ESP 400 Series

Mine has the gold edging on the black ESP logo, which I think means its an early one. Ive heard that the body is alder, but mine is black, so hard to tell, athough it feels too light to be ash, and too heavy for basswood. Its a Strat copy with the usual Strat features except it has 22 frets, not 21. The neck is a medium C shape, not chunky, not slim. Everything about it feels 'right'.

Unlike many good Japanese Strats, this one sounds, as well as looks like a proper vintage Strat. Compared to my old '94 40th Aniversary USA Strat, it has a smoother, more rounded tone and more vintage tone, quite similar to a friends' '73 Strat. It has that unmistakeable 'springy' tone which makes it feel like its alive. No other guitar Ive owned can do that. This Strat is suitable for all types of music which is probably why its the most popular style of guitar.

Ive had it set up myself. These Japanese guitars are perfectly made and built to last. Bookmatched? Thats not what Fenders are about.

So far so good.

Untried.

Having owned several Strats including a 72, 78 and 79, a USA 62 reissue and a '94 40th Anniversary, this cheap Japanese copy [cost $450]is amazing. Ive also owned several Tokai's,[Springy Sounds, Goldstars and Silverstars] and this ESP ranks alongside the best of them, only it has better sounding pickups than any Japanese Strat Ive heard. You could go out and spend a lot more money on a vintage Strat, but if youre thinking about a late 70's model, you'd be much better off with one of these ESPs. Nearly all Strats from 1976 onwards are too heavy and because of that, they dont resonate well and although some will still sound good, most are lifeless overpriced lumps. The ESP 400 series is a great guitar for a guitarist, it will do everything you need from a Strat and it doesnt feel like a toy. Over the past 30 years Ive tried every type of guitar possible, but I keep coming back to the Strat simply because its the best sounding and most comfortable guitar. If you see one, buy it.

MIJ 84-85 22 Fret Rosewood fingerboard 3 tone sunburst, standard strat config, exact replica of the 65 era strats, all hardware recreates that look. ESP pickups in the neck and middle, dimarzio HB in the bridge. I believe these are ash bodies, it is a very light guitar compared to my 84 USA Strat, very comfortable. ESP bridge replicates the vintage fenders, same with the tuners. The neck feels great, very thin and playable. It gets a bit thicher as you go up the neck, but overall a very thin neck. Vintage size frets, I'd like jumbo's, but it's not worth a re-fret. I'm spoiled with my EC400vf.

I'm giving it a 9 not for the actual features, but for the fact that it looks, plays, and sounds better than most fenders I've played. When they made these guitars, they out-did Fender. You can't find better vintage fender copies for under $500 and 80's re-issue fenders are very expensive. This giutar is very similar to my 84 USA strat and other MIJ fenders of the era.

I'm into the Hendrix/SRV/Frusciante thick blues sound and this guitar is perfect for that. I use the neck and neck/middle pickup position 90% of the time. It plays great and allows me to really move around easily. I use a Laney LC50II 112 with a Laney 112 ext cab, and an Epi Valve Jr head and cab. The Dimarzio is great, but the esp pickups should be replaced or rewound. They sound great, but the middle pickup was fried when I got it and disconnected, and I don't want a humbucker in the strat. I have an EC400vf for that sound. I'm going to replace the pickups with a set of Klein '65 which would be period correct.

I don't like the currect configuration, but I can't hold that against the guitar. I's been modified and I have to bring it back before I can really have an opinion. I have no reason to believe it won't sound great.

It's a 25 year old guitar, so there are cosmetic flaws such as rusty hardware, cracked pickguards, dings, scratches, etc. It all adds to it's character. People pay a lot of money to distress new guitars (the new fender "road worn" and custom shop guitars). The action is a nice and low. I love the looks, the sunburst finsih is one of the best I've seen. If you're into vintage instuments, this is a perfect reproduction of the early Fenders. It's the whole reason I bought the guitar. Pickups and hardware can be replaced, but this guitar has it's own unique personality. For the price of a new Mexi strat, you can have vintage tone, looks, and playability. I'll be buying a couple more of these, I'm looking for the 2 tone sunburst with the maple neck, but they're rare.

It's a durable guitar, I don't play live, but I will when I get the chance. Once I get new pickups, it should be very reliable. It's reliable now, I just don't have a middle pickup, which I need. It's a solid guitar, most strats are. Very basic, low maintenance. The more the finish wears off, the better, but the poly finish is holding up well with no wear from rubbing.

No customer support for a 25 year old guitar.

I've been playing on and off for about 10 years. I own an 84 USA Strat, an ESP LTD EC400vf, a Martin DM, Laney LC50II, and an epi valve jr. I did my research before buying this guitar, and have always wanted one. I like ESP guitars having grown up a huge Metallica fan. This was their first production model, so it's got some history to it. If it was stolen or lost, I'd buy another, but I would have to do a lot of searching. I love the guitar itself and the way it plays. It's got a great vibe and is a real players guitar. I don't like the pickups, but that's the previous owners fault for screwing them up. The one thing I don't like about the guitar itself is that the tone control is extremely sensitive and goes from muddy to crystal clear from the 1-3 position. I'd like to have more of a blend.

I really like the guitar, but prefer my strat. The neck is the same thickness all the way up and is a bit more comfortable to play. The ESP sounds better though, the pickups are stronger and more articulate. For the most part, both are interchangable, but I tend to prefer my USA strat. It should be said that I'm extremely bias towards my strat however, and no other instrument I've played has lived up to it yet. That includes numerous guitars I've tried out that were $2-3000.

