NAMM 2022: ESP unveils some of the most eye-catching guitar designs of the show so far with its new Exhibition Limited lineup

NAMM 2022: After last year's ESP Exhibition Limited Series drop – which featured some of the most lavishly appointed and eye-catching electric guitars imaginable – we were skeptical of the guitar giant's ability to top such a lineup this year. 

But top it they have, and in some style, too. Behold, ESP's latest batch of handcrafted Exhibition Limited Series models, debuted for NAMM 2022.

Comprising 18 one-of-a-kind made-in-Japan guitars – most featuring ESP's Snapper, M-II Arrow, Stream GT, Mystique or FRX shape, with the exception of two fully hand-carved models – this year's Exhibition Limited Series makes use of “the most rare and coveted wood stocks, special wood processing, experimental painting techniques and unique hand-built hardware”.

The line also features premier-quality components, and in many cases boast hardware elements like bridges, tailpieces, pickup rings, pickup covers and more that have been created specifically for these instruments.

“Every year at NAMM, people visit the ESP booth to photograph our special ESP USA and Exhibition Limited Series guitars,” says Matt Masciandaro, President and CEO of the ESP Guitar Company. “They represent the most original creative guitar craftwork from some of the best luthiers in the world.”

Our favorites from the drop – which were admittedly hard to pick – are the Mystique-CTM, which complements a Honduran mahogany body and quilted maple top with a stunningly ornate pearl/abalone inlay spanning the length of the fretboard; the none-more-gothic Horizon-CTM FR, which sports a 3D skeleton and flames hand-carved into its alder laminate body; and the Wolves, which features a pair of literal carved wolves for its body and moon cycle inlays on its Macassar ebony fingerboard.

The 18 guitars in the drop have already been pre-selected by ESP's global network of dealers and distributors, where upon delivery they'll be made available for sale to the public. We can't yet confirm pricing, but we can't imagine they'll be cheap.

For more info, including shots of all the guitars in 2022's Exhibition Limited Series, head to ESP.

And be sure to head to our dedicated NAMM 2022 hub for the latest news, rumors and predictions from this year's event.