ESP Custom Shop - worth it in 2023?

saxxamafone

saxxamafone

Well-known member
I've heard the LTDs are extremely well made these days and obviously cost a lot less than a made in Japan ESP from their custom shop.

Keen for opinions - are ESPs still a big cut above LTD and do you think the price is justified vs LTD?

Or are LTDs so good that I should save the cash and enjoy a killer guitar for less?

I'm talking about guitars that you can get both an LTD version and an ESP version of the same model..... not a true custom 1 off that LTD can't make.
 
Unless you’re buying used from a major manufacturer I don’t see any reason in buying them, as far as the high end stuff is concerned. 4500-9000 for name brand stuff just isn’t worth it.

This Especially on the custom shop front where they limit your options anymore in their custom shops looking at you Jackson and ESP. There are independent luthiers out there who can do just as good a job if not better. Not to mention the three year wait nonsense these companies are pulling right now.

The Korean made ESPs are solid. I’d watch out for the 1000 series that are Indonesian made.
 
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Not worth it to me. Prohibitively expensive with very limited options in the custom shop.

RE: LTD - I've had good and bad Indonesian LTDs. I've never had a bad Korean LTD.

Also worth checking out E-II. Basically a Japanese made standard. $2-$3K depending on model. I have an M-I from 2021 and it is immaculate.
 
Thanks so much for all this guys - i'll definitely check out the E-II too.

This feedback is heading down the line of what I was expecting.

The ESPs from Japan custom shop are insanely expensive compared to other versions
 
You're talking about Japan CS? Then the options aren't limited -at all-. One of the most flexible shops out there.

As to value, in theory, yes, they are super expensive and I'd be reluctant to buy a new one. But the yen is very low right now, so actually it balances out to a pretty good deal. The USD has ~50% more purchasing power to the yen vs the average run for the past 20 years or so. You just have to worry about what your local dealer is trying to get in markup.
 
I've owned basically every level of ESP from LTD up to the CS. There are definitely days where I play a couple of my LTD Horizons (Korean) and think, no way are the Customs worth 4x as much as these ones, they are that good imo. It's been hit or miss with the USA models I've had but at the end of the day, nothing feels like an ESP from the Japan CS. The fretwork is the best in the world imo and the overall QC and fit and finish is flat out amazing. The price and being worth it is really subjective though.
 
Never played a custom shop ESP but I have had the LTD eclipse and own two of the E-II eclipses. The E-II models are definately a step above the LTD I had. Not sure what model you are going after but I would look for a used E-II, as most can be found around $1500 in very good condition. The LTD 1000 series are very good but not in the same league as the E-II's in my opinion.
 
I own a lot of ESPs. They are very nice guitars, but have gotten very expensive. I've had several E-IIs, and they are great. I've had better experience with them than I have with the old Standard Series fwiw.

I've had a few Korean LTDs, and they also are nice. They don't fee as "polished" as an E-II or ESP, but they function just as well (ie, I was able to set them up with the same action/relief as the more expensive guitars), and really that's all the matters in the end.
 
Like many others in the thread, I own (and have owned) many ESP/LTD guitars over the years, ranging from 200 level LTDs to Custom Shop ESPs. I'd always said that they make excellent value for the price range guitars up and down their product lines. At the moment, the E-II guitars are probably overpriced, but I guess that's just how the market is now. There's lots of value in the used market, though even that isn't what it used to be. I miss the days when you could get 2000s era Standard Series ESPs for around $1000.

I'd recommend finding somewhere to play an 1000 level LTD, just to get an idea of what it's like and then figure out if you're looking for something nicer. As said above, the Korean guitars are fantastic, the Indonesian ones are a bit hit and miss.
 
I've had three guitars from ESP - a Ltd JH-600EC, an ESP Standard FR-27, and an ESP RZK-II.

The one I couldn't gel with was the FR-27, I was always wondering why the fretwork was so poor and why the guitar felt so horrible under my fingers. Looked really kickass too, with the scalloped frets from 24-27 and the Horizon body shape without the goofy 12th fret model number that I absolutely hate about most ESP guitars.