I love this guitar and am looking forward to getting it set up with new pickups. It has a lot more punch than my strat and plays almost as well. You can't beat these guitars, they are unique and can play with the best of them. There is no reason to spend more than $4-500 on a strat IMO when guitars like this are available. It's probably the best strat style guitar for the money and should become more and more collectable as time gores on. MIJ strats are good too, but these are unique and better quality.

Tele style Black nice white binding rosewood fretboard

absolutely like a tele should --- I feel like I could play with Roy Buchanan, Danny Gaton, and Al Anderson with absolutely no qualms about my axe

I tweaked the set up some both for action and intonation --- this guitar was a true closet classic, came to me in virtually untouched condition --- now it's just perfect

stays in tune better than any other guitar i have

these guitars are my favorite live playing instruments

this is vintage guitar - way out of any possible warranty

this is my 3rd 400 Series tele

I had previously really regretted letting my 1st very early serial number 400 series tele go because it had been the best guitar I ever used for live work.

But I have a new love . . . this slightly later example with the white binding and rosewood fretboard is my favorite electric guitar to play . . . there is something that just makes me find whole new worlds to explore when I pick it up.

I've been playing over 40 years and have played just about everything there is to play . . . my second favorite guitar is my '62 gibson

1985-87. Japan ?,USA?.22 frets.stratocaster look and feel. V-neck,maple board,5-way toggle switch,3 knobs,v,t,t.3 single coils.Body alder?.Black gloss body,black logo, no gold in logo.serial# 00281.left handed guitar.Vintage bridge,no stamped ESP inside string saddles.Gotoh deluxe vintage style tuners.Vintage thin fret wire.

Playing lots of different styles, rock , amp'ed acoustic and also heavy sometimes.Marshall tsl 100 tube head, marshall 1960 lead cab.I run a RP-1 multi-proc or a pod depending on the guitar. This guitar seems to beg for the pod.It was almost impossibly noisy strait to the stack.Processed however, ended the noise issue(noise gate).The pod seems to allow the impossible.Being a single coil guitar, it still remains ballsy in the low end.Being maple fretboard, it had a bright,punchy mid and the highs needed calmed down on the amp side.

Set up very solid,slightly high action but easily adjusted to it.I don't think the bridge is set up right, at least that is what i heard about the 400 series.Very nice though,overall a very well built instrument.

Dependable on any level,good hardware.Being a black guitar, black paint seems to do strange things. Ghost jagged lines in finish under certain lighting. Still a beauty though.

never dealt with ESP before.

28 years of playing.les paul custom 69 stratocaster JH tribute,Jackson ps-2,washburn strat with floyd Rose,Ltd, M-50, mexi Fender Telecaster and a nylon string classical.I wish i bought a couple back in the day and took great care of them.They are sweet guitars(400 series).I can tell you this much, this guitar holds it's ground compared to any guitar i own.Very distinct tone.

I have two, and I've had many before (I also have an ESP 400 Tele). They were all made in the 80s in Japan. I kept only 22 fret versions, and I much prefer rosewood personally, so I only have one maple left. The tremolo routing was a bit off on one of mine, so I had to put on a non-original block to free it from the wall. The other I changed bodies to a superlight poplar and converted it to a hardtail with a TailFeatherz unit (love them). Weighs about the same as a Parker Fly trem now. The original pickups are terrific, but I put in Fralins anyway. Now for the beef. THIS IS THE BEST VINTAGE-STYLE STRAT EVER MADE. Did you hear me? THE BEST VINTAGE STRAT EVER MADE. These necks are simply the best designed, straightest-wooded, slinkiest mothafuckas ever. I have two custom Tom Andersons that are inarguably a cut above in terms of pure guitar perfection, but the feel is completely non-vintage, and these 400s feel even slinkier than they do anyway. If you have a chance to own one in good shape, neck-wise, don't hesitate.

Classic Strat tones. Mine have good bodies, and the necks are the point anyway. Make the sound what you like.

The nuts and small frets are capable of producing the lowest action of any guitar I've ever played and ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. I've had at least ten 400s, and they've all been dreams.
I give them a 10 for being the best action, but I have to admit, the vintage finishes often don't impress me. Not G&L for sure.

They're all as solid as any other Strat.

These are vintage instruments. Out of warranty, not factory supported. You're on your own. : )

COUNTING MOJO, THE BEST FENDER SCALE GUITARS EVER, IMHO. I've been playing forever (though recently rejuvenated), and I've now owned and/or played everything worth trying. My final set is all Andersons, ESP 400s, vintage German archtops (Fender-scale, also), and a couple of FrankenTeles I made (one ebony scalloped, one hollow w/padauk), . ESP 400s are my #1 favorite. And at these prices, they are by far the best value.

Hey all you 400 Series Freaks!! In 1986 I purchased for $250!! A "Surf Green" (although has opal-essent overtones) 1 Dbl-Hum, One knob, Maple/Maple, Strat copy. I belive it to be a prototype (4-dig ser.#). Black w/gold shadow logo. I am the second owner. Could be an '85?? Have looked for years to find out any info based on ser#. If anyone knows how to obtain, please share... Peace!!

Sounds killer through solid state amps. P/Us are too hot for Marshalls.

