Actually brands like Fender and Gibson (and plenty others) do a "road worn" think to make it look like this. Nothing wrong with trying to replicate that more authentically.
Nicolas Muzi James Wanted it to look damaged, and he made a replica of it. The guitar was never worn out, and if it was, he would probably throw it away and get the exact model but newer
There's a reason to why James stops using the Gibson Iron Cross...he doesn't like the specs...he literally asked ESP to remake the Iron Cross with thinner and lighter body...so stop saying which is accurate and which is not...ESP Iron Cross was redesigned by him based on his Gibson...he has a lot of ESP guitars which are based on his previous Gibsons...including his white Flying-V...so are you saying him redesigning his own guitars are inaccurate? Yes the ESP Iron Cross looks uglier...way uglier compared to the Gibson, but it is not to say it's inaccurate...
Come on guys, he is NOT saying that Gibsons are better than ESPs, he's asking which one looks better in comparison with the original! And his replica is absolutely perfect!!! STUNNING JOB, man!!!!!!
Awesome work, man. I definately like your Iron Cross more than ESP's one. But I want to make my own I.C. using my new Epiphone Les Paul Custom, and I've got a couple of questions to you, exactly about how did you make the cross. What metal did you use? And how did you make the cross and the pickups look like original, James's ones? I'm sorry for my bad english, hope U can understand me. Greetings from Russia!
EXCELLANT job man! I don't know why James and Kirk don't just get outta their contracts with ESP and endorse Gibson, cuz thats what they often end up using in the studio and in James' case, live as well anyway. What are you charging for these? You can get fake Chinese ones for like $300, but I'm sure they dont even come close to yours, but prolly alot closer than ESP did.
Actually,James has 2 or maybe 3 different Iron Cross guitars,of wich 1 is most likely a real Gibson 57' Les Paul and the other 2 are ESP replica's.The guitar you remade or replicated,is the Gibson 57 that James also customized and has the most wear above those 3 beige/yellow stripes.The 2nd is the guitar from the St. Anger period.You say its the same,but i saw some live vids from 2010 with James using exactly the same Iron Cross guitar with less wear.And theres a version that has 2 white stripes
Nice job! I got myself a LPC for just the same project last year, but never really did it. Right now I'll keep her in stock condition untill I change my mind. Again. :) About the ESP, even if they can't do the LP shape, they could have done better on the paintjob and overall look of it. Especially when asking 10k for it.
your verision rules! a question about the 70's Les Pauls, do they have a solid mahogany body and maple top or do they have pancake bodies of mahogany and maple tops?
@VintageSalesInc oh and btw good job on the guitar! honestly lol! and hetfield switched to ESP its not rlly a replica just stylized to look like his old guitar but with his newer mods (ie he learned and switched to ESP)
WOW this is amazing work youve put into this axe, ESP could never re create the sound cause they give their guitars a lighter feel and they dont have that amazing fat sort of tone gibsons come with, im trying to make my own and im wondering wer did ya get the racing stripe from?
@bechboy94 switches between the pickups, the upper toggle is inactiv, if you look at ESP website, and at james sig series, it will show 2 switches, and there will be a note sayong that the toggle in the upper position is inactive
Your guitar is beautiful, I think. It looks far more accurate than the ESP. I have an '81 LP Standard, but I still appreciate how good those ESP guitars are. I'd buy a normal ESP and save enough money for a trip to Jamaica...
Fun fact: James' original ESP Iron Cross actually looks alot better than the ones that are for sale. It doesn't look as distressed as the others. Maybe I need glasses aswell :) But if I were to choose between James' Gibson Iron Cross and his ESP Iron Cross I would definetly go for the ESP.
hey, i'm trying to make my own replica. how big is the cross? dimensions would help. only difference with what I am doing is my les paul has chrome pickups so to match I am going to do it in silver instead of gold.
my white esp ltd iron cross will arrive within 3 days im super anxious. i also have truckster which is perfect. the sound of active 81 /60 or JH active pick ups are the closes ed sound to James you could get. and where you could find it? in an esp so if you wanna play tallica songs or you want your guitar to sound like them you have to choose esp
Hi, I’m from Mexico and I have the epiphone les Paul custom, with the golden stripes and the relic, but I don’t have the iron cross, I don’t know who can make it or where, any tips??
