In the late 1990s ESP had a custom shop in Los Angeles and this is where I believe these USA Custom Series guitars were made. Only limited numbers of USA Custom Series instruments were made up until around 2001. The Custom Series used top quality components, materials and craftsmanship (they were even fancier than the ESP USA Deluxe Series) - they can be recognised by their flamed maple tops, abalone lined ebony fingerboards with "Custom" block inlays at the 12th fret.
ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOMThe ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOM was made between 1998 and 2001. It was a mahogany bodied super strat, with a flamed maple top, bolt on maple neck, ebony fingerboard with abalone purfling, dot inlays and block "Custom" inlay at the 12th fret. Pickups were Seymour Duncan humbuckers: initially JB and '59s, changed to SH-4 and SH-1 in 2001. | |
ESP USA M-II CUSTOMThe ESP USA M-II Custom was made around 2000-2001. Special features include abalone purfling on the ebony fingerboard and a 12th fret "Custom" block inlay. | |
ESP USA MH CUSTOMESP produced the USA MH CUSTOM between 2000 and 2001. It was a high end super strat with figured maple top, mahogany body, bolt-on maple neck with ebony fingerboard. The block "Custom" inlay at the 12th fret clearly identifies this guitar as USA MH Custom. | |
ESP USA MV CUSTOMMade in 2001 the ESP USA MV Custom was a super strat with mahogany body, maple top, bolt on maple neck, ebony fingerboard with abalone purfling and block "Custom" inlay at the 12th fret. |
Specifications:
Model | Image | Binding | Finish colors | Finish effects | Made in | Number of strings | Scale length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOM 1998 to 2001 | natural binding | amber finish, blue finish, green finish, natural finish, purple finish, red finish | satin finish, transparent finish | USA | 6 strings | 25.5 inches scale-length | |
ESP USA M-II CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | - | - | - | - | 6 strings | 25.5 inches scale-length | |
ESP USA MH CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | natural binding | amber finish, blue finish, green finish, natural finish, purple finish, red finish | satin finish, sunburst finish, transparent finish | USA | 6 strings | 25.5 inches scale-length | |
ESP USA MV CUSTOM 2001 | white binding | blue finish, orange finish | transparent finish | USA | 6 strings | 24.75 inches scale-length |
Model | Body material | Body shape features | Body style | Body top material |
---|---|---|---|---|
ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOM 1998 to 2001 | mahogany body | double cutaway | super strat style body | figured maple body top |
ESP USA M-II CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | mahogany body | double cutaway | super strat style body | flamed maple body top |
ESP USA MH CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | mahogany body | double cutaway | super strat style body | figured maple body top |
ESP USA MV CUSTOM 2001 | mahogany body | double cutaway | super strat style body | flamed maple body top |
Model | Bridge | Hardware color | Tailpiece | Tuners |
---|---|---|---|---|
ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOM 1998 to 2001 | tune-o-matic bridge | black hardware | stop tailpiece | Sperzel locking tuners |
ESP USA M-II CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | Floyd Rose tremolo | black hardware | - | Sperzel locking tuners |
ESP USA MH CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | Floyd Rose tremolo | black hardware | - | Sperzel locking tuners |
ESP USA MV CUSTOM 2001 | tune-o-matic bridge | black hardware | strings through-body tailpiece | Sperzel locking tuners |
Model | Fingerboard material | Fingerboard position markers | Inlay at 12th fret |
---|---|---|---|
ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOM 1998 to 2001 | ebony fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | block logo inlay at 12th fret |
ESP USA M-II CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | ebony fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | block logo inlay at 12th fret |
ESP USA MH CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | ebony fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | block logo inlay at 12th fret |
ESP USA MV CUSTOM 2001 | ebony fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | - |
Model | Neck joint | Neck material | Number of frets | Tuner layout | Nut | Peghead (headstock) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOM 1998 to 2001 | bolt on neck | maple neck | 24 fret | three-each-side | - | - |
ESP USA M-II CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | bolt on neck | - | 24 fret | six-in-a-row tuners | locking nut | reverse headstock |
ESP USA MH CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | bolt on neck | maple neck | 24 fret | six-in-a-row tuners | - | - |
ESP USA MV CUSTOM 2001 | bolt on neck | maple neck | 24 fret | six-in-a-row tuners | - | - |
Model | Pickup selector controls | Tone controls | Volume controls |
---|---|---|---|
ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOM 1998 to 2001 | 3-way selector switch | 1 tone control | 1 volume control |
ESP USA M-II CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | 3-way selector switch | 1 tone control | 1 volume control |
ESP USA MH CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | 3-way selector switch | 1 tone control | 1 volume control |
ESP USA MV CUSTOM 2001 | 3-way selector switch | 1 tone control | 1 volume control |
Model | Pickups brand and model | Pickups configuration |
---|---|---|
ESP USA HORIZON CUSTOM 1998 to 2001 | Seymour Duncan SH-1 pickup(s), Seymour Duncan SH-4 pickup(s) | 2 humbucker pickups |
ESP USA M-II CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | EMG 81 pickup(s) | 2 humbucker pickups |
ESP USA MH CUSTOM 2000 to 2001 | EMG 81 pickup(s) | 2 humbucker pickups |
ESP USA MV CUSTOM 2001 | Seymour Duncan SH-4 pickup(s), Seymour Duncan SSL-1 pickup(s) | 1 single coil and 1 humbucker pickup |