These old ESP Guitars are so freaking good, never sell them. Unreal the build quality, easily better than 95% guitars out there today manufactured by CNC.
@fkx9080 For your info mate Japan were the 1st to use CNC in 80's so Ibanez ( FGN who pioneered it) then of course Jackson's, ESP's, Fernandes, Fender's etc from Japan guess what they are CNC ☺made. Now CNC only cuts majority but still people have to refine it, sanded it down with hands, finish etc blah blah. Some strange shaped guitars were hand made, but sharp edge super-strats were prefect for the CNC. Fernandes were better company then ESP until mid 80's for sure, but they simply didn't hit the western market as ESP, today they would be at the same level IMHO. So that is great to grab some 80's F's they are killer guitars and cheep on a 2nd hand market, the best Japan had to offer with Ibanez Road Stars, in 2nd half ESP's, then for LP lovers Burny / Fernandes are brutal. To be honest new one made in China etc are also great if someone gab their top models, for me as luthier they make better guitars then G.. and Fen... sorry for their fans. ESP/LTD 1000 amazing guitars, those older Korean made are like 400-500$ on a 2nd hand marker and wood is 1st class. I hope you don't mind the comment.
⚡⚡i was born in the late 60s, got hooked with kiss and ac/dc in the late 70s, i was shocked by bon`s death and i still remember my friend telling me about it in the school yard. my first concert was the `84 MOR in karlsruhe/germany (youknowthelineup!), i saw metallica on their ride RTL-tour with my elbows on the stage...i have seen them all and everyone, all through the 80s...best time of my life (now eat your heart out, hehe 😉)...but i could never afford an esp back in the day ! keep`em coming ! you rock, mate ! ⚡⚡
Man, you gotta keep this guitar, it makes you play even better than usual, I can tell it inspires you... The tapping was perfect, the artificial harmonics and all the other nuances of your hand really popped out... The sound in general is better, more vintage, less harsh...and it also looks amazing. It suits you much more than the Les Paul shape. I'd like to have one too
I have a recent year Schecter DJ Ashba signature...it has essentially the same specs - alder body, unfinished maple neck, ebony board w/22 jumbo frets, EMG 81 in bridge and a Sustainiac single coil in the neck, 3-way toggle switch on the lower horn (like the N4), single volume knob, on the deck Floyd (so down only a la EVH), unique 2 over 4 headstock so there is straight string pull to the tuners through the nut, and a killswitch. Totally spec'd out for the $$, sounds and plays amazing. Plus it's got a really cool matte white finish with black racing stripes and unique "birds on a wire" fretboard inlays (crows look like they are sitting on the strings) so it looks killer, too. You should try one and compare to the Mirage. I love it!
So sick! I also picked up a ESP Mirage with a Sinclair bridge. These things feel like great quality for it being older. My back neck plate and shape is the exact same as yours (minus the serial). Only it’s EMGs HSS. They are awesome.
brass block and stone tone block are my favourite blocks because they sound more better and more sustain . especially , stone tone block has more sustain than brass
Thanks! ESP made a bunch of those Kramers in the 80s but I haven’t played with one so I can’t comfirm but I believe they are. Have to think about that 😎.
Awesome video EV!! I have a older ESP LTD model. It’s the MH-200. It has ENG/ESP pickups with the reverse headstock. The other one is H-251 which has the same pickups and push both have push pull split coil. Their neck thru body and the sustain is off the chain!! Cheers 🍺🍺🍺😎🎸🎸🎸
Sounding better than ever! I used to have a neck through 24 fret ESP that I kept in Drop D tuning. Floyd Rose whammy, Duncan Humbuckers, what great guitar, I should have missed a few meals rather than selling it! ESP and Edwards made some great guitars. Love the Japanese guitars from the 80's and 90's. Seriously underrated. I was born in the 60's, so the 80''s were my prime time......
Not as vibrant as PINKY, but still a beauty! Hey man, I have a couple questions for you. 1) Is your SD-1 Made in Japan or Made in Taiwan? 2) Do you have any experience using the Suhr Reactive Load IR? I've been thinking about getting this for attenuating/ pushing my amps and using it's built-in IR loading for recording (load some OwnHammer IRs on it), since I can't really push my amps past 2 on volume due to loudness. As long as it doesn't negatively effect tone... and reviews seem pretty good for it. Other consideration was the Rivera Rockcrusher. Cheers!
Thanks! This one is MIJ but I have made in Taiwan & Indonesia as well and they’re all the same. If someone hears a difference in a blind test I’ll show that person Elton John’s wife 😎.