The ESP Iron Cross only happened because James and Gibson couldn't agree and make it happen on it being a Gibson Iron Cross Signature guitar. James's Gibson Iron Cross was in the works to become a Gibson Signature but James felt that Gibson was being difficult to deal with and it never happened. Gibson even got to the point of sending James a Iron Cross prototype, without the relicing but after a while it never came to happen as a Sig. model. That is when ESP came into the picture and did their version of the Iron Cross. I love ESP guitars but IMO his black Iron Cross ESP looks horrible in comparison to his Gibson Iron Cross. The only reason James quit playing his Gibson Iron Cross is because he didn't want to damage it anymore due to road/live playing wear. His Gibson Iron Cross was his favorite guitar for a long while but James felt the need to retire it from the road. He loves his vintage instruments and didn't want his Gibson Iron Cross destroyed due to live playing.
Are you still making this guitar? It looks a awesome work there's any way that make this transiction more "legal" like ebay or something and would you ship to somewhere out of USA like Brazil?
In james's guitar, he literally ground down a set of emgs, cut the screw end off of some pole pieces, glued paf covers onto the emgs, then glued on the pole piece tips inside the holes on the covers
I'm trying to be rude or a fanboy but you cant really dog on ESP for the wear on the guitar because James was the one who designed the ESP one he has said so before.
@VintageSalesInc i also said finish, if you look at james, the guitars colors have become more "flat" all around, all I was saying, but If i had the money, I would buy one of yours
OMG is all i can say ... if would now how to build a guitar like that i would be the luckiest guy in the world I'll bet that probably everyone here would agree that even the ESP kicks ass but the other ones are just unbeleivable ... i love 'em
you ruined a 1973 les paul custom. Why not just playing the guitar 30 years until it looks like James' guitar? All these custom relics looks so fake and stupid. People want guitars that look older than actually are. thats stupid
@lyckestjarn This is not to offend but why would you choose the ESP? The gibson is more iconic, and will be worth more. Is it the active vs. passive thing, why would you go for the ESP?
Incase you haven't noticed a lot of guitar companies have made similiar guitars to the existing gibsons and fenders, it's just the way it is. Don't act like ESP can't make a good guitar.
Lol you say yours is better but did you build yours to the exact specs provided by James? Its mahogany because he likes mahogany. A replica is much like a guitar cover. You take cues from the original but then you add some of your own style. If james didnt like it, it wouldnt be produced.
Hahah this video is so lame, your replica is better yes but why did you just make a whole video bashing esp for no reason?
The high price that esp charged probably
Because the esp was fucking hideous lol
why? that's was a really beautiful guitar and you ruined it..james' guitar is damaged for using it..you damaged it for nothing
Actually brands like Fender and Gibson (and plenty others) do a "road worn" think to make it look like this. Nothing wrong with trying to replicate that more authentically.
Nicolas Muzi James Wanted it to look damaged, and he made a replica of it. The guitar was never worn out, and if it was, he would probably throw it away and get the exact model but newer
😂😂😂
ESP makes a quality version
Hell I dont remember what we were talking about. If I responded or just commented. lol
Wow, I didn't realise how bad ESP's copy of it was! Yours basically looks exactly the same as James'! Well done!
Dude, what an awesome guy you are! Great work, great video! Thanks!
There's a reason to why James stops using the Gibson Iron Cross...he doesn't like the specs...he literally asked ESP to remake the Iron Cross with thinner and lighter body...so stop saying which is accurate and which is not...ESP Iron Cross was redesigned by him based on his Gibson...he has a lot of ESP guitars which are based on his previous Gibsons...including his white Flying-V...so are you saying him redesigning his own guitars are inaccurate? Yes the ESP Iron Cross looks uglier...way uglier compared to the Gibson, but it is not to say it's inaccurate...
love how you pulled images off of google and called them your replica lol
your attitude in doing something very well is what those people from fender and gibson and and and need
Come on guys, he is NOT saying that Gibsons are better than ESPs, he's asking which one looks better in comparison with the original! And his replica is absolutely perfect!!! STUNNING JOB, man!!!!!!
Folks at esp probably have seen owned more vintage guitars then you ever will.
Very nice work, Sir! :)
VERY NICE JOB ...
not sure I would do that to my LesPaul .. but what you did was awesome.
you got the point bro..this is from true guitarist who knows guitars,great vid...salute
Very great replica. Saves you thousands!
thats sick man, nice work
Even after all these years. The Gibson still surprises the ESP
@lyckestjarn That you for you honest and polite reply. It does make sense that he would only use the ESP guitars if he preferred them.
Your verson is sooo much better.. Really good job man!
I would belive that YOUR copy would be James's real guitar if I would to just find it somewhere xD Awesome !
Amazing man... respect your handicraft.. im also about to get the esp iron-cross, but its the cheap one
Awesome work, man. I definately like your Iron Cross more than ESP's one.
