The comments on every single C&TC video: - Lee's solos are getting better; - Chapman's shredding is annoying; - That guitar looks good; - That guitar looks bad; - Rory's awesome.
When you roll off volume you lose a lot of brightness and I'm scared to say it but tone. It depends on the pots but linear pots will rolloff tone the most (think fender) and audio taper pots will roll off tone the least but have a much less linear volume decrease.
I own ESP Customs that cost over 5000 USD and I own E-II's for a fraction of that price. Honestly the E-II play and sound just as nice as the expensive ESP-branded customs. GREAT value for the money on these guitars.
So happy to see an E-II video!!!!! I've recently played a handful of E-II's and they've all been top-notch instruments, great build quality and awesome sounding. I recently purchased an ESP E-II Mystique (Marine Blue) and it is a phenomenal guitar. Hope to see more E-II's in upcoming videos, especially some of the new 2018 models.
I love the 57/66 set despite never getting on with 81/85s. That being said, if you really want to hear EMG 81s sounding awesome, just listen to some Prince.
Maybe another Japanese brand to revisit: Tokai. Visited their factory recently. Passion and dedication from Japan! Esp has 5 guitar building universities and all worker from Tokai have studied there!
Koen De Croo ah thanks. But hey quick question, do you know how delete subscribers off of your account? I’m on my phone and I’m not seeing the option. Or is there even an option? Some random dude followed me and I don’t have any content.
I owned an Ibanez Prestige and I currently own an E-II Eclipse. The E-II is a much more high quality instrument. The Ibanez was nice but the E-II feels like it's built better.
I own the Horizon NT2 that the Capatain has in his hands...AMAZING guitar. Craftsmanship is top of the line, playability is great, the quilt top is gorgeous...I honestly can't say enough about the guitar. It's not a cheap guitar by any means but you definetly get what you pay for. Im happy to see Anderton's carrying Japanese ESP's. Not enough dealers carry ACTUAL Japanese built ESP's...all you ever see is a million LTD's. The hate about the rebranding is absolutely ridiculous...its STILL an ESP, its still made by Japanese luthiers, and its still made to the same exact quality as the old standards. People dont get the fact that ESP was never meant to be a production line...they were ALWAYS meant to be custom shop ONLY, all ESP did was go back to what they were doing in the beginning. At this point everybody knows now what the E2 means on the headstock...its an ESP Standard. People will know right away that its Japanese ESP and they will know how much cash you dropped on it. Its about the QUALITY and PLAYABILITY.
have you ever played Japanese model ESP? They're phenomenal. Like driving a corvette. I have an Eclipse... after owning it for a month every other guitar just felt like a piece of junk in my hands.
There are a few younger viewers who might not know about the A-Team so I'd like to tell them about it. In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them... Maybe you can hire The A-Team.
Could have driven around a more, say, non-descript vehicle. No. Instead, they drove around in B.A.'s tricked-out, red racing stripe on black, shaggin' wagon. Sure, it worked in L.A., but what about the other places they went? I could go on and on.
and if you can afford them. they don't come cheap. unless you're a hot chick trying to save the family business. then you get the job pro-boner.... yeah, I know how I spelled it!
I recently went to the Sweetwater Gearfest where they had a few of these at their booth. I honestly didn't think the quality difference could be thaaat different from an LTD. So I had to see for myself. Picked up the Horizon E-II with the teardrop headstock.......yep big difference lol. I've owned and played quite a few LTD's and I gotta say, I noticed the difference immediately. Kinda mind blowing.
I have Edwards guitars too. So i only care if i pay the extra money for the name. If you don't care about the name buy Edwards, I cant tell the difference between an Edwards and an ESP Std
Awesome. ESPs back in stock. Not seen them available in any UK stores that much lately. I have an ESP Standard series Horizon NTII which is what these are the equivalent to I think, and it's a fantastic guitar. People think they're just metal guitars, but mine came with Seymour Duncans on and is really a versatile guitar.
I've said it on other videos, Lee always seems to connect with the EPS and LTD's when they demo them As clearly shown by the blindfold challenges on more than one video. This is just my own opinion from observation, I think he "feels" like he has to be playing a Gibson or a Fender because of what he listens to what and what those guys play.
Fektthis I agree. Closing my eyes when Lee was playing the first guitar, if I closed my eyes it had a strong resemblance of a Les Paul (call me crazy) lol
People got stuck by the E-II brand printed on the headstocks of these guitars and they are not able to go beyond, I have got a magnificent E-II St2 equipped with two custom DiMarzio, an original Floyd Rose and Gotoh tuners. That guitar has got a killer sound and is super versatile.
I have a 2012 ESP eclipse standard in Snow White (emg’s 81 & 85) and a 2014 E-II Eclipse in matt Black (emg’s 81 & 65) They’re both absolutely fantastic but the E-II is my go to. the neck and setup is just perfect on it. Don’t let the branding be a deciding factor play one for yourself and feel its all ESP.
