ESP Guitars

Overview
ESP is a Japanese guitar manufacturer which started as Electronic Sound Products in Tokyo, 1975. Their affiliation with Firewind started with Gus G's signature line starting in 2003.

Feel free to add the earliest year of production for any examples of ESP guitars you have. Via this method we aim to find when each model was introduced. Find the year of your model from the serial number on the headstock: FFYYWWDNN.

FF being factory (Factories aren't all known.)

YY year (Self explanatory)

WW Week (0-51)

D Day (1-7)

NN (The "NN"th guitar made that day"

ESP's own cataloging attempts are best described as shabby, at worst non-existant. Some models may be listed under different names. We have tried to decipher the codes. Some codes are common knowledge for various reasons, but ESP has never published a comprehensive list of codes and many are still unknown.

ESP owns three smaller branches of guitar known as LTD, Edwards and Grassroots. Grassroots are the cheapest and poorest quality guitars aimed at the western market. LTD and Edwards and on-par quality and price-wise. but LTD is targeted at the western market, whereas Edwards is targeted at the Japanese market. Edwards guitars are made in Japan, whereas LTD guitars are usually made in Korea.

Gus G currently plays the ESP Gus G. RS NT-III 24 most commonly, which is the only matte-black finish signature guitar in the ESP Gus G line.

Gus-600 FR STBC (2007)
This was the first model to be discontinued. It was one of the first two models to be released, along with the NT. It was discontinued in 2009, because Gus G felt he had more control with a stoptail bridge. There was also an unpainted neck version.

Gus-600 NT STBC (2008)
These also exist with reversed headstocks.

GUS G. RS NT EVEN-II STD WH
Firewind logo

ESP GUS G. RS NT EVEN-III
Gloss black

Gus G. RS NT EVEN-III 24 BLK
New 2013 model, matte black 24 frets

Gus G.NT NT EVEN-III FM
2012, Evil G inlays

Gus-200 BLK/BCH
Original model with flame inlays and wider front wing, second model with Firewind inlays and thinner front wing, and input jack moved to the upper rear wing made available 2012.

Gus-600 FR STBC (2007)
There was also an unpainted neck version

Gus-600 NT STBC (2008)
There was also a reverse headstock version

FR
Floyd Rose

NT
Non Tremelo

RS
Unknown

STD
Unknown, possibly "standard"?

STBC
See- Through Black Cherry

BLK
Black

FM
Flamed Maple

WH
White

EC
Eclipse

600
Relevant quality. 600 is higher end, but not as good as the models without a number. 600s have Seymour Duncan pickups, Gus G signature on the headstock, alder body wood, and Grover/Gotoh tuners.

200
Relevant quality. 200 is lower end and produced only by LTD. Basswood bodies, ESP tuners, ESP pickups.