48th Street Custom guitars

[GodWentPUNK]

I have a guy trying to sell me a what he said is a "1989 48th Street Custom" guitar. From what I've researched, it appears that this place was somehow associated with ESP and the guitars they built, while not for ESP, were made with all ESP parts. The guitar is of course a lefty and is said to be in 9+ condition. I'm not at all an expert on this brand and was wondering if anyone can provide me any guidence as to what the market values of these guitars are these days.

thanks!

joe...

[Green Pro Am]

IIRC, the US ESP Custom Shop used to be located upstairs at 48th Street.

[ken]

ESP used to have a statement on their official forums about their relationship or, more precisely, lack of relationship to 48th Street Custom Guitars. If I can find it, I'll post it, but I think it's captured in the post by espguitars (which is ESP USA) in this thread:

http://bbs.espguitars.com/archive/index.php/t-14191.html

If you post over there, I'm sure they'll give you the low-down. Hope this helps.

[sully]

wasn't that manny's music (or sam ash) on 48th street? if so, that was a popular guitar store that provided kickass esp parts guitars (from what i've gathered).

sully

[sully]

nm, i read that post.

[J_A / 540s]

I had to read it 3 times There are a few ways that can be taken in a different context.


The relationship or lack of it is a sore point for some ESP Japan enthusiasts & loyal patriotic employees for sure! Sometimes similar to the way some USA Fender "snobs" feel about imported Strats


48th Street Customs are not ESP's.

However, 48th was owned by ESP Japan & built with ESP parts by ESP employees who also had built guitars for the very same employer in Japan who's work was officially considered "ESP" if they happened to be on that side of the world at the time. Quite a lot of these 48th guitars were sold brand new with ESP decals that were off the same stack as what went on the guitars built in Japan.


IMO It's about as gray an area as you can get. a rose by any other name is still a rose or isnt it? If my parents ran off to the other side of the world & had another son there would He be my brother? :ROTF:


Personally I believe it was difficult for a foreign company without mega corperate resources to set up & license a manufacturing facility in the States, especially in a places like NYC or LA which are locations that were very well suited to the business at the time. Hence.. 48th St Customs.. Thats just speculation on my part though

[skorb]

it's probably a great guitar.

I remember that place but didn't know too much about them back then. just that they made custom guitars and they weren't cheap.

[GodWentPUNK]

I am aware of the 48th street situation and their relationship with ESP. My question was more of the value of these guitars rather than 'what' are they. There are some 80's guitars that were not popular back then but demand a hefty price and there are those that were crappy back then and still are Since these guitars were custom I realize that putting a value on them is difficult because you have no way to know what the original price was. I still think there has to be someone here that has dealt with these guitars (buying/selling) and has a fair assessment of the worth of these instruments.

thanks,

joe...

[J_A / 540s]

wasn't that manny's music (or sam ash) on 48th street?

sully

Back in the day before SamAsh bought up the block you had Mannys, Sam Ash, The Friedmans at We Buy, Rudys Music with The Pensa/Suhr folks assembling Schecters in house, 48th St & several others all on in block. It was a musicians paradise for awhile.

[j2379]

48th street had alot of music store back in the day. 48th street custom was in fact were they did some the ESP customs. MOST of the 48th st. custom guitars ive seen were ESP parts occassionally warmoth. as for value since they arent a big brand & most people dont know what they are they are usually pretty cheap.

[Newc]

Cheap? The "real" 48s I've seen here and there on Ebay went high - $1000+ - but IIRC there was a scam on these a few years back where someone was faking the 48th St logo and putting them on Warmoth mutts.

While the basic material quality was there, the build quality was not, so they became sort of like the SD Charvels in that respect - only traded/sold among a small group who could verify their guitars.

[ken]

Sorry Joe, I didn't read your original post carefully enough until after I'd dug out the link and thought "ah what the hell, may as well post it anyway".

There are a fair number of people on the ESP board have 48th Street Custom Guitars, if no-one here can help you, they should be able to give you an opinion and a ball-park figure on the value. I've read plenty of positive comments about the guitars, but have neither seen nor played one.

Here's another link that's probably irrelevant for Joe, but the rest of you
might find interesting were someone says that the 48th Street Customs were great guitars and Jackson/Charvel necks are mentioned:

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=815642

[Psh511]

I jsut sold an ESP/48th street custom strat on the bay and got 690.00 for it...it was a great quality guitar...had a birdeye maple neck with rosewood board, sunburst.. and was top notch all the way.

[Psh511]

here was the link...http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MESO:IT&ih=002

Considering the quality I though it went for a low price...but I got it for a song and made significant money

[GodWentPUNK]

Cheap? The "real" 48s I've seen here and there on Ebay went high - $1000+ - but IIRC there was a scam on these a few years back where someone was faking the 48th St logo and putting them on Warmoth mutts.

While the basic material quality was there, the build quality was not, so they became sort of like the SD Charvels in that respect - only traded/sold among a small group who could verify their guitars.

Here is a link to the guitar:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/KingofLoss/neon1.jpg

I did notice that the truss cover is the same as some custom ESP's

http://i1.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/fd/6f/57a9_1.JPG <- this link is to a different ESP custom shop guitar

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/KingofLoss/neon6.jpg

I was told that the headstock has on "Jack Jackson"... Does look link a jackson neck but because it does not have a scarf joint I'm certain it's not a Jackson neck.

joe...