ESP LTD V-350
ESP LTD V-350
I recently got a gun metal gray ESP LTD V 350, and I've gotta tell you, I love this thing! I have been playing a Les Paul custom I bought new in 2001, and I picked this V up for $300 with an SKB hardcase. I can't put it down. I can only imagine what a straight ESP V must be like. but honestly, I have been scouring everyplace to get a second one, and haven't seen a single damn one! anyone seen one hiding out? haha! if you have, please let me know! anyone else have one of these?
josh m. wrote:I recently got a gun metal gray ESP LTD V 350, and I've gotta tell you, I love this thing! I have been playing a Les Paul custom I bought new in 2001, and I picked this V up for $300 with an SKB hardcase. I can't put it down. I can only imagine what a straight ESP V must be like. but honestly, I have been scouring everyplace to get a second one, and haven't seen a single damn one! anyone seen one hiding out? haha! if you have, please let me know! anyone else have one of these?
I'll tell you a story and what I know... The LTD V-350 was released from somewhere around 2000-2001 and discontinued very shortly after as late as 2003... The V-350 had two sister models the V-250 and V-100... I believe the LTD V-250 was first to be released ("1999") being the bolt on neck version of the V-350 with all the same body and neck material and components, to contrast the V-350 being a set neck... There was a year 2000 or 2001 ESP/LTD catalog magazine that showcased the V-350 being promoted by KK Downing of Judas Priest, and there is an interview with Jeff Waters talking about the guitar as well, "but in an entirely different guitar magazine"... I remember at my local guitar store in 2001 had a gun metal gray LTD V-350 and the price tag was $800 new with a case... Long story short... I hadn't seen another one in a guitar store until 15 years later... and I was looking for years... I've asked ESP if they would disclose the number of units they had produced, but they told me that they don't have the the production count... There is an understandable point of this though... I believe it was about 2004 when ESP started making LTD modes in China... So 2003 and earlier models of LTD guitars were all Korean or Japanese... Long story short... your looking at probably about less than one thousand LTD V-350 were produced....
hey! yeah, this is an elusive guitar for sure. I just happened upon my gun metal gray one. I absolutely love it. what you're saying explains why you don't really see many out there. I had just missed out on one of the blue ones. It's funny, a blue guitar really isn't my style, but I MUST have a blue V-350! and a black one. and another gun metal gray one. haha.
I picked one of these up online and while searching out the fair market price I realized how rare it actually is. There is almost no price history out there for these so I based my offer on the original retail price with deprecation. Then considered the guitar was upgraded from the stock ESP HZ to EMG 81/85 combo. The seller went for it, and it will be here tomorrow. I was looking at the S/N which is only 6 digits, which ESP would have dropped a digit for 00 being made in 2000, which is when they switched to built year first 2 digits.
This was only featured in 2001 in the ESP catalog, then replaced by the DV8 line the next year, which has almost if not the exact same shape. I went further down the rabbit hole and matched Jeremy Gs link when he offered this same guitar for sale 2 years ago, as the S/N is the same as the one I purchased. The listing photos on both the condition looks to be excellent. Jeremy if your still on here do you have any additional history on the guitar?
I have been looking for a neck through V to try out the shape. and am very happy with my early 2000s LTDs so this one just jumped out and I had to. Seems like a pretty exclusive club the more I research. I feel humbled to have picked up something rare enough to locate a previous owner somewhere else in the US.
It's great to hear that you're enjoying your new ESP LTD V 350! The gun metal gray finish sounds like a cool choice, and it's always exciting when a new guitar becomes lewdle irresistible to put down.
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anyone? heeeeellooooooo! haha, but seriously, i need another one of these.