EMG gain booster is really useful when using a single coil with humbucker on the bridge. I wired it just for the neck. I've found that SA with the boost is a bit too much, S is nice and spanky!
Hi, Euge! Very nice pair in addition to black custom mirage :) Few points from me: sinclair is 2nd gen, first gen has a bit different design of saddles (and third one is like floyd rose); serial number mostly has no relation to the year of producing, but from my observations it seems like it has some order...I think your guitar was made around 89, before they didn't make a cavity :)
Dude, killer ax! On a different note, I made an IR in the GGD Cali oversized plugin using your mic combination and it is God Mode. I run a Synergy IICP or Powerball module into an ignite amps power amp sim into that IR and it's instant chugs. Thanks!
I love the DLX. I'd love to find a Horizon DLX with a reverse headstock. But all the 80's ESP's are gold!. That Sinclair with the bar is worth a lot. Not many of the bars about, and those that fabricate them, don't do them cheap.
Euge u should keep a fire extinguisher handy, you burned it up man !!!!! Hey Euge I hope someday you can do an episode of sounds in the style of King Diamond Swedish n Danish royalty !!!! 🙏🙏💪💪🙏🙏..... 🫵rock !!
Have one m1 custom from 87, so many scars on the body, repaired headstock, bought new in Berlin in 1991 for 600 mark(300€ now)🤦🏻♂️ But together with my 2203 from 84 and od808x it’s a killer package))) Love my m1 like I bought it today)))
Hello Euge! I've owned 2 ESP Mirage Customs. The first had a pop in bar on that Sinclair bridge and was stolen. I still have the bar. I purchased a second model on ebay but the seller neglected to tell me the bar wasn't included so I just figured I would pop in the bar I had and it did not fit. Do you know where I may be able to find a replacement for the later style Sinclair? It obviously has a smaller diameter opening from the push in bar of my first ESP. I hope you are able to help me out here. You are an excellent player of the genre!
Great video as usually, you are huge Euge i mean that is complement and guitars looks small ( I'm tall dude as well lol but you are far better guitar player ) When it comes to hardware IMHO MIJ ''Gotoh1996 T'' and ''HEAD CRASHER FRT-- (2,3,4 etc) '' used on Fernandes in the 80's as well as Ibanez ''EDGE II'' are the best ala Floyd Rose bridges. Japanese know to to make strong but 'elastic' SS that won't dull during time. just take a look at their Katan's and knifes . ''Sinclar ESP'' is also that HQ but a bit difrent look so i understand that get used to regular OFR or Schaller 👍( after all Schaller made OFR and i would rather get their product then to pay 2+ times more for name) . ESP pioneered so many things, and IMHO 2 fancy tremolo companies are copy paste their ides in the last few years, ''ESP FLICKER II'' is one of them, same goes for Flicker I and Flicker III When it comes to quality the same goes for old Ibanez pro rocker but that tremolo bridge got some hate, i don't know why since it's super HQ and have screws for saddles height etc. So i like them as well. Simply it gave me something to be a bit difrent, since i adore forgotten items and guitars that were made to last. Pardon long comment and all this guitar freaks data, I wish you all the best and ROCK ON !
Awesome video Euge! Are those EMG pickups the older style? I always felt the older EMG pickups sound better than the solderless. I am an 80’s kid too! I been playing since 81. The production Mirage guitars played better than Jackson custom shop guitars. Back in the day people didn’t want to hear that after spending a lot of money for their Jackson, an ESP of the shelf played better.
Thanks! The single coil is. I haven’t noticed any difference. I have the older solderless and the newer ones and they all sound like EMGs to me. Same goes with SD-1s; I have them from four different decades (MIJ, Taiwan, Malaysia) and they’re all just SD-1s to me. If someone can tell the difference in a blind test I’ll show the person Elton John’s wife 😎.
nice M-1.. I have to agree.. my Mirage Custom from 89 is 10 lbs.. (4.5 kg).. the M-1 must feel much lighter.. is it my eyes or does the body look a bit smaller than the custom?.. Maybe like a Soloist vs Dinky feel...? nice collection of super strats there Euge..
En muista, mutta kyllä ne kalliimmasta päästä oli silloin jos sattui yleensä löytämään. ESP oli vain pieni custom - shop silloin aikanaan ja sieltä ei niin hirveästi keihäitä vuositasolla tullut. Laatua sitäkin enemmän. Olivat kyllä reippaasti yli mun budjetin silloin ja kyllä näitten 80-lukulaistenkin hinnat nykyäänkin pyörii jossain 2-4K euron välillä riippuen mallista.
