I own an ESP E2 Horizon NT2 and it's an absolutely amazing guitar. No issue's whatsoever. Looks expensive and feel's expensive. Almost every guitar I have ever played out of Japan has been great. I don't like to play anything BUT Japanese built guitar's now after owning a few Prestiges and now an ESP E2. I've obviously owned Korean and Indonesian built guitar's as well and they can't hold a candle to Japanese built guitar's. Not even close.
@ChilledGuitarReviews Is this the ONLY ESP E2 you've ever played? Or have you played several and they've all had problems? I do agree with the pricing of them now though. I bought my Horizon brand new at the time for $1,800. I see the prices have now gone to $2,400 for the EXACT same guitar! That is an absolutely insane price jump. I've honestly never seen anything like it. A $600 price jump is atrocious and at this point I wouldn't buy the same E2 I have again for the $2,400 if I had to get another one. At the time I bought mine for $1,800 it was extremely reasonable for the quality of the guitar. $2,400 is excessive for ANY mass produced guitar... no matter how nice it is.
My E-ii is far far better than my LTD, both set up professionally. In fact, the E-ii feels better and higher quality than some of the Mayones Guitars I've played
I believe you can get much better built guitars with better specs for the price of a mayones. Those guitars are bare bones and have a lot of issues. Around the same price you can get a caparison guitar that's built like a tank
The ESP Standard series isn't what it used to be. I have 2 Eclipses and a Horizon that were pre-E II branding. They're practically perfect. I recently got an E II Horizon and I am less than satisfied. The ebony board has a very light brown streak of grain running the entire length of the board and was certainly dyed, the finish on the binding wasn't scraped properly in a couple of spots and the recess for the Floyd Rose had a slight bump on the edge as if the router hit a minor hiccup while cutting. These things are nearly $3,000 now. Completely unacceptable.
I bought a Gibson Les Paul custom GTX from the factory shop whilst on holiday in Nashville / made in the USA & all that but nothing but problems with the guitar from the intonation, electronics, fret work, binding etc , eventually sold it as bought an Epiphone Les Paul custom that kicked the Gibson’s ass especially in build & performance quality, it’s a great & valid point you make here that the country of origin does not always guarantee the quality of what you buy 👍🏻
Heard a lot of complaints about recent Gibsons, that sucks mate. Perhaps I should get one in this year for the channel and see if 2022 is a better year for them...
Wow I have the EII horizon baritone 7 in purple sparkle. And it’s incredible!!! It actually turned me into a esp fan. I’m normally a Ibanez prestige man. But I got my EII and I fell in love with it. Actually have another one on order.
I love how you talk about your guitars, like they're your pets, or buddies. "We said goodbye", "spine buster", "bad boy", and stressing out that you enjoyed owning the guitar like you would do with a quitted good worker. It's just too cute and cozy, makes me to want more of your videos. Can't wait for the next candidate to the "Live 7 string" title to appear.
What a crazy coincidence! I ended up buying this exact guitar having it shipped from Tokyo without realizing it, the exact same serial number and everything. Even the pricetag from Ikebe, somehow it ended up at Ishibashi. The issues are still here but with the price knocked way waaaaay down. Loving every minute of playing it. Cheers dude!
Originally shot this one back in the Summer. Your thoughts on the country of manufacture debate? Special thanks to www.filmhive.co.uk for picking up the edit for me on this one and doing a cracking job!
I have an Epiphone Les Paul. I upgraded the pickups to Dimarzio PAF 59's. It sounds and feels perfect. I have tried to replace it with a full fat USA Gibson Les Paul on a few occasions, but I never found one that could even match the quality and sound of the Epiphone.
I bought this guitar last month and it has exactly the same issue with the pickup cavities. Also, one of the luminlay inlays is possitioned slightly off. I bought the guitar anyways because it looks, sounds and plays absolutely great. Its a real joy to play on. I hope they will sort out this minor issues in the future because i agree that this shouldn’t happen on a guitar in this price range.
I've actually seen multiple copies of this white Horizon with really inconsistent pickup cavities now... I don't really understand how the issue is arising... If they are cutting them via CNC machine like most factories they should be extremely clean. If they are routing by hand then surely the Japanese attention to detail should also ensure a straight cavity?...
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial that puzzles me too. I have a white Charvel that has a similar finish and it does not have any such issues on the pickup cavities, even though it's much cheaper at 1k. I also looked up all the pictures and videos i could find on the ESP and i found that the cavities were off everywhere. Thanks for pointing this issue out and being critical about the guitar, you have a new subscriber
I completely agree with you said about this guitar and would return it promptly too. I just pre-ordered a ESP LTD M-7BHT Arctic white guitar from GC today and supposedly won't get it till mid-Mar. of 2024. I hope it turns out ok when I finally get my hands on it. Great video and rock on! \m/
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial GC cancelled by pre-order on the ESP M-7BHT so I ended up getting a USA made Fender Acoustisonic Jazzmaster instead!!! Not a bad guitar, but may not be for everyone.
I have an E-II MII in 6 and 7. The 7 was and still is perfect, the 6 after 2 years i got a fret leveling on it and it plays better than ever. Should it had needed it? Probably not but it did and it was well worth the money, because now it plays just as nice if not better than guitars twice the price
I relate to this so much. I to watched the factory tour video and got the ESP E-II MII 7B in pearl white with bone nut, same tuners, the Evertune bridge, and the fishman fluency moderns with push pull tone. I paid 2,600 and it has the same type of defects and then some.. Also the bridge pickup came loose
Dude no way, I really did think i must have been a one in a million to get such a Lemon especially direct from Japan. What did you do in the end? Repair or return?
Saw this guitar on the ikebe music site on reverb lol. Man I was close to buying from them but noticed that all of the E-ii models on other sites have “made in Japan” underneath the serial number on the back of the headstock but on this one (and others they sell) it’s not there? Even on the ESP website you can see it on those models too.
I asked Ikebe about this and their response was that not all E-II guitars come with a MIJ label. But I've never seen one without it apart from this example....
ESP quality declined with the E-II rebrand in 2013. Whatever anyone says, my Standards series are better than the E-IIs, even unplugged. I own 12 ESP guitars made in Japan (8 Eclipses, 4 others). You can still have a really good E-II, most of the time, but they don't feel the same as they used to. Bodymount pickups thing is a new trend (an ugly trend that I hope passes soon), and yes, I can see misaligned (slightly) pickups on my E-IIs having this setup. The ones with classic pickup rings are perfect.
I just had an E-II professionally set up including fret level. The guitar tech said the frets were "all over the place." Disappointing on a nearly £3k guitar, but now it's sorted it plays and sounds brilliantly.
I'm getting supplied another E-II for review very soon so I'm hoping I will finally get an example in my hand that shows me what all the fuss is about. I can't say I've seen it yet but I could see the potential in this Guitar.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial To be fair I have half a dozen other E-IIs and this particular one is the only one that ever needed any work to play right. Generally they are fantastic instruments, but then with today's prices they ought to be! Looking forward to the review. I'm guessing Dan is sending you that pink fade M-II with Bare Knuckle pickups? Gorgeous guitar.
Enjoyed your take on this, I think it's always been this way. I have an early 2000s MIJ Ibanez JEM and it came with glue on the fretboard. You hear a lot about Japanese attention to detail but there's no way that should pass basic QC as A-grade stock. More recently, I bought a (Indonesian) Solar and it was the worst guitar I've ever laid eyes on, loads of defects in the finish that should never have happened at the factory, or passed QC after. Starting to think second hand is the way to go, if new production guitars are a gamble already!
I cant decide if Solar has a genuine quality problem or that their customers are just a lot more internet savvy/vocal about making complaints because of who is behind the company... I see so many horror stories/pictures on Solars facebook group.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I felt the same way before buying one (and still do, I'll just find a physical shop to buy one from next time). Ola has said their defect rates are within industry standards and he's not known to chat bubbles about this kind of thing. If you have say a 5% rate, that's still one in twenty guitars, so someone is going to end up disappointed when you largely ship directly to the customer. Both Thomann and the Solar customer service manager were great when I communicated with them to get it sorted and that's the real mark of quality - what happens when something goes wrong.
Yes it does. Purchased a ESP E-II Eclipse last year, lots of fret buzz. Got a replacement, better but still fret buzz. Sent it back. Bought another this year (i know, i didn't learn). A lot better, still going to my local guitar luthier to get sorted through. I have two LTD eclipses, absolutely perfect from the shop. Conclusion? ..... Japan's luthiers aren't necessarily better anymore. Definitely not worth the extra money I'm afraid. 😟
if it's only fretbuzz there might have some shipping issues there, shipping, changing temperature, etc... OR maybe the luthier who did this just sucked, who knows?
I came across this video because I'm on the look out to get that same guitar. In fact, I'm just returning an ESP LTD M-7 Arctic Metal. I took it out of the box and immediately felt that "Oh no" sensation you talked about. Sharp fret ends all over the place, some tool marks and some buzzing strings. I even took to a tech a trust to see if it was worth keeping it and he said I'd need to spend around 300€ more on that guitar, which already costed 1300€, to get it to be a (in his words) "a nice guitar". I own a Solar S2.6C which plays and feels away better and superior.
No brand seems immune to putting out a stinker these days mate. Sucks but it happens. I've always liked the look of those M-7 Black Metal/Arctic guitars but they seem priced quite steep especially considering the single pickup. I'd consider one at the right price though...
Paid $1500USD for a Schecter C7 SLS MS, and took it back the next day. I don't think I have ever seen a guitar that was worse than that. I wish I had taken pictures because it was truly an experience 😄. It actually completely stopped me from buying a new guitar. I wish it wasn't so hit or miss at the higher end of instruments. I justified to myself that after $800-$1000, you are paying for paint jobs. I really wish I didn't feel that way, but it seems to be the case more often than not.
Funny you say that as I reviewed that exact guitar last year and it was one of the most badly finished guitars i've reviewed at any price point: - ruclips.net/video/BGfAnmviArY/видео.html Hope you found a keeper after that?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I watched that video after I bought that guitar unfortunately 😄. Loved it. Love your honestly about these instruments at the higher end. I haven't gotten a new instrument. I actually just said screw it, and bought my son a piano so he can get started on his own musical journey. I actually plan to buy a Legator N8FP this year. I own the 7 string model, and I have nothing, but good things to say about Legator's new guitars. I actually didn't know anything about them when I bought the N7FP. It was just a really nice instrument. I watched your review of the N8FOD, and fell in love with it. Tried to buy one, but Guitar Center screwed me on that deal. Never got the guitar, but I got my money back so I can't complain too much. My last attempt at buying a new guitar was hectic, to say the least. Have a good one bud.
I think its the scale length and materials, the overall resonance of the guitar is so bright and pleasing. Not muddy or dead sounding at all as some neck-thrus can be.
