Horizon FR-II (Pulled the trigger)
Horizon FR-II (Pulled the trigger)
I just picked one of the cherry passive pickup models brand new on ebay.... I am so stoked, can't wait.... 7 days shipping from England > Detroit area.... was the hardest decision ever... I never spend this much money, cuz I'm cheap. :)
I just know I'll never regret this purchase.
You live in the Detroit and bought a new Horizon from Limeyland?
Pls do not post how much you paid.
:eek:
Have your checkbook ready when UPS shows up...
I bought a Horizon FR-II from England as well. I talked to a few US dealers, even an "ESP Dealer of the Year" award winner for mutiple years, and was told that I could not purchase the guitar I wanted (Horizon FR-II in See Thru Black) and that I could order a "Custom Shop" model... :\:mad:
The price I paid wasn't that bad, a few hundred more for what I wanted, but what really sucked was when UPS knocked on the door and told me they needed a check for $191 for "Customs and Import Fees" before I could have my guitar...
I was looking at a STBC one as well seeing as the overseas models are alder and the US model is mahogany.
Luckily some one bought the See Thru Blackcherry and then put it right on the bay, so I was able to get the exact guitar I was stalking off the bay mint for the Price of a US Horizon FR-II, dude saved me about $600...
Enjoy though, I love the Horizons and think they are worth every penny...
Horizon FR-IIs are the total win.
Hey I just wanted to add it was your big SL2H vs. Horizon thread where you were not sure which one to get which turned me away from the SL2H... for years that's the guitar I wanted and when I saw that FR-II in that black cherry and all the RobChappers (Monkeylord, EternalDescent) videos etc, I had to have it.
Called my buddy who is UPS driver and yeah he also said I was screwed and would be probably paying customs charges, he LOL'd me and said "my next delivery has one of those..." Typical.
Man.... lesson learned I guess... I digged and after about three links in I found this:
4) IMPORT DUTY
Although exempt from UK VAT, the purchase of one of our items will be subject to import duty. This is normally payable to the UPS delivery man by Check when he delivers the item to you. The duty rate varies from state to state so it is advised that you check this out ahead of purchase.
W O N D E R F U L... wife's gonna kill me... oh well I'll still have a baddass geetar after all is said and done.
:rollin
I think it's funny how obvious it is you guys know DCGL was one of the Dealers I contacted...Yeah, I wasn't very happy with the fact Jason told me that they could not get me the guitar I wanted when they usually have Japanese models in stock listed as "Custom Ordered For Our Store" :mad::mad::mad:
So would anyone care to PM me a more accomodating US ESP Dealer? ;)
I may be looking at an NT-II in STBK in the future or possibly another FR-II if more color options become available, not really into the Natural or BK Aqua, maybe the DBSB, I think that would look awesome with gold hardware...but I already have two Alder FR-IIs and a Mahogany...I wish they would offer another Mahogany color other than just the STR, or I may even be in the market for a V-II FR...
80sMD
Well I live in Nazi Jerzee so maybe your fee won't be as bad, but it seems to be about the same everywhere...
I payed a little under $2200 and my fee was exactly $191. I feel your pain, I wasn't too concerned about paying a few hundred more for what I wanted, considering that the closest Jackson Soloist model would be an SL2H-FM because it also has a maple top. They usually go for around $1949, so I didn't think $250 more was a big deal, especially because the ESP was quilt, I love quilt as opposed to flame and the body binding just puts the ESP over the top, and the ESP was coming with a case as well, so I actually considered that a deal, but when that $250 became closer to $450 I WAS PISSED!!! :mad::mad::mad:
The STBC I snagged off of Ebay, the dude lived in Maryland. Like I said, I was stalking that exact guitar from the same store I bought the STBK from and it was 100£ cheaper. I know in his auction listing he said he paid $180 some in import fees, so it looks like roughly a little under $9 per $100.
You made the right choice. When I bought my first Horizon FR-II, I actually had the chance to play a Horizon FR-II and a Jackson SL2H at the same time in the store. The store also had a Jackson KE2 so I could compare all three necks. For me personally, the ESP Thin U killed both the Jackson and the Jackson "Speed" necks...it was just so comfortable and felt so "right." And the ESP just screamed QUALITY...The fretwork was immaculate, I dug the white binding way better than that Cream ivoroid crap or whatever Jackson uses, and like I said the bound body just makes it look so killer... The ebonies were so different too, the Jackson just looked dried out and dull, the ESP was like glass (The Jackson did not just need some fretboard conditioning, EVERY Jackson I have seen in a store has been dull) and then comparing the prices for the models.
Both were $1799. And technically they're not really the same model. The US ESP FR-II is Mahogany with a Quilted maple top...the SL2H is just Alder. Jackson makes an SL2H-MAHQ that is Mahogany with a Quilted maple top and those go for roughly $2399...so $600 less for what I felt was FAR SUPERIOR quality and a better looking guitar was not even a thought and then to my surprise the store gave me an insane deal, $1550 out the door tax included. :eek: I couldn't get my credit card out fast enough :rollin
That started my Horizon Hoarding and then I bought the guitar from the UK after the US Dealer run around. I was a little pissed that the UK one was alder, it was listed as mahogany, most of my guitars are mahogany and I wanted them to both sound roughly the same, just wanted to tune one to E and one to Eb...I didn't even know that much about ESP or that the US and Overseas models were made of different woods until I started researching and found the ESP Overseas site, but I really dug the alder one after playing it for a few days, and then decided the STBC was next :D
AND I've noticed on MF that USA Jacksons have all gone up $200, so now SL2Hs are $1999 instead of $1799 and the SL2H-FMs are $2149 instead of $1949, so you really didn't pay too much for what you wanted ;)
@sf38 ya thats a good point :) sorry. Re-reading that I didn't mean to make it so SL2H focused what I mean is the choices I was looking at SL2H or Horizon, $1500 (saving $1000 bucks as you said) wasn't happenin in the "new guitar" of either of these class guitars. I would have pulled out my credit card in a heartbeat for $1550 for a ESP EMG model too as SC Pshyco did even tho I wanted the passive model. If I really wanted to change out the electronics that's no biggie later. But it wasn't in the books for me, like nobody had one. Then I saw the $1400 used one on ebay and I was like "this was meant to happen" and then I got caught up in the dings, scratches... If I'm spending over $1000 on a guitar I want a new one. I'm no collector.
I should also mention that Music Man Dargie II Ball Reserve that was up last week really had my attention too. But that interest didn't last too long nor did the auction.
Yes that is sexy, love the contrast of the black binding against the red, very evil looking axe. For what it's worth UPS dropped it off yesterday the customs charge for MI was $103. Not as bad as I had feared.
I will say I'm prob never buying anything but ESP, love this guitar couldn't stop playing it. Action was flatout perfect, had to drop it to E flat like I like to play and I couldn't believe all the way from England and it was literally in perfect tune out of the box! It was very tight playing at first compared to my Eclipse Standard that has .9 strings that are far more slinky, but I like the tonal qualities of the .10 and will prob just stick with them. Seemed much more relaxed by the end of the first night of playing it or my fingers started to get stronger LOL! :)
Amazed at the quality it's everything I had hoped for and then some, the coil tapping feature is amazing, the cleans ring. One of the things I noticed right off the bat was that before I amped it up that the sustain/ring of the high notes were so much better than my Eclipse, maybe that is due to the neck thru but very impressed.
My "only" thing to say that's a little off is the Duncans can sound muddy on the Low E string when palm muting, but this is my first guitar in FOREVER without EMGs. I haven't got to play on my main rig yet with a Mesa 50:50 Simul. Can't wait.
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