ESP LTD M-10 Electric Guitar: Part Two

Quick Links: Part One | Part Two | Part Three

In the previous post, we took a long, hard look at this ESP LTD M-10. Yes, there was lots that needed to be done, and in this post; I'll show you exactly what I did. The very first step was putting 0000 steel wool, 3M Flexible Polishing Papers and Autosol Metal Polish to work. Of course, there was also lots of elbow grease involved.

The most challenging task was separating the frozen bridge stud from its bushing. I'm glad to report that alternately heating the bushing with a mini-blowtorch and "shock cooling" in water finally did the trick. Thorough scrubbing with a steel-bristled brush got rid of any corrosion and caked-on gunk, and after a good lubing; everything was fine and dandy.

The pickups? Yes, they were actually Belcats in disguise. On the plus side, the pickup and control cavities were adequately shielded with conductive shielding paint. However, as I've noticed on other ESP LTDs; grounding tabs were missing. That being the case, I wired in new ground tabs terminating in the control cavity wall; with a jumper cable soldered to the back of a pot. Also added a piece of conductive self-adhesive copper tape to ensure good contact with the foil shield on the back of the control cavity cover.

New electronics comprised new Alpha A500K pots, a 3-way switch, 0.022uF poly film cap; and Neutrik/Rean NYS229 output jack. I've tested the electronics sans neck and strings, and everything seems to be working well. Got a set of Ernie Ball Super Slinkys (009-042) at the ready for the next step; which should be restring and setup. But that will have to wait until tomorrow, at least. Till then, stay home, stay safe, wear a mask; and avoid crowded places.

ESP LTD M-10 Electric Guitar: Part One

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Part One | Part Two | Part Three

If you really have to buy a used guitar, do take the time and trouble to check it out personally. And if you don't know all that much, be sure to bring along a friend who does. If you don't, you might end up with an ESP LTD like this one. It belongs to a close friend's son, so I really feel his pain. Dad told me to "do to it as you would your own guitar." Ok, Dad; I hear you loud and clear.

For starters, it's full of grime and crud; not to mention rust and corrosion. The grime, crud, and corrosion I can probably scrub off. However, parts that are too rusty to be saved will have to be replaced. The electronics barely work, and as they're corroded; I'll be replacing them.

The previous owner had put on some strap locks. The one at the butt end is okay, but the one attached to the upper horn completely tore away; leaving a gaping hole. I'll be plugging that and redrilling, for sure. Other than that, the high E bridge stud of the tune-o-matic clone bridge is completely frozen. 

It's stuck to the bushing, which is so loose that when I turn the stud; the bushing turns too. So I've managed to remove the whole stud/bushing combo. The next step will be to decouple the stud from the bushing, do a cleanup and lube; and find a way to make the bushing fit snugly in its hole.

Last but not least, one of the bridge humbucker ring's screws is so rusty that there's nothing left for a screwdriver to grip. If I tried drilling into the screw head, the heat would damage the ring. Likewise if I tried to saw through it to create a groove of sorts, the ring would still be damaged. So, what the heck, I'm going to cut into the ring, pry it loose; and then remove the stubborn screw with a pair of pliers. Yes, this means that I'm going to have to replace the pickup ring. Ah well, you can't win em' all.

I kinda like this guitar, you know. It's got a reverse headstock, nice black finish; and plays well. One weird thing (for me, at least) though, is that while "ESP" is proudly emblazoned on the pickup coils; they're actually made by Belcat; a Chinese company. So, what gives, ESP? Well, that's all for this post. Thanks for dropping by. Stay home, stay safe; and stay tuned for further updates on this ESP LTD M-10.