Help to Identify ESP 400 Series Guitar
Help to Identify ESP 400 Series Guitar
I have this older ESP 400 Series guitar and was wondering if anyone can give me more information about when it was made, if there was a name to this model and possible value. Thanks.
IT WAS CALLED THE ST 400 MODEL, MADE AROUND 1984 - 1990 AFTER THAT IT WAS REPLACED BY THE ST TRADITIONAL MODEL AND THEN THE VINTAGE PLUS ST, A LOT OF THESE CAME OUT OF THE 48TH STEET SHOP AND ARE MARKED 48TH ON THE HEEL OF THE NECK AND INSIDE THE NECK POCKET, THEY SOMETIMES HAVE THE DATE. WRITTEN ON THERE ALSO.
Yes around the second part of '80 till around 1990 many ESP with thestrat headstock were made or assembled with Japanese parts, from the ESP Custom Shop in New York on the 48th street. I have one of this:
But all the Custom Shop (was really an ESP Custom Shop but in that years was not in use to write), guitar informations was written on the neck plate with serial number:
" ESP JAF BOX 2125 NEW YORK NY 10116 " was the address in N.Y. of the ESP Shop.
There are no more images of that Shop I have founded these:
I've searched the internet but was unable to find any really good data regarding the ESP 400 Series, so I searched thru my extensive collection of old Guitar Player & Guitar World magazines.
Here's what I found.
There were 2 batches: The 400 Series, and The Traditional Series.
ESP (Electric Sound Products) 400 Series guitars were manufactured in Japan during the 1980’s.
The 400 Series were named for their suggested list price: $400.00.
They made excellent copies of vintage Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jazz, and Precision basses.
The earlier batch of 6-string (400 Series) guitars had:
Solid black ESP decal.
22 frets.
Blank (non-stamped) saddles.
The headstock had a ‘rounder’ profile than the later models.
The later models had:
Black & gold ESP decal on the headstock.
21 frets.
ESP stamped on the saddles.
The headstock had a ‘sharper’ look/shape.
The Fender copies might not have been produced beyond 1987-1988.
There is no evidence that they were manufactured in the 1990’s.
The first batch (of strats) was:
S454 - 2-tone sunburst w/maple neck & single-ply pickguard.
S465 - 3-tone sunburst w/rosewood neck & 3-ply ‘green’ pickguard*.
Telecasters were: T453 (blonde, maple board), T463 (3-tone sunburst w/rosewood board).
Precision basses: P457 (2-tone, maple) and P464 (3-tone, rosewood): and the J464 Jazz bass (3-tone, rosewood.).
The S454 and T453 had one-piece ‘V’-shaped necks. The later Traditional Series had ‘U’-shaped necks.
Other standard (no extra charge), appropriate-vintage ‘Custom Colors’ offered were: Black, Olympic White, Lake Placid Blue, Surf Green, Candy Apple Red, etc., and J464’s in Metallic blue or red w/matching headstocks.
Prices around 1986 were $495.00 for guitars and $550.00 for basses.
Double-bound ‘Tele Custom’ bodies cost an extra $75.00.
They all featured period hardware, vintage replica bridges and saddles. They feel, play, and sound like the real things, and aside from the headstock shape, the only noticeable difference from a vintage Fender was an extra fret, 22 instead of 21. Locking tremolos, locking nuts, and Humbucking pickups were neither standard, nor optional, on the 400 Series models.
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Here's my batch....shown in the order I'd purchased them.
1st: ST454 2-tone/maple.
2nd: S465 3-tone/rosewood.....*but pickguard is white.....not 'green'.
3rd: S465 Blonde/rosewood.
4th: ST454 Black/maple.
5th S465 Fiesta Red/rosewood.....the back of this neck has a really nice flame.
And here's a 'mutt' guitar.
Neck is original ESP 400 I'd bought on Ebay years ago.
Amazingly, there is zero wear on this neck!
As if it had never been attached to a guitar.
Body (candy apple red) is from Rondo Music.
Everything else is from Guitar Fetish.
This axe is as light as a feather and plays like a dream.