The most eye-candy finish (in the light) I have ever seen. Bridge was set-up for .10s and stays in tune pretty well overall.

Would not gig w/because of potential rareness.

N/A

Been playing gtr 20+ yrs. Drums are native instrument(30+yrs) Les Pauls are my main axes. This was my first "real" guitar, bought right out of high school. Still plays amazing. Smoother neck than a ton of USA Strats that I have played!!!

hey.here is my little storry how i found my favorite Axe.
was hanging around in my local guitar shop.One day,Henning the sales mann(and prof player) was playing some nice SRV and Jimmi things,on a candy apple red 400 ESP.He was talking about the great tone the things had,and I agree.at that time I Was allreddy in love.the next day I Whent down and bought it(338$),right in front of his nose.
today I use it ewery time i hawe a gig.I play some old and nev stuff
with my band.the guitar newer vent down on mee,and i'm verry happy for it.

I like the great clean "Strat"sound when I play some Shadows,Dire-straits.It also get a great sound together with my blues dewille 4X12,loaded with some custom Hi-gaine tubes.on that level I play most of my tones,its like the axe playing by it self,and the sound is very crunchy....yeah Yeah I love that Texas sound.Thank you Stevie Ray.

The guitar is adjustet to the lowest action of all the strats (4ps)I have.I`we been studdy some history about necks,and found out that this example has a 1962 curwed rose-wood fret board,with tinny fretwire in poor shape.I have to replace them in near future.but it still plays with out lousing its tone.I think i`we use medium fretwire next time.the poorly plastic saddle is replaced with new in brass.That works.on the others i use bone saddle,that allso works fine.

I love the finish, it begins to look older now.
I will play that thing in any gig,without worry.

I`m happy to repair by my self,when something not working.Bye the way,Henning stil like my vissit in the factory.He allredy got some great guitars.

My play tools.
One Fender Quardwerb,One Fender Blues Dewille.too many pedals.
Line-six POD used in my home studio.My wife hang me if I whrite more.

I purchased this guitar (used) in May, 1998.

Vintage 1954 Stratocaster copy (S454).
Body: 2-tone sunburst
Neck: 1-piece maple neck, V-shaped w/21 frets, 1 string tree, gold & black ESP decal
Pickups: 3 single-coil
Pickguard: single-ply, white
Controls: 1 volume, 2 tone
Tremolo: Standard tremolo, stamped saddles (ESP)
Tuners: 'kluson' tuners

If you covered-up the headstock you'd never know you weren't playing a vintage Fender. Electronics are connected using black & white cloth-covered wire.

It sounds like a strat. Not a great strat, and not a lousy strat.

No flaws. All parts fit properly. Finish is nice & glossy. Neck finish is not as glossy, but looks/feels fine. Playability was fine from the beginning. I liked this guitar right away. Almost 6 years later it's still one of my favorites.

I did have to replace the stock pickup selector switch: it was noisy/scratchy. I took that thing completely apart (It's encased in a black box) and cleaned it real good.....but it was still noisy. All other electronic components work flawlessly.

I'd E-mailed ESP regarding these (400 Series) guitars. They responded (nicely) that they have very little information regarding these guitars (400 Series).

I've searched the internet but was unable to find any really good data regarding the ESP 400 Series, so I searched thru my extensive collection of old Guitar Player & Guitar World magazines. Here's what I found.

There were 2 batches: The 400 Series, and The Traditional Series.

ESP (Electric Sound Products) 400 Series guitars were manufactured in Japan during the 1980?s. The 400 Series were named for their suggested list price: $400.00. They made excellent copies of vintage Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jazz, and Precision basses. The earlier batch of 6-string (400 Series) guitars had a black & gold ESP decal on the headstock, 21 frets, and ESP stamped on the saddles. The later Traditional Series had a solid black ESP decal, 22 frets, and blank (non-stamped) saddles. The Fender copies might not have been produced beyond 1987-1988. There is no evidence that they were manufactured in the 1990?s.
The first batch (of strats) was: S454 (2-tone sunburst w/maple neck & single-ply pickguard), (S465) 3-tone sunburst w/rosewood neck & 3-ply ?green? pickguard. Telecasters were: T453 (blonde, maple board), T463 (3-tone sunburst w/rosewood board). Precision basses: P457 (2-tone, maple) and P464 (3-tone, rosewood): and the J464 Jazz bass (3-tone, rosewood.). The S454 and T453 had one-piece ?V?-shaped necks.

The later Traditional Series had ?U?-shaped necks. Other standard (no extra charge), appropriate-vintage ?Custom Colors? offered were: Black, Olympic White, Lake Placid Blue, Surf Green, Candy Apple Red, etc., and J464?s in Metallic blue or red w/matching headstocks. Prices around 1986 were $495.00 for guitars and $550.00 for basses. Double-bound ?Tele Custom? bodies cost an extra $75.00. They all featured period hardware, vintage replica bridges and saddles. They feel, play, and sound like the real things, and aside from the headstock shape, the only noticeable difference from a vintage Fender was an extra fret ? 22 instead of 21. Locking tremolos, locking nuts, and Humbucking pickups were neither standard, nor optional, on the 400 Series models.

