NGD - LTD Elite content

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bulletproof_funk

bulletproof_funk

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NGD: LTD Elite Horizon III-FR
I picked this beauty up while on vacation in Seattle, it made the flight home safe and sound. I really just stumbled upon it by luck not expecting stores to get newer gear in so early. I played around with it in the store and liked the way it played and sounded so I couldn't resist. All around a really well made guitar that plays really comfortably, easy access to the upper frets with the neck-through design and wider/shorter lower horn. The pickup switch is short and quick, the volume push-pull pot coil splits. I'm looking forward to cranking it when the wife gets over her jet lag. Anyways here are a couple photos.

 
So, the LTD elite are essentially what ESP standards used to be right? Made in Japan?
 
Mudder, I believe you are right. The 12th fret inlay says ESP so I'm guessing they just made the same Standard series guitar with the LTD name on the headstock (someone correct me if I'm wrong). And yes, the LTD Elites are MIJ.

Thanks guys. The one customs officer doing the debrief called two others in during my return home which made me a bit nervous, but it turned out they just wanted to check out the guitar!
 
Congrats, and HNGD!

How do you compare it to other ESP and other higher LTDs?

From what I heard, ESP is going to be custom shop only now. The ESP standards are now LTD elites, still made in Japan like the ESPs were. All the LTDs are being made where the higher end LTDs were made. It's like they shifted their production up (or down) to phase out the garbage. At least that's how I heard it. What do I know?
 
BeZo":20nycfz9 said:
Congrats, and HNGD!

How do you compare it to other ESP and other higher LTDs?

From what I heard, ESP is going to be custom shop only now. The ESP standards are now LTD elites, still made in Japan like the ESPs were. All the LTDs are being made where the higher end LTDs were made. It's like they shifted their production up (or down) to phase out the garbage. At least that's how I heard it. What do I know?
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Thanks! I read that more recently as well: streamline production (e.g. fewer color options) to lower costs while keeping quality up. From what I've read the only difference with the LTD H3 is the LTD Elite logo on the headstock, the 12th fret inlay still says ESP as does the case that comes with it (it's just a case but still a nice touch).

I wish I could compare ESP to LTD Elite but the store only had the one LTD Elite that I bought and I've never seen a real ESP before (for some reason they're ridiculously hard to come by in Canuckland). The quality of my H3 is excellent, the setup and fret work are impeccable, the string height at the nut seems perfect. Pickup rings and strings line up very well, cavities are routed cleanly and straight. I'm hoping the neck is stable over time as I live in a wide ranging climate.

MajorTom":20nycfz9 said:
I love the shape of those guitars. Can you make a clip?
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It's surprising how much worse I'm playing after just 2 weeks off. :scared: Don't hold your breath though it might be a while.
 
Cool shape! It made me think about those MJ Mirage guitars. I also dig the fret markers.
 
Yeah I see some similarities in the overall shape to the MJs. The Horizon-III shape has that sleek and sinister look down pretty well if that's your thing. I wasn't too fussy with the shape, I was more looking for a good neck-through, 25.5" scale and FR trem at a decent price. The H3 body is smaller than it might look in the photos, it's not that wide and the wings thin out quite a bit towards the edges. It's also a fairly light weight guitar.
 
ESP Standard series were just raw blanks from their China factory that were assembled and painted in Japan so there for they got classified as "Made in Japan" but if you look at the Floyd routes you can see they are not recessed and the woods are of lesser quality much heavier when compare to a custom or k serial ESPs.
 
