Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

ESP Signature Series Adds New LTD Additions

ESP Signature Series Adds New LTD Additions

ESP Guitars' signature series adds LTD signature series additions for Sammy Duet of Goatwhore, Alan Ashby from Of Mice & Men, and Javier Reyes of Animals As Leaders.


ESP Guitars is debuting the first LTD signature model for veteran ESP player Sammy Duet of New Orleans, LA-based extreme metal band Goatwhore with the LTD SD-2, and adding new signature models for Alan Ashby, guitarist from Of Mice & Men with the LTD AA-1 and for Javier Reyes of Animals As Leaders with the LTD JR-7.

The LTD Sammy Duet Signature Series SD-2 is based on Sammy’s own ESP Custom Shop model, made famous by its identifiable Random Star shape. It offers sturdy neck-thru-body construction at 24.75ā€ scale, and a bound Macassar ebony fingerboard with 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, diamond-shaped white pearloid inlays, and glow-in-the-dark side markers. Components on the LTD SD-2 include a Floyd Rose 1000 SE double-locking tremolo with stainless steel screws, and a single Seymour Duncan Blackout active pickup, designed to provide the hot, articulate response necessary for modern metal.

The LTD Alan Ashby AA-1 is an update to the Of Mice & Men guitarist’s previous Signature Series model. It adds a Black Satin finish/gold hardware design theme that extends all the way to its 24 extra-jumbo Jescar EVOgold frets. Intended for high-performance modern music, it offers neck-thru-body construction, a 3-piece mahogany neck, Macassar ebony fingerboard, a single aggressive EMG 81 active pickup with a brushed gold cover, and a TonePros locking TOM bridge with string-thru-body design.

The LTD Javier Reyes JR-7 is a 7-string version of the Animals As Leaders guitarist’s well-known 27ā€ baritone scale ESP signature guitar. It offers neck-thru-body construction, a swamp ash body with quilted maple top, and a 5-piece walnut/maple/padauk neck with Macassar ebony fingerboard. Top-tier components on the JR-7 include a Hipshot bridge with string-thru-body, a set of Javier’s signature Fishman Javier Reyes Open Core Humbucker pickups, and a five-way super switch for pickup selection and coil splitting.

Detailed information and specifications for the entire collection of ESP and LTD Signature Series guitars and basses is available at the ESP web site at espguitars.com.

A rig meant to inspire! That’s Jerry Garcia with his Doug Irwin-built Tiger guitar, in front of his Twin Reverb + McIntosh + JBL amp rig.

Photo by Frank White

Three decades after the final Grateful Dead performance, Jerry Garcia’s sound continues to cast a long shadow. Guitarists Jeff Mattson of Dark Star Orchestra, Tom Hamilton of JRAD, and Bella Rayne explain how they interpret Garcia’s legacy musically and with their gear.

Read MoreShow less
GTRS Announces the W902, The Latest Update to its Wing-series ofĀ Intelligent Guitars
GTRS Announces the W902, The Latest Update to its Wing-series ofĀ Intelligent Guitars
GTRS has introduced the W902, the newest release in GTRS’ Wing-series Intelligent Guitar lineup, expanding on the series’ cutting-edge features while maintaining an accessible price point.
Read MoreShow less

Detail of Ted’s 1997 National resonator tricone.

What instruments should you bring to an acoustic performance? These days, with sonic innovations and the shifting definition of just what an acoustic performance is, anything goes.

Read MoreShow less
- YouTube

Ernie Ball, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium guitar strings and accessories, proudly announces the launch of the all-new Earthwood Bell Bronze acoustic guitar strings. Developed in close collaboration with Grammy Award-winning guitarist JohnMayer, Bell Bronze strings are engineered to meet Mayer’s exacting performance standards, offering players a bold new voice for their acoustic guitars.Crafted using a proprietary alloy inspired by the metals traditionally found in bells and cymbals, Earthwood Bell Bronze strings deliver a uniquely rich, full-bodied tone with enhanced clarity, harmonic content, and projection—making them the most sonically complex acoustic strings in the Ernie Ball lineup to date.

Read MoreShow less