Found my dream spec'd guitar... Should I get it?

[jchrisf]

Thanks to the ESP thread going on here I stumbled across a guitar that has nearly every spec on a guitar I've wanted but have never been able to find. It seems a little over priced IMO but there is not another guitar like it that I've found and I've been looking for a while.

My dream specs:
Super Strat
Volume knob out of the way
25.75 scale
Mahogany body
Neck-Through
Floyd Rose
Headstock same color as body
H-S pickup config
Hardshell Case included

I would prefer a different color and 22 frets.

It's really not a lot to ask for IMO but this guitar is the only one I've found. It just seems a little over priced at $1,799 for an LTD. At MF I can get 8% back in MF cash which kind of brings the price down to $1,650. They don't have any discounts right now but I could probably get 10% off if I try hard enough. I would love to see them put these on a clearance sale like they did with a couple other LTD models this month.

Or would having Keisel build me one with these specs be better quality for about the same price?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...80766d514a916e403b&_index=production_products

ESP LTD Andy LaRocque ALR-II​

 

[Alpha Stryke]

Money is a tool to get what you want out of life.
You only live once. Scratch your itch.
I bought one 2 months ago, $80 a month no interest. Good credit pays off.
Check AMS [american musical supply] before you pull the trigger w/ SW.
SW plans/terms tend to be long winded.

 

[VonBonfire]

If you don't need it, save your money. If it's your dream axe and you will be a better player, or better sounding player, go for it. $1700-1800 bucks is a lot for an Indonesian guitar but welcome to the market now. I would only add that LTD seems to really be hitting it out of the park in the playability department. Nice fret work, boards, and good hardware out of the box to top it off. The hunt is the fun part, once you own it then there are no more excuses for not becoming a better player than you are now.

 

[Geo]

Get it now before inflation hits and it's twice as expensive.

 

[BeZo]

Yes. Buy your dream guitar.

 

[rsm]

If it's a dream piece of gear and you can afford it, get it.

 

[angelspade]

without understanding your financial position at present...I would say from my perspective that if you can acquire your "dream guitar" that seems perfect for you, anything under 2K would be something I would definitely do.

 

[Tone Monster]

This is Rig-Talk….send it!!!

 

[Rackman]

I think it's always good to play a guitar or at least that model before buying.

One little annoying thing can change it from dream guitar to clogging up the marketplace

 

[CoreyW]

Zzounds has one, and I have always had good success in saving a couple of bucks by calling them.

 

[harddriver]

If it's a dream piece of gear and you can afford it, get it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
My reply to a tee.

I would not order a Kiesel and hope it was as nice as an already built ESP guitar with the specs you want a ready to go.

The worst that could happen is if the guitar does not live up to your expectations after you get it then you can return it to Sweetwater no if's and's or but's.

 

[IHateRap]

Not only do I think you should make a purchase...I think you should buy 13 of them because my cats are 13 months old.

 

[jchrisf]

Yes. Buy your dream guitar.

If it's a dream piece of gear and you can afford it, get it.

This is not my dream guitar but has most of my dream specs... that's why I'm having trouble pullng the trigger.

If you don't need it, save your money. If it's your dream axe and you will be a better player, or better sounding player, go for it. $1700-1800 bucks is a lot for an Indonesian guitar but welcome to the market now. I would only add that LTD seems to really be hitting it out of the park in the playability department. Nice fret work, boards, and good hardware out of the box to top it off. The hunt is the fun part, once you own it then there are no more excuses for not becoming a better player than you are now.

Yeah, I have the LTD Mirage Deluxe 87 and it is the best built and playing guitar I've ever had in my hands. This one is over twice the price I paid. I heard one guy say it was at E-II Horizon levels but I doubt that.

Get it now before inflation hits and it's twice as expensive.

I've been considering this as well..

I think it's always good to play a guitar or at least that model before buying.

One little annoying thing can change it from dream guitar to clogging up the marketplace

I agree and was planning on visiting a shop with a lot of different guitars to try and pick one that spoke to me if there was one. There just isn't anything around here. At least I can return it if it doesn't work out.

Money is a tool to get what you want out of life.
You only live once. Scratch your itch.
I bought one 2 months ago, $80 a month no interest. Good credit pays off.
Check AMS [american musical supply] before you pull the trigger w/ SW.
SW plans/terms tend to be long winded.

