ESP EX
Encyclopedia
The ESP EX is a series of electric guitar
s produced by ESP
produced in the United States
, Europe
and in Japan
with the ESP logo as part of the ESP Original Series.
Notable users of models in the EX Series include Patrik Jensen
and Anders Björler
of The Haunted
, Peter Tagtgren
of Hypocrisy
, Seth
of Behemoth
, Devin Townsend
and Jed Simon
of Strapping Young Lad
, Wayne Static
of Static-X
, Dan Jacobs of Atreyu
, Silenoz
of Dimmu Borgir
, and Jesper Strömblad
of In Flames
, and James Hetfield
of Metallica
.
ESP began the EX Series with models such as the EX-100 and the EX-102 among others. In 2003, those models were discontinued and the EX-351 and EX-50 were introduced. The EX-351 was discontinued in 2004 when the EX-400, EX-400BD, and the EX-260 were introduced. The EX-400BD was discontinued in 2007, therefore the EX-400, EX-260, and EX-50 are the only EX models currently produced by ESP in the LTD production line. The discontinued models are still sold online or in some guitar shops that still have them in stock.
, with the same rounded edges and headstock shape. The only differences were the EMG
pickups and the brand that made the guitar. Soon after Gibson's
decision to sue ESP, ESP discontinued the EXP series and started the EX series, featuring a different design with more pointed edges and headstock shape, to avoid any lawsuit.
James Hetfield
is probably the most renowned user of the EXP series, which he has been using since the late 80's. He further popularized the series with his legendary "EET FUK" EXP and his custom ESP JH-2, a black EXP with diamond plating. His equipment includes many custom made guitars that closely resemble the original ESP EXP guitars in looks as well as specifications.
Other specifications :
Special tremolo. It is also only available in a black flamed-maple top which was usually never used on the EX series. The inlay was also changed to an arrow shape as opposed to dots.
Other specifications :
construction in a 24.75" scale. The fingerboard
features dot inlays with the model name at the 12th fret. It has 22 extra jumbo frets and an Earvana compensated nut. It comes in black and olympic white. The Black with black diamond plate and black hardware was discontinued in 2006 due to the introduction of the Wayne Static Model, which has a chrome diamond plate on top of black finish. In 2007 came the diamond plate in a metallic chrome color. LTD EX-400bd Chrome-color is the latest Explorer from ESP. The tuning pegs are Grover tuners. It has one volume and one tone control knob and a 3-way toggle.
NOTE: It was deemed discontinued in the 2007 catalogue, but quickly returned due to mass demand. In 2009, the ESP LTD EX 400 was discontinued, and the ESP LTD EX 401, and ESP LTD EX 401DX took its place as the premium ESP EX series guitar.
Other specifications :
construction in a 24.75" scale. The fingerboard
features dot inlays with the model name at the 12th fret. It has 22 extra jumbo frets. It comes in black with black hardware. It has one volume and one tone control knob with a 3-way toggle.
Other specifications :
construction in a 24.75" scale. The fingerboard
features dot inlays with the model name at the 12th fret. It has 22 extra jumbo frets. It comes in silver with black hardware, or black with silver hardware. It has one volume and one tone control knob with a 3-way toggle.
Other specifications :
construction in a 24.75" scale. The fingerboard
features dot inlays, with two regular dot inlays on the 12th fret. It has 22 extra jumbo frets, and a carbon nut. It comes in black with black hardware. It has two volume knobs, 1 for neck pickup and 1 for the bridge pickup, and a mini toggle PU selector.
Other specifications :
of Galneryus
, features characteristics similar to that of a standard EX-280, except that it has a bone nut, two EMG 89 pickups and a coil split switch.
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s produced by ESP
ESP Guitars
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
produced in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with the ESP logo as part of the ESP Original Series.
