FINALLY Upgrading One of My Favorite Guitars EVER... 10 Years Later!! || NOSTALgufish

[@agufish]

➤ Huge thanks to @Sennheiser for sponsoring today's video! Check out the new Evolution Wireless Digital en-us.sennheiser.com/ew-d-ci1-set? #EvolutionWirelessDigital #Sennheiser ➤ Serious question, though, anyone else watching the Euros? I've got France pegged as the winner, what about you? 🇫🇷

[@77eamonnd]

Congrats on 100k

[@agufish]

Thanks, bro 🙏

[@roastpenguin8787]

@@agufish 106k now

[@EgorKlenov]

Where have you ever seen it for $1k? That price sounds mythical for an ESP Eclipse.

[@agufish]

Facebook Marketplace, usually! And sometimes eBay/Reverb. If you check the sold listings, the last one sold on Reverb about a week ago went for $950. One went on eBay a month ago for $975, even in this market.

[@Masterfighterx]

@@EgorKlenov I've once bought an ESP Horizon NT for $800

[@thenoobshotu]

I worked at a music store, our trade-in policy meant that you couldn't get more for your gear than the value of the thing you were buying. Turns out people really hate craigslist and would give up some good-ass gear for pennies - including a ESP Eclipse that ended up selling at $649 canadian The deals are out there, y'just gotta keep your eyes open

[@gabewilliams7462]

@@agufish they usually go for $6-800

[@gabewilliams7462]

@@GuitarGuy4647 oh i thought that’s what this one was lol. Didn’t look close enough i guess

[@ikestoddard2458]

Sennheiser have been my goto for whatever they do, for 30 years+. The wireless systems are what the national acts use, at least what I have seen at the clubs I frequent.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

Gotta love those Japanese ESPs. I have five of them.

[@bipbipletucha]

That's a lot!

[@agufish]

5?! Damn, that’s goals lol

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

@@agufish It's all I have though. No other guitars at the moment. Just those ESPs.

[@benallmark9671]

What I’m a gonna have to pay for a decent one and where do you recommend I shop for it ? ?

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

@@benallmark9671 Depends where you live. I'm in the UK so it's about £1200-£1500 for a decent used one. £2200-£2700 brand new. As for where to buy them? Well they're out of stock everywhere at the moment so eBay or reverb are your best bet. Not sure how it is in the US, but I know they're a lot cheaper over there because of the lower sales tax.

[@cesarvelasquez3186]

Even as a thrash till death type of Guy that i am those blink 182 riffs put a smile on my face, nice childhood tunes. Also gratz on 100k subs Hunter, has been quite a long way so far and hopefully much more to come for you and your channel, keep It up dude 🤘

[@FISHYFILMPRODUCTIONS]

As a BFMV fan, that Your Betrayal riff was appreciates

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

Good choice the guitar is more open sounding. Fatter too!

[@Kabayoth]

Some say he's offended the Guild of Wiring Management an Excellence on many occasions, but he fails to understand it's the Sisterhood of Fine Soldering that will serve his head in a bowl and his figers to a black bear named Neil. And near as can be divined, he's never scraped his knuckles pulling bolts out of the Idol built in his image trying to swap out the Strat for a Les Paul. The man! The Legend! Der Fish!

[@agufish]

lol the fact you're still coming up with these is mad impressive 😂

[@Kabayoth]

@@agufish Would the Alex Lifeson Eppiphone Les Paul be in your wheelhouse to review?

[@moyano6197]

Hey 100k!, maybe you could do a 100k High Intergrity project…., maybe a single cut high intergrity project?, btw have you seen the new solar single cut?

[@alexandercarlinmusic9467]

Hunter really went "Let's just play Fat Lip for this one"

[@szatanizmo]

your "ground chain" is for electrical shielding, protects your emgs from collecting noise and hum

[@jamescruttwell375]

Never thought I’d hear a New Found Glory riff on this channel! 👌

[@pandabearguy1]

My first high end guitar was a white 2009 Eclipse. It's still the guitar I play the most and will never sell.

[@bobbydrex5268]

Little new found glory riff, love it

[@instaman34]

Man.. those pick ups POP with that guitar. Looks so good man!

[@joshuagoudie2849]

Never tried the eclipse model but I've been playing the vintage black ec 1000 for around 13 years now and I still love it. This guitar never disappoints, they sound amazing and play so well, I don't think ill ever get rid of it .