But I want to make my own I.C. using my new Epiphone Les Paul Custom, and I've got a couple of questions to you, exactly about how did you make the cross. What metal did you use? And how did you make the cross and the pickups look like original, James's ones?
I'm sorry for my bad english, hope U can understand me. Greetings from Russia!
dude you did a good job man
this its a great job dude and where did u find the iron cross plate???
i have so much respect for this guy
EXCELLANT job man! I don't know why James and Kirk don't just get outta their contracts with ESP and endorse Gibson, cuz thats what they often end up using in the studio and in James' case, live as well anyway. What are you charging for these? You can get fake Chinese ones for like $300, but I'm sure they dont even come close to yours, but prolly alot closer than ESP did.
great job dude, yours is very accurate
Hey what size its the metal irn cross???? Please reply
Actually,James has 2 or maybe 3 different Iron Cross guitars,of wich 1 is most likely a real Gibson 57' Les Paul and the other 2 are ESP replica's.The guitar you remade or replicated,is the Gibson 57 that James also customized and has the most wear above those 3 beige/yellow stripes.The 2nd is the guitar from the St. Anger period.You say its the same,but i saw some live vids from 2010 with James using exactly the same Iron Cross guitar with less wear.And theres a version that has 2 white stripes
you won the battle man xDD your guitar looks more like hetfields guitar than hetfields guitar!
Nice guitar, man
Which would i rather have? James'!
U have a good eye for detail.
Well done on the guitar by the way. Looking whack.
Nice job! I got myself a LPC for just the same project last year, but never really did it. Right now I'll keep her in stock condition untill I change my mind. Again. :) About the ESP, even if they can't do the LP shape, they could have done better on the paintjob and overall look of it. Especially when asking 10k for it.
You are awesome oO. Whats the price for each and what are the pick ups?
I have the ESP white version and it sounds great with the JH EMGs
your verision rules!
a question about the 70's Les Pauls, do they have a solid mahogany body and maple top or do they have pancake bodies of mahogany and maple tops?
@VintageSalesInc oh and btw good job on the guitar! honestly lol! and hetfield switched to ESP its not rlly a replica just stylized to look like his old guitar but with his newer mods (ie he learned and switched to ESP)
hello from brazil! Nice job!
How did you make the iron cross?
thanxs
WOW this is amazing work youve put into this axe, ESP could never re create the sound cause they give their guitars a lighter feel and they dont have that amazing fat sort of tone gibsons come with, im trying to make my own and im wondering wer did ya get the racing stripe from?
@bechboy94 switches between the pickups, the upper toggle is inactiv, if you look at ESP website, and at james sig series, it will show 2 switches, and there will be a note sayong that the toggle in the upper position is inactive
Your guitar is beautiful, I think. It looks far more accurate than the ESP. I have an '81 LP Standard, but I still appreciate how good those ESP guitars are. I'd buy a normal ESP and save enough money for a trip to Jamaica...
Fun fact: James' original ESP Iron Cross actually looks alot better than the ones that are for sale. It doesn't look as distressed as the others. Maybe I need glasses aswell :) But if I were to choose between James' Gibson Iron Cross and his ESP Iron Cross I would definetly go for the ESP.
dude i would so buy your guitar than the esp one nicely done \m/
James had a cream pickup toggle switch
man i only want to know if u still doing this beuty
How and Where did you get/ buy the Iron Cross???? Im thinking of drilling one onto my ESP.....
hey, i'm trying to make my own replica. how big is the cross? dimensions would help. only difference with what I am doing is my les paul has chrome pickups so to match I am going to do it in silver instead of gold.
where did you get the rusted pickup covers and bridge?
yours is much better man! :D how much would one cost, im not interested i just wanted to know?
Do you know where can I get that race stripes? Or is it painted ?
my white esp ltd iron cross will arrive within 3 days im super anxious. i also have truckster which is perfect. the sound of active 81 /60 or JH active pick ups are the closes ed sound to James you could get. and where you could find it? in an esp so if you wanna play tallica songs or you want your guitar to sound like them you have to choose esp
where can i get an iron cross exactly liek that but in chrome finish?
how could i buy the one you made (just curious) also what pickups did you use? are they gibson burstbuckers?
Hi, I’m from Mexico and I have the epiphone les Paul custom, with the golden stripes and the relic, but I don’t have the iron cross, I don’t know who can make it or where, any tips??
hoy did you do the aging of the hardware?
HI, are you still makong them and for how much????? please let me know. thank you
Hey man, Which color did you pick for the race stripe? Gold or Dark yellow?
