ESP E-II - Where are they made?

[Tad0684]

I want to preface this with I know full well how this will end. I have a house with a sick wife and kids and nothing but time tonight

Can anyone here post any definitive proof that EII guitars are made anywhere but Japan?

So far in the FB groups I’ve gotten blurry pictures of some Edwards guitars supposedly in China and I was told (paraphrasing) “there’s your proof”

I also got (paraphrasing) “you only ever see finished EII’s in the Japanese factory so therefore they are made in China.”

Anyone? I’m genuinely curious

Quick edit: if you don’t have anything of substance to contribute please feel free to just scroll on by. I don’t care if this has been hashed and rehashed. I’ve read them all over the years. My assumption is that nobody actually knows for sure. Just trying to prove that point. I figured if anyplace would have someone that knows it would be here

 

[Thesius]

Oh no not this thread again

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Oh no not this thread again

We're back on the ESP Forum and Ultimate Guitar circa 2008.

 

[Tad0684]

Oh no not this thread again

Yup! And there is never proof posted one way or the other. Which is why I asked if anyone had solid proof. So if nobody does, this won’t get any replies.

 

[Tad0684]

We're back on the ESP Forum and Ultimate Guitar circa 2008.

Just trying to prove a point. I know full well how this goes. You can just not comment

 

[Moongrum]

Oh no not this thread again

hell yeah, brother, here we gooooo

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

You can just not comment

 

[Tad0684]

Sure is! Merica!

 

[Grindspine]

Yeah, E-II's are made in Japan.

Unless ESP is making reallllly fucking nice guitars in China, and not stating that they are made in PRC, I am pretty damn sure it is Japanese craftsmanship.

As far as determining country of origin by craftsmanship, I have played a couple hundred thousand (yes, at least 200,000) guitars while employed as a full-time guitar tech lead back when I worked in the music industry. So, I'll reference that as to having some experience in playing guitars from China, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Europe, and the United States.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

 

[jco5055]

Killerburst himself (meaning the owner of killerburst guitars in CT) told me in person they were made in china, I tend to just believe what esp says and that they are made in japan just not by the original series guys

 

[ThomasUV777]

I've got an E-II bass that says Made In Japan.

 

[Crungy]

 

[spawnofthesith]

Are they not made in Japan? I thought they were supposed to be exactly the same as the “esp original line” just with dipshitty branding

To be fair Maybe I’m out of the loop because I kinda checked out of ESP after the dumb branding shifts

 

[vark]

I have an Edwards, feels like a guitar.

ESP's official response in Japanese:お客様より受信いたしました問い合わせメールの依頼内容について
回答させて頂きました。
お手数ですがご確認下さいますようお願い申し上げます。

--お問い合わせ内容--------------------------------------------

edwardsのギターは次のどれですか？

＠中国製・日本で部品取り付けなど。
＠韓国製・日本で部品取り付けなど。
＠ベトナム製・日本で部品取り付けなど。
知らせて下さい。よろしく。吉田。

--回答--------------------------------------------------------
EDWARDSは、木工～塗装までを弊社中国工場（下請けではありません）にて行い、組み込み～セットアップを新東京工場にて行っております。
Translating this message, we can highlight the following passage:- Reply -----------------------------------------------
EDWARDS performs woodworking and painting at our Chinese factory (not a subcontractor), and performs assembly and setup at the new Tokyo factory.

 

[narad]

Are they not made in Japan? I thought they were supposed to be exactly the same as the “esp original line” just with dipshitty branding

To be fair Maybe I’m out of the loop because I kinda checked out of ESP after the dumb branding shifts

They were never supposed to be that. They were supposed to be replacing standard series line, which is like mid-tier.

Yeah, E-II's are made in Japan.

Unless ESP is making reallllly fucking nice guitars in China, and not stating that they are made in PRC, I am pretty damn sure it is Japanese craftsmanship.

As far as determining country of origin by craftsmanship, I have played a couple hundred thousand (yes, at least 200,000) guitars while employed as a full-time guitar tech lead back when I worked in the music industry. So, I'll reference that as to having some experience in playing guitars from China, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Europe, and the United States.

Dude, no one on this planet can identify country of origin of guitars by playing them.

To be clear, the idea is not that the guitars aren't "MIJ" guitars, i.e., built in some other country and labeled incorrectly or not labeled. The idea is that they do part of the work overseas to keep costs down. The same idea has been discussed about Edwards, which have gone through different periods but have MIJ guitars. So legally, you get some parts made overseas, but the parts are put together in Japan, then it's MIJ.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

supposed to be exactly the same as the “esp original line” just with dipshitty branding

Standard, not Original.

Dude, no one on this planet can identify country of origin of guitars by playing them.

For real.

 

[Thesius]

Dude, no one on this planet can identify country of origin of guitars by playing them.

I know when my glorious nippon steel nickel frets have been folded 1000 times. Japan is living in 2050!

 

[narad]

I know when my glorious nippon steel nickel frets have been folded 1000 times. Japan is living in 2050!

My first fret is "masa", my second fret is "mune".

Actually found the same version of this thread posted on FB groups earlier today. It's such a stupid question / attitude. No one needs to prove the point that people don't know exactly where ESPs are made, and by who.

 

[ZLE]

Afaik E-II are no more.So wherever they are made,if you want one better buy it fast.

That being said i am pretty sure that some of the woodworking was made in China,I have watched numerous videos of ESP Japan factory and i have never seen an E-II in early stage of making(like being sanded or painted or buffed).
They are always,always,always already painted and buffed and ready for electronics install.Check this video,at 1:24 for example:

You will see E-II necks,pretty finished,so some assembly happens there,but what is more important:tons and tons of cardboard boxes,labeled with the model,as if they were shipped from somewhere else.In some videos they talk about "the standard factory,that is actually pretty close to the Custom Shop,but they never show it".