Notable users of models in the EX Series include Patrik Jensen
Patrik Jensen
Patrik Jensen is a Swedish guitarist who formed the Swedish thrash metal musical group The Haunted in 1996 with Adrian Erlandsson. He was formerly a member of Seance and Satanic Slaughter and is also a founding member and sole music/lyric writer of Witchery. He is sometimes just referred to as...
and Anders Björler
Anders Björler
Anders Björler is a musician from Sweden. He is the current lead guitarist for heavy metal bands The Haunted and the well-known melodic death metal band At the Gates. He joined them in his former position on a reunion tour in 2007...
of The Haunted
The Haunted
The Haunted is a Swedish metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1996.The original members were Anders & Jonas Björler, Peter Dolving, Adrian Erlandsson and Patrik Jensen...
, Peter Tagtgren
Peter Tägtgren
Alf Peter Tägtgren is a Swedish musician and producer. He is the founder, main songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the death metal band Hypocrisy as well as the industrial metal band PAIN in which he is the only member....
of Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy (band)
Hypocrisy is a melodic death metal band from Sweden. It was formed in 1990 in Ludvika, Sweden by Peter Tägtgren.Musically, the band started off with a traditional death metal sound on their first albums, and soon drifted to become a melodic death metal band. The lyrics in their early stages -...
, Seth
Patryk Dominik Sztyber
Patryk Dominik Sztyber , stage name Seth, is a Polish heavy metal musician. He is the rhythm, lead and acoustic guitarist and also backing vocalist in Behemoth...
of Behemoth
Behemoth (band)
Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate....
, Devin Townsend
Devin Townsend
Devin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
and Jed Simon
Jed Simon
Jed Simon is a Canadian musician. He has been a member of numerous metal bands, including Front Line Assembly, Strapping Young Lad, Zimmers Hole, and TENET.-Biography:...
of Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
, Wayne Static
Wayne Static
Wayne Static is an American musician, and the lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and programmer for the industrial metal band Static-X. He released his first solo studio album Pighammer on October 4, 2011.- Early life :Static grew up in Shelby, Michigan before moving to Chicago and eventually...
of Static-X
Static-X
Static-X is an American industrial metal band from Los Angeles, California. They were formed in 1994. They are signed to Warner Bros. Records and have released six albums, their most recent being Cult of Static, which was released on March 17, 2009....
, Dan Jacobs of Atreyu
Atreyu (band)
Atreyu is an American rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/lyricist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller...
, Silenoz
Silenoz
Silenoz , is a Norwegian guitarist who is a founding member, along with Shagrath and Tjodalv, of the Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir which he is the primary songwriter...
of Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
, and Jesper Strömblad
Jesper Strömblad
Clas Håkan Jesper Strömblad is a Swedish musician who is currently the guitarist for the bands Dimension Zero & The Resistance...
of In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, and James Hetfield
James Hetfield
James Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
of Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
.
ESP began the EX Series with models such as the EX-100 and the EX-102 among others. In 2003, those models were discontinued and the EX-351 and EX-50 were introduced. The EX-351 was discontinued in 2004 when the EX-400, EX-400BD, and the EX-260 were introduced. The EX-400BD was discontinued in 2007, therefore the EX-400, EX-260, and EX-50 are the only EX models currently produced by ESP in the LTD production line. The discontinued models are still sold online or in some guitar shops that still have them in stock.
History
The EX series began as the EXP series (often called ESP Explorer), which featured a design exactly like the Gibson ExplorerGibson Explorer
The Gibson Explorer is a type of electric guitar that made its debut in 1958. The Explorer offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its sibling, the Flying V. The Explorer was the final development of a prototype design which years later Gibson marketed under the name Futura.The...
, with the same rounded edges and headstock shape. The only differences were the EMG
EMG, Inc.
EMG, Inc. is the current legal name of a company based in Santa Rosa, California which manufactures guitar pickups and EQ accessories. Founded in 1976, the company was originally called Dirtywork Studios. The name was changed to "Overlend" in 1978 and then to the current name in 1983...
pickups and the brand that made the guitar. Soon after Gibson's
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
decision to sue ESP, ESP discontinued the EXP series and started the EX series, featuring a different design with more pointed edges and headstock shape, to avoid any lawsuit.
James Hetfield
James Hetfield
James Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
is probably the most renowned user of the EXP series, which he has been using since the late 80's. He further popularized the series with his legendary "EET FUK" EXP and his custom ESP JH-2, a black EXP with diamond plating. His equipment includes many custom made guitars that closely resemble the original ESP EXP guitars in looks as well as specifications.
