Rajin, Japanese God of Thunder.
Fujin, the Japanese God of Wind.
Handcrafted with detail by ESP’s Master Luthiers at the Tokyo based ESP custom shop
The names of the two custom guitars displaying the finely crafted tonewoods and components on special exhibit on the wall going into the booth at NAMM, were:
EX23-29 RAIJIN:
SPECIFICATIONS:
Bolt-on construction Antique Natural finish Korina body Karin neck Macassar ebony fingerboard Brass circle & reconstone inlays Brass scalloped nut Antique gold hardware finish Bare Knuckle Painkiller bridge pickup w/brass bobbin Gotoh locking tuners Recessed fixed hardtail bridge
EX-23 30 FUJIN:
SPECIFICATIONS:
Bolt-on construction Antique Natural finish Korina body Karin neck Macassar ebony fingerboard Brass circle & reconstone inlays Brass scalloped nut Antique gold hardware finish Bare Knuckle Painkiller bridge pickup w/brass bobbin Gotoh locking tuners Recessed fixed hardtail bridge
Both are Exclusively available at: Ikebe Grandey Jungle (Japan)
When walking into the ESP Exhibition booth at the NAMM Show this year in April of 2023, no one could pass without paying regard to the two guitars in display cases guarding the entrance. I’ll report that it was true that due to their fine craftsmanship they were off limits to everyday people who might want to play them, just like museum worthy pieces of art. I had to find out more about them so I asked one of the ESP representatives Jeff K. a few questions, as I am accustomed. The two guitars depicted the Japanese deities Rajin, the God of Thunder and Fujin the God of Winds, are brothers who defend the entrances to temples.
While we talked, I noticed that the demon brothers had gold eyes that were rimmed with red, and I’ve since discovered that this is a tradition in their portrayal. The first guitar was Rajin, who paradoxically is a drummer who uses large hammers to hit Taikos which produce thunderous booming sounds during storms. You can see that the drum is in his right hand with the hammer on this guitar, and the left hammer goes into the pick ups. This pattern from the top of the drums, is repeated again on the fretboard in a ruby color. His motion is represented in the swirling fabric which seems to wind, carved around the muscular and all powerful horned demon with his fangs. The gravity defying hair he’s known for tells all … This is certainly one of my favorite Metal Gods.
The second guitar was Fujin, the Japanese God of Wind. Again it is the motion in the swirling fabric that looks like air blowing wind. According to tradition, he is carrying a large bag of wind across his shoulders. He is described as a terrifying wizardly demon, resembling a red-headed green-skinned human-like being who wears a leopard skin. You can even see the detail in the pattern of the rope which is holding the bag of wind closed. You may also notice that there seems to be a cloud which he is upon, he must share Rajin’s clouds.
Super neat-o!
Every year we are never disappointed, just struck with awe like lightning by the guitars at the ESP limited exhibit. The luthier work is very fine and the fancy ornate inlay designs on the fretboards of each guitar are a sight to behold. The colors of the wood finishes and use of different materials for their designs are so artful that a musician can only dream of just playing one. Indeed all of these breathtaking instruments can be regarded with curiosity not just for the gimcrack.
Hek82:
We’re here at the Namm Show in Anaheim ‘23, and we are looking at the most fascinating guitar I’ve seen in a while, here on the on the Upper Floor but and I’m with my friend Jeff Klopmeyer who is one of the artist interviewers here with ESP guitars. Can you tell me about these instruments they’re so amazing!
Jeff K:
I sure can Katie. Well, every year the luthier is at the ESP custom shop in Japan these guys are Master luthiers most of them have been doing this for decades. They create a custom series of guitars that we call the exhibition limited series and these are the guitars that they make purely out of their own imagination they’re not anything that other people order they just come straight from their highest level of creativity. What they do is they only make one each of these guitars and the ones that we’re looking at behind us. They are very very special as you can tell.
They’re fully carved works of art okay. This is this certainly is wow yes and it took one of these luthiers a full year just to make these two guitar models that we have here but I’d say the results are worthwhile. You know these represent demons in Japanese mythology. And really it’s a situation where somebody’s gonna buy these guitars that really represents as much of a work of art to hang and to look at and of course. There’s not another one like either one of them in the world just one and so for somebody who’s a serious collector that would be a kind of guitar that they’d be looking at.
Hek82:
Definitely. He said it’s a Japanese demon so um and I think that for ESP guitars that that’s a very really special design because when the company was first founded it was it actually founded in Japan…
Jeff K:
Oh, yes very much and it’s still ESP is actually based in Japan even though we have our U.S headquarters uh here in the Los Angeles area up in North Hollywood ESP is a Japanese company but we’re also very much a global company at this point You know we have our LTD models which go around the world our ESP guitars from the custom shop in Japan our ESP USA guitars that we build here in Southern California so we’re very much of a global company and make guitars at all those different levels from a beginner through a professional player through a person who might buy this who’s a serious collector so yes.
Hek82:
And the the that goes for the price range as well we’re looking at affordable, everyday prices and we’re looking at these collectors items which are like works of art.
Jeff K:
They’re worth tens of thousands of dollars on a guitar like this but again you know most of the guitars that we end up selling that are used for people who are out doing gigs and making their own records and that type of stuff you know for a very reasonable price they can get a guitar that performs on a you know pretty much high percentage basis just like the high-end ones and sound great and feel great so we’re happy to be able to serve people who are beginners and hobbyist people through professionals through the highest end of musicians in the world yeah.
Hek82:
Absolutely, did you say what type of material that is you know what they use for these?
Jeff K:
I actually can’t say but they use very exotic Woods uh oftentimes these are things that they’ll have to search around the world just to find the right wood to go uh to be made into this type of guitar so unlike most guitars this type of thing has to be able to be carved in a very very detailed way so the artisanship on this again it’s much more akin to making a sculpture a work of art that just happens to also be in the shape of a guitar you know so they use all manner of exotic woods that go into something like this you would never find in another guitar anywhere else in this entire NAMM Show.
Hek82:
I like the eyes on it they’re sort of glimmering glinting gold…
Jeff K:
They sure are they sure are but even little things like the the actual guitar hardware on this those are all hand-crafted at the ESP custom shop in Japan. So, they’re fully One of a Kind every every little piece about it from the covers of the pickups knobs the tuning pegs everything is completely unique completely top quality yeah absolutely. It really doesn’t get any better!
Hek82:
Thank you!
Learn more at: ESPGuitars.com
ESP since 1975 …
Article, photos, and video interview by Kate Schank , co April 2023