ESP E-II Eclipse DB VB Vintage Black

Workmanship: Absolutely top! You can tell from the very first second that you have a very high-quality instrument in your hands. Another clear difference to the Korean brands (LTD, Chapman, etc.), which are already very high quality. But a "genuine" ESP made in Japan is of even higher quality. Every detail is simply perfectly finished.

My only criticism of the production: the glaze on the fingerboard turns black. My fingers turned black from playing. Seems to be a typical E-II Eclipse problem, as I have read several times. However, after taking down the strings and cleaning the fretboard once, nothing stains anymore. Therefore not a big point of criticism.

Nevertheless, the finish is very high quality, and the varnished neck is not at all distracting. You don't get sweaty hands, as is always the case with cheaper guitars with lacquered necks. So you shouldn't let that put you off. And the paintwork on the body is even more beautiful in real life than in the photos. Especially when it is illuminated by lights (e.g. on a stage), the finish really makes a statement.

Machine heads: Top, I've never had a guitar that could be tuned so quickly. You always have to retune the guitar slightly, but in my experience this is normal with single-cut guitars and it is really only minimal with the Eclipse (much worse with a Les Paul, for example)

Electronics: Well, you have to like the active 60/81 pickups. I'm actually more of a fan of the passive Seymour Duncan, but I still opted for this Eclipse because there was simply nothing better in this price range and you can always swap out the pickups.

If you are a fan of EMGs, then the simple battery change (open battery compartment with toggle switch) is a very positive feature. This makes screwing around at the back a thing of the past. An extremely helpful feature.

Straplocks: This is my first guitar with straplocks, but I'm glad that it has them. With an instrument in this price range, it would be extremely annoying if it fell down. The strap can be attached very easily with a click and can also be easily removed again by pulling the "button" on the locks on the strap. A good system, even if I have no comparison with other straplocks.

Playability: Unfortunately, the guitar did not arrive well adjusted. It buzzed a lot and wasn't really fretless. I would have liked Kirstein to have adjusted it once before delivery, especially for an instrument in this price range. However, this is where the quality of the E-II Eclipse comes into play again: The guitar can be adjusted very well and I also got the G-string really fretless, which is often a problem. Nothing buzzes anymore and yet the strings lie nice and flat.

This shows the true quality of the guitar: it's incredibly easy to play and I'm absolutely thrilled. I also own an LTD AJ-1, which also has the 60/81 pickups, and in comparison it sounds almost identical. (It sounds a bit fuller, but a layman won't notice any difference) But the playability is simply worlds better.

Conclusion: A great instrument and absolutely worth the money. However, it is only something for long-time musicians in the semi-professional and professional field. Most amateur musicians can also buy an LTD version for half the price and probably won't hear any difference. But if you want to treat yourself to a really high-quality guitar, then I can recommend this Ecplise without reservation.