

These high-performance instruments are perfect for the serious professional who wants an exceptional guitar without investing in a one-off or a limited edition. The company opened a manufacturing shop near the company’s American headquarters in 2013 for the exclusive purpose of creating the ESP USA guitar series. You can also purchase guitars from ESP USA. If you ever get the chance to grab the ESP Vulture from the James Hetfield signature series, you’ll appreciate the intricate dynamics that went into the guitar. Everything from Flying Vs to Star-shaped options are there, along with Strat-style and Les Paul-inspired instruments. You’ll find several body shapes available in the ESP guitar line.
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It would be fair to compare the Grassroots guitars to the ESP LTD 400 series or below. They are called the Edwards and Grassroots series, with the latter meant for the lower end of the pricing spectrum. That’s why these guitars often rank as some of the finest you can play in the world today.ĮSP currently manufacturers two guitar lines that you can only purchase in Japan. Each one gets handcrafted by an expert luthier to achieve the highest levels of detail possible. When you purchase one of these guitars, you can have confidence in the final product.

All of the Signature Series basses and guitars built for the ESP brand are also made in Japan.These instruments get produced in small quantities, often featuring the classic shapes that the brand is known to make. The ESP Original Series guitars are created at this facility.It’s the only place for one-offs, and there’s almost no idea that’s off-limits. You can buy a 100% custom instrument based on your design, material, color, and other preferences.The ESP Custom Shop produces three different guitar types and basses at their location. When you look at today’s best ESP guitars, it’s likely that the instrument came from the company’s custom shop in Japan. The items are usually for OEM use through an authorized dealer or repair shop, but it is sometimes possible to get these items from music stores or limited online listings. Once you feel comfortable with that initial instrument, the goal is to work your way up to an ESP guitar.ĮSP continues to make other components underneath their corporate umbrella, including tremolos, pickups, equalizers, and sustainers. It’s an affordable style because it is a mass-produced unit, but you can still detect some of the trademark sounds that started with Hisatake Shibuya. Over 100 musicians actively endorse ESP guitars today.Īlthough the company caters to all players, LTD-branded instruments are meant more for beginners and entry-level musicians. Bands like Anthrax, Metallica, and KISS all used instruments manufactured by the company, making ESP one of the biggest names in the heavy metal genre.

The company became famous because it made and endorsed guitars for artists who became some of the biggest names in thrash metal during the 1980s. It would be fair to say that LTD guitars are the mass-produced version of the ESP series. The ESP series has significant increases in finish detail, tonewood, and hardware. If you look at the differences between ESP and LTD guitars today, you’ll notice three primary differences. The difference between the two styles is that an ESP guitar comes from a premium series, whereas the LTD brand is a more affordable design. LTD guitars, you’re purchasing an instrument from the same manufacturer. LTD guitars, you can select the instrument that works the best for your particular playing style. When you know the differences between ESP vs. It would take about eight years for the company to start sending parts to the United States, but the brand was selling the guitars it made in Japan with relative consistency.īy 1984, ESP was making custom instruments for several NYC artists, including Vinnie Vincent, Bruce Kulick, Ronnie Wood, and Vernon Reid. The company started in 1975 when Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop in Tokyo to provide custom replacement parts. ESP works under names that include “Custom Shop” and “Standard,” while LTD uses “Grassroots” and “Navigator.” It primarily focuses on creating electric guitars and basses, with offices located in Tokyo and Los Angeles.Īs with most guitar companies, you’ll find several distinctive product lines to review. ESP Company, Ltd is a Japanese guitar manufacturing business.
