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.
Hi All, I'm new here and would appreciate any advice to whether this KH502 below is genuine. I didn't think they made E serials especially with only six digits. So I thought it might be fake.
Also how does this compare to a Horizon which is $1k AUS or a Maverick II also for $1k. I don't know a whole of the differences as I'm new to shred land.
Cheers,
Riley
Maverick 2
Horizon
I don't see anything that jumps out as fake. But my LTD from that era has a 7 digit serial number.
In terms of the comparison, at near the same price, I'd buy either the M-II or the Horizon over the KH-502. Realistically, the 502 just isn't in the same ballpark in terms of hardware or build quality.
I'd be somewhat skeptical on the Horizon on how the owner has it wired. It looks like an active pickup at the neck and a passive at the bridge. Because of the differences in resistance of the pickups, each one would need it's own volume pot. I'd ask the owner how the wiring is configured.
And actually, after looking at photos of my old LTD, it also had a 6 digit serial number. It started U09, (Usung factory) and it certainly wasn't a 2009 model. It must have been a transition period for the serial numbers around 2001-2003. I can't remember exactly when I got it, but I certainly had it well before 2009.
It also had the same HZ-1 pickups. They sounded pretty lousy to me. I swapped them for a JB/59 set I had lying around. Man, that guitar was a monster with that pickup set.
I'm not aware which factory would have built the guitars with the E prefix, but there's no reason to believe that it's a fake. There was no E prefix used on the ESP Standard or ESP Custom guitars in the early 2000s.
$300 vs $1000 for the guitar is a pretty big difference. In USD, that 502 would be a pretty good deal ($1000 for the M-II or Horizon would be a fair price in USD.) I think it all comes down to the price you feel comfortable spending and how much you think you'd use it. Everything being what it is on the 502, I would want to replace the pickups in it. Those EMG HZ-1 pickups are pretty weak and clunky in my experience. Especially if you are looking for something that's going to hit Metallica and Pantera. Another $200 worth of pickups and you should have a pretty good little guitar.
Those ESPs are "better" guitars. They retailed for more, they have better hardware and materials. But that doesn't mean that a well setup LTD won't be a great feeling and playing guitar as well.
I say gauge the level of the Strats you have, and how much you'd play a shredder guitar, and figure out if it would be worth the extra money for a moderately better guitar.
Mate thanks so much for the valuable advice. The Strats are great for everything except metal, bear in mind I'm no pro by any means just love playing(intermediate). It's really hard to sound from a strat while play Harvest or Justice. I have a AC15 with GE7 and MT2, but the singles PU cant give that punchy low end sound, if that makes sense. The Strat are: American Standard 02 BLK and the SB is MIJ ST57TX. I love the strat for general rock.
From what you're saying maybe me at my capability and being home/jam use it's maybe wise to go the 502 for $300 and swap out with EMG 80? Instead of spending big bucks on a guitar I only use metal on.
Or maybe sell a strat to get M2 ESP.....
I need relp with this LTD F-50 i really think that its a fake cause iv never seen any of these aeound my area for a price of $140 Pushead i need your help
You can find out the details here:
https://cdn.connectsites.net/user_files/esp/downloads/000/000/086/ESP-2005-Catalog.pdf?1392144618
It's a 2005 model.
Hmm. This one is a stumper for me. I just don't have enough experience with the TE, especially a recent TE. There's nothing specific that stands out to me as fake, but the serial number font seems weird, the logo seems weird... But it matches what's on the product page.
Based on what you've shown, I'd pass (or take back) the guitar.