The Ltd JH-600EC, on the other hand, is a keeper. The 600 series, which is the top end Ltd model artist series guitar, is equivalent to the 1000 series. Very good fretwork, very good fit and finish. Guitar is wonderful to play and sounds excellent. I'm very happy with it, and if I was gigging, this is the guitar that I would use because it fits my price to performance expectations to a T, and I wouldn't be crying if it got a bit reliced. Might even look classy on an axe like that.

The thid guitar, the Richard Z signature, on the other hand, blows the Ltd away, and I don't say that lightly. Everything about the guitar screams premier quality - the excellent fretwork and action, the body paint, the fit and finish. And sonically, it is indeed superior, I don't know why else two guitars with the same bridge pickup (EMG 81) would sound so vastly different. The ESP just has so much more girth and body and power behind it when you're palm muting or chugging. And it's really a joy to play: at the risk of sounding overenthusiastic, it almost feels like the guitar assists you with your playing. Just that damn good.

Of course, I would never take that guitar out of the house or for a gig. If it got damaged, I'd be beside myself. But as a recording machine, I'd pick the ESP every time.

YMMV.
 
I had an LTD Kamikaze 20 years ago and it was the hardest-playing guitar ever.

I had a 1995 M-II Deluxe and it was the greatest playing guitar I have ever had, especially for the price ($1800). Got rid of it because it was an S/H setup and I don't do single coils in my metal guitars.
Closely behind it was my '21 USA M-II Deluxe model.
Had a '23 USA M-I a month ago and I won't mention where it came from, but it was clearly a B/C stock guitar being sold for premium price. Unbelievale. Returned it. Played good, but I noticed major worksmanship issues in the neck construction.

Played an E-II M-II Nebula today. Nowhere near the quality of the aforementioned guitars. Especially at the $3000 price tag.

Prices are out of control. But I imagine the Custom/Tokyo models are well worth the price.
 
RedB4Black said:
I just sold a new E-II M-I. It was a very nice guitar, especially for the money, but it doesn't even compare to my CS M-II in quality/feel.
Click to expand...

There's been so many rumors on those E-II's that I wish I could get an answer on. Very unlikely, just always been curious.
 
I've owned several Korean LTD's, they've always been solid workhorse guitars. I still have 2 eclipses and a neck through maverick model, that are the standouts of the dozen or so I've owned over the years. They're an exceptional value for sure, but you can't steal one off craigslist for $300 anymore.

If you can swing it, I'd go for a used ESP equivalent. It's worth the extra price. I've not played enough of the EII's to really speak on their quality. If you're buying new, that's a slightly difference scenario, but new prices on LTD's have gone up quite a bit.
 
I don't remember if the LTD's that I had purchased were Korean or Indonesian.

I did purchase 4 of the exact same LTD guitars from Sam Ash since they had a $500 off any guitar sale plus they were adding an electric guitar case.

It was somewhere around 2008, I believe.

I think I was able to get each one for about $650.

They were incredible looking and played fantastic.

Definitely looked like really expensive guitars.

However, I did have to drive to 5 different Sam Ash stores to get the best ones since all of the fretboards varied in look and feel.

Some were really dark like ebony and then there were others that were faded/streaked/light-colored.

I made sure each sales guy broke out every one of them that they had in stock so I could choose the best ones.

Yeah, they probably hated me for it :)
 
It depends on what you want. If you want an esp body shape, neck profile, and want to dictate every aspect then maybe. They’re really expensive.

I have had an LTD ec-1000 for 15 years and it punched far beyond its price. I had a standard series and the fit and finish was markedly better. You can also find those at killer deals online sometimes. I also have 2 Kiso custom shops now they’re amazing in fit and finish. Sound great. Can be found used for deals. But you have to remember you won’t get exactly what you want since they’re used. I don’t think I would order a brand new custom shop. But that’s not an indictment of their quality. It’s a preference thing and value to me. I think their old standard series used is still one of the best deals ever.
 
i picked up a older ESP KH2 recently which i believe were made in the custom shop, and honestly besides maybe the knobs feeling the slightest bit sturdier im not really sure where the esp is really any better than my ltd's :dunno: my ltd's are super solid
 
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