i bought this F 400 second hand from a pawn shop for about 150$,15 years ago looks like a 50/60's strat replica,but boy it sounds better than most american fenders i tryied!possibly alder body,maple neck(beautiful)very dark,i assume rosewood,fretboard,tipical 60's fender strat frets,vintage tuners,3 single coils not much noisyer than any vintage strat,sound like SRV mexicans,all chrome vintage hardware ESP logos on all parts,headstock originally had ESP F400 series logo on it,but was gone when i bought it(it still show a bit though)floyd rose stile bridge,colour also been changed:now black,showing in some parts the original red(looks like the M.Knopfler strat red...is it apple candy?)....i have to give it a 9,because i didn't know it from knew,but i have fenders,and this is the best "fender i have)...oh,almost forgot:i can't date it,but the on the metal plate on the neck says ESP-N.Y.C.-MADE IN USA,& the serial number 7392,so maybe some of you guys's gonna be able to tell me how old she is

play kind of lo-fi heavy blues/rock in a trio,for heavier sounds i use some humbuckers,or this one with some pedals(mainly electroharmonix american big muff& deluxe memoryman) usually thru' soldano decatone 100, or Huges&Kettner warp....the guitar plays great,feels great,lot of sustain...late night/early morning i play it unplugged,makes me feel like i'm in the middle of eather pacific ocean or Arizona desert.....ok,s.coils noisy,but then if you go 4 a vintage strat you know what you get no doubt,a winner!

can't say about that,'cause it was used(and badly repainted by some dork)but i have to tell you,i hade it set up properly by a great Maestro,i didn't wanna change any part,and i don't intend to...besides,i need some noise

well,now we've been married for almost 20 years,after the last set up (3 years ago)i barely have to tune it after a few gigs(!) and change the strings (if she want to!) ok,i have to say that 1-i don't run around too much on stage &2-i never use the tremelo bar....still,it looks very solid and reliable...is not the only gtr i use,but not because i don't trust her,just need different gtrs.4different stuff

no warranty obviously...not totally impressed by customer service...they didn't even know they ever made this guitar...but maybe they are great with the new guitars try make,so i can't judge

i wish i could have met the guy who did the abismal paint job,just to open his skull and throw away the obviously useless brain...now i'm gonna sound like an asshole,'cause my favourite feat.is the colour...just wish it 've been made by a pro...love:everything...hate:nothing comparered to any other strat,she's the best,but i don't have all the gtrs in the world,therefore i can't say....she's my fave,i LOVE HER!...if it were stolen,i'd kill myself....

I don't know if this guitar is really a 400 series, and the Seller on ebay told me it is a one of a kind instrument, made in the mid-80s in the little Custom shop in Dusseldorf/ Germany. It has a black body, perhaps alder/ ash?! a one-piece maple neck and two humbuckers and a center singele coil in the middle. You can split the HBs with a pull on the tone-pot. The Hbs are Zebra-coiled, and the hardware is just black. So if you look at it from 10 feet - you might just see three single-coils - pretty cool! It's a tele, but it IS a versatile guitar! Maybe some of you can tell me more about this. I'm not an expert for esp...

I play a wide range of music in cover-bands, and i was looking for a good tele - because i've sold one (a fender USA) that i loved, and then i was looking for a tele as good as my first one! Let me say that i bought 4 teles (all US-made in almost 3 months and i sold them all: Because i found this one. IT'S AMAZING!!! shocking!!! It has INCREDIBLE sustain, geat balance, well defined tone, and a ultra-fast response!!! Every person, who played this guitar was amazed! What a steal! It's just like winning the jackpot ....

don't know the "factory set-up" because it's old now. To be honest, the action is a litte high for me, but on this one it doesn't matter! Maybe because of the ultra fat jumbos?! Ist has 010-048 strings now. Normally i prefer 009-042, but on this one i will use the 010-048 in future, becaue i don't want to change anything for the feel, playability or sound of this guitar...

don't know: I have this one just 10 days, and will take her on saturday to the first gig "together"! It feels, that it will last for ever.

I have no ned for it...

I'm playing guitar for 25 years up to now, I'm teaching and playing in several bands, and believe me: I've played almost any Guitar, made on this earth. I'm visiting the "Musikmesse Frankfurt" every year and i'm not shy and fuck them all... Tylers, PRS, Gibsons. This is a unique instrument, worth for the word "custom"! In every category it is better than my best fender i had - and this was also a very good instrument. Maybe she is soundig so unbelievable because she is still played over 20 years. I think a new-bought-never-played instrument can't sound as good as a "old bitch" that is played for decades! But however - this is one of the best teles - maybe the best (The fucked up 66er Tele in the local musicstore for 3200,-- Euro is a outstanding instrument too!)that i've ever played - and what a steal!!!

This guitar is just mint!!! Owned by a prior Blues player it has tremendous action!!! I ripped out the Tex Mex singles and went with a little Demon in the bridge, and JB Jr in the neck, and a alnicoII in the middle. Great sounds!! Body is Ash Finish is aged white not a chip or ding in it!! Also has a Floyd Rose and locking nut. Neck is maple.

The sound is awesome!! I use a GNX3 From Digitech in the studio, and a Digitech RP1 live!!

na

Thumbs up all the way accross the board!! I am used to playing ESP and there is no other choice out there for me!! Without ESP, there is no me!!

I have been playing for 23 years and have come to love ESP guitar line since I started out with a Kamikaze II in 1986. I got rid of all my other guitars and switched over to ESP. There is no comparison!! With Pickups and processors today, there is no need for PRS, and Gibson, I could make a shitty Raven sound as good if not better then a Gibson or PRS. So atlast the guitars come down to craftsmanship, and you can't beat ESP!!

