ESP MIRAGE DELUXE

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ESP MIRAGE DELUXE

Hello everyone I recently got a ESP Mirage Deluxe and like any ESP it's awesome I just wondered if anyone knows anything about them like wood type etc as I know nothing and can't really find much about them and can't find the one with the reversed Jackson style headstock in the old catalogues I have so I'm not sure on the year, any help is appreciated. 

Poolaboobface

I did attach a picture but I'll try again, the guy that owned it before me put stickers on it, the original finish is black. 

Travis L.

Don't know much about those either but it's definately old! Very nice guitar! I would take those stickers off though...if you can...

This was Pre Jackson lawsuit for sure!

You can google the old ESP catelogs! It might be in those! It's on the Russian ESP site! Take a look...

Sorry I couldn't help much! Lol 

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jt76

Nice guitar.  Sould be between 87 and 1990.  Only years they made that headstock with that inlay pattern as far as I know.   they definitely made them in reverse headstock.  But I have not seen a catalog with a reverse headstock.  The kh zorlac was a standard model. With a sticker added.  It had a reverse headstock.  I dont belive its in the catalogs either.  I have never seen a 1988 catalog anywhere.  So maybe thats when they went reverse.  I dont know.   also custom order wasnt as big deal for small variations back then if you just wanted something basic Like custom color, custom pickups, or reverse neck.  Very Cool guitar anyway.   Probably has an esp sinclair trem.  If it doesnt have the trem bar they are rare but they come up on ebay a couple times a year.

Pushead

The guitar is a maple neck through and alder wings.  Probably late 80s.

It doesn't look like a Sinclair trem, it looks like an OFR (or LFR).  The lower right side of the picture looks like the route has been "modified" but it might just be a rough angle in the picture.

And I like the stickers.

jt76

Good eye does look like a regular Floyd routed in.  I 

Like the stickers also.  Was gonna suggest lacquer over but OP Said he had started removal.

Thought the deluxes were bolt on and the customs were neck thru.  Pushead how is the flip flop

blue mirage marked. I assumed it was a mirage custom

Pushead

Mine is seemingly newer by a few years, as it is a reverse knife-stock instead of the Jackson style.  Here's the original logo:

and for OP, here's what it'll look like under the paint:

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Pushead

Oh that's right, the Deluxe was bolt-on and the Custom was neck-through.  Lines through the binding?  Do you mean at each fret?

Poolaboobface

im not the best at describing things sometimes but its more like wavy lines running along the binding which ive never seen on any other instrument but ive not exactly seen loads of instruments but i have seen a fair few so thought it was worth asking about.

so i dont know if its an effect that happens over time or if it was like this from new but ive added a picture its not the best but it does show it if you look hard enough.

Pushead

Oh, yeah that's from scraping the binding, sanding and years of playing.  When you get it repainted, the clear coat and buffing will get rid of much it.

Poolaboobface

Thanks again I thought it would be because of it's age I kinda don't mind how it looks I was just curious. It's going to be quite a while till I get it refinished because I'm of ill so money is tight but could not miss out on this guitar so I made money lol but when I do get it refinished I'll be sure to post the pictures in hear for all to see.

jt76

nice guitar for 300 pounds I wouldn't have passed that up either,  definitely worth the money fixing it up when you get a chance. 

 

 

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JosE(S)Ph

Mine is a Mirage Deluxe with that headstock, too.  Years ago, I tried to get some info about the guitar from ESP, but they said they didn't have anything from the old days.  I emailed them again some time later and they gave me some estimated info.  I'll see if I can find the email.

JosE(S)Ph

I took a look at some old emails.  The only info ESP had was the bodies would be alder.  I had all those old ESP catalogues from the 80s but unfortunately tossed them during a move.  They really didn't have too much technical info anyway, as I remember.

My Mirage Deluxe is the nicest playing guitar I've ever played.  That's it next to my name.  I bought it sight unseen and didn't realize how "pink" it was, but the chick stickers made it look really cool or would that be hott?

Poolaboobface

Thanks for the replies everyone I did not realises there had been some more recent replies from josE(S)ph so apologies for the late reply. 

I love the pink colour I think it's fitting for an 80's guitar and the stickers just add to the coolness. 

I have some slightly sad news, I impulse bought a 400 series telecaster and it's an amazing guitar so I'm selling the mirage to fund that purchase because I don't play as much metal as I used to so I'd rather someone else get the full benefit from this truly awesome guitar.

The early ESPs offer amazing value and In the future I'd love to become a collector but sadly at the moment I'm ill off work and need the cash otherwise if keep both. 

Thanks again everyone. 

JosE(S)Ph

In the old days, ESP did a lot of things that weren't in the catalog.  If the model in the catalog had a normal headstock, you'd find them in stores with reverse headstocks or if the M1 Custom had a single humbucker in the bridge in the catalog, you'd find one with an extra single coil in the neck position, etc.

Those wavy lines in the binding are common.  I had one with that and it wasn't because it had aged.  I had an original Phoenix with a lawsuit headstock and the Gibson body (not the slightly modified design).  Regret selling that one, but it was extremely heavy.  The Lynch Sunburst Tiger looked really cool, but I didn't like the neck and it was massively heavy.  The real ESP Mirage Deluxe from 1987 was an amazing guitar and still my favorite.

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