No mate every single brand (No matter what they might say) is capable of putting out a Lemon every now and again. Most of the ESP and LTD's ive played have been very good guitars.
Man that sucks this happen to you. Tbh every 7 string ESP/LTD I played had some form of issues. So I switched to Ibanez and never looked back. I have a Ibanez Iron Label RGIX7FDLB - Northern Lights Burst. Which called me 1200 with tax and I love it (I also keep it in standard) no issues. I would suggest Ibanez for 7 strings. However I am not a EMG guy. I’m a dimarzio/ Seymour Duncan fan. Anyway hope this journey goes better with the next guitar. I been watching this channel for a bit keep up the great content
I used to own one of those! Great guitar. Is that the 25.5 scale version? Only reason I sold it was the plastic nut (Although easy to swap out) and the scale length not being quite enough for my needs. Thanks for watching!
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial yup 25.5 and tbh the nut doesn’t bother me at all. Everything stays in tune and overall feel is great. But I’m also mainly a bass player so I look for other stuff in guitars lol
Feels like no matter what you're buying at any price point or origin theres a % of risk on quality thats unavoidable, even if you sent it back at 2k new if they B-stock it 1850 someones gunna buy it and be happy with it, demands too high and risk for releasing sub par instruments from the factory is near non existant, just my thoughts.
This is my dream guitar...I think I mentioned it under a different video lol. White, 7 strings, baritone, ESP...but 3k€$, or maybe because the one I saw had an Evertune bridge
They are absurdly expensive even not evertune... have you checked out Halo or Jericho Guitars? No experience myself by very similar specs offered like 27" Scale across most models.
I am ESP/LTD fanboy and it is a bit disappointing for me to see these flaws. I have an E-II M-II NT and it is very well made. The only thing I would note - fret ends don't look to be so accurately made as on my older ESP Standard Horizons. They are fine and aren't scratchy at all, but just look uneven. You can see this also on 10:56 with this guitar. ESP Std's and even LTD EC1000 have much nicer fret ends.
If you get the chance, give the Schecter Reaper 7 MS a shot. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised even with the stock pickups. Cheers and as always loving the content!
I have a 2018 ESP E-II Horizon FR. Bought it used. The guitar was a bear to set up (Floyd Rose) and whoever had it probably did not have that skill level. With that said it is my highest quality guitar, fit and finish wise. Now I just bough a DJ Ashba Schecter made in South Korea ($1.5k) and it matches it in quality. My Gibson and Fender (American) do not come close to either. Anyway I would not take this experience to say that Japanese Luthiers are down on skill as of late.
I spent 3k€ for an E-II M-II NT Fade Natural Black equipped with Bare Knuckles pickups and a hipshot bridge and it's simply perfect, it has a minor flaws (like a tiny dust trapped into the paint on the neck, which thanksfully is not somewhere my fingers slide across), but I agree with you, when you spent such amount of money this kind of flaw shouldn't exist, but other than that, this guitar is just perfect to me, love the way it look, the way it sounds, the way it feels, I had some cheaper guitar with better sustain but lesser confortable and nice to play with (most probably a feeling) but I'm ok with it. It's hard to find a shop who can display all guitars, now each manufacturers offer a catalog with a colossal amount of models and variety and as a picky person I feel you, purchasing a guitar without seeing it before and trying it is hard, but we can't always find the instrument we will instantly connect with and whatever the brand and the price range. I guess it's like cars, with the same car you can run it for years without facing any issues and some people with exactly the same one will spent their time bringing it back to the garage...
What brand and guage strings are you running on this esp EII NT-7B 7 string. Also there is a EII NT-7 ET with the evertune bridge that is 25.5". Have you tried it for comparison?
Whatever it came with from the factory apologies I can't remember gauge. It wasn't heavy though something like 10-58 but with the 27" scale provided plenty of tension! Personally I wouldn't have a 25.5" 7 String without an Evertune bridge as I like to play in Drop A and unless you're using tow ropes for strings you're going to have a lot of pitch drift when fretting notes!
Looking at an Eii for my next purchase, interesting thoughts. At least if the example is still for sale when I have the cash for it I can give it a big once over in the shop but the said will mean I will give it a very serious once or even twice over! Cheers dude, great video.
Absolutely mate. The shop in Japan where extremely good about the return covering all the costs and even refunding me my Import Fees which they where under no obligation to do!
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I own a ESP LTD eclipse 1 made in Japan and I have to say that the attention to detail and sound of this guitar is top Notch and we are talking about a guitar made in 2013, I am really sorry you had to take it back but yeah… for that money such guitar with those issues is basically a “NO” to me.
It does not matter all that much. I have a Nightswan and an 84 both made in Indo. The only complaint I had was a needed to do a fret polish. These guitars are perfect. I've played a couple USA made strats, and could not tell the difference in quality. Korea I believe has surpassed Japan makers and Indo is not far at all behind.
I dont blame you for nitpicking, 2k (they're now 2,499) is a lot of money. But I would personally give this guitar a shot because there is nothing like it on the market, there's a model with a evertune bridge and I would love to own that one in gray sparkle
I know the one you mean and that colour is SICK. I still would love a white one of these with white pickups... I will give E-II another go at some point.
Looking at the title I thought this was going to touch on how E-II bodies and necks are alledgedly made in China but with fit and finish in Japan - like Chris Cannella said to Andertons 5-6 years ago. Still not sure how much truth there is to those claims but they have certainly cast doubt on this whole rebranding thing for me. Plus the E-II track record doesn't look so great build or QC wise compared to ESP Standard even though ESP claim they are the exact same.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial That is possible yeah. When the E-II name was launched there were reps who said it was a rebranding of the LTD Elite line, and those weren't 100% MIJ guitars (bit like Edwards for many years).
I had two guitars that were Made in japan. The first was a Jackson KVX10 and it was a very well built guitar with the most comfetable neck I ever played, the licensed Floyd Rose temolo was kind of shit, bit everything else was perfect on that guitar. It cost around 500 bucks in 2008, I sold it after a few years because I needed the money to pay for studio time to record my bands first album. The other is a FGN Boudnary Iliad GHH, the cheapest entry level guitar from Fujigen. I bought it 2 years ago, as I got payed out a bonus for working in the Covid ward and it was only 499€. I didn't expect much and just wanted a cheap guitar as a backup. Man o man, was I wrong! That guitar is just awesome. I changed the pickups to a pair of Bare Knuckles and now it's my main guitar. That's why I now play metal in dropped A# on a Tele stype guitar. I also sold my more expensive guitars. Absolut flawless craftsmanship, the black finish looked like on a super expensive piano, setup was great out of the box and it resonates so good and has sustain for days. It's one of the guitars that really inspires you, I wrote at least 10 songs on it. I hughly recommend you try a FGN, maybe check out one of their Dark Evolution guitars that is aimed at metal palyers. I played one of those and quality wise it is on par with guitars twice it's price. You really feel that FGN knows what they are doing, no wonder they build all the Prestige Ibanez guitars.
I own 3 Schecter 7 strings. Overall quality is great. They are 26.5" scale and set up for Drop A and Drop G tuning. Unfortunately Schecter seems to only offer a 27" scale on the Silver Mountain. I was entertaining purchasing an LTD 7 string baritone to tune to drop f#. 1.) Is there that big of a difference tonally with an extra 1/2 inch? 2.) I'm worried about purchasing the Esp/LTD now..... Wondering if I should give them a chance, or stick with Schecter (knowing the quality is great) and try out the Silver Mountain Multi Scale rather than the baritone 7.
I'd strongly advise you to watch my review of the MS Blood Moon Schecter on my channel first before putting your money down. It turned up in even worse shape than this ESP!
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial funny how now, im sitting here with the same guitar (but in purple sparkle and fishmans) in my sweetwater cart, trying to justify about $3000 for a guitar, meanwhile when I watched this video the first time, it was to justify not splurging on the more expensive japanese guitar and opting for a cheaper Indonesian LTD. im expecting to do a general setup (as everyone should when ordering any guitar online) but I hope the finish and frets are essentially perfect, as thats my motivation to get the non-custom-shop ESP instead of a cheaper Indonesian guitar.the LTD I ordered is delayed indefinitely and its really bummed me out so im hoping that the e-ii that I will likely hit the "checkout" button on soon will not have these defects. I personally have gotten a job at Taylor guitars since the time of my last comment, and I have gained such a weird ability to see teeny, tiny defects in finish now, as I am in the finish department, and our QC is extremely strict. im worried now that since I am accustomed to seeing immaculate work done on our $6000+ guitars, that the next guitar at my doorstep will get torn apart by my newfound ability to scrutinize any sort of defect. here's hoping that not only my next paycheck will be ample enough to get me the guitar but also that it is great out of the box. PS- these e-ii's dont have stainless frets, but the new e-ii guitars that released at the last NAMM do have stainless frets. really goes to show how good the nickel silver is on higher end guitars!
Damn it's a shame your had a negative experience, I've had nothing but stellar quality from my ESPs. Admittedly I've been a bit hesitant on ordering a E-II (specifically a 7B like this) but man this does throw a wrench in that plan. I think you have every right to be nitpicky because that is not a cheap guitar at all, and ESPs normally has a great reputation for quality instruments. This is sad and I hope isn't telling of falling quality or something.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial Will definitely update you if I ever do go the E-II route! I have a contact in Japan sending me sweet deals on used MII-7s and Horizon 7s like this one. I trust his judgment with finding cool gear (he recommended me a Tokai that made me sell all my other singlecuts) so I'll ask him to keep an eye on the quality of these models as well before I pull the trigger on any.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial Hey, James! Just wanted to update...I end up did pulling the trigger on a white Horizon 7 just like this one! It arrived yesterday straight from my contact in Japan, and I gotta say it has almost none of the issues you cited in this video. I say almost, because unfortunately there is just the sliiiiightest little chip on the corner of the pickup route holes. It's very very minor, and while I was pissed about it I think the pros of the guitar majorly outweigh this con. Sounds massive, neck is a dream, fretwork is spectacular, and it stays in tune like a champ in drop G. Now I just feel bad that there are some lemons out in the wild like the one you got, spoiling what's otherwise a mostly great brand. This one thankfully is a prime specimen (with a little visual hiccup but honestly I can live with it). I hope you have better experience with the ESP brands in the future!
Hi, would it be possible to give E-II a second chance? I've bought over twenty seven string guitar's searching for the one, had Solar, japan Ibanez, Schecter, Ltd and etc. Then i bought Esp E-II M-II 7 and never looked back, changed the pickup's of course to BKP Aftermath 7's but anyway, it's the same model expect it has 25.5inch scale lenght and it's just the best guitar i've ever had and i've had too many.
