ESP Hybrid ll

Very nice versitile guitar. Alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, ESP lipstick pickup in the neck position, Duncan JB in the bridge. Jumbo frets. Bare in mind all this is standard set up for this model, even if the bridge pickup is not marked, just know that unless someone switched it(why, i would never know), it comes standard with the JB. If you take the pickup out you'll see the Duncan stamp on the back. Super nice slim feelin' neck. Neck is bolt on but the way the neck joint is set it plays like a set neck, real similar to the old Epiphone Coronet and similar models. Neck feels very similar to the KH-2 but without that slight flat feeling on the back of the neck. Stays in tune real well. Most people say they're Gotoh style tuners, but they are extremely similar to Kluson style tuners. Body is real cool, it's got that Coronet, Melody Maker-Fender TC-90, double cut Tele bastard child look to it. Real cool. The bottom cutaway and neck position provide super easy access to the 22nd fret with no problem. only things i'd change is, 1. I'd love to have a maple fretboard instead of the rosewood. and 2. I wish the headstockwas angled more for better pressureon the neck. Out side of those little things i love this thing. I even sold my customized Esp Ultratone to buy this, (also to get some extra funds) but this is the only thing that makes me not regret that decision.

I play everything depending on the mood, everywhere from punk and metal to blues and surf, and this bad boy covers most angles pretty well. The bridge pickup has real high out put and is a great lead pickup. It's a little too bright for some songs, but if you pull back on the level abit it takes care of it, but on the other hand, i only ever played it through my KMD GV-60 tube combo, and it tends to make some high output pickups sound a bit too bright. The neck pickup is the thickest sounding lipstick pickup i ever heard. Freaking great for blues and some of that old Dick Dale sound. I just wish that the neck pickup had more output, it trails behind the bridge pickup more than i'd like, but i droped the lead pickup abit to compensate, took care of that. I dig very much, but this guitar isn't for those guys who swear by double humbuckers, but this sucker covers most ground.

Action left somethin' to de desired but that's becasue the jerk that i bought it from musta left it in a car all day during the middle of the summer. Haaaaa, but after adjusted plays like a wet dream. love the neck, love the jumbo frets. Tuners feel real nice. Finish is seafoam green, (which is one of my favorite finishes on a guitar), has a white moto-pearl pickguard. Tele style bridge. Two knobs, volume and tone, three way toggle switch. Took a bang in shipping but other then that it's hot

I've only had this guitar a short time, but it stays in tune even when i bang the strings and do neck bends, very nice. It's in good condition for being a ten year old guitar, but in all fairness, you can tell that it was bought new and case stored for a long time, do to the lack of wear, yet jacked action, but the action was set by myself. Feels real solid, i doubt i'll have any problems with it.

The guys at ESP kick ass. I used to work for an ESP autorized dealer and those guys have always been helpful. They are very knowledgable about their products, and answered any questions i had about any product from them i ever owned. I've always played on Gibson Guitars, or Gibson products (such as Epiphone), but when you try to call those guys they're impossible to get a hold of, and they're guitar snobs, which is one of the many reasons i switched to ESP for all my electric guitar needs.

I've been playing guitar for about 10 years, and for the most part didn't take to any other electric guitars except Gibson, Epiphones, and high end Fernandes guitars, but due to the absolutly stupid crap that gibson has been pullin' and the even more stupid crap they plan to do in the future, i don't think i'll be buying any new Gibsons in the future, but i'm more into the used gear anyways, but back to the point, It's nothin' but ESP and Fernandes electric guitars in my house from now on. I truly think this is the last guitar i need, but let's be realistic, guitar players always "need" more gear sooner or later. I would like to get another Ultratone one day, but we'll see. Mostly the axe does it for me.

A rare ESP hybrid II. The salesman at the music store said it was likely made in the original NYC ESP custom shop. These retalied for around $1500 new. I paid $699 (talked em down from $745) for a used one rather than spending slightly more for a new tele after playing both. It seems to be made of all excellent top notch materials, bone nut, gotoh tuners, massive heavy bridge plate, high quality rosewood neck. This is the rarer two humbucker model, with a volume, tone and Les Paul like pickup selector. Has stock pickups which sound richer than les paul pickups yet still cut through.

This is a very versitile guitar. Played through fender/marshall heads it does rock very well. Run it through a bogner or boogie and you get all the aggression you need. Seems to combine the best qualitys of the SG and telecaster.

This guitar is in excellent shape. Very high quality parts and superior craftsmanship. Seems to better built then your average american strat or les paul standard.

This is a players guitar. High quality hardware. Large strap buttons. I bought it for gigging and it holds tune very well and seems to be very dependable.

Ive never had any reason to call the company. This guitar is very well made.

I have been playing for almost 20 years. This guitar is the equal of my American Standard strat ($999) or a les paul. If it were stolen I would hunt down the thief and drop a halfstack on his head. Then Id plug in the Hybrid and play him a funeral dirge. The only criticisim I have is that it doesn't have coil tapping abilitys (push-pull pot). Maybe I will get one installed...it does'nt cost much.

Completely stock model,as with 22 frets, solid alder body, rosewood board on maple neck, humbucker & Tele style pickups, volume & tone controls, 1-toggle switch, in what I would call a Lake Placid Blue metallic finish. As mentioned elsewhere, this model was only made for
about 2-years, so very rare and hard to find!

