USA ESP guitars...

[leftykingv2]

Hmm. I wonder if this might have a linkage to the news about Pablo no longer working for Jackson?

When did this happen???? WTF?????

[j2379]

No they didn't, as a kid i didn't even know it was the custom shop. it was also a guitar store, i always thought it was cool how they always had lots of ESP stamped necks and bodies around. there are a number of guitars logo'd 48th street custom that are the left over ESP parts, especially around here.

I'm guessing that 48th street guitars didn't actually manufacture necks or bodies, so that's what's they mean by "first USA factory". Those guys were just a bunch of Colorodoman lookin' dudes bolting different necks onto bodies and setting custom headstock decals (no offense to Chris).

[leftykingv2]

No they didn't, as a kid i didn't even know it was the custom shop. it was also a guitar store, i always thought it was cool how they always had lots of ESP stamped necks and bodies around. there are a number of guitars logo'd 48th street custom that are the left over ESP parts, especially around here.

So what you're saying is the old ESP USA's weren't really made here. Just shipped here and bolted/screwed together in USA?

[Chad]

So what you're saying is the old ESP USA's weren't really made here. Just shipped here and bolted/screwed together in USA?

For the 48th Street guitars, that's the way I understand it.

But the 90s USA Custom guitars were fully built and assembled in the US (in California mostly by one luthier AFAIK).

[leftykingv2]

For the 48th Street guitars, that's the way I understand it.

But the 90s USA Custom guitars were fully built and assembled in the US (in California mostly by one luthier AFAIK).

Thanks for the knowledge Chad~!

[shreddermon]

ORLY? That's the first I've heard of that. Dish, ya bastid!

Honestly don't have any details other than this is a significant part of why custom shop build times have gotten so much longer. I heard they're down from four to now only two master builders doing J/C custom builds. Mike and, I think, Red Dave. Pablo is no longer with Jackson. Possibly Pat M, too.


Read this story, and it made me wonder if whether Pablo possibly got lured to another company like ESP? The cited location of their coming US custom shop would seem to jibe with that possibility. Not trying to start a rumor, just wondering if there's a possible link?

[leftykingv2]

Honestly don't have any details other than this is a significant part of why custom shop build times have gotten so much longer. I heard they're down from four to now only two master builders doing J/C custom builds. Mike and, I think, Red Dave. Pablo is no longer with Jackson. Possibly Pat M, too.


Read this story, and it made me wonder if whether Pablo possibly got lured to another company like ESP? The cited location of their coming US custom shop would seem to jibe with that possibility. Not trying to start a rumor, just wondering if there's a possible link?

You make an excellent point bro that's for sure!

[coloradoman25]

LOL Cmone Axey.

I have me a nice 48th street im working on right now. Id say that these guitars will come in par with everything else around. What I find interested is the amount of restructuring and renaming this company has been doing. It seems they are doing what should have been done with Jackson IMO. Disassociation of the main brand name from the cheaper lines.

[neilli]

Honestly don't have any details other than this is a significant part of why custom shop build times have gotten so much longer. I heard they're down from four to now only two master builders doing J/C custom builds. Mike and, I think, Red Dave. Pablo is no longer with Jackson. Possibly Pat M, too.

That's interesting news Pat. Not something I'd heard even a muttering about, but obviously people don't stay put just because we think their jobs must be cool! I thought it was really just Mike and Pablo that did Jackson, with Red Dave doing Charvel - didn't know Pat M still had regular involvement..

[shreddermon]

Ian, I've heard that builder / brand division of work stated in the past, too. Think it's not quite as formal or consistent as people have assumed, though. For example, I know Dave did my custom Kelly a few years ago. I have pics of him working on it. (Awesome guitar, too!).

Anyway, Pablo is definitely gone. And, if they're down to two master builders, I assume that more likely means Pat left at some point, too. Could be wrong about that, though.

[1994]

IMHO they've seen the success of Suhr and want a slice of the high-end USA-made market. I'd be interested to see how they price them and the differential between the top-end Japanese made models and the USA models. Exciting times!!!

[j2379]

YES, at least not the wood work. Its not the first company to do that. Kramer USA's were the same thing, they were never MADE in the US....ok the first year they were....& IIRC it was Canadian not the USA.

So what you're saying is the old ESP USA's weren't really made here. Just shipped here and bolted/screwed together in USA?

[leftykingv2]

YES, at least not the wood work. Its not the first company to do that. Kramer USA's were the same thing, they were never MADE in the US....ok the first year they were....& IIRC it was Canadian not the USA.

Wow that's crazy! You shouldn't be able to have the words "Made in USA" on anything unless it was made entirely in this country.