The ESP Guitar Company

I could be wrong, but I believe since there is no neck binding, and not "Duncan Designed" pups, that the one in the picture would be an H100, a step down. I'm pretty sure the 200's had a bound neck, and they came with the Duncan designed pups.

Nathan S. wrote:

I could be wrong, but I believe since there is no neck binding, and not "Duncan Designed" pups, that the one in the picture would be an H100, a step down. I'm pretty sure the 200's had a bound neck, and they came with the Duncan designed pups.

The thing that is throwing me regarding the H100 is that the pics I've seen have H-100 on the 12th fret.  This one has LTD which I believe was only on 97-98 models.  I think the H100 was introduced later but I don't know...things get murky looking back that far. 

I like the body, pups and wiring would have to be redone on anything that old anyway.

Here is my h-200

actually, guys, if you reference the provided esp "product archives" catalogs, you will see very distinct differences with certain aspects of each model year. such as, the control cavity. as well, the bridge itself (as, in 1996, oddly, the bridge installed is a "nashville style"/threaded posts and thumbwheel(s), rather than an updated (import) 6mm post bridge (in which the thumbwheels and posts are one-piece per post)). i just purchased, i believe, a 1996 in see-thru red. (and, to my surprise and expectation, the pickups were upgraded to a tone zone in the bridge, and a 36th anniversary in the neck....(fffkkk...yeah.)...as well, gotoh tuners. as for what info i've gathered (with regard to the h-200's dating from '96/etc), those with serial #'s stamped on the fretboard just below the last fret are actually built in japan. importantly, the control cavity of the '96 compared to the '98.....(i love delving into this background info w/esp...ha...). 

if you find/acquire an h-200, immediately look at the control cavity, and the bridge. i believe mine is a '96, as the '98 control cavity is different. and, beyond '98, the control layout (v/v/toggle/etc) is placed differently, therefore, ruling out the actual model year of the guitar being wrongly specified.

i've just upgraded to sperzel satin gold tuners, emg het set (brushed gold), satin gold emg dome knobs, satin gold tonepros tailpiece, gold abr-1 tonepros, gold neck plate screws, gold jack plate, "esp" truss cover...........it....looks............sssiiiiccckkk.

Hi all. I have what appears to be the same exact guitar and question. Inside the access plate for the electronics mine has a sticker that says "wired and inspected 5-9-97". As you all know ESP isn't too good with their documentation that far back. The only serial i found was on the bottom of the neck but i do not see any sources to decode it. Apparently there is one under the pickups? I just got done setting it up so ill look next string change. I think its an H-200 also but it doesn't have the Duncans either. However whatever pups it has, they are pretty hot and bass heavy. Ill probably put in the Jazz/JB kit in it later on since I'm just picking up guitar again.

Whats the deal with redoing the wiring due to age? What degrades? How do you tell?

I just bought this for a 100 and its all factory duncans design