All this and yet, when I tried to sell my perfect mint condition actual ESP standard, I was bombarded by a bunch of people telling me that it’s worth less than an EII because it’s old. 😂 People were telling me that I should take 1700 for it! 😂
hey James! recently discovered your channel and i just wanted to tell you that you're doing a fantastic job. the headrush videos are so insightful and just what i need to hear as a metal player. A suggestion for a guitar purchase/review is the schecter km7 mkiii artist. a review from yu would be amazing and i think it'll be right up your ally and just what you need. cheers and love from Pakistan!
Very kind words mate thank you! Funny you mention the KM7 I was looking at the Lambo Orange one the other day as my local PMT has it. Loved the colour. Is this the one you mean? - www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Schecter-Keith-Merrow-KM-7-MK-III-Standard-Stealth-Grey/2UWU?origin=product-ads
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial There was issue with the thinnest string. It did not chime clearly when played freely, there was some clangy side sound. First luthier tried to fix the problem by fret massage :D it seemed to help, but the problem came back very soon after the treatment. So the guitar rested almost a year in its case, because I didnt have any money to fix it. Once I got some extra money I decided that I want thicker strings, so I bought 8-strings set, throwed away the thinnest and asked a luthier to make a new nut to that string set. Now the guitar sounds like boogieman and the problem with the thinnest string got away. The new nut is also from a bone.
I'm impressed that no one else says so, I'm impressed that guitars are still being made in Korea, they look great! But the playability sucks, fretwork sucks... Indonesia on the other hand its something that always (in my personal experience) impresses me, and i love that.
Nice review. Appreciate the honesty. Just curious, would you say there's much difference in tension between a 26.5 and a 27? I main a 26.5 inch, and am currently debating whether to move to a 27 for, the obvious benefits. The reason I'm wary isn't about the increased stretch but solely that the higher strings will sound too brittle. I can't go with fans as I like my term systems lol. Regards
At the risk of sounding daft, I can genuinely hear the difference between 26.5 and 27 inch guitars especially tuning to something like Drop A. There is just something in the mid-range that you get from that extra string response. Try one back to back in Drop A and you'll see what I mean.
Couldn't agree more, I have 30 and 20 years old made in Japan guitars and they are more well built than new guitars now, I've also got not too new, but like 10 years old made in Indonesia and Korea guitars which are great too, compared to their price of course. But nowadays new guitars seem to be much lower in quality compared to their old counterparts
As a general rule I find Indonesia to cover a wide range, sometimes brilliant, other times terrible. Korea is nearly always great especially the WMI factory. I've just had a WMI Korean Ormsby sent to me for review from Live Louder and its built so well. Everything down to the switchgear is just tank like!
Yesss, thank god there're still ppl there that think the right way, thank you sir. MIK were made a bit earlier than MII guitars so maybe that's why they're a tad nicer instruments but I think Indonesia will come someday, it's still hit and miss till date but look where's China now (But TBH I don't like them still)@@GuitarCinemaOfficial
Yeah i'm dubious about the £1000 Chinese Jacksons just coming out now... I will review one soon. Though having said that the Chinese Epiphone Extura I reviewed was great.... @@Karim.R1
I definitely would look forward to seeing you and your band play in the United States hopefully cuz you're one awesome amazing guitar player I dig it man you have one hell of a collection of guitars and it's refreshing and awesome and I'm digging it man
I've got a proper gnarly old 400 series that has been through the wars big-time. But, it is STILL my HSS strat for all sessions both studio and live. I would buy another in a shot, I kinda plan to. Well, something similar. I also use a pair of LTD F-Types that were cheap as chips bought from the distributor as factory seconds, finish issues only. OMG they are SO damn good. One remains entirely stock whilst the other is upgraded to the nines. I shall defo be buying a handful of F-types as i see them 2nd hand now. I am not really crazy about following brands and stuff, but LTD, Gretsch, and actually as you say, Cort, are AMAZING machines even at the entry level. My F-Types are guitars for life, I adore them, and I have some awesome guitars to pit them against. Defo will add to the toster.# Great review and video - subscribed
Man that's scary. I really want the new Ripped Alexi E-II which closes in on 3000 pounds but seeing these kind of things makes me really nervous to commit to something so expensive.
i have an nt7b, a white one and mine is better made and hasn't got any finish flaws. the pick up cavities are a bit big tbh but the guitar given a nut file job and intonation, action, radius setup plays very well. the neck relief was spot on but for 2k though, I expected to have it set up to near perfection out of the box all across the board. the next time round I will give other brands much more consideration as it's getting increasingly impossible to tell the difference for much less money spent or do I want/expect too much?
Absolutely not mate for 2K everything should be flawlessly executed especially basic tolerances like pickup Cavities. A good example would be every single Legator I have owned (7 at this point) from 2020 or later has had absolutely flawlessly cut pickup Cavities and they were all Circa 1K GBP.
Honestly, unless is something below the 700€, I wouldn't buy a new guitar unless I can try it. I feel like that's where I draw my line. I can accept buying a lemon for that price, but above, no ... and unfortunately I did have a couple of cases where either I didn't vibe with the guitar (even tho there was nothing really wrong with it) or, as in you case, the guitar delivered really below the expected. On used gear, honestly, it's really different.
I own an E-II M1, it’s an absolute beast the quality and playability is far superior to the LTD 1000 deluxe guitars i have owned and played and they were outstanding but the Japanese made guitars are just in a league of their own
SO, a few years back, it did matter where your guitar was made to me. I'm seeing more and more nicely built guitars in some factory's all over. Even ate my words on the recent China Jacksons. They actually few like a high end instrument and not bottom end quality. Parts matter though! I don't blame the import companies for putting crap parts on the instrument when the brand tells them to, but having bad or cheap parts can make the instrument feel cheap.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial considering you like metal and the chugs you can’t go wrong with anything from their John Petrucci line. Super flat radius, awesome electronics including a piezo system! Also the Jason Richardson Cutlass models are total metal machines. Their other models can play just about any genre as well but feature more traditional specs. They just released a new series featuring brand new pickup designs. They are top tier custom shop quality for sure!
Reminds me of my mick Thomson Jackson damn that’s Fucking gorgeous man I bought the Jim root usa strat and that has qc issues man pissed off 1400 that fucker costs yet my indo made £749 jacko is beast 😂
I had few ESP's from 2007/2010 (bought new and used) .. The first ESP michael amott V I bought new in 2007 or 2008 (3 months of waiting) came with somme really minors problems that personnaly I don't wanted on a 2100€ guitar (the rosewood fretboard was not top of the notch and the hardware was not exactly wat was listed onwebsite (tuneomatic locking mine came without locking) ... So I returned it immediatly after few days (I had to wait another few months and they sent me another one which was almost perfect ) . You should have done this too . Today it seems that every great guitar brands make some shit .... some one's make very subttle shit and some do very very nasty shit ......... like jackson today . Tha't why I personnaly don't buy brand new guitar anymore (too expensive) I prefer to buy old 2000/ 2010 guitars made from korea or Japan ONLY .
If it had been cheaper, even around the 1K mark I would have given them another chance to send me a replacement but when you're spending over 2K it should be flawless first time. Nobody should have to gamble with that amount of cash IMO. That said I would still like to try a good one so I won't rule out the brand for future videos just yet.
I honestly don't care where the guitar is built from. I know great stuff can come from anywhere in the world. I'm honestly just excited to have a new guitar that has features I want in it. Now if the guitar isn't what I thought it'd be or it has some QA issues then I'd either refund it or send it back for another one. That's my opinion though, I understand and can see why some people don't like the idea of spending 2 grand and having it come from another country that is known for producing not the highest grade stuff, but to me it's all about the guitar. I'm buying a $1, 400.00 Schecter Blackjack this month and it comes from Indonesia, my other guitar is a Sterling Jp70 and it's from Indonesia too, spent $400.00 on that and it's truly insane how well it is built and plays. But again this is just my opinion.
Fair comments. Indonesian stuff can vary massively I find, from being as good as anything I've tried to total garbage. It's likely down to how lax the Guitar Brand is on QC more than anything.
First of all, great playing! Yes, I think you're being a bit nit-picky with the pickup cavities, but I see your reasoning with the chipped paint.. not acceptable. I have an E-II TB-7 baritone 7 string and it is nothing short of phenomenal. So much so that I have a new USA ESP M-7B on order, as I'm now a huge fan of the brand. I did want to say... I still think it matters where a guitar is made. Granted, not as MUCH as in the past, but having worked as a manufacturing engineer for all of my professional career, I can say that companies will essentially invest more money in a higher quality manufacturing process and manufacturing tools where they expect to make higher quality products. No, the workers' skill doesn't matter AS MUCH, as a lot of the countries where these guitars are made contain workers that are very proud of their work. However, I still believe there are subtleties in the wood, equipment, hardware, etc. that drive a particular instrument to the next level. Yes, there are still amazing guitar out there in the $800-$1500 dollar range, but I do believe you get what you pay for, and a $2000-$5000 guitar is nothing to ignore simply due to the high price. Just my 2 cents.
Broadly agree with points made here, however the routing for the cavities was just bizarre... showed it to my tech and he refused to believe it was a Japanese guitar lol. I still want to get another E-II in, love those Baritones! What finish is your USA 7B?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I definitely recommend checking out another E-II. I’ve only played two including mine, but both were awesome. My ESP coming in is a “violet shadow fade marble” color. I don’t think there are too many like it. I’m pumped.
Great Video Bro!!!! Happy 2022!!! 🤜🤛. I have some hard issues with two Les Paul Gibson's...I mean: A disaster. Dismal fretwork that I've seen in my life. We are talking about tow guitars of u$s 3500 each one....but well. A great friend of mine is an skilled luthier and he is in charge to the "disection" and then revive em. I think many brands are angry with customers,.... damn
People that are saying that certain countries guitars are better than others just havent played all guitars. Strandbergs are made in Indonesia and are of equal if not better quality than any japanese guitar ive ever played. And yea i would of sent that back too, 2k is way too much for all those issues
Also got a new E-II, an M-II in Snow White and the routing for the pickups and the floyd rose are the worst I ever seen, I have never in my life had a guitar with this jagged finish around the edges, and I have been looking around and they all have it, it's just a matter of how much, so they clearly don't put much effort in to fit and finish, which is what a premium product really is about after all, that extra attention to detail! Otherwise what do I really pay a premium for? It's a great guitar otherwise, but it still annoys me, and I would have sent it back if I could now. I don't know how I am going to tell any buyer about this when I sell it at some point, because it's not a "b-stock" or "faulty" according to ESP, this is just how they look, which will be a shock if you had any other brand before. I think I am done with ESP after this, the neck are also way too thick for my taste, it's like a baseball bat compared to an Ibanez or Jackson. However, it's one of the best looking guitars imo, so that it has going for it. (if you keep your distance and don't look to close to the details. 😉)
It's mad how common these issues are on a 2 grand Guitar! Funnily enough I have just taken delivery of another E-II as a follow up to this video and whilst the pickups cavities are still slightly oversized IMO they don't have any of the issues I experienced here.
