EDIT: So I feel I need to address the part where I'm saying that the EMG81 might be one of those not made in the US. ALL EMG81 are being made in the US. Anything made outside of the US are fake EMGs. Sorry for the confusion!
Is there a chance of the one that sounds better is actually an EMG 85? Just found out that the EMG 85 sounds way better than the 81 on the bridge and a lot of bands known for their great tone does that, like Killswitch Engage.
Tongue transducer battery tester! The device of champions! Ola, the less springs the easier and longer the flutters...unless we can get some boutique springs that I'm not aware of. I'm betting there are only two springs in there.
ESP is still on the headstock of Japanese models in the 'Original' and 'Custom' (custom order) range. So ESP is on the headstock of models made in their custom shop in Japan (Original Series and Custom orders) and in their USA shop. EII is for regular production Japanese instruments. So 'ESP' is reserved for the company's highest quality Japanese and USA guitars.
I'm still not very clear about that whole transition, but now I really regret selling me 2007 SS Eclipse II. I'm gonna hop on Reverb now and try my luck, lol.
Agreed, it’s weird and stupid. I’m way less interested in mating an E-II than an ESP even if I know it’s the same thing. The only good thing for me is that my 2004 Eclipse is now worth twice what I paid for it. Not that it matters as I’ll probably never sell it.
@@valuedhumanoid6574 once you get the naming scheme, Ibanez model names actually tell you pretty much everything about the guitar, so in that way it’s really cool and useful. Figuring it out, though, that’s a different story and it also makes searching for them a real bitch.
3:15 They are called "ESP USA" when made in the U.S.. They are called "Original series" if they are a production model made in the Japanese Custom shop. Yes, I know they should have kept the ESP Standard series. Jackson is one of their main competitors and whether you buy a 200$ model or a 5,000+ model built by Mike Shannon himself, the Jackson name is on the headstock
@@Unchainedmaple888 And then there's the rumor (and there's not much if anything proving otherwise..) about them being built in China in their own factory and finished in Japan, just like the Edwards guitars, and for what I can see, it has been like that since early day ESP Standard series, you see the same outline filler on the inlays whether it's a 2021 guitar or in my Eclipse case, 2004. You never even see the building process of E-II in the Tokyo shop, only finished or 95% finished E-IIs on racks. But from pictures from their China shop you see LTD Elites, Edwards and E-IIs on racks.
@@Masterfighterx Yup exactly. I didn't want to bring that up because people get really angry about it and call you a conspiracy theorist when I've literally had this confirmed by an ESP shop employee in Japan who went through ESP's craft academy. Now ESP has the gall to charge $3000 for a product that isn't even really Made in Japan.
Problem is you have to sift through piles of shit on anything sub 2.5k with Jackson quality control. ESP with just a $700 LTD to the Cheapest Original $2700 or whatnot is solid as hell.
Thank you Ola. For the first time in decades I pulled an abandoned Strat out of the closet, cleaned it up, popped some strings on, and played....felt like being whole. Your channel was the inspiration.
Even ESP staff in Shibuya quietly agreed the EII decision was stupid when we were in the shop together chatting haha. Sick guitar though! old standard series are my favorites~
this is my dream guitar. i saved up the 4300 I'd have to pay to get a custom shop MII which was as simple as you could imagine. No frills just a basic guitar like this one. Sadly my AC went out and I needed to replace the entire unit. So 6k later I dont have the money anymore. Life happens I guess. Much love Ola!
Might not be the optimal choice but m-II’s come up used in japan all the time. Got a ESP Forest Gt for a killer deal as well. Having one built would be best but there are deals to be had if you look around. I’ve seen a lot of m-IIs go for around $1- 1,500, with esp badge.
I've got one made in 2004 with rosewood board and EMG-X's in it that I want to turn into a lower shelf guitar plus a small amp, since my amp of 20 years died. Has finish checking on the back of the body and a small chip in the edge of the trem chamber, not visible with cover installed. Tremol-no system installed for on the fly hardtailing. Everything else pristine, plays great. Make me an offer that beats my trade-in offer and she's yours, we can do it through reverb or whatever. I'd be glad for it to go to someone who really wants it, since it was my dream guitar growing up.
I love how you managed to stay calm during breaks, both when your dog came to say hello and when the slider started to malfunction. Anyone who has ever tried to record their own and create video content knows that there is always something that goes wrong, that freezes, breaks and ruins the mood. Nice guitar
Gr8 vid Ola..& fine timing 4 me on this video. I just got my new ESP E-II M-II neck thru black 2 weeks ago out of Tokyo.... Its absolutely amazing... the EMG 81's are super hot... I luv the black finger board..This guitar is fun to play 🤘
ESPs rule. Consistent and crazy high quality. Probably my favorite brand over the years. But I also agree that renaming to E-II was dumb af. Still amazing guitars but ESP was such a sick brand to see on the headstock of MIJ guitars
Haha yeah. I Want the eclipse, but have the E-II at the headstock, is stopping me... I could rather buy a Ltd 😅 i Want it to say ESP when it is an ESP!
Renaming sucks although the quality is the same. Having ESP on an older one is much cooler than the EII thing. Right now my current fav guitar is USA Custom Shop ESP MII. KILLER guitar
It's gotten me thinking as well. I wonder if bringing the ESP brand over to US manufacture has any implications legally in terms of trademark ownership? ESP not manufacturing guitars in the US might stretch the hold they have over the name. Otherwise I am certain that E-II would have suited US instruments whilst keeping ESP as Japanese only would maintain the strong brand recognition of absolute high end quality.
Quick correction: They're still called ESP when built in Japan, but only when they're built in their high end custom shops. So the MiJ signature models, Original series, and customs are all branded ESP. The E-II brand is the old ESP Standard series, which were (well, still are) made in a mass-production Japan factory.
Is it a Japan factory though? You never see the building/milling process, but if you do a quick google, you see Edwards, LTD Elites and E-IIs on racks in their China factory.
I was gonna comment the same thing. The only difference is that the old ones are soldered the new ones are quick connect. I don't think that makes a difference in the sound but who knows...the guitar does make a difference in the sound if the EMGs contrary to the legend 😊
@@BalashToth Yeah man, the nonsense you find on the internet surrounding EMGs ... they make every guitar sound the same! Never been true. I had the 81 in several guitars and still have it in two of them and the inherent qualities of the guitar itself is always still there. In fact, I use the 81 in those two guitars precisely because it's a good match for them tonally.