Sound with stock pickups are fairly good for most rock/blues applications.Medium output humbucker with decent tone. Tele style
neck pickup is as one might expect, fairly low output best used one clean settings.Have run through all my amps (Roland Blues Cube 60,Marshall VS265,Peavey XXL) and performs extremely well through all!
Very versitile.

Mine was bought used after searching for 5 yrs for one (after seeing one at a guitar show). It has a bit of wear, but has held up extremely well, neck is as straight as an arrow,amazingly stable considering how much neck is out of the body! Much more stable than a Gibson SG (which I have owned several). Paint is top notch, as well as fit. As goodor better as any similar Fender(s) I have owned (new & vintage).

Have played hard live onstage many times, does the job impeccably for which it was designed.

N/A

Been playing over 25yrs and have owned probably 1 of everything over the years. This is one of my top 3 favorites. I love the feel and overall sound, and it's functional and unique Les Paul Jr./Tele look.
If you want a great rock/blues guitar that doesn't look like everyone else's, but still has a traditional/vintage style, this is a great pick. BTW - Blows the doors off the Korean "Hybrid LTD 300" (stay away). Find one of these - should be a collectable someday as well!

ESP,Hybrid ll. Made mid 90's for approx 2 years in Japan. Solid Alder wood body with Gold metallic finish. Tele type bridge. Looks like a Tele/Lp special mutant but unlike most Gibsons it has a 25 and 1/2 inch scale.Volume and tone control with 3 way toggle on treble cutaway horn for pickup switching.Stock Gotoh type sealed tuners.Maple neck with roswood slab board.Probably a 12 radius shallow C curve neck with a slightly large feel.Unlike the other "Hybrids" reviewed here it sports 2 passive full size "humbuckers".I suspected the one in the neck position had been added as an aftermarket mod but upon checking with ESP via phone i was told that they did put 2 humbuckers into some of the last ones made before production was discontinued.All Hybrid ll's I have seen previously had a tele type single coil in the neck position.Arrived with a gig/bag.

I play mostly blues and classic bluesy rock. Besides Fenders I have several Tele and Strat type guitars including 2 ESP 400 series Strats(one with maple board and another with rosewood)A Seymour Duncan Tele made by ESP for sale in other countries as it has a Fender shape headstock.The tele type is much like the ESP reissue type Tele with a rosewood board.I use no outboard affect and have played it only through my Roland 60 watt 3/10 Bluescube.The Hybrid is best described as fat sounding due to the twin humbuckers and the ESP buckers seem to have a full Gibson type tone with plenty of bottom and highs with a somewhat "scooped" out midrange, unlike many Gibson humbuckers.It does a nice Paul Kossof of the 70's brit band "Free" in the distortion channel of my Bluescube.Rather low noise and hum but I am used to single coils.It does some great blues lead tones but offers none of the Strat/tele tones.Best described as sounding a bit like a 70's SG with more clarity due to the longer scale and a bit more body mass.It has very good upper fret access as the high frets are easy to reach due to the unique neck/body joint. It was constructed with only 2 neck mounting bolts for some odd reason but seems to be very sound with no more flex or flop than most quality Strats or Teles with 4.I rate it a 9 because it has no single coil tones or wiring in its unmodded condition to allow pickup splitting.If you need it its a relatively easy mod.As humbuckers the stock pickups have pleasing tone to me.

No idea how the factory setup was as I bought it used.Frets seem a bit fatter than other Hybrids I have seen(think American standred strat)and have very good fit and level with no "barby" ends.The Hardware is of high quality and is most probably Gotoh in origin.The Gold paint finsh is smooth and glossy with no flaws visable to me.The nut is well cut and seems to be bone or a good synthetic.Were I to replace it I would use bone.A 10 because it was a bargain at the price and is a simple design.

The strap pins are of average quality and seem in no danger of removing themselves.The guitar seems very sturdy with a great finsh. Although it has seemingly seen very little use I doubt that the finsh is susceptable to easy damage as my other ESP's have held up well. I never take just one guitar to a gig because i hate to change busted strings while playing out.I have no doubt it is "dependable" and forsee no problems because it is a very uncomplicated guitar. A 10 rating because it pretends to be nothing but a functional guitar and has no bad features if this type of guitar rings your bell.

Never needed it. I have called ESP's with questions about this and other ESP guitars and find that they have minimal information to share about them in some cases.Knowlegable folks are hard to reach in their offices but can answer simple questions at most times.

I have played guitar for over 35 years and haved gigged off and on for about 25 0f those years and own over 30 guitars of various quality and over a dozen amps. The Roland 3/10 bluescube is my current favorite.If it left my possesion I would look for another as it is a great player and has a unique look that you either love or hate depending upon your idea of ugly.It is really a very functional guitar with a conservative look in my opinion, and one thing that made me want to own one was its lack of a trem Its string thru body design is the best in my book. It is of moderate weight and has good balance when played standing up or seated.Fret access is great and it has very good humbucker tone in its factory stock condition.As I mentioned I bring more than one guitar to a gig so a Strat or Tele would be a good partner for it in any live situation.I have had fantastic luck with ESP guitars over the years and although they are not "Made in the USA" im sure some of the US guitar makers would do well to try to match their quality.The Hybrid was only offered for a couple of years and I think they did not sell in huge numbers. They listed for nearly $1500.00 new. I suspect they will be hard to find on the cheap in a few years as they become "discovered" by players and collectors.