Love japan made guitars, always satisfiying, i love my japan’s fender more than american’s , ibanez j custom always great too play, and esp nothing more to say, great guitars
Great video. I also had a top of the line LTD sh-7 evertune that is incredibly popular and it had the same kind of gibson style construction flaws. everybody praised world music in korea making perfect instruments but this one was far from it. and it was the most expensive ltd. had many imperfections on the fretboard and on the binding. i got rid of it quick. On the other hand, the japanese ibanezes i owned so far have been absolutely perfect in all aspects. Sad to see ESP quality control is not on par. But yeah, country of manufacturing should not be indicative of quality. Also i had many usa and mexico fenders and they were always perfect in all aspects regardless of the country of origin.
Its a special kind of sting you feel when you're spending north of 1K and receive something where even the basics are done poorly! I do really rate Korea still tbh even if their track record isn't perfect (Nobodies is these days!).
great review, the flaws you found are usually overlooked because of the brand the guitar carries. but man, my OCD will kill me too if that happens to me. looks like the $2,000 range is beginning to turn into an "okay" guitar then the custom shop levels starting at $,4000 (probably) is where it starts to be great. this is just so sad man, i've also expected so much on this E-II. I have a korean LTD Buz-7 and it doesn't have the same issue as yours. everything is flawless, but gotta take into account how old this buz-7 model is, maybe QC back then has more ocd than i do
Not being nit-picky at all my friend, I love guitars and instruments but damn are they overpriced nowadays, especially for the price/quality relationship. I recently bought a used 2008 epiphone les paul custom prophecy with emgs 81-85 made in china and it plays and feels amazing, it certainly has little imperfections here and there but it looks and feels pretty much on the same ball park as my PRS S2 standard which is made in America and sounds pretty much exactly as my Bc rich nj deluxe junior V which was made in Korea and it's loaded with emgs 81-85 too.
There is definitely a difference but folks must learn how to do simple setup/intonation work themselves since we are all having guitars shipped to us and go through shipping chaos and climate differences that can be extreme.
Of course we metal players don't need the tone pot. And the volume pot. And the neck pickup. And also the higher 5 strings of the guitar. And every fret after the 2nd. xD Kidding everywhere after the volume pot part. I myself would really get rid of it. Killswitch toggle will be enough.
I'm aware. Japan in general has a great attitude towards valuing experience (Look up Lexus' Takumi craftsman it's even more nuts something like 10 Years experience required). Still doesn't explain how shoddy some parts of this guitar were and how many others commented with similar experiences though?
I have one of them bought as a sixstring. Absolutely outstanding quality. Had ordered an Ibanez Premium before which I sent back due to the lack of quality. The ESP was more expensive, yes. But the quailty was far above the Ibanez.
I actually reviewed another E-II this year to give the brand another chance (An amethyst sparkle Horizon) and it was absolutely stunning one of the best instruments I've ever played. Maybe I just got unlucky with this one..
Thanks for your honest review on this guitar, it made me look the other way after seeing the issues you flagged up and well done for noticing them so other people who own this guitar and check or think again before buying. ESP LTD for me are the working horses of guitar and affordable. Its hard finding a decent 7 string with EMG81. Great vid btw enjoyed tunning in. Keeep up the good work
Thanks mate another guitar review should be coming this week and funnily enough it was the first time i'd played an EMG81 since this guitar. What a brilliant classic pickup, so smooth.
I see a lot of interest in kreating Guitars from a lot of different fabricators, but in all actuality with what has been discovered and learned about Guitars, i dont really see any that are getting all the way into the base essence of what this Instrument is all about. With the Care for the physical Vibration Waves being generated by the Metal Strings all the way throughout the entire Guitar, And in Tuning it in adequate to Perfect balance with the Environment of this Universal Ecosystem. Because it all really matters from that stand point and Quality Standard, especially when a Guitar is hooked up to the Electro Ether of this Universe with an Amplifier System and broadcast to the Wind. Then they want top chunky prices now without putting in the Quality Work, unique variations or intriguing technical enablers to get better Sound kreations of Musikal Frequencies from the Sciences.
holy shit! My E-II's are like gods own axes.... seeing this really sucks, all that horrible work you clearly and very justifiably point out (and thanks for doing so) is completely unforgivable. I've seen those tour videos too. I'm normally very proud. Dark days for this to come out of Japan
I'm definitely going to review another E-II soon as they have a die hard following. I am hoping for the money they ask that this was a rare case of a lemon...
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial it might be a rare lemon for sure. I'm thinking two reasons, first my personal experience with ESP since the early 90's has been nothing but the best. second, and who knows, I'm just speculating, I ordered two pedals during the covid period and they were both junk, they had notes in the box saying they were built in-home. Didn't seem to be a benefit from my standpoint as they both went back. I've seen some other bad work in other areas of life during this time too. *shrugs* I just don't know... but you're definitely due for some better open box moments!
Wow that sucks man. But tenx for the genuine and helpful review and analysis. I do believe that its getting more and more irrelevant where the axe is made. Its also a bit paying for the legacy and mojo of some brands. I also do believe that quality and brands is periodical. For example I bought 2 Caparisons in a certain period which were flawless and bought 2 in a later period which needed fret level and were even more expensive, because of the hype increase. Regarding Esp I own a couple before the e2 rebranding and I must say they are pretty equal. My 2 RZK's are awesome but looking at all my ESP's there are not flawless, but not as severe as you had. The pickup routing......come on ESP🥺. My Ibanez prestiges on the other hand are flawless I highly reccomend there 5000 series btw. Anyways keep up the great work and reviews💪😎
that sucks - I have a 6 string Horizon E -II and it is an amazing guitar with beautiful workmanship , playability and more than that the tone is to die for .
You’re not being picky at all. The guitar was evidently built wrong. That’s a shit ton of money and it should have been perfect. It sounds great, but you buy a guitar at that price it should be beautiful.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial , I’m very surprised they released that one out of the factory. I have 5 ESP’s and they are all pretty much perfect. I love ESP/LTD’s. To me they are the best guitars on the market. They blow Gibson out of the water
Just have to put this out there.... any guitar, regardless of place of origin, will probably need a set up. If YOU traveled around the world in a shipping container, you'd be a little hagard too. Wood moves. Necks do weird things. And every single piece of wood acts differently to climate change. If you receive a guitar with some fret buzz, or dead spots, the guitar needs a very basic set up. Honestly, any guitar player should learn how to set up a guitar, just as much as they learn how to actually play it. As far as this video, and the pickup routes, I will admit that is ridiculous and un-called for. I would not be happy. But... to the guys in this comment section complaining about fret buzz, etc...... turn your truss rod a 1/4 of a turn.... jeez
Good points all round and very true. I just took delivery of a new BC Rich this week and before even plugging it in adjusted the action and intonation. 10mins work makes a world of difference!
I own an ESP E2 Horizon NT2 and it's an absolutely amazing guitar. No issue's whatsoever. Looks expensive and feel's expensive. Almost every guitar I have ever played out of Japan has been great. I don't like to play anything BUT Japanese built guitar's now after owning a few Prestiges and now an ESP E2. I've obviously owned Korean and Indonesian built guitar's as well and they can't hold a candle to Japanese built guitar's. Not even close.
I still want to play a good one to see what all the fuss is about.
@ChilledGuitarReviews Is this the ONLY ESP E2 you've ever played? Or have you played several and they've all had problems? I do agree with the pricing of them now though. I bought my Horizon brand new at the time for $1,800. I see the prices have now gone to $2,400 for the EXACT same guitar! That is an absolutely insane price jump. I've honestly never seen anything like it. A $600 price jump is atrocious and at this point I wouldn't buy the same E2 I have again for the $2,400 if I had to get another one. At the time I bought mine for $1,800 it was extremely reasonable for the quality of the guitar. $2,400 is excessive for ANY mass produced guitar... no matter how nice it is.
My E-ii is far far better than my LTD, both set up professionally. In fact, the E-ii feels better and higher quality than some of the Mayones Guitars I've played
I still want to play a good one!
I believe you can get much better built guitars with better specs for the price of a mayones. Those guitars are bare bones and have a lot of issues. Around the same price you can get a caparison guitar that's built like a tank
@@tatt2guy86caparison is my fave just ordered my third one. Fantastic guitars
@@therealone1288 I'd like to buy a Dellinger model
ESPs are really well made guitars. But Mayos sounds way more versatile
The ESP Standard series isn't what it used to be. I have 2 Eclipses and a Horizon that were pre-E II branding. They're practically perfect. I recently got an E II Horizon and I am less than satisfied. The ebony board has a very light brown streak of grain running the entire length of the board and was certainly dyed, the finish on the binding wasn't scraped properly in a couple of spots and the recess for the Floyd Rose had a slight bump on the edge as if the router hit a minor hiccup while cutting. These things are nearly $3,000 now. Completely unacceptable.
I bought a Gibson Les Paul custom GTX from the factory shop whilst on holiday in Nashville / made in the USA & all that but nothing but problems with the guitar from the intonation, electronics, fret work, binding etc , eventually sold it as bought an Epiphone Les Paul custom that kicked the Gibson’s ass especially in build & performance quality, it’s a great & valid point you make here that the country of origin does not always guarantee the quality of what you buy 👍🏻
Heard a lot of complaints about recent Gibsons, that sucks mate. Perhaps I should get one in this year for the channel and see if 2022 is a better year for them...
I think the Japan guitars, have a level of precision that’s sooo good !! It’s almost from another world
Wow I have the EII horizon baritone 7 in purple sparkle. And it’s incredible!!! It actually turned me into a esp fan. I’m normally a Ibanez prestige man. But I got my EII and I fell in love with it. Actually have another one on order.
I really really like the look of the granite sparkle.
I love how you talk about your guitars, like they're your pets, or buddies. "We said goodbye", "spine buster", "bad boy", and stressing out that you enjoyed owning the guitar like you would do with a quitted good worker. It's just too cute and cozy, makes me to want more of your videos. Can't wait for the next candidate to the "Live 7 string" title to appear.
Through covid lockdown they where the only friends I had! 😂 Replacement for this guitar is already here. Video soon.....
What a crazy coincidence! I ended up buying this exact guitar having it shipped from Tokyo without realizing it, the exact same serial number and everything. Even the pricetag from Ikebe, somehow it ended up at Ishibashi. The issues are still here but with the price knocked way waaaaay down. Loving every minute of playing it. Cheers dude!
Ahhh that's so odd!! Glad you got a good deal mate as this thing did sound NASTY. What a journey it's been on to arrive with you!
What are the odds lol! Now you have access to this guy's DNA too!
Originally shot this one back in the Summer. Your thoughts on the country of manufacture debate?
Special thanks to www.filmhive.co.uk for picking up the edit for me on this one and doing a cracking job!
