Michael Wilton Series

stoychestoyche
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    stoyche
    How is it going everyone? I am doing an advertising campaign on this guitar for school. The Michael Wilton specifically, but I have to involve all the other signatures in my advertisements. I was wondering if anyone here has played the Michael Wilton Signature series guitar, LTD or ESP? What do you think of it? If you own it, why did you buy it? What does it make you feel, if anything at all? I don't know much about guitars at all, so I can use all the help I can get. I would appreciate anyone's help...I am pretty excited to hear what people who have actually held this thing think about it. I have done a lot of research on the company, but can always learn more, and see what you guys think of ESP because I have no idea. I have only held a few guitars, and like I said I would love to learn more about the Michael Wilton series, and ESP in general. Thank You
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    espdood
    espdood wrote

    I haven't personally played one, but was considering buying one. Reasons why I want one? The hardware on it and the options. Has an original Floyd Rose and Seymour Duncan pickups. The wood that it's made out of which is Alder. There aren't very many guitars that ESP offers that comes in a maple fretboard, only the lower priced ones and I wanted a decent guitar with a maple fretboard and this guitar has it.

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      1point8t
      1point8t wrote

      Michael and the Ryche in general are major components of what got me interested in music and guitar at a young age. I don't currently own this particular guitar, but I did piece together a guitar using the LTD version of his sig's neck. The neck was awesome, great profile, thin satin finish, and I like the snappiness of maple fretboards. From what I've been told, the LTD version is VERY similar in tone and feel to the ESP version. With the ESP version, you're getting a guitar built with slightly better woods, a nice birdseye maple neck, and Seymour Duncan single coils, where the LTD has Duncan Designed single coils. Otherwise, there really shouldn't be a $1000+ price difference. I don't care much for the finish either, it's kind of cheesy looking, but who am I to argue. Mike's been an ESP guy since '87-88 and the Ryche train is still rollin', so there's no reason not to give the guy a sig.

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        espdood
        espdood wrote

        Well, I love the Japanese made ESP's as I know that their quality is top notch. I don't have to worry about blemish's and cheap materials. I've owned a few recent import Jacksons and every one of them had some type of problem or blemish. The craftsmanship of the ESP's are excellent in every way and my M-II model had no flaws whatsoever on it. It plays great, can take a beating, and it actually stays in tune! Some of the popular signature models are the Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield ones. Alexi models tend to be another popular one.

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          Steve K.
          Steve K. wrote

          I have played the LTD version but wasn't impressed. Part of what I didn't like was the setup on the guitar, string guage felt light and action was a little high. I am also not a bolt on neck fan, everything I have now is either neck thru or set neck so I am a little spoiled I guess.

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            1point8t
            1point8t wrote

            I used to be a pretty strict Jackson/Charvel guy, but I traded one of my USA Jacksons for an early 90's ESP M-1. I've been hooked ever since, and I've probably owned 15 different ESP/LTD guitars. I found that like what was said above, is the quality of these guitars is second to none... even the LTD's are great quality for what you pay, much better than most other import guitars. The only guitar that I own which I feel can hold it's own against any 400+ series LTD is my Washburn Face Eraser import, but that has to do with the low volume that Washburn puts out... less stuff moving down the assembly line leaves more time for quality control.

            I currently have an ESP Chris Degarmo Empire custom, an LTD George Lynch GL256, and 2 Kramer guitars which ESP built in the 80's. They're all keepers, every one of them is solid as a rock, and they all play and sound great. I'm definitely an ESP guy for life.

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              Whipfan
              Whipfan wrote

              WOW!! It is GREAT to see a post about the Michael Wilton ESP's finally, No one seems to even talk about them on here....
              I DO have the ESP version of the Michael Wilton, I ordered one TWO years ago when they announced them and I just got it a few months ago...in fact I had to buy an LTD version as well to tide me over while I waited for it since it took so long. In all honesty....Michael and Chris have always been my guitar idols and the reason I started playing 25 years ago.
              The LTD version is a GREAT guitar, it seems alot LIGHTER than the ESP one, and the skulls DO NOT glow on them (Regardless of what Musicians Friend, and American musical supply puts on their descriptions) the neck is GREAT, fast, the original floyd on it is a nice touch, for the money it's WELL worth it.
              When the ESP arrived I was estatic, looking at both side by side, you CAN tell a difference, the skulls which DO glow just look much better, like there was much more detail put into it, the birdseye maple neck looks great, the original floyd , you can rag on the trem all day and it will NOT go out of tune, I can honestly say that at the end of the night after a gig the thing is in perfect tune STILL.
              I DID however have a problem with the neck, it had a hump in it that bothered me and could not be fixed, therefore the action was NOT as low as I wanted it, GOOD but not what a $3800 guitar SHOULD play like. I know James, Todd and Josh at ESP really well and they have been very helpful at correcting this problem (The guitar store I work at is a PREMIER ESP dealer which probably helps) They got me a new neck from the Japan custom shop and are currently in the process of setting it up for me and shipping it back to me this week. These ARE and have always been my dream guitar, I am happy to own one, I DO love the finish (Probably because i am a Michael Wilton fanatic) the ONLY thing that I wish is that they would have included the TRI-RYCHE symbols on the fretboard. The last time i seen Michael I asked him why they didn't include those and he just said "Yeah I know.....we couldn't do that" Bottom line...AWESOME guitar 10 out of 10 stars!!!!

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