ESP EX
This is ESPs standard EX series guitar. This is very similar to the ESP LTD 401DX with the only major differences being that it is made in Japan, has Gotoh bridge and tuners as opposed to ESP bridge and Grover tuners and has a bone nut.Other specifications :
- Body Wood: Mahogany
- Neck Wood: 3-piece Maple
- Fingerboard Wood: Rosewood
- Pickups: EMG 81 (Bridge)/EMG 60 (Neck)
- Bridge: Gotoh TOM with tailpiece
- Nut: 42mm Bone
ESP LTD EX-401DX
This is ESPs latest addition to the EX LTD line-up. It has exactly the same spec as the original EX-400 but it now has a Floyd RoseFloyd Rose
The Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo, or simply Floyd Rose, is a type of locking vibrato arm for a guitar. The first of its kind, Floyd D. Rose invented the locking vibrato in 1977, and it is now manufactured by a company of the same name...
Special tremolo. It is also only available in a black flamed-maple top which was usually never used on the EX series. The inlay was also changed to an arrow shape as opposed to dots.
Other specifications :
- Body Wood: Mahogany
- Neck Wood: 3-piece Maple
- Fingerboard Wood: Rosewood
- Pickups: EMG 81 (Bridge)/EMG 60 (Neck)
- Bridge: Floyd RoseFloyd RoseThe Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo, or simply Floyd Rose, is a type of locking vibrato arm for a guitar. The first of its kind, Floyd D. Rose invented the locking vibrato in 1977, and it is now manufactured by a company of the same name...
Special - Nut: 42mm Floyd RoseFloyd RoseThe Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo, or simply Floyd Rose, is a type of locking vibrato arm for a guitar. The first of its kind, Floyd D. Rose invented the locking vibrato in 1977, and it is now manufactured by a company of the same name...
Locking Nut
ESP LTD EX-400
The EX-400 features set-in neckSet-in neck
Set-in neck is a method of guitar construction that involves joining guitar neck and body with a tightly fitted mortise-and-tenon or dovetail joint, secured using some sort of adhesive...
construction in a 24.75" scale. The fingerboard
Fingerboard
The fingerboard is a part of most stringed instruments. It is a thin, long strip of material, usually wood, that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument and above which the strings run...
features dot inlays with the model name at the 12th fret. It has 22 extra jumbo frets and an Earvana compensated nut. It comes in black and olympic white. The Black with black diamond plate and black hardware was discontinued in 2006 due to the introduction of the Wayne Static Model, which has a chrome diamond plate on top of black finish. In 2007 came the diamond plate in a metallic chrome color. LTD EX-400bd Chrome-color is the latest Explorer from ESP. The tuning pegs are Grover tuners. It has one volume and one tone control knob and a 3-way toggle.
NOTE: It was deemed discontinued in the 2007 catalogue, but quickly returned due to mass demand. In 2009, the ESP LTD EX 400 was discontinued, and the ESP LTD EX 401, and ESP LTD EX 401DX took its place as the premium ESP EX series guitar.
Other specifications :
- Body Wood: MahoganyMahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
- Neck Wood: 3-piece MapleMapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
- Fingerboard Wood: RosewoodRosewoodRosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
- Pickups: EMG 81EMG 81The EMG 81 is a popular active humbucker guitar pickup manufactured by EMG, Inc.. It is usually considered a lead pickup for use in bridge position, paired with EMG 85 as a rhythm pickup in neck position...
(Bridge)/EMG 60EMG 60EMG 60 is an active humbucker guitar pickup manufactured by EMG. It is usually considered as a "rhythm" pickup for use in neck position, paired with EMG 81 as a "lead" pickup in bridge position....
