Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

What's that? Another useful post by Gearjoneser? ... Bill rips, and is in one of the most unique metal bands to come out in awhile. Last I checked you didn't have any company's coming after you for a signature...



Maybe ESP offered him 2x the money...that would be a good business decision! Plus, I know alot of his fans were peeved his signatures were mainly in limited numbers. Who knows. Wonder if Brent will jump over too?

I actually think that comment is pretty entertaining...ha..ha... Honestly I had no idea who the f*ck this Billy is until I checked out ESP site. I was surprised he's a metal guitarist (Mastodon). He resembles a country/ southern rock artist to be honest.

Yeah I think if a guitar company bestows upon you a signature guitar BUT only one bearing its low-cost/ cheapo brand like LTD or Squier, it is an insult. It's not you have to break a bank or work for a million years to buy a high-end brand. Or probably he gets paid a million bucks in endorsement fee? I doubt it.

 

[Chad]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

Not really a Bill/Mastodon fan, but loved his two Gibson sigs and I own a Thunderhorse. With that said, that ESP is one ugly, boring guitar IMO.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

I actually think that comment is pretty entertaining...ha..ha... Honestly I had no idea who the f*ck this Billy is until I checked out ESP site. I was surprised he's a metal guitarist (Mastodon). He resembles a country/ southern rock artist to be honest.

Yeah I think if a guitar company bestows upon you a signature guitar BUT only one bearing its low-cost/ cheapo brand like LTD or Squier, it is an insult. It's not you have to break a bank or work for a million years to buy a high-end brand. Or probably he gets paid a million bucks in endorsement fee? I doubt it.

There are plenty of examples of guys who don't have a signature "Squier" level model and guys who have only the low cost signature model.

 

[B2D]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

Yikes! Talk about a bad business desicion! Lol! Although I've heard ESP treats their featured artists VERY well... Maybe Gibson didn't give a fack?

Bill's guitar still has his Lace pickups in them, although I can't tell from the pic if they're in the Black Powder coat housings or the black plastic ones, though the corners lead me to believe the plactic ones. Same coils, just a different housing - less expensive to make, too.

When I worked at Lace, we had a good relationship with ESP for the artists who wanted to use Lace pickups. Supplying Gibson was difficult, to say the least. That's about all I can say in mixed company.

I for one really dig the look - looks sinister and evil and different.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

There are certainly far worse looking signature models out there.

However, if you look at where he came from with his Gibsons, this "sig" just doesn't compare. Looking at it makes me want to take a nap...lol!

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

Yeah I think if a guitar company bestows upon you a signature guitar BUT only one bearing its low-cost/ cheapo brand like LTD or Squier, it is an insult. It's not you have to break a bank or work for a million years to buy a high-end brand. Or probably he gets paid a million bucks in endorsement fee? I doubt it.

ESP/ LTD had a restructuring awhile ago where LTD does some higher end now (took over the 'standard' series) and ESP is almost all super high end. LTD is not a Squire equivalent.

 

[Chad]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

Fellas, from the articles I've read, sounds like there will both an LTD AND an ESP version. And my guess is the ESP one will probably be $4k to $5k.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

ESP/ LTD had a restructuring awhile ago where LTD does some higher end now (took over the 'standard' series) and ESP is almost all super high end. LTD is not a Squire equivalent.

Damn, that just adds to the confusion on ESP brands. Already there are ESP original (Japanese), ESP USA (US made) and E II (Japan made). Which one of these is the best quality? I know ESP Japanese is top notch and the American ones should be as well. Probably cosmetic wise and electronics-wise they are different but the craftsmanship should be comparable across the board, I presume.

Then there are signature guitars only available in LTD like the Michael Wilton (Queensryche) model. I wonder about the quality and origin of these models. It's strange cause traditionally artist models are available in premium brands not competing low-end ones.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

Brands are so convoluted, that is difficult for me to keep track. I can't imagine that it is easy for everyone else, either.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

They never made it super clear when they did it either. The only reason I know is because I was working at a store that sold ESP/ LTD at the time.