Love these so much. I bought myself one long ago and it's just like this one, everything is the same, even the year of manufacture, except I have the Duncans in it, which I prefer over the EMG's. I will keep it forever and I'm never going to get rid of it. Amazing video as always, Ola!
Have had my ESP KH-2 for 20 years and still love it. It got new frets + the 24Volt mod and works as nicely as the first day. ESPs is just a great brand.
@@spice_miner well I guess it's a biased view but I felt it had more punch to it and had more dynamics to it. How did you see the difference with the 18V? Can't really tell if there is a big difference between 18V and 24V there probably test videos out there.
What'd it cost to refret (stainless i assume)? My '94 KH2 I got 23 years ago and have been tempted to switch pups but the 81s still kick ass. Feels a little like blasphemy to alter anything on a perfect guitar. Havent even tried the 18v mod on one of my EMG'd guitars.
@@cfh13 well it was stainless refret, plus electronics cleanup, Schaller tremolo installed because the Floyd was fucked and added the schaller claw to adjust the springs easier. So in all it was a hefty price, swiss prices 😅, but well worth it after 20 years: 890 CHF.
That's a really nice guitar you got there!!! Seems to be a modified one, as far as pickups go and that tone pot. If I remeber correctly, that particular model was fitted with Seymour Duncans, single vol pot and 3 way selector. Nice guitar btw...
Betrayed by camera 🤣 hang in there Ola!!! Thanks for providing the run down on your ESP and giving some history as well. I’ve got a ‘16 Eclipse EC-1000FR and love it! 🤘Your M-II and the 5150 together sound shred-tactic!!
I bought my dream guitar 1 year after teaching myself to play, an ESP KH2. Found out MUCH later it was made the very first year in 94. It is still my dream guitar 23 years later. Plays so damn good and I still love taking it out of its case. Been tempted to put new pups in it but the HARDWIRED dual 81s kick ass. For how terrible i am at solos I almost dont deserve such a nice guitar.
i have a white body maple fb esp m2 with SD pickup. love it so much, with the sample of th neck not as plat as A RG ibanez. i found it sound a little bit too much mid-scooped, so you have to play it harder to make it attack more. i've tried to put a pair of emgs on it, but i thought that make it sound unpleasent, so i switch back to SD pu immediately. EMGs are very different after they changed the “EMG” symble on the cover, you can see new logo have a dash through the "E", and don't buy it. In second hand market, the old ones are priced differently, and not easy to get. love your vids over 5 years, and best wishes from China.
Very interesting, Ola. I've been studying ESP's manufacturing methods for years now, and I spotted an odd aspect in that ESP that you normally see in lower end stuff like LTD; the neck was made using a single 2,5D CNC process, not single 5-axis milling or multiple process. The angled headstock is cut whilst the neck is on the same plane as the fingerboard, resulting in slight compound angles around the edges of the headstock with respect to the headstock face. I've had a few Japanese ESPs over the years including an 80s and a 90s custom shop model. Whether the headstocks on these were cut on CNC or manual router (eg. custom shop work) doesn't matter too much, but they did have 90deg perimeters to the headstocks. This area is of specific design concern to me as I'm a 5-axis CNC programmer and operator. Funny seeing how much you can read back into various company's processes. Yeah, ESP being a "USA" model now just devalues the ESP brand....unless you buy from the Japanese ESP custom shop under the radar *cough*.
as an 2007 ESP LTD M owner, and someone who has also studied ESPs A LOT, I dont think this is a genuine MIJ ESP. First thing I noticed is that the battery compartment is missing, the ones that came with EMG's had a 9v battery box on it's own spot, not hidden beneath the plate with the controls. Next, is the lack of shielding in the cavity. Lastly, is the truss rod cover is missing the ESP logo. I think this is an LTD converted to 'ESP'. edit: also just noticed the pickup selector is not the correct factory ESP.
@@incitatus634 I'm sure that they're great, however ESP is best known for its super high end Japanese-made models. Whilst not intended to disparage US-made ESPs, the brand is synonymous with no holds barred Japanese excellence. Much the same as how the 90s Jacksons made in Japan (Professional series) were made better than US-made and sold for less. Jackson shut that production down, and it became Caparison. There's a lot that goes along with brand and place of manufacture. I've studied how the Toyota Way carried itself into the Japanese guitar industry since the 70s with Ibanez, Aria Pro II, etc. through to modern ESPs. It's a thing. W. Edwards Deming was a genius.
....simply, it is impractical given US employment market and manufacturing to expect anything beyond JIT-type production without massively inflated prices to support a more TQM-type model. I haven't had personal opportunity to inspect any number of US-made ESPs, so I can't comment directly on them, only on manufacturing methods. I'd know where to look for cut corners and potential savings though if they've had to streamline production in any way. Some of these matter and are user-noticeable, some don't and just aren't.
Word up! Thanks for making this vid on the M-II, and throwing in some of the history about it. Jeff Hanneman was a huge influence for me, and one day I hope to have a branded ESP guitar. The newer E-II M-II guitars are neck thru, which I like, but I agree the different branding was a bad idea. Fkin' SLAYER!!!!
Hey Ola, when you were in Brazil, you signed my MII (It was ash, with a translucent blue finish) ! I think that to solve this problem of the strange sound of this EMG you should review its height in relation to the strings and if you can, test the 24v mod (It's sold on the internet, Fluff did a recent test of this mod on his channel). I think this guitar has the most perfect neck ever created !
I'm very familiar with the internal preamp architecture of the original series EMGs and have designed various active preamps for a couple of decades now. The simple 9v to 18v mod overcomes the less-than-ideal characteristics of running a slow micropower 9v supply with the 90s silicon design of the LM4250 in the EMG-81. 24v doesn't add anything more unless you just convince yourself that it does. I haven't seen Fluff's video, however 24v offers nothing more than the basic 18v mod. In principle the preamp can run up to 36v, however after 12v it's just excessive.
@@TristanJCumpole Do you know if there is a way to do the 18V mod with the quick-connect (or solderless) EMG wiring? Also, does that mod make a difference when playing through an amp like a Katana 50?
@@nckhed It's pretty easy. The single battery snap can be snipped off and replaced with two new snaps. Solder together a common red/black between the new snaps and match up the remaining red/black off each to the original wires. I prefer routing for a Gotoh dual battery box, which is more or less the same process but you need to jumper one connector to the other. The "problem" with straight 9v supply is that once it sags with age to say, below 8v, the preamp starts to limit the transients in the signal somewhat. If I recall correctly, the bias current being so super low in the EMG-81 preamp means that it messes with the fidelity of the top end a bit as well. I'd have to re-read into the LM4250 characteristics to be more accurate on that one.