What is cheapest way to make this guitar? to buy ltd? i wanna to look same as james's iron cross
lmfao.. hahahahahahaha.. you make that esp look like a total effin piece.. good video, lmfao man.. good job
As a guitar player of over 30 years I'd take the esp. You did a great job, I just prefer the feel of an esp (real, not Ltd).
The ESP Iron Cross only happened because James and Gibson couldn't agree and make it happen on it being a Gibson Iron Cross Signature guitar. James's Gibson Iron Cross was in the works to become a Gibson Signature but James felt that Gibson was being difficult to deal with and it never happened.
Gibson even got to the point of sending James a Iron Cross prototype, without the relicing but after a while it never came to happen as a Sig. model.
That is when ESP came into the picture and did their version of the Iron Cross. I love ESP guitars but IMO his black Iron Cross ESP looks horrible in comparison to his Gibson Iron Cross.
The only reason James quit playing his Gibson Iron Cross is because he didn't want to damage it anymore due to road/live playing wear. His Gibson Iron Cross was his favorite guitar for a long while but James felt the need to retire it from the road. He loves his vintage instruments and didn't want his Gibson Iron Cross destroyed due to live playing.
What pickups does the original James Het Iron Cross have? Kinda confusing.
How did you made the Iron Cross and the fake toggle switch?
how would you go about making the cross or are there any for sale online?
Is the esp one active and yours passive? I prefer passive just asking though
beast.
Are you still making them and for how much? Would you ship to germany?
GOOD MAN
nice vid! i love esp's but that model was a fail...
Cool dude, one question, where did you buy the cross?
How about a sound comparison ?
Im replicating my own um73 out of a budget epiphone custom. Trying to find somewhere to get the iron cross, anyone know of somewhere making them?
actually,i dont think that esp tried to make the '73 les paul exactly,they probably wanted to make something close to it,but with their touch
Are you still making this guitar? It looks a awesome work there's any way that make this transiction more "legal" like ebay or something and would you ship to somewhere out of USA like Brazil?
Where did you get the cross?
You still making these? "I have a 74 and 77 screaming for some work lol
@rusher38 i own a jackson. they sound fenominal. plus the sg is the only gibson id buy just because you can get some pretty heavy sounds out of it
what pickups are in the gibson? EMG's or the passive gibson pickups?
In james's guitar, he literally ground down a set of emgs, cut the screw end off of some pole pieces, glued paf covers onto the emgs, then glued on the pole piece tips inside the holes on the covers
@VintageSalesInc I want to purchase one to you, how van we get in contact so you can give me a price?
Hey dude, can you buy a left handed LTD Ecplise-1000 and transfer it into a Iron Cross left handed guitar? How much are you taking for that?
I'm trying to be rude or a fanboy but you cant really dog on ESP for the wear on the guitar because James was the one who designed the ESP one he has said so before.
@VintageSalesInc i also said finish, if you look at james, the guitars colors have become more "flat" all around, all I was saying, but If i had the money, I would buy one of yours
OMG is all i can say ... if would now how to build a guitar like that i would be the luckiest guy in the world I'll bet that probably everyone here would agree that even the ESP kicks ass but the other ones are just unbeleivable ... i love 'em
The ESP. No doubt.
wich one should i have .. hmmm both!
How much would it cost to make this?
well i would like to know what is your asking price?????
what pickups does the gibson features?
Which would I like to have?? Well lets see?? Ummm both.
@VintageSalesInc I want to purchase one to you, how can we get in contact, so you can give me a price?
you ruined a 1973 les paul custom. Why not just playing the guitar 30 years until it looks like James' guitar? All these custom relics looks so fake and stupid. People want guitars that look older than actually are. thats stupid
@lyckestjarn This is not to offend but why would you choose the ESP? The gibson is more iconic, and will be worth more. Is it the active vs. passive thing, why would you go for the ESP?
good job -
Could you tell me where you sourced the cross from? I need one for a build I’m doing
the paint and finish where the wood is exposed is a little to glossy, but otherwise, amazing
James wanted it that way. ESP didn’t make it look fucked enough and James sent it off to a guy to that deals with relicing to beat it up more.
Can you still make this guitar? I’m willing to pay
Incase you haven't noticed a lot of guitar companies have made similiar guitars to the existing gibsons and fenders, it's just the way it is. Don't act like ESP can't make a good guitar.
How much you sell them for?
Lol you say yours is better but did you build yours to the exact specs provided by James? Its mahogany because he likes mahogany. A replica is much like a guitar cover. You take cues from the original but then you add some of your own style. If james didnt like it, it wouldnt be produced.