ESP Navigator

[mentalmorg]

Hi guys,
Im new to the forum and this is my 1st question. I currently own a vintage v100. Ive been saving for a gibson studio but came across an esp navigator built in the late 70`s for around £600. Im asking cos ive never heard of these guitars and was just wondering if the price is worth it?or should i just carry on and save for the studio?
Thanks
Gareth M.

[TOMMYTHUNDERS]

Dude, I want a navigator LP so bad. i don't know about this specific model, but i love those guitars. i saw zigyaku from judgement (one of my favorite bands) playing a black one modeled after a LP custom and it sounded AMAZING. great guitars. they're ESP's super top of the line.

i dislike LP studios.

if it was me it would be navigator all the way.

[mentalmorg]

Well this one is based on the 59`. Im just wondering cos obviously this guitar is over 25yrs old.im just abit weary of buying something this old, but hey what do i know? ill try and get a pic on here of it. fair play it looks the buisness.the guy also said it has a brazillian fretboard.

[TOMMYTHUNDERS]

i'd believe it. do you have a model number? Navigator model numbers are based on price in JPY. it'll let you know what level it is. throw up some pics. i'm dying to see this thing. if you do buy it i'll be jealous, if you buy a LP studio i won't be.

[mentalmorg]

It doesnt have a serial number the guy said that before a certain year they never used serial numbers. So do you think the guitar is worth £600 then?

[TOMMYTHUNDERS]

pics.
also ask some of the MIJ geniuses around here.
for comparison what does a LP studio sell for over in your magical land of knights and dragons?

[mentalmorg]

Ive posted the pics in an earlier post cant you see them?if not ill post again. Gibson les paul studios brand new are over a grand in the shops around here. the prices have seemed to have shot up recently back before xmas they were only £749, thats a massive price increase in anyones money its kind of out priced my budget.

[TOMMYTHUNDERS]

sorry i can't see some pics at work. i'll check tonight. anyway you slice it if a studio is 750 pounds and the navigator is 600 pounds i'd be falling all over myself to get the navigator. i was expecting you to say a studio is like 300-400 pounds or something and that is why you were having the dilemma.

[mentalmorg]

thats a 2nd hand studio the new ones are £1050!!lol. My main concern was just id never heard of them and didnt know if they were any better than my vintage v100.the guitar is over 25yrs old and just didnt know if they were worth the price.

[TOMMYTHUNDERS]

wow that navigator is quite gorgeous. suspicious it doesn't have a serial number... but i don't know about that so i'm not about to call anyone out over it. just saying, for me it would be an easy decision.
zigyaku with his navigator:

[mentalmorg]

Im abit weiry of the no serial too. Thanks for all the replies to man i think im just gona have to go look at it.

[TOMMYTHUNDERS]

oh yeah, for sure dude. and of course the acid test as anyone here will be quick to say, and i'm sure you already know, is how it feels to you and how it sounds to you.

see if you can get him to throw that plexi in as a bonus......

[mentalmorg]

Ill ask him should cover my travel expenses!haha.

[qwank]

serial numbers started in 2003 on Edwards. not sure about Navigators. most likely theres a number under the neck pickup if its like other Edwards guitars.

[villager]

there is no way of dating early navigators, that could be anything from 1978-1988, also you need to ask is it a 1 piece back, is it a solid maple top, is it nitro, how worn are the frets, any markings inside, and what are the pickups... that gives you the info you need...

the very top end older navigators are 3X the price of that one so I doubt it is actually the top spec model, I would guess a lower model veneer top and 2 piece back, poly finish from the later 80's..


for 600 quid its a good deal if it doesnt need a refret...buy it.. its a good price for a very good guitar...


I am from Bridgend by the way!!

[Mick51]

Hi Gareth. Villager has some good points for you. Check out his site, down where the tagline would be. He has a number of Navigators, both from the early 1980's, and more recent. That will give you a bit better idea what you are looking at. You'll be drooling before too long, if you haven't been to his site before.