You can also make a non-destructive mod by making an adaptor snap out of three battery snaps in a loop. One connects to the original with the other two going to the batteries. The only difficult part of this one is making sure the polarities are correct as it's easy to get messed up.
Yea I personally wish they got rid of the E-II and LTD brands that make people feel their guitars are inferior, even many of the LTD’s are GREAT guitars and shouldn’t make people feeel like they’re playing a squire type guitar to ESP’s fender main brand. I’m thinking they would sell a lot more too.
I love those ESP's with a maple board. I wish they made more like that. Especially those ones from the 90s with the single coil neck and humbucker bridge. Those are my absolute favorites. One of these days I'll have the extra cash to throw at one.
I have a white '95 M-II in this configuration that I found locally for $1k. Never thought that would be possible again with what's happened to guitar prices. It immediately became my #1. Be patient! They're out there.
I also own an MII, mine is a black '94 with a rosewood fretboard and I put full gold hardware in it including a gold EMG 57/66 set. I completely agree on the EII thing even though they are great guitars, that brand naming is a shame. I also own a 2010 Horizon FRII which is my main guitar and it's branded ESP, I think the EII thing came circa 2013 if I'm not wrong. I'll say the MII and Horizon while both loaded with EMG 57/66 sound very different both live and in studio, tonewood is a thing sorry guys (the bolt on vs neck thru also changes the sound). The neck profile on the MII is UNREAL, I have yet to play a more comfortable one and the Horizon is probably the best sounding guitar I've ever played in my life (and I've played and own a bunch). Keep that one Ola, they are fantastic!
got an 07 m-ii ntb. was super stoked to get it my first weapon of a guitar its what the thrash metal/metal core/death bands were playing at the time more or less. will never sell so many memories over the fretboard
E-II are made by ESP factory in China, some are assembled, some are semi-assembled and painted, then those "semi-products" will send back to Japan, wiring works and final set-ups were done in Japan. And they will put a tag that says "Made in Japan".
E-II are for rest of the world including the US, ”ESP” is now only Japan market only guitars. Just a slight correction from an ESP freak. :) Great video! The other Made In USA gtrs are ESP as well but on the headstock it says USA…
Urgh Ola this video inspired me to find my next axe, obviously hard to track down a M-II BUT decided on a similar beast.. ESP E-II M-II 2022 See Thru Black 🤤
Hi Ola, thats is a guitar made for guitarrist that are not shredders, it's a guitar made for heavy metal artist in the middle of ninetines. That was a dream of every metallica fan in specially of the mighty K.H.
I personally couldn't care what was on the headstock, as long as the quality is there, which it definitely is with the e-ii line, consistently premium quality whichever model you get!
I have an ESP custom shop from Japan, the Ohmura Custom 7 string. And it is easily the best guitar I've ever played, and is the only guitar I play now. ESP has earned a customer for life. I wish they sold their Japanese guitars in the US, because their Japanese guitars absolutely dwarf the limited selection of their USA models. And frankly I don't care for "Made in USA". It's also an absolute pain in the ass to import guitars worth over $4.5k. I always tell people, if there were a cheaper guitar with the same specs I would have gotten that, but _only_ ESP said "yeah let's make a 7 string superstrat with an EMG 81/85 set, metallic pink, and holographic rainbow sparkles". Specs-wise it is exactly what I wanted and only ESP offered it. Also Takayoshi Ohmura is a beast and makes great music so even better to have basically the exact same guitars he plays. Neat thing about ESP is when you order a signature model it is 1:1 the same guitar as the artists receive from ESP.
Correction! ESP's are still made in Japan (as well as the USA), but the E-II is the standard production line whereas ESP-branded guitars are made in their custom shop.
Exactly! E-II is the so-called Standard series in the past, right? I own an E-II FRX and the only thing I would change is the inlay on the headstock, just because it doesn't say ESP 😂 we humans are like this. But the guitar has the quality construction of a custom shop, it sounds and feels amazing.
I suspect the E-II branding was brought in just to make the USA models more desirable because apart from the branding there is very little reason to spend the extra $1500 on a USA over an E-II.
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe It wasn't about the USA models because the E-IIs are still made in Japan and not all of them are sold in the US. It was more about making the ESP brand seem more premium and prestigious, as if people don't already think they're a solid brand lol. Basically to arrange things so if you see an "ESP" on the guitar you know it's the best of the best, and that makes people want to pay more for the "real" ESPs so they can get a guitar with that reputation. Their USA line is pretty weak in my opinion and they really need to start selling Japanese models to the US. Their Japanese guitars dwarf the USA lineup in terms of variety and uniqueness. They already kinda started doing this, selling the Japan-made Snapper-7 in the US, because they previously had no Snappers available from USA. Which was well-needed because the ESP Snapper is their best guitar imo.
Weird I've played many EMG loaded guitars and I've never seen a duel 81 set installed. I I used to like the classic 81/60 set, but these days the 57/66 is unbeatable from EMG in my opinion. It's the only thing that rivals anything modern like the Fishmans that I've tried the older sets are just overly EQ'd in one way or another like Ola said with the newer 81's. Great video tho as always!
Ola, question for FAQ, what would you consider your personal masterpiece? Lord’s resistance army and the sun and the moon come to my mind! Your the man!
I bought mine brand new in 1999. I regret taking those EMG's out but I recently put the Nazgul/Sentient set in and it sounds amazing. It's always been my work horse guitar and still is. Love ESP's especially the old ones.
I have installed EMG81’s on several of my guitars and believe or not, it does make a difference to the tone whether they are soldered or solderless or whether you have a tone pot or not. The volume pots also make a difference (i’ve tried different volume pots).
You can still get ESP models made in Japan. The ESP name is not only just used for the ESP USA models. If you look on the ESP guitars Japan website, you can see them. I believe there are also some still on the US website branded as ESP Original. Due to various lawsuits etc. ESP models are different in Japan which can be quite confusing. E-II models are made in Japan, BUT directed by ESP USA and Ltd are mostly not available in Japan.
