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NBD: ESP Horizon-II (Dream come true)

ArvindJayaram

ArvindJayaram

Guest
Jul 7, 2012
552
127
Away in Singapore
#1
Hey guys,
Without further ado, my first bass... :hyper:

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It looks sperm-coloured (ick) in the pictures. The colour is actually pearl white. When you look at it in better light, it's almost fluorescent yellow and almost glittery, sort of like a mother of pearl colour.

This bass is a bit of an oddity in that usually these come with a volume/volume/tone/tone configuration, but mine has something else. I can't even figure out how to describe it, it's like a main volume, separate pickup volumes and a tone, but when you turn down the volume for the pickups, you hear... some pickup. Freaked me out when I first tested it, I was sh*tting bricks and thinking, "I got ripped off, one of the pickups isn't working".

Besides that, the lack of the "Horizon" writing at the 12th fret is interesting and imo, very nice. Also note that the headstock doesn't have ESP written on it anywhere except the truss rod cover.

Am trying to figure out why they strung the B string the way they did. Pretty sure it's not the tightest B string I could have bought for the money.

I really dig the tone, finally understood what people mean by "piano-like". Ran it through a VST in my computer cause I don't have an amp and was really impressed. If anyone would like some soundclips , let me know! Not going to be doing much else for a while! Played so much today, my right hand is blistered :bassist:

Thanks to all the guys who helped me choose this thing. Great advice from a great community! Hehe, I finally belong here! :cool:

- Arvind Jayaram/Jimmy Rage
 
#2
The B,E and A strings are wound around the tuners the wrong way. Not a disaster but can cause a nut to fail if the strings are treated roughly. Depends on the nut too.

I take it the bass is used, due to the stringing - so I'll recommend you check the control cavity for signs of issues/mods. . . and a preamp (those EMG's typically appear with preamps).

Bass looks in good condition, happy playing!
 
#4
SolarMan said:
Great looking bass!

also, I'm not sure your string is on backward - it looks like they intended it that way?

(ps: you better have the color of your "sperm" checked! LOL!)
Click to expand...

Well what do you know!. I just assumed :o

ESP-HZFull-Fr-landscape.gif


I think the photo made the angle look a little more awkward than it usually does (I'm not used to the headstock so it's my view).

This was more like my image of how it 'ought' to be strung:
esp-horizon-series-horizon-5-102968.jpg


Although this pick from the ESP site (http://www.espguitars.co.jp/original/horizon-bass/index_end.html) would appear to say that that is not right:
hrz_b2_bk.jpg


Oh and that ESP link says the horizon II has a 2 band EQ and a preamp, not VVT so I think the wiring puzzle is close to being solved :D

EDIT: I think the headstock looks better without the ESP logo on the tip.

Here's an A/B with a very rough mockup:
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15wfcxf.jpg

Oddly enough the only thing that improves if you swap over the three thicker strings is you can see the ESP logo clearer. Perhaps the headstock looks more 'balanced' but the angles and crowding on the 5er headstock make it impractical.
 
#5
Thanks, PlungerModerno! Should have checked the ESP site, I guess it IS strung that way :D

http://www.espguitars.co.jp/original/horizon-bass/index_end.html

My bad. I meant volume/volume/2 band EQ, not V/V/T/T. But as I mentioned in the original post: it's more like 3 volume 1 tone or something, can't figure it out for the life of me. But it works! I checked the control cavity when I first thought something was not working right. The electronics look ship shape and beautifully installed. Very tidy!

And it is brand new, but old stock. They pulled it out of the ESP warehouse in LA after 10 years in hibernation. I, too, like the fact that there's nothing written on the headstock or the fretboard :)

@SolarMan: The first picture. By the bridge. Do you see it? My sperm is blue, btw (chicks dig it) :P

- Jimmy Rage
 
#6
ArvindJayaram said:
Thanks, PlungerModerno! Should have checked the ESP site, I guess it IS strung that way :D

http://www.espguitars.co.jp/original/horizon-bass/index_end.html

My bad. I meant volume/volume/2 band EQ, not V/V/T/T. But as I mentioned in the original post: it's more like 3 volume 1 tone or something, can't figure it out for the life of me. But it works! I checked the control cavity when I first thought something was not working right. The electronics look ship shape and beautifully installed. Very tidy!

