Picked up a vintage ESP jazz bass - question

[Destructobot]

Just picked this up for a song this week ($220! )

Two questions:

1. Anybody have information about what series or year this was from? I presume it's early 80's since it's a Fender headstock shape. Obviously the bridge, pu's, and tuners (Schaller) are aftermarket.


2. Is it possible for me to put a traditional jazz pickguard and control plate on it? I'd prefer to go with a more Fender look, B/W/B and chrome plate. I looked quickly at some replacement parts and it didn't look like the screw holes lined up quite right. Options?

 

[Petethebassman]

You got that for 220$? What a deal! Is there a serial number on the neck plate and an ESP logo? If the logo is there, is it a small one above the serial number or larger? Early-80's ESP guitars and basses are high quality Fender copies, but finding information on those is difficult, if not impossible.

I have what I believe to be an early-80's ESP P-Bass (low serial # in the 3000's, small ESP logo on neck plate), I've owned it since 1987 and it's a great bass. Here's a picture:

I've emailed ESP Japan about it, but apparently nobody currently with the company knows about these early models and they didn't keep proper production records in those days. All I know for sure is my bass was definitely made before 1986, because I spotted it in a Jan '86 music magazine ad.

As for the pickguard, I'd suggest buying a J control plate and making a drawing of your current pickguard and using the control plate to draw its' position in the drawing to get a traditional J pickguard shape that'll fit your bass. Then send that off to a pickguard maker that will do custom pickguards from a drawing.

 

[Destructobot]

No markings on the neck plate at all, it's just plain chrome. Actually the only marking anywhere on it at all is the ESP logo on the headstock. Who knows, maybe it's just a mongrel with an ESP neck and some nice parts.

Thanks for the suggestion on the pickguard, that may be my only option.

 

[awilkie84]

You got that for 220$? What a deal! Is there a serial number on the neck plate and an ESP logo? If the logo is there, is it a small one above the serial number or larger? Early-80's ESP guitars and basses are high quality Fender copies, but finding information on those is difficult, if not impossible.

I have what I believe to be an early-80's ESP P-Bass (low serial # in the 3000's, small ESP logo on neck plate), I've owned it since 1987 and it's a great bass. Here's a picture:

I've emailed ESP Japan about it, but apparently nobody currently with the company knows about these early models and they didn't keep proper production records in those days. All I know for sure is my bass was definitely made before 1986, because I spotted it in a Jan '86 music magazine ad.

As for the pickguard, I'd suggest buying a J control plate and making a drawing of your current pickguard and using the control plate to draw its' position in the drawing to get a traditional J pickguard shape that'll fit your bass. Then send that off to a pickguard maker that will do custom pickguards from a drawing.

Your P-up cover is installed upside down.

 

[Petethebassman]

The headstock on my bass has a small silver-coloured logo that says just "Produced By ESP", no model name. At the neck heel below the truss rod nut there's a "KI - 15" written with pencil. So, it is possible that my bass was custom made by the Kitarapaja guitar shop from ESP parts, that shop was an ESP dealer in those days. (Well, it's a custom anyway as it's a lefty.) I'll take it some day to Kitarapaja for them to check it out and ask about it, maybe they'll have some info on it.

 

[Petethebassman]

Your P-up cover is installed upside down.

Well, that's fitting for a lefty bass, it's all backwards anyway.