Putting E-II on a headstock makes as much sense as: If Fender re-branded their Mexican production "FMx". If Epiphone was re-branded as "Gibs-1". If Ibanez re-branded their value production as "I Min". If PRS re-branded their more affordable range "PR eth".
Ummmm Ibanez has Gio, standard, Premium, and Prestige. Fender has Squier and Standard. Gibson has Epiphone, Studio, and Standard. And ESP now has LTD, E2, and ESP custom shop. Almost EVERY company now has a budget, mid, and high end range. E2 has been out long enough now to where everyone know's exactly what E2 means. They see E2 they know that it's an expensive ass Japanese built ESP standard. I'm seeing more and more people with E2 by the day. They're amazing guitars and are worth every penny. Everything about the guitars are perfect.
@@Remmy0930 You're missing the point. He's not arguing against brands associating names with the varying ranges in their respective lineups, but rather them physically re-branding the guitar to match the range that it's in. If I buy a strat, then I know damn well I want it to say Fender on the headstock and not something else. I don't care what range it's in, it's still a Fender. Of course the quality of the E-IIs are amazing, but it is a scummy move to physically rebrand the line from the parent line to some obscure E-II name just to differentiate them from their custom shop range.
I was very lucky to get my Horizons before they changed. fabulous playing guitars . setup beautiful and have stayed that way. one has 81/85 set and the other the duncan 59 passive. I purchased the red trem one in my sig because of a video Rob made in his basement back in 2010 shredding on his red one called KoKee . he should have kept her imo . I purchased the NT one for alternate tunings and because they are that good .
I've been watching for Years. Love you guys. Just wanted to say that I think this might be the best TONE I've ever heard the captain get. Particularly on the Double Cut.
I have a theory that a large percentage of the people who think EMGs are shit have never actually owned EMGs. They aren't my favorites but they aren't bad either.
Yea; It has just been one of those things smeared across the internet. If anything they gave a negative reputation for no reason, with their herd mentality. - Talking shit about these products as if they're some kind of newfangled atrocity, while in reality they've been around since the '70s or whatever, and have been used by many great artists on plenty of great albums. Are they THE amazing pickups that you need? No, they have their own character like anything else. Some people dislike or even hate the character, be it the tones or the compression or what have you, and so in the early 2000s or so the reputation bashing began. MOST complaints are about how they "compress too much". - Well, first of all, EMG also makes passive pickups, so the whining should've stopped there. - But then you could even modify the active ones to give them more headroom, AND there have been the X-series, which would have more headroom out of the box. - People don't know what they're talking about, indeed. - I'm not even the biggest fan, but I do use some and I will also defend decent products and companies from libel.
Lee Hunter Indeed. I have a 58 explorer with EMG's and ive never been happy with the rhythm tone. Then one day at rehearsal my bands bassist played with my amp a bit and WHOA!!!
The thing that people dont understand is that artists WANT consistency in their tone live. Emgs sound good and offer similar tone in different guitars which is great so that you dont have to adjust your settings live when you switch guitars.
why would i own something i don't like? i've played a couple of EMG equiped guitars, one of them owned by the lead guitarrist in my band and they've always sounded the same to me, scooped, lacking dynamics, somehow get lost in the mix while overwhelming all other instruments and sverly lacking clarity, character and snapiness when playing cleans, they're not the worst pickups by a long shot, somehow zakk wylde makes them work really well, but in my experience they've never sounded good in a live enviroment.
I love Captain's face when Rob is doing his EMG wizardry tones! 😂👍 BTW, the E II logo on the Eclipse looks more like Adidas than a pleasant guitar logo...
I like ESP guitars very much.I am looking forward to see u guys go to japan and play ESP original series and Navigator or some japan only signature series. Those things are very cool.
Gorgeous guitars. The naming protocol isn't difficult. ESP - Custom built Japan ESP Standard- Factory built Japan became EII to differentiate it from the custom builds. There is a misconception that specs were lowered etc which isn't true. The name simply changed from ESP Standard to EII. Fairly good vfm when you consider what they are and where they're built.
k u r t b a k e r Basically yes. Although LTD's span a range of prices from low to around the 1000 mark and are made in Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and China. If you live in the US you can also get ESP USA which US custom builds.
There is also ESP USA which is a small volume hand made kind of semi-custom shop. You get to spec your guitar but they don't have as many options as the Japan custom shop.
There's also the Edwards series, which are factory built in Japan, and the Navigator series, which are hand built in Japan. Both are Japan only, so you have to import them
Funky Monkey1886 nothing was wrong with just putting standard on the headstock. No one knows wtf E-II is. Shit only like half even know who ESP is so E-II might as well be a Burny or any other no name brand.
