ESP Standard Series - Made to order?

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dodgethis
Hey guys. Went to my local dealer today to make some enquiries on getting a Horizon III STD QM. Since they didn't have one in stock, they said that one would be ordered from Japan and the waiting time would be approximately four months from the time of order. I was wondering, based on this long waiting time, would ESP Standard models ordered by dealers be made to order and sent out when they are ready? This, opposed to the conventional production line practice of building large amounts of guitars, stocking them up and then sending out this ready stock based on what dealers want. I understand that Standard models are CNCed off a production line and finsihed up by the custom shop luthiers, based on reading a thread discussing the difference between made for Japan ESP guitars and made for export models. Thanks in advance! Just want to satisfy my curiousity.
col

Since they didn't have one in stock, they said that one would be ordered from Japan and the waiting time would be approximately four months from the time of order.

To me this just sounds like your regular music store BS.

guitarsatbmusic

To me this just sounds like your regular music store BS.

How about I give you some more "music store BS".

ESP don't have an unlimited capacity for building models, nor do they have massive stockplies or inventory just waiting for a dealer to order them. A production schedule is created spread across all the models, and that production capacity is spread across them, making more of what they think will sell and less of what they think will sell slower. Distributors (and dealers) are placing orders and that production, particularly of popular new models, is quickly exhausted. It would not surprise me at all if four months is the wait time for a Horizon-III STD right now in some places.
Also, consider the distributor might have a monthly or bi-monthly shipment that has just landed. Add another month before another may even leave, and another month to receive. So even if the distributor had taken a place on the schedule or found an available model in the upcoming schedule from this very month, it could still be a couple of months to four months before it is delivered to the dealer.
However, I'd be betting on the first scenario. If a dealer has a sale they'd very much like the guitar to sell it.

How's that for "regular music store BS"?
Which sounds more realistic? My story or Col's theory?

Edit: Pusbeaten! Hi Pus :)

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Pushead

They're not made to order, but wait times on "standard" guitars can get into the month territory. It really depends on when the next shipment from Japan is coming to the US, what all is in that order, and where specific models are already under order.

Sometimes you can get a specific model from ESP in a few weeks, sometimes it takes longer. There are people on the board who have waited almost a year for a "production" guitar.

If you're not into waiting, you should expand your search and see if you can find a dealer online with the guitar in stock.

brandono61cr

you might try eBay if your in a hurry

dodgethis

Thanks for the info, guys.

I'm not really in a hurry to get the thing. In fact, the four months gives me more than enough time to save up for the Horizon. I was just wondering about the long waiting time and if it was related to the manufacturing process.

loversmoon

well i ordered a ec 1000 in vb back in october and I am still waiting for it to show up.

BLS

You more than likely will not see that EC 1000 in VB untill January.

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