1992 ESP Mirage Deluxe 48th Street NY Custom Shop

[msaint65]

Love that headstock the best on an ESP. My guess is its an 80's.

Stray, took a look at Henrik's ESP catalog archive on audiozone....it appears that 1990 was the last year of the "Jackson-style" headstock. The 12-19-2 is not a date....it obviously part of the DaVinci code.

[MountainDog]

It also looks like yours still has the ESP Sinclair trem. A previous owner had installed a Floyd in mine.....and as you know the baseplates are vastly different. The install was sloppy at best, so I made a template and re-routed the topside, then made a new thin rubber insert for under the trem. Very happy with the results.

Mark

Yes, ESP logo'd Sinclair:



Also is NYC:



And the back of neck is painted:

[msaint65]

You show me yours....I'll show you mine LOL!

[j2379]

That headstock was used beyond '90 at 48th street as it was the custom shop. ESP Japan would make them just about any body or neck they wanted, and they would assemble and finish the guitars there. They had a BIG stock of necks and bodies there anyway, so that could have been on a shelf for a while. Even after ESP custom shop moved to Cali, 48th street custom still had ESP parts they were selling. there are more than a few guitars around here in NY with 48th street logo's that are basically ESP customs built after the fact.

[DonP]

I have a Horizon with that headstock. I think these were the best ESP's made besides sig guitars.

[neilli]

Cool guitars, and I'll join in even if it's not a bolt-on. I was lucky because it's a non-recessed trem, so swapping a Floyd in for the Sinclair was easy..

[msaint65]

Neilli...love it man, absolutely love it!

Mark

[msaint65]

That headstock was used beyond '90 at 48th street as it was the custom shop. ESP Japan would make them just about any body or neck they wanted, and they would assemble and finish the guitars there. They had a BIG stock of necks and bodies there anyway, so that could have been on a shelf for a while. Even after ESP custom shop moved to Cali, 48th street custom still had ESP parts they were selling. there are more than a few guitars around here in NY with 48th street logo's that are basically ESP customs built after the fact.

Thanks much for the info. I know just enough about ESPs to be dangerous.....so your knowledge here is cool ad really appreciated!

Mark

[j2379]

Don't really know much about ESP at all, but i was around NYC and loved the 48th street music row back in the day. 48th Street Custom was across the street from Rudy's where they built Pensa Suhr's, Manny's and Sam Ash were right there too. Back in the day if you wanted almost any instrument, high end or vintage you could find it there. Anyway, i know a lot of those ESP stamped bodies and necks were also sold there, even after ESP was a guitar not a parts company. It was funny, how most guitar shops had parts racks of all parts, dimarzio and WD stuff, they had ESP stuff & back then it wasnt silly high prices.

[shreddermon]

I'm by no means an ESP expert, but thought the 48th street "custom shop" stopped long before then? Like mid-80s?

[msaint65]

Don't really know much about ESP at all, but i was around NYC and loved the 48th street music row back in the day. 48th Street Custom was across the street from Rudy's where they built Pensa Suhr's, Manny's and Sam Ash were right there too. Back in the day if you wanted almost any instrument, high end or vintage you could find it there. Anyway, i know a lot of those ESP stamped bodies and necks were also sold there, even after ESP was a guitar not a parts company. It was funny, how most guitar shops had parts racks of all parts, dimarzio and WD stuff, they had ESP stuff & back then it wasnt silly high prices.

Good stuff man....love "back I the day" stories. Thanks!

[msaint65]

I'm by no means an ESP expert, but thought the 48th street "custom shop" stopped long before then? Like mid-80s?

I think that this "custom shop" was originally on 22nd or 23rd street and moved to 48th in early 1989.....I think......maybe.....LOL!

Mark

[j2379]

I believe you are correct, but they were still using the left over ESP parts for a while after the ESP CS moved to Cali. & yes the original ESP shop was further down town, & moved to 48th St., but i think that was in the mid 80's. IIRC by '91 the ESP CS moved to Hollywood. Its also more confusing since the name of the store was 48th street custom and logo'd guitars as such, even when they had existing ESP logos.

I'm by no means an ESP expert, but thought the 48th street "custom shop" stopped long before then? Like mid-80s?

[bucketbrian45]

Man neilli that's a nice guitar!

[DK2M92]

My dad owns a 90 or 91 Mirage Deluxe, its an awesome guitar! Great neck (bolt on) and great sound. All around great guitar.