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 JAMES HETFIELD "SNAKEBYTE" SIGNATURE Image

ESP JAMES HETFIELD "SNAKEBYTE" SIGNATURE

- offset hourglass Explorer-style mahogany body with a wavy lower bout, set mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with dots and 12th fret snake inlays, matching finish headstock with ESP logo, six-on-one-side Sperzel locking tuners, T...

ESP JAMES HETFIELD "TRUCKSTER" SIGNATURE Image

ESP JAMES HETFIELD "TRUCKSTER" SIGNATURE

- single cutaway Les Paul style mahogany body, set three-piece mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with flag and 12th fret ESP inlays, matching headstock with JH initial and three-per-side tuners, Tone Pros Locking bridge, stop tail...

ESP JEFF HANNEMAN SIGNATURE Image

ESP JEFF HANNEMAN SIGNATURE

- double cutaway maple neck-through body with Alder sides, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, white dot inlays with "Slayer" logo at 12th fret, 24 XJ frets, two EMG-81 humbucker pickups with SPC control, white neck binding, bla...

ESP JON DONAIS Image

ESP JON DONAIS

- offset double cutaway Strat-style mahogany body, flamed maple top, black body binding, mahogany neck, 22-fret ebony fingerboard with no inlays, reverse Strat-style matching finish flamed maple overlay headstock, six-on-the-other-side Sper...

ESP KELLY HAYES SIGNATURE Image

ESP KELLY HAYES SIGNATURE

- single cutaway mahogany body (similar to a Les Paul), maple neck, 24-fret ebony figerboard with cold spiders inlays and "13" at 12th fret, two EMG-81 humbucker pickups, TonePros locking bridge with string-thru body, two knobs (v...

ESP KERRY KING KK STANDARD Image

ESP KERRY KING KK STANDARD

- Flying V-style mahogany body, set-in mahogany neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond inlay, reverse curved headstock with screened signature/logo, 6-on-a-side tuners, Kahler Pro tremolo, black hardware, 2 EMG-81 humbuckers,...

ESP Kerry King KK Custom Image

ESP Kerry King KK Custom

- similar to the Kerry King KK Standard, except features neck-through-body construction, pearl eagle fingerboard inlays, available in Red/Black crackle finish, disc. 1998.

ESP KIRK HAMMETT KH-1 Image

ESP KIRK HAMMETT KH-1

- Flying V-style mahogany body, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl custom ´devil´ inlay, 3-per-side headstock, Floyd Rose tremolo, black hardware, white pickguard, EMG-81 humbucker, volume controls, available in Black finish...

ESP KIRK HAMMETT KH-2 (CUSTOM M-II) Image

ESP KIRK HAMMETT KH-2 (CUSTOM M-II)

- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl skull and crossbones inlay, Floyd Rose tremolo, reverse pointed peghead with screened logo/initials, six-on-one-side tuners, black hardware, two...

ESP KIRK HAMMETT KH-3 Image

ESP KIRK HAMMETT KH-3

- single cutaway alder body, mahogany neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl skull and spider inlay, Floyd Rose tremolo, blackface peghead with screened signature/logo, three-per-side tuners, black hardware, two EMG-81 humbuckers, th...

ESP KIRK HAMMETT KH-4 Image

ESP KIRK HAMMETT KH-4

- offset double cutaway body, alder wings, through-body maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, Original Floyd Rose tremolo, reverse pointed peghead with screened logo/initials, six-on-the-other-side tuners, black har...

ESP LOW G SIGNATURE Image

ESP LOW G SIGNATURE

- offset double cutaway Alder body, bolt-on maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, white dot inlays, white neck binding, 22 XJ frets, one EMG-81 pickup, tune-o-matic bridge, stop tailpiece, chrome hardware, available in Black and White...

ESP MAX CAVALERA Image

ESP MAX CAVALERA

- offset double cutaway design similar to an SG, alder body, maple neck, ebony fingerboard, soulfly logo position markers, XXX at 12-fet, Tune-O-Matic bridge, string-through-body, white neck binding, 24 XJ frets, one Seymour Duncan SH-6 pic...

ESP MAX CAVALERA AX Image

ESP MAX CAVALERA AX

- X-shaped AX-style alder body, maple neck-thru-body, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with symbol inlays below the 12th fret, X inlays between the 12th and 24th, and 12th and 24th fret XXX inlays, matching finish headstock, three-per-side G...

