The Fake ESP Thread

Updated
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.

Jacob c.

could anyone tell me if this H-300 is legit? got it semi cheap from a local shop. don't know too much about it or ESP in general. serial on the head is U100916

Jacob c.

Pushead




Hard to tell from just one photo, but nothing jumps out as concerning in the pic.

Nathan S.

H300 is definitely legit, typical wood binding look they liked to use late 90's into early 2000's. HotZones were pretty typical midlevel pickups in that era as well. Looks nice. Tear drop (cockstock) headstock?

Peter B.

2013 M-II 

I was initially thrown off because I'm used to seeing these with black hardware, but it seems later models had the black nickle.  In addition, the 'Made in Japan' sticker isn't the normal black with white background, however it does appear to match the old listing that Pro Music Tools has for the urban camo.  Interestingly it also matches a 2013 E-II M-II Zebra's sticker that I found on Reverb.

Did they transition from SS to E-II mid year?   It's strange I'm seeing a few other 2013 models without the new ESP font (which looked more like E-II), like the SV-II, but I've seen pictures of 2013 Eclipse II's with both the script and the new font, with the white sticker and this one.  Very confusing!  

 

Pushead

It's legit. It may have been the end of the existing SS guitars at the start of 2013.

Peter B.

Thanks Pushead!! 

GIBSON T.

Hello

 

An question about this. A guy sells a KH2 with CoA and CoA says this is a neck thru guitar:

 

 

But the guitar is bolted on

 

 

Some other pics:

  

 

what you guys think this is?

 

Thanks

Flying Dutchmen

The cases are different as well on both pictures, one with grey and the other black interior

two different Guitars as well

GIBSON T.

wrong edit

Pushead

It's a regular KH-2 with the wrong COA. It's a 2012 model according to the serial number. I don't remember if the bolty model came with COAs at that time.

GIBSON T.

The cases are different as well on both pictures, one with grey and the other black interior

two different Guitars as well

You're right

 

Actually the guy said he messed up picture. He said he sent me pictures of another ESP he wanted to buy. Now he sent this

 

 

 

Looks like legit guitar. He alos has the bill/invoice from the shop he bought it and sent me a scan of it.

Still why would he mess up the first pictures it's a bit fishy but I stalked his name afterward and he seems to be some random metallica fan.  

So yeah idk I'm tempted because of the lower price but yeah ...

Jay V.

Hi there. Found this locally today and not sure how to go about verifying the legitimacy of this guitar. The owner says it's an LTD KH-602 and that he bought it in 2010/2011. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Jay.

Pushead

The guitar is legit. The serial number points to it being a 2002 model, but I can't remember whether the 602 existed at that point, or if they only offered the KH-502 at that point, which had dot inlays and skulls at the 12th. There were weird things happening with the serial numbers between 2000 and around 2003.

Jay V.

Thanks so much Pushead!

Chris S.

Is this fake:

Scott M.

I recently came across this guitar and want to check its authenticity.  Is this guitar legitimate or a fake?

I did procure it from someone in ukraine, but it has the "inspected in usa" sticker on it.  I asked him about that and he said he bought it from someone in the usa.  I did replace the battery for the active pickups in the unit and it was a duracell battery that said it was made in malyasia.

It looks like a 2011 and I see in the ESP Catalog the pickups came black stock in 2011 and this guitar has gold EMGs, but I am sure that those can be customized upon ordering from ESP?

Other than the items mentioned above (bought in ukraine with "inspected in usa" sticker on it, the malysian duracell battery, and the gold pickups) I cannot find any other flaws that would make me think it is a knock off.  Just wanted to check for certainty.  Thanks!

 

Pushead

It's legit. As I said in the thread on the "Past Models" section, the pickups are easily swapped, so a previous owner may have done that.

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