[@pickledparsleyparty]

I just got the vintage black EC-1000 duncan. It's awesome and I can't for the life of me figure out why the E-II costs $1k more. Is it the bone nut? Is that it? The bone nut? Or maybe it's that the binding is vivid yellow rather than the weathered-looking almost-cream of the EC-1000? Even the EC-1000 has version with EMGs in it.

[@minstrel9806]

​​​@@pickledparsleyparty it's the fact that it's made in Japan, so you usually get better fit and finish. And yes, the bone nut (GraphTech nut would be better tho), gotoh hardware and hardcase kind of adds to the price too. Still most E-IIs have less features compared to the LTD Deluxe series.

[@kevinolivares8835]

Your vids are literally the best part of my work breaks, love having lunch w/ AguFish

[@kitoyobeni1]

I have a semi hollow ESP Eclipse from the 90s that I will never trade or sell. Passive ESP pickups and a trapeze bridge. I own several modded strats, but this guitar has become home over the years.

[@jgenoese]

I was happily surprised when you busted out that new found glory riff

[@ManuSDP]

100k!! Never commented that much but I’ve been here awhile, so great to see you at 100k

[@tomflynn2912]

Just picked up an ESP Black Metal. I Love it!

[@Impenetrable_Walls_of_Heaven]

What shape did you get ? Love the look of the black metal series

[@TexAgsArmyVet]

I actually really love the look of the black plastic. I'm a diehard 81/85 user. Been using them since 2003. 🤘🤘🤘

[@Escapism7133]

Someone's been learning some early 2000s pop punk riffs haha.

[@anonymousarsonist9653]

He loves 2000s pop punk

[@benjipc5637]

I would've gone with the gold MetalWorks version of the EMGs to save some trouble if I were you. Love the New Found Glory, Sum 41, Blink-182, and Muse riffs you threw in btw.

[@kimurajack8364]

For too long I've neglected my old vintage white ESP Eclipse. I recently had it set-up, frets levelled, and also re-wired the stock emg's, and now it practically plays itself! It was like reconnecting with a long lost friend.

[@Rattersar15]

I bought a used ESP LTD Elite off Guitar Center for $650 with a case. I really wanted an ESP Standard, but for a Japanese made ESP this deal was too good to pass up. It has the SDs and a rosewood fretboard, but it plays amazingly well.

[@sebastianlindon8992]

I have the LTD version of the Eclipse (same exact color scheme as yours too) and it's absolutely phenomenal. I have yet to get my hands on a proper ESP but LTD has some real solid guitars too

[@kians1339]

Discord gaaaaaang!

[@rocketPower047]

That isn't grounded. EMG pickups don't need grounding to bridge What is doing is connecting the conductive paint to ground so it acts better as an RF shield I guess

[@agufish]

Oh ok, that’s kind of cool! Like a multi-chambered faraday cage? The bridge ground wasn’t even connected to anything in the cavity so that was interesting, too lol

[@rocketPower047]

@@agufish yeah I don't quite get it why it's there... Total speculation

[@MJP_985]

yup, tying the conductive shielding paint to ground. since the paint is conductive, it wouldnt be impossible for something to short on it, so you want it grounded. as for the bridge not being grounded, i couldnt catch it in the video, but id be curious to know exactly where the end of it was hanging out, if it was say, sandwiched between the tone pot backing washer and the body, then it would be grounded, tho i dont think ESP would do something like that

[@t1mastr10]

Esp does it on all guitars. They always connect the shielding paint with ground circuit by a cable in some spot of the guitar. Just to be 100% sure there is a contact. On the other hand they always ground the bridge too (even though it is not necessarily needed for emgs) it is just overall better to do it than not to do it + they prepare the guitar for potential swap to passives where the bridge ground is a must. So even in this video you can see that the there is a cable coming out to the cavity from bridge and it is soldered to a pot at 9:11 .

[@raytorvalds3699]

@@agufish No, it's not a Faraday cage. It simply can't be because the pickups disrupt a full enclosure. It does help with shielding if done right, though. Awesome upgrade for your ESP, bude. Sounds and looks amazing !!

[@JahmezFox]

Appreciate the Sum 41, NFG, Blink, Bullet and Muse demos 🤘

[@bbastien55]

I have the LTD version of this guitar. Have owned it since 2010 Like yours the bride, tuners, volume knobs were all faded to silver. All green with gunk from the years. I even at one point while travelling across Canada greyhound lost it. And I was without it for 2 months while they tracked down my guitar. Lucky no one stole it... Just about 2 weeks ago I got all new gold hardware for everything. Even all the little pick up mount screws. The guitar looks brand new and plays better than the day I got it. There's a gloss mark on the body from where my arm has rested for all these years. And also all the back of the neck is smooth gloss from my hand all these years. 10/10 love this guitar and best $1000 Canadian I ever spent.