(Neck) - Bridge: Tune-O-MaticTune-o-maticTune-o-matic is a name of fixed bridge design for electric guitars. It was designed by Ted McCarty and introduced in the Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar in 1954. In 1955, it was used on the Gibson Les Paul Gold Top...
with Stop Tailpiece
ESP LTD EX-260
The EX-260 features set-in neckSet-in neck
Set-in neck is a method of guitar construction that involves joining guitar neck and body with a tightly fitted mortise-and-tenon or dovetail joint, secured using some sort of adhesive...
construction in a 24.75" scale. The fingerboard
Fingerboard
The fingerboard is a part of most stringed instruments. It is a thin, long strip of material, usually wood, that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument and above which the strings run...
features dot inlays with the model name at the 12th fret. It has 22 extra jumbo frets. It comes in black with black hardware. It has one volume and one tone control knob with a 3-way toggle.
Other specifications :
- Body Wood: Basswood
- Neck Wood: 3-piece MapleMapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
- Fingerboard Wood: RosewoodRosewoodRosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
- Pickups: 2 EMG-ESP LH-300
- Bridge: Tune-O-MaticTune-o-maticTune-o-matic is a name of fixed bridge design for electric guitars. It was designed by Ted McCarty and introduced in the Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar in 1954. In 1955, it was used on the Gibson Les Paul Gold Top...
with Stop Tailpiece
ESP LTD EX-50
The EX-50 features bolt-on neckBolt-on neck
Bolt-on neck is a method of guitar construction that involves joining a guitar neck and body using screws as opposed to glue as with set-in neck joints. The term is a misnomer, introduced mostly by Fender whose guitars traditionally had "bolt-on necks". Real bolted joints are uncommon in guitar...
construction in a 24.75" scale. The fingerboard
Fingerboard
The fingerboard is a part of most stringed instruments. It is a thin, long strip of material, usually wood, that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument and above which the strings run...
features dot inlays with the model name at the 12th fret. It has 22 extra jumbo frets. It comes in silver with black hardware, or black with silver hardware. It has one volume and one tone control knob with a 3-way toggle.
Other specifications :
- Body Wood: Basswood
- Neck Wood: MapleMapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
- Fingerboard Wood: RosewoodRosewoodRosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
- Pickups: 2 ESP LH-150
- Bridge: Tune-O-MaticTune-o-maticTune-o-matic is a name of fixed bridge design for electric guitars. It was designed by Ted McCarty and introduced in the Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar in 1954. In 1955, it was used on the Gibson Les Paul Gold Top...
with Stop Tailpiece
ESP EX-280
The EX-280 (only available in Japan), features set-in neckSet-in neck
Set-in neck is a method of guitar construction that involves joining guitar neck and body with a tightly fitted mortise-and-tenon or dovetail joint, secured using some sort of adhesive...
construction in a 24.75" scale. The fingerboard
Fingerboard
The fingerboard is a part of most stringed instruments. It is a thin, long strip of material, usually wood, that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument and above which the strings run...
features dot inlays, with two regular dot inlays on the 12th fret. It has 22 extra jumbo frets, and a carbon nut. It comes in black with black hardware. It has two volume knobs, 1 for neck pickup and 1 for the bridge pickup, and a mini toggle PU selector.
Other specifications :
- Body Wood: MahoganyMahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
- Neck Wood: 3-piece MapleMapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
- Fingerboard Wood: EbonyEbonyEbony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...
- Pickups: 2 EMG 81's, on Neck and Bridge.
- Bridge: Tune-O-MaticTune-o-maticTune-o-matic is a name of fixed bridge design for electric guitars. It was designed by Ted McCarty and introduced in the Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar in 1954. In 1955, it was used on the Gibson Les Paul Gold Top...
with Stop Tailpiece
Syu Custom
The custom EX-280, used by SyuSyu
is a Japanese musician, best known as leader and guitarist of metal band Galneryus. But also performs guitar and lead vocals in Spinalcord , and was formerly a member of Animetal. On September 29, 2010 he released a cover album named Crying Stars -Stand Proud!-, covering songs from Scorpions,...
of Galneryus
Galneryus
Galneryus is a power/neo-classical metal band from Osaka, Japan that formed in 2001.- 2001–2002: Formation and indie days :Galneryus was formed in 2001 by guitarist Syu along with vocalist Masahiro "Yama-B" Yamaguchi...
, features characteristics similar to that of a standard EX-280, except that it has a bone nut, two EMG 89 pickups and a coil split switch.