@@EugeValovirta230V Kiitos tiedosta. 👍 Laatu maksaa kyllä, mutta sit on oikeesti hyvää. Kattelin vuoden peiliin ja tulin takas tsiigaamaan mitä täällä tapahtuu. Anteeksi ku höyrysin.
When you want to play Crazy Train but gotta worry about copyrights lol love the guitar 🤘
Exactly 😎.
Hah, had some Skid Row thrown in there too for good measure. Cool jam and awesome guitar! Love ESPs.
These old ESP Guitars are so freaking good, never sell them. Unreal the build quality, easily better than 95% guitars out there today manufactured by CNC.
I agree.
@fkx9080 For your info mate Japan were the 1st to use CNC in 80's so Ibanez ( FGN who pioneered it) then of course Jackson's, ESP's, Fernandes, Fender's etc from Japan guess what they are CNC ☺made. Now CNC only cuts majority but still people have to refine it, sanded it down with hands, finish etc blah blah.
Some strange shaped guitars were hand made, but sharp edge super-strats were prefect for the CNC. Fernandes were better company then ESP until mid 80's for sure, but they simply didn't hit the western market as ESP, today they would be at the same level IMHO.
So that is great to grab some 80's F's they are killer guitars and cheep on a 2nd hand market, the best Japan had to offer with Ibanez Road Stars, in 2nd half ESP's, then for LP lovers Burny / Fernandes are brutal. To be honest new one made in China etc are also great if someone gab their top models, for me as luthier they make better guitars then G.. and Fen... sorry for their fans.
ESP/LTD 1000 amazing guitars, those older Korean made are like 400-500$ on a 2nd hand marker and wood is 1st class.
I hope you don't mind the comment.
@@bobibobik5903There are some nice matsumoku-made aria/vantage/westone guitars from the 80s too
⚡⚡i was born in the late 60s, got hooked with kiss and ac/dc in the late 70s, i was shocked by bon`s death and i still remember my friend telling me about it in the school yard. my first concert was the `84 MOR in karlsruhe/germany (youknowthelineup!), i saw metallica on their ride RTL-tour with my elbows on the stage...i have seen them all and everyone, all through the 80s...best time of my life (now eat your heart out, hehe 😉)...but i could never afford an esp back in the day ! keep`em coming ! you rock, mate ! ⚡⚡
Cool!
This guitar is so awesome. Also love the song. Could title it “I’m the Crazy One” from what I was recognizing as influences…
Yes. 👌😎🎼
This may be the first Def Leppard I have heard on the channel. Classic song and album. :)
😎👌🎼
This is my guitar !!!! Loved the playing mate. Thanks for the upload
Mine too! 😎 Thanks!
Man, you gotta keep this guitar, it makes you play even better than usual, I can tell it inspires you... The tapping was perfect, the artificial harmonics and all the other nuances of your hand really popped out... The sound in general is better, more vintage, less harsh...and it also looks amazing. It suits you much more than the Les Paul shape. I'd like to have one too
Thanks! Absolutely.
I have a recent year Schecter DJ Ashba signature...it has essentially the same specs - alder body, unfinished maple neck, ebony board w/22 jumbo frets, EMG 81 in bridge and a Sustainiac single coil in the neck, 3-way toggle switch on the lower horn (like the N4), single volume knob, on the deck Floyd (so down only a la EVH), unique 2 over 4 headstock so there is straight string pull to the tuners through the nut, and a killswitch. Totally spec'd out for the $$, sounds and plays amazing. Plus it's got a really cool matte white finish with black racing stripes and unique "birds on a wire" fretboard inlays (crows look like they are sitting on the strings) so it looks killer, too. You should try one and compare to the Mirage. I love it!
Cool man!
Great channel with the best content on TH-cam!!!👍🤘 love your informative videos!👍you rock dude🤘
Glad you like them! Thanks!
So sick! I also picked up a ESP Mirage with a Sinclair bridge. These things feel like great quality for it being older. My back neck plate and shape is the exact same as yours (minus the serial). Only it’s EMGs HSS. They are awesome.
Cool!
Hell Yea I love that sound too!Love 80’s and ESP 🤟🏻Rock on
🤟🎼
Hi !! ..... and this one is about a soooo sick guitar !!!! Very nice ESP !!
Yeahhh!!! 🕺🎼🤟😎
love that particular ESP fretboard. no 12th fret logo, dark, dense black. so tidy. looks good with the lawsuit headstock too.
Me too 😎👌.
Awesome, love my blue NY Custom. I think I sent you a picture
🤟
Sweet guitar
Yes
Got the same axe same colour she's an absolute keeper we will never part great Vid
Cool! Thanks!
brass block and stone tone block are my favourite blocks because they sound more better and more sustain . especially , stone tone block has more sustain than brass
👌💪
sounds...HOLY SH**!!! big big big! great playing as always!! 80s type guitars are the best!
