E-Maverick

And so it happened; ESP did an Edwards version of the Maverick. After the ESP & LTD versions in February, the Maverick is now represented in three manifestations. Will a Grass Roots version take place soon? That aside, the Edwards Maverick features a Lil '59 in the neck position instead of a rail type single coil. Reminder: The Maverick features 27 frets.

Pic: ESP Japan

CY returns

The CY makes a return to Edwards' line-up this June with a simpler look.

Once upon a time, the CY was one of the upper-most tier instrument in the Edwards catalog. It had more than 24 frets, excessive binding, Seymour Duncan pickups, gold hardware... the works. The current version is a rather restrained look but equally inviting. The pickups are Seymour Duncan Rails: JB / Vintage / Jazz. 

Good to know that the neck-through-body construction was retained for the current incarnation. Despite the trimmings, expect to pay about $2K if it's made available here.

Pics: ESP

Snaps

Tasty Edwards Snapper models are now in stock at Davis GMC ($1,550). This is a great HSS Super-Strat type guitar to own. Unlike the previous incarnation, these are currently sporting ESP's own Custom Lab pickups (previously Seymour Duncan). I believe this version with a covered humbucker is new here. I'm aware things are litigious when it comes to the 'Strat' & that S-type body outline. I'm reserving further comments on this but it will be an episode mentioned here in the near future.

Pic: ESP

Pre-owned @ Black Crane

There are currently a few pre-owned Edwards models at Black Crane Guitars. These are one-offs, if you are quick, you would get to own ridiculously well-maintained instruments which could have easily passed off as brand new. I dropped by to take a look at these guitars personally, only the E-LP-STD is available ($1,400), the rest - a Navigator & two other Edwards - were sold off. Stay tuned for more enticing pre-owned Edwards in the near future.

Pic: ESP Japan

Snapper: Soft re-boot

Edwards had re-instated the Snapper in its current catalog. As depicted above, it's available in both the alder/rosewood & ash/maple configurations. Unlike the recent 20th Anniversary model, this revised edition features the two-post bridge. It is unwise for Edwards to exclude or remove the Snapper entirely as it is easily the most Strat-looking model to rival the F-brand.

Pics: ESP Japan

Edwards' 50th

Lest we forget, this year, ESP celebrates its 50th Anniversary. The ESP / LTD commemorative releases were costly. Even the LTD was priced excessively for many of us. It's rather late (December) but ESP has released the Edwards version of its commemorative piece - the E-Horizon CTM. Very classy looking with its gold appointments but it will definitely be as costly as its other anniversary counterparts. Darn.

Pic: ESP Japan

E-Horizon

Really happy ESP is cascading some of its flagship models onto the Edwards range. This model here is the E-Horizon I - Duncan pickups (C5 / Cool Rails) & a Floyd Rose 2000 bridge. This is easily the alternative to the Ibanez RG565. 

Of course, the set neck feature of the ESP version is retained here. 

As guitar prices continue to manifest unreasonable & absurd figures, we're happy to see such a move by ESP. The prevailing exchange rates are not helping many of us with our potential guitar ownership as well. 

Pics: ESP Japan

E 7

The ESP Japanese camp has released this gorgeous (to me) Edwards 7-string; E-M-II-7. It's a simple, no-frills guitar that beckons to be played. I believe those of us who are into good Japanese craftsmanship & value-for-money instruments, would want to see more Edwards available here. 

PS: For those of us who are still unaware, be informed that Edwards instruments now feature in-house ESP pickups. The humbuckers in the guitar depicted above are the ESP Custom Lab. This helps keep prices in check.

Pic: ESP Japan

E Arrow

The Arrow model is now offered as an Edwards iteration. This E-Arrow-1H as the name implies, is a single humbucker vesion. Specifically, it's a Fishman Fluence Modern to handle all sorts of distortion antics.

Pic: ESP Japan

Snapper 20th

ESP is commemorating the 20th anniversary of its Snapper design. Looks awesome, yes? The ESP at the headstock there means you'd be paying a premium for one.

There's the Edwards version if you're interested. Equally appealing (Japanese) but at a lower price point. The fact that these are anniversary models means they are limited in production & has a 50/50 chance of making it to the local distributor. 

Pics: ESP

White start

I love this guitar despite not playing it often. It's all about the weight - heavy. I can't really handle it after about 20min of play as it would numb my right leg severely. Due to the intensive chemo not too long ago, there were some nerve damages here so lapping this heavy guitar would compound the discomfort. 

I love the deep, heavy tones I could manifest with this guitar. The weight per se & the pickups (Seymour Duncan JB / '59) play an important part in this. It works better with riffs as opposed to solos. I don't need to play fast with this one, & I completely understand why those doom inclined prefer a guitar of this make to fulfil their sonic assault. You won't see this in the stores here these days as ESP has scaled down on its copy designs due to obvious legalities. 

Of course, the obligatory re-string before play - Darco 10s.

Horizon BOSS

The Edwards camp released a Horizon 7-string with a BOSS GK synth pickup. Not quite obvious here as it sits between the bridge humbucker & the FR bridge. The pickups on board are ESP's in-house Custom Lab models. Currently only offered in black. 

