The ESP Guitar Company

Stupid left handed guitars throwing off my fake-spotting game.

I found this ESP E2 Horizon III that I am thinking about buying but I'm concerned that it might be a fake. I know that the E2 doesn't have the ESP logo on the front headstock but should nt it have the ESP badge on the back of it? Here are some pictures of it and thank you in advance for your time and help.

These are awfully odd angles to take photos of the guitar from. But it doesn't look quite right. The inlays are like none other I've seen, they should go all the way to the bindnig. The switch seems misplaced (definitely not a stock switch), the body shape seems wrong, and the neck joint also seems off. Again, it may be the photo, but that's not a color that was offered in 2014 (which is when the guitar was made according to the serial number.)

Perhaps better photos (full guitar, for instance) might change my opinion, (I don't have a ton of experience with the Horizon III model) but I doubt it.

I'd stay away.

Also, if it were me, I probably wouldn't take photos of it with such a large container of "hand lotion" in the background. It might lead people into opinions of what I spend my free-time doing.

These are the pictures that are on the listing. I just took a screenshot of them. I will send the link to the listing on offer up. For certain the switch has been replaced but the biggest thing that stood out was that it didn't have the ESP badge on the back of the headstock. It should definitely have it on it right?

https://offerup.co/n0xBYAu8iL

No circle logo, but yes it should have a "Designed and built by ESP" logo on the volute. (I didn't remember, so I had to look at a photo of my '14 E-II Eclipse).

Looking at the link, the photos look even wonkier. The body shape seems to be pretty wrong, especially the top horn. Looks like somebody got one past the pawn shop guy.

Well thanks for the save

There are a few on eBay at the moment, including one (with a Floyd) for $980. But if nothing else, you can see some photos of legit models to show you the difference.

I agree with the others here. Body shape is off, same with the neck inlays. No badge on the back of the head stock and the lettering on the front seems really wrong.  

So funny story...

I had emailed ESP customer service and they finally called me and confirmed that the serial number matches the model and that it was, indeed, a left handed custom order shipped to the same city as the seller. I took a gamble since I can always return it within 7 days via Reverb and got it today. It feels really good and every detail matches the original (Sperzel tuners, Gotoh bridge, the bone nut, etc.) . Unless you see something in these newer photos, I guess the seller is clearly a better musician than he is a photographer.

Well what the fuck? So I was right, it's legit.  No idea why the headstock shape (or at least the tuner locations) are so different from the other F headstock.

You lefties will be the end of me.

Is this a fake ESP TE200? See how the LTD logo on the neck is different. The "D" especially has wider gold in it. Did ESP change this logo on these guitars? Look how crappy the truss rod slot is. The CTS pots were very small in size with a stack of 8 washers added to them the control knobs are machined from steel and so are the saddles. Hum, my Indonesia made TE200 is twice the guitar as this one.  

Well, that's a bit disappointing looking. But the logo design matches what's on the website for the TE-200.

https://www.espguitars.com/products/17122-te-200-rosewood-sw?category_id=1963310-te-series



Do you have a bigger photo of the back of the headstock than the 100x100 photo you posted above?