I owned an E-II Horizon and I don‘t mind if it says E-II or ESP on the headstock. But the main thing I don‘t like about ESP in general is that they use to paint the neck. There are just a few M-II Models like yours with an unpainted neck, but there is the second thing I can‘t really stand. And that are these EMG 81 in so many of their guitars. Ibanez makes this with their prestige line up so much better imho. Greetings
*8:08 Probably my favorite Pantera riff, although I do believe you played it wrong Ola :P, would love a cover of this one sometime that song doesn't get enough love
Ola!!! You mentioned EMG pups have changed,here's a quote I found! My review on two different EMG 57/66 sets 08-13-2020, 11:13 AM Some while ago, I posted a thread asking if anyone knew if EMG changed their preamp recently. I was told by EMG themselves that it wasn't, and that the 57/66 set had a different preamp altogether (more on that later). But then there were some interesting posts on the thread mentioning that a. the chip they used for their preamp was discontinued recently and b. the main guy behind EMG told Frank Falbo that indeed the preamp was changed.
I would like to add to the e-ii thing, they still make ESP in Japan through the custom shop/original series. I remember hearing also some where stuff happening with people importing the global standard series back into Japan and it being sold a custom shop (something interesting was that the serials on some esp standard series, when put into a serial dater, would rest that they were made in the custom shop) and the company decided to do something about it. I might be wrong, free to be corrected though! I personally don't mind it as much, but I can 100% see people not liking the change. E-II didn't have the same brand clout and saying "ESP". As of now the ESP title is on anything made in the USA production shop or the ESP Custom Shop in Japan though!
Love ESPs and the thin U neck profile . Very fortunate to have 2 2010 standard Horizons from Japan . One with a Floyd and 81/85 , the other has a fixed bridge with Duncan 59's and is bookmatched . Wish I could afford more . Prices are very dear now though .
I have a 92 m2 with a sinclair tremelo...i think it has a jb pickup from the factory , $549 w /case from guitar center about 10 years ago!....a steal today!
Agreed on the name! I would love to have ESP on my headstock but I’m not spending 4k plus. From a strictly marketing perspective I feel like people are even on the fence about spending 2k on an “E II” guitar. Shit I can snag a Gibson standard for 500 more…
Nice video as usual Ola. I agree with what you say about the difference in sound in EMG's. I have an old one in an Epiphone SG and it sounds brutal. I bought a newer ec1000 and it sounds weak compared to the old one. A nice 24v mod fixed that though 😉
@@toemasmeems no. I'm pretty proficient at setups. The tone is simply different. Also, the epi I mentioned has a single emg in the bridge. It still has the alnico in the neck. I believe that contributes to the extra punch as well. The emg doesn't have to share the battery. Lol thank you for the suggestion though, but that was the first thing I tried. 🤘
Hey Ola, can you do a video where you talk about your guitar wall? I'm looking to get my guitars up on the wall in a similar fashion to yours (I've got about 14) and currently have them staggered on single hangers. It looks like your wall has more of a slat-wall feature to it. Would love to see how you have that setup as well as any other "instrument organization" solutions you have!
EDIT: So I feel I need to address the part where I'm saying that the EMG81 might be one of those not made in the US. ALL EMG81 are being made in the US. Anything made outside of the US are fake EMGs. Sorry for the confusion!
Bee Gees - Tragedy is the “battery” song btw
Seymour duncan blackouts better tho ahb3s
@@jeffarab4947 depends.
@behindspace666666 hahaha I see what u mean
Is there a chance of the one that sounds better is actually an EMG 85? Just found out that the EMG 85 sounds way better than the 81 on the bridge and a lot of bands known for their great tone does that, like Killswitch Engage.
Have a great Friday everyone!
Thx you also
Your benz are lifeless……bahahahaha
That melody you were singing sounds like the Bee Gees song Tragedy
Props to keeping the slider blooper in - we all feel the technical difficulties!
Tongue transducer battery tester! The device of champions!
Ola, the less springs the easier and longer the flutters...unless we can get some boutique springs that I'm not aware of. I'm betting there are only two springs in there.
ESP is still on the headstock of Japanese models in the 'Original' and 'Custom' (custom order) range. So ESP is on the headstock of models made in their custom shop in Japan (Original Series and Custom orders) and in their USA shop. EII is for regular production Japanese instruments. So 'ESP' is reserved for the company's highest quality Japanese and USA guitars.
Came here to say this!
Also you can pick up Edwards which is made in Japan, which is probably close to E-II in quality.
Yes, but the ESP Original does not produce M series anymore. E-II does.
@@ShredBird Edwards is on LTD's range. E-II is just E-II
Totally agree on the E-II thing. I used to be so hyped for being able to afford an ESP and not just an LTD. Bringing out the E-II just seemed odd.
I'm still not very clear about that whole transition, but now I really regret selling me 2007 SS Eclipse II. I'm gonna hop on Reverb now and try my luck, lol.
Agreed, it’s weird and stupid. I’m way less interested in mating an E-II than an ESP even if I know it’s the same thing.
The only good thing for me is that my 2004 Eclipse is now worth twice what I paid for it. Not that it matters as I’ll probably never sell it.
Well, they’re still better than the naming convention of Ibanez. Those guys just love numbers and letters
@@valuedhumanoid6574 yeah. I only buy guitars named with emojis
@@valuedhumanoid6574 once you get the naming scheme, Ibanez model names actually tell you pretty much everything about the guitar, so in that way it’s really cool and useful. Figuring it out, though, that’s a different story and it also makes searching for them a real bitch.
3:15 They are called "ESP USA" when made in the U.S.. They are called "Original series" if they are a production model made in the Japanese Custom shop. Yes, I know they should have kept the ESP Standard series. Jackson is one of their main competitors and whether you buy a 200$ model or a 5,000+ model built by Mike Shannon himself, the Jackson name is on the headstock
Yeah and now there are quite a few E-II models that cost more than $3k and it still won't say ESP on the headstock which is just straight up bs.
@@Unchainedmaple888 And then there's the rumor (and there's not much if anything proving otherwise..) about them being built in China in their own factory and finished in Japan, just like the Edwards guitars, and for what I can see, it has been like that since early day ESP Standard series, you see the same outline filler on the inlays whether it's a 2021 guitar or in my Eclipse case, 2004. You never even see the building process of E-II in the Tokyo shop, only finished or 95% finished E-IIs on racks. But from pictures from their China shop you see LTD Elites, Edwards and E-IIs on racks.
@@Masterfighterx Yup exactly. I didn't want to bring that up because people get really angry about it and call you a conspiracy theorist when I've literally had this confirmed by an ESP shop employee in Japan who went through ESP's craft academy. Now ESP has the gall to charge $3000 for a product that isn't even really Made in Japan.
