ESP 2023

[MaxOfMetal]

Anymore news on the Javier Strat?

I asked a few retailers and half didn't even know what I was talking about, which doesn't inspire much confidence.

But don't worry, plenty of Metallica bullshit.

 

[TheShreddinHand]

I’ve bought 3 LTD 1000 series M guitars in the last couple months and the quality is excellent. All Korean made and no complaints from me.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

I bought an 87 series MI, two different Arrow 1000, and an MH1007. Every single one was consistently awesome, with not a single one standing out over another.
Everyone complaining about prices needs to realize the cost of EVERYTHING is rising and has been, why would the guitar market be any different?

 

[Zhysick]

I was checking Thomann today and I saw a new EC401 (with new I mean year 2023) for 960€ and after an older (2022) EC1000 for 1040€... Wtf!?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I was checking Thomann today and I saw a new EC401 (with new I mean year 2023) for 960€ and after an older (2022) EC1000 for 1040€... Wtf!?

FWIW they're built in the same factory now since 2020/2021.

 

[cardinal]

Are all Korean LTDs made in the same factory?

I picked up an older JH-600 and the thing is way nicer than I was expecting. I paid more for it than I thought I should have but when I pulled it out the case, I thought wow it was worth every penny.

I hadn't realized LTDs were like this now?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Are all Korean LTDs made in the same factory?

I picked up an older JH-600 and the thing is way nicer than I was expecting. I paid more for it than I thought I should have but when I pulled it out the case, I thought wow it was worth every penny.

I hadn't realized LTDs were like this now?

A couple of higher end sig models still are made there but otherwise a huge, huge chunk of the LTD lineup is made in indo now. Even the 1000-series.
EDIT: Correction, LTD was using World Musical Instruments pretty far back. Seeing some W-prefixed serial numbers dating back to 2004.
EDIT2: also Covid fucked up my dates, the Indo-made 1000 series guitars started in 2018.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

A couple of higher end sig models still are made there but otherwise a huge, huge chunk of the LTD lineup is made in indo now. Even the 1000-series.
EDIT: Correction, LTD was using World Musical Instruments pretty far back. Seeing some W-prefixed serial numbers dating back to 2004.
EDIT2: also Covid fucked up my dates, the Indo-made 1000 series guitars started in 2018.

Try as you may, there aren’t any steady rules about country of origin. Guitars in the 1000 series are made in both Indonesia and Korea, and guess what? They both are made very similar.

 

[Zhysick]

FWIW they're built in the same factory now since 2020/2021.

Yeah and the quality of hardware and pickups it is the same but wtf... New prices are difficult to swallow.

 

[SalsaWood]

I remember when the EC-401 was 500$ and the EC-1000 was 999$.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

I remember when the EC-401 was 500$ and the EC-1000 was 999$.

All the people repeating this type of response to gear come off like aging guitar players fawning for days of the past. Everything costs more, get over it. At one point in the 90’s USA Jackson weren’t “cool” anymore and I was able to buy one for under 800$. The internet has all but squashed any good or hidden gems.

 

[SalsaWood]

All the people repeating this type of response to gear come off like aging guitar players fawning for days of the past. Everything costs more, get over it. At one point in the 90’s USA Jackson weren’t “cool” anymore and I was able to buy one for under 800$. The internet has all but squashed any good or hidden gems.

I'm over it, I haven't played ESP/LTD since lol.

 

[Alsvartr]

All the people repeating this type of response to gear come off like aging guitar players fawning for days of the past. Everything costs more, get over it. At one point in the 90’s USA Jackson weren’t “cool” anymore and I was able to buy one for under 800$. The internet has all but squashed any good or hidden gems.

Ikr. Like the freaking boomers going on and on about how they bought their strat brand new in 1963 for $200 that they made on their paper route.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

All the people repeating this type of response to gear come off like aging guitar players fawning for days of the past. Everything costs more, get over it. At one point in the 90’s USA Jackson weren’t “cool” anymore and I was able to buy one for under 800$. The internet has all but squashed any good or hidden gems.

Ikr. Like the freaking boomers going on and on about how they bought their strat brand new in 1963 for $200 that they made on their paper route.

"I REMEMBER WHEN THIS GUITAR WAS $XXXX ONLY XX YEARS AGO"
okay put those numbers in an inflation calculator.

 

[SJShinn]

Quesiton: I don't see any symmetrical V series in the site, did it get discontinued or something?

I mean this one

The only problem with those V's was that they were fuggin' HUGE. For all intents and purposes, they're the same thing as the Mustaine DV-8, I have an 04, and it's massive. They're made to the same size as a Jackson Double Rhoads, so quite a bit bigger than a King V.

 

[SalsaWood]

The EC-401 is ~999$ and the EC-1000 Deluxe is ~1,099$. I don't think it's an inflation thing.

I loved my EC-401, I think it was Korean. I loved my EC-1000 Deluxe as well. Maybe they caught on to the fact they were basically selling the same guitar juiced up with abalone and adjusted the price. Back in the day you could get the 400s for 500$-ish and the 1000s were 1k$+. Not sure if that makes me a boomer, but those were the days.

 

[TheBlackBard]

The Vs are so generic and inoffensive it hurts.

Like this is the V cartoonists who don't want to get sued draw in the corner after seeing a Jackson catalog once 20 years ago.

They're so boring I haven't commented till now because I kept falling asleep looking at them.

Christ this is brutal.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

The EC-401 is ~999$ and the EC-1000 Deluxe is ~1,099$. I don't think it's an inflation thing.

I loved my EC-401, I think it was Korean. I loved my EC-1000 Deluxe as well. Maybe they caught on to the fact they were basically selling the same guitar juiced up with abalone and adjusted the price. Back in the day you could get the 400s for 500$-ish and the 1000s were 1k$+. Not sure if that makes me a boomer, but those were the days.

It makes you out of touch with reality.

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

Ikr. Like the freaking boomers going on and on about how they bought their strat brand new in 1963 for $200 that they made on their paper route.

"I REMEMBER WHEN THIS GUITAR WAS $XXXX ONLY XX YEARS AGO"
okay put those numbers in an inflation calculator.

It makes you out of touch with reality.

I paid $425 for a brand-new EC-1000 not even eight years ago without negotiation from a store that's still in business.

**EDIT: Never mind... I got them down by $75. Point still stands.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

View attachment 122788

I paid $425 for a brand-new EC-1000 not even eight years ago without negotiation from a store that's still in business.

**EDIT: Never mind... I got them down by $75. Point still stands.

They were normally like $850 - $900 at the time. You just got super lucky with a steal like that lol.