Hi, ich habe zwei 400er-Strats. Das erste Modell ist ein 50-Style-Modell in blue-metallic und one-peace-maple-neck mit leichtem V-Querschnitt. Die andere ist ein 60-Style-Modell in Three-tone-sunburst und Maple/Rosewood-Neck mit flachem D-Querscnitt. Beide Body bestehen aus Erle und schwingen sehr gut. Ansonsten ist die Ausstattung sehr Vintage-like. 21 Bunde, 3 Single Coils, Vintage-Bunde, Funffachschalter, Vintage-Trem, Kluson Tuner - eben wie gehabt, aber in wirklich sehr guter Qualitat.

Ich spiel von Blues bis Metal alles was Spass macht und das seit nunmehr 24 Jahren. Ich hatte schon sehr viele Strats (Fender: RI, Custom Shop, American Std., Mexico, Japan; Warmoth; Rockinger; Claim; Musik Man; Ibanez; usw.), aber die ESP sind einfach die besten. Sie kosten nicht die Welt und sind von der Verarbeitung bis zum Klang einfach richtig gut - gutes Sustain, gutes Attack, charaktervoller Stratsound, gute Pickups (ich habe allerdings in der einen Kloppmann-PU's drin - der absolute Geheimtip!!!)

Ich hatte mit den beiden noch nie Probleme. Die Verarbeitung ist uber jeden Zweifel erhaben, die Holzauswahl sehr gut (kann Warmoth oder Rockinger auch nicht besser), die Justage ist einwandfrei (ein bisschen Kampfen muss man mit einer Strat eh - sonst klingts einfach nicht, oder?!). Die Ausstattung ist Strattypisch und mindestens auf Fender-USA-Niveau!

Ich benutze beide im Studio wie auch live ohne Probleme. Ledichlich die Strattypischen Einstreuungen nerven in den Einzelstellungen ein wenig, aber da gibt es ja im Zubehor Abhilfe (Noiseless-PU's o.a.), wenn an will.

Bisher habe ich den Support noch nie in Anspruch nehmen mussen.

Alles in allem die besten Strats, die ich fur das Geld jemals in den Fingern hatte. Beide Gitarren gebe ich niemals mehr her. Wer Strats mag wird die ESP 400-Serie lieben!!!

It's a tele, copy of the 60's custom, ash body with binding in 3 tone sunburst, mapleneck with rosewood fretboard, 21 frets.
Any questions?

It's a tele, any questions?
To be honest I tried a lot of fender teles, mexican made, us made, custom shop. I envied my friends for playing the original, while mine is a copy. But I never found a fender coming near my baby's class.
I changed the pickups, though - but only because of the typical single coil noise, tone was excellent and did not change much with the fender noiseless vintage I put in.
I play a mixture of jazz, rock, blues, funk, country and folk using a mesa boogie caliber 50+ and a fender pro junior (very simple, decent sounding little amp) and find it versatile enough for my style. It cries, ir sings, it bops and it plays da funky rhythm. And - very important - it cuts through the mix.

I bought it used, well set up and with a few scratches. It is a well- made tool.

It's a tele!

Originally I bought it as a backup for my fender strat. Now it is the only electric guitar I use. It sounds better than any fender I tried. It's a bargain. If you want a tele, try to find one!

1986 Series 400 "Strat" style guitar, maple neck and fretboard, red body color, white pickguard, traditional strat-like setup w/ 6 screw vibrato, 3 single coils and 5 way switch.

This guitar used to sound like a typical strat and, way back when, I didn't like strats so from day one this has been my pickup guinea pig.
I've had DiMarzio HS series pickups in it, various Duncans and others. It now sports a pair of Duncan Hot Rails in the bridge and neck positions and a Duncan Duckbucker in the middle. A little creative wiring of the 5 way switch gives me 5 very distinct and useable tones.
This guitar is also one of my main slide guitars and it delivers the goods in this area.
The guitar sounded good stock but it now sounds more like "me".

The guitar was set up from the day it was purchased. The action has always been on par with any similar Fender Strat that I've played and owned.
I LOVE the shape of the neck especially when compared to Fenders of a similar vintage.
The fit and finish were and always have been perfect.

I've owned this guitar since it was new and it's seen hundreds and hundreds of gigs. It looks almost as good today as the day I saw it on the wall at Mid Atlantic Music.
The durability of the paint is incredible.
The detail is wonderful.
Everything has always worked on this axe EVEN after all my abuse.

N/A but the people at the old ESP outlet on Sunset were always very nice.

My wife bought this guitar for me back when she was my girlfriend...which would explain one reason why she's still my wife :-)
She knew that I was not a Fender person at the time and was amazed that I showed so much interest in a strat-like guitar so she bought it and surprised me with it.
Even if the guitar was not a gift I WOULD NOT get rid of it. I've had a few Fender Stratocasters come and go but this ESP will remain with me until I leave this earth.
Not only would I buy another if it were stolen, I'm currently looking for another NOW...I'd like a blue one.
The Series 400 is a top-notch guitar.

