ESP was originally known as a source for high quality guitar components and replacement parts. In the early 1980s the company focused on building Fender- and Gibson-derived designs, evolving to high quality "superstrat" models. Currently, ESP is offering newer designs that combine vintage tastes with modern designs.
The ESP Guitar Company was formed in 1985 as the USA distribution point (and custom work shop) for ESP guitars. These U.S. custom instruments are offered as custom option-outfitted equipment.
ESP is also responsible for the LTD line of guitars. LTD guitars have been produced since at least 1995. They are based off of the ESP designs but are offered for a cheaper price. LTD has replaced all the lower-end ESP models, and ESP focuses on the higher-end models now.
In the mid-1990s, ESP opened a USA Custom Shop, in California. This is where the majority of ESP (if not all) guitars have been produced since the inception of the LTD line. For LTD guitars, see the L section.
In 2003, ESP introduced the XTone trademark, which introduced ESP into the hollow body electric market. For more information see XTone in the X section.
Instruments currently produced in Tokyo, Japan since the early 1980s. Distributed in the U.S. by the ESP Guitar Company of Hollywood, CA.

ESP Electric Guitars Models

ESP MAVERICK Image

ESP MAVERICK

- offset double cutaway hardwood body, bolt-on maple neck, 24-fret maple fingerboard with black offset dot inlay (or rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay), double locking vibrato, blackface peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuner...

ESP ECLIPSE CUSTOM (FIRST VERSION) Image

ESP ECLIPSE CUSTOM (FIRST VERSION)

- single cutaway bound mahogany body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret ebony fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, strings though bridge, blackface peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, black hardware, 2 exposed humbucker pickups, volume/t...

ESP METAL I Image

ESP METAL I

- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, standard vibrato, maple peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, gold hardware, exposed humbucker pickup, volume/tone control,...

ESP ECLIPSE BASS Image

ESP ECLIPSE BASS

- single cutaway alder body, maple neck, 21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay/logo block inlay at 12th fret, two-per-side bound headstock, fixed bridge, chrome hardware, two ESP exposed humbucker or EMG pickups, volume/bl...

ESP SURVEYOR Image

ESP SURVEYOR

- offset double cutaway mahogany body, black pickguard, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret ebony fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, fixed bridge, four-on-one-side tuners, black hardware, one J-style and one P-style pickups, three knobs, available i...

ESP MH CUSTOM (USA CUSTOM SERIES) Image

ESP MH CUSTOM (USA CUSTOM SERIES)

- offset double cutaway mahogany body with figured maple top, bolt-on maple neck with ebony fingerboard, dot inlays, six-on-one-side tuners, black hardware and black Sperzel tuners, Original Floyd Rose bridge, 24 XJ frets, two EMG-81 pickup...

ESP MIRAGE (FIRST EDITION) Image

ESP MIRAGE (FIRST EDITION)

- offset double cutaway hardwood body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl offset block inlay/logo block inlay at 12th fret, double locking vibrato, bound blackface peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuner...

ESP TOM ARAYA BASS Image

ESP TOM ARAYA BASS

- offset double cutaway gothic look, alder body and maple neck, ebony fingerboard with pentagram position markers, Slayer logo at 12th fret, black hardware, two-per-side tuners, Gotoh 206 bridge, 24 XJ frets, two EMG-35-DC pickups, volume,...

ESP P-457 Image

ESP P-457

- offset double cutaway hardwood body, white pickguard, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, four-on-a-side tuners, fixed bridge, P-style pickup, three knobs, chrome hardware, available in Baby Blue, Black, Bl...

ESP M-III Image

ESP M-III

- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret rosewood (or maple) fingerboard with pearl dot inlay (logo block inlay at 12th fret), Original Floyd Rose tremolo, reverse blackface peghead with screened logo, 6-on-the-other-...

ESP E.X.P. (EXPLORER) Image

ESP E.X.P. (EXPLORER)

- radical offset hourglass mahogany body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, black drooping peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, black hardware, 2 EMG-81 hum...

ESP M-4 STANDARD Image

ESP M-4 STANDARD

- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, fixed bridge, four-on-one-side tuners, black hardware, one J-style and one P-style pickups, volume/tone controls, three-way switch, avai...

