of around 4-6 months?



Thanks mate. I highly recommend my M-II and others to try them - ESPECIALLY the maple necks/fretboards. I tried one before i purchased my custom special order, and knew instantly i had to own one. Their maple quality is bar none the best, it feels better than all rosewood necks - i have played many of both and prefer ESP's standard series maple. I can play that guitar for hours and never get tired of it, just sounds amazing, plays great, great resonance, and has the looks to boot.

Their customer service on the USA side was great, but due to translation on the Japan side things slid here and there when it was myself, the dealer, and Japan directly. But alas, patience is a virtue. I am glad i had a great dealer to go through with a good reputation.

4-6 months is not realistic, every year they get farther and farther behind. Take the quote and double it and that is what you're looking at realistically. 9 months to 1 year on average depending on whether they have them in stock or not in Japan (which they sometimes do have bodies and necks they can piece together quickly).

I am more of an Ibanez fan and Tom Anderson fan, and can honestly say my M-II hangs with the best. Signature ESP tone and quality - they are worth the money and wait.


----------



## Church2224 (Apr 23, 2012)

glpg80 said:


> Thanks mate. I highly recommend my M-II and others to try them - ESPECIALLY the maple necks/fretboards. I tried one before i purchased my custom special order, and knew instantly i had to own one. Their maple quality is bar none the best, it feels better than all rosewood necks - i have played many of both and prefer ESP's standard series maple. I can play that guitar for hours and never get tired of it, just sounds amazing, plays great, great resonance, and has the looks to boot.
> 
> Their customer service on the USA side was great, but due to translation on the Japan side things slid here and there when it was myself, the dealer, and Japan directly. But alas, patience is a virtue. I am glad i had a great dealer to go through with a good reputation.
> 
> ...



This is why I am such an ESP fan, great guitars, great people, and great Customer Support. 

BTW, I am digging that m-II. Need to get me one in White like that one day.


----------



## bouVIP (May 6, 2012)

Sorry to bring back an old thread, but I don't know if this has been posted or not.

It's a factory tour with 2 guys from Anthrax. You can see sooo many ESPs and Edwards


----------



## Church2224 (May 6, 2012)

bouVIP said:


> Sorry to bring back an old thread, but I don't know if this has been posted or not.
> 
> It's a factory tour with 2 guys from Anthrax. You can see sooo many ESPs and Edwards




Dude thank you so much for this! I been waiting for an ESP Factory Video forever! Thanks man.


----------



## jl-austin (May 6, 2012)

That is cool to see where my little M1 was made.


----------



## Church2224 (May 6, 2012)

One thing I did notice in the video was that they only showed what looked ot be where they did the final set up, not where they cut the bodies or finished them, Be great to soo a video of that as well.


----------



## bouVIP (May 6, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> One thing I did notice in the video was that they only showed what looked ot be where they did the final set up, not where they cut the bodies or finished them, Be great to soo a video of that as well.



Yeah and the last like 10 minutes were just them getting autographs haha.


Pretty sure this video is the closest thing to an actual tour...




on an unrelated note: 

Does anyone know what CTM stands for? Specifically for the Edwards E-CY-165CTM. I have been trying to figure out what it meant and I've gotten it's either Custom or Contour Top Model.


----------



## Church2224 (May 6, 2012)

^

True.

I talked to my dealer about ESPs and where they were made. He said it is true the Standards are made along side the CS Models and that he could get pics of the factory to me. I am going to email him in the morning about that plus a few other things. 

Another thing he said it that it is very unlikely we will ever get a widespread video of the ESP factory as ESP apparently is very secretive about what they do in their factories, with very little information given unless you get a private tour. All that is known is that they do a good combination of CNC and hand work, at least that is what I get from the forums. 

All I know is they do something right. We went to the back room and picked up a Horizon fr in volcano red that had been in the box for a few months and had been shipped straight from Japan. We picked it up , plugged it in and it was in tune and perfectly set up, damn!

As for CTM, I think it is Contoured Top model, but don't quote me on that.


----------



## phrygian12 (May 7, 2012)

CTM basically means a Standard series model, but modified in a way, I guess you could say custom?. it was on the Japanese site a long time ago and under the description it actually said what it means in English. 

There's a MV-CTM that I've been wanting for years and years. 
It's basically a MV with a Flame Maple top with 27 frets. I've seen them in a few different colors, the most common one is blue though. 










You can see the specs for it in the disconnected page from the Japanese site. It's the very last one, but i swear they had two different looking CTM a few years ago. I might have gotten confused with the quilt maple top version. 