Problem is you have to sift through piles of shit on anything sub 2.5k with Jackson quality control. ESP with just a $700 LTD to the Cheapest Original $2700 or whatnot is solid as hell.
My guitar teacher had a copy of this himself. He was the greatest shredder coming out of my town. Its a great guitar!
Thank you Ola. For the first time in decades I pulled an abandoned Strat out of the closet, cleaned it up, popped some strings on, and played....felt like being whole. Your channel was the inspiration.
Even ESP staff in Shibuya quietly agreed the EII decision was stupid when we were in the shop together chatting haha. Sick guitar though! old standard series are my favorites~
this is my dream guitar. i saved up the 4300 I'd have to pay to get a custom shop MII which was as simple as you could imagine. No frills just a basic guitar like this one. Sadly my AC went out and I needed to replace the entire unit. So 6k later I dont have the money anymore. Life happens I guess. Much love Ola!
Might not be the optimal choice but m-II’s come up used in japan all the time. Got a ESP Forest Gt for a killer deal as well. Having one built would be best but there are deals to be had if you look around. I’ve seen a lot of m-IIs go for around $1- 1,500, with esp badge.
I've got one made in 2004 with rosewood board and EMG-X's in it that I want to turn into a lower shelf guitar plus a small amp, since my amp of 20 years died. Has finish checking on the back of the body and a small chip in the edge of the trem chamber, not visible with cover installed. Tremol-no system installed for on the fly hardtailing. Everything else pristine, plays great. Make me an offer that beats my trade-in offer and she's yours, we can do it through reverb or whatever. I'd be glad for it to go to someone who really wants it, since it was my dream guitar growing up.
I love how you managed to stay calm during breaks, both when your dog came to say hello and when the slider started to malfunction. Anyone who has ever tried to record their own and create video content knows that there is always something that goes wrong, that freezes, breaks and ruins the mood. Nice guitar
I had the exact same one, sold it years ago and never stopped regretting my decision. A dream to play and super accurate
I feel your pain... I had the same but whit Seymour Duncan.
Many year later, still regret I sold it....
Gr8 vid Ola..& fine timing 4 me on this video. I just got my new ESP E-II M-II neck thru black 2 weeks ago out of Tokyo.... Its absolutely amazing... the EMG 81's are super hot... I luv the black finger board..This guitar is fun to play 🤘
ESPs rule. Consistent and crazy high quality. Probably my favorite brand over the years. But I also agree that renaming to E-II was dumb af. Still amazing guitars but ESP was such a sick brand to see on the headstock of MIJ guitars
Haha yeah. I Want the eclipse, but have the E-II at the headstock, is stopping me... I could rather buy a Ltd 😅 i Want it to say ESP when it is an ESP!
@@viktorstorelv yeah agree its a turn off fucking stupid decicion. I have e2 sv and its great guitar but still would rather have esp logo
I'd rather have a cheaper guitar with the Ltd logo than a better one with E=II on there.
Renaming sucks although the quality is the same. Having ESP on an older one is much cooler than the EII thing. Right now my current fav guitar is USA Custom Shop ESP MII. KILLER guitar
It's gotten me thinking as well. I wonder if bringing the ESP brand over to US manufacture has any implications legally in terms of trademark ownership? ESP not manufacturing guitars in the US might stretch the hold they have over the name. Otherwise I am certain that E-II would have suited US instruments whilst keeping ESP as Japanese only would maintain the strong brand recognition of absolute high end quality.
The blue ESP from Michael Romeo's Guitar Chapter video is legendary !
What a lovely instrument. ESP has very consistent QA and reliable builds.
OLA my man ! I That flutter is beyond amazing, I ve never heard of sth like this. Amazing tone and guitar as always.
Quick correction:
They're still called ESP when built in Japan, but only when they're built in their high end custom shops. So the MiJ signature models, Original series, and customs are all branded ESP. The E-II brand is the old ESP Standard series, which were (well, still are) made in a mass-production Japan factory.
Is it a Japan factory though? You never see the building/milling process, but if you do a quick google, you see Edwards, LTD Elites and E-IIs on racks in their China factory.
@@Masterfighterx See I heard/read that "E-II" is a rebranded LTD Deluxe.
@@Masterfighterx Are LTDs made in China now?
@@Zwidawurzn The cheaper ones are. I just got a brand new LTD Deluxe that was made in South Korea and it is amazing.
Ola, while some passive EMG’s are made in Indonesia all 81’s are still made in USA
I was gonna comment the same thing. The only difference is that the old ones are soldered the new ones are quick connect. I don't think that makes a difference in the sound but who knows...the guitar does make a difference in the sound if the EMGs contrary to the legend 😊
@@BalashToth Yeah man, the nonsense you find on the internet surrounding EMGs ... they make every guitar sound the same! Never been true. I had the 81 in several guitars and still have it in two of them and the inherent qualities of the guitar itself is always still there. In fact, I use the 81 in those two guitars precisely because it's a good match for them tonally.
Love these so much. I bought myself one long ago and it's just like this one, everything is the same, even the year of manufacture, except I have the Duncans in it, which I prefer over the EMG's. I will keep it forever and I'm never going to get rid of it. Amazing video as always, Ola!
Neither a stupid slider, nor a camera out of focus can make Ola's videos bad! Great video and all that stories behind!
Have had my ESP KH-2 for 20 years and still love it. It got new frets + the 24Volt mod and works as nicely as the first day. ESPs is just a great brand.
How good do 81's sound with more voltage hey! I only did the 18v last year I wish I had done it earlier.
@@spice_miner well I guess it's a biased view but I felt it had more punch to it and had more dynamics to it. How did you see the difference with the 18V? Can't really tell if there is a big difference between 18V and 24V there probably test videos out there.
@@NicoMCH666 from what I'm told past 18v there isn't much difference. Was more referring to 9v compared to 18 and up.
What'd it cost to refret (stainless i assume)? My '94 KH2 I got 23 years ago and have been tempted to switch pups but the 81s still kick ass. Feels a little like blasphemy to alter anything on a perfect guitar. Havent even tried the 18v mod on one of my EMG'd guitars.
@@cfh13 well it was stainless refret, plus electronics cleanup, Schaller tremolo installed because the Floyd was fucked and added the schaller claw to adjust the springs easier. So in all it was a hefty price, swiss prices 😅, but well worth it after 20 years: 890 CHF.
I've got an ESP M-III Deluxe since 2000. Killer guitar
That's a really nice guitar you got there!!!