400 Series Telecaster bought from original owner (1000,-- German Mark ~ 500 US$). I suppose it is a mid-eigthies model, made in Japan. Typical 3-way Tele PU selector, original Pickups (one lipstick single coil in front position, one staggered single coil in bridge position). Don't know exactly what they used for body wood (probably ash - very lightweight guitar, very comfortable to play, fantastic sustaiiiiiiinnnnnnnn!!!). Bolt-on maple neck (v-shape, which is good for me, cause I have big hands).
Hardware is vintage-style gold (nice Cluson-like tuners, 60's Tele-style bridge). Finish is black, white pickguard, which has nicely aged and took on that light greenish tint.

This baby just kicks ass!!! Has not much to offer in the versatility stakes, but hey, it's a Tele. Sounds good over different amplifiers (Marshall Artist 3203/Mesa Boogie Mark II) in almost every position. I wouldn't recommend this instrument to anyone who is into Heavy Metal though, because the single coils have a tendency to go "Jimi" if you choose too much distortion. As mentioned before - rich sustain, typical TWANG in bridge position. I don't use the neck PU that much, because it sounds a bit muffled. But I think that's a matter of taste...
Reliable guitar for the stuff i'm into (R'n'R/early Punk).

I didn't have to make any adjustments, because it was well set-up by the previous owner. Some minor flaws (control knobs falling off, loose nut on the output jack) but nothing that couldn't be fixed. The hardware shows some signs of oxydation, but it gives a nice vintage look & feel...

My number one choice when it comes to live performing (stays in tune, and you don't feel like the hunchback of Notre Dame, cause it's very light). I put straplocks on it, so there are no problems. I don't care about the finish as long as the body and neck stay in shape. 1989 American Fender Standard Strat is always used as my backup, because i hate to attach new strings during a gig/session...

This is a nice guy when it comes to guitar troubles.
http://www.siggi-schwarz.de

I've been playing guitar for 16 years and probably will for the rest of my live (i don't have any other creative outlets like drawing or writing ;-)). If this guitar would be stolen, i'd probably get me another one of the same model, but they seem to be somewhat rare in Germany - never saw another one, it's all Mexican Fender Teles over here.

This is an early 80's strat - I bought it new in Tucson, AZ in '83. Three single coils, alder body - finish is a light blue - "Lake Placid" blue is what they called it. 5-way switch. Fairly basic 'Strat' features.

Initially, the guitar played great, but just sounded ok, so I made a few mods. I installed a set of EMG S's and larger frets, and it made a world of difference. The EMG's are very quiet and are suited well for the 80's era of music that I play most of the time.

After installing the jumbo frets, the action was great - a very easy instrument to play. It is difficult for me to put it down, can play for ours without getting tired. The neck join to the body is very tight, workmanship is very good.

I have used it for live and recording since '83, and the only problems I've had have been the stock pickups crapping out on me during a gig. Since replacing with the EMG's, no problems

No comment here, I have never had to deal with them.

I've been playing for 28 years and have tried many instruments - this is a very nicely built instrument that has served me well - it is currently my primary electric instrument. Also, I would consider it a very good value - I've heard you can find them around in the 300-500 range.

I bought this new in about '86. I needed a cheap guitar for playing in high-risk circumstances and I preferred this one over a Jap Fender which at the time cost just a little more. I also preferred the V-shaped neck over the rounder Fender.

As opposed to some other reviewers here, I think the stock pickups are crap - thin, weak & tinny. I put on a set of what I was told were a set of custom Duncans built for a certain Washburn model. I called Duncan's customer service dept. and after describing the appearance, stickers & numbers on the back they agreed they were probably really Duncans, similar to their Custom Stags but wound with different impedences for each position. I'm going to change those out soon....the point is this guitar is worth fussing with to get it right. The wood & hardware compares favorably to Fender.

Played great out of the box. The sky-blue finish has darkened into an incredible deep, metallic shade. Gets better with age.

The end of the fingerboard is slightly longer than Fender's so any pickguard replacement requires some trimming.

Like a rock, it is......

n/a

Not as good as some Fenders, better than others. With good pups this is a great gigger.

1980s Telecaster style. Rosewood fretboard. Standard Tele setup.

Great Tele sound, stays in tune. Excellent Sustain due probably to very heavy body. Suitable for live or recording work.

Excellent Fit and Finish

Very reliable, excellent choice for playing live. Have used these guitars (this is my 2nd) for pretty much all my live work since the mid 90s.

I actually had a nice talk with the folks at ESP when I was purchasing this guitar from a private person.

I've been playing 35 years and the ESP 400 series Tele's are my favorite guitars to play live with. They stay in tune and sound great. They are also an increadible bargain on the used market. If you can find one, grab it. Typically they are going for around $300 - $400 on the used market. They are increadibly undervalued. I don't think that you can touch anything else that's comparable for under a grand. In addition to the ESP Tele, I've got a Strat, a '62 gibson, an archtop, a couple of bass guitars and a few classical guitars.

I just bought this, and it's a strange one; It's a Tele copy with two HUMBUCKERS. I bought it from a shop where it was in commision. The seller estimated it was about ten years old, but judging from your reviews, it's probably closer to 20. It's all black (including the hardware and the Tele-style head) with a white pickguard. It has the standard Tele 3-way switch, volume and tone. It doesn't have a ton of features, but that's not really why you buy a Tele, is it?