Many thanks!!
GOODNESS that's a gorgeous axe. 🤤
Yeah!
Great video. Are the 80's Kramer's similar to the ESP's? Also, please do your own t shirts! Thanks for your always great videos
Thanks! ESP made a bunch of those Kramers in the 80s but I haven’t played with one so I can’t comfirm but I believe they are. Have to think about that 😎.
That sounds like a a blend of Crazy Train and Bark at the moon man... lol
😎👌🎼
Awesome video EV!! I have a older ESP LTD model. It’s the MH-200. It has ENG/ESP pickups with the reverse headstock. The other one is H-251 which has the same pickups and push both have push pull split coil. Their neck thru body and the sustain is off the chain!! Cheers 🍺🍺🍺😎🎸🎸🎸
Very cool!
Classic guitars!! They don't make them like these anymore!
Which is a bummer. It's no wonder they're called the Golden Era guitars.
Yep. Nope.
Sounding better than ever! I used to have a neck through 24 fret ESP that I kept in Drop D tuning. Floyd Rose whammy, Duncan Humbuckers, what great guitar, I should have missed a few meals rather than selling it! ESP and Edwards made some great guitars. Love the Japanese guitars from the 80's and 90's. Seriously underrated. I was born in the 60's, so the 80''s were my prime time......
Very cool!
Not as vibrant as PINKY, but still a beauty! Hey man, I have a couple questions for you. 1) Is your SD-1 Made in Japan or Made in Taiwan? 2) Do you have any experience using the Suhr Reactive Load IR? I've been thinking about getting this for attenuating/ pushing my amps and using it's built-in IR loading for recording (load some OwnHammer IRs on it), since I can't really push my amps past 2 on volume due to loudness. As long as it doesn't negatively effect tone... and reviews seem pretty good for it. Other consideration was the Rivera Rockcrusher. Cheers!
Thanks! This one is MIJ but I have made in Taiwan & Indonesia as well and they’re all the same. If someone hears a difference in a blind test I’ll show that person Elton John’s wife 😎.
EMG gain booster is really useful when using a single coil with humbucker on the bridge. I wired it just for the neck. I've found that SA with the boost is a bit too much, S is nice and spanky!
Yeah!
Hi, Euge!
Very nice pair in addition to black custom mirage :)
Few points from me: sinclair is 2nd gen, first gen has a bit different design of saddles (and third one is like floyd rose); serial number mostly has no relation to the year of producing, but from my observations it seems like it has some order...I think your guitar was made around 89, before they didn't make a cavity :)
Thanks! Ah ok cool! In the future I should always consult you first before doing an ESP video 😎🙏👌.
Dude, killer ax! On a different note, I made an IR in the GGD Cali oversized plugin using your mic combination and it is God Mode. I run a Synergy IICP or Powerball module into an ignite amps power amp sim into that IR and it's instant chugs. Thanks!
Thanks! Oh cool man! Glad to hear that!
Killer axe!
Yeah!
I love the DLX. I'd love to find a Horizon DLX with a reverse headstock. But all the 80's ESP's are gold!. That Sinclair with the bar is worth a lot. Not many of the bars about, and those that fabricate them, don't do them cheap.
Yeah!
Euge u should keep a fire extinguisher handy, you burned it up man !!!!!
Hey Euge I hope someday you can do an episode of sounds in the style of King Diamond Swedish n Danish royalty !!!! 🙏🙏💪💪🙏🙏..... 🫵rock !!
😎🤟👌🎼
Mixing styles are you? I hear your introduction, and automatically activate the thumbs up.
A bit I guess 😎. Good 👌🙏🕺.
E. Your Right hand is amazing, super precise but got sum Soul 2. Great playing and I’m a clean player.
Thanks man!
Have one m1 custom from 87, so many scars on the body, repaired headstock, bought new in Berlin in 1991 for 600 mark(300€ now)🤦🏻♂️ But together with my 2203 from 84 and od808x it’s a killer package))) Love my m1 like I bought it today)))
Cool!
And Justice vibes!!!
🤟
so so so sick
🤟🙏🤟
Sick 🤘
🤟
Hello Euge! I've owned 2 ESP Mirage Customs. The first had a pop in bar on that Sinclair bridge and was stolen. I still have the bar. I purchased a second model on ebay but the seller neglected to tell me the bar wasn't included so I just figured I would pop in the bar I had and it did not fit. Do you know where I may be able to find a replacement for the later style Sinclair? It obviously has a smaller diameter opening from the push in bar of my first ESP. I hope you are able to help me out here. You are an excellent player of the genre!
