Esp ltd Qc. Dire!

UnclePsychosis

I'd have been disappointed if my £119-brand-new-delivered-price Squier had had those issues. Definitely not too fussy. 

Times are tough in musical instrument retail, which makes stuff like this absolutely baffling and infuriating in equal measure. 

skunkwerx

mbe said:

I think ESP distribution in UK is by Sound-Service EU with a base somewhere near Bedford. The ESP website shows a link to there now.

The IW serial numbers should denote the manufacture by PT Wildwood Indonesia, a notoriously inconsistent factory. They contracted with Jackson for the Pro series and the QC didn't meet standards so they switched prodiction to Cort. PT Wildwood have produced much of the high end Schecter instruments and they are capable of the very best workmanship.

Looking at the Snakebyte reviews on Sweetwater, they all write in glowing terms so it begs the question is the UK distributor up to the task or are they just accepting sub standard examples. I think they took over the ESP distribution back end of last year and maybe they have inherited a load of crap stock.

I have 4 lowly LTDs all made in Vietnam and, whilst the cosmetics might not be perfect, they have no actual defects as such.

Send it back. At the same time you could let them know your relationship with ESP is soured and you want answers, because it's wasting everybody's time.

 Cheers for the info bud, and to everyone else as well. 

I’ve uploaded the pics on the esp website under the product, and I know a VP lurks there so hopefully he’ll pick up on it. 

I agree, every review I see is glowing. 

I do wonder the tolerance though, maybe some people wouldnt even notice half this stuff.. though I’m sure they would if theyre laying £1300 down. 

Uk reviews are thin on the ground. 

Though this is a 2020 model, the last 2 I encountered would have been 2019’s. That and the 2 Ouija’s just makes me feel something is going on.. 

The hardware is there but the actual manufacture and finishing is proper diabolical. 

My ex-360 which is a 2015 model and low down the ranks in terms of model numbers has been solid and still is.The ec-1000 is bang on too. 

Hell even the kh-202 I had yonks ago was solid in terms of fit and finish, it just lacked the higher end components. 

Humph. 

I’m going to demand James Hetfield answers to this nonsense lol! 

Kittyfrisk

skunkwerx said:

RaymondLin said:

That's really bad, from the guy who selected the fretboard to the guy who put the frets on to the guy painted the lacquer and definitely the guy inspected it.

Really surprised that is allowed to come out.

Haha so true. 

The funny thing is, on this and the Ouija, the detailed inlay(s) arent done very accurately. They use a lot of filler around sharp points, presumably where the router can’t go as narrow as the inlayed material is.. 

They fill those gaps, so why wouldnt they just fill the random holes too?! Haha.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/50063-Beware-of-tiny-holes-in-ebony-fretboards

https://alliedlutherie.com/products/ebony-fingerboards
"To make it all work, we have to use much of the ebony that has been discarded in the past. This roughly translates for us (a supplier) as buying a mixed grade of ebony at one price. The standard sized fingerboard runs about 21" X 2-7/8" X 1/4" sanded both sides. The boards are fixed (meaning all pin-holes, or worm holes are filled) and they are dried, and ready to use."

ThePrettyDamned

paulnb57 said:

A Squier Bullet has less issues for about 120 quid, thats appalling quality from ESP at any price

Totally agree. I played a bullet tele and it was great fun! New bridge and pickups, and maybe tuners, it'd be an ace, thinner-than-usual tele. 

skunkwerx

Kittyfrisk said:

skunkwerx said:

RaymondLin said:

That's really bad, from the guy who selected the fretboard to the guy who put the frets on to the guy painted the lacquer and definitely the guy inspected it.

Really surprised that is allowed to come out.

Haha so true. 

The funny thing is, on this and the Ouija, the detailed inlay(s) arent done very accurately. They use a lot of filler around sharp points, presumably where the router can’t go as narrow as the inlayed material is.. 

They fill those gaps, so why wouldnt they just fill the random holes too?! Haha.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/50063-Beware-of-tiny-holes-in-ebony-fretboards

https://alliedlutherie.com/products/ebony-fingerboards
"To make it all work, we have to use much of the ebony that has been discarded in the past. This roughly translates for us (a supplier) as buying a mixed grade of ebony at one price. The standard sized fingerboard runs about 21" X 2-7/8" X 1/4" sanded both sides. The boards are fixed (meaning all pin-holes, or worm holes are filled) and they are dried, and ready to use."

Hold the door! 

So the holes appeared after the guitar was built... 


Yeah I’m moving it out of my room til its gone! Lol... 

Kittyfrisk

^ Very unlikely. Also wood borers aren't known for their nut cutting, fret dressing or painting skills 

skunkwerx

Kittyfrisk said:

^ Very unlikely. Also wood borers aren't known for their nut cutting, fret dressing or painting skills 

They’d have made a better job I reckon heh

barnstorm

mbe said:

Looking at the Snakebyte reviews on Sweetwater, they all write in glowing terms so it begs the question is the UK distributor up to the task or are they just accepting sub standard examples.

Sweetwater seems to be unusually – possibly uniquely – good at combining volume sales and customer service/product QC.

I can only assume that their investment in service/QC pays for itself in customer retention and not having to deal with avoidable returns and B-stock. If I was a retailer I'd gladly sacrifice a bit of margin to make sure my stuff wasn't going to disappoint and give someone a reason to shop elsewhere next time.

skunkwerx

barnstorm said:

mbe said:

Looking at the Snakebyte reviews on Sweetwater, they all write in glowing terms so it begs the question is the UK distributor up to the task or are they just accepting sub standard examples.

