ESP
LTD VINTAGE- 204 BASS
BY JORDAN WAGNER
From its humble beginnings as a supplier for custom replacement parts, ESP is
one of a handful of guitar companies that
has paid just as much attention to bassists
as guitarists. While most modern players associate their name with heavy rock
and metal, ESP has always had an eye and
appreciation for vintage flair (check out
their Navigator series from the late ’70s and
early ’80s to find some stunning examples).
That influence continues today with their
distressed models, one of which is the high-end, Vintage- 4 bass. And understanding
that bassists on a budget might want to
partake in the all-in-one, yesteryear stylings
of the Vintage- 4, the company has released
the Vintage- 204, a much more affordable
version from their LTD line.
The 34"-scale maple neck that’s
bolted to the body is comfortable, thin,
U-contoured, and capped with a rosewood
fretboard. The convincing, greyish stain on
the back of the neck indicates years of wear,
though the neck doesn’t feel worn with its
glossy-lacquer finish. The fretboard’s 21
frets are dressed with extra-jumbo fretwire,
and a set of ESP vintage-style, open-gear
tuners holds the strings taut with the
chrome, string-through ESP DB- 4 bridge
on the body.
I had no problem moving up and down the
neck’s super-comfortable profile, and the
rounded edges of the neck made it easy and
effortless for quick movement.
Straight to the Point
Over the past several years, ESP’s LTD line
has come a long way in build quality, and
the Vintage- 204 is no exception. The finish
of the Vietnam-built instrument is cleanly
applied with a smooth-satin sheen, and the
distressed makeup gives it the appearance
of a well-worn instrument that has rocked
many a gig. The look of the Vintage- 204
evokes thoughts of ESP’s traditional,
Fender-influenced aesthetics that they first
built their name on, before moving into
hot-rodded, metal-style territory.
The alder body is finished with a traditional, three-tone burst. While the worn
areas give the bass a very convincing vintage
look, they don’t necessarily have a worn feel
to the touch. As I ran my hand across the
distressed areas of the body, there was no
discernible difference in texture between the
spots where the bare wood was showing and
the finished areas. While it’s a minor detail,
being able to feel the grain of the wood in
the worn areas gives an element of authenticity to a relic’d finish. With that said, it’s
hard to complain about this detail with
sincerity given that the Vintage- 204 commands a price of only 350 bones.
Relic’d, three-tone
burst finish
ESP DB- 4 bridge
ESP LDJ bridge pickup
and LDP neck pickup