ESP S-454 Image

ESP S-454

- offset double cutaway alder body, white pickguard, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, standard vibrato, maple peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, chrome hardware, 3 single coil exposed pickups,...

ESP HORIZON Image

ESP HORIZON

- offset double cutaway mahogany body, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, fixed bridge, four-on-one-side tuners, black hardware, P-style pickup, volume/tone control, available in Baby Blue, Black, Bubblegum...

ESP M-II Image

ESP M-II

- offset double cutaway alder or ash body, bolt-on maple neck, 24-fret maple or rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay (logo block inlay at 12th fret), Original Floyd Rose tremolo, reverse pointy blackface peghead with screened logo, 6-on-the-...

ESP ALEXI LAIHO Image

ESP ALEXI LAIHO

- Flying V-style with sharp points and a longer bass bout, alder body, three-piece maple NTB, 24 XJ fret bound ebony fingerboard with saw teeth inlays, bound headstock with six-on-one-side Gotoh tuners, original Floyd Rose tremolo with lock...

ESP J-FOUR Image

ESP J-FOUR

- offset double cutaway asymmetrical alder or ash body, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay (logo block inlay at 12th fret), fixed bridge, four-on-one-side tuners, pearloid pickguard, two J-style ESP pickup...

ESP HORIZON (FIRST VERSION) Image

ESP HORIZON (FIRST VERSION)

- offset double cutaway bound ash body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, standard vibrato, maple peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, chrome hardware, 3 single coil pickups, 1 volume/2-Tone cont...

ESP M-I CUSTOM Image

ESP M-I CUSTOM

- offset double cutaway alder body, through-body maple neck, 24-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl offset block inlay/logo block inlay at 12th fret, double locking vibrato, body matching bound peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side...

ESP B-1 Image

ESP B-1

- offset double cutaway alder body, maple neck, 21-fret maple or rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, two-per-side headstock, fixed tailpiece, black hardware, Seymour Duncan MusicMan Basslines humbucker pickup, volume/treble/bass controls,...

ESP HYBRID Image

ESP HYBRID

- offset double cutaway alder or mahogany body, maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, strings-through fixed bridge, 6-on-a-side tuners, chrome hardware, shell (or black) pickguard, TS-120 single coil/LH-200 humbucke...

ESP VIPER Image

ESP VIPER

- offset waist/double cutaway mahogany body with pointed horns, bolt-on maple neck, 24-fret bound rosewood fingerboard, bound headstock with three-per-side tuners, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, two ESP LH-200 humbuckers with nickel co...

ESP T-454 Image

ESP T-454

- single cutaway alder body, white pickguard, metal control plate, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, strings through bridge, maple peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, chrome hardware, 2 single c...

ESP VINTAGE Image

ESP VINTAGE

- offset double cutaway alder body, white lam pickguard, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple or rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, standard vibrato, six-on-one-side tuners, chrome hardware, three single coil ESP pickups, three knobs (v, two...

ESP MAVERICK DELUXE (1988) Image

ESP MAVERICK DELUXE (1988)

- similar to the Maverick, except has ash body, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, 2 ESP humbucker pickups, available in Brite Red, Brite Yellow, Flour. Pink, Flour. White, Gunmetal Blue, or Midnight Black finish, mfg. 1988...

ESP MH DELUXE (USA DELUXE SERIES) Image

ESP MH DELUXE (USA DELUXE SERIES)

- similar to MH Custom except has alder body with maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with dot position markers with "Deluxe" at the 12th fret, Seymour Duncan TB-4 and SH-1 pickups, mfg. 2001 only.

ESP MIRAGE (SECOND EDITION) Image

ESP MIRAGE (SECOND EDITION)

- offset double cutaway alder or ash body, maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay (logo block inlay at 12th fret), Wilkinson VS-100 tremolo, reverse peghead, 6-on-a-side Sperzel locking tuners, black hardware, 2 SS-10...

ESP S-465 Image

ESP S-465

- similar to S-454, except has rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, mfg. 1986-87.

ESP M-II CUSTOM Image

ESP M-II CUSTOM

- similar to the M-II, except has offset double cutaway alder body, through-body maple neck, 24-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl offset block inlay (logo block inlay at 12th fret), reverse bound peghead, available in Black, Candy...

