ESP E-II Eclipse

first play
19
December 2017 Gu itarist
E-II ECLIPSE AND ECLIPSE DB
ESP E-II ECLIPSE DB
PRICE: £1,879 (inc case)
ORIGIN: Japan
TYPE: Single-cutaway electric guitar
BODY: Mahogany back with maple
top
NECK: One-piece mahogany, set-in
SCALE LENGTH: 628mm (24.75”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/42mm
FINGERBOARD: Ebony, 305mm
(12”) radius
FRETS: 22, extra jumbo
HARDWARE: Gold Gotoh tune-a-
matic bridge and stop tailpiece,
Gotoh locking tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 53mm
Electrics: Active EMG 81 (bridge)
and EMG 60 (neck) humbuckers, 2 x
volumes, master tone and three-way
pickup selector toggle switch
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.4/7.6
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: Other EMG
81/60 Eclipses include the BB in
Black Satin (£1,939); in Marine Blue
(£1,879), in See-Thru Black Cherry
Sunburst (£1,879). The See-Thru
Black model comes with EMG 57/66
humbucker set (£1,879)
LEFT HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Vintage Black
(as reviewed)
ESP E-II ECLIPSE
PRICE: £1,769 (inc case)
ORIGIN: Japan
TYPE: Single-cutaway electric guitar
BODY: Mahogany back with flame
maple top
NECK: One-piece mahogany, set-
thru
SCALE LENGTH: 628mm (24.75”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/42mm
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood 305mm
(12”) radius
FRETS: 22, extra jumbo
HARDWARE: Chrome Gotoh tune-a-
matic bridge and stop tailpiece and
Gotoh locking tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 53mm
ELECTRICS: Seymour Duncan SH-4
JB (bridge) SH-1 ‘59 (neck)
humbuckers, 2 x volumes, master
tone, and three-way pickup selector
toggle switch
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.5/7.9
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: Other SD
equipped Eclipses include the
Evertune in Black Satin with Pegasus
and Sentient humbuckers (£2,209);
in Lemon Burst and Tobacco
Sunburst with JB/’59 humbucker
set (both £1,769)
LEFT HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Vintage Honey Burst
(as reviewed)
Selectron UK
01795 419460
www.espguitars.com
PROS It looks the business thanks
to the finish and the aged binding.
Gain freaks will love the power of
those active EMGs
CONS The thin neck and blast of
the EMGs may alienate some
PROS Awesome build quality
combined with excellent playability
and an iconic set of Seymours to
produce a widespread appeal
CONS The super slim neck might
not make everyone’s day
8
8
happily perpetuated by the brand itself.
So where does that leave the rest of guitar
playing humanity who might otherwise
dismiss ESP’s wares while looking for a
new six-string squeeze?
Well, as its lines are informed by an all-
time classic, the Eclipse is the least overtly
‘metal’ looking thing in the ESP catalogue.
Sure, there’s a touch more aggression
in the sharpened cutaway, and some
Kustom Kulture vibe-age in the racing flag
fingerboard inlays and headstock. Yet, even
if the EMGs alienate some, we can see both
of these beautiful guitars looking the part
in a classic rock, blues rock or even jazz
setting. And since when was a wish list that
includes an ultra comfortable neck shape,
excellent upper fret access and a super
low action solely the preserve of the
metal fraternity?
If you’re on the sniff for a single-cutaway,
mahogany/maple, twin-humbucker-loaded
tone machine, you might just find these
ESPs ‘eclipse’ the charms of the competition
from the likes of Gibson and PRS. In terms
of fit and finish the Eclipse and Eclipse
DB are as good as anything you’ll find for
around £2,000.
8 . The Eclipse DB comes
loaded with possibly the
greatest metal pickups
of them all, the active
EMG 81 in the bridge
position and the EMG 60
at the neck
8
GIT427.rev_esp.indd 19 11/2/17 11:09 AM