2000 ESP Maverick Custom Shop
Details
This beautiful instrument was hiding on craigslist, and I was able to convince the seller to ship it to me for a reasonable price. It was described as “mint condition,” and it certainly is not - there are a number of scratches and a few small dings around the body and it was lacking its original case. However, there is no major structural damage and it is such an incredible unique and cool guitar that I was willing to overlook its shortcomings in cosmetic condition.
The bridge pickup is a Seymour Duncan JB, and the neck is a Hot Rails. The volume control is on a push pull pot that splits both pickups at the same time, so this guitar actually doubles as sort of a hot-telecaster when needed which is quite a bit of fun and adds some versatility to a guitar that otherwise looks like a pure shredder.
The serial number points this guitar to the year 2000, a year where no Maverick was in the catalog for ESP - including both the USA and Japan catalogs. This would’ve had to be a custom ordered guitar, and I must admit this is really perfect for me because this is almost exactly how I would’ve ordered a custom Maverick if I could stomach the cost of a custom shop guitar myself. The body is mahogany and finished in a very dark black stain on the back, but with a flashlight you can see the grain through the finish. The front is a very thick bookmatched flamed maple cap, with a lovely purple burst stain. The maple fretboard and pointy headstock complete the picture, along with an original Floyd Rose. If I’m nitpicking, the only things I would’ve changed if I were ordering a custom shop Maverick for myself would be… white neck and body binding (instead of natural wood), and a non-reverse headstock just painted black with the old school grey ESP logo. I think the natural binding pairs nicely with the plain maple neck, but something about a bound neck just screams special to me and white binding on the neck would have to match binding on the body to look right.
Anyway, as a true one-off, this is probably one of the most special guitars I have. Quite the find and I feel lucky to have found it - and it now lives in a proper padded case!