I have an Epiphone Les Paul. I upgraded the pickups to Dimarzio PAF 59's. It sounds and feels perfect. I have tried to replace it with a full fat USA Gibson Les Paul on a few occasions, but I never found one that could even match the quality and sound of the Epiphone.
Epiphones quality is generally exceptional making the extra cost to upgrade even harder to justify.
I bought this guitar last month and it has exactly the same issue with the pickup cavities. Also, one of the luminlay inlays is possitioned slightly off.
I bought the guitar anyways because it looks, sounds and plays absolutely great. Its a real
joy to play on.
I hope they will sort out this minor issues in the future because i agree that this shouldn’t happen on a guitar in this price range.
I've actually seen multiple copies of this white Horizon with really inconsistent pickup cavities now... I don't really understand how the issue is arising... If they are cutting them via CNC machine like most factories they should be extremely clean. If they are routing by hand then surely the Japanese attention to detail should also ensure a straight cavity?...
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial that puzzles me too. I have a white Charvel that has a similar finish and it does not have any such issues on the pickup cavities, even though it's much cheaper at 1k. I also looked up all the pictures and videos i could find on the ESP and i found that the cavities were off everywhere. Thanks for pointing this issue out and being critical about the guitar, you have a new subscriber
@@Noumenon1000 much appreciated thank you mate! I'll be reviewing another E-II very soon and will give it the same fine tooth comb.
I completely agree with you said about this guitar and would return it promptly too. I just pre-ordered a ESP LTD M-7BHT Arctic white guitar from GC today and supposedly won't get it till mid-Mar. of 2024. I hope it turns out ok when I finally get my hands on it. Great video and rock on! \m/
Thanks mate and do please let us know how you get on with your guitar when it arrives?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial GC cancelled by pre-order on the ESP M-7BHT so I ended up getting a USA made Fender Acoustisonic Jazzmaster instead!!! Not a bad guitar, but may not be for everyone.
I have an E-II MII in 6 and 7. The 7 was and still is perfect, the 6 after 2 years i got a fret leveling on it and it plays better than ever. Should it had needed it? Probably not but it did and it was well worth the money, because now it plays just as nice if not better than guitars twice the price
I'd still like to play a good one!
I relate to this so much. I to watched the factory tour video and got the ESP E-II MII 7B in pearl white with bone nut, same tuners, the Evertune bridge, and the fishman fluency moderns with push pull tone. I paid 2,600 and it has the same type of defects and then some.. Also the bridge pickup came loose
Dude no way, I really did think i must have been a one in a million to get such a Lemon especially direct from Japan. What did you do in the end? Repair or return?
I set it up properly and fell in love with it.. I’m not sold on the fishman moderns just because of personal preference..
Saw this guitar on the ikebe music site on reverb lol. Man I was close to buying from them but noticed that all of the E-ii models on other sites have “made in Japan” underneath the serial number on the back of the headstock but on this one (and others they sell) it’s not there? Even on the ESP website you can see it on those models too.
I asked Ikebe about this and their response was that not all E-II guitars come with a MIJ label. But I've never seen one without it apart from this example....
ESP quality declined with the E-II rebrand in 2013. Whatever anyone says, my Standards series are better than the E-IIs, even unplugged. I own 12 ESP guitars made in Japan (8 Eclipses, 4 others). You can still have a really good E-II, most of the time, but they don't feel the same as they used to. Bodymount pickups thing is a new trend (an ugly trend that I hope passes soon), and yes, I can see misaligned (slightly) pickups on my E-IIs having this setup. The ones with classic pickup rings are perfect.
I just had an E-II professionally set up including fret level. The guitar tech said the frets were "all over the place." Disappointing on a nearly £3k guitar, but now it's sorted it plays and sounds brilliantly.
I'm getting supplied another E-II for review very soon so I'm hoping I will finally get an example in my hand that shows me what all the fuss is about. I can't say I've seen it yet but I could see the potential in this Guitar.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial To be fair I have half a dozen other E-IIs and this particular one is the only one that ever needed any work to play right. Generally they are fantastic instruments, but then with today's prices they ought to be! Looking forward to the review. I'm guessing Dan is sending you that pink fade M-II with Bare Knuckle pickups? Gorgeous guitar.
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe Think more along the sparkle lines 👀👀👀
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial Awesome. I'm hoping for the granite sparkle M-II 7 evertune because I've got the white version of it.
Enjoyed your take on this, I think it's always been this way. I have an early 2000s MIJ Ibanez JEM and it came with glue on the fretboard. You hear a lot about Japanese attention to detail but there's no way that should pass basic QC as A-grade stock. More recently, I bought a (Indonesian) Solar and it was the worst guitar I've ever laid eyes on, loads of defects in the finish that should never have happened at the factory, or passed QC after. Starting to think second hand is the way to go, if new production guitars are a gamble already!
I cant decide if Solar has a genuine quality problem or that their customers are just a lot more internet savvy/vocal about making complaints because of who is behind the company... I see so many horror stories/pictures on Solars facebook group.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I felt the same way before buying one (and still do, I'll just find a physical shop to buy one from next time). Ola has said their defect rates are within industry standards and he's not known to chat bubbles about this kind of thing. If you have say a 5% rate, that's still one in twenty guitars, so someone is going to end up disappointed when you largely ship directly to the customer. Both Thomann and the Solar customer service manager were great when I communicated with them to get it sorted and that's the real mark of quality - what happens when something goes wrong.
Yes it does. Purchased a ESP E-II Eclipse last year, lots of fret buzz. Got a replacement, better but still fret buzz. Sent it back.
Bought another this year (i know, i didn't learn). A lot better, still going to my local guitar luthier to get sorted through.
I have two LTD eclipses, absolutely perfect from the shop.
Conclusion? ..... Japan's luthiers aren't necessarily better anymore.
Definitely not worth the extra money I'm afraid. 😟
That sucks mate. Did you ever pinpoint the cause of the Fret Buzz? It can often be solved with a good Setup. Thanks for watching!
if it's only fretbuzz there might have some shipping issues there, shipping, changing temperature, etc... OR maybe the luthier who did this just sucked, who knows?
Dude you have to learn how to do your own simple setups and it usually fixes fret buzz nicely bc of climate differences alone.
I came across this video because I'm on the look out to get that same guitar. In fact, I'm just returning an ESP LTD M-7 Arctic Metal. I took it out of the box and immediately felt that "Oh no" sensation you talked about. Sharp fret ends all over the place, some tool marks and some buzzing strings. I even took to a tech a trust to see if it was worth keeping it and he said I'd need to spend around 300€ more on that guitar, which already costed 1300€, to get it to be a (in his words) "a nice guitar". I own a Solar S2.6C which plays and feels away better and superior.
No brand seems immune to putting out a stinker these days mate. Sucks but it happens. I've always liked the look of those M-7 Black Metal/Arctic guitars but they seem priced quite steep especially considering the single pickup. I'd consider one at the right price though...
Paid $1500USD for a Schecter C7 SLS MS, and took it back the next day. I don't think I have ever seen a guitar that was worse than that. I wish I had taken pictures because it was truly an experience 😄. It actually completely stopped me from buying a new guitar. I wish it wasn't so hit or miss at the higher end of instruments. I justified to myself that after $800-$1000, you are paying for paint jobs. I really wish I didn't feel that way, but it seems to be the case more often than not.
Funny you say that as I reviewed that exact guitar last year and it was one of the most badly finished guitars i've reviewed at any price point: - ruclips.net/video/BGfAnmviArY/видео.html
Hope you found a keeper after that?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I watched that video after I bought that guitar unfortunately 😄. Loved it. Love your honestly about these instruments at the higher end. I haven't gotten a new instrument. I actually just said screw it, and bought my son a piano so he can get started on his own musical journey. I actually plan to buy a Legator N8FP this year. I own the 7 string model, and I have nothing, but good things to say about Legator's new guitars. I actually didn't know anything about them when I bought the N7FP. It was just a really nice instrument. I watched your review of the N8FOD, and fell in love with it. Tried to buy one, but Guitar Center screwed me on that deal. Never got the guitar, but I got my money back so I can't complain too much. My last attempt at buying a new guitar was hectic, to say the least. Have a good one bud.
@@HEATHENYT Getting hold of anything is a pain in the ass at the moment thanks to Covid. I've always wanted to properly learn Piano, great idea!
The clean tone is surprisingly rich and beautiful. Definitely right about that.
I think its the scale length and materials, the overall resonance of the guitar is so bright and pleasing. Not muddy or dead sounding at all as some neck-thrus can be.
Did this effect your opinion on ESP in general?
No mate every single brand (No matter what they might say) is capable of putting out a Lemon every now and again. Most of the ESP and LTD's ive played have been very good guitars.
How are you filming that sliding pan shot?
Sony A7III Mounted on a GVM motion control slider 👍👍
Man that sucks this happen to you. Tbh every 7 string ESP/LTD I played had some form of issues. So I switched to Ibanez and never looked back.
I have a Ibanez Iron Label RGIX7FDLB - Northern Lights Burst. Which called me 1200 with tax and I love it (I also keep it in standard) no issues. I would suggest Ibanez for 7 strings. However I am not a EMG guy. I’m a dimarzio/ Seymour Duncan fan.
Anyway hope this journey goes better with the next guitar. I been watching this channel for a bit keep up the great content
I used to own one of those! Great guitar. Is that the 25.5 scale version? Only reason I sold it was the plastic nut (Although easy to swap out) and the scale length not being quite enough for my needs. Thanks for watching!
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial yup 25.5 and tbh the nut doesn’t bother me at all. Everything stays in tune and overall feel is great. But I’m also mainly a bass player so I look for other stuff in guitars lol
Feels like no matter what you're buying at any price point or origin theres a % of risk on quality thats unavoidable, even if you sent it back at 2k new if they B-stock it 1850 someones gunna buy it and be happy with it, demands too high and risk for releasing sub par instruments from the factory is near non existant, just my thoughts.
I agreed 💯
Fair point.
This is my dream guitar...I think I mentioned it under a different video lol. White, 7 strings, baritone, ESP...but 3k€$, or maybe because the one I saw had an Evertune bridge
They are absurdly expensive even not evertune... have you checked out Halo or Jericho Guitars? No experience myself by very similar specs offered like 27" Scale across most models.
I am ESP/LTD fanboy and it is a bit disappointing for me to see these flaws.
I have an E-II M-II NT and it is very well made. The only thing I would note - fret ends don't look to be so accurately made as on my older ESP Standard Horizons. They are fine and aren't scratchy at all, but just look uneven. You can see this also on 10:56 with this guitar. ESP Std's and even LTD EC1000 have much nicer fret ends.
It seems these days that any mass produced brand is unfortunately susceptible to putting out a bad guitar regardless of price.
