ESP predictions for 2018

jlb32":8g50x6om said:

I agree. I miss the old ESP line. I've owned Ltd.'s and even a few E-II's but none of them lasted long before I sold them. My older ESP Standards and Customs are all that I still have. They just feel, play and sound better to me.

I don't understand the E-II rebranding thing. ESP states that the E-II's are the same as the old ESP Standards but from my experience they just are not.

IMO it has hurt ESP because so many loved the ESP Standards and want ESP on the headstock. Very few are going to pay those super high Custom Shop prices now that the ESP Standards are gone.

IMO they really need to bring back the ESP Standards.

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I, too, couldn't agree more. The old ESP Standards were great guitars at a good price. LTD may have some great guitars, too, but to me, it's like Squires vs Fenders. I personally don't care how good the Squire is... if I want a Fender, I want a Fender. That's the way I feel about E-IIs, too. ESP's pricing on the USA Custom stuff is rather ridiculous, but not necessarily too far out of line from a top-shelf PRS Core or Jackson Select. I'm sure the ESP USA Customs are great guitars, too, but their options are limited and they've priced themselves out of a good portion of the market.

Anyway, I'm just ranting at this point. Sounds like they may have some people at ESP who would actually listen to this (seems like I'm not alone in the above perceptions), so who knows. I've only got one ESP (Standard Horizon FR-27). It's one of the best guitars I own and I'm definitely hanging on to it. I'd love to have a few more ESPs, but for USA Custom prices... probably not.

Just an update on my situation if anyone cares. I still have not heard back from Jeff. I highly doubt the person I spoke with is an impostor but it is possible I guess. I am not going to follow up or try to confirm because the recent production of LTD has just been tainted for me and I don't want the guitar anymore.


I REALLY wanted the Evertune because it is pretty damn awesome but I guess I am going to have to go with a Floyd. The TOM isn't all that bad but I can play slightly faster on a low profile bridge so that is what I want. Definitely curious about the hardtail USA M-ii with the hipshot but that is slightly over my limit price wise.

I actually came to post here about another flawed guitar but I guess it was just bad lighting. So maybe they are not all that bad QC wise

It is the holiday season. I wouldn’t be surprised when a company doesn’t respond this time of year

messenger":mu5fli9c said:

It is the holiday season. I wouldn’t be surprised when a company doesn’t respond this time of year

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yeah true that. That is kind of why I did not write him back. Didn't want to bug him but yeah, the more time that goes by the less I want that specific guitar.

Bummer to hear about your recent MH-1000 ET purchase. Like someone else said, it's just as much Sweetwater's fault as ESP's. We are in the exact same boat...I'm drooling for that same guitar but E-II. I have the new BW-1 on order from guitar center, but it's scheduled to ship in February, so I'll have plenty of time to decide once the E-II lineup is released.

Meeotch":13r1qdu6 said:

Bummer to hear about your recent MH-1000 ET purchase. Like someone else said, it's just as much Sweetwater's fault as ESP's. We are in the exact same boat...I'm drooling for that same guitar but E-II. I have the new BW-1 on order from guitar center, but it's scheduled to ship in February, so I'll have plenty of time to decide once the E-II lineup is released.

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Yeah it’s just sad I had so much trouble getting a guitar (still am)

I’m just gonna wait it out to see what 2018 E-ii has. My Sweetwater rep just told me the Recent MH they got he marked defective for whatever reason and sent back. That’s just entirely too many guitars with issues. It is sad, I know LTD is lower end but for over a grand their top tier should still be nice imo.

With all of the “defective” guitars they are getting sent back it seems they’d be better off paying the extra dollar and moving shop to Japan.

Damn, that is disconcerting for sure. My MH-1000 ET that I posted at the top of the thread is B-Stock from 2013, and aside from a glitch in the binding, it's flawless. I'd definitely spring for an E-II version if they would just expand into the options that we are looking for. I've also had my eye on the PRS Mark Holcomb SE with Evertune direct from their site, but I just can't get into that quilted top. Really crossing my fingers on this updated Ben Weinman model!

Meeotch":1rt7n5e9 said:

Damn, that is disconcerting for sure. My MH-1000 ET that I posted at the top of the thread is B-Stock from 2013, and aside from a glitch in the binding, it's flawless. I'd definitely spring for an E-II version if they would just expand into the options that we are looking for. I've also had my eye on the PRS Mark Holcomb SE with Evertune direct from their site, but I just can't get into that quilted top. Really crossing my fingers on this updated Ben Weinman model!

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Ive been very tempted on that Holcomb burst, i actually like the burst but I LOVE my ESP and since I have never played that PRS I have been hesitant. Need to track one down and play one to see. the thing that scares me about the Holcomb and the reason I have to try in person first is the 20'' radius. That seems very extreme and I have never played a radius like that before.