ESP and LTD colours (colors for the americans...)

Updated
GBH14
What is the deal with ESP discontinuing the decent finishes of their guitars? I remember looking at the Horizon NT-II, Ltd MH-1000 and a few others and seeing a range of different finishes available. Now for some reason they only make the MH-1000 NT in blue. Who wants blue?! Is it likely that they will update this and sell it in different colours? I really want a black or dark sunburst MH-1000 NT but they just don't seem to exist anymore! (I actually want a horizon NT-II but simply don't have the money) I couldn't bring myself to own a blue guitar, it just doesn't sit right with me. So am I going to have to give up on hoping for colour changes from ESP?
Zorlac

Buy used.

GBH14

thanks Antoon, so it is every couple of years they release new colours?

Zorlac - I would buy used but there arent many, if any, for sale over in the UK.

Zorlac

Ok. Didn't see uk. Then again that's irrelevant it's seems anyone with an older esp is holding onto it these days. I was tracking down the eclipse I have for like 3 years

GBH14

Its probably because they are such good guitars people don't really replace them, they just buy additions. I know once I get the esp I am after I wouldn't let it go until the day i stop playing. There isn't much better to replace them with!

I think I am just going to have to suck it up and stop being tight and go with the Horizon NT-II. It's the finish I'm after and the guitar i prefer in all honesty. I wouldnt feel satisfied with the ltd as its not an ESP, even though its a great guitar.

JSHRED

Aside from ESP's screwed-up new business model of no longer selling guitars with their own name on them, I think the question of color comes down to the basic principles of product line management in a struggling economy, along with a less-than-ideal demand situation. (In other words, your average customer is poor and also has crap for taste.)

I can't see complaining about a blue finish. In this new shitty era where every rock/metal guitar is black or grey or some other boring finish, I'm pleased as hell when I see something in blue, green, yellow, orange... anything but black, grey and red.

Look at the current ESP offerings. And I mean real ESP, dwindling though they may be. At least LTD has interesting finish options for most models. Look at the Ibanez catalog. You can get an Ibanez in any color you want, as long as it's black. At least they did some 25th anniversary RG's and Sabers in neon finishes, but it's more of a gimmicky limited-time move than any real move towards actually having interesting finishes. Jackson seems to still offer some interesting colors, but who knows how long that will be.

I think the bottom line is that although rocker/metal customers like finishes in different colors, Black (and grey, silver, maybe red, etc) are considered safe. While those might not be favorites for most of us, they are all colors we're willing to be seen playing. And in this economy, if a company starts cranking out risky colors, you could be manufacturing boat anchor guitars that just hang on guitar walls until they are eventually blown out on clearance. And then repainted black in some guy's garage.

I am with Zorlac. Anymore I just buy used old guitars that are still made well, and in colors I like. And if I'm lucky, some even still say ESP on the headstock.

GBH14

I see blue as a risky colour.. I honestly don't think they will sell half as many of a model if they sell it only in blue rather than a few different options. It just seems mad that they would only offer a guitar in one colour.

I do like the look of the blue and green esp have done, but I could never own one. They just look to toy like and tacky to me. I would have to have something that looks classy and smart when spending esp money. It all comes down to personal taste at the end of the day, but I honestly thing they are shooting themselves in the foot only offering one finish to a model.

MV-CTM

for the longest time they were only available in 1 or 2 colours, for a few years they had a ton and now people are shocked it's back to how it was? amazing

GBH14

for the longest time they were only available in 1 or 2 colours, for a few years they had a ton and now people are shocked it's back to how it was? amazing

I'm sorry, whats amazing about that?

Your bound to suprise and upset people if you offer a wide variety and then decide to stop that and only sell it it a colour that is not as desirable. Its like saying look how good it looks in these different colours, well tough, you can only have blue.

deus ex machina

I like the blue. It's the abalone that looks like shit.

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