[@ElectrikYang]

Godin guitars. they are made in north america. fantastic instruments. I picked a Godin Session up for 500 with a two point term. swap in a wilkinson term, locking tuners, SD Blackout pick ups. it stays in tune,plays like a 2000 dollar fender strat.

[@alonehades100]

Sennheiser is the BEST, I’ve used a Ew g3 microphone for years and even did some AB Ing against other brands, and it kicks them out of the park.

[@thedanksavatron7782]

Nissssssssssssssssssce 🍻 That ESP is a 👑Kingslayer!⚔️

[@RealFeelsTrip]

ESP Standard Eclipse-II in black satin has been my main guitar since 2014. Only difference is mine is a 2011, not a 2010. It's really as good as you say it is. Even beats Custom Shop guitars I own worth twice as much.

[@scottmcleod1470]

Much appreciate this video!

[@edwinstovall3334]

I can relate to your enthusiasm for your ESP after switching in the Fluences. I modded a guitar I rescued from a pawn shop with some pickups that I since have seen bad things about -- but those bad things DON'T come out of my speakers while I'm playing it, so eff the naysayers!😎❤️️🎸‼️

[@ericcarpenter3263]

That passive sound has so much life to it. Really love that sound. Active may work on the chugs but passive just sounds amazing.

[@AllTheCoolNamesAreTaken84]

I got an LTD EC 401 used for a great price a few months ago and it’s been my #1 ever since. It’s the most playable guitar I’ve ever had. It just screams shred me!

[@williamarango5059]

Just ordered the same gold Fishman for my LTD EC1000 Vintage Black. It’s also going to look amazing 👌🏼🤘🏼

[@julioyanes2786]

I have the LTD version of this model, exact same looking, love it

[@alexdjents6145]

So awesome to hear you giving pop punk some love! Great video

[@M4RCM0NT31R0]

13:37 I did not see that coming! Supermassive Black Hole by Muse is one of my favourite songs!

[@lucasmerieri]

same luck when in late 2018 I bought my 2006 Eclipse already loaded with EMG ZAKK WYLDE Brushed Gold Buzz Saw humbuckers; the same killer look!

[@matthewtiner7485]

I got this exact guitar yesterday, it’s killer

[@MrMusicfreak95]

Holy shit I never expected to hear new found glory from you, grew up on that album man Edit: just watched more of the video, mans is just trying to play my whole pop punk child hood in one video, nfg, blink182, sum 41, goddamn son I can only handle so much nostalgia

[@flapjack413]

That ground tab under the pickups is to send any signal picked up by the shielding paint in the cavity to ground. The strings will still be grounded through the bridge. :)

[@materedai4158]

that slap at 4:56 tells everything

[@TySutherland]

WAY more responsive and looks the biz. Probably can't tell in the mix, BUT you can feel the difference when playing and that's where inspiration comes from. Thanks for the hard work!

[@mdf2130]

That pickup cavity is shielded by a graphite paint so that's why theres a ground wire attached to it.

[@wally-001]

I just bought a Heartfield Talon 1990. They were made by Fender alongside the HM Strats in the Fuji-Gen factory in Japan. I dropped over them as a kid. Found one in near mint condition and snagged it up

[@thomassatrio]

yes you are right! Very good looking guitar that gold matching pickup are just make it more awesome!

[@Okayemokid]

the ec-1000 is my dream guitar cant wait to buy one someday

[@xerodelacroix5552]

I somehow wound up with an OLD LTD EC (back when it was a bolt on, called "The Eclipse"), problem being it's left handed and i'm right handed. Someone had gutted the pickups, but it was otherwise perfect. I was going to rebuild and sell it until I ran the serial number. It turned out to be a MIJ prototype from when they first started the LTD brand line, after that I took a closer look and realized the headstock is backwards from left handed and a few other oddities. Needless to say, I moved the strap button to the neck plate and kept it. Still one of my main guitars. I ended up going with a Dimarzio X2N in the bridge and a dummy no-name pickup in the neck. I took out the tone control and moved the volume to where the selector switch was.

[@the_hippykiller22]

As a lefty I'm kinda triggered honestly as it's so hard getting nice left handed guitars and especially ESPs...

[@BA99253]

Wiring always looks best with the cover on.