If you get the chance, give the Schecter Reaper 7 MS a shot. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised even with the stock pickups. Cheers and as always loving the content!
Schecter stock pickups are great! I actually think Schecter started making pickups before they even made guitars..
I have a 2018 ESP E-II Horizon FR. Bought it used. The guitar was a bear to set up (Floyd Rose) and whoever had it probably did not have that skill level. With that said it is my highest quality guitar, fit and finish wise. Now I just bough a DJ Ashba Schecter made in South Korea ($1.5k) and it matches it in quality. My Gibson and Fender (American) do not come close to either. Anyway I would not take this experience to say that Japanese Luthiers are down on skill as of late.
South Korean stuff seems very very good lately.
So.. was it just a lemon or is it systematic?
I spent 3k€ for an E-II M-II NT Fade Natural Black equipped with Bare Knuckles pickups and a hipshot bridge and it's simply perfect, it has a minor flaws (like a tiny dust trapped into the paint on the neck, which thanksfully is not somewhere my fingers slide across), but I agree with you, when you spent such amount of money this kind of flaw shouldn't exist, but other than that, this guitar is just perfect to me, love the way it look, the way it sounds, the way it feels, I had some cheaper guitar with better sustain but lesser confortable and nice to play with (most probably a feeling) but I'm ok with it.
It's hard to find a shop who can display all guitars, now each manufacturers offer a catalog with a colossal amount of models and variety and as a picky person I feel you, purchasing a guitar without seeing it before and trying it is hard, but we can't always find the instrument we will instantly connect with and whatever the brand and the price range. I guess it's like cars, with the same car you can run it for years without facing any issues and some people with exactly the same one will spent their time bringing it back to the garage...
That black fade finish is sick!
What brand and guage strings are you running on this esp EII NT-7B 7 string.
Also there is a EII NT-7 ET with the evertune bridge that is 25.5".
Have you tried it for comparison?
Whatever it came with from the factory apologies I can't remember gauge. It wasn't heavy though something like 10-58 but with the 27" scale provided plenty of tension! Personally I wouldn't have a 25.5" 7 String without an Evertune bridge as I like to play in Drop A and unless you're using tow ropes for strings you're going to have a lot of pitch drift when fretting notes!
Looking at an Eii for my next purchase, interesting thoughts. At least if the example is still for sale when I have the cash for it I can give it a big once over in the shop but the said will mean I will give it a very serious once or even twice over! Cheers dude, great video.
Let us know how you get on!
My eclipse is absolutely perfect. I just ordered an M-ii and this video got me shit worried for what im about to get.
I'm sure I just got unlucky mate. Please let us know how you get on??
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I will be reporting back as soon as I receive it.
I received the the M-ii and i gotta say the guitar was mint. My favorite guitar in my arsenal so far.
@@HRodMusic Awesome glad to hear. What finish did you go for? I love the purple 7 string one.
Very well done taking it back, I would be “ extremely “ picky when it comes to spend 2k in a guitar.
Absolutely mate. The shop in Japan where extremely good about the return covering all the costs and even refunding me my Import Fees which they where under no obligation to do!
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I own a ESP LTD eclipse 1 made in Japan and I have to say that the attention to detail and sound of this guitar is top Notch and we are talking about a guitar made in 2013, I am really sorry you had to take it back but yeah… for that money such guitar with those issues is basically a “NO” to me.
@@borhksalduero9259 I'm still up for giving E-II another go at some point but will likely try before I buy..
It does not matter all that much. I have a Nightswan and an 84 both made in Indo. The only complaint I had was a needed to do a fret polish. These guitars are perfect. I've played a couple USA made strats, and could not tell the difference in quality. Korea I believe has surpassed Japan makers and Indo is not far at all behind.
Had at least half a dozen Korean guitars pass through my hands in the past 18 months and all but one where impeccable.
Got a number of Jacksons and Ibanez axes from Indonesia. All of them are amazing guitars and are very comfortable to play.
Is a machine routed pickup cavity better?
I was under the impression that all cavities are made on CNC machines until I saw how wonky these where...... anyone able to clarify?
I dont blame you for nitpicking, 2k (they're now 2,499) is a lot of money. But I would personally give this guitar a shot because there is nothing like it on the market, there's a model with a evertune bridge and I would love to own that one in gray sparkle
I know the one you mean and that colour is SICK. I still would love a white one of these with white pickups... I will give E-II another go at some point.
Looking at the title I thought this was going to touch on how E-II bodies and necks are alledgedly made in China but with fit and finish in Japan - like Chris Cannella said to Andertons 5-6 years ago. Still not sure how much truth there is to those claims but they have certainly cast doubt on this whole rebranding thing for me. Plus the E-II track record doesn't look so great build or QC wise compared to ESP Standard even though ESP claim they are the exact same.
Never heard that before, interesting. So Could be they CNC the bodies/necks there and do the assembly in Japan? Kind of like Dingwall
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial That is possible yeah. When the E-II name was launched there were reps who said it was a rebranding of the LTD Elite line, and those weren't 100% MIJ guitars (bit like Edwards for many years).
I had two guitars that were Made in japan.
The first was a Jackson KVX10 and it was a very well built guitar with the most comfetable neck I ever played, the licensed Floyd Rose temolo was kind of shit, bit everything else was perfect on that guitar. It cost around 500 bucks in 2008, I sold it after a few years because I needed the money to pay for studio time to record my bands first album.
The other is a FGN Boudnary Iliad GHH, the cheapest entry level guitar from Fujigen. I bought it 2 years ago, as I got payed out a bonus for working in the Covid ward and it was only 499€. I didn't expect much and just wanted a cheap guitar as a backup. Man o man, was I wrong! That guitar is just awesome. I changed the pickups to a pair of Bare Knuckles and now it's my main guitar. That's why I now play metal in dropped A# on a Tele stype guitar. I also sold my more expensive guitars. Absolut flawless craftsmanship, the black finish looked like on a super expensive piano, setup was great out of the box and it resonates so good and has sustain for days. It's one of the guitars that really inspires you, I wrote at least 10 songs on it.
I hughly recommend you try a FGN, maybe check out one of their Dark Evolution guitars that is aimed at metal palyers. I played one of those and quality wise it is on par with guitars twice it's price. You really feel that FGN knows what they are doing, no wonder they build all the Prestige Ibanez guitars.
I've actually considered an FGN a few times as Im a huge fan of Legator and own several, FGN is a sister brand of theirs.
I own 3 Schecter 7 strings. Overall quality is great. They are 26.5" scale and set up for Drop A and Drop G tuning. Unfortunately Schecter seems to only offer a 27" scale on the Silver Mountain. I was entertaining purchasing an LTD 7 string baritone to tune to drop f#. 1.) Is there that big of a difference tonally with an extra 1/2 inch? 2.) I'm worried about purchasing the Esp/LTD now..... Wondering if I should give them a chance, or stick with Schecter (knowing the quality is great) and try out the Silver Mountain Multi Scale rather than the baritone 7.
I'd strongly advise you to watch my review of the MS Blood Moon Schecter on my channel first before putting your money down. It turned up in even worse shape than this ESP!
awesome review man, subscribed!
Thank you mate and thanks for watching!
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial funny how now, im sitting here with the same guitar (but in purple sparkle and fishmans) in my sweetwater cart, trying to justify about $3000 for a guitar, meanwhile when I watched this video the first time, it was to justify not splurging on the more expensive japanese guitar and opting for a cheaper Indonesian LTD. im expecting to do a general setup (as everyone should when ordering any guitar online) but I hope the finish and frets are essentially perfect, as thats my motivation to get the non-custom-shop ESP instead of a cheaper Indonesian guitar.the LTD I ordered is delayed indefinitely and its really bummed me out so im hoping that the e-ii that I will likely hit the "checkout" button on soon will not have these defects. I personally have gotten a job at Taylor guitars since the time of my last comment, and I have gained such a weird ability to see teeny, tiny defects in finish now, as I am in the finish department, and our QC is extremely strict. im worried now that since I am accustomed to seeing immaculate work done on our $6000+ guitars, that the next guitar at my doorstep will get torn apart by my newfound ability to scrutinize any sort of defect. here's hoping that not only my next paycheck will be ample enough to get me the guitar but also that it is great out of the box.
PS- these e-ii's dont have stainless frets, but the new e-ii guitars that released at the last NAMM do have stainless frets. really goes to show how good the nickel silver is on higher end guitars!
Damn it's a shame your had a negative experience, I've had nothing but stellar quality from my ESPs. Admittedly I've been a bit hesitant on ordering a E-II (specifically a 7B like this) but man this does throw a wrench in that plan. I think you have every right to be nitpicky because that is not a cheap guitar at all, and ESPs normally has a great reputation for quality instruments. This is sad and I hope isn't telling of falling quality or something.
Hopefully my case is in the minority. If you do end up pulling the trigger please let us know how you get on?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial Will definitely update you if I ever do go the E-II route! I have a contact in Japan sending me sweet deals on used MII-7s and Horizon 7s like this one. I trust his judgment with finding cool gear (he recommended me a Tokai that made me sell all my other singlecuts) so I'll ask him to keep an eye on the quality of these models as well before I pull the trigger on any.
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial Hey, James! Just wanted to update...I end up did pulling the trigger on a white Horizon 7 just like this one! It arrived yesterday straight from my contact in Japan, and I gotta say it has almost none of the issues you cited in this video. I say almost, because unfortunately there is just the sliiiiightest little chip on the corner of the pickup route holes. It's very very minor, and while I was pissed about it I think the pros of the guitar majorly outweigh this con. Sounds massive, neck is a dream, fretwork is spectacular, and it stays in tune like a champ in drop G. Now I just feel bad that there are some lemons out in the wild like the one you got, spoiling what's otherwise a mostly great brand. This one thankfully is a prime specimen (with a little visual hiccup but honestly I can live with it). I hope you have better experience with the ESP brands in the future!
@@TobyKBTY Thanks for letting us know really glad you got a good one! I'm sure you could negotiate a partial refund for a cosmetic defect like that?
Hi, would it be possible to give E-II a second chance? I've bought over twenty seven string guitar's searching for the one, had Solar, japan Ibanez, Schecter, Ltd and etc. Then i bought Esp E-II M-II 7 and never looked back, changed the pickup's of course to BKP Aftermath 7's but anyway, it's the same model expect it has 25.5inch scale lenght and it's just the best guitar i've ever had and i've had too many.
Definitely will in the future mate yes as I still want to play a good one!
the thin is they re above 2500€/$ which puts them into custom made bracket and thats why I can understand your frustration
Anything over 2k needs to be FLAWLESS!
Have my E-II M-II for six months now, incredible guitar ! Gonna grab an RG 550 next !
Glad you got a good one! I'll try another at some point and see if we can do better.
