Any ESP Guitars Experts Here?

[FrankieII]

Came across a 21-fret, ebony board neck with a pre-CBS Strat headstock. It has "ESP" impressed into the wood on the back of the headstock in large letters. The neck was affixed to an old junker Teisco type of body. I've only ever seen ESP necks with an "ESP" ink stamp on the heel or the "ESP Custom Guitars" black logo on the back of the headstock. Anyone here know of ESP necks ever having the large impressed "ESP" letters into the wood with no ink used?

Thanks in advance,

Frank

[Guest JackButler]

Some of the old necks that were coming out of 48th Street Guitars for all kinds of projects..Pensa-Suhr, Schecter Guitar Research, ESP..were all coming out of that one shop..some of the necks that I've seen that were used for other things coming through there have had "ESP" stamped on the back of the headstock or the end of the neck. IIRC, Tom Anderson was even working out of that shop for a while.

[Jem]

I was always under the impression that they started out as a supply company - Electric Sound Products - before moving into complete guitars.

[Jeff R]

Pressed logo is cool and legit, it's early stuff. They were in the parts business initially, at least in America.

[Guest JackButler]

I was always under the impression that they started out as a supply company - Electric Sound Products - before moving into complete guitars.

YOU, sir ..are correct.. and actually.. ESP was not only (in Japan) a supply house, but also and brick and mortar store.. most all shops in Japan have either a store brand or custom models specific to THAT store made for only them by Jackson, Ibanez, Caparision, Fender Japan, etc... this is how ESP got involved.. they wanted their own line.

[Hamers rock]

Not an expert, but I like my M-II Deluxe:

[FrankieII]

Does anyone remember a model ESP did that was identical to the George Lynch Kamakazi except it didn't have the graphic? I remember seeing them at Waldo's on Sunset back in the '80s.

[Jeff R]

ESP did a run of LTD series Kamis with solid paint for a very short time a few years ago, like one year maybe two. I can't remember the model number but I remember they weren't labeled as any type of Lynch model or anything. They had the oversized strat-esque body, the reverse paddlehead and the H-S/one PP knob layout. I should have got one and hotrodded it - they are pretty hard to find now. I think they offered solid black and some blue color.

Tip: If anyone's looking for a solid color Kami, a project Kami or one that's relatively bottomfeeder approved, look into the flattop Kramer Stagemaster series or Focus 6000 series guitars from the 80s. Manufactured by ESP for Kramer, and the body style is where Lynch got the Kamikaze's body shape. I've periodically watched on eBay for one stoopid cheap just to give me something to noodle with. The Stagemasters are neck-thrus, the F6000s are bolts.

[silentman]

I've recently ran into someone locally who is a Lynch fan and has a few ESPs. One is a Lynch model with the sawtooth head. Very cool guitars. Everyone I've ever played has been solid.