ESP MAX CAVALERA EX Image

ESP MAX CAVALERA EX

- offset hourglass Explorer EX-style mahogany body, maple NTB, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with symbol inlays below the 12th fret, X inlays between the 12th and 24th, and 12th fret XXX inlays, matching finish hockey stick-style heads...

ESP MICHAEL AMOTT NINJA (FIRST VERSION) Image

ESP MICHAEL AMOTT NINJA (FIRST VERSION)

- Flying V-style with sharp points and a rounded middle between the points, mahogany body, three-piece set mahogany neck, 22 XJ fret rosewood fingerboard with Custom X inlays, six-on-one-side Sperzel locking tuners, bone nut, Gotoh tune-o-m...

ESP MICHAEL AMOTT NINJA (SECOND VERSION) Image

ESP MICHAEL AMOTT NINJA (SECOND VERSION)

- Flying V-style with sharp points and a rounded middle between the points, mahogany body, quilted maple top, set mahogany neck, 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard with Custom X inlays, bound matching finish headstock, three-per-side Sperzel l...

ESP MICHAEL PAGET Image

ESP MICHAEL PAGET

- symmetrical Flying V-style mahogany body, mahogany NTB, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with custom gun shooting a floral inlay between the 1st and 13th frets and traditional dot inlays between the 15th and 24th frets, bound hockey stick-...

ESP MICHAEL WILTON Image

ESP MICHAEL WILTON

- offset double cutaway Strat-style alder body, bolt-on bird's-eye maple neck, 22 XJ fret bird's-eye maple fingerboard with black diamond inlays, Strat-style headstock with six-on-one-side Sperzel locking tuners, original Floyd Rose vibrato...

ESP PAGE HAMILTON Image

ESP PAGE HAMILTON

- offset double cutaway Horizon-style alder body, three-piece maple NTB, 24 XJ fret rosewood fingerboard, matching narrow headstock with three-per-side Sperzel locking tuners, graphite nut, Wilkinson VS-100 vibrato bridge, one exposed DiMar...

ESP PAGE HAMILTON MG Image

ESP PAGE HAMILTON MG

- offset double cutaway Horizon-style alder body, maple NTB, 24 XJ-fret bound rosewood fingerboard, mathcing finish reverse hockey stick-style headstock, six-on-one-side Gotoh tuners, original double locking Floyd Rose tremolo bridge, one e...

ESP RICHARD Z RZK-1 Image

ESP RICHARD Z RZK-1

- offset double cutaway with a longer treble horn than bass horn, alder body, three-piece maple NTB, 24 XJ fret bound rosewood fingerboard with Custom cross (large plus signs) inlays, bound matching headstock with three-per-side Grover tune...

ESP RON WOOD Image

ESP RON WOOD

- single round cutaway bound alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay (Black or Fiesta Red finish) or rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays (Sunburst finish), strings-through fixed bridge, six-on-o...

ESP STEPHEN CARPENTER SIGNATURE Image

ESP STEPHEN CARPENTER SIGNATURE

- double cutaway maple neck-through-body with alder sides, maple neck with ebony fingerboard, no inlays, white neck binding, 24 XJ frets, one Duncan TB-4 pickup, one ESP LH-200 and one ESP SS-120 pickup, tune-o-matic bridge, chrome hardware...

ESP Stephen Carpenter 7 Image

ESP Stephen Carpenter 7

- similar to Stephen Carpenter Signature Model except in a 7-string configuration, tune-o-matic 7 bridge, Duncan JB-7, ยด59-7, and SSL-7 pickups, available in Black finish with pearl binding, mfg. 2000 only.

ESP STEPHEN CARPENTER STEF-7 Image

ESP STEPHEN CARPENTER STEF-7

- offset double cutaway Strat-style alder body, three-piece maple neck-thru-body, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard, matching finish bound headstock, six-on-one-side tuners, TonePros tune-o-matic bridge, STB, two EMG active pickups, two knobs...

ESP WILL ADLER Image

ESP WILL ADLER

- single sharp cutaway Eclipse-style mahogany body, quilted maple top, cream bound top, set maple neck, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with star and 8-12th fret American Flag inlays, matching finish bound headstock, three-per-side Sperz...