Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

[Red_Label]

Recently spotted an ESP Eclipse for-trade over at Rig-Talk. I love the Peavey USA HP Special that I picked-up for a song, but I HATED the Floyd on it. Though I grew-up in the 80's and had plenty of Floyds, I find that I just despise them with every fiber of my being now. Even when blocked. I hate locking nuts and tuning them in general.

Anyways... I ended-up trading a guy over there the Peavey and some cash for the ESP. He probably got the better deal, but I don't care as I just knew that I wanted another ESP Eclipse and the deal was acceptable to me. Would have preferred one in white, but the red will be just fine.

Here are a few pics of it (that he took). Will put-up my own pics of both my vintage black Eclipse and this one after it arrives. Also looking forward to comparing the tone of the EMGs in the new axe to that of the Duncans in my current one (Distortion and '59). I've always been a Duncan guy, but considering my current taste for more metal tones, I think that I may prefer the EMGs now. I used to have an LTD EC-1000 with EMGs in it and they definitely did the brootalz better than the EC-1000 I also had at the time with the JB/59 combo. Now that I've got a great metal amp (VHT Ultra Lead), I think that the EMGs may be more interesting to me. I've also got the set of EMGs that were originally installed in my current Eclipse, so if I like the way the new one sounds -- I may be putting them back in there.

Will have one ESP tuned to standard E/drop-D, and the other to Eb/drop-C#.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Awesome man, and I know what you mean about the floyd.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Awesome man, and I know what you mean about the floyd.

Yeah... I just HATE HATE HATE them now. Which is funny cause the guy I traded to only had the ESP for a day and wanted something with a Floyd. I hate messing with tuning like that. I'm a "set-it and forget-it" kind of guy. One thing I'll have to change down the road on this new axe is the fact that it's got regular tuners on it. I'm kind of partial to the locking ones on my current Eclipse.

BTW... gonna also do a couple of little upgrades like Graphtech String-Saver saddles (I do this to all my guitars), as well as black speed knobs instead of the metal ones. I don't like metal knobs...

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Dude, you have such awesome taste in gear

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Dude, you have such awesome taste in gear

LOL... thanks man. I've been in-love with ESPs since I bought my first Ltd about 8 years ago. I've had two EC-1000s, four EC-400/401s, two Hybrids (300 and 400), and now two ESP Eclipses. I also plan to get one of the ESP strats (400 series or the George Lynch model) and maybe eventually a Ron Wood tele. I've definitely had more ESP/Ltds by far than any other one brand of axes. They just always feel right to my hands and sound right to my ears.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

I was actually thinking about putting one in my Heartfield a while back. I hardly ever played the last guitar I had with a floyd, so I'd kinda forgotten all the hassle, then I got the M-302 and ugh, just pisses me off. I'm glad I didn't do it, I don't need to divebomb that bad.

And Japan ESP's FTW.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Oh... and BTW... the guy I traded this one for said that it has the 18v mod on the EMG pickups. I'll be very curious to see how that compares to the regular 9v setup.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

I was actually thinking about putting one in my Heartfield a while back. I hardly ever played the last guitar I had with a floyd, so I'd kinda forgotten all the hassle, then I got the M-302 and ugh, just pisses me off. I'm glad I didn't do it, I don't need to divebomb that bad.

And Japan ESP's FTW.

Cool... I always did like the looks of those Heartfields. Never seen one in person though.

Yeah... I lost the desire to dive-bomb decades ago. Same with tapping. I only like to use a trem for "scooping" notes and giving it that saxy tone ala Holdsworth and Lifeson. But it's not essential to my playing style, so I generally ignore trems on the few axes that I have with them on there (two regular strats and an old Franken strat with a Floyd). In fact, until I bought the Peavey HP, I never even kept the trem bars on those axes. They just flop around an bug me... LOL.

