Proper vintage ESP Precision

[loki]

I've just picked up this bass today and it has more mojo than I know what to do with! It's an ESP stamped 3 piece ash body with an ESP stamped neck, ESP stamped neck plate, vintage BadAss II, vintage Fender stamped tuners and an equally vintage DiMarzio pickup. I'm guessing this was from back in the days when ESP were Electric Sound Products and just made parts, rather than whole instruments.

I used to have an ESP parts catalogue (this would have been in about '87) but I don't know when it was from.

Does anyone else have anything like this? I'd love to see it if you do because it doesn't seem very easy to find any info.

[LukeFRC]

oooh very nice where did you find that? 

If you look online you can find the  70-90's catalogues for ESP, mainly focusing on the complete instruments they would have been building. I'd love a Navigator Espionage 

[loki]

Just now, LukeFRC said:

oooh very nice where did you find that? 

If you look online you can find the  70-90's catalogues for ESP, mainly focusing on the complete instruments they would have been building. I'd love a Navigator Espionage 

 

My mate had it in his workshop when I dropped one of my necks off and he happened to mention that it was for sale. You know how that goes!

[Linus27]

I quite like that, wouldn't mind it myself actually. I have an ESP 400 Series Jazz from around 86 and it's a great instrument.

Edited February 26, 2022 by Linus27

[Doctor J]

Sweet. I have a low 4-digit serial number ESP which I narrowed down to being from late '83-early '84. While that doesn't have a serial, the ESP stamp on the neck plate is the same as mine so I'd think it's from that era, if not a little earlier. They changed the neck plate stamp in the mid-80's. I hope it plays and sounds as good as it looks.

[Pea Turgh]

Very cool!  That scratch plate though- looks a bit newer.  Are you thinking of changing it?

[Pea Turgh]

Very cool!  That scratch plate though- looks a bit newer.  Are you thinking of changing it?

[loki]

3 hours ago, Doctor J said:

Sweet. I have a low 4-digit serial number ESP which I narrowed down to being from late '83-early '84. While that doesn't have a serial, the ESP stamp on the neck plate is the same as mine so I'd think it's from that era, if not a little earlier. They changed the neck plate stamp in the mid-80's. I hope it plays and sounds as good as it looks.

Thanks Doc!! That's great info!

[loki]

2 hours ago, Pea Turgh said:

Very cool!  That scratch plate though- looks a bit newer.  Are you thinking of changing it?

It's quite aged looking but yes, I'm thinking a nice brown tort plate would look good.