ESP EXP Custom Shop

1999 Japan Custom Shop made. Full mahogany body and thin U profile set-neck with 22 jumbo frets and rosewood fretboard. EMG 81 set with 3 way selector. Original floyd rose bridge and locking nut, all black hardware. Original hardcase with ESP logo, tools and humidifier. If you're not well built, beware of the weight as this is one of the heaviest guitars.

I play pink floyd, metallica, megadeth, blues and many kinds of different styles and with a little tweaking, I am overally satisfied with results. Plugged directly to a Marshall, you get the Master of Puppets tone with no hassle. Try through a Line 6 pod xt on rectifier sim and you get the black album tone. Chunky body has dried quite well during these years due to the large cavities for tremolo and active electonics and sustain is amazing, even with the floyd. Very rich in low ends and absolutely no kind of unintentional noise. Lowered pickups improved the clean sound though it can never be a tele.

Action was standard from the factory but I lowered the strings even more without any buzz. I also lowered the pickups to enhance the cleans and I'm absolutely satisfied with the results. Flawless finish, olympic while that has tinted to a beautiful yellow over years.

Ask James Hetfield if it can withstand live playing. Actually he's still using his guitars from black album era.

Never dealt with them

Made in Japan. Have no idea what year. 22 XJ frets. One volume, One tone. 3 way toggle switch. Dual active EMG 81s. Mahogany body, rosewood fretboard, maple neck. Olympic white color. Tune-O-Matic with stop tailpiece. Non-locking Gotoh tuners. Black hardware. Came with Hard shell case, humidifier, and a neck tool.

Suits my style perfectly....that being metal/hard rock of course...
I'm currently going through amp aquisition, but i have a crappy old Peavey amp. The guitar sounds great. The EMG 81s are hardcore. Rich sound. Sustain could be improved.

Guitar setup is nearly perfect. My only complaint is the action. I had to raise the bridge a bit, since i was hearing a buzzing sound.

It's heavy, solid, and could break an arm or leg if beaten with it.
I bought new locking strap-on buttons. I wasn't taking any risks. As soon as I got the guitar, these babies came on. I would use it w/o backup in the most extenuating of circumstances.

haven't dealt with them.

Been playing for 7 years. I own a Jackson guitar and a piece of s**t acoustic guitar. I would call the police and bitch and moan about my guitar being stolen. Then, i would spend ridiculous amounts of time online trying to find a new one. This is the best guitar i've owned, and quite close to the best i've played.

My guitar was made in USA at summer of 1999. It has a mahogany body and a bolt-on maple neck. The finished is dull white and it's the same of James hetfild has in his favourite ESP. The pick-ups are EMG 81-60 with two volume knobs and 3 position selector. The bridge is tune-o-matic and the tuners are schaller. The ebony fingerboard has 22 frets and dots inlays and the scale is a strat type. I bought it with a case and a gig bag. Really great features.

What do you need to know abuot Metallica sound? Nothing? OK

The action is the best. I order a bolt-on neck because I prefer the attack than the sustain of a through-body neck. The finish is fucking great. It's the same finish of the ESP of Hetfield. Finally, it has the snake of "Don't Tread On Me (Black Album)" and the ESP Custom Shop logo

The guitar is new but it's really hard and the strings refuse to break. The strap buttons are security and I haven't got problems.

Great but the guitar hasn't problems.

Really Metallica Sound but it isn't the only great sound. Rock&Roll or blues sounds are great too. And for the clean intros the EMG 60 is the best pick-up.

(Don't print this please:I made a review about this guitar a while back,but it was in regular EXP instead of Custom shop.any way is there any way you could delete that and put this one on there Im about to write because I feel I mis-judged the guitar since I JUST got it that day.Now Im used to it and I love it.)Its a '98,Made in Hollywood I think,22 jumbo frets,solid top,2 volumes and a switch,two EMG-81s,Cool ass explorer shape,olympic white,perfect size neck,Gotoh non-locking tuners,rosewood fingerboard,bolt-on neck(boo!),and it came with a awsome hardshell case,with some little tool I have no Idead what its for,a little humidifier pack,and oh and by the way I paid an extra $100 to make it left handed,it was worth it but I wish it take that damn long to be made.(6 months!!)Im giving it a 9 only because because the necks a bolt-on.

I play metal and hard rock and this is the perfect instrument for that.I play throgh a Crate GX30M,and a Digitec RP-7 valve,it makes an annoying ass mosquito sound when just put through the amp,but with the RP-7 it not a problem,Killer Mids and lows and Im gonna replace the neck pick-up with a EMG-89 for better highs,but the Bridge EMG-81 will never ever ever ever ever ever be replaced unless broken,anything you play that needs good lows and mids this guitars perfect for but if you only want a high sound the EMG-81s arent for you.

The actions top-noch,the pickups were adjusted perfect for me,my only complaint was a nick in the finish on the side by the output jack,but its not the wood just the finish,Everything else is cool.

This guitar would withstand a nuclear blast and the end of time,and will probally be with me in hell when I die.If your gonna be justing around alot while playing I suggest you get those latch on straps but I dont wanna modify it so I ain't gonna put them on.I could depend on it always and I would need a beck up probaly since Im usually come prepared.

Im pissed because my friends dickhead brother dropped the phone on the top of it and put a dent in it,And(I hope he dies)And I called ESP and they said they dont cover dents.ASSHOLES!!!!Sorry for my language but that just burns me.

Ive been playing about 3 years,Ive had this guitar for months and didnt like it this much at first nbut It grew on me and i love it now.i also got a Ibanez RG70L and those infinity pickups bite a big D**k,So when i replace my Explorers neck pickup Im gonna put it in my Ibanez.I probaly wouldnt get another one for 3 reasons:1. money,2.money,and yes 3.money.Man I coulda bout a used car for what I paid for this.But Im gonna try to keep this as long as I live and that will make it worth it.I long almost everything about it except the bolt-on neck,and costomer support.but the good sure as hell outweighs the bad.

1998 ESP USA custom shop EXP. Mahogany body and neck,select birds eye maple top,ebony fret board,24 frets (medium jumbo),Floyd Rose trem,EMG 81 at the bridge and an EMG 89 w/pull pot at the neck,3 way seletor and a PA-2 preamp, See through purple.Standard esp tuners.

The sound is great! Quiet until you hit a string - then watch out! the 81 has excelent response and is very hot on the highs and full and deep on the lows.The 89 has a very smooth classic blues sound in the normal mode and gets brighter and cleaner when split. The mahogany,maple,ebony combo is the best I've ever heard.

Action is great.Very close and smooth.The neck is the thin flat desighn and feels very good to my small hands.The fit is custom made, so what can I say other than (they delivered).The top is unbeleivable.I wasn't sure how the birdseye would look, but I was floored when I saw it.It is perfetly matched.The see through purple is an awsome looking color.

Get strap locks because of the shape.Otherwise I have no dought i could beat on this guitar forever and I would die before it would.

The guitar has a lifetime waranty.The only problem I have with the company is that they told me 6 to 8 months for delivery when I ordered it but it took 11 months and I had to fight for that.

I have been playing for 22 years and this is the best guitar I have ever played for hard rock or metal.If it were stolen,I would remortgage my house to get another one. I love everything about it. I'm so glad I custom ordered through ESP. I have a Hamer (usa),Fender Bullet (USA) and an Epiphone Les Paul Custom for shits and ha ha 's,I've played everything,had many others, but this is one I will never do without.