NGD - Beware relic content

Maynehead

Picked this LTD GL-256 up last night for a price I couldn’t refuse.

https://i.imgur.com/c0tfOWO.jpg

I’ve always been a fan of ESP / LTD (never played a bad one) and this is no exception. The “relic” on the other hand is just rubbish... It’s decal or spray underneath a really thick layer of clear poly. It makes the body feel like a Baby Bell.

Regardless, the guitar is nicely put together, the neck is full but not chunky, and it came with an after market Screamin’ Demon bridge pickup, so sounds the part too. I will need to give it a proper set up and lower the nut slightly, but after that it should be a bona fide rock machine!

tony99

to be fair that is one fucking genius idea 'stick on relicing'

so you can just peel off the battle scars when you want it to look new again?

utterly fucking genius

MLten80

mate, someone spilt paint stripper on your guitar  :0
 epically unconvincing relic job there esp
 go back to making pointy metal clones

Maynehead

MLten80 said:

mate, someone spilt paint stripper on your guitar  :0
 epically unconvincing relic job there esp
 go back to making pointy metal clones

Hey, it’s not ESP’s fault, it’s a George Lynch signature, so blame George! Apparently it’s modelled on one of his old guitars (which he probably spilt paint stripper on).

The poly finish isn’t actually as thick as I first thought now that I’ve taken it apart. It’s cleaned up nicely (although I don’t know why I bothered), but I will need to replace the pathetic excuse for a neck shim with something more sensible.

MLten80

hahaha

is it nice to play tho? esp are usually quality built imo 
 is it a keeper?

Sassafras

I'd strip it back to a natural finish.

Maynehead

Well, it’s too early to tell, it’s still in pieces in my work table.

On paper it should be the ultimate in versatility. You can go from Jimi Hendrix to Metallica with the flick of a switch, and you’ve got vibrato without worrying about locking nuts. However, I got a feeling that the neck might just be a bit too much of a handful for my liking (strange as its spec is extra thin U).

Once I’ve got it together again I’ll be in a better position to comment.

In the mean time here’s a before and after shot of the neck shim 

Before:
https://i.imgur.com/ZddOlVI.jpg

After:
https://i.imgur.com/AAiWXXu.jpg

King85

Baby bell made me laugh. I like it though. Happy ngd!

skullfunkerry

I have a friend with one of these, he's selling it now but it's taken him a long time (and a couple of Strats) to be able to part with it, as it plays so nicely...