ESP USA serial numbers

[deepbass5]

[size=4]Hi Guys, there seems to be a few with ESP knowledge on this thread Doctor J/ Linus. Can you take a gander at my recent acquisition, give me your thoughts.
I know nothing about these basses but it looked good and I wanted a Sunburst precision project. Without paying silly Fender money. Although any of you watching the evil Bay last week will see I took a bit of a flyer on this.
My main observations from other early ESB bass photos is that this has no skunk stripe or teardrop trust rod wood plug on the front headstock, the neck is also reasonably flamed not seen on others.
It is also very obviously a Tele head on a later P body, was this trying to be a crossover bass between the early and later p designs.
I'm planning on a Gotoh bridge, a set of wizards and possibly a tonestyler tone pot. [/size]

Edited January 29, 2013 by deepbass5

[Linus27]

Hey deepbass5,

Firstly, what gorgeous wood on the back of the neck. Lovely swirls of grain in that. Ok, to be honest, I do not know to much about this bass so hopefully Doctor J will be able to help more. What i do know is they did a 400 Series Precision as well as a bass with the Telecaster neck. I remember seeing a similar bass before so it all seems genuine from my limited knowledge. Also, the tuners, logo and serial stamp matches exactly the same as my ESP 400 Series Jazz. I think you have got a very nice ESP 400 Series Precision roughly from around 1986 to 1990. Dates could be out by a few years but I think it was roughly a late 80's instrument.

if you are going to change anything on it then make sure you keep them safe as this is a very rare and very good instrument.

[Doctor J]

That's a keeper

Linus has nailed it pretty much, they were made during those years and, in the absense of any records, there's no way of really telling which year exactly. The Tele headed Precision was a genuine model though, there was one on chrisguitars for a while which I had my eye on but stupidly never bought. I don't think anyone out there is really making copies of the 400. Given the prices they sell for it's not really worth the bother, though if you had the big F logo on the headstock I'd say you could triple the asking price and still sell with ease. Please don't change anything, that thing is gorgeous please My ESP is as stock as the day it left the factory and I'm a hoor for modding, but anything I change will not improve the bass, only take away. Give it a bit of time, get to know it, these basses are the real deal, you don't need to soup them up to get a great bass. Some day people will see past the headstock logo and cop on to the quality of these basses and you'll be the guy who gutted a pre-CBS in ESPworld

[Linus27]

Yep, I agree, leave it standard, they are amazing as they are.

[Doctor J]

After giving it a little more thought too, you've most likely got Gotoh hardware on there already so leave it alone

[Bassmekanik]

Not bass guitar related but I have an ESP custom 6 string that I have no info about. At all. Serial number is untraceable etc. From late 80`s apparently, maybe.

Anyways, slightly sidetracked, Is that ESP message board the best place to go to try to find out any info about it? Tried Selectron, ESP importers in UK but they cant seem to help either.

Cheers.

[deepbass5]

Thanks guys, I'm gunna let the new strings bed in and my neck tweeks time to work, and see how she goes, I got the action down last night and it already sounds better.