ESP USA Custom Explorer...value?

[axeman81]

Hey fellas,

I'm having my ENGL 4x12" cab up for sale, and a guy wanted to trade+cash for it...he says he has a 1985 ESP USA Customshop Explorer. Since I have no clue of ESP guitars, I wanted to see if any of you closet-ESP-experts in here could tell me a ballpark figure on its value? The pictures seem to indicate a very well kept example.
Mahogany body and neck, rosewood board. Bolt-on construction.
The text is in Norwegian but basically it says it was built in USA, original condition, owned by a collector who died(should've played them more ), picked up by a vintage store, then brought to Norway by this guy (making him the 2nd owner.)

http://www.finn.no/finn/bap/object?finnkode=19091984

Let me know. Thanks!

- Rune.

[neilli]

I'm not an ESP expert, but I'd say that guitar was waaaaaay more recent than 1985...

[axeman81]

thanks for the input. how do ya reckon it's newer?

[mr426]

I would say more like a 1995.If he offered this a trade for your cab....GO GET IT!!!.I have seen these Exploreres fetch a few grand lately.Do it and do it now...

[axeman81]

Alright, cool. He wants the trade PLUS what he said "a good bit of cash" and gave the impression he had turned down offers around the $3500 mark.

But anyway I got a good offer in cash from another guy so I will sell the cab, but I may have to keep an eye on that guitar...even though I had actually set my mind on a new Jackson!

We'll see what happens....

- Rune.

[Brian]

That is a late 90's ESP EXP. They weren't even making Explorer's in 1985. Though it says "1985 mod" not sure what mod that is he's talking about. Maybe he's referencing the 1985 Gibson Explorers that had no pick guards.

The only "rare" thing about this guitar is the natural finish and the "USA" made sticker. There were a handful of bolt-on ESP's made in Hollywood in the late 90's just before they closed shop (guitar construction anyway) in the USA.

They originally came in Olympic White and Black. In mint condition they typically fetch $1300-$1500USD. Since that one has a rare finish it may be worth a little bit more.

If he turned down offers of $3500 for that guitar he's... well... fucking stupid.

[axeman81]

ah, thanks for the clarification maybe I'll have to make him an offer..hehe.
or maybe I'll just get another USA Jackson instead!!

[Brian]

ah, thanks for the clarification maybe I'll have to make him an offer..hehe.
or maybe I'll just get another USA Jackson instead!!

I had 3 different ESP EXP's. Personally, I would go with a USA Jackson over any of the ones I had.

[tomanyjacksons]

I would worry it maybe being a authentic especially if he turned down $3500. Could be talking up a story to make it seem worth more than it is. I know I tend to look at the bad side of everything. Good luck on whatever you do.

[axeman81]

yeah, it would seem that he's either not being truthful about it, or perhaps doesn't know what he has and is merely re-telling a bogus story.

I think I'll retain my status as Jackson USA snob

[Mazrim]

There's something about that guitar that is tripping my bullshit alarms. ESP Explorers are great guitars but I dont know much about the USA ones though. I seem to remember a few guitars being assembled in the US from Jap parts. Sketchy at best.

$3500? Bullshit.

[secks]

The guitar seems like a refinished ltd explorer to me due tothe following reasons:

1) The logo on the headstock is not right.
2) There has never been a USA custom shop. Even Hetfield's ones were built in Japan.
3) The dots on the fretboard are far too small.
4) EXP models didn't have the ESP logo on the 12th fret.
5) The finish options were black and olympic white. This one looks like a faded finish that Gibson puts on some of the guitars nowadays.

I have two EXPs and one mx250II but none of them looks anything like this one.

[axeman81]

thanks man. Fortunately I passed it up!

[DrDestruction]

Yeah. ESP never had a custom shop in the U.S. All their stuff one-off stuff has come from Japan. They might have corporate offices or a design studio out here, but the actual construction (as far as I know) is all made in Japan, as that's where ESP started from.

In fact, a lot of the early Kramer Strathead guitars were evidently made from ESP parts back in the day, from what I've heard. It was supposedly because Kramer couldn't keep up with manufacturing demand and out-sourced their heavy-lifting to ESP and stuff.

[toejam]

2) There has never been a USA custom shop. Even Hetfield's ones were built in Japan.

ESP did have a custom shop in the USA for a little bit, in California.