Seems to be a modified one, as far as pickups go and that tone pot.
If I remeber correctly, that particular model was fitted with Seymour Duncans, single vol pot and 3 way selector.
Nice guitar btw...
Betrayed by camera 🤣 hang in there Ola!!! Thanks for providing the run down on your ESP and giving some history as well. I’ve got a ‘16 Eclipse EC-1000FR and love it! 🤘Your M-II and the 5150 together sound shred-tactic!!
I bought my dream guitar 1 year after teaching myself to play, an ESP KH2. Found out MUCH later it was made the very first year in 94. It is still my dream guitar 23 years later. Plays so damn good and I still love taking it out of its case. Been tempted to put new pups in it but the HARDWIRED dual 81s kick ass. For how terrible i am at solos I almost dont deserve such a nice guitar.
i feel you bro I own an ESP Ohmura Custom and I feel like I'm never gonna actually deserve such a beast until I'm a guitar god.
i have a white body maple fb esp m2 with SD pickup. love it so much, with the sample of th neck not as plat as A RG ibanez. i found it sound a little bit too much mid-scooped, so you have to play it harder to make it attack more. i've tried to put a pair of emgs on it, but i thought that make it sound unpleasent, so i switch back to SD pu immediately. EMGs are very different after they changed the “EMG” symble on the cover, you can see new logo have a dash through the "E", and don't buy it. In second hand market, the old ones are priced differently, and not easy to get. love your vids over 5 years, and best wishes from China.
Very interesting, Ola. I've been studying ESP's manufacturing methods for years now, and I spotted an odd aspect in that ESP that you normally see in lower end stuff like LTD; the neck was made using a single 2,5D CNC process, not single 5-axis milling or multiple process. The angled headstock is cut whilst the neck is on the same plane as the fingerboard, resulting in slight compound angles around the edges of the headstock with respect to the headstock face. I've had a few Japanese ESPs over the years including an 80s and a 90s custom shop model. Whether the headstocks on these were cut on CNC or manual router (eg. custom shop work) doesn't matter too much, but they did have 90deg perimeters to the headstocks. This area is of specific design concern to me as I'm a 5-axis CNC programmer and operator. Funny seeing how much you can read back into various company's processes. Yeah, ESP being a "USA" model now just devalues the ESP brand....unless you buy from the Japanese ESP custom shop under the radar *cough*.
Look at the video, timestamp 4:52 onwards....the odd angles off the headstock face can be seen....
as an 2007 ESP LTD M owner, and someone who has also studied ESPs A LOT, I dont think this is a genuine MIJ ESP. First thing I noticed is that the battery compartment is missing, the ones that came with EMG's had a 9v battery box on it's own spot, not hidden beneath the plate with the controls. Next, is the lack of shielding in the cavity. Lastly, is the truss rod cover is missing the ESP logo. I think this is an LTD converted to 'ESP'.
edit: also just noticed the pickup selector is not the correct factory ESP.
How does it being USA makes it less valuable? I love my USA custom shop one. It's killer in every single sense
@@incitatus634 I'm sure that they're great, however ESP is best known for its super high end Japanese-made models. Whilst not intended to disparage US-made ESPs, the brand is synonymous with no holds barred Japanese excellence. Much the same as how the 90s Jacksons made in Japan (Professional series) were made better than US-made and sold for less. Jackson shut that production down, and it became Caparison. There's a lot that goes along with brand and place of manufacture. I've studied how the Toyota Way carried itself into the Japanese guitar industry since the 70s with Ibanez, Aria Pro II, etc. through to modern ESPs. It's a thing. W. Edwards Deming was a genius.
....simply, it is impractical given US employment market and manufacturing to expect anything beyond JIT-type production without massively inflated prices to support a more TQM-type model. I haven't had personal opportunity to inspect any number of US-made ESPs, so I can't comment directly on them, only on manufacturing methods. I'd know where to look for cut corners and potential savings though if they've had to streamline production in any way. Some of these matter and are user-noticeable, some don't and just aren't.
Word up! Thanks for making this vid on the M-II, and throwing in some of the history about it. Jeff Hanneman was a huge influence for me, and one day I hope to have a branded ESP guitar. The newer E-II M-II guitars are neck thru, which I like, but I agree the different branding was a bad idea. Fkin' SLAYER!!!!
Hey Ola, when you were in Brazil, you signed my MII (It was ash, with a translucent blue finish) !
I think that to solve this problem of the strange sound of this EMG you should review its height in relation to the strings and if you can, test the 24v mod (It's sold on the internet, Fluff did a recent test of this mod on his channel).
I think this guitar has the most perfect neck ever created !
I'm very familiar with the internal preamp architecture of the original series EMGs and have designed various active preamps for a couple of decades now. The simple 9v to 18v mod overcomes the less-than-ideal characteristics of running a slow micropower 9v supply with the 90s silicon design of the LM4250 in the EMG-81. 24v doesn't add anything more unless you just convince yourself that it does. I haven't seen Fluff's video, however 24v offers nothing more than the basic 18v mod. In principle the preamp can run up to 36v, however after 12v it's just excessive.
@@TristanJCumpole Do you know if there is a way to do the 18V mod with the quick-connect (or solderless) EMG wiring? Also, does that mod make a difference when playing through an amp like a Katana 50?
@@nckhed It's pretty easy. The single battery snap can be snipped off and replaced with two new snaps. Solder together a common red/black between the new snaps and match up the remaining red/black off each to the original wires. I prefer routing for a Gotoh dual battery box, which is more or less the same process but you need to jumper one connector to the other. The "problem" with straight 9v supply is that once it sags with age to say, below 8v, the preamp starts to limit the transients in the signal somewhat. If I recall correctly, the bias current being so super low in the EMG-81 preamp means that it messes with the fidelity of the top end a bit as well. I'd have to re-read into the LM4250 characteristics to be more accurate on that one.
You can also make a non-destructive mod by making an adaptor snap out of three battery snaps in a loop. One connects to the original with the other two going to the batteries. The only difficult part of this one is making sure the polarities are correct as it's easy to get messed up.
Caralho às vezes eu adoro ser brasileiro, sinceramente
These are some of my favorite posts that you do.
Love it, your playing, channel, metal, tone and your extra greasy-ness this video .
Waited so long for this episode 🤘🤘
ESP player since 1992. I have a custom shop M2 from 94 and its still one of my favorites.
