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 Horizon Deluxe T Image

ESP Horizon Deluxe T

- similar to Horizon Custom, except has bolt-on neck, 24-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with offset pearl dot inlay/12th fret block logo inlay, black hardware, available in Black, Pearl White, Trans. Blue, Trans. Green, Trans. Purple, or T...

ESP DAVE MUSTAINE AXXION Image

ESP DAVE MUSTAINE AXXION

- double cutaway X-shaped body with slightly extended lower bass bout, mahogany body, set three-piece mahogany neck, 24-fret ebony fingerboard with XX inlays, three-per-side tuners, TonePros locking bridge, STB, two Seymour Duncan humbucker...

ESP M-5 DELUXE FIVE-STRING Image

ESP M-5 DELUXE FIVE-STRING

- similar to M-5 Standard, except has rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, available in Brite Red, Gunmetal Blue, Midnight Black, Pearl Yellow, Pearl White, or Turquoise finish, mfg. 1988 only.

ESP Eclipse Semi-Acoustic (Steel String) Image

ESP Eclipse Semi-Acoustic (Steel String)

- similar to the Eclipse Arch Top, except has rosewood bridge, bound maple top, piezo pickup, volume/tone controls, on-board active EQ system, available in Honey Sunburst, See-Through Black, See-Through Blue, See-Through Green, See-Through...

ESP PHOENIX II (STANDARD SERIES) Image

ESP PHOENIX II (STANDARD SERIES)

- single cutaway offset hourglass mahogany body with raised center section, maple NTB, 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearl flag inlays, reverse headstock with ESP logo, six-on-the-other-side Gotoh Magnum locking tuners, Grover tune-o...

ESP HORIZON CLASSIC (U.S. MFG.) Image

ESP HORIZON CLASSIC (U.S. MFG.)

- similar to the Horizon Custom, except had offset double cutaway carved mahogany body, set-in mahogany neck, pearl dot fingerboard inlay/12th fret logo block inlay, available in Cherry Sunburst, Honey Sunburst, See-Through Black, See-Throu...

ESP DAVE MUSTAINE DV8 Image

ESP DAVE MUSTAINE DV8

- Flying V-style with sharp points, mahogany body, three-piece mahogany neck-thru body, 24 jumbo ebony fingerboard with dot inlay and 8 Ball 1st fret inlay, 25.5 in. scale, two Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz humbucker pickups, black pickguard, thre...

ESP SV-II (STANDARD SERIES) Image

ESP SV-II (STANDARD SERIES)

- pointy Flying V-style alder body with beveled edges, a slightly shorter lower treble horn, and cutaway upper treble bout, maple NTB with a thin U contour, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with small dot inlays and 12th fret ESP inlay, boun...

ESP HORIZON CUSTOM (ESP CUSTOM SERIES) Image

ESP HORIZON CUSTOM (ESP CUSTOM SERIES)

- double cutaway mahogany body with quilted maple top, three-piece maple set neck, 24 XJ fret ebony fingerboard with pearl offset blocks with ESP at 12th fret, matching headstock with Horizon Custom on it, three-per-side tuners, two Seymour...

ESP GEORGE LYNCH Image

ESP GEORGE LYNCH

- all instruments in this group have the following items; offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret fingerboard, double locking vibrato, reverse headstock, 6-on-a-side tuners, black hardware, single coil/humbucker pickup...

ESP ECLIPSE CUSTOM (USA CUSTOM SERIES) Image

ESP ECLIPSE CUSTOM (USA CUSTOM SERIES)

- single cutaway mahogany body, bound figured maple top, bolt-on maple neck, 24-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with mother-of-pearl dot inlay (logo block inlay at 12th fret), tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, 3-per-side Sperzel locking t...

ESP XJ-6 Image

ESP XJ-6

- offset double cutaway alder or ash body with pointed bass bout/rounded treble bout Jazzmaster-style, maple neck, 22-fret maple or rosewood neck with dot inlay, six-on-one-side reverse headstock, shell pickguard, chrome hardware, fixed bri...

ESP ECLIPSE CUSTOM (ESP CUSTOM SERIES) Image

ESP ECLIPSE CUSTOM (ESP CUSTOM SERIES)

- single cutaway mahogany body with quilted maple top, three-piece maple neck, 24-fret ebony fingerboard with flag inlays and 12th fret ESP logo, two EMG-81 humbucker pickups, three-per-side tuners, TonePros System II locking bridge, white...

ESP XJ-12 12-STRING Image

ESP XJ-12 12-STRING

- similar to the XJ-6, except in 12-string configuration, reverse headstock with 4/8-per-side tuners, and two ESP LH-200 humbuckers, mfg. 1996-98.

ESP HORIZON NT-II (STANDARD SERIES) Image

ESP HORIZON NT-II (STANDARD SERIES)

- double cutaway mahogany body with quilted maple top, white B/N/H binding, three-piece maple set neck, 24 XJ fret ebony fingerboard with pearl offset blocks with ESP at 12th fret, matching headstock with Horizon Custom on it, three-per-sid...

