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.
Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and I just wanted to see if I could get some help with this E-II Horizon NT-II I picked up.
Hopefully someone can tell me if this is real or not. Only things that concern me were the 12th fret inlay looks like the older style thinner ESP inlay and the strap buttons don't look to be the correct ones that came with the guitar originally. Also, the original owner swap the tuning machine heads with white ones but the original black ones came in the case.
Also looks like the original owner sanded down the neck a bit to get rid of the gloss finish.
Thank you in advance!
Hey Pushead, thank you for your response! I always thought that E-II is still using the 12th fret block logo.
I was just comparing it to the 2016 E-II Horizon found on page 26 of the thread
vs the one found on mine which looks like thinner script
I just figured since it has a lower batch number for a 2016, it looks more like the 2015 E-II/older ESP standards.
Thank you again for your quick response I really appreciate it!
Looking at this ESP E-II online and noticed it has a 9 digit serial number. The seller says its from 2014. However, from the sites I have checked/can find the ESP E-II doesn't have a 9 digit serial number. It should have a 8 digit serial number or possibly 7.
Is this a fake? I am considering buying it. Thank you
Hey guys. This one looks fake. The tuners, the bindings, the pickups frames, no stickers on the back plate, no mention of a flycase. It is a bit overpriced and the nut is broken. This "Eclipse 1" is from a french "pro" seller, with 100+ music stuff to sell and 35/35 good evaluations.
What do you think?
I'm sorry, are you sure? Here are some close-ups on the tuners, I'm shocked that Sperzel would sell such low quality tuners and that ESP would put them on their japanese models. I read somewhere that fake tuners could be spotted by the low quality of the engraving.
Also, the binding looks odd to me, it's one thick grey line that looks like paint. I don't remember seeing this on any catalog. My own CTM is not like that, it's binding is composed of several thin lines.
Thanks
Let's put it this way, if I were in the market for one, I'd feel comfortable buying this one. The "binding" on this model is painted on. This finish on an Eclipse referred to as a "Paul Landers" model. The silver paint is actually over a multi-ply binding (I've seen photos of an owner who scraped the silver off.)
You can see other owners of this guitar from the forum in this thread - https://www.espguitars.com/forums/1963222/posts/1978478-eclipse-i-ctm-paul-landers-owners-look-in-here
You can also see from the 2006 North American catalog that Sperzel tuners were stock. - https://cdn.connectsites.net/user_files/esp/downloads/000/000/088/ESP-2006-Catalog.pdf?1392144651 The Eclipse I models weren't sold in North America after 2005, so you won't find this model in the catalog. You had to be willing to import the guitar (or find a shop that would) if you wanted an Eclipse I in the US.
The price shown on reverb is, at least, $1000 too high by my estimation, but prices have gone bonkers since 2020.
My apologies, the other E-II I was asking for verification sold before I could buy it. I appreciate your help Pushead Thank you so much! Hopefully this will be my first ESP
Now the seller is selling this one. Can anyone verify it is authentic? Thank you so much!
Pushead
Just wanted to say a BIG thank you! I ended up buying the guitar and I absolutely LOVE IT!! Here is a quick pic I took.
I was so nervous about fakes especially because I got a smoking deal on it.
As I was rewatching Youtube videos on ESP today I noticed this is your Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@Pusheadcic
so of course I subscribed and gave the ole thumbs up. Good Lord this thing feels and sounds amazing...there truly is a step up from the LTD 1000 line (which I didn't fully anticipate) I adore my EC1000 and I absolutely am obsessed with my E-II. Thanks again, I sincerely appreciate your help! You ROCK!
Hi Juan. Everything seems legit about this. Looks to be a 2018 EC-1000T since it has the back binding.