Funny, I have the exact same 2 guitars. Had to check to make sure this was not my post. I don't mind the new look actually. I'm selling my Horizon, I think, need a change and I've never really loved the JB in the bridge. I suppose I could put a nice BKP in there.
I love the E-II series! I have the "reindeer blue" Horizon 2 with Seymour Duncans (stock) and Floyd rose original, it is an extremely high quality guitar. I'd recommend them to anyone!
ESP Ltd etc, as a concept guitar brand, no doubt about it, bang out a massive range of spectacular equipment! I really feel that there range is a match for any other manufacturer. This is only my own opinion. 😉
I have this ESP E-II Horizon. And holy shit that’s the best guitar I’ve ever played. And I don’t care about the logo changing. What I care about is how it sounds. And it sounds great. Everything is perfect on that guitar.
I've noticed this is the standard reply from everyone who has actually played one. Only people who say they won't buy an E-II are people who have never touched one.
Chris McGrath exactly! All the people I know that have had the chance to play one say that the E-II have no difference of quality with the Standard ESP
I got that same Horizon. It is awesome! Some of the best fretwork I have ever seen out of regular production guitars. The new EMG's are MUCH better than the 81's etc. They are not compressed to hell like the older 81's. The guitar was not cheap but not an impossible stretch. The Horizon makes my Jackson DK1 look really bad. The ebony fretboard on the Horizon is freaking immaculate.
The E-II thing is like when PRS used to write SE in massive text on the head-stock. It's like advertising to the world that your guitar is less expensive than the 'proper' thing. With most things (guitars especially - i.e Gibson, Fender, PRS) perceived value is really important. For instance, I was almost convinced not to buy a PRS CE (USA made for what it's worth) over an SE because it didn't have the bird inlays... It's vanity for sure, however past a certain price point 80% of what the customer gets is for the sake of vanity, same with cars, clothes... even food.
Just bought a Horizon-III recently, and I have to say: I’m far too busy being blown away by the craftsmanship to even begin to care about the fact they decided to reserve the “official” ESP logo for custom shop guitars.
I don’t like the whole ESP E-II LTD split I think its dumb. However I recently bought an E-II Eclipse and I can confirm it is a fupping beast. I also own a custom shop Jackson and a USA PRS and the E-II gives them a series run for their money. Super well made, perfectly set up out of the box, quality built and attention to detail and sounds epic. AND it was like 1/2 the price of the PRS and the Jackson. In summary don’t be fooled by the label on the headstock they are bangin guitars
Without a minute of hesitation, I would go for a Japanese one ! Great lutherie, serious people, and I'm sure, more consistency... I agree with Lee. These EMG's sound great. Didn't know they existed... We're so used to, as Lee pointed out, the EMGs from the '80s which were great at the time but we currently expect more of a regular PAF.
While not having played every brand of guitar, I have played many over the decades. I've owned and LOVED my Snow White, 2011 ESP E-ll (with the script logo) for years. Yesterday, l ordered another E-ll, this one in Satin Black. Japanese build quality is simply outstanding. Having worked at a Toyota plant for over 25 years, I've seen first hand the Japanese work ethic, and it's amazing. The Japanese, IMO, have the most focused, unrelenting and purposeful attention to detail l have ever witnessed. I will never purchase another guitar NOT made in Japan.
I’m glad that Andertons didn’t like the E-II branding and explained why sending a message to ESP. I definitely agree that if you pay big money you deserve the name too but there’s no denying these are exceptional guitars and this video did nothing to sooth the ever present GAS!
Gary moore used single emg81in his white charvel and sounded like most soulful pickup ever. Just listen to ‘Loner’ in Stockholm concert. It does not seem to sound sterile even a tiny bit :).
I do dislike the script logo. I don't like the E-II brand but you're right, I prefer that font to the current one they're using. Though it is just the Lethal Weapon logo font. =)
8:40 still think if you got high output/active pickups is cuz you gonna play distorded tones most of the time :V....but yeah...this 57/66 clears very well when the volume knob is rolled down. ps: next time it can be Jackson Pro Series guitars?
I want to like ESP Guitars. They are good looking and have the specs I would like, but they stick a gloss finish on pretty much everything they make which is a huge turnoff for me. Luckily Schecter has pretty much the same guitars but with nicer matte/satin finishes.
Although quite a few prefer satin finishes the vast majority still want glossy finishes. Btw the eclipse is available in satin black. I do like the look and feel of satin but the fact that you get glossy spots very quickly makes them a no-no for me on expensive guitars. Your point about Schecter is spot on though.
The fact that satin finishes get really dirty looking is a valid concern, but that's what's so great about matte finishes. In my opinion they feel even better than satin and don't get the dirty finger print look after a while.
