The Fake ESP Thread
The Fake ESP Thread
Pushead and I are here to help verify ESP and LTD guitars. If you have, or are looking to buy a guitar that you're unsure of, post pictures and questions in this thread. Please post clear pictures of the front and back of the headstock, the fretboard, and the front and back of the body. Preferably before you buy anything.
Anyone else is free to offer suggestions on authenticity. If you answer a post, please tell us why you think it's real or fake.
Smart to ask. Kijiji is notorious for fakes. This one looks to be the real deal. 2005 model.
Although, with the way the intonation is set on the guitar, I'd be careful to see how the tuning is across the neck. Maybe the guitar didn't understand how to set up the intonation, or maybe the bridge is a bit too far toward the stop-bar.
It could be a lot of reasons. It may just be where they end up when setting the intonation. But when I see them all up like that it says one of two things to me.
1) The owner didn't know what s/he was doing.
2) The bridge is in the wrong location.
Most of the time I find it's #1. Especially on a production guitar like that Eclipse. But even if it isn't, there is still some room to adjust the intonation sharper (further toward the nut) by rotating the saddles 180 degrees. If you get a chance to play it in person before making an offer on it, just bring a tuner and see if the pitch of the open string matches the pitch (in full tune) at the 12th. If it matches (or is a touch sharp) it's fine. If the note at the 12th is flat, there may be issues.
Hi Lars,
I was also in contact with the seller of the KKV Standard, good communication and gives good and open information.
Hard to say how the condition is, the wing tips are covered with tape and it has been heavily (ab)used. So you don't exactly know what is underneath. Though ESP's are built to be used and last.....It is for sure an original ESP. From my perspective if you want it for own use and have a real professional guitar specialist for setup and refurbishment and keep the orginal details in tact I am sure this is a nice gem. From collectors point of view I fully agree with Pushead's statement.
Guess this is more an emotional than a rational decision
Hi,
I just got a brand-new ESP SV E II in black.
This guitar doesn't have an EMG Pa2 booster.. but according to ESP website the series standard seems to have one.
Is it maybe a fake?