[@TheSmashingDoc1]

thats how you do a comparison video, i dont have to skip around the video, its one right after the other

[@TobyKBTY]

Those mid 2000s, non E-II, ESP standards are something special. I've played a bunch and own one and it's unreal. Kicks the ass of any normal Ibby Prestige, Gibson, and USA Fender.

[@jameshall2219]

I actually just picked one of these bad boys up as my first serious guitar. A 2007 vintage white. Love it. That ebony fretboard is just like silk. Amazing guitar. Totally got me hooked to ESPs.

[@anonymousarsonist9653]

That eclipse looks awesome!

[@Calcium_Penguin]

I got myself a 2010 myself last year! Mine is with the fat silver binding and 2 vol. 2 tone. The neck is such a dream to play. I didn't change the wiring while putting Fishmans in it, because the wiring from factory was pure porn! It's actually strange to see how different the wiring in yours was. This guitar made me sell almost every guitar I had. This is THE one ❤️

[@jameslewis2635]

In order for the shielding to work in a guitar you need any earthing material to be connected to the earth connector at the jack. On guitars that have a scratch plate over the pickup areas you don't usually worry about connecting each pickup area with cables due to there being a foil layer on the underside of the scratch plate but on a guitar like this you need to do the connections manually which is why you see them there. Cheaper guitars often miss this out just to cut costs, mostly because it increases the time taken and therefore labour costs.

[@Max_94]

Active pickups don't need it

[@instaman34]

Congrats on 100k!

[@MBvolcom92]

Dude, you are making some of the best guitar content on KZbin right now. Absolute quality, mate!

[@Remsterdam]

So cool! My fav guitar is my Eclipse too, though i gave the Ltd ec-1000 Deluxe, also in vintage black. Gold pickups is a great idea, i built in the Het Set in Gold.

[@grantkelly2751]

Little surprised that you didn’t do more, but if you’re happy with it before the changes then why bother right? Great vid as always :)

[@MajorDook1]

It's because the video is basically an ad for Fishman.

[@colinschafer5453]

I am in the market for this exact guitar. I want one so bad. I can’t find any from this time period tho. They’re all the newer ones. LTD and E-II, which are great too, I’m sure. I like this one the best tho.

[@SixString_J5]

Just a tip: Stainless steel frets I have a 1997 ESP horizon MiJ that I bought new and was my first big boy guitar. Really my first gigging axe kind of like your story. I had stainless steel frets installed a few years back and the guitar really is a timeless testament to ESP's Japanese Luthiers. I love EMGs and am happy with my 81/60 set in it but maybe one day I'll go with some chrome covered actives to class it up a little. Maybe metal covered 81/60.... Maybe Fishman classics.

[@HedOnFire]

Yeah, that vintage black esp eclipse ii is fantastic. I bought mine around 10 years ago as well, and I still use it every day and is my main guitar for playing live. Never really had any issues with the black plate look, but I must say that the gold fishman look reaaaaaally sexy.

[@jeffe236]

I’m so glad you did this! I have an EC-1000 in vintage black, I have the same feelings towards the black pickups and this is pushing me to get gold. It looks so good.

[@masterchief8646]

just ordered the E-2 Eclipse Single cut. Really really happy but I‘ll have to wait 3 months

[@johnnysguitarcorner5510]

Your first Fluence video made me buy my first set. From then on I almost have all my guitars switched to those pickups. I have almost all of their models now. Modern, Willie Adler, KSE, Tosin, Keith Merrows and even single width's. The only guitars I have that I want to keep all original are a couple of signature guitars, PRS Holcomb usa, PRS Dustie waring usa, Ibanez JBM 100 Japan and a Ibanez DCM 100 Japan. I totally understand your enthusiasm regarding these pickups, they are really something else

[@johnnyblue9120]

I traded my matte black Jackson Randy Rhodes for that guitar. I love it 😁

[@williamharrison54]

The most modern les paul spec wise has to be the traditional pro v. 10-16" compound radius fretboard, asymmetrical neck carve. And whatever you want to with the electronics if you don't like the 4 push/pull knobs and dip switches in the cavity. It looks like a regular gibson but it's far from it.

[@StevenEveral]

I had a guitar very similar to yours a few years ago. It was almost like yours except it had a traditional LP-style control layout and it had a blue quilt top. I, unfortunately, had to sell it because I had just been offered a job in Korea and my ESP Eclipse was the only thing that I owned aside from my car that I could sell to get enough money so I could afford the plane ticket to the other side of the world. Right now I'm saving up to get a similar-looking E-II sometime in the future.

