The Guitar Player's Resource
When you give world-renowned luthiers complete creative freedom, the boundaries between musical instrument and fine art start to blur. ESP's 2022 Exhibition Series represents exactly that convergence - guitars that prove these master craftsmen are as much artists as they are builders.
The EX22-19 Mystique-CTM tells its story through materials most builders only dream about accessing. That flamed maple and burled maple/resin top with natural binding creates a Blue River Gradation that flows into Blue Teardrop Sunburst on the back. It's not just beautiful - it's genuinely mesmerizing. The limba wood body with flamed maple back provides the perfect tonal foundation, combining warmth with clarity in ways that conventional wood combinations simply can't achieve.
Here's where artistry meets serious musical functionality: those Seymour Duncan CS 59/Jazz and CS 59/JB Hybrid pickups deliver the perfect balance for rock applications. The neck pickup gives you smooth, singing sustain for leads, while the bridge pickup provides the aggressive bite and clarity that modern rock demands. The exotic wood pickup covers and ESP beveled rings show the same attention to visual detail found throughout the instrument.
That bird's eye maple neck with Macassar ebony fingerboard and flamed maple binding feels as premium as it looks. The pearl/abalone S block inlays remind you this is something truly special. Gotoh tuners and ESP's FB20-6 brass bridge with string-thru-body construction ensure this artistic masterpiece performs at professional levels.
Only one exists worldwide - making this both a serious musical instrument and a genuine collector's piece.
Model: EX22-19 Mystique-CTM
Top: Flamed maple & burled maple/resin top w/natural binding (Blue River Gradation, Blue Teardrop Sunburst back)
Body: Limba wood body w/flamed maple back
Neck: Bird’s eye maple neck
Fingerboard: Macassar ebony fingerboard w/flamed maple binding,
Inlays: Pearl/abalone S block inlays
Hardware: Gotoh tuners, ESP FB20-6 brass bridge w/string-thru-body
Pickups: Seymour Duncan CS 59/Jazz Hybrid pickup (neck), Seymour Duncan CS 59/JB Hybrid TB pickup (bridge) w/ exotic wood/inlay covers & & ESP beveled pickup rings