Pic: ESP Japan

 

Thanks & goodbye: John Sykes

Another guitar great had left us - John Sykes (20 Jan '25). Many of us would have known him for his Whitesnake stint but do take time to check out his Blue Murder stuff where he had a bit more guitar authority going. It is unclear what kind of cancer he was battling with before passing on but from one cancer patient to another - our time will come & we bid goodbye with thanks.

Sykes was a Les Paul guy through & through & his LP Custom with metallic appointments was an unmistakable i/d. It's an open secret that the Edwards brand kept the JS version of their LP Custom-esque range in a John Sykes iteration (hence the JS monicker in the model citation). If you own one (depicted above), please hold on to it as Edwards had stopped / will cease production of this guitar.

Pics: ESP / JS official

Synth PU

If guitar synth is your thing, then this Edwards E-Snapper-GK-AL/R is something you should check out. I know what you're thinking, you can buy that GK-5 pickup separately & mount it onto your guitar but that would mean dealing with some contraptions dangling over the instrument. Look at the arrangement in the pic; everything is tucked away under the pickguard / in the body less that pickup there. Available at Davis GMC ($2,150). 

Pic: Ishibashi

Price watch (85): Close

If you have to decide between the Fender Player II Strat & an Edwards:

• Fender - a typical Strat, nothing special. Maybe those Alnico V pickups might appease to the contemporary players who are more at home with driven tones.
• Edwards - a typical Strat as well, one less fret + truss rod access at the neck heel. tradition 6-screws bridge. Made in Japan. 
• Something with Fender on the headstock vs Japanese QC... tough call.

If you have to decide between the Squier (Affinity) J-bass & a Bacchus WJB

• Squier - ceramic pickups, laurel fretboard. Good features for something in at this price point.
• Bacchus - roasted maple neck + steel frets, both for a sub-$500 asking price.
• $60 price difference between a good beginner bass & something that offers more in terms of value-for-money. What would hold you back - that Bacchus brand name, yes?

If you have to decide between a Jackson (RR24) & Edwards (Alexi Ripped) V-type outlines

• Jackson - Ebony 'board + JB/Jazz pickups, potent combo
• LTD - Ebony 'board + EMG HZ pickups, equally potent (EDIT: Pic shows the ESP version... oops)
• It's always a little difficult putting money into something with an endorser association but the Alexi Laiho models are popular (till today) with a good re-sale value. But in this outline domain, the RR will always be the standard reference / to beat. A single coil in the neck for the Laiho might be deal breaker for many of us. Then again, it already sounds very good just with the bridge humbucker.

Pics: Davis, Swee Lee

E-LP

Some Edwards guitars are in at Davis GMC. If you are planning to purchase any of the Les Paul-esque models, I hope you do it soon. You would not be able to buy them come next year. Trying not to say too much here but I hope you can read between the lines. This awesome E-LP-CTM is listing for $1,690. If weight is your concern, be informed that this is a heavy guitar but the sustain is impressive.

The flame-y top version, E-LP-STD is $1,590. 

Are these direct repros of the Gibson counterpart? Yes & no. Yes because these are following the exact templates of the Gibson but differ in 2 main aspects; neck profile & pickups. Some purists are also contesting the weight differences but know that these instruments are heavy. No because Edwards did their own take on many things which are minor details eg. truss rod cover. Be quick, yes?

Pic: ESP Japan

Snap MIDI

You can now get an Edwards (Snapper) with a MIDI pickup (BOSS GK) on board. It's only available for the Snapper you see here in the mean time. The other pickups in the guitar are ESP's in-house SS & LH.

 

Pic: ESP Japan

Miku...

This Edwards E-Stream Miku Custom is now available at Davis GMC. I'm digging the body outline but that headstock, to me, is a deal breaker. Glad that some one-offs / limited runs / dealer specials are available here every now & then. Affording one is a different story.

Pic: MFC

Ed-lynch

Heck yes - some of the most iconic George Lynch guitars are now offered in the Edwards range. This Kamikaze 1 is an example.

E-Purple Tiger - another one of the this-is-definitely-a-George Lynch-guitar model. The thing with the ESP versions - they are largely unaffordable. The Edwards manifestation means it's maintaining its Japanese pedigree & listed for much less but these are definitely no entry-level instruments.

This E-Yellow Tiger is perhaps my favourite - single humbucker + that traditional Strat-type headstock outline. The not so good news - these instruments are strictly Japan-only releases (darn) but might be offered to the wider market in time to come. When would that be? Your guess is as good as mine.

Pics: ESP Japan

U-SE

Despite that semi-unsightly headstock design, these are absolutely cool - Edwards' Ultratone SE. 

This version sports a pair of Jazzmaster type pickups (Ultratone SE JM) & a TOM style bridge. That extended string length between the bridge & the hard tail is totally unnecessary but it's there to perhaps emulate the tonal behaviour of a Jazzmaster. There's a slim chance these would make it here & if they do, it won't be on the light side of the price bracket as these are from the Platinum range.

This is how an ESP Ultratone looks like with the more streamlined headstock design. FYI, these were (yes, they are discontinued) extended scale instruments sporting a scale length of 27".

One was made for George Lynch.

Pics: ESP Japan