It bought this ESP because my band play a lot of old rock'n roll and 60's pop - even some country - and you really need a Tele for this. I'm a Gibson man, and the ESP was bought as a second guitar, but it is now used just as much as my RD-Artist (it's a lot lighter on the back, too). I'm using it with my old Boss ME-5 pedalboard into my Marshall Bluesbreaker amp and I can get sounds that are pretty close to my Gibson using the neck pickup. The bridge PU does have a brighter sound, but not as bright as a "real" single-coil Tele. I might replace the bridge PU with something a bit more Tele-like, but without the noise, preferably - the PU's are virtually noiseless. Can't blame the ESP for not sounding like a Tele, and the sound it makes is very good. Replacing the pick-up would make it a bit more versatile - basically turning it into a Ron Wood model, wouldn't it?

For a 20 year old guitar, it was in very good condition - no scrapes on the body, only a few on the headstock. How do people keep their guitars in such good condition - by not playing them? The pick-up selector knob kept falling off but a bit of super-glue took care of that. Now the jack input has loosened a bit, but if it stays with these minor hiccups, I can live with it.

It's a very well-built Tele and I think it will withstand years of playing. Off course, the design is so simple, that very few things can go wrong, and it is certainly the best-built Tele, I could find for under 400$.

Mid -80s, Tele with old, 50s-style u-shaped neck. Looking at the other reviews and ESP's website, I guess this thing is as rare as hen's teeth. This has been replaced in recent years with the Ron Wood model but I figure Ron probably played one of these and decided he liked it. Solid wood, well built. 3-way switching between 2 single coils, a lipstick cover in the front and an uncovered single in the tail. This one has a transparent, almost white-washed looking finish. Grover tuners. Had a 3 piece bridge which I replaced with a Fender 6 piece. No case when I bought it but once I started using it out live, I bought one pronto.

Sounds like early Pretenders which is exactly why I bought it. Noisy, brash, rude, especially in the rear P/U position. When I started playing guitar out live and started playing covers, I tried to tone down the harshness by employing the front pickup a bit but it sounded weak. Replaced it with a Seymore Duncan (I think) and it is much "prettier" sounding with both pickups now. Very articulate, each note is distinctly heard. I have to say it's really not a very versitile guitar (which is why I also bought a standard Strat) but for some sounds, it is indispensible.

Plays great, especially after I had it adjusted. I'm don't like the pickup selector as it is too hard to move. Needs more room in the slot in the metal plate as the selector shaft is rubbing the plate. I have replaced the front pickup, the knobs, and the bridge. The knobs were cheesy looking and I replaced them with stock Fender as with the bridge as the 3 piece didn't offer enough intonation response. Front pickup was too "jazzy" sounding for my tastes. But the originals worked just fine. The finish held up well until very heavy pint glass full of iced tea fell and left a big gouge in the cutaway area. Ouch!

I've been beating on this thing live every weekend for about 4 years now as well as around the house for 10 or so years before that. Hasn't let me down yet. I need to tighten the nut on the output jack occasionally. Finish is holding up well (with afore mentioned exception). I'd wouldn't use anything without a backup as I have a propensity for breaking strings. My backup is a Fender Standard Strat but I much prefer this for most songs.

Don't know.

I've been playing guitar for over 20 years, the last 5 or 6 semi-pro. I've played bass pro and semi-pro for that long as well. This guitar is just what the Dr ordered if you are looking to capture the roots rock/ semi-punk sounds of the 80s and early 90s. Very bright, very distinct. Covers the same ground as the Fender Tele but at the time was considerably cheaper. I would only replace it with another 400 Tele, possibly a Ron Wood ESP or possibly a American Standard Tele.

This is basicaly a standard 60's strat copy, everything is identical. Mines has been fitted with a replacement bridge and graphite nut, and it has three active single coil EMG pickups fitted

This guitar sounds great, it resonates quite nicely and as the body is amde of nice solid alder it sustains quie well. The EMG's sound fantastic

The neck on my guitar moved a little bit but I found that if you tack it off get some wood glue and reduce the size of the screw holes and refit it with some new screws it is fine. Otherwise it is all fine, feels very solid and has a lovely neck. Mine also came in metallic blue.

This guitar is fine. Look after it, I think they're getting rare!!

don't know

This guitar is fantastic. If you find one buy it straight away or you'll regret it, trust me!

This is an early 80's ESP strat. It was modeled after the 50's/60's Fender strat. I would compare it to a good quality american standard. The pickups are very high gain and "quacky". All 5 positions are distinct faithfull recreations of the famous tones. Even the pickup selector is top quality...this guitar was made when esp was trying to establish themselves in the market as a serious guitar manufacturer.
This particular one was a find at $235 in mint condition in a color you don't see alot. Metallic sky blue with white pickguard...most of em that you see going on ebay are maroon, orange or purple....blech.
And they sell for like $500. I give this guitar a 10 for features cuz' it's identical to a vintage strat ('cept for the headstock)

I'm using this with a jb jr. in the bridge through a Mesa Triaxis rack setup. There isn't a tone I can't get with this setup...except maybe a polish 12 string double neck semi hollow body mandolin with an out of phase piezo ....but that would prolly sound crappy anyway.
Between this guitar and my les paul studio....I have no need to impulse buy any more guitars....except a PRS....which is just a LesPaul-ocaster.

When I cracked open the pickguard to put in the JBJR. I noticed how clean and perfect the factory wiring was.....not the sloppy metallic chewawa poop piles of solder I have been known to yield from time to time. Hey at least I never soldered a hole in my pickguard!!! yet...
This guitar strums, frets and plays well. It's a sweet guitar to jam on or record with.