Here: wegotthemnow.com/product/esp-trem-arm-bar-sinclair-tremolo/
Great video as usually, you are huge Euge i mean that is complement and guitars looks small ( I'm tall dude as well lol but you are far better guitar player )
When it comes to hardware IMHO MIJ ''Gotoh1996 T'' and ''HEAD CRASHER FRT-- (2,3,4 etc) '' used on Fernandes in the 80's as well as Ibanez ''EDGE II'' are the best ala Floyd Rose bridges.
Japanese know to to make strong but 'elastic' SS that won't dull during time. just take a look at their Katan's and knifes .
''Sinclar ESP'' is also that HQ but a bit difrent look so i understand that get used to regular OFR or Schaller 👍( after all Schaller made OFR and i would rather get their product then to pay 2+ times more for name) .
ESP pioneered so many things, and IMHO 2 fancy tremolo companies are copy paste their ides in the last few years, ''ESP FLICKER II'' is one of them, same goes for Flicker I and Flicker III
When it comes to quality the same goes for old Ibanez pro rocker but that tremolo bridge got some hate, i don't know why since it's super HQ and have screws for saddles height etc. So i like them as well. Simply it gave me something to be a bit difrent, since i adore forgotten items and guitars that were made to last.
Pardon long comment and all this guitar freaks data, I wish you all the best
and ROCK ON !
Thanks! And thanks for sharing the info!
@@EugeValovirta230V Thank you for the comment! You are great player one of the best and uber cool person.
🙏
Guitaralt of Rivia
Awesome video Euge! Are those EMG pickups the older style? I always felt the older EMG pickups sound better than the solderless. I am an 80’s kid too! I been playing since 81. The production Mirage guitars played better than Jackson custom shop guitars. Back in the day people didn’t want to hear that after spending a lot of money for their Jackson, an ESP of the shelf played better.
Thanks! The single coil is. I haven’t noticed any difference. I have the older solderless and the newer ones and they all sound like EMGs to me. Same goes with SD-1s; I have them from four different decades (MIJ, Taiwan, Malaysia) and they’re all just SD-1s to me. If someone can tell the difference in a blind test I’ll show the person Elton John’s wife 😎.
@@EugeValovirta230V lol he divorced her in the 80’s. I have 4 SD-1’s they all have different bass cut and gain.
beautiful axe...\_/
🙏👌🤟
nice M-1.. I have to agree.. my Mirage Custom from 89 is 10 lbs.. (4.5 kg).. the M-1 must feel much lighter.. is it my eyes or does the body look a bit smaller than the custom?.. Maybe like a Soloist vs Dinky feel...? nice collection of super strats there Euge..
Thanks! I think the body is the same size. Or at least I haven’t noticed a difference 😎.
Nice one dude.
Very Crazy Train lol
Thanks! Yes 😎.
How are you able to just knock out killer tracks every time you grab a new axe? I can't write anything to save my life!
Just throwing random stuff to the wall and see what sticks 😎🎼.
Very nice!!
Thanks!
Awesome video Euge. Question. Have you tried out the Electro Harmonix East River Drive?
Thanks! Nope.
GOURGEOUS GUITAR!!!!
Yes 💪🎼🤟
Hi Euge, how do you like the EMG 81 in Alder versus Mahogany - like your signatures?
Never paid attention to that ’cos it just works. My favourite bridge pickup.
Makes sense. Thanks for replying. You’re a great player and you have a great channel
Siisti keihäs 🤘😊 Paljo tommoset makso aikoinaan? Tuo ei niin paljoo ees eroa floikallisista japsi Ibanezeista nii saattasin vaikka rakastua näihin.
En muista, mutta kyllä ne kalliimmasta päästä oli silloin jos sattui yleensä löytämään. ESP oli vain pieni custom - shop silloin aikanaan ja sieltä ei niin hirveästi keihäitä vuositasolla tullut. Laatua sitäkin enemmän. Olivat kyllä reippaasti yli mun budjetin silloin ja kyllä näitten 80-lukulaistenkin hinnat nykyäänkin pyörii jossain 2-4K euron välillä riippuen mallista.
@@EugeValovirta230V Kiitos tiedosta. 👍 Laatu maksaa kyllä, mutta sit on oikeesti hyvää. Kattelin vuoden peiliin ja tulin takas tsiigaamaan mitä täällä tapahtuu. Anteeksi ku höyrysin.
Näinhän se on. Ei mitään Atte! Nasta kun tulit takaisin!
They just don't seem to make em like they used to.