The gloss on ESP E-II's in my opinion is not sticky (Captain Lee even mentioned this in the video). If the gloss neck isn't for you then take the guitar to a good tech and have them sand the neck to a satin finish (it's actually very inexpensive); I've had a tech do this to one of my guitars (not an ESP because I've never had issues with their gloss necks) and it fixed the stickiness that guitar had.
Don't know much about the E-II branding. All I know is my ESP LTD D-6 Bass is the best six string bass I've ever owned, and I've own a lot of basses over the last 15 years.
LTD proves cheap in price does not mean cheap in quality. I paid $450 USD for my D-6 bass and it play so much better than the $2400 Alembic bass I used to own.
"You can feel quality, I know you can"...sounds like you're inviting an LTD, E-2 and ESP blindfold challenge Lee.
needs way more likes
I took it this week.
I ended up with the M-1.
The comments on every single C&TC video:
- Lee's solos are getting better;
- Chapman's shredding is annoying;
- That guitar looks good;
- That guitar looks bad;
- Rory's awesome.
I see Rob still doesn't know what a clean tone is, all is well in the world
TURING DOWN THE VOLUME ON HIGH GAIN IS NOT CLEAN
As the great Adam D. would say:
"Clean tone is for wussies!"
which is sad because the ESP Eclipse has a sweet clean tone as well besides for high gain metal.
When you roll off volume you lose a lot of brightness and I'm scared to say it but tone.
It depends on the pots but linear pots will rolloff tone the most (think fender) and audio taper pots will roll off tone the least but have a much less linear volume decrease.
true and a shame as the ESP has a fabulous clean tone
Finally a video on ESP after centuries!
I own ESP Customs that cost over 5000 USD and I own E-II's for a fraction of that price. Honestly the E-II play and sound just as nice as the expensive ESP-branded customs. GREAT value for the money on these guitars.
I own an ESP Horizon fr-ii standard and i have no idea what the custom shop can do better that it's worth the shit load of money.
I agree, as good as my Ibanez RG Prestige MIJ anyday
Bro I love your username
Honestly even the higher end LTDs are excellent. Certainly not up to the quality of the E-II’s, but better than many other guitars in the price range.
I like the E-II on the headstock of the Horizon, it's like something fast and powerful. Like an F-16 or a fast car.
Captain! Oh my captain! That solo you did at the end on the G Riff , made that guitar singi! Very nice gentleman!
I tried so many guitars from so many brands. I've played bad, good and kickass stuff. Then I always came back to ESP Guitars 💖
you guys are such good guitar players, especially together... that jam at the end sounded incredible
So happy to see an E-II video!!!!! I've recently played a handful of E-II's and they've all been top-notch instruments, great build quality and awesome sounding. I recently purchased an ESP E-II Mystique (Marine Blue) and it is a phenomenal guitar. Hope to see more E-II's in upcoming videos, especially some of the new 2018 models.
Love me some ESP appreciation at Andertons!
I love the 57/66 set despite never getting on with 81/85s. That being said, if you really want to hear EMG 81s sounding awesome, just listen to some Prince.
Yes, some ESP love!!!! I’ve been wanting an E-II for a long time!
Maybe another Japanese brand to revisit: Tokai. Visited their factory recently. Passion and dedication from Japan!
Esp has 5 guitar building universities and all worker from Tokai have studied there!
Very interesting!
They still in business?
Kill Bon Jovi they are. Not as big as they used to but with the same dedication and craftsmanship!
I played a tokai es355 thingy the other day and it was super good
Koen De Croo ah thanks. But hey quick question, do you know how delete subscribers off of your account? I’m on my phone and I’m not seeing the option. Or is there even an option? Some random dude followed me and I don’t have any content.
ESP vs Ibanez that could be a nice video!
esp all the way yeahhhhhhh!
Joe Fekete
I think Ibanez Prestige vs ESP not a custom BATTLEAXE!
Yea lets get a couple of Ibby Prestiges at the same price mark up against these 2
I have both... ESP by a long shot!
I owned an Ibanez Prestige and I currently own an E-II Eclipse. The E-II is a much more high quality instrument. The Ibanez was nice but the E-II feels like it's built better.
I've got that exact Horizon NT-II, it's a beauty! So much sustain and huge chunky tone, I love it!
Just got an Eii Eclipse a week ago.The quality and playability of this instrument is unbelievable!!!