Great to hear some love for Michael Romeo and Timo Tolkki! Love these guitars
Even the lower price point esp guitars can sound great with the right set up but that can be said for just about any brand. Nice vid man 🤘🏾🤘🏾
Yea I personally wish they got rid of the E-II and LTD brands that make people feel their guitars are inferior, even many of the LTD’s are GREAT guitars and shouldn’t make people feeel like they’re playing a squire type guitar to ESP’s fender main brand. I’m thinking they would sell a lot more too.
Every esp I've ever played just feels and sounds perfect! I love them!
I have one ESP M-II from 2005 made in Japan. The production quality of it impressive. Probably one of the best guitar I ever had.
how is the neck? i assume it feels great but still curious
@@breather2787the necks easily the best I’ve had, I have one too.
I love those ESP's with a maple board. I wish they made more like that. Especially those ones from the 90s with the single coil neck and humbucker bridge. Those are my absolute favorites. One of these days I'll have the extra cash to throw at one.
The 27 fretters are sick too
I have a white '95 M-II in this configuration that I found locally for $1k. Never thought that would be possible again with what's happened to guitar prices. It immediately became my #1. Be patient! They're out there.
@@oddthemute6172 I have one in off white pearl.
I remember Michael Romeo used to play one of those, with a cool purple metallic finish, on his old instruction video.
I also own an MII, mine is a black '94 with a rosewood fretboard and I put full gold hardware in it including a gold EMG 57/66 set. I completely agree on the EII thing even though they are great guitars, that brand naming is a shame. I also own a 2010 Horizon FRII which is my main guitar and it's branded ESP, I think the EII thing came circa 2013 if I'm not wrong. I'll say the MII and Horizon while both loaded with EMG 57/66 sound very different both live and in studio, tonewood is a thing sorry guys (the bolt on vs neck thru also changes the sound). The neck profile on the MII is UNREAL, I have yet to play a more comfortable one and the Horizon is probably the best sounding guitar I've ever played in my life (and I've played and own a bunch). Keep that one Ola, they are fantastic!
got an 07 m-ii ntb. was super stoked to get it my first weapon of a guitar its what the thrash metal/metal core/death bands were playing at the time more or less. will never sell so many memories over the fretboard
Nothing will ever beat ESP Japan !
E-II are made by ESP factory in China, some are assembled, some are semi-assembled and painted, then those "semi-products" will send back to Japan, wiring works and final set-ups were done in Japan. And they will put a tag that says "Made in Japan".
Mine was made in Korea.
@@vorpalblades LTD Deluxe?
E-II Eclipse. I think it's from 2018.
E-II are for rest of the world including the US, ”ESP” is now only Japan market only guitars. Just a slight correction from an ESP freak. :) Great video! The other Made In USA gtrs are ESP as well but on the headstock it says USA…
Urgh Ola this video inspired me to find my next axe, obviously hard to track down a M-II
BUT decided on a similar beast.. ESP E-II M-II 2022 See Thru Black
🤤
Hi Ola, thats is a guitar made for guitarrist that are not shredders, it's a guitar made for heavy metal artist in the middle of ninetines. That was a dream of every metallica fan in specially of the mighty K.H.
Love the shows Ola! Keep ‘em comin! 🤘🏻🔥
I personally couldn't care what was on the headstock, as long as the quality is there, which it definitely is with the e-ii line, consistently premium quality whichever model you get!
100% agree. E-II is a lot more consistent than the older esp standards.
I have an ESP custom shop from Japan, the Ohmura Custom 7 string. And it is easily the best guitar I've ever played, and is the only guitar I play now. ESP has earned a customer for life. I wish they sold their Japanese guitars in the US, because their Japanese guitars absolutely dwarf the limited selection of their USA models. And frankly I don't care for "Made in USA". It's also an absolute pain in the ass to import guitars worth over $4.5k. I always tell people, if there were a cheaper guitar with the same specs I would have gotten that, but _only_ ESP said "yeah let's make a 7 string superstrat with an EMG 81/85 set, metallic pink, and holographic rainbow sparkles". Specs-wise it is exactly what I wanted and only ESP offered it. Also Takayoshi Ohmura is a beast and makes great music so even better to have basically the exact same guitars he plays. Neat thing about ESP is when you order a signature model it is 1:1 the same guitar as the artists receive from ESP.
Correction! ESP's are still made in Japan (as well as the USA), but the E-II is the standard production line whereas ESP-branded guitars are made in their custom shop.
Exactly! E-II is the so-called Standard series in the past, right? I own an E-II FRX and the only thing I would change is the inlay on the headstock, just because it doesn't say ESP 😂 we humans are like this. But the guitar has the quality construction of a custom shop, it sounds and feels amazing.
I suspect the E-II branding was brought in just to make the USA models more desirable because apart from the branding there is very little reason to spend the extra $1500 on a USA over an E-II.
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe It wasn't about the USA models because the E-IIs are still made in Japan and not all of them are sold in the US. It was more about making the ESP brand seem more premium and prestigious, as if people don't already think they're a solid brand lol. Basically to arrange things so if you see an "ESP" on the guitar you know it's the best of the best, and that makes people want to pay more for the "real" ESPs so they can get a guitar with that reputation. Their USA line is pretty weak in my opinion and they really need to start selling Japanese models to the US. Their Japanese guitars dwarf the USA lineup in terms of variety and uniqueness. They already kinda started doing this, selling the Japan-made Snapper-7 in the US, because they previously had no Snappers available from USA. Which was well-needed because the ESP Snapper is their best guitar imo.
I have an ESP MII bolt on, rosewood, dual emg81s. It is my best playing guitar and the build quality is just awesome.
What a sweet pup. He couldn't care less if dad is filming.
Weird I've played many EMG loaded guitars and I've never seen a duel 81 set installed. I I used to like the classic 81/60 set, but these days the 57/66 is unbeatable from EMG in my opinion. It's the only thing that rivals anything modern like the Fishmans that I've tried the older sets are just overly EQ'd in one way or another like Ola said with the newer 81's. Great video tho as always!
Ola, question for FAQ, what would you consider your personal masterpiece?
Lord’s resistance army and the sun and the moon come to my mind!
Your the man!
Love the ESP stuff!
Good looking guitar in seemingly great condition. I really like the maple fret board with the gloss black finish.
Michael Romeo vibes! Love it!
I bought mine brand new in 1999. I regret taking those EMG's out but I recently put the Nazgul/Sentient set in and it sounds amazing. It's always been my work horse guitar and still is. Love ESP's especially the old ones.
I think Josh Middleton of Sylosis uses one of these too.