This guitar is solid. It's much denser than some other strat reissues. The finish has minor pick scratches, no chips. In fact I'll be right back I'm gonna smack it against the wall to see how the paint holds up...


...yeah....ok it did chip. fuck. but it's still in tune.

I've never dealt with ESP. Whenever I need a really expensive custom guitar I have Kirk Hammett call it in for me....he is my bit-cha!

This guitar sounds better than MOST fender strats. It gives the eric clapton strat a wedgie. It give's the SRV strat a tex-mex nuggie.
I've been playing 10 years. My gear is all pro and this guitar fits right in. If it were stolen....I would grab the guy by his little fag pony tail shove his face into the curb and stomp on his head with black steel toe's. Then I'd leave OJ's leather gloves on the ground next to him....again....muhahahahahahahahaha!

This ESP 400 series guitar was built by ESP when they were based in New York City in the early-mid 1980's. It is likely that the parts were manufactured in Japan, but I have been unable to confirm this. My 400 series is an early version with a small "ESP" stamp and low serial number on the neck plate and an earlier ESP logo on the headstock.
The 400 series were modelled after 1950 or 1960 Fender Stratocasters. My "400" has a fairly thick neck like a 195x Fender reissue without the "V" contour on the back. The neck definitely feels thicker than the 1960 Fender Reissues that I have played.
My guitar is equipped with a one piece maple neck/fretboard, an alder body that appears to be one piece, three single coil pickups, and a vintage tremolo that resembles Fender's trem on their reissue models (w/o the Fender logos.)
The guitar has a solid candy apple red finish that appears to have darkened over time and the maple neck and fretboard is coated with nitro lacquer as it has also turned into a "deep butterscotch" color. There was a sticker on the rear of the headstock that was probably on the guitar for many years as the original lighter color of the neck remains in this area.
The tuners are vintage style and the nut appears to be plastic or bone. The frets are also modeled after a vintage Fender guitar as they are low and thin.
Compared to vintage Fender guitars, the 400 series rate high in this category, but when considering modern guitars, there are many modern features that are missing from older Fenders (such as locking tuners, updated tremolos, noise free pickups, and so on.) For this reason, this guitar (or any vintage Fender) does not deserve a "10" rating in this category.

I usually play with humbucking equipped guitars but was searching for something to nail Strat tones. I was considering many Fender and G&L guitars until I ran across this ESP. Many people consider the 400 series to be one of the best Fender vintage reissues ever made, so I took the chance and purchased this from a seller on the Internet.
The single coil pickups are very good. They're a little toned down compared to hotter single coils that I've heard. Nice and bright with a lot of pure "snap" -- However, I am still considering replacing them with Barden, Fralin, or Kinman aftermarket pickups. I would like something with a little more "growl" or bite.
The alder body sounds like a typical alder guitar. This particular piece of wood is nice and resonant and has the strong midrange presence. I believe that the maple neck and fretboard give the tone of this guitar a little more upper frequency clarity.
I give this guitar high marks in this category because it successfully produces the sounds of a high quality Stratocaster.

I purchased the guitar from its original owner and it was very dirty when I received it. There was dirt all over the fretboard and body. As I do when purchasing guitars, I take them apart and clean them up.
After it was cleaned up, the guitar has aged with grace. As I have mentioned earlier, the body is candy apple red and has probably darkened from exposure to the sun. Similarly, the finish on the neck has turned into a dark "butterscotch" color. I know that the finish has aged because there was a sticker on the back of the headstock that I removed and the finish under the sticker is just as clear as the maple on brand new Fender necks.
There are no faults in construction anywhere that I can tell, and the guitar plays very well. The action is nice and there are no dead spots on the neck. The neck pocket is tight and the fretwork is clean (although it is impossible for me to know how it came setup from the factory.)
The guitar was not purchased new so it is impossible for me to tell if there were any finish flaws from the factory, but I doubt there were.

As I said in the last paragraph, the guitar was purchased from its original owner and was very dirty. Additionally, there were many dings, nicks, and scratches on the headstock, neck, fretboard, and body.
I cleaned the guitar up extremely well and the guitar now looks good but still has the appearance of being aged and well played. It looks like a well worn instrument.
I'd have to say that the guitar has probably suffered its share of abuse in its life. There are dings that indicate that it was thrown around, leaned against sharp objects, and there are even bite marks on the headstock from a small animal! There was dried fluid from some spill under the pickguard. Dirt and sweat existed in many tight areas on the body and on the frets. It took me several hours and a lot of elbow grease to clean it up.
However, all of this indicates to me that the guitar has withstood some serious "action" and is a very durable guitar. It has aged well and looks like a nearly vintage instrument. I would count on it to perform without failing. It's a very solid guitar. It has deserved the high rating in this category.

The ESP guitar company has some of the most terrible customer support in this field. They have treated me rudely on the phone and I have heard similar stories from other owners of ESP guitars. It is very unlikely that I will ever purchase a new ESP guitar because of the treatment I have received from them. [However, I will buy used ESP guitars as I did in this case.]
I do NOT expect any support from ESP and am sure that I would recieive a rude response if I attempted. Thank goodness this 400 series appears to be made with parts that are identical to Fender components.

I give the guitar high ratings overall and can see why it is considered to be one of the best vintage Fender replicas made. It has a nice vintage feel and has aged well. It sounds great and has a nice acoustic resonance. It is well built and seems to be very reliable. For the price that I paid, it absolutely represents a fantastic value especially when compared with Fender reissues.