A question from a friend regarding ESP S 500...

[Turbo Rico]

Some weeks ago I purchased and old ESP strat called "S-500" and I wonder If anyone knows anything about this old guitar model? The seller stated that it was made in 1992 or 1993, does that seem correct? I e-mailed the techs at ESP and asked them, but they had no clue at all. The only answer they gave me was that it probably was sold outside the USA/Canada, and that it might be some sort of custom order (doesn't seem very likely to me. As you can see in the photos below, it's a strat shaped body with no pick guard, rosewood fretboard with abalone dots, sperzel tuners (seem to be original). The pickups are marked "ESP", are those produced inhouse at ESP or just branded by ESP? In that case, does anyone know who produced the pickups?

Some pictures:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4592_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4593_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4596_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4597_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4595_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4594_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4598_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4599_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/246-4601_IMG.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/cy_berg/ESP/245-4600_IMG.jpg[/quote]

[DeathIsMyJustice]

I cant help but thats a cool guitar

[gab4554]

Schecter? WTF?

Hmm nice axe but I have no idea... try google or wiki. But why there's no serial number?

[imprinted]

Look on the Bolt On plate...

[Mizmo21]

dude it could be a custom , no one can say for sure

and from what i see i cant date it either , and if esp doesnt know its probably a japan model or custom shop

[Mizmo21]

Look on the Bolt On plate...

for what? :confused:

[dolarhyde]

for what? :confused:

For the serial number ;)

[1point8t]

That was only made for the 1991 model year I believe... ash body, maple neck, was more of an upper end strat type guitar with rear routed electronics. Definitely a rare bird, I think I remember seeing that one on ebay not long ago. Here's a scan I have from the 1991 catalog, check out the bottom left... the same guitar.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/deucecoupe91/ESP4.jpg

[cy_berg]

That was only made for the 1991 model year I believe... ash body, maple neck, was more of an upper end strat type guitar with rear routed electronics. Definitely a rare bird, I think I remember seeing that one on ebay not long ago. Here's a scan I have from the 1991 catalog, check out the bottom left... the same guitar.


Hi,
I'm the one that just bought the guitar, and since I had problems activating my account at this forum I asked my friend Turbo Rico. Now, my account obviously is activated so I can post ;)

Thanks alot for the info and the scan, I really appreciate that :D:D I Googled myself bland and blue to get some info on this particular model but didn't find anything at all, except for one Wiki site mentioning the model name but nothing more. The guys at ESP knew nothing at all, strangely enough.

I bought mine just some weeks ago off Ebay, so if you have seen one their it might be this one. I paid $420 which I think was cheap since the guitar was in great condition (the pictures doesn't do the guitar justice, it's alot nicer IRL, I think. No dings and nothing more than hariline scratches).

Do you have that catalog scanned picture in higher resolution by the way?

I also wonder who produced the pickups for ESP around 1991? Where they produeced inhouse by ESP or bought in from some bigger pickup supplier? The bridge humbucker is actually really nice, with a farily amount of output. Not as much as a DIMarzio Megadrive I have in a similar guitar, but still quite alot of output in my opinion. The single coils sized humbucker in the neck position is pretty nice as well.

[1point8t]

I'm pretty sure ESP had in house pickups back then... they do sound great. The stacked hums sound awesome, plenty of punch but they clean up nicely. Unfortunately, I don't have a better scan of that catalog... I managed to find this scan on ebay when someone was selling the catalog, and I had the graffiti M-II Custom pictured next to the S500 so I wanted more documentation on the guitar.

You scored a hell of a guitar for $420. That's the beauty of the rarer ESP's... many people stay away from them because they've either never heard of the particular model, or they have no idea what a fair price would be.

Welcome to the forum man, there's a lot to learn here. :)

[Mizmo21]

For the serial number ;)

not a serial number silly boy

[cy_berg]

I'm pretty sure ESP had in house pickups back then... they do sound great. The stacked hums sound awesome, plenty of punch but they clean up nicely. Unfortunately, I don't have a better scan of that catalog... I managed to find this scan on ebay when someone was selling the catalog, and I had the graffiti M-II Custom pictured next to the S500 so I wanted more documentation on the guitar.

You scored a hell of a guitar for $420. That's the beauty of the rarer ESP's... many people stay away from them because they've either never heard of the particular model, or they have no idea what a fair price would be.

Welcome to the forum man, there's a lot to learn here. :)

Thanks :D

I'm VERY pleased with this guitar :) I have wanted to lay my hands on an ESP strat for a long time now, and the setup and feel of this ESP is just perfect for me. I am not really sure about the bridge pickup but I have a couple of Tom Anderson pickups (H3 and HN2+) left over so I will probably test on of those out in my ESP. THanks alot for the help and input :)

[1point8t]

No problem man, I give my 2 cents when needed :p