ESP E-II Viper Baritone 2020 - Charcoal Metallic Satin w/OHSC

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NOTE: This item is listed on a local Las Vegas Marketplace and may be sold without notice.

Mint, like-new condition baritone version of the Viper series. Only played for testing. Not a single scratch, dent, ding, chip, or crack. Includes original ESP form-fit case.

NOTE: The ESP E-II Viper Baritone is discontinued.  Multiple dealers confirm it's no longer in production - Pitbull Audio explicitly states "this product has been discontinued permanently," and other retailers like The Music Zoo and Sam Ash show it as no longer available. ESP's own site lists the model but notes it's out of stock.

A few remaining new units are still floating around (e.g., one on Reverb for $2,399), but no new production is expected. The model ran from roughly 2016 through 2024/2025.

FROM ESP:

Like all E-II guitars, the ESP E-II Viper Baritone is made by experienced luthiers in the ESP factory in Japan. Featuring the cool double-cutaway look that’s perfect for metal, hard rock, and so much more, this is a 27" scale baritone guitar that's ideal for music that explores the depths of pitch. Designed for pro musicians, the E-II Viper Baritone has neck-thru-body construction, with a mahogany body and fast 24-fret maple neck with ebony fingerboard. Top-tier components include a bone nut, ESP strap locks, Gotoh locking tuners, and a Gotoh TOM bridge and tailpiece. Pickups on this guitar are the versatile EMG 60 (neck) and EMG 81 (bridge). Available in Charcoal Metallic Satin finish. Includes form-fitting hardshell case.

SUMMARY OF FEATURES:

27" scale, XJ frets, 3-piece maple neck-thru, ebony board, abalone dots, mahogany body, Gotoh locking tuners, bridge and tailpiece, EMG 60/81, Schaller S-Locks.

Serial Decoding - Serial ES9170203

ES = E-II series (Japan)

9170 = Production # 9,170th E-II made (shared across line)

20 = Year 2020

3 = Series code (E-II series)

Description

A Japanese-made 27" scale baritone six-string in ESP's asymmetrical double-cut "Viper" shape. Built specifically for low tunings (Drop B, A, etc.) while maintaining string tension and playability. Notable for being used by James Hetfield of Metallica.

Key difference from the standard E-II Viper: This is a Neck-Thru construction with a 3-piece maple neck, versus the standard Viper's Set-Thru mahogany neck.

Specifications

Construction: Neck-Thru

Scale: 27" Baritone

Body: Mahogany

Neck: 3Pc Maple, Thin U contour

Fingerboard: Ebony, 305mm radius, bound, abalone inlays

Frets: 24 XJ (Extra Jumbo)

Nut: Bone, 42mm

Pickