ESP LTD SC-608B Stephen Carpenter Signature 8 String
Photo: ESP Guitars
Stephen Carpenter of the Deftones has been an ESP Guitars signature artist since the late nineties. As the band’s sound continued to evolve, so did ESP as their line with Carpenter now includes six, seven, and eight string guitars. Each containing different pickups and pickup configurations that will surely satisfy the needs of the most discerning player. Currently, ESP offers 1 six string guitar, 3 different seven string guitars, and 1 eight string guitar as part of their LTD line as well as a seven and eight string option as part of their ESP line.
The ESP LTD SC-608B Stephen Carpenter Signature 8 String baritone guitar is one mammoth instrument. The features of this guitar include an eye-catching red sparkle finish, 2 Fishman Fluence Stephen Carpenter pickups, and the ability to switch between passive and modern sounds from the pickups. As a predominately six string player, I was concerned the jump to eight might be somewhat overwhelming and take some getting used to, but I was surprised that it only took me a few minutes to get used to the added strings and extended range. What first struck me was the ease of playability and how natural it felt playing this guitar and how great the Fishman pickups sounded. By pulling up or pushing down the volume knob, I was able to alternate between the passive and modern pickups, and preferred the modern tone for this guitar and the types of music I was playing. The pickups were clear and responsive and really elevated this instrument. The paint job on this guitar is remarkable and will definitely get you noticed whenever you have this thing strapped on. This guitar really feels like something from the custom shop with all of the appointments, attention to detail, and playability factor. This guitar was made in Korea and is really a testament to the type of work that is being done in that factory. There were no issues whatsoever; the guitar was dialed in and ready to rock.
Priced reasonably at $1,349, this guitar is more than suitable to get the job done whether you’re interested in conjuring up some Deftones-esque sounds or if you want to explore some new, extended-range sonic territory.