All this and yet, when I tried to sell my perfect mint condition actual ESP standard, I was bombarded by a bunch of people telling me that it’s worth less than an EII because it’s old. 😂 People were telling me that I should take 1700 for it! 😂
hey James! recently discovered your channel and i just wanted to tell you that you're doing a fantastic job. the headrush videos are so insightful and just what i need to hear as a metal player. A suggestion for a guitar purchase/review is the schecter km7 mkiii artist. a review from yu would be amazing and i think it'll be right up your ally and just what you need. cheers and love from Pakistan!
Very kind words mate thank you! Funny you mention the KM7 I was looking at the Lambo Orange one the other day as my local PMT has it. Loved the colour. Is this the one you mean? - www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Schecter-Keith-Merrow-KM-7-MK-III-Standard-Stealth-Grey/2UWU?origin=product-ads
Horizon E-ii 7 hipshot is second best guitar I have ever played after nut replaced...
You replaced the Bone nut? How come?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial There was issue with the thinnest string. It did not chime clearly when played freely, there was some clangy side sound. First luthier tried to fix the problem by fret massage :D it seemed to help, but the problem came back very soon after the treatment. So the guitar rested almost a year in its case, because I didnt have any money to fix it. Once I got some extra money I decided that I want thicker strings, so I bought 8-strings set, throwed away the thinnest and asked a luthier to make a new nut to that string set. Now the guitar sounds like boogieman and the problem with the thinnest string got away. The new nut is also from a bone.
I'm impressed that no one else says so, I'm impressed that guitars are still being made in Korea, they look great! But the playability sucks, fretwork sucks... Indonesia on the other hand its something that always (in my personal experience) impresses me, and i love that.
Smaller custom shops *camera pans to solar guitars*
😂
My esp EII NT Horizon is flawless but it has pickup rings so 🤷 but the emg 57/66 pickups are the best EMGs I've ever Heard.
Nice review. Appreciate the honesty.
Just curious, would you say there's much difference in tension between a 26.5 and a 27?
I main a 26.5 inch, and am currently debating whether to move to a 27 for, the obvious benefits. The reason I'm wary isn't about the increased stretch but solely that the higher strings will sound too brittle. I can't go with fans as I like my term systems lol.
Regards
At the risk of sounding daft, I can genuinely hear the difference between 26.5 and 27 inch guitars especially tuning to something like Drop A. There is just something in the mid-range that you get from that extra string response. Try one back to back in Drop A and you'll see what I mean.
Couldn't agree more, I have 30 and 20 years old made in Japan guitars and they are more well built than new guitars now, I've also got not too new, but like 10 years old made in Indonesia and Korea guitars which are great too, compared to their price of course. But nowadays new guitars seem to be much lower in quality compared to their old counterparts
As a general rule I find Indonesia to cover a wide range, sometimes brilliant, other times terrible. Korea is nearly always great especially the WMI factory. I've just had a WMI Korean Ormsby sent to me for review from Live Louder and its built so well. Everything down to the switchgear is just tank like!
Yesss, thank god there're still ppl there that think the right way, thank you sir. MIK were made a bit earlier than MII guitars so maybe that's why they're a tad nicer instruments but I think Indonesia will come someday, it's still hit and miss till date but look where's China now (But TBH I don't like them still)@@GuitarCinemaOfficial
Yeah i'm dubious about the £1000 Chinese Jacksons just coming out now... I will review one soon. Though having said that the Chinese Epiphone Extura I reviewed was great.... @@Karim.R1
I definitely would look forward to seeing you and your band play in the United States hopefully cuz you're one awesome amazing guitar player I dig it man you have one hell of a collection of guitars and it's refreshing and awesome and I'm digging it man
Thanks so much for the kind words my friend I will be coming back to the states hopefully in 2024 for a NAMM visit if funds permit 🤞
I've got a proper gnarly old 400 series that has been through the wars big-time. But, it is STILL my HSS strat for all sessions both studio and live. I would buy another in a shot, I kinda plan to. Well, something similar.
I also use a pair of LTD F-Types that were cheap as chips bought from the distributor as factory seconds, finish issues only. OMG they are SO damn good. One remains entirely stock whilst the other is upgraded to the nines. I shall defo be buying a handful of F-types as i see them 2nd hand now. I am not really crazy about following brands and stuff, but LTD, Gretsch, and actually as you say, Cort, are AMAZING machines even at the entry level. My F-Types are guitars for life, I adore them, and I have some awesome guitars to pit them against. Defo will add to the toster.#
Great review and video - subscribed
I remember watching a video of Machine Head in the studio recording with an F Type! Thanks for watching mate.
Man that's scary. I really want the new Ripped Alexi E-II which closes in on 3000 pounds but seeing these kind of things makes me really nervous to commit to something so expensive.
Make sure you buy with a good returns policy just in case!
i have an nt7b, a white one and mine is better made and hasn't got any finish flaws. the pick up cavities are a bit big tbh but the guitar given a nut file job and intonation, action, radius setup plays very well. the neck relief was spot on but for 2k though, I expected to have it set up to near perfection out of the box all across the board. the next time round I will give other brands much more consideration as it's getting increasingly impossible to tell the difference for much less money spent or do I want/expect too much?
Absolutely not mate for 2K everything should be flawlessly executed especially basic tolerances like pickup Cavities. A good example would be every single Legator I have owned (7 at this point) from 2020 or later has had absolutely flawlessly cut pickup Cavities and they were all Circa 1K GBP.
Honestly, unless is something below the 700€, I wouldn't buy a new guitar unless I can try it. I feel like that's where I draw my line.
I can accept buying a lemon for that price, but above, no ... and unfortunately I did have a couple of cases where either I didn't vibe with the guitar (even tho there was nothing really wrong with it) or, as in you case, the guitar delivered really below the expected.
On used gear, honestly, it's really different.
Think you may have the right idea TBH. Over a certain price point buying sight unseen seems to be too big a gamble these days.
I own an E-II M1, it’s an absolute beast the quality and playability is far superior to the LTD 1000 deluxe guitars i have owned and played and they were outstanding but the Japanese made guitars are just in a league of their own
SO, a few years back, it did matter where your guitar was made to me. I'm seeing more and more nicely built guitars in some factory's all over. Even ate my words on the recent China Jacksons. They actually few like a high end instrument and not bottom end quality. Parts matter though! I don't blame the import companies for putting crap parts on the instrument when the brand tells them to, but having bad or cheap parts can make the instrument feel cheap.
Yeah that Chinese Epiphone Extura i reviewed on the channel really surprised me too.
Ever played a Music Man?
I have not, need to do a video soon! Any recommendations?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial considering you like metal and the chugs you can’t go wrong with anything from their John Petrucci line. Super flat radius, awesome electronics including a piezo system! Also the Jason Richardson Cutlass models are total metal machines. Their other models can play just about any genre as well but feature more traditional specs. They just released a new series featuring brand new pickup designs. They are top tier custom shop quality for sure!
I just can’t get into solar. Does anyone else feel the same way?
Reminds me of my mick Thomson Jackson damn that’s Fucking gorgeous man I bought the Jim root usa strat and that has qc issues man pissed off 1400 that fucker costs yet my indo made £749 jacko is beast 😂
Always loved the look of those big ass reversed Jackson headstocks!
I had few ESP's from 2007/2010 (bought new and used) .. The first ESP michael amott V I bought new in 2007 or 2008 (3 months of waiting) came with somme really minors problems that personnaly I don't wanted on a 2100€ guitar (the rosewood fretboard was not top of the notch and the hardware was not exactly wat was listed onwebsite (tuneomatic locking mine came without locking) ... So I returned it immediatly after few days (I had to wait another few months and they sent me another one which was almost perfect ) . You should have done this too . Today it seems that every great guitar brands make some shit .... some one's make very subttle shit and some do very very nasty shit ......... like jackson today . Tha't why I personnaly don't buy brand new guitar anymore (too expensive) I prefer to buy old 2000/ 2010 guitars made from korea or Japan ONLY .
If it had been cheaper, even around the 1K mark I would have given them another chance to send me a replacement but when you're spending over 2K it should be flawless first time. Nobody should have to gamble with that amount of cash IMO. That said I would still like to try a good one so I won't rule out the brand for future videos just yet.
I honestly don't care where the guitar is built from. I know great stuff can come from anywhere in the world. I'm honestly just excited to have a new guitar that has features I want in it. Now if the guitar isn't what I thought it'd be or it has some QA issues then I'd either refund it or send it back for another one. That's my opinion though, I understand and can see why some people don't like the idea of spending 2 grand and having it come from another country that is known for producing not the highest grade stuff, but to me it's all about the guitar. I'm buying a $1, 400.00 Schecter Blackjack this month and it comes from Indonesia, my other guitar is a Sterling Jp70 and it's from Indonesia too, spent $400.00 on that and it's truly insane how well it is built and plays. But again this is just my opinion.
Fair comments. Indonesian stuff can vary massively I find, from being as good as anything I've tried to total garbage. It's likely down to how lax the Guitar Brand is on QC more than anything.
First of all, great playing! Yes, I think you're being a bit nit-picky with the pickup cavities, but I see your reasoning with the chipped paint.. not acceptable. I have an E-II TB-7 baritone 7 string and it is nothing short of phenomenal. So much so that I have a new USA ESP M-7B on order, as I'm now a huge fan of the brand. I did want to say... I still think it matters where a guitar is made. Granted, not as MUCH as in the past, but having worked as a manufacturing engineer for all of my professional career, I can say that companies will essentially invest more money in a higher quality manufacturing process and manufacturing tools where they expect to make higher quality products. No, the workers' skill doesn't matter AS MUCH, as a lot of the countries where these guitars are made contain workers that are very proud of their work. However, I still believe there are subtleties in the wood, equipment, hardware, etc. that drive a particular instrument to the next level. Yes, there are still amazing guitar out there in the $800-$1500 dollar range, but I do believe you get what you pay for, and a $2000-$5000 guitar is nothing to ignore simply due to the high price. Just my 2 cents.
Broadly agree with points made here, however the routing for the cavities was just bizarre... showed it to my tech and he refused to believe it was a Japanese guitar lol. I still want to get another E-II in, love those Baritones! What finish is your USA 7B?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial I definitely recommend checking out another E-II. I’ve only played two including mine, but both were awesome. My ESP coming in is a “violet shadow fade marble” color. I don’t think there are too many like it. I’m pumped.
@@johnsnyder9842 I will give the brand another try soon. Just googled that colour as never heard of it, stunning!
Great Video Bro!!!! Happy 2022!!! 🤜🤛. I have some hard issues with two Les Paul Gibson's...I mean: A disaster. Dismal fretwork that I've seen in my life. We are talking about tow guitars of u$s 3500 each one....but well. A great friend of mine is an skilled luthier and he is in charge to the "disection" and then revive em. I think many brands are angry with customers,.... damn
Hey man great videos! You should try an Aristides 070 if you find one!! Greetings from Greece!