I own the Horizon NT2 that the Capatain has in his hands...AMAZING guitar. Craftsmanship is top of the line, playability is great, the quilt top is gorgeous...I honestly can't say enough about the guitar. It's not a cheap guitar by any means but you definetly get what you pay for. Im happy to see Anderton's carrying Japanese ESP's. Not enough dealers carry ACTUAL Japanese built ESP's...all you ever see is a million LTD's. The hate about the rebranding is absolutely ridiculous...its STILL an ESP, its still made by Japanese luthiers, and its still made to the same exact quality as the old standards. People dont get the fact that ESP was never meant to be a production line...they were ALWAYS meant to be custom shop ONLY, all ESP did was go back to what they were doing in the beginning. At this point everybody knows now what the E2 means on the headstock...its an ESP Standard. People will know right away that its Japanese ESP and they will know how much cash you dropped on it. Its about the QUALITY and PLAYABILITY.
Indeed they're fantastic guitars. Most comfortable neck I've ever played.
@14:30 you get to see Lee tell Rob to hold his jock while he shows him a thing or two.
Great work Lee! you're improving at an exponential level.
That Horizon NT-II just looks amazing. It sounds just like as expected. I want that Horizon so much
Happy they finally got their hands on a 57/66 set! , amazing set!
Rob's head silhouetted with a "crown of lights" and Lee's cg "neck bling", priceless! Great video
It's so obvious when a guitar speaks to you guys as you produce the best jams imaginable. This was a fine example. Lee, get one of these STAT.
I'm not a massive ESP fan, but the finish on that Horizon is God-tier.
have you ever played Japanese model ESP? They're phenomenal. Like driving a corvette. I have an Eclipse... after owning it for a month every other guitar just felt like a piece of junk in my hands.
There are a few younger viewers who might not know about the A-Team so I'd like to tell them about it.
In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them... Maybe you can hire The A-Team.
K.I.T.T. - Take care of these goons, will ya?!
Could have driven around a more, say, non-descript vehicle. No. Instead, they drove around in B.A.'s tricked-out, red racing stripe on black, shaggin' wagon. Sure, it worked in L.A., but what about the other places they went? I could go on and on.
I love it when a plan comes together
and if you can afford them. they don't come cheap. unless you're a hot chick trying to save the family business. then you get the job pro-boner.... yeah, I know how I spelled it!
Shut up, fool!
I recently went to the Sweetwater Gearfest where they had a few of these at their booth. I honestly didn't think the quality difference could be thaaat different from an LTD. So I had to see for myself. Picked up the Horizon E-II with the teardrop headstock.......yep big difference lol. I've owned and played quite a few LTD's and I gotta say, I noticed the difference immediately. Kinda mind blowing.
You guys compliment each other when playing for these reviews. Great video. Thanks
yes a new video with chappers FeelsGoodMan
Both sound thin
Lee's guitar playing is so good at the moment! Gotta admire his progress over the last couple of months. Keep it up bro!
Mine comes in Tuesday :D! I got a left handed 2019 ESP E-II DB Sparkle Red. I'm beyond excited for it and will be my 7th guitar :).
i don't like the E-II branding. I want my expensive ESP to say ESP.
E-II is for plebs lol
This is mid priced for ESP. Japan or USA custom shop are the expensive ones and carry the ESP name.
Why would you care so much for what's written on the head of your guitar if it's as well made by exactly the same guys? It's ridiculous
I have Edwards guitars too. So i only care if i pay the extra money for the name. If you don't care about the name buy Edwards, I cant tell the difference between an Edwards and an ESP Std
Yeah just imagine if Gibson did a G-II range ;-)
Awesome. ESPs back in stock. Not seen them available in any UK stores that much lately. I have an ESP Standard series Horizon NTII which is what these are the equivalent to I think, and it's a fantastic guitar. People think they're just metal guitars, but mine came with Seymour Duncans on and is really a versatile guitar.
I genuinely think Lee should have one of those..
Yeah Lee was really feeling it in this video.
I've said it on other videos, Lee always seems to connect with the EPS and LTD's when they demo them As clearly shown by the blindfold challenges on more than one video.
This is just my own opinion from observation, I think he "feels" like he has to be playing a Gibson or a Fender because of what he listens to what and what those guys play.
Fektthis I agree. Closing my eyes when Lee was playing the first guitar, if I closed my eyes it had a strong resemblance of a Les Paul (call me crazy) lol
I agree, he was really digging that NH. Anyway, they only have one on stock and I want it so maybe f'him.
I'm always so happy to see you both
People got stuck by the E-II brand printed on the headstocks of these guitars and they are not able to go beyond, I have got a magnificent E-II St2 equipped with two custom DiMarzio, an original Floyd Rose and Gotoh tuners. That guitar has got a killer sound and is super versatile.
I have a 2012 ESP eclipse standard in Snow White (emg’s 81 & 85) and a
2014 E-II Eclipse in matt Black (emg’s 81 & 65)
They’re both absolutely fantastic but the E-II is my go to. the neck and setup is just perfect on it. Don’t let the branding be a deciding factor play one for yourself and feel its all ESP.