ETA: As awesome as I think Ltd guitars are, the ESP Japan models are definitely a notch above. When my buddy first brought the black Eclipse over for me to try out, I just left it in its case for a few days cause I was more interested in the G-System he also dropped-off. Plus, I didn't wanna fall in love with the ESP and have to have it. But the second I laid hands on it... I knew that I HAD to have it. It's been my #1 ever since and I ended-up selling-off the remaining Ltds that I had soon after. Honestly... it's not about the "snob factor" either. The ESPs are just a bit "nicer" in every way. It's a fact. You can feel it.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

I'd LOVE the opportunity to test drive one of those. Probably not a good idea, though.

I've :32: over them online for a few years now.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

I'd LOVE the opportunity to test drive one of those. Probably not a good idea, though.

I've :32: over them online for a few years now.

You know you want one!

Too bad you don't live in my area as I'd gladly allow you to test drive one. But pretty much NO ONE on the online forums that I frequent lives in my area (MT).

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Never got a chance to rock an eclipse for more than just a sitting. Is there a real weight difference between the eclispe, 1000 and 400 series? The 400 is heavier than the 1000. Was a lil disappointed with EMGs in the 1000, completely rocked in 400 tho.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

I'm gassing for an ESP now....

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Never got a chance to rock an eclipse for more than just a sitting. Is there a real weight difference between the eclispe, 1000 and 400 series? The 400 is heavier than the 1000. Was a lil disappointed with EMGs in the 1000, completely rocked in 400 tho.

Definite weight difference. The 400s were pretty much at full LP weight. And thickness. I preferred both of those qualities before (why I sold the 1000s and went to 400s). But then, after getting the Eclipse I decided that I preferred the thinner bodies and lighter weight. The three biggest factors in my change of mind were the fact that I thought the 400s sounded kind of mushy compared to the Eclipse when doing more metal type stuff, as well as the fact that I've had back problems this year, and ergonomically... I prefer the thin bodies because of how I rest my right forearm. My one wish for these LP style guitars is that they came with a forearm contour like strats do. In the absence of that, the thinner body helps.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Congratulations. Those are awesome. I wish that restringing and tuning Floyd Rose guitars was easier, but I can't live without them. I also can't live with just strats and FR shredders, so I'd love to have a guitar like yours. I like the quilted red finish. Are you going to change the EMG's for Blackouts or something?

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Congratulations. Those are awesome. I wish that restringing and tuning Floyd Rose guitars was easier, but I can't live without them. I also can't live with just strats and FR shredders, so I'd love to have a guitar like yours. I like the quilted red finish. Are you going to change the EMG's for Blackouts or something?

Gonna play with the 18v EMGs for a while and see what I think. Will compare those back and forth with the passive Duncans in the black one. If I really like the EMGs, will put the EMGs back in my black one and wire it at 18v as well. Or might try Blackouts if I'm not satisfied. But I really don't know the differences between those on the EMGs.

Gonna do most of my testing/comparison of those with my VHT running into the Uberkab... so as to simulate TEH BROOTALZ that I'm trying to find-out if I'm really going for or not. I think that I'm going for the Tremonti Alter Bridge type tone these days. But who knows where this crazy musical journey will end-up?

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Wine Red Flame or Quilt with black hardware is the SHIZNIT!!!!!!!!!

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Wine Red Flame or Quilt with black hardware is the SHIZNIT!!!!!!!!!

Black hardware on white is the shiz as well! I actually love gold hardware on white as well. I really wanted a white one, but I'm sure the red will be more impressive in person. Red is usually pretty hard to make show-up well in photos.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

AWESOME! Congrats!! I like the LTD 1000s. really like the purple (like Diegos). Some feel great but the used ones are often set up too low. Never spent much time with an actual ESP.

The 18v mod isnt a world of diff, but I like it better. More headroom and alittle more fullness to my ear.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

Beauty.

 

[Barron1]

Re: Nuther ESP Eclipse on the way...

That's awesome man. Do you like it better than a Gibson Les Paul?