NCD! Family custom pics and all

[ZL1hawk]

Checkout the bookmatch on this ESP but first we start from the beginning. The review and custom family pics to follow in the next reply.







I made a nice landing with my Syma!


































Scallops!

[ZL1hawk]

As Gfunk333 requested...






The guitar laying flat is my custom RR1T. Sorry for that Gfunk.




All 5 are customs.












The ESP Review: The Hannes made the first impression on me, I immediately fell in line playing it and would recommend that people try it. There is nothing about this bridge that would throw a player off or screw with their picking hand. The scalloped frets start at the 12th fret and as you move your hand up the neck you barely notice them unless you are the type to strangle your fretboard while you play, ESP did an amazing job on them. Not too shallow and not too deep but just right. I've found this guitar can take some aggressive riffing and since the guitar is Alder and Maple with a X2N in the bridge playing it is like having Ivan Drago punch you in the face. I'm sure you've all heard the expression "the notes jump off the fretboard!" well they do. This ESP is entirely made for soloing since the notes come off so nicely and the power chords sound mean. Of course when my band returns from our break I'll put this pig through its paces but just playing on my own it held up great!

I ran The Number of the Beast (Kreator version), Open Casket (Death), Mouth for War (Pantera), and Troops of Doom (Sepultura) before it finally came out of tune. I need to do my own setup and install my brand of strings, D'Ads 11-49 and then the ESP will be put through hell week. 7 days of no mercy playing just me, my drummer, and bass player. Broken strings are not allowed and nothing short of great tone will be tolerated.

How does it compare to my other customs? I can't rate them in order but if I had to this is how I would do it.

5. Charvel Custom Robin Egg Blue. Geared more for Hard Rock it's hard to get that crazy metal tone I love so much for playing Thrash/Speed Metal without the guitar muffing out. An OD is usually required but once you find the right sound from it this Charvel plays beautifully. It crushes my 6th batch slime green Charvel in overall quality but I can only use it for cover songs. That's not even a knock on custom Charvels. Mine plays smoothly and has a unique look to it. It's my favorite to practice on when my playing gets sloppy but the ESP is a monster in comparison. IMHO. I love Charvel customs so please don't take that the wrong way fellas.

4. Jackson Satin Black Custom KV2. There are only 2 things I would change about this guitar, 1 I'd give it a blank fretboard and 2 make the binding black. It is one of the better examples of what Jackson can do with a custom guitar and I've already left instructions for it to be buried with me when I die. Having this KV2 and the new ESP is like a quarterback controversy on an NFL team. The KV2 sounds too good and plays too well to ever take a back seat to another guitar.

3. Jackson Satin Black Custom RR1T. There are 2 RR1 in the world I drool over. 1 is the Lightning (which I have) and a string-thru RR1. Having one is a total privilege and it's a crowd pleasure. It has its own place in my lineup and will be used often in live performances. Compared to the ESP it only falls short in tone but just by a little. I think the X2N is more lively and expressive. My RR1T needs a set of high output passive pickups.

2. Suhr Custom Modern Waterfall Burl Maple Trans Blue Denim Slate. Suhr has a quality all their own and since this Suhr has a Mahogany body and neck and my ESP has an Alder body with a Maple drop top and Maple Neck their specs make comparing tone impossible. While the Suhr boasts the burled maple the ESP has the 5A flamed Maple. You can tell on each guitar somebody took the time to build them right. The Suhr blows me away every time I play it and considering the ESP is brand new. It is my opinion both guitars with the same amount of care and precision both companies are known for. Right now it's impossible to choose. The ESP needs more play time.

1. To be continued...

[xenophobe]

Told ya you have nothing to worry about.

Nice build quality, eh?

[ZL1hawk]

Told ya you have nothing to worry about.

Nice build quality, eh?

Definitely! ESP really did a great job for me.

[xenophobe]

It'll be interesting to see what spot it eventually ends at.

Do you own any production guitars? lol

[toejam]

Great collection, Rick! That ESP is all sorts of awesome. I've never been a big fan of the pointy ESP headstock, but it looks much better reversed.

[ZL1hawk]

It'll be interesting to see what spot it eventually ends at.

Do you own any production guitars? lol

Oh yeah a BC Rich Chuck Schuldiner Stealth, an 8th batch Charvel slime green, a Dean natural stealth, a Suhr Lime Green Freeze, an E-II LT-27 prototype, an E-II 7 string NT7B (Baritone), and a Jackson RR1 USA Lightning. I have 12 guitars total.

My E-II M-1 was sold to my cousin and my Dean Dime Slime was sold to my old teacher.

[Jackson8090s]

Great review, amazing collection dude!! those are jaw dropping.

[ZL1hawk]

Today I'm going to switch off between the Suhr and the ESP going back and forth between both but will use the Splawn Nitro instead of the Bogner TJ. No pedals, just a tuner, and guitars straight to amp. No songs just small riffs and soloing techniques I use to warm up and get my hands loose. Today is going to be fun!

[ZL1hawk]

Some pics outside on a cloudy day.

[Dog Boy]

I dig the scalloped thing! I've got a fully scalloped strat parts-o-caster...its one of my favorites.

[ZL1hawk]

Dog I like that!

[ZL1hawk]

Well boys the ESP won out. The Suhr is all Mahogany and just doesn't have that punch the ESP does. If I was to walk out on stage I'd grab the ESP. I think the Suhr needs some Doug Aldrich pups. I still love my Suhr though.