A great demo guys of two stunning guitars and some great playing
Lee killed that little blues jam at the end. I see your improvement over the last year. 👌
Putting E-II on a headstock makes as much sense as: If Fender re-branded their Mexican production "FMx".
If Epiphone was re-branded as "Gibs-1".
If Ibanez re-branded their value production as "I Min".
If PRS re-branded their more affordable range "PR eth".
Ummmm Ibanez has Gio, standard, Premium, and Prestige. Fender has Squier and Standard. Gibson has Epiphone, Studio, and Standard. And ESP now has LTD, E2, and ESP custom shop. Almost EVERY company now has a budget, mid, and high end range. E2 has been out long enough now to where everyone know's exactly what E2 means. They see E2 they know that it's an expensive ass Japanese built ESP standard. I'm seeing more and more people with E2 by the day. They're amazing guitars and are worth every penny. Everything about the guitars are perfect.
@@Remmy0930 You're missing the point. He's not arguing against brands associating names with the varying ranges in their respective lineups, but rather them physically re-branding the guitar to match the range that it's in. If I buy a strat, then I know damn well I want it to say Fender on the headstock and not something else. I don't care what range it's in, it's still a Fender. Of course the quality of the E-IIs are amazing, but it is a scummy move to physically rebrand the line from the parent line to some obscure E-II name just to differentiate them from their custom shop range.
I love it when a plan comes together
I've got this big Scottish family fixing the pipes in my bathroom.
I love it when a clan plumbs together. ;-)
I was very lucky to get my Horizons before they changed. fabulous playing guitars . setup beautiful and have stayed that way. one has 81/85 set and the other the duncan 59 passive. I purchased the red trem one in my sig because of a video Rob made in his basement back in 2010 shredding on his red one called KoKee . he should have kept her imo . I purchased the NT one for alternate tunings and because they are that good .
I love that new pedal the Captain is using!! So full of harmonics all fighting to get out! Sounds amazing!
I've been watching for Years. Love you guys. Just wanted to say that I think this might be the best TONE I've ever heard the captain get. Particularly on the Double Cut.
I have a theory that a large percentage of the people who think EMGs are shit have never actually owned EMGs. They aren't my favorites but they aren't bad either.
Yea; It has just been one of those things smeared across the internet. If anything they gave a negative reputation for no reason, with their herd mentality. - Talking shit about these products as if they're some kind of newfangled atrocity, while in reality they've been around since the '70s or whatever, and have been used by many great artists on plenty of great albums.
Are they THE amazing pickups that you need? No, they have their own character like anything else. Some people dislike or even hate the character, be it the tones or the compression or what have you, and so in the early 2000s or so the reputation bashing began.
MOST complaints are about how they "compress too much". - Well, first of all, EMG also makes passive pickups, so the whining should've stopped there. - But then you could even modify the active ones to give them more headroom, AND there have been the X-series, which would have more headroom out of the box. - People don't know what they're talking about, indeed. - I'm not even the biggest fan, but I do use some and I will also defend decent products and companies from libel.
Lee Hunter Indeed. I have a 58 explorer with EMG's and ive never been happy with the rhythm tone. Then one day at rehearsal my bands bassist played with my amp a bit and WHOA!!!
Some of my favorite records were recorded with EMGs.
The thing that people dont understand is that artists WANT consistency in their tone live. Emgs sound good and offer similar tone in different guitars which is great so that you dont have to adjust your settings live when you switch guitars.
why would i own something i don't like? i've played a couple of EMG equiped guitars, one of them owned by the lead guitarrist in my band and they've always sounded the same to me, scooped, lacking dynamics, somehow get lost in the mix while overwhelming all other instruments and sverly lacking clarity, character and snapiness when playing cleans, they're not the worst pickups by a long shot, somehow zakk wylde makes them work really well, but in my experience they've never sounded good in a live enviroment.
Really enjoyed the playing at the end..great stuff !!
Loved that last jam, that 12 bar riff sounded great!
Gummibears jumping here and there... chappers right after lee stops his intro part 😍
These guitars are great I'll be keeping my E II M II over this model though. you guys play great together as always.
I love Captain's face when Rob is doing his EMG wizardry tones!
😂👍
BTW, the E II logo on the Eclipse looks more like Adidas than a pleasant guitar logo...
"Made in Eastern Europe"
I like ESP guitars very much.I am looking forward to see u guys go to japan and play ESP original series and Navigator or some japan only signature series. Those things are very cool.
The eclipse is beautiful. Sounds awesome. I bet they actually stay in tune unlike gibson.
Gorgeous guitars. The naming protocol isn't difficult.
