| The first ESP Guitar was made in Japan in 1976. The | | | | the bigger names. |
| ESP Company (Electric Sound Products) actually | | | | Speaking of James Hetfield, an ESP guitar that he |
| started up a year earlier but only provided guitar | | | | used when Metallica first started to become popular, |
| replacement parts at that time. ESP guitars and | | | | got the ESP Company into some legal trouble. The |
| replacement parts continued to be sold exclusively in | | | | guitar he used, known as the EXP, was a replica of |
| Japan for nearly a decade before moving into the U.S. | | | | the Gibson Explorer. Even though companies have |
| market. In 1983 their replacement parts were made | | | | been selling replicas of their guitars for years, Gibson |
| available in the U.S and in 1984 their guitars made their | | | | decided to sue ESP. The quality of the EXP was so |
| American appearance. | | | | good that people were buying them up and this was |
| In 1984/85 ESP guitars were attracting some attention | | | | allegedly cutting into the sales of Gibson's own guitars. |
| from great guitarists such as Ronnie Wood (The | | | | ESP lost the lawsuit and changed their design. |
| Rolling Stones), Vernon Reid (Living Colour) and Bruce | | | | In 2002, ESP sales started to grow at a rapid rate |
| Kulick (Kiss). | | | | making them one of the fastest growing companies at |
| The next big name to discover ESP guitars was | | | | that time. This increase in sales was directly connected |
| George Lynch (Dokken) while shopping for guitar parts | | | | to Fender buying out Jackson Guitars. Jackson was |
| when he was touring in Japan. When George found | | | | the company that ESP had competed with in the 80's |
| out that ESP made custom guitars, the model | | | | and 90's. |
| "Kamikaze" was made for him. The Kamikaze was | | | | With the buyout of Jackson, many of the high profile |
| the first signature model to be made. | | | | guitarists jumped ship and went over to ESP. Guitarists |
| More musicians began to take notice of ESP and | | | | like Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), found it natural to |
| started playing their guitars in the late 80's. Kirk | | | | move over to ESP products because of the high |
| Hammett and James Hetfield of Metallica were two of | | | | quality and similar designs. |