Produced in 2010, this model represents Edwards’ vintage-inspired Les Paul Standard-style lineup under the ESP family. Designed as a player-focused instrument, it combines authentic specifications with excellent practicality — featuring a lightweight body, deep joint construction, genuine Seymour Duncan pickups, and Edwards’ signature lacquer top finish.
Within ESP’s extensive lineup, Edwards occupies the space between entry-level and premium-grade instruments. Despite its relatively accessible price point, the series has long been respected by both professional and amateur players for offering specifications and build quality that rival significantly more expensive guitars.
The Rise of the “Lemon Drop”
This particular model, the E-LP-98LTS, became especially popular during the 2000s alongside the rise of Ken Yokoyama (Hi-STANDARD) and his famous Navigator “Honey” Les Paul models.
At the time, the high-end Navigator versions — such as the N-LP-380LTD and N-LP-’97 HONEY KEN — were highly sought after but difficult to obtain due to their pricing and limited production. As a result, this Edwards model gained a strong following as a more accessible alternative produced within the same ESP family, while still retaining key specifications such as a lacquer top finish and genuine Seymour Duncan pickups.
For many guitarists of that era, this became one of the defining Japanese Les Paul-style instruments.
Construction & Features
The guitar follows a classic Les Paul-style construction:
- Maple top with flame maple veneer
- Mahogany back
- Mahogany neck
- Rosewood fingerboard
It also features Edwards’ deep joint set-neck construction, a specification that was uncommon in guitars at this price range during the time of release and contributed to improved sustain and upper fret access.
Finished in a thin semi-gloss Lacquer Taste Finish (LTS), the coating allows the natural resonance and texture of the wood to come through clearly, giving the instrument a lively and responsive feel.
Seymour Duncan Pickups
The guitar is equipped with a genuine pair of Seymour Duncan pickups:
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Neck: SH-1n ’59
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Bridge: SH-4 JB
This pickup combination became closely associated with Edwards guitars during the period and remains highly regarded today. Later models eventually transitioned to original pickups due to production costs, making earlier Duncan-equipped examples increasingly desirable.
Lightweight & Highly Responsive
One of the standout features of this particular guitar is its exceptionally light weight of approximately 3.66kg.
Although not officially specified in the original catalog, it is likely that some form of weight relief treatment was used during production. The result is a Les Paul-style guitar with excellent resonance, strong midrange clarity, and a fast, responsive attack.
Clean and crunch tones remain articulate and open, while higher gain settings retain excellent balance and definition — particularly well suited for punk rock, melodic hardcore, and fast rhythm playing.
Condition
The guitar shows normal signs of age and use, including:
- Minor surface scratches
- Light tarnishing on metal hardware
- Small paint reaction marks on the body
A highly refined Japanese-made Les Paul-style instrument that balances practicality, tone, and excellent value — especially for players seeking a lightweight and highly playable LP-type guitar.
