ESP Vintage

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ESP Vintage

Hey, just scored this ESP Traditional and was wondering if this is a late 70s early 80's ESP made in japan....anybody know?

Nathan S.

Detailed pics may help you in your quest for knowledge. 

Ronnie L.

Here is the ESP Nathan

Ronnie L.

Just posted the pic's Nathan, so what do you think? I'm thinking early 80's?

Ronnie L.

Nathan S.

Well, it's a little out of my knowledge range. Haven't studied their strats too much. If I had to take a stab at it though, based on the neck plate shape and taper, and the cavity cover shapes I would say more like early 90's??? But like I said, that's a pretty rough guess. I'm sure Pushead will stumble in here at some point and we'll see what he thinks.

Ronnie L.

This is the ESP Nathan,  80's  or what?

Nathan S.

Refer to post above this one haha

Ronnie L.

The tuners say ESP but I don't know what the pick-ups are, they are definitely original. 

Nathan S.

It is a good looking axe though man!

Nathan S.

It has the newer style headstock which also leads me towards early 90's. The old 400 series had the bigger Fender style headstock, and I think the 400 series was more mid to late 80's ish. Pushead, where are you??

Ronnie L.

In vegas

Ronnie L.

Thanks for your help nathan, I looked through a site that listed all ESP'S and didn't see a "Traditional" model at all??? So this guitar was made in either Japan or USA? don't know?

Ronnie L.

Could it be a prototype guitar of the model now made famous by Michael Wilton? That would be awesome?

Nathan S.

I did a little more research as well. From what I read the 400 series was first for their traditional style strats and teles, which ran until about the end of the 80's. Then for a short period of time, the 400 series became the traditional series, which sounds like was about early 90's. Then, the tradional series became the vintage plus series from there out. So, as I initially thought, I believe your guitar is early 90's.

Ronnie L.

So was it made in japan?

Nathan S.

Yes sir 

Pushead

The guitar was made in Japan.  It's the wrong headstock shape to be early 80s.  The tuners are surprisingly "aged" for the shape of the headstock, but I'm still leaning toward late 80s to early 90s.

If you remove the neck, you might be able to find out a more precise date.

Ronnie L.

Thanks bro....sounds like that is it

jt76

Nice guitar - I almost bought that exact one.  But restrained myself out of fear of my wife.   Its early 90's I think.   The 400 series had a standard heel the Traditional got the the ESP cut heel,  The vintage plus got the ESP cut heel and the Jumbo Frets.  From your pictures I think the color is called Honey sunburst as it looks similar to my ESP Tele.  I can't remeber exactly when they went from the tradtionals to the vintage plus.   I take a look at my catalogs and see if I can narrow down a date for you.   Looks like ash.  That and the Transparent finish would have been an upgrades.     

jt76

The traditional series ran from 1990- 1994

Although I am thinking something is not right.  no pickguard and wrong pickups.

The traditional series had pickguards and only standard single coils.

To me this looks like a mid/late 90's The Mirage with a traditional series neck.  

The sh100 pickups (neck and mid) and what is probably a Lh200 pickup (bridge )

 aslo supports my suspicion.   Still a very nice guitar.

Ronnie L.

I figured it out!  its a 1989-1990 custom ESP.  We can thank George Lynch for his 1990 video on YouTube playing with the same guitar except his has a quilted top with an ebony fretboard and same pickups.  Yes the body is ash.

jt76

I think the guitar you are thinking about is George's  S custom .  It has a floyd rose.   and it is solid quilted maple. 

this is mine which is similar- mine is only maple on the top, the main body is mahogany it has a rosewood board.

 

this is my -  the mirage - its an ltd but the ESP's where available in the same configuration.

 Notice the difference in the cutaways,  I can't tell from your pictures wich way your cutaways look.

 

 

Ronnie L.

Mine is the exact body style and cutaways as George Lynch's but without the Floyd but mine has an old school hard tail tremolo.  Mine is maple V neck only made for a short time and the exact pickups config.

jt76

Cool thats definitely a special order.   At that time period you could pick and choose upgrades and custom options from certain dealers..  So I would say  either someone either specifically ordered it that way or it was something like a namm show guitar.

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