 

[Chad]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

The way I understand it, the E-II line mainly happened because the ESP Standard Series was intended for the export market only, but some Japanese dealers were importing them back into the country. Considering the Japanese market is mostly Original Series/Custom Shop/highest quality, they felt it was creating confusion in the market as far as quality, branding, and devaluing the ESP brand in Japan. So they nixed the Standard Series line completely and only the highest level instruments get ESP on the headstock.

LTD Elite was just a transition brand for one year before E-II was fully integrated.

I agree that ESP USA is confusing. Don't see the need given they already have the excellent Japanese custom shop(s). It has been my prediction since the announcement that ESP USA would only be around a few years. We shall wait an see.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

ESP long used the ESP, Edwards and Grassroots brands to differentiate the various quality levels inside the Japan domestic market (ESP was highest, Grassroots lowest).

In the U.S. and other places, the naming was a little easier to understand in that you knew an "LTD" wasn't a Japanese-made ESP and you could tell the quality level of a particular model by its series (i.e. 50 series, 100 series, 250 series, 400, 500, etc).

For a short time, ESP even had a "ProCeed" line!

Who knows, another 40 years or so and they'll get it figured out.

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

My Korean LTD Viper 301 has been a solid guitar for me. Don't play it much anymore, but it's around 10-11 years now that I've had it.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

I had a Korean LTD EC400AT once that I sold because I preferred a "traditional" 4 knob layout. I REALLY REALLY regret selling that one. It was a beast! huge tone, sustain for days.. Shame they discontinued that model.. Rarely see them pop up used either..

As for this guitar, the ads quote him saying something like they designed this guitar for me and couldnt be more pleased. aside from the color, I dont see anything unique about it. Marketing at its finest!

 

[uOpt]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

"Artist signature" Squire and LTD guitars just betray how ridiculous that whole game is.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

I am not falling for the 'super high-end brand' nonsense. As far as I can comprehend, they come with mundane features readily available in other brands: alder body, original Floyd, EMG 81-85/ SD JB-59 combos, Gotoh tuners, and body shape that resembles Jackson Soloist only with the headstock tip cut in different angle. There is no innovation there as well. Maybe someone with experience with ESP can chime in?

 

[Diego]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

Oh wow. Didn't see this one coming. Bill really, really loves his old Les Pauls with hot humbuckers.

I'm a huge Mastodon fan and I have to admit I'd definitely shell out for that LTD... I like the evil look without being IMO cheesy, infantile or overdone.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

I am not falling for the 'super high-end brand' nonsense. As far as I can comprehend, they come with mundane features readily available in other brands: alder body, original Floyd, EMG 81-85/ SD JB-59 combos, Gotoh tuners, and body shape that resembles Jackson Soloist only with the headstock tip cut in different angle. There is no innovation there as well. Maybe someone with experience with ESP can chime in?

As much as it bothers me, none of this has nothing to do with innovation. Guitarists, for the most part, hate innovation.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

As much as it bothers me, none of this has nothing to do with innovation. Guitarists, for the most part, hate innovation.

I was actually comparing it to Ibanez. Clearly Ibanez has attempted to fix problems with its various Edge and ZR tremolos, although yeah not all guitarists appreciate them. ESP seems to pump up its image without offering anything tangible. Soon it's going to be the Japanese/ death metal version of Gibson.

 

[Chad]

Re: Bill Kelliher Jumps Ship to ESP

You need to look beyond their standard line of instruments. ESP Japan's Custom Shop does some of the most innovative/artistic stuff I've ever seen. Most of it I wouldn't be caught dead playing because of the artsy-fartsy, extreme appearance, but from an artistic, woodworking skills, etc. level.....pretty amazing stuff. They do stuff that pretty much no other known-brand guitar builders (that I'm aware of) will do/attempt.

Also, ESP Japan's quality level is top-notch. Definitely some of the most well made guitars in the world.