NGD - Edward Singlehands?

**Not Mr. Test** · 01-02-2021 03:57 PM

Ok, so my title sucks but this guitar fucking kicks a shitload of ass. I don't love blackouts but they can stay for a bit - it also has a set of Gotoh lockers on on the way so it's due for a string change/fretboard treatment when they show up...

But anyway, holy shit is this thing nice. I had the ESP version a few years back (which had issues that I've mentioned enough by now). I can't tell if this thing is really that much nicer or if my memory of the ESP is jaded because it's neck was fucked up. Either way, I am super impressed with this one. It sounds fantastic and feels/plays great despite spending the last ~3 weeks sitting in a FedEx container somewhere.

Specs: Mahogany body, maple top, 3 piece maple neck, 12" radius, ebony board. 24.75 scale. I don't know if these are actually MIJ or MIC and assembled in Japan. I don't honestly care but it would be nice to find out either way. The auction said MIJ but I've seen both on the ol' Googles.

Pics:

And the triplets:

I hemmed and hawed about buying this, forgot about it, remembered it from another ESP thread on here and went back and put an offer on it. I had some buyers remorse at first to be honest but I am super glad I ended up getting this. I'm all sorts of surprised at how nice ended up being.

**Naren** · 01-02-2021 04:19 PM

That is a pretty cool-looking guitar. Love the look of the black Blackouts on the white finish. I've long been a fan of Blackouts, though Fishmans have beaten them out as my favorite active pickups.

**budda** · 01-02-2021 04:29 PM

Singlecut wall lookin' real good there dude

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**Jeff** · 01-02-2021 04:40 PM

That looks awesome. I used to really dig the Blackouts, but it’s been ages since I’ve played them. I’d probably put Fishmans in there.

**GentleHands McCoy** · 01-02-2021 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Not Mr. Test

But anyway, holy shit is this thing nice. I had the ESP version a few years back (which had issues that I've mentioned enough by now). I can't tell if this thing is really that much nicer or if my memory of the ESP is jaded because it's neck was fucked up. Either way, I am super impressed with this one. It sounds fantastic and feels/plays great despite spending the last ~3 weeks sitting in a FedEx container somewhere.

The modern $1600 "real professional ESP quality" (although it's probably higher these days) ESP shit is iffy.

Early on in the 48th street custom days and the early ESP guitars the stuff you see going for ~$1200 new was their top end stuff. There wasn't a huge spread of sub brands across all price points.

Since like, '96ish on the "entry level professional real ESP" shit has declined in quality IMO. Partly due to the fact their top end stuff is like $5-6k+. The focus has shifted. The $1600-2000 ones are nowhere near their top end.

That was a major contributing factor to the rise of LTD and the reason you see pro bands playing them everywhere. Sure, you could still get a nice ESP for that price around 2008ish and shit, but a lot of people were playing the $1k top end LTDs back to back with the $1600 entry level ESPs and not finding a difference.

The "EII" thing was an effort to introduce a buffer between them two delineate them more clearly. Not like there already aren't enough tiers. As far as modern ESPs I would think it would rank as,

Entry level ~$300 LTDs > Low mid/mid level LTDs > Grassroots > Edwards/top level LTDs > EII > Entry level ESP > ESP signature and the more premium ESP "pro level" production models> Navigator > ESP custom shop

Some of those rankings are also subject to debate. Specifically the non export Grassroots and Edwards and where they fall in relation to top end LTDs and low end ESPs. Those^ aren't even all the sub brands either.

No one was actually clamoring for another sub brand, they just needed to more clearly delineate the barrier between their "budget sub brand" and their "premium-ish brand, but not the most premium brand".

**GentleHands McCoy** · 01-02-2021 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Not Mr. Test

I don't know if these are actually MIJ or MIC and assembled in Japan. I don't honestly care but it would be nice to find out either way. The auction said MIJ but I've seen both on the ol' Googles.

No one actually knows for sure.

Good write up. https://www.vintagejapanguitars.com....china-guitars/

If you know the year, the presence of MOTO instead of MOP would point one way or the other. If it's like 2006-2008ish or earlier, that would be inconclusive, up to like 2008ish there will still a bunch of more affordable models with MOTO inlays being made in Japan, but around then was the time when Japanese manufacturing started to become more expensive and most Japanese companies shifted their more affordable instruments to China or Vietnam or Korea.

Most of the "fancier premium MIJ" models are MOP. More budget stuff or hybrid stuff is MOTO. The highest priced stuff with MOTO you would see around that era would be like, the Jackson SLSMG. Which is obviously still a great guitar.

I *think* some of the fancier Edwards LPs are MOP. That might vary by year though.