ESP - Custom built Japan
ESP Standard- Factory built Japan became EII to differentiate it from the custom builds. There is a misconception that specs were lowered etc which isn't true. The name simply changed from ESP Standard to EII. Fairly good vfm when you consider what they are and where they're built.
so in a nutshell:
ESP are custom shop guitars
E-II are standard range guitars
LTD are low-price guitars
right?
k u r t b a k e r Basically yes. Although LTD's span a range of prices from low to around the 1000 mark and are made in Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and China. If you live in the US you can also get ESP USA which US custom builds.
There is also ESP USA which is a small volume hand made kind of semi-custom shop. You get to spec your guitar but they don't have as many options as the Japan custom shop.
There's also the Edwards series, which are factory built in Japan, and the Navigator series, which are hand built in Japan. Both are Japan only, so you have to import them
Funky Monkey1886 nothing was wrong with just putting standard on the headstock. No one knows wtf E-II is. Shit only like half even know who ESP is so E-II might as well be a Burny or any other no name brand.
I love my older ESP Horizon FR-II and KH-2 Dont like the rebranding of E-II but the guitars themselves look really nice.
Funny, I have the exact same 2 guitars. Had to check to make sure this was not my post. I don't mind the new look actually. I'm selling my Horizon, I think, need a change and I've never really loved the JB in the bridge. I suppose I could put a nice BKP in there.
I love the E-II series! I have the "reindeer blue" Horizon 2 with Seymour Duncans (stock) and Floyd rose original, it is an extremely high quality guitar. I'd recommend them to anyone!
Nice! I have an ESP E-II Mystique in Marine Blue. Awesome high-end guitar.
Im thinking of getting same guitar, does the volume knob get in your way of your picking hand?
@@flyingv3319 so yeah I'm way late on this one, but to have noticed that sometimes my picking hand does move the volume knob a bit
@@stevewilson9778 you'd have to play it yourself, the neck doesn't feel anything like Gibson, fender, or Ibanez. Sure feels good though
my e-2 eclipse in purple sparkle will be here tomorrow. so excite.
ESP Ltd etc, as a concept guitar brand, no doubt about it, bang out a massive range of spectacular equipment! I really feel that there range is a match for any other manufacturer. This is only my own opinion. 😉
Best music store in the world
Wow! I thought I was the only one who knew how to play the A-Team theme on guitar. lol So cool.
I have this ESP E-II Horizon. And holy shit that’s the best guitar I’ve ever played. And I don’t care about the logo changing. What I care about is how it sounds. And it sounds great. Everything is perfect on that guitar.
I've noticed this is the standard reply from everyone who has actually played one. Only people who say they won't buy an E-II are people who have never touched one.
Chris McGrath exactly! All the people I know that have had the chance to play one say that the E-II have no difference of quality with the Standard ESP
Gonna order that black sunburst of you lads Monday it’s adam 🤟that jam was great love the sound of that horizon it’s perfect
I got that same Horizon. It is awesome! Some of the best fretwork I have ever seen out of regular production guitars. The new EMG's are MUCH better than the 81's etc. They are not compressed to hell like the older 81's. The guitar was not cheap but not an impossible stretch. The Horizon makes my Jackson DK1 look really bad. The ebony fretboard on the Horizon is freaking immaculate.
Chappers’ face when the captain played sandman was gold hahah
Lee, You win... Great playing. Rob I'm not a fan of sredding anyway, but Lee is killing the blues rock. Super guitars...
The E-II thing is like when PRS used to write SE in massive text on the head-stock. It's like advertising to the world that your guitar is less expensive than the 'proper' thing. With most things (guitars especially - i.e Gibson, Fender, PRS) perceived value is really important. For instance, I was almost convinced not to buy a PRS CE (USA made for what it's worth) over an SE because it didn't have the bird inlays... It's vanity for sure, however past a certain price point 80% of what the customer gets is for the sake of vanity, same with cars, clothes... even food.
I would take an esp e-II over a gibson lespaul any day.
overkill2006 you’re on a winner there...definitely 👍
An E2 isn't an LTD. 2 different lines. E2 is built in Japan...LTD is built in Korea and Indonesia.
EMGs 66/57 combo sounds killer (not only in this vid)
And as you can clearly hear, EMGs dont make all guitars sound the same ...
Wow those EMG really surprised me in the L.P.
FANTASTIC PUPS
emg's in a LP style body shouldnt' surprise anyone at this point. good chance you've heard that combo a few times before.
Just bought a Horizon-III recently, and I have to say: I’m far too busy being blown away by the craftsmanship to even begin to care about the fact they decided to reserve the “official” ESP logo for custom shop guitars.
I don’t like the whole ESP E-II LTD split I think its dumb. However I recently bought an E-II Eclipse and I can confirm it is a fupping beast. I also own a custom shop Jackson and a USA PRS and the E-II gives them a series run for their money. Super well made, perfectly set up out of the box, quality built and attention to detail and sounds epic. AND it was like 1/2 the price of the PRS and the Jackson. In summary don’t be fooled by the label on the headstock they are bangin guitars
Need to see more ESP E-II videos, especially some of the models with passives.