ESP Alexi Laiho Blacky Image

ESP Alexi Laiho Blacky

- similar to the Alexi Laiho, except has pearl sharktooth fingerboard inlays and one EMG HZ F-H2 humbucker pickup, available in Metallic Black Satin finish with a gloss Black pinstripe and "COBHC" on back, mfg. 2009-present.

ESP M-I DELUXE Image

ESP M-I DELUXE

- similar to the M-I Custom, except has bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay (or rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay), black pickguard, 2 single coil/1 humbucker ESP pickups, 1 volume/2-Tone controls, 5-p...

ESP HYBRID I Image

ESP HYBRID I

- offset double cutaway hardwood body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, standard vibrato, six-on-one-side tuners, two single coil pickups, volume/tone control, three-way switch, metal control plate, chr...

ESP VINTAGE PLUS S Image

ESP VINTAGE PLUS S

- offset double cutaway alder or ash body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple or rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay (logo block inlay at 12th fret), two-point tremolo, six-on-one-side Sperzel locking tuners, chrome hardware, pearloid pickgu...

ESP Eclipse Custom (Second Version) Image

ESP Eclipse Custom (Second Version)

- similar to the Eclipse Custom (First Version), except has through-body maple neck, bound fingerboard, offset pearl block fingerboard inlay, redesigned bound peghead, chrome hardware, available in Cherry Sunburst, Pearl Gold, Pearl Pink, P...

ESP METAL IV Image

ESP METAL IV

- offset double cutaway hardwood body, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, fixed bridge, four-on-one-side tuners, gold hardware, one J-style and one P-style pickups, three knobs, available in Pearl Blue, Pear...

ESP SURVEYOR CUSTOM Image

ESP SURVEYOR CUSTOM

- offset double cutaway mahogany body, black pickguard, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret ebony fingerboard, fixed bridge, four-on-one-side tuners, black hardware, one J-style and one P-style pickups, volume/tone control, three-way switch, availa...

ESP MARCELO DIAS Image

ESP MARCELO DIAS

- double cutaway alder body, maple neck, 22-fret ebony fingerboard with symbol inlays, signature on headstock with two-per-side tuners, two Basslines SMB-4D pickups, Seymour Duncan STC-3M3 active EQ with slap control, four knobs, Gotoh Delu...

ESP P-464 Image

ESP P-464

- similar to P-457, except has tortoiseshell pickguard, rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, mfg. 1986 only.

ESP M-4 CUSTOM Image

ESP M-4 CUSTOM

- offset double cutaway asymmetrical ash body, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, fixed bridge, four-on-a-side tuners, black hardware, one J-style and one P-style pickups, three knobs, available in Black,...

ESP HORIZON PJ Image

ESP HORIZON PJ

- similar to Horizon, except has rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, one J-style and one P-style pickups, and three knobs, mfg. 1986 only.

ESP EX (STANDARD SERIES) Image

ESP EX (STANDARD SERIES)

- offset hourglass Explorer-style mahogany body with beveled edges, set mahogany neck with a thin U contour, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, matching finish hockey stick-style headstock, six-on-on-side Gotoh tuners, Gotoh tune...

ESP VIPER CUSTOM (ESP CUSTOM SHOP) Image

ESP VIPER CUSTOM (ESP CUSTOM SHOP)

- offset double cutaway (similar to an SG) mahogany body with flamed maple top, three-piece maple NTB, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with flag inlays and ESP logo at 12th fret, matching bound headstock with three-per-side Sperzel locking...

ESP Horizon (Second Version) Image

ESP Horizon (Second Version)

- offset double cutaway arched top alder or ash body, natural binding, bolt-on maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, curved point peghead, 3-per-side tuners, chrome hardware, 2 ESP LH-200 humbuckers,...

ESP B-FOUR Image

ESP B-FOUR

- similar to the B-5, except in four-string configuration, and two-per-side tuners, mfg. 1996-97.

ESP METAL III Image

ESP METAL III

- reverse offset double cutaway asymmetrical alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, standard vibrato, maple peghead with screened logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, gold hardware, exposed humbucker pickup, vo...