And it is brand new, but old stock. They pulled it out of the ESP warehouse in LA after 10 years in hibernation. I, too, like the fact that there's nothing written on the headstock or the fretboard :)

@SolarMan: The first picture. By the bridge. Do you see it? My sperm is blue, btw (chicks dig it) :P

- Jimmy Rage
Click to expand...

Cool cool. If it's blue see a doctor ASAP. Unless you're doctor manhatten.:hiding:
 
#7
OK, I couldn't resist!

Here's an A/B/C with a more typical orientation. I think the original (A) is most balanced.

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Kind of interesting headstock design, not a personal fav, but not ugly. I have a thing for parallel string paths, even the rickenbacker headstocks are only so so IMO.

Maybe with tapered strings the headstock would look more to my liking (square and true). I can't find many pics of the bass so I guess I'll never know LOL.
 
#8
If chicks tell you they dig something, you'd change it?.... No, never. Not unless you had some kind of Dr Manhattan like trump card :P

+1, it's an interesting headstock, for sure! Was really pleased when I got the thing out of the box. Not too heavy, I think. They gave me these groovy strap lock thingies in the box and a couple of allen keys. Tomorrow, I look for a strap!

Don't have a hard case or soft case for it though, preserving it in the original bubble wrap and box till I can afford one. Any idea what kind of case would be ideal? Thinking I'll just go with one of those universal ones and keep it safe with bubble wrap :)

- Jimmy Rage

PS: And the original box? Never know when it might come in handy when I'm living beneath a bridge.
 
#9
ArvindJayaram said:
If chicks tell you they dig something, you'd change it?.... No, never. Not unless you had some kind of Dr Manhattan like trump card :P

+1, it's an interesting headstock, for sure! Was really pleased when I got the thing out of the box. Not too heavy, I think. They gave me these groovy strap lock thingies in the box and a couple of allen keys. Tomorrow, I look for a strap!

Don't have a hard case or soft case for it though, preserving it in the original bubble wrap and box till I can afford one. Any idea what kind of case would be ideal? Thinking I'll just go with one of those universal ones and keep it safe with bubble wrap :)

- Jimmy Rage

PS: And the original box? Never know when it might come in handy when I'm living beneath a bridge.
Click to expand...

Whatever works I guess :hiding: - I've got a so so soft case and a pretty cheap ABS plastic hardcase - both are good - you can probably get a case (hard or soft) to fit that bass pretty easily - I'd say 95% of generic cases would fit.

If I had a recommendation it would be to get a hardcase or decent softcase depending on transport - back of truck or back of person (you).

You can probably get a used one for cheap if you check around. price them online and try in person. No good saving €15 and the thing reeking of smoke and pets!
 
#13
OK, so the B string is actually freaking tight. I tuned it up one whole octave. And then I did the same to the E string :D

And then I did to the A string and it snapped. And I thought, OMG, let me be more careful. And then I went and snapped the D string. So then I left the G string alone :/

Gah. Noob.

- Arvind Jayaram
 
#14
ArvindJayaram said:
OK, so the B string is actually freaking tight. I tuned it up one whole octave. And then I did the same to the E string :D

And then I did to the A string and it snapped. And I thought, OMG, let me be more careful. And then I went and snapped the D string. So then I left the G string alone :/

Gah. Noob.

- Arvind Jayaram
Click to expand...

why on earth would you try and tune it up an octave? :hmm:
 
#15
It was floppy! Worked on the B and E, so I erroneously assumed I could do it to the others and bam! "Band" practice is over.

I blame TBers everywhere for it. Always raving about tight B strings. How in the hell was an innocent like me supposed to know when to stop? gna gna gna snort rip

- Jimmy
 
#18
Well, you'd be amazed at the B string. And the E string. And the G string (haha) too...

Cause that's all that's left now :D

Man, I just bought this thing. I'm so broke I can't even afford to give anyone the time :D

- Jimmy

PS: On a different note, when tuning up a new string, I'm sure I cross many,many octaves. This octave was just one too much. :)

"I don't know how much more she can take, cap'n"
 
#20
ArvindJayaram said:
OK, so the B string is actually freaking tight. I tuned it up one whole octave. And then I did the same to the E string :D

And then I did to the A string and it snapped. And I thought, OMG, let me be more careful. And then I went and snapped the D string. So then I left the G string alone :/

Gah. Noob.

- Arvind Jayaram
Click to expand...

Dude....you can easily damage the neck doing that.
 

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