I think it would be cool to see a video comparing an ESP Snakebyte (or LTD EX401), Epiphone 1984 Explorer EX, Gibson Explorer and a Chapman Ghostfret
Been waiting for this video for awhile
Back again with the 3 chord and blues scale demos
Without a minute of hesitation, I would go for a Japanese one ! Great lutherie, serious people, and I'm sure, more consistency...
I agree with Lee. These EMG's sound great. Didn't know they existed... We're so used to, as Lee pointed out, the EMGs from the '80s which were great at the time but we currently expect more of a regular PAF.
While not having played every brand of guitar, I have played many over the decades. I've owned and LOVED my Snow White, 2011 ESP E-ll (with the script logo) for years. Yesterday, l ordered another E-ll, this one in Satin Black. Japanese build quality is simply outstanding. Having worked at a Toyota plant for over 25 years, I've seen first hand the Japanese work ethic, and it's amazing. The Japanese, IMO, have the most focused, unrelenting and purposeful attention to detail l have ever witnessed. I will never purchase another guitar NOT made in Japan.
any love on the e-ii sugizo horizon model?
57, 66 and the 85 are medium output alnico pickups, probably why Lee likes them.
My man Capt Lee Anderton with good riff!
Have never heard the Captain play such a heavy tone 👍🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Nice jam at the end
I’m glad that Andertons didn’t like the E-II branding and explained why sending a message to ESP. I definitely agree that if you pay big money you deserve the name too but there’s no denying these are exceptional guitars and this video did nothing to sooth the ever present GAS!
sick jam at the end - was great.
Okay okay, shred guitars after a while, great.
sounds so good
My first guitar and love. Still have mine puts Les Paul to shame. Great rock metal guitar. Not good for shred but perfect for rhythm.
Love the lee edit at 16:20
Gary moore used single emg81in his white charvel and sounded like most soulful pickup ever. Just listen to ‘Loner’ in Stockholm concert. It does not seem to sound sterile even a tiny bit :).
I knew it was the A-Team theme! Badass!!
That 12th fret inlay is an eyesore.
I can't be the only one who really likes E-IIs logo though. I wish ESP used that font for all their logos
I do dislike the script logo. I don't like the E-II brand but you're right, I prefer that font to the current one they're using. Though it is just the Lethal Weapon logo font. =)
I wanted to buy the eclipse model but I was wondering if it cleaned up well with just the volume knob.
10:55, what's happening, Rob explains it correctly but Lee still gets it wrong. Anybody noticed?
Please, shoot more ESP/LTD videos!
Finally some ESP Love from El Capitan!
8:40 still think if you got high output/active pickups is cuz you gonna play distorded tones most of the time :V....but yeah...this 57/66 clears very well when the volume knob is rolled down.
ps: next time it can be Jackson Pro Series guitars?
I want to like ESP Guitars. They are good looking and have the specs I would like, but they stick a gloss finish on pretty much everything they make which is a huge turnoff for me.
Luckily Schecter has pretty much the same guitars but with nicer matte/satin finishes.
InsaneCold totally agree on the finish
Same with PRS
Although quite a few prefer satin finishes the vast majority still want glossy finishes. Btw the eclipse is available in satin black.
I do like the look and feel of satin but the fact that you get glossy spots very quickly makes them a no-no for me on expensive guitars. Your point about Schecter is spot on though.
The fact that satin finishes get really dirty looking is a valid concern, but that's what's so great about matte finishes. In my opinion they feel even better than satin and don't get the dirty finger print look after a while.
The gloss on ESP E-II's in my opinion is not sticky (Captain Lee even mentioned this in the video). If the gloss neck isn't for you then take the guitar to a good tech and have them sand the neck to a satin finish (it's actually very inexpensive); I've had a tech do this to one of my guitars (not an ESP because I've never had issues with their gloss necks) and it fixed the stickiness that guitar had.
You should do video about s-type guitars from different brands. Sort of fender alternatives
Eii Horizon iii and DDR-7..truly worth it..reason why i sold my CE24,Schecter Demon and 5150..haha
Don't know much about the E-II branding. All I know is my ESP LTD D-6 Bass is the best six string bass I've ever owned, and I've own a lot of basses over the last 15 years.
Oletta Liano E-II brand starts right at the high end of LTD. Japan factory made vs. other cheaper cost Asian country factories for LTD.
LTD proves cheap in price does not mean cheap in quality. I paid $450 USD for my D-6 bass and it play so much better than the $2400 Alembic bass I used to own.
Love my D-6 also :-)
the Korean made LTD's are great. own one and love it. I despise that eii branding though. that's just silly.
Agreed. It's not necessary.
Rob, check the mirror when putting your cap on. It's backwards!