ESP Navigator 1989 Rebadging

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ESP Navigator 1989 Rebadging

I have a 1989 (?) ESP Custom Shop Navigator badged with Wing on the headstock, which was either a shop order or special order  for  band. Specs match up with 1980-82 ESP made Navigators.  Routed exactly the same as ESP Navigators with long neck tenon, cross hatch in pots cavity.  Two piece solid maple top , one piece Honduran mahogany back, wide flat one piece mahaogany neck with no headstock wings, fret edge binding, long neck tenon, high output pickups, with new Kluson tuners (originals are still on hand).  All woods, routing, pickups, match up with the 1980 ESP Custom shop catalogue. 
The  headstock lacquer has been partially removed in a prior attempt to change the name. My question is, given that ESP never badged their Les Pauls as anything other than Navigators as far as I can tell, would it be acceptable to remove the Wing logo and correctly badge the guitar as a Navigator. 

jt76

From what I can see from the pictures there are a lot of things that do not look correct to me, mostly to do with the hardware.  However  the maple, mahogany, routes and tenon look correct.  I don't think the guitar is technically a production or custom shop Navigator.  However Navigator made unfinished bodies, the same spec's as their guitars.   I would suspect that a small guitar company or independent luthier bought an unfinished navigator and add their own hardware, parts and finish.    I would guess early 80's i think these were sold as  an ESPART LPS.  If you decided to rebrand it  I think the correct navigator logo at that time was inlaid and had a separated dot on the I.    

 

Peter  M.

Thanks  for your reply JT76. The routing (cross hatrch below) and maple top grain match up  the 1980 ESPART catalogue, and though it's hard to tell without a high definition scan the pickups also seem to have been an option. Are ESPART guitars of any interest historically and did they make ESPART guitars in years other than 1980? I'm not going to hurry into badging her as a Navigator but would eventually like to remove the Wing logo. Not sure what an approriate replacement would be though.  

jt76

I think they made these as ESPART guitars from the late 70's to the mid 80's possibly longer although there are not a lot records or catalog images available.  There were 2 grades, the top end ones that had the long tenon and a cheaper model that did not have the long tenon. From what I know the long tenon model was made in Japan by ESP in the same shop as the regular Navigators,  the cheaper one without the long tenon was supposedly produced by Kasuga for ESP in their shop in Japan.  The pickups don't look like esp pickups,  the esp pickups would have a large S and a smaller 6 digit number stamped on the base plate.  They also have long screws that extend through the base plate.  

GUAMAIK

I have a badged ESP navigator, due the specs I assume is late 90´s probably 1998. See some pictures from as I get, recently I changed the pickups rings and controls to black ones, and install silver kluson tuners, wearing also a Bareknuckle aftermath set.

GUAMAIK

Peter  M.

Hi Guamaik, Thanks  for your reply. Beautiful guitar  you have there. I had some work done on the ESP logo  so that I can play her in public. The logo is a decal which isn't perfect, will not be confused with a mother of pearl inlay, and was not changed for resale. She now looks presentable, plays like an entirely new guitar after a fret polish and set up, and will spend a lot more time out of her case.   

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