ESP ECLIPSE II (STANDARD SERIES) Image

ESP ECLIPSE II (STANDARD SERIES)

- single cutaway mahogany body, quilted maple top (Amber Cherry Sunburst, See-Through Black Cherry, and Vintage Honey Burst finish only), mahogany neck, 22-fret ebony (Vintage Black, Snow White, and Vintage White finish) or rosewood fingerb...

ESP ULTRATONE Image

ESP ULTRATONE

- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, 22 XJ frets, white neck binding, tune-o-matic bridge, stop tailpiece, 3 Duncan Mini-Hum with Coil Split, 3-per-side tuners, pearloid pickguard, ch...

ESP V-II (STANDARD SERIES) Image

ESP V-II (STANDARD SERIES)

- pointy Flying V-style mahogany body with beveled edges, maple NTB with a thin U contour, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with small dot inlays and 12th fret ESP inlay, bound headstock with black overlay and ESP logo, six-on-one-side Gotoh...

ESP George Lynch GL-56 Image

ESP George Lynch GL-56

- pre-aged offset double cutaway basswood body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple fingerboard with dot inlay, six-on-one-side Sperzel locking tuners, two-point tremolo bridge, chrome hardware, white pickguard, three Seymour Duncan Classic S...

ESP George Lynch GL-56 Reissue Image

ESP George Lynch GL-56 Reissue

- offset double cutatway Strat-style alder body, bolt-on extra thin U-shaped neck, distressed maple fingerboard with black dot inlays, six-on-one-side Sperzel locking tuners, Gotoh six-point vintage bridge, Strat-style white pickguard, one...

ESP George Lynch M-1 Tiger Image

ESP George Lynch M-1 Tiger

- similar to the Sunburst Tiger, except has M-I body design, 22-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, exposed ESP humbucker, volume knob, available in Yellow/Black Tiger Stripe Graphic finish with matching headstock, mfg. 1996-presen...

ESP George Lynch Serpent Image

ESP George Lynch Serpent

- rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay/ESP logo block inlay at 12th fret, peghead has screened logo/initial, available in Black/White Serpent graphic finish, mfg. 1993-2003.

ESP George Lynch Skull & Bones Image

ESP George Lynch Skull & Bones

- hand carved maple body, maple bolt-on neck with ebony fingerboard, white dot inlays, 22 XJ frets, Original Floyd Rose bridge, Duncan Screamin´ Demon pickup, vibrato bar, limited production, available in Bone finish, mfg. 1999 only.

ESP George Lynch Super V Image

ESP George Lynch Super V

- swooping Flying-V style with longer bass bout mahogany body, set three-piece mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inalys and 12th fret Super V logo, six-on-one side Sperzel locking tuners, headstock has two points, T...

ESP George Lynch Super V SE Image

ESP George Lynch Super V SE

- similar to the George Lynch Super V, except has a slightly different body shape with hooked lower bouts, a maple neck, a double locking Floyd Rose tremolo bridge, a clear pickguard, and normal chrome hardware, available in Black with silv...

ESP George Lynch Ultra Tone Image

ESP George Lynch Ultra Tone

- bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, three-per-side vintage-style tuners, screened logo/Ultra Tone/graphic on headstock, three Seymour Duncan covered mini-humbuckers, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, chrome hardware, black/...

ESP GUS G. Image

ESP GUS G.

- X-shaped Explorer-style body with enlonged lower bass and upper treble bouts and no upper bass bout alder body, flame maple top, white bound top, maple neck-thru body, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with small flame inlays, matching f...

ESP Gus G. NT Image

ESP Gus G. NT

- similar to the Gus G., except has a non-reverse headstock, and a TonePros locking tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece, available in See-Thru Black Cherry, mfg. 2009-present.

ESP JAKE E. LEE Image

ESP JAKE E. LEE

- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 24.75 in. scale, 22-fret maple or rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, strings-through fixed bridge, screened peghead signature/logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, chrome hardware, white pickgua...

ESP JAMES HETFIELD JH-1 Image

ESP JAMES HETFIELD JH-1

- Flying V-style mahogany body, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with abalone custom inlay, three-per-side headstock, fixed bridge, black hardware, two EMG humbuckers, volume/tone controls, three-way selector, available in Hot Rod flame graphic...

ESP JAMES HETFIELD JH-2 Image

ESP JAMES HETFIELD JH-2

- Explorer-style mahogany body, black Diamond-plate metal top, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond custom inlay, six-on-one-side tuners, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, two EMG (models 81/60) humbuckers,...

ESP JAMES HETFIELD JH-3 Image

ESP JAMES HETFIELD JH-3

- single cutaway mahogany body, maple-set neck with rosewood fingerboard, 22 XJ frets with custom flag inlays, Creme body and neck binding, tune-o-matic bridge, two EMG (models 81/60) humbucker pickups, gold hardware, two volume and two ton...

ESP JAMES HETFIELD "IRON CROSS" SIGNATURE Image

ESP JAMES HETFIELD "IRON CROSS" SIGNATURE

- single cutaway Eclipse-style mahogany body with a maple top, multi-ply top and back body binding, set mahogany neck, 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard with flag and 12th fret Iron Cross inlays, multi-ply bound headstock with black overlay,...