The ESP Guitar Company

Eclipse School Time!

There's been a bunch of questions and confusion about what "full thickness" or CTM means, and what's an Eclipse I vs an Eclipse II. Well, I'm snowed in tonight and bored, so I went through my 2008 Export Models Catalog (non North America) and I scanned these pages to help get an idea of what any of those terms mean.

Here's what I've figured out. (At least according to this catalog, who knows what the changes are year-to-year.)

Eclipse I Model - A mahogany body with a PLAIN maple top (or more commonly an opaque finish.) Must have 4 control knobs, similar to a Les Paul.

Eclipse II Model - A mahogany body with a FIGURED (quilt or flame) maple top. Eclipse II models can have either the 4-knob or 3-knob control layout. The 3-knob versions are called USA Eclipse II (which is different than the USA Custom Eclipse models.)

USA Eclipse II - When the Export Series started including 3-knob versions of the Eclipse, ESP started calling the 3-knob style the "USA Eclipse II" to avoid confusion (lol.) The USA Eclipse II has a modified body shape which has a different, flatter lower horn.

CTM (Custom Traditional Model) - The CTM designation (at least in 2008) means the guitar has an ebony fret board and mulit-ply binding. CTM models are not necessarily full Les Paul thickness. In this catalog there were no Eclipse II models with the CTM designation, even the 3-knob USA Eclipse II models, though I think that eventually changed.

FT (Full Thickness) - Full thickness refers to the body thickness. FT Eclipses are the same thickness as a Les Paul (55mm). Most 4 knob Eclipses are still thinner than a LP. FT does not mean the guitar has the more rounded horn of the out-of-production 4 knob guitars.

In 2008, none of the USA Eclipse II models had the CTM designation, and there was no USA Eclipse I. A brief look through the older PDF catalogs on the ESP guitars web page (link) makes me think there was never a 3-knob USA Eclipse I. Your guess is as good as mine as to why that would be.

I'm not sure which year ESP decided to stop making 4-knob Eclipses available in the Export Series (you can still find a 4-knob E-II Eclipse, but it's a rarity.)

It seems that all E-II models are just called Eclipse with no number designation.

Here are some photos to help show the differences:





Here is the difference between a Full Thickness Eclipse model (in the center), a Les Paul (on the left) and a regular Eclipse (on the right.) The Full Thickness model has a 55mm thick body, which is essentially the same thickness as a Les Paul.




Here's the difference between the CTM appointments (left) and a non CTM appointed guitar (right.) The CTM model has an ebony fingerboard and the multi-ply biding on the top and around the headstock. Both of these guitars are regular thickness Eclipse II models.



Here's a close view of the more modern horn of a USA Eclipse II vs the more rounded horn of the out-of-production, 4 knob Eclipses. It's also proof that I need to dust more.




And since this comes up occasionally, here's a view of the veneer top used on the old Standard Series and current E-II guitars. Unlike the LTD guitars, which just have a veneer over the mahogany body, the SS and E-II guitars have a maple cap with the figured veneer over top.

So there you have it. I need new hobbies and a better dusting schedule. I wouldn't call myself an expert, I just have a passing interest in the model.

Here's a video of everything you just read, because who wants to read when you can watch the movie instead?