Here's one thread saying otherwise about the Elite line being imported blanks finished off in Japan:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/3636226-post1.html

I contacted ESP directly about the rumors that these guitars are actually relabled chinese edwards that are finished in japan and I was immediately shut down on that idea. The guy I spoke with said they are made from the ground up at the japan factory and that it really is a case where you are saving money because of the name. But even if these are glued up in china and finished in japan It doesnt show and the guitar is worth every penny I paid. The fret dress is amazing. Very nicely rounded fret ends. I still dont like the finish on the fretboard but if thats the only thing I dont like Ill live with it.
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I would've liked to have seen more Elites in person just to see for myself how consistent the quality is from one guitar to the next but the in-store availability seems low right now. I've read 2 other Elite NGDs so far (aside from mine) that also said the Elites are very well made guitars. In fact there's a big sticker on the back of the Elites saying "inspected in the USA" (not shown in my photos). ESP customs are well over $3K, no? I'm perfectly happy paying less than half that for probably 90% of the workmanship and end result of a true ESP custom. And what you described about imported blanks from China applies to ESP's Asian-market Edwards brand guitars. I hope I'm not coming across as a defensive fanboi and I'm trying to look past the fact that it's still the honeymoon period, just trying to shed some light on the whole LTD Elite thing because it is quite confusing how ESP shuffled around their branding with a mix of old and new all at once. :doh:
 
I played the guitar when it was here in Seattle .... It is a good one in my view.
 
If I were to make a move on an ESP, Horizon III would surely be the one.

Congrats!
 
bulletproof_funk":bv58fdp6 said:
Here's one thread saying otherwise about the Elite line being imported blanks finished off in Japan:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/3636226-post1.html

I contacted ESP directly about the rumors that these guitars are actually relabled chinese edwards that are finished in japan and I was immediately shut down on that idea. The guy I spoke with said they are made from the ground up at the japan factory and that it really is a case where you are saving money because of the name. But even if these are glued up in china and finished in japan It doesnt show and the guitar is worth every penny I paid. The fret dress is amazing. Very nicely rounded fret ends. I still dont like the finish on the fretboard but if thats the only thing I dont like Ill live with it.
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I would've liked to have seen more Elites in person just to see for myself how consistent the quality is from one guitar to the next but the in-store availability seems low right now. I've read 2 other Elite NGDs so far (aside from mine) that also said the Elites are very well made guitars. In fact there's a big sticker on the back of the Elites saying "inspected in the USA" (not shown in my photos). ESP customs are well over $3K, no? I'm perfectly happy paying less than half that for probably 90% of the workmanship and end result of a true ESP custom. And what you described about imported blanks from China applies to ESP's Asian-market Edwards brand guitars. I hope I'm not coming across as a defensive fanboi and I'm trying to look past the fact that it's still the honeymoon period, just trying to shed some light on the whole LTD Elite thing because it is quite confusing how ESP shuffled around their branding with a mix of old and new all at once. :doh:
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Not bashing ESP USA employees but you would be shocked to find out how ignorant they are of their own product line. You contact ESP of Japan and get a response from them you will get all the details and sometime even pics etc. There was one guy on the MLP forums about five years ago that got a response from ESP of Japan and showed pics and explained the process of the ESP/Edwards etc. line.
 
EXPcustom":2vfxkbxr said:
Not bashing ESP USA employees but you would be shocked to find out how ignorant they are of their own product line. You contact ESP of Japan and get a response from them you will get all the details and sometime even pics etc. There was one guy on the MLP forums about five years ago that got a response from ESP of Japan and showed pics and explained the process of the ESP/Edwards etc. line.
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Not implying or saying you were, I also take those "inspected in USA" labels with a grain of salt from personal experience with another guitar, different brand, that I thought wasn't set up that well before shipping (strings at nut too high, sharp fret ends). From what I've been reading, there is a lot of confusion surrounding ESP and it might be in their own best interest to actively dispel some of the myths about their own products and the way they're made. Hell, they didn't even advertise on their own web site that the Elite H3 has a coil tapping! Little details like that are important to consumers.
 
stephen sawall":2ds7jaik said:
I played the guitar when it was here in Seattle .... It is a good one in my view.
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The same one I took north of the border? :D
 
bulletproof_funk":3db8ryjz said:
stephen sawall":3db8ryjz said:
I played the guitar when it was here in Seattle .... It is a good one in my view.
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The same one I took north of the border? :D
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Yes ..... that shop is about 2 miles from my Father home. I played that guitar on the Uber a few weeks ago.

EXPcustom knows as much or more about the whole subject than most of us. You can trust him....
 
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