Sweetwater seems to be unusually – possibly uniquely – good at combining volume sales and customer service/product QC.

I can only assume that their investment in service/QC pays for itself in customer retention and not having to deal with avoidable returns and B-stock. If I was a retailer I'd gladly sacrifice a bit of margin to make sure my stuff wasn't going to disappoint and give someone a reason to shop elsewhere next time.

True that. But check this out... 

When I had the issue with the Ouija in Feb, I wrote a review on Andertons website via Feefo which got censored and not shown. 

Despite me showing as a ‘trusted customer’, ie I bought the product from Andertons, who then sent me the link to review it. Not like I was a third party etc.

So it made me wonder how many legitimate negative reviews are out there, but retailers decide not to show them.

I didnt include any personal information Or expletives, just a factual account of the condition of the item and service given, which were both poor.

Notice on this page, for the purple ouija, shows 3 stars, with a number 2 In brackets denoting the amount of reviews the product has...
https://www.andertons.co.uk/search?categoryId=&storeId=10151&catalogId=3074457345616676668&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=24&searchTerm=Ouija&authToken=-1002%252CXZvf36sLiPiYegUJrwTEpYgBzE92SYyViFqNTYY0v8k%253D&#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&facetLimit:&orderBy:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&

Click into the purple ouija though and theres only 1 review and its 5 star. Mine has been omitted entirely, purely because Andertons didnt want it shown.. 

Thing is.. its on Feefo still. 
https://www.feefo.com/en-GB/reviews/andertons-music/5e67c96be4b0cd23b9370cf2/customer-review-poor-quality-even-worse-customer-service?displayFeedbackType=BOTH

Nuts right?

mbe

Just read all that and it's firm but fair. Did ESP ever get back to you about the KH?

skunkwerx

mbe said:

Just read all that and it's firm but fair. Did ESP ever get back to you about the KH?

Maybe too firm, but then again after what the store staff said in regards to it I was getting nowhere. Once the review went up I got a call from a manager..   

No I never raised it with them... however now maybe I should include it as well. Hopefully they’ll look into whats going on anyway!

hollywoodrox

Oh no, I would defo not be satisfied with that , I can’t believe this ,after the Kirk Hammet one, what a let down, I would send this back if I paid a coup,e hundred let alone the price of a premium model. No excuse for this workmanship when you see what other brands turn out at much lower prices . What on Earth is going on ? It’s like they’re doing it on purpose 

Revolting1

Its not just you thats been let down its the retailer too.

 If you can live with the guitar ask for a £500 refund which they can claim from their supplier .....

  And treat the fretboard with a couple of doses of Cuprinol 5 star to sort out any recalcitrant residents......

Sassafras

And as if all that's not bad enough, they've sent you a white guitar. Talk about adding insult to injury.

skunkwerx

Heard back from Esp. 

They said they are sorry but can’t help because they’re in America? (What the fuck).

I’m like, yeah you are in the hub which receives the guitars from the factory, inspects and sets them up then ships them to the Uk. 

How about some customer service, I’ve been through 5 of your products after all, pull a Snakebyte out the warehouse, a decent one and send it to GuitarGuitar for me to exchange. 

I did tell them theres piss all stock in the Uk, but hey ho. 

They did say they inspect and set up ‘these instruments’ in their Us facility before shipping onwards though, and their regional distributors like Sound Services should also inspect them before shipping to stores.


So they didnt bother answering my questions. Like why would the US facility accept this shit from the factory in the first place, let alone then ship it out. 

Maybe the American distributors get the better stuff and the shite gets sent to Europe lol. 

I mean thats why I went direct to Esp for answers. 

They didnt remark on the photos I sent in, and just told me to contact the Uk distributor. 

I mean what the fuck are they gonna do?!
No doubt tell me to take it up with either the company themselves or the retailer. 

I emailed em anyway. 

I’ve emailed guitarguitar too obviously requesting a return, hopefully hear back tomo. 

But yeah, it solves shit all. 

Frustrating though. They must not want the business. 

skunkwerx

Thomann are pretty slow as well.. emailed em last Weds asking about the one they have in but didnt hear back.. 

 

grungebob

Well there’s reason enough for me never to buy an esp ltd then. They obviously couldn’t give a f@ck. 
my last two buys were Rivolta and Lucem. Both fantastic instruments made overseas but properly inspected and set up, they play and sound great and both less than £800 new. 

ICBM

To be honest, given this experience I wouldn’t entertain buying an ESP. The QC on that guitar is utterly unacceptable at the price point or anything close to it, and from what you’ve said it’s a replacement for a replacement since neither of the others were good enough either. On top of that the company seems to have no interest in its customers.

It’s sad when this happens to a brand you used to admire, but frankly I would just move on. A company with this level of disrespect for the people it relies on simply doesn’t deserve your (or anyone else’s) money.

skunkwerx

grungebob said:

Well there’s reason enough for me never to buy an esp ltd then. They obviously couldn’t give a f@ck. 
my last two buys were Rivolta and Lucem. Both fantastic instruments made overseas but properly inspected and set up, they play and sound great and both less than £800 new. 

Yeah its a bit disappointing. 

mbe

If ESP was a genuine Japanese company, I doubt this sort of thing would happen. Guitars most likely ship to Sound Service in Berlin and then to UK.

Doesn't  take much to work out what''s happening here.