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.
Thanks! Just from the look of it, it seems pretty legit. I guess ESP was making them in lefty back in 2016 too. Their 2016 catalogue has this guitar listed with the same specs etc, but obviously for right handed. Most of those catalogues don't mention which lefties were being produced at the time for some reason.
Yeah, the truss rod cavity looks like you might have to use an ice pick to chip away the paint and primer to actually adjust the truss rod. Lol
So, the logos didn’t look terrible to me. I know we’ve all seen worse, but on the back, is it supposed to say “Custom Shop” or “Custom Guitars”?
The EMGs May be real, but they’re passive. Idk who the hell would order a “custom shop” guitar with passive EMGs...
Interesting tidbit... Apparently, the gobs of paint in the truss rod cavity is the extra paint they saved by not fully painting the cavity behind the switch and knobs. If you look to the left of the switch in my picture above, you can see bare wood. Behind the pickups is the same. Also, no shielding under the pickups either.
Now that I’m typing all this out, I realize I probably shouldn’t have bothered asking if this was a fake. Lol
Hi Miki, I believe what you have there is legit. ESP had gotten out of the flat-topped Eclipse around then, but this must have been a left-over order to deliver. You don't see them often, but there are a few out there.
As for Doug's V, we saw further photos on another forum. There are some details that are correct, but once we see inside the pickup cavities, closer shots of the finish and the wiring, it seems that it isn't an ESP.
Thanks for all of your help.
RE: Pin Strip Cleanliness
I was able to compare mine to 3 new, unsold Alexi Laihos in person and The trips in mine are just as clean as the stripes on theirs. Mine looks better and feels better than their white with black serial number E2330212. There is absolutely no bleeding to the naked eye, only when substantially magnified by the camera I used.
I just took a picture of mine super up close with a super high end camera to show two spots where the top lawyer of finish had been damaged or chipped of to show lawyering in the finish.
RE: Electronics
I find toggle switch and pots for another ESP 96 custom shop and the toggle is the same and their pots as well as mine are both Alpha pots. I have to agree that the solder beads on the other 96 seemed to be a little cleaner, but can you really preclude something from being legit based on cleanliness of solder beads.
OI had posted one photo that you saw was actually my guitar techs work after we put new pots and electronics in. His work is pretty sloppy for sure.
My biggest hang up is the cheap LH-100 ESP pickups that seemed to be original and the neck binding kind of bothers me, but that could have been redone.
RE: Neck and Playability
This guitar plays as good if not better and feels just as solid as my real Custom Shop Gibson and real Custom Shop Fenders.
Pus: In addition to the above, I do really appreciate you though taking the time to look at mine and others. That is cool.
I am not looking to ever sell mine as it literally plays amazing and looks amazing in person. Definitely like it more than Custom Shop Les Pauls and it is way better than Suhr from a quality and playability stand point.
Going to drop BKP Aftermaths in it when they get here Monday.
The other thing that bothers me as why would a cheap fake to go through the extra effort of making very difficult pin stripes whose arc at the bottom is consistent with 80s models Jackson Custom Shop Randy Rhodes.
Unlike those on my guitar, the Alexi Laiho Stripes are much boxier and easier to replicate, but they also came out AFTER 1996 so it would seem this guitar is a legit pre Alexi Laiho guitar with what I think would be very difficult pint stripes to paint. I could personally do the boxy Laiho stripes myself.
Thanks Pushead, I really appreciate your response. Everything looks good to me too. The only thing was I don't know how far back they've made the see thru black M-II in left handed. Is there a way to check? Like a catalogue or something?
Cheers