ESP Original Series -MV-


----------



## Church2224 (May 7, 2012)

Oh this is cool,

A video about ESP USA, at least


----------



## Osiris (May 7, 2012)

bouVIP said:


> Sorry to bring back an old thread, but I don't know if this has been posted or not.
> 
> It's a factory tour with 2 guys from Anthrax. You can see sooo many ESPs and Edwards




Those guys literally just sit and sand on guitars and listen to thrash metal all day. So jealous


----------



## bouVIP (May 7, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> Oh this is cool,
> 
> A video about ESP USA, at least




That was pretty cool was wishing they would go into more detail though!


----------



## ascl (May 7, 2012)

Just recently I visited Japan, and spent a bit of time at the ESP Craft House in Shibuya (Tokyo). It was extremely cool, both cause of the amazing range of ESP guitars, and because the guys there were great (and very patient with my endless requests to play various guitars). I went to the "Guitar Workshop" linked earlier as well, but the Craft House was bigger and better I think.

Also, upstairs from the Craft House is the custom shop. So various wood selection etc can be done downstairs, and guitars are actually made upstairs! This was very cool to get a little tour around. Buying a guitar was an amazing experience as well (ESP Potbelly, beautiful guitar), as everything was set up with the strings of my choice, and just an amazing level of service.

Before going to Japan I was pretty much against buying an ESP, because I wanted something different, but after the experience with the craft house... I'm a total ESP fanboy now .

If you ever get a chance to go to Tokyo, I strongly recommend dropping in to the Craft House (and getting yourself one of the sweet "only in Japan" guitars. I could easily have left with some Edwards and a Navigator as well!).

ESP CRAFTHOUSE


----------



## Church2224 (May 7, 2012)

ascl said:


> Just recently I visited Japan, and spent a bit of time at the ESP Craft House in Shibuya (Tokyo). It was extremely cool, both cause of the amazing range of ESP guitars, and because the guys there were great (and very patient with my endless requests to play various guitars). I went to the "Guitar Workshop" linked earlier as well, but the Craft House was bigger and better I think.
> 
> Also, upstairs from the Craft House is the custom shop. So various wood selection etc can be done downstairs, and guitars are actually made upstairs! This was very cool to get a little tour around. Buying a guitar was an amazing experience as well (ESP Potbelly, beautiful guitar), as everything was set up with the strings of my choice, and just an amazing level of service.
> 
> ...



That is awesome man thanks for the link!

Any visits to the production line where the Standards and Signatures were made?


----------



## Church2224 (May 7, 2012)

Check these threads as well, from [email protected], one of the biggest ESP dealers in the world. 

bmusic Australia Forum - Brought to you by the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011 Australian ESP Dealer of the Year &bull; View topic - edwards made in China

http://guitarsatbmusic.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9881

http://guitarsatbmusic.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9604

It talks about the ESP facotry in Japan and Shane, the owner, says ESP export models are NOT made in Japan at all. So Edwards and Standards are not made by the same factory, except the final set up. 

It confirms it- ESP Export/ Standard models are NOT made in China, they are made in Japan!


----------



## ascl (May 8, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> Any visits to the production line where the Standards and Signatures were made?



Nope, just the custom shop. I'll post some photos below. It was so cool too see so many nice guitars in one place. The shops here in Sydney tend not to have the best range, but this shop was just crammed with awesome guitars. From amazing Navigators down to "cheap" Edwards and Grass Roots guitars.

Here is the main floor:




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Some of the CRAZY custom made guitars:




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Upstairs at the custom shop:




Uploaded with ImageShack.us




Uploaded with ImageShack.us




Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## bouVIP (May 8, 2012)

Thanks for the pictures! The shop looks so awesome.

I'm pretty sure if I ever visited Japan I would be spending all my time at an ESP store or going on private tour or something.


----------



## Church2224 (May 8, 2012)

bouVIP said:


> Thanks for the pictures! The shop looks so awesome.
> 
> I'm pretty sure if I ever visited Japan I would be spending all my time at an ESP store or going on private tour or something.



Same here. I would probably save up a year's salary and spend it all there  I would love to see them build some of the guitars. I want to see how my M-II was made. 

Nice pics man! Thanks for showing them to us.


----------



## bouVIP (May 9, 2012)

Man I have been GASing for an Antelope-CTM lately! Are they obtainable through dealers like Sam Ash?


----------



## jacksonplayer (May 9, 2012)

Church2224 said:


> Any visits to the production line where the Standards and Signatures were made?



I believe the Standards are made in the Fujigen factory, or at least they used to be. That's the same factory that produces the Japanese-made Ibanez models.