Ace of a guitar man ❤🙌
I've always wanted this model, that maple board looks amazing
I loved seeing the ESP logos on the headstock. There was some sort of hysteria with those guitars.
Beautiful guitar & killer sound 7:26! Just perfect! 🤘
Mass confusion
Very cool and informative video Ola! Also loving the new Canibalismo guitars! The newest Type V is sickkkkk!
Just bought a “Chug Life” shirt. Excited to rep Ola merch in Iowa
I love when the pup takes over the videos
I have installed EMG81’s on several of my guitars and believe or not, it does make a difference to the tone whether they are soldered or solderless or whether you have a tone pot or not. The volume pots also make a difference (i’ve tried different volume pots).
Jackson Dinky back in the day was in this category, which was my first "nice" guitar... still love it!!
Hey Ola that "battery" song you sang was "Tragedy" by BeeGees!! :)
I have an ESP mirage custom from the 90's , it's heavier than a bass guitar but it sounds and plays great it's still my favourite .
Totally agree with the branding thing. Was looking to buy a new guitar was not stoked, would rather try and find and older ESP branded guitar.
You crack me up. Rock and roll brother
Loving the content Ola, thank you.
Whew lawd, I zoned out there at the end and thought I heard Ola playing "Trampled Under Hoof" by Mastodon
josh middleton from sylosis has one of these exact guitars, you can see him use it on the “I sever” music video and it looks super cool in that video
E-ll is only the rebrand of ESP Standard. ESP original and custom shop are not affected
You can still get ESP models made in Japan. The ESP name is not only just used for the ESP USA models. If you look on the ESP guitars Japan website, you can see them. I believe there are also some still on the US website branded as ESP Original. Due to various lawsuits etc. ESP models are different in Japan which can be quite confusing.
E-II models are made in Japan, BUT directed by ESP USA and Ltd are mostly not available in Japan.
I owned an E-II Horizon and I don‘t mind if it says E-II or ESP on the headstock. But the main thing I don‘t like about ESP in general is that they use to paint the neck. There are just a few M-II Models like yours with an unpainted neck, but there is the second thing I can‘t really stand. And that are these EMG 81 in so many of their guitars. Ibanez makes this with their prestige line up so much better imho. Greetings
The song is tragedy by the BeeGees 😂. Great video Ola 🤘🏼
I've got an ESP MII maple with one volume knob and I changed out the EMG for a JB 59 set! Love that guitar!
I really like the ESP’s I have played. Really nice neck profiles as well.
The thin U neck feels sooooo good to play
@@DavidNwokoye I have an old SC200 and it’s actually good for being a low end instrument. I really like the EC line as well.
*8:08 Probably my favorite Pantera riff, although I do believe you played it wrong Ola :P, would love a cover of this one sometime that song doesn't get enough love
Ola!!!
You mentioned EMG pups have changed,here's a quote I found!
My review on two different EMG 57/66 sets
08-13-2020, 11:13 AM
Some while ago, I posted a thread asking if anyone knew if EMG changed their preamp recently. I was told by EMG themselves that it wasn't, and that the 57/66 set had a different preamp altogether (more on that later). But then there were some interesting posts on the thread mentioning that a. the chip they used for their preamp was discontinued recently and b. the main guy behind EMG told Frank Falbo that indeed the preamp was changed.
*Ola + ESP + dog*
I just simped on so many levels
Clicked and liked
That is an alpha guitar , it is pure of form , completely and utterly metal 👌
I would like to add to the e-ii thing, they still make ESP in Japan through the custom shop/original series. I remember hearing also some where stuff happening with people importing the global standard series back into Japan and it being sold a custom shop (something interesting was that the serials on some esp standard series, when put into a serial dater, would rest that they were made in the custom shop) and the company decided to do something about it. I might be wrong, free to be corrected though!
I personally don't mind it as much, but I can 100% see people not liking the change. E-II didn't have the same brand clout and saying "ESP". As of now the ESP title is on anything made in the USA production shop or the ESP Custom Shop in Japan though!
Love ESPs and the thin U neck profile . Very fortunate to have 2 2010 standard Horizons from Japan . One with a Floyd and 81/85 , the other has a fixed bridge with Duncan 59's and is bookmatched . Wish I could afford more . Prices are very dear now though .
I have the same, still happy
Awesome! I had an old Mll ESP that I wish I'd never gotten rid of! But there you go - hindsight being what it is!
I have a 92 m2 with a sinclair tremelo...i think it has a jb pickup from the factory , $549 w /case from guitar center about 10 years ago!....a steal today!
Not sure what's better looking, the dog or the guitar. Booth rockin.
Dude that sounds great. I hear crisp clean Dragons Breaths!
I have 2 ESP M-II Standard Maple Neck guitars with the 59/JB pickups and will never get rid of them, they're awesome, long live the Standard Series!
I’ve got one but so much feedback when using it in my audio device compared to my active pickup guitars 😑
One of my dream guitar..
Rxcellent video man,,, never played an ESP per say(or a SOLAR) but 👍…thanks for the funny moments man…🤘☘️
Like that Randell half stack in the background 💯💪
My grandpa's esp is my best guitar, I put some custom shaping on it and put in seymour Duncan's. I put on some d'dario locking tuners too. Love it
Agreed on the name! I would love to have ESP on my headstock but I’m not spending 4k plus. From a strictly marketing perspective I feel like people are even on the fence about spending 2k on an “E II” guitar. Shit I can snag a Gibson standard for 500 more…
Nice video as usual Ola. I agree with what you say about the difference in sound in EMG's. I have an old one in an Epiphone SG and it sounds brutal. I bought a newer ec1000 and it sounds weak compared to the old one. A nice 24v mod fixed that though 😉
All EMGs are made in the US, the pickups might sound different because of pickup height which is a huge factor with those pickups.
@@toemasmeems no. I'm pretty proficient at setups. The tone is simply different. Also, the epi I mentioned has a single emg in the bridge. It still has the alnico in the neck. I believe that contributes to the extra punch as well. The emg doesn't have to share the battery. Lol thank you for the suggestion though, but that was the first thing I tried. 🤘
Hey Ola, can you do a video where you talk about your guitar wall? I'm looking to get my guitars up on the wall in a similar fashion to yours (I've got about 14) and currently have them staggered on single hangers. It looks like your wall has more of a slat-wall feature to it. Would love to see how you have that setup as well as any other "instrument organization" solutions you have!
I have a 1987 M II Deluxe. It absolutely rips