Older ESP's

[Psh511]

Anyone know anything about ESP guitars that were built on 48th street in NYC in the early eighties..any info would be helpful

[Robotechnology]

From what I remember, 48th St Customs was the ESP distributor for the US. They also dealt a lot with parts and put together many guitars and sold them as custom ESP models.

[DonP]

I've heard the rumours, but never bothered to learn anything more. Maybe ask on an ESP board? Also, I see those supposed Made in USA ESPs selling on ebay every once in a while.

[atomic charvel guy]

my number one was a black and white bengal body with a floyd, and a reverse pointy with ebony and sharkfins, that's what you heard on the tunes that were put up on here from my band in the '80's.. It was a great store, go in and put together whatever the fukk you wanted to.
I miss that guitar.

[toejam]

Maybe ask on an ESP board?

The 13-year-olds on the ESP board know nothing about old ESPs.

[atomic charvel guy]

48th street a la ESP is a store that could be replicated again and run correctly with Charvel parts, and slap together whatever the fukk you want to. That's the way it should be. That store had rows and rows of nice juicy necks of all kinds.

[Firebird V]

I used to love going there. it was a great place. Pensa Suhr was across and right down the street too... Ahh the good ol' days...

[shreddermon]

The 13-year-olds on the ESP board know nothing about old ESPs.

+1. I actually asked this question there a few years ago, and the little ones basically responded with "what's 48th street?".

ESP seems to be a company that does not seem to care much about promoting its early history. Which is kind of sad, because they do/did make some really cool guitars.

[kith]

The 13-year-olds on the ESP board know nothing about old ESPs.

bwaaahahahaha this is just too funny

[toejam]

The 13-year-olds on the ESP board know nothing about old ESPs.

+1. I actually asked this question there a few years ago, and the little ones basically responded with "what's 48th street?".

ESP seems to be a company that does not seem to care much about promoting its early history. Which is kind of sad, because they do/did make some really cool guitars.

Yeah, it is very sad. I asked one time about a late '80s Eclipse (the old Telecaster shape) that had been sitting in my local GC for quite some time. Nobody had a clue that the Eclipse used to be a Tele shape before a Les Paul shape, and nobody had a clue Scott Ian used to be endorsed by them and played that model.

[siggy14]

It is not so much that they dont care, just back in the 80's they never kept records and had no formal serial number dating. Actualy I had a horizon that did not even have a S/N, jackson headstock and played just as nice as any jackson I had ever played.

Yeah, it is very sad. I asked one time about a late '80s Eclipse (the old Telecaster shape) that had been sitting in my local GC for quite some time. Nobody had a clue that the Eclipse used to be a Tele shape before a Les Paul shape, and nobody had a clue Scott Ian used to be endorsed by them and played that model.

[ken]

Is 48 street customs the same place? If so, there's an "official statement" from ESP regarding it on their board:

http://p222.ezboard.com/48th-Street-Customs/fespguitarsmessageboardfrm16.showMessage?topicID=6.topic

[j2379]

yes its the same place i think they are out of business now. to the best of my knowledge they didnt have a wood shop everything was ESP parts they would have made & them assemble them to your spec. some of the later guitars logo'd as 48th st customs were the left over ESP parts. that whole block was great back in the day.

[Firebird V]

yeah. the whole block was great. now it is just manny's and sam ash and maybe a few others right?

[shreddermon]

Not much meat to that statement. And I'm not sure it's entirely accurate, either. I'm pretty sure I've read articles where Vernon, etc. stated that, early on, they had a custom guitar(s) built at 48th street.