----------



## Church2224 (May 9, 2012)

jacksonplayer said:


> I believe the Standards are made in the Fujigen factory, or at least they used to be. That's the same factory that produces the Japanese-made Ibanez models.



No they are made in ESPs Kiso Factory, the same people who make the custom shops and the Original Series guitars, as confirmed in this Bmusic Thread-

bmusic Australia Forum - Brought to you by the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011 Australian ESP Dealer of the Year &bull; View topic - ESP Factories.

IMHO it explains their high quality and attention to detail, then again I whore them up like no other 

I do not think they were ever made in the FGN Factory, at least I have not heard that until now. 

Sorry I seemed to answer my own question, after some research.


----------



## JTans (May 10, 2012)

I've been playing and collecting ESP's and they are the only guitars I'm really interested in nowadays. That's why I've gathered as much info about them as possible. Here's some:

ESP has 6 Custom Shops in Japan;

Technical House - serial number THxxxxxxx
Craft House - s/n CHxxxxxxx
Kiso CS - s/n Kxxxxxxx
Takada, Tokyo CS - s/n Txxxxxxx
Sado Island CS - s/n Sxxxxxxx
N(agoya?) CS - s/n Nxxxxxxx

Technical House and Craft House are walk-in guitar shops which make also custom order and artist guitars. Both located in Tokyo Central.

Kiso is a factory which makes custom order, Original Series guitars, and Custom Shop versions of Signature guitars.

Takada makes most of the Japanese market custom orders, but also some of the oversea customer's order guitars.

Sado CS is located in Sado Island and makes bolt-on guitars only.

The "N" custom shop is a mystery to me, I've seen only a few of them. Probably similar to Takada shop, but with smaller production numbers.

All of these shops above make guitars by hand only, with the highest quality timber and craftmanship. No CNC machines are being used.

Navigator guitars are basically ESP CS guitars with a different logo. They make them in all of the shops above.



The Standard Series factory is located in the Kiso Factory. Standard Series guitars aren't made by the same team that makes the Kiso CS guitars though. SS guitars are mostly made by using CNC machines and finished and assembled by hand. The timber used is not the highest quality like on the CS guitars, but still good. I'd say the quality is in between the Edwards models and CS models. The s/n of the SS series guitars are usually starting with SS, but there's some special order runs made by retail stores which may have different serial. Like Pro Music Tools special orders = PMTxxxxxxx. These always have the "Standard Series" stamp on the back of the headstock.

The only way to figure out for sure where a guitar was made is the s/n. There's also the stamps, but Japanese market guitars don't usually have them. The current serial numbering system was started in 2000, so guitars made before that may not have a s/n at all, or a s/n which doesn't really give any info. bmusic Australia Forum - Brought to you by the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011 Australian ESP Dealer of the Year &bull; View topic - ESP Serial Numbers

The video posted earlier on reply #53 was filmed in Takada CS. The one with the Anthrax guys was probably filmed in the SS facility in Kiso.


----------



## ascl (May 10, 2012)

That is some sweet info, thanks! So my Potbelly was made in the Kiso factory! 

For what its worth, Craft House is in Shibuya and Technical House is in Ochanomizu, both of which are inner Tokyo (but if you get the chance to only visit one, go to the Craft House... its more interesting imo. Of course, both are worth checking out, especially as Ochanomizu has a bunch of guitar/music stores all of which look like this:




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

ie crammed with guitars of all kinds.


----------



## phrygian12 (May 10, 2012)

This is awesome! thanks for all the information. 

I just bought another ESP today, should be here next week!


----------



## phrygian12 (May 10, 2012)

JTans said:


> N(agoya?) CS - s/n Nxxxxxxx



Probably, I know they have an academy there. 





I think there's also one in Tokyo. 




If I'm not mistaken there's also an ESP academy in Hollywood at M.I.Edu?


----------



## bouVIP (May 14, 2012)

This was just uplaoded on the Crafthouse Channel!

Very cool


----------



## MatthewK (May 15, 2012)

It has probably been said a million times, but it never really hit me until yesterday that ESP in Japan basically means Custom Shop. It just seems odd to me that in Japan the quality hierarchy goes directly from Edwards (built in China) straight to ESP Original Series (hand-carved and made only by the most highly skilled luthiers). It's like if Fender only offered MIM and the Custom Shop in the US, but everywhere else in the world got the Standard American models. Unless I'm totally misunderstanding something... 

