Improve/upgrade the LTD logo please :)

Updated
Improve/upgrade the LTD logo please :)

A few years ago, you guys came out with the LTD Elite series which included a modern LTD logo with a more stylish and modern font. I know the block font is very ESP but I feel like the block font only works well for the ESP logo. In terms of sales, I think upgrading the LTD line to the newer font from the LTD Elite series will help in sales just because the block font LTD looks a little childish and kinda gives off a low quality feel and look even though the guitars are anything but. The modern logo, I think, would really help boost sales and make LTD a more desirable line. Thank you for reading! Love you guys and I only want what's best for ESP future! Oh and are there any plans to bring the Forest GT or Antelope shapes to the US?  

Jeff K.

Thanks for the suggestion, Sun-Ying. 

Bedwell44

In my Opinion do away with the LTD Logo and Put the ESP logo on all ESP Guitars..

SunnyD

Haha, that's very true. That would be great, or at the very least I'd like to see the E-II brand go back to being the ESP Standard Series. I liked it better when it was just LTD -> ESP Standard Series -> ESP Original Series -> ESP Signature Series -> ESP Custom Shop (Holy Grail). However, these things probably won't happen because ESP wants the ESP brand to go back to being best known as a boutique custom shop instrument. I think ESP enthusiasts still know the value of an ESP Custom Shop, they really did not have to creat the E-II brand. I've got basically all of their brands except for an actual ESP. I've got an LTD, an LTD Elite, an Edwards, and an E-II, but just not an ESP ; _ ; 

Synix

Personally I really wish they'd use the script logo more often. I think it's better looking then both the block fonts. But then I do get the block font has been ESP's thing for a long time.

SunnyD

The block font really only looks good on the ESP logo though. For some reason, LTD in block font looks really childish, don't know why, but it does. The LTD Elite font looks super sleek, and I agree, the script font is awesome too. 

Cameron 7

I love the comments here!

I also agree on what is said but here is my opinion.

I have both the ESP LTD TA-200 Bass and the ESP LTD JH-330 which is now discontinued, but looking at both guitars the TA has Ltd (uppercase L, lower case td) with the letters in Silver in the new font and its nice but it is plain, the JH has LTD (all upper case) with the letters in Silver with a golden shadow making it look fancy. I don't know if Tom and Jeff wanted their logos different but the guitars come from the same band and having different style logos just is wierd, though now Jeff is no longer with us sadly.

Now here is my idea. I have noticed that the Ib-n-z guitar group have their logo in plain silver silk screen for entry level models and the better the models get the better the logo gets eventually the logo is a raised golden mirror plastic less than a mm thick glued on.

ESP doesn't need to copy the colours, but imagen a Signature series like Kirk and James Guitar, they have the logo in a very raised chrome, but the logo is so raised that the logo looks like a motor vehicle decal. A custom shop guitar with ESP in raised Pearl and 600 series with gold and so on until the cheap 50 series or guitar packs that just have the logo silk screened on. 

Though if the guitar is a custom shop, the person buying the guitar should be able to choose how he wants the logo to be applied to his guitar.

That is my 2c worth...

Synner

Yes, ESP logos on all guitars even the imports would boost sales I have meny friends that say the same thing! People want the ESP logo! yet not everyone can afford the high end ones. I personally own both a mox of 12 ESP and Ltd guitars. I guess it is kind of like Nike shoes vs Walmert brand shoes. Yes, they both do the job but more people desire the branding.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Long time loyal ESP fan ( nearly 32 years)

 