I'd love to try one!
People that are saying that certain countries guitars are better than others just havent played all guitars. Strandbergs are made in Indonesia and are of equal if not better quality than any japanese guitar ive ever played. And yea i would of sent that back too, 2k is way too much for all those issues
That's interesting about Strandberg, I was just reading about their process here: - strandbergguitars.com/strandberg-overseas-manufacturing/
You should definitely try out an ESP Arrow-7 or a Babymetal Arrow-7 - they’re super well-built, sound amazing, look stunning and play effortlessly.
Definitely will as I've had multiple people suggest an Arrow to me now and Live Louder have a bunch in stock. Watch this space 🚀
Also got a new E-II, an M-II in Snow White and the routing for the pickups and the floyd rose are the worst I ever seen, I have never in my life had a guitar with this jagged finish around the edges, and I have been looking around and they all have it, it's just a matter of how much, so they clearly don't put much effort in to fit and finish, which is what a premium product really is about after all, that extra attention to detail! Otherwise what do I really pay a premium for? It's a great guitar otherwise, but it still annoys me, and I would have sent it back if I could now. I don't know how I am going to tell any buyer about this when I sell it at some point, because it's not a "b-stock" or "faulty" according to ESP, this is just how they look, which will be a shock if you had any other brand before. I think I am done with ESP after this, the neck are also way too thick for my taste, it's like a baseball bat compared to an Ibanez or Jackson. However, it's one of the best looking guitars imo, so that it has going for it. (if you keep your distance and don't look to close to the details. 😉)
It's mad how common these issues are on a 2 grand Guitar! Funnily enough I have just taken delivery of another E-II as a follow up to this video and whilst the pickups cavities are still slightly oversized IMO they don't have any of the issues I experienced here.
Love japan made guitars, always satisfiying, i love my japan’s fender more than american’s , ibanez j custom always great too play, and esp nothing more to say, great guitars
Great video. I also had a top of the line LTD sh-7 evertune that is incredibly popular and it had the same kind of gibson style construction flaws. everybody praised world music in korea making perfect instruments but this one was far from it. and it was the most expensive ltd. had many imperfections on the fretboard and on the binding. i got rid of it quick. On the other hand, the japanese ibanezes i owned so far have been absolutely perfect in all aspects. Sad to see ESP quality control is not on par. But yeah, country of manufacturing should not be indicative of quality. Also i had many usa and mexico fenders and they were always perfect in all aspects regardless of the country of origin.
Its a special kind of sting you feel when you're spending north of 1K and receive something where even the basics are done poorly! I do really rate Korea still tbh even if their track record isn't perfect (Nobodies is these days!).
great review, the flaws you found are usually overlooked because of the brand the guitar carries. but man, my OCD will kill me too if that happens to me. looks like the $2,000 range is beginning to turn into an "okay" guitar then the custom shop levels starting at $,4000 (probably) is where it starts to be great. this is just so sad man, i've also expected so much on this E-II. I have a korean LTD Buz-7 and it doesn't have the same issue as yours. everything is flawless, but gotta take into account how old this buz-7 model is, maybe QC back then has more ocd than i do
The Korean LTD stuff is generally extremely good! I've not played a bad example.
Not being nit-picky at all my friend, I love guitars and instruments but damn are they overpriced nowadays, especially for the price/quality relationship. I recently bought a used 2008 epiphone les paul custom prophecy with emgs 81-85 made in china and it plays and feels amazing, it certainly has little imperfections here and there but it looks and feels pretty much on the same ball park as my PRS S2 standard which is made in America and sounds pretty much exactly as my Bc rich nj deluxe junior V which was made in Korea and it's loaded with emgs 81-85 too.
I rate Korean stuff over most things nowadays tbh..
Still have my Korean-built BC Rich NJ series Warlock and Stealth (bought them both new in 2010). Absolutely flawless guitars.
There is definitely a difference but folks must learn how to do simple setup/intonation work themselves since we are all having guitars shipped to us and go through shipping chaos and climate differences that can be extreme.
Agree, first thing I do before even plugging it in is check/adjust intonation.
It's definitely one of my main axe. Still in love with it! 🤍
ruclips.net/video/FqwxNyyMfnM/видео.html
I nearly took a chance another last week! One came up very cheap....
I’m ready to GigaGain too
Of course we metal players don't need the tone pot. And the volume pot. And the neck pickup. And also the higher 5 strings of the guitar. And every fret after the 2nd. xD
Kidding everywhere after the volume pot part. I myself would really get rid of it. Killswitch toggle will be enough.
Haha!
Of course it matters where the guitar was made. And I think Japan has the highest standards in the industry.
To work at esp in Japan you have to go to school for 2yrs and be a guitar player. Look it up
I'm aware. Japan in general has a great attitude towards valuing experience (Look up Lexus' Takumi craftsman it's even more nuts something like 10 Years experience required). Still doesn't explain how shoddy some parts of this guitar were and how many others commented with similar experiences though?
I have one of them bought as a sixstring. Absolutely outstanding quality. Had ordered an Ibanez Premium before which I sent back due to the lack of quality. The ESP was more expensive, yes. But the quailty was far above the Ibanez.
I actually reviewed another E-II this year to give the brand another chance (An amethyst sparkle Horizon) and it was absolutely stunning one of the best instruments I've ever played. Maybe I just got unlucky with this one..
07:27 why buy a guitar when you dont like the pickups
I was planning to swap it for an EMG 60 or 66 but ended up having to return the guitar. I did like the Bridge pickup.
esp eII price go up like crazy, glad not sell mine
Definitely, original badged ESP not E-II are very sought after now!
@5:50 that T O N E
CHONKY
It doesn't matter where any object is made as long as its made in Japan or Germany.
😂
2 grand doesn't seem like alot of money. Super high quality is way more money
For Custom Shop no. For Mass Produced yes.
Thanks for your honest review on this guitar, it made me look the other way after seeing the issues you flagged up and well done for noticing them so other people who own this guitar and check or think again before buying. ESP LTD for me are the working horses of guitar and affordable. Its hard finding a decent 7 string with EMG81. Great vid btw enjoyed tunning in. Keeep up the good work
Thanks mate another guitar review should be coming this week and funnily enough it was the first time i'd played an EMG81 since this guitar. What a brilliant classic pickup, so smooth.
I see a lot of interest in kreating Guitars from a lot of different fabricators, but in all actuality with what has been discovered and learned about Guitars, i dont really see any that are getting all the way into the base essence of what this Instrument is all about. With the Care for the physical Vibration Waves being generated by the Metal Strings all the way throughout the entire Guitar, And in Tuning it in adequate to Perfect balance with the Environment of this Universal Ecosystem. Because it all really matters from that stand point and Quality Standard, especially when a Guitar is hooked up to the Electro Ether of this Universe with an Amplifier System and broadcast to the Wind. Then they want top chunky prices now without putting in the Quality Work, unique variations or intriguing technical enablers to get better Sound kreations of Musikal Frequencies from the Sciences.
This comment went way deeper than I expected but still interesting
holy shit! My E-II's are like gods own axes.... seeing this really sucks, all that horrible work you clearly and very justifiably point out (and thanks for doing so) is completely unforgivable. I've seen those tour videos too. I'm normally very proud. Dark days for this to come out of Japan
I'm definitely going to review another E-II soon as they have a die hard following. I am hoping for the money they ask that this was a rare case of a lemon...
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial it might be a rare lemon for sure. I'm thinking two reasons, first my personal experience with ESP since the early 90's has been nothing but the best. second, and who knows, I'm just speculating, I ordered two pedals during the covid period and they were both junk, they had notes in the box saying they were built in-home. Didn't seem to be a benefit from my standpoint as they both went back. I've seen some other bad work in other areas of life during this time too. *shrugs* I just don't know... but you're definitely due for some better open box moments!
@@iamhated1292 they had notes inside? 😂😂 What brand was this?
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial JHS ^^
Wow that sucks man. But tenx for the genuine and helpful review and analysis. I do believe that its getting more and more irrelevant where the axe is made. Its also a bit paying for the legacy and mojo of some brands. I also do believe that quality and brands is periodical. For example I bought 2 Caparisons in a certain period which were flawless and bought 2 in a later period which needed fret level and were even more expensive, because of the hype increase. Regarding Esp I own a couple before the e2 rebranding and I must say they are pretty equal. My 2 RZK's are awesome but looking at all my ESP's there are not flawless, but not as severe as you had. The pickup routing......come on ESP🥺. My Ibanez prestiges on the other hand are flawless I highly reccomend there 5000 series btw. Anyways keep up the great work and reviews💪😎
I've just got an Ibanez Prestige here! The Build is world class. The Specs for the money? I'm not sure... ill do a review on it soon!
that sucks - I have a 6 string Horizon E -II and it is an amazing guitar with beautiful workmanship , playability and more than that the tone is to die for .
I am currently shooting a review on a Jap Ibanez Prestige. The build is impeccable. The Specs for the money? not so much...
I think if you had the ability to buy this guitar from Sweetwater, their inspection would’ve caught the issues you’re seeing
As long as it is from Japan first, second USA and lastly Indonesia.....in this order.
No love for Korea? The best mass manufactured Guitars I own are Korean!
You’re not being picky at all. The guitar was evidently built wrong. That’s a shit ton of money and it should have been perfect. It sounds great, but you buy a guitar at that price it should be beautiful.
Yep it did sound crushing to be fair, was sorry to have to return it. I still would like to play a good one!
@@GuitarCinemaOfficial , I’m very surprised they released that one out of the factory. I have 5 ESP’s and they are all pretty much perfect. I love ESP/LTD’s. To me they are the best guitars on the market. They blow Gibson out of the water
@@Bulletman426 Never played a bad LTD yet!
I wouldn't accept that quality either. Terrible that it got into your hands in that condition.
Just have to put this out there.... any guitar, regardless of place of origin, will probably need a set up. If YOU traveled around the world in a shipping container, you'd be a little hagard too. Wood moves. Necks do weird things. And every single piece of wood acts differently to climate change. If you receive a guitar with some fret buzz, or dead spots, the guitar needs a very basic set up. Honestly, any guitar player should learn how to set up a guitar, just as much as they learn how to actually play it. As far as this video, and the pickup routes, I will admit that is ridiculous and un-called for. I would not be happy. But... to the guys in this comment section complaining about fret buzz, etc...... turn your truss rod a 1/4 of a turn.... jeez
Good points all round and very true. I just took delivery of a new BC Rich this week and before even plugging it in adjusted the action and intonation. 10mins work makes a world of difference!
I have an e-II horizon now. It’s meh. My USA G&L dumps on it. Jackson USA select soloist burns it. But that guitar is $4500 now!!!!!!! Lame!
I am getting sent a brand new E-II for review this month as a follow up to this video so let's see what's what!