How do you like yours?

 

[VonBonfire]

Yeah, I have the LTD Mirage Deluxe 87 and it is the best built and playing guitar I've ever had in my hands. This one is over twice the price I paid. I heard one guy say it was at E-II Horizon levels but I doubt that.

I don't really doubt it tbh but I do not think the woods of the Indonesian line are of as high quality. The quilted top on the Viper I had was paper thin....maybe it was paper lol. I couldn't get it to sound right through my rig which tbh doesn't really surprise me since SG shapes are usually a bit brighter and more biting and I have a Twin...it held true with the Viper.

However, the quality of the neck (3 piece with a volute!), tuners, duncan factory pickups, tone pros bridge, etc all resulted in a guitar that was extremely easy to play. I LOVED that neck. The carve, the radius, and the jumbo tall SS frets all just kicked ass. Probably the easiest playing axe I've ever owned. Butter. Tbh even as a bluesman I loved the 24 frets I just didn't wanna keep swapping pickups or buy an amp to accommodate it. I played it through a high powered tweed twin of a friend and it absolutely smoked...just ain't got 2k for a new amp right now. Good luck with your choice jchrisf!!!

 

[Music&Chaos]

Posting for the NGD update.

 

[ChurchHill]

I LOVE short-scale shredders! Unfortunately, they are extremely hard to find without custom ordering one with a two year wait and price tag to match.

I've thought about the ALR-II because, yeah, it hits almost all of those specs. The only thing I don't like about it is the headstock, but that's just not my own taste. And yeah, it's a lot of money for an Indonesian guitar. Not that they can't make high quality guitars, it's just the LTD line is less expensive for a reason. I don't know exactly what corners they're cutting, but they have to be cutting some to meet a given price point.

If you can afford it and it checks all those boxes for you, I'd give it a shot. Worst case is you don't like it, send it back, and lose a little on shipping.

I wish Charvel/Jackson would reissue the Fusion line, preferably as a short-scale neck-through Soloist. Or ESP made more short-scale Horizons.

If this was short-scale with a toggle switch instead of a 5-way blade, it'd be perfect for me.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

I have had some great cheap guitars from korea and indonesia. Let's get that bastard ordered

 

[Alpha Stryke]

This is not my dream guitar but has most of my dream specs... that's why I'm having trouble pullng the trigger.


Yeah, I have the LTD Mirage Deluxe 87 and it is the best built and playing guitar I've ever had in my hands. This one is over twice the price I paid. I heard one guy say it was at E-II Horizon levels but I doubt that.


I've been considering this as well..


I agree and was planning on visiting a shop with a lot of different guitars to try and pick one that spoke to me if there was one. There just isn't anything around here. At least I can return it if it doesn't work out.


How do you like yours?

I meant i bought "a guitar". a EBMM Sterrling LUKE. Its a total workhorse axe. Does it all in one package.
If you can afford what you're looking at buy the damn thing [your guitar] and don't look back.
I just got my 3rd ESP - LTD totally RAD.
"Handtruck" optional.

 

[JohnnyGtar]

Thanks to the ESP thread going on here I stumbled across a guitar that has nearly every spec on a guitar I've wanted but have never been able to find. It seems a little over priced IMO but there is not another guitar like it that I've found and I've been looking for a while.

My dream specs:
Super Strat
Volume knob out of the way
25.75 scale
Mahogany body
Neck-Through
Floyd Rose
Headstock same color as body
H-S pickup config
Hardshell Case included

I would prefer a different color and 22 frets.

It's really not a lot to ask for IMO but this guitar is the only one I've found. It just seems a little over priced at $1,799 for an LTD. At MF I can get 8% back in MF cash which kind of brings the price down to $1,650. They don't have any discounts right now but I could probably get 10% off if I try hard enough. I would love to see them put these on a clearance sale like they did with a couple other LTD models this month.

Or would having Keisel build me one with these specs be better quality for about the same price?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...80766d514a916e403b&_index=production_products

ESP LTD Andy LaRocque ALR-II​

 

[itsme]

That headstock is a shame though. Any of the other ESP headstocks would’ve been a better fit