Oh, and about the N serial number thing...



guitarsatbmusic said:


> In case I didn't mention this anywhere in the thread
> CH = Craft House
> TH = Technical House
> *N = another prefix for Craft House used occasionally, Nagano*


----------



## Church2224 (May 17, 2012)

MatthewK said:


> It has probably been said a million times, but it never really hit me until yesterday that ESP in Japan basically means Custom Shop. It just seems odd to me that in Japan the quality hierarchy goes directly from Edwards (built in China) straight to ESP Original Series (hand-carved and made only by the most highly skilled luthiers). It's like if Fender only offered MIM and the Custom Shop in the US, but everywhere else in the world got the Standard American models. Unless I'm totally misunderstanding something...
> 
> Oh, and about the N serial number thing...



I heard about that too. But a forum member on here who lives in Japan did mention that he saw some standards for sale new in Japan. I might be wrong though. He did mention that not many people by the Edwards guitars because you can get a real ESP for a little bit more. Guessing that means standard series models. Not sure I need to ask him again.


----------



## 2ManyShoes (May 18, 2012)

Wow, awesome thread. Like a lot of people I wasn't into ESP until recently. What really burns is that I used to live in Japan and didn't stock up while I was over there. 

I hope my new MIJ Standard Viper-7 will make me feel better . . . when it arrives next week!


----------



## tommychains (May 18, 2012)

Great read! I want to get an ESP, but i'm not anywhere near being able to afford the custom shop. How exactly to you get the standard series modified by ESP?


----------



## Church2224 (May 18, 2012)

tommychains said:


> Great read! I want to get an ESP, but i'm not anywhere near being able to afford the custom shop. How exactly to you get the standard series modified by ESP?



To get some non standard options I would talk to Nick at the Axe Palace. I talked to a few other dealers and some said they can not do it, others can so it is kind of a dealer by dealer basis

Here is the thread-

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/de...imited-run-6-7-string-guitars-axe-palace.html


----------



## Church2224 (May 18, 2012)

2ManyShoes said:


> Wow, awesome thread. Like a lot of people I wasn't into ESP until recently. What really burns is that I used to live in Japan and didn't stock up while I was over there.
> 
> I hope my new MIJ Standard Viper-7 will make me feel better . . . when it arrives next week!



Damn you missed out ! 

But yeah I simply did not get an ESP for a while because a lot of people I knew were like "Japanese made guitar SUCK"

I am glad I know differently now. From now one I think I am sticking with ESPs, with the occasional Jackson


----------



## guill666 (Jul 18, 2013)

JTans said:


> I've been playing and collecting ESP's and they are the only guitars I'm really interested in nowadays. That's why I've gathered as much info about them as possible. Here's some:
> 
> ESP has 6 Custom Shops in Japan;
> 
> ...



Great post man 

N serial generally stands for Navigator stuff. I had a few and all started with N+year

Navigator is egual to ESP but tends to produce more "old school" stuff, like vintage strat/LP

Really that's a great post, really explicative , perhaps it will help people in Europe to understand that SS guitars are no equal to CS afterall

+10000


----------



## Metal-Box (Jul 18, 2013)

This is a great thread. ESP has always been a somewhat mysterious company. Just look at their branding model lineups.


----------



## xzyryabx (Jul 18, 2013)

here's a thread with the pics I took of the custom shop in Osaka (not sure what this one was called, please enlighten me!) last November (click on the pics for a larger image).
Also went to the Technical House in Tokyo but that one was first and I was too shocked to think about taking pics!
Osaka ESP (56K takes better pics than these!) - ESP Guitars Message Board


----------



## guill666 (Jul 18, 2013)

Yep TH is really a great place :=)

Lot of Edwards / ESP in the front store... all signature and Custom stuff upstairs... and then parts/setting/test/order ^^

Bought from them last yeat in august an Pink Horion CTM 30th anniversary ^^ I returned at least 8 times to grab freely some allen key, trussroad ajuster, foam, free strings, free set up, even free esp tissue 

just a pic of some of my others ESP CS : 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...982.1073741825.100000515923928&type=3&theater


----------



## Metal-Box (Jul 18, 2013)

Don't let me go to Japan with a credit card. Damn.


----------



## xzyryabx (Jul 18, 2013)

Metal-Box said:


> Don't let me go to Japan with a credit card. Damn.




I'm glad my wife was with me....she had warned me not to even think about it before we entered the shop!!!

It was soooooo tempting...but the prices were insane!!!!!!!!


----------



## Metal-Box (Jul 18, 2013)

xzyryabx said:


> I'm glad my wife was with me....she had warned me not to even think about it before we entered the shop!!!
> 
> It was soooooo tempting...but the prices were insane!!!!!!!!



The one thing a Custom Shop ESP is cheaper than is a divorce. You did good to avoid buying one.


----------

