ESP The Mirage Custom Turquoise

OK, time to put on the spandex trousers and practice the legato runs, this is about as 80’s as it gets.

The ESP The Mirage Custom is a Japan-made ESP superstrat from the late ’80s, finished in the period-correct Turquoise. The Mirage Custom sat above the standard Mirage/Deluxe models with higher-end woods and trim, fast necks, and a factory Floyd-style trem.

ESP built these in small numbers for the export market, and they show up across late-’80s catalogs and dealer runs. Players associated with ESP’s Mirage family in this era include Vernon Reid and Bruce Kulick, who helped put the company’s shred-ready designs on stage and on MTV.

This example has been rocked, so features lots of genuine playwear. It has also had a minor repair where the pointy end of the headstock has been cracked and reglued, visible in the photos. It is totally stable and just adds to the guitar’s hard rockin’ character. Frets are about 90% and have been nicely dressed, so this guitar shreds with the best. Serial number has worn off, which is common on these as it is just stamped in black on the back of the headstock, not actually into the wood. This also makes it impossibly to date exactly by serial number, but from research on the model the Turquoise colour was only offered in 1987, so our best estimate is 1987/88.

No case or bag. Weight is 3800g.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Construction: Set-neck, deep heel contour
• Body: Alder; gloss poly Turquoise
• Neck: 3-piece maple, slim-U profile
• Fingerboard: Ebony; 24 jumbo frets; dot inlays with ESP block at 12th; ~305 mm/12″ radius
• Scale length: 25.5″ (648 mm)
• Nut: Locking Floyd-type, ~42 mm
• Truss rod access: Headstock
• Bridge: Licensed Floyd Rose Takeuchi TRS-101
• Pickups: HSS—bridge humbucker + two rail single-coils
• Controls: Master volume, master tone, 5-way blade; mini-toggle for coil-split/boost depending on run
• Hardware: Die-cast sealed tuners, black finish
• Output jack: Side-mounted
• Electronics cavity: Rear-routed
• Strap buttons: Standard, two-point
• Country of manufacture: Japan
• Weight: 3800g