Mark, I bought the Navigator from Nils-Bro. We'll see what I have in a week or so, when it gets to the States. I'm very, very happy with the LS-320 you sold me back in April.

[villager]

glad u like her mick..top notch guitar.

[Shuggie101]

Hi Gareth

As a fellow Taff I was going to direct you towards Villager - but he got there first. I think it will be a hell of a lot of guitar for £600 and way more interesting than a brand new Studio. I'd go for it worn frets or not. If it needs new frets then it's not too big a deal.

BTW my Dad's from Llanhilleth - Pleasant View.

Best of luck

Shuggie

[tonebone]

Originally Posted by mentalmorg

Hi guys,
Im new to the forum and this is my 1st question. I currently own a vintage v100. Ive been saving for a gibson studio but came across an esp navigator built in the late 70`s for around £600. Im asking cos ive never heard of these guitars and was just wondering if the price is worth it?or should i just carry on and save for the studio?
Thanks
Gareth M.

Have you bought this yet? You better check it out before it's gone. At that price, you can always sell it if you don't like it. (even if it does have a poly coat, which it appears to have)

Killer lookin' guitar.

Screw the Studio is this is available. It would more than likely leave your V100 in the dust, also.

You'd best check the internetz for info's on Navigator guitars. You'll problee be gettin' some petrol in the buggy after you do.

[tonebone]

Originally Posted by Shuggie101

Hi Gareth

As a fellow Taff I was going to direct you towards Villager - but he got there first. I think it will be a hell of a lot of guitar for £600 and way more interesting than a brand new Studio. I'd go for it worn frets or not. If it needs new frets then it's not too big a deal.

BTW my Dad's from Llanhilleth - Pleasant View.

Best of luck

Shuggie

Sorta looks like it's got fret edged binding. Not too easy to re-fret those. You better research the price on that particular re-fret service from your local luthiers. You'll know better when you go have a look-play.

[fisheric]

Id be all over that Navigator. That is a great price.

However I don't think its a 59 replica. It doesn't look like it has the fret edge binding to me. As far as I know those high end Japanese replicas had that feature.

Even if its not it is still a great price.

[villager]

the high end models had fret binding all years from 78-88, some years the lower models did not have fret binding...its no real indication of other features.. if it has been re-fretted it will usually have lost the fret binding too, so fret binding, if present tells you it may be a high end model... but need to know the other specs to establish exactly what it is...still for 600 quid its a great buy... I just bought an 1982 LPS-350, the highest spec, from Japan ..and that was nearly 3X the price of this one, however I know exactly what it is and so the price was fair for a guitar of that age and quality..

[Adidos]

Did you buy it yet? Lots of positive replies should have swayed you - no?
If Villager says "...for 600 quid its a great buy" then 'nuff said.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

For whatever it's worth, you can clearly see the fret edge binding in this picture.

[mentalmorg]

Hi guys sorry for the delay in getting back to you all, and thanks for all the comments. I did decide that i would go and look at it with the money in my pocket but when i rang him he had decided not to let it go and keep it. Cant say i blame him but i was very dissapointed.

thanks again
Gareth

[Shuggie101]

Hi Gareth

If you're still interested in a Navigator here's one in Caerphilly on Ebay. The vendor is allowing people to go and try it before bidding and he's not far from you.

He seems to think it's a one piece back and it weight approx 9.5 pounds. Medium tenon neck joint.

My mate just picked up a Navigator and I was very impressed with it.

ESP/NAVIGATOR LATE 70s on eBay (end time 09-Aug-09 18:00:00 BST)

Then again it looks very similar to the pics you posted - maybe it's the same one. Bidding is pretty lively so I think it will go above £600.

[UITA]

Just realised it's now 2012!!!!!

[Udonitron]

It is?!?! WTF happened to me over the last 3 years?

[mono]

epic necro post

[UITA]

Originally Posted by mono

epic necro post

Epic fail, can't believe I did that!