u/17Liberty76

After an almost year long project my baby is finally done!!! It started out as a ChESP that I sanded down to bare wood which to my surprise was actually mahogany and not “plywood” as some people claim…. I shipped it off for pyrography sometime around June or July last year (the artist wishes to remain anonymous but he’s incredible) instead of having just the barbed wire on the headstock or “ESP” I opted to use my initials “SFR”

I got it back from overseas in October to learn a valuable lesson, never ship a guitar via FedEx, because when I got it back the headstock was broken but it was a clean break so it was an easy fix for a local luthier named Dave Lewis based out of Reading PA. (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

I took it to him for repairs and to finish the clear coat and reassembly. There were a few complications from the clear coat I had the artist put on (against his recommendation btw) so the process of clearing it took months, in the meantime I was turned on to a luthier based out of Vietnam who makes custom fretboards and I had him make me a new one with barbed wire inlays made out of mother of pearl. When I got it I took it to the luthier and the measurements I gave him were a hair off so the neck had to be reprofiled slightly. Once that was done and it was installed it was several coats of clear coat and I’m happy to say that this morning I finally got to bring my baby home! And it feels incredible!!! I’ve wanted to have a guitar like this since I first saw James play it in person March 8, 1997 in Philly and now I finally have it.

My Elk Skull