The ESP Guitar Company

This was asked a while back and the answer was that LTD figured tops are veneer unless otherwise noted. Hope that helps.

Brian K. wrote:

This was asked a while back and the answer was that LTD figured tops are veneer unless otherwise noted. Hope that helps.

I know the figures are veneers. I'm I'm curious as to other LTDs that have solid maple caps. Or if they're full mahogany bodies. Like the EC-1000T/CTM, EC-401VF, 400VF, 400AT, etc etc. I've heard some LTDs either have full maple caps, or veneers on top of maple caps. Something similar to what PRS does with their SE line.

It is unclear, Maple veneer does not mean there is or isn't Maple cap. I read somewhere that only ESP guitars made in Japan have full Maple cap, but elsewhere I found that ESP E-II like all LTD models only have Maple veneer no Maple cap, ESP custom however along with previous ESP standard models have a full Maple cap? But it does not make much sense why E-II as successor of ESP standard do not have it. Another version is that only ESP models with full thickness have full Maple cap. The latter a kind of makes sense to me because traditionally Les Paul are know as heavy guitars (4 to 6 kg?) because of that Maple cap that makes the body so thick and heavy. As far as I am aware most ESP and LTD eclipse models (non full thickness) weigh about 3.5 to 4 kg. Am I wrong to guess that only full thickness ESP potentially have a full Maple cap!?

Can anyone tell from the photos if this guitar has a maple top!?

Regular thickness ESP Standard Series guitars have a maple cap (under a veneer if it has a figured finish.) It's hard to tell from your photos, you may have to sand away some of the finish in the pickup cavity.

Here is one of my Eclipses with the grounding paint sanded away.

I've now sanded it a bit, maybe not enough, I can not tell if there are two different woods but it seems to me quite pale for mahogany however maple cap would not be that thick (more than 1inch) - I think if any it normally would be about a half to one inch?

I wonder why ESP officials do not specifically mention this in the specs!?

Until now I have lived with the idea that all ESP eclipses as well higher end LTD (256 and above) have proper Maple cap just as Les Paul. I thought that maple cap was the main difference from Viper and that was reflected in the price tag. It's disappointing to learn that LTD EC models only have maple veneer not a full cap.. 

Apologies quality is not good. 

Yeah, difficult to tell from that photo. I can't tell if there's a separation line under the bigger sections of paint in the pickup ear route or f it's just the color of the wood.