[@Robster-Craw]

I was of the same mindset. I didn't see a good reason why anyone would need to buy a guitar over say 600$ with a little bit of some guitar know-how and a swap of a pick-up here and there you can make them play and sound fantastic. Then I bought an American Fender Pro Telecaster. And everything just feels different. All the seams and corners are perfect and the neck pocket where the neck and the heel meet up that bottom part you can't even feel the seam it's perfectly flush. the neck has this feel to it everything feels so smoothed over, I opened up the electronics cover and gave the pots and wires a peek, and the soldering was done great everything was so clean and the joints were great. I just gotta say in my experience yes you can make them cheap and budget guitars play like a dream. But there is something to be said about the fit and finish and feel of a 1400$+ guitar. And if you get the right guitar and don't destroy it with a ding and scratches it might even end up being an investment and put some profit in your pocket one day.

[@cheezmonta]

You should check out Mad Hatter's guitar electronics kits. They're solder-less making changes and swaps super easy. Just poke the wire in the tiny clamp and screw it down. I have a set in in my Ibanez 7 string with some SD Blackouts. The stock electronics were failing those pickups badly.

[@SocksworthRiffs]

100% recommend the ESP standards or E-II series stuff. my Eclipse is one of the best feeling guitars I own. EDIT: As the Discord servers biggest Muse fan, I caught that. You've made me happy.

[@emilsolgaard7613]

Dude thats beautiful. Did almost the same to my white and gold eclipse. It needed that gold pickup cover, but i also got gold pickup rings. That looks insane!

[@1337million]

EMG does have a set of actives with a split coil or second voicing, the 57/66 TW set. Although it doesn't look like they come in gold

[@anshubhatia6609]

So much pop punk, I'm here for it! Like the modern passive tone the best!

[@rodkozevenikoff6665]

I haven't heard Stay Together For The Kids in a long time! Awesome mod job bro. Them pickups sound nice!

[@MrScrofulous]

Looks sweet, and I would do that mod for the cosmetic change alone, but I prefer EMG's to FLuence Modern . I am awaiting the arrival of my Abasi to try the Abasi tones. I like the demo's I've heard.

[@8stringwrshpleader]

Have you ever thought of doing a Push/Push instead of push/pull pot? I feel like that would bee a speedier and more comfortable transition between sounds live.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

After learning everything I have from Glenn, it's hilarious when doing the sound comparisons and there's not much if any difference haha

[@Aoesl]

those ground connections in the pickup cavities are needed because they're painted with conductive shield paint. :D

[@56grishnak65]

The reason you see a ground in both of the pickup cavities is because they need to be grounded when they got shielding paint or tape. If not, the shielding will not do anything but being an antenna for noise. No shielding is better than bad shielding.

[@Patrick33194]

Looks so much better

[@matthewf1979]

You have impeccable taste in guitars! I love the old LesPaul Custom 54’ and 57’ look. Maybe even more than a burst or gold top. The three humbucker “Black Beauty” not so much.

[@LL-ub8zo]

So nostalgic. not just because of the riffs. I got the exact same guitar in 2012. Loved it to death. Too bad I had to sell it so I could study overseas. You just gave me an idea of buying another ESP Eclipse. Yup, will definitely buy one in a few months time. Great video man, keep it up.

[@tomdelonge2305]

All downhill from here riff was a fun thing to add

[@scrub8423]

Huge congrats on 100k! Your videos inspired me to do a mod project of my own on my first strat, going slow and i'm getting weird with it, but i cant wait for it to be done!

[@tonybrown7847]

That’s a really nice guitar. I was thinking of getting a 59’ reissue Les Paul but I got my eye on this ESP now. I had an ESP strat back in the late 80’s, one of the best guitars I’ve owned. Too bad I let it go 😢

[@eddybarker5072]

Great review and upgrade!

[@klaymeister]

Looks great. I would have tried something like EMG 57/66 or 57/66TW

[@chuckhill4524]

I added emg 81’s to a joe satriani Ibanez model and it did f all for tone change. If you want to know the tone it did produce to a T. Deftones adrenaline album guitar sound. Other than that it’s just hollow sound with no punch. Thinking of selling.

[@mannyfallout4540]

Not metal player AT ALL but I bought a used LTD version of the eclipse in a whim and I LOVE it! Makes me want to upgrade to a true ESP but I also don't like the new E-II logo. Congrats on 100k

[@andrewbendahan1379]

So excited for this!

[@user-df9fd3jh1c]

Niiiiiiice)) 1k for ESP. It's an amazing deal!

[@Kiobo7n7]

8:29 lol those are the grounds for the shielding paint