I hate the E-II logo so much, it makes me not buy their guitars

[petereanima]

Who the fuck thought that it is a good idea to introduce this and reserve ESP for the Customer Shop?
It maybe a stupid reason, but I really would like an Eclipse and just can't get over that E-II branding.

I must admit, i did not follow this switch at all. Came across it now, as after yeeeears i am in the market for a new axe agian, and as a teeny always wanted an ESP. Now they are more or less gone. I understand that LTD is still LTD, but all the ESP Standards are now E-II and ESP is only for the USA Custom Shop, yeah?

[Kagami]

ESP Japan because people were importing ESP Standards which don't meet their standards (lol).

[thrashinbatman]

thats fine, more E-II guitars for me.

[Lee]

Crazy reason to not buy a guitar, homey. Don't be a ponce.

[petereanima]

Crazy reason to not buy a guitar, homey. Don't be a ponce.

Yeah, i know. here's hoping you can convince me otherwise.

[Iron1]

Shouldn’t this thread title read “Totally Popular Opinions”?

If I had one, I’d make a vinyl Jackson logo and slap it over the E-II.

[noodles]

"Chris likes this"

[Drew]

It's cool. I don't buy E-II logo guitars precisely because they ARE ESPs. Between the two of us that should cancel each other out.

[Lee]

Yeah, i know. here's hoping you can convince me otherwise.

Like, what's wrong with this?


If you said 'nothing', you're almost right. The proper answer is 'the bridge'. But overlooking that, I think this is a killer looking guitar. The logo doesn't change that for me.

Edit: oh, and the volume knob placement sucks.

[noodles]

TOM > *

[Budda]

TOM > *

Im a fan of wraptails too. I was dumbfounded when a producer adjusted the one on my custom 22 for intonation, since I had never noticed the set screws .

[jacksonplayer]

ESP has a ridiculous number of brands that were all developed in-house (not acquired, like what FMIC has done)--ESP, E-II, LTD, Edwards, Grass Roots, and Navigator. Most of these sell basically different levels of the same thing.

It's odd from a branding standpoint, since it would seem to dilute the core value of the ESP brand. The E-II branding was obviously a disaster, based on the relative values of the used instruments.

E-II/ESP Standard Series is kind of an odd thing, because it's contract built but in Japan and at a high level. Thus, it's not quite the same thing as the Jackson USA Select vs. Custom Shop, where it's mostly the same people building production runs and custom orders in the same factory. However, Jackson did well enough in leaving "Jackson" as the base brand for the USA production guitars while adding a small "Custom Shop" logo to distinguish the customs. ESP could have done something similar.

[man jerk]

TOM > *

I can't do a TOM. My hand gets stuck behind the bridge when I play. Honestly I wish I had because TOM bridges are much more common than other types of hardtail bridges.

[thrashinbatman]

I love TOM bridges except on superstrat guitars. It ain't right, it's gotta be a trem.

[Shawn]

I’ve learned and grown to love it. At least on mine it says ESP on the 12th fret.

For decades the LTD logo is why I’ve never bought an ESP.

I actually think the E-II logo on headstock is slick looking......especially in the sun.

[wombcannon]

In terms of aesthetics, Ill take the "E II" logo over the scribed "ESP" and "ltd" logos. Seriously.....the ESP scribed logo really grinds my gears. Give me the block "ESP" any day.

[pjr]

I mostly agree with OP.

I was even prepared to write an exhaustively lengthy writeup based on how I understand that they made the change to avoid diluting the specialness of the ESP brand (which is hilarious as previously mentioned given all of the different brands that live under ESP) yet can't believe they would choose something as low-brow as "E-II" on a product where if you are specifically looking for something MIJ instead of what's hanging on Mr. GC's wall you are clearly more into the cork sniffing side of things.

Then I thought to myself, "Before spending time on such a diatribe, I should take a look at the logo and make sure it's as bad as I'm remembering." And now I just spent the passed hour looking at used E-II's.

Damn it. Damn it all.

[Chris]

Who the fuck thought that it is a good idea to introduce this and reserve ESP for the Customer Shop?
It maybe a stupid reason, but I really would like an Eclipse and just can't get over that E-II branding.

I must admit, i did not follow this switch at all. Came across it now, as after yeeeears i am in the market for a new axe agian, and as a teeny always wanted an ESP. Now they are more or less gone. I understand that LTD is still LTD, but all the ESP Standards are now E-II and ESP is only for the USA Custom Shop, yeah?

Totally agree. I ranted about this on MG.

E-II is fucking stupid. I don't want an E-II. When I was 13, I didn't have E-IIs on my wall. 13 year old me wanted an ESP, and old crusty me wants ESPs too.

It's even more obnoxious because every auction lists them as "ESP E-II" or "ESP LTD". Just like the people with the cheap PRS SEs plug up my searches with "PRS PAUL REED SMITH SE". You can only filter on one field on Reverb, so if you search "ESP not:E-II" you get a zillion goddamn LTDs. If you search "ESP not:LTD", you get these damn things.

I hate this change and everyone at ESP who green lighted it should be kicked in the balls. Or the boobs. Or both, I don't judge.

[Chris]

Crazy reason to not buy a guitar, homey. Don't be a ponce.

I'm so glad you ended your social media blackout to ride back here on your high horse and be That Guy all the time.

[mpexus]

Could be worse.. could say Gibson

[Naren]

I totally get what you mean. They're great guitars that sound and play excellently... just like what were labeled "ESPs" for forever, but I just can't get over the stupid "E-II" name and logo. It just seems so cheap. I remember the first time I saw the logo, I just imagined that it was on the same level as LTD or even lower tier than LTD, but was then surprised to see that the guitar was $2500. I would then go on to see that a ton of the other E-II guitars were also around $2000 or $3000. Even the used ones were around $1600 or so. It didn't make sense to me. "Why... aren't these ESPs?!" The explanation still doesn't make sense to me. If a $3000 guitar isn't worthy of the "ESP" logo, then... uh... yeah...

[desertdweller]

I hate the E-II logo so much, it makes me not buy their guitars

E-II, Brute?

[mpexus]

E-II, Brute?

[DingusMaximus]

If I had one, I’d make a vinyl Jackson logo and slap it over the E-II.

I disliked the ESP 12th fret block inlay so much that I painted over it by hand. And I'll never afford a second one... Anyway,
Just get a second hand one?

[petereanima]

E-II, Brute?

Now, THAT is a top tier quality post!