Stephen

SunnyD

I have the same feelings as you man! Don't get me wrong with all of this. I am a huge ESP maniac, a huge ESP nerd, and I've seen the progression of this company throughout the years. I just think it could be so much more. ESP has sort of lost touch with the modern guitar player, and sadly I feel like ESP is falling behind other companies. Okay, let the rambling begin: ESP is concerned about "ESP" being perceived as the luxury brand and used luxury car brands as a reason for E-II. They forgot that for Toyota, Toyota is still the original brand and the branding on most cars, Lexus is the luxury brand. Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti. ESP is the original brand. You don't see Toyotas out there branded as "T-II".  Having most guitars branded ESP WILL NOT HURT SALES ESP. In fact, you would probably boost sales dramatically. Look at Ibanez, Schecter, Jackson, Charvel, Caparison, PRS, or in some cases Fender or Gibson. A low end Ibanez might be an Ibanez GIO, a lower end PRS might be PRS SE, and a lower priced Caparison might be Caparison C2, but in the end they are still Ibanez, PRS, and Caparison.By keeping their brand consistent through all price points, they boost their sales. These companies sure as hell haven't lost any sort of sales by keeping their branding consistent. A stratocaster goes from being a Squier to a Fender at about the $500 point and a Les Paul goes from being a Epiphone to Gibson at around the $1000 point. An E-II costs well over $1000 and ESP Original costs well over $3000. For PRS, they used to be a different logo for the SE range, but recently they switched to using the Paul Reed Smith logo in addiion to a small SE on the logo. People aren't stupid. Look at Ibanez. They have their Iron Series range, their Premium range, Prestige range, and J.Custom range.People aren't confused, and people aren't upset, because no matter what Ibanez guitar they buy, it's an Ibanez. Large amounts of people still desire to eventually own a J.Custom, because they know it's the high end.

 

Schecter has their Diamond range and then their USA custom range. People aren't confused, and people will still always be buying a Schecter. Having an ESP LTD for your low end is justified, but have some sort of indication that it's also an ESP, like a small "Designed by ESP" logo on the front of the headstock, not on the back. However, by the $500-$1000 point, things should become ESP Standard. Then you can have an ESP Deluxe range. And then you can have a very high end ESP Original or ESP Japan range and an ESP USA range. Finally the holy grail would be ESP Custom Shop. Again, people aren't stupid ESP, especially ESP fans. We know just how high end and boutique your guitars are. We know just how skilled the Custom Shop is, and you've shown people this through your Exhibition series. People will still crave for higher end ESPs. Your image will not be damaged by keeping your brand consistent. ESP already has a huge jumble of different brands, which turns some people off to ESP. Having to choose from LTD, E-II, Edwards, Grassroots, ESP Original, ESP USA, Navigator, ESP Custom shop. Personally, I think that having the lower end guitars branded Edwards or Grassroots is 500 times better than calling it LTD. I'm pretty sure ESP in Japan is having even more of an identity crisis because the cost of an E-II in Japan is creeping up to the cost of a Caparison, an actual small scale boutique brand. Most E-IIs in Japan cost, on average, over 200,000 yen. I think ESP Japan and USA need to rethink their branding strategy again. The price point for an E-II and an ESP Original is just way too high. $1500+ for an E-II (not ESP branded) and well over $3000+ to finally get an ESP branded guitar. Listen to the customer, and stop being afraid of progress. It might hurt be to be told this, but, get with the times. Make your branding consistent. Start using more hipshot hardtail bridges, stainless steel frets, flatter fretboard radiuses for your NT models, alot more natural satin necks, alot less all gloss necks. Start using the much more ergonomic and better-made Gotoh GE1996T licensed Floyd Rose like Suhr does.

 

Innovative and gorgeous ESP guitar shapes like the Forest GT, Antelope, Horizon III, and FRX are incredible, but their specs need to keep up with the times. More models with those shapes need to come out too so that people know that ESP is about much more than just Mirages, Horizons, and Eclipses. You're very original ESP, let people know that you make so much more than just super strats and single cut guitars. Also, for shapes like the FRX and the F, you guys need to go back to the original ESP Forest headstock shape. It's so much more "ESP" than the new F shape you guys use. The organic old style flows so much better with the organic shapes themselves. I would assume that's why ESP named them after organic lifeforms, ie "Reindeer, Antelope, Forest." I also feel like the old style F headstock shape was easier for the non-Japanese factories to produce. I would assume the old style takes less time to make (since it does have that additional point) and looks so much better. Again, don't get me wrong with all of this. I am a huge ESP maniac, a huge ESP nerd, and I've seen the progression of this company throughout the years. I just think it could be so much more. ESP has sort of lost touch with the modern guitar player, and sadly I feel like ESP is falling behind other companies. If ESP feels like my sentiments are wrong, conduct a survey online through this site, through facebook, through twitter, both in the US and in Japan. Prove to us, the fans and customers of ESP, that your whole LTD and E-II branding scheme is working for you. I think you'd see that an overwhelming number of people would like ESP to get with the times in terms of specs, and to streamline their branding. There's no need for ESP to become stagnant. Go back to when you guys were slaying the guitar industry through your willingness to stray from the norm, through your innovation, and through your incredible courage. 

Benjamin T.

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