ESP E-II Eclipse Full Thickness

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GUITARIST JANUARY 2022

ESP E-II ECLIPSE FULL

THICKNESS

£2,499

WHAT IS IT? A single-cutaway

solidbody electric with a

mix of both classic and

contemporary features

icture a modern take on the single-cut

and there’s every chance that what

springs to mind is ESP’s Eclipse – a

refined example of the classic format where

the fat has been trimmed and slick, glossy

precision replaces dust and mojo. The ESP

Eclipse is the single-cut for people who are

less interested in tradition and, as with much

of the brand’s identity, has attracted a number

of players who spend their time on the ‘red

channel’; James Hetfield, Alex Skolnik, Lamb

Of God’s Will Adler and Mastodon’s Bill

Kelliher are all examples of players who have

chosen a blackout over a ’Burst. Except the

Eclipse is no longer the new kid on the block,

as evidenced by our review guitar, the ESP

E-II Eclipse Full Thickness.

As part of the E-II line-up, which replaced

the ESP Standard range back in 2014, it sits

between the company’s more affordable

LTD guitars and more expensive USA

models, but a quick look at the price tag

should be confirmation enough that this is

by no means a ‘second-tier’ model. Just like

the ESP Standards, the E-II series is built in

Japan, and our Eclipse is host to a number

Words Stuart Williams Photography Phil Barker

ESP’s E-II Eclipse takes a turn for tradition with

a thick-sliced body, Fishman Fluence Classics

and, gulp, a sunburst finish. Is the single-cut

brat reaching for its pipe and slippers?

Solar

Powered

GIT480.rev_esp.indd 10GIT480.rev_esp.indd 10 25/11/2021 09:2825/11/2021 09:28

Summary of content (5 pages)

PAGE 1
ESP E-II ECLIPSE FULL THICKNESS £2,499 WHAT IS IT? A single-cutaway solidbody electric with a mix of both classic and contemporary features Solar Powered ESP’s E-II Eclipse takes a turn for tradition with a thick-sliced body, Fishman Fluence Classics and, gulp, a sunburst finish.
PAGE 2
ESP E-II ECLIPSE FULL THICKNESS JANUARY 2022 GUITARIST GIT480.rev_esp.
PAGE 3
ESP E-II ECLIPSE FULL THICKNESS 1 2 of premium features throughout. From the headstock down we get black Gotoh Magnum Lock-equipped tuners, a bone nut, Dunlop strap locks, and a black Gotoh tuneo-matic-style bridge and tailpiece. But you might be wondering about that ‘Full Thickness’ in the model name.
PAGE 4
ESP E-II ECLIPSE FULL THICKNESS 4 may not be ideal for two-hour marathons. The upshot of all that mass is that it seems to contribute to the lively natural resonance. Your ears will thank you – even if your spine won’t be quite so happy. It feels great to play, though, with that neck delivering comfort and speed from the ‘Thin U’ profile (that’s not actually that thin), offering a decent palmful that’s more palm-filler than modern shredder.
PAGE 5
ESP E-II ECLIPSE FULL THICKNESS There’s luxury all round on the E-II Eclipse with black Gotoh locking tuners, a black Gotoh 10 bridge and tailpiece, and Dunlop strap locks. The fretboard is a beautiful piece of ebony, while the neck is finished in a smooth satin ESP E-II ECLIPSE FULL THICKNESS point. Pulling on the tone control reverts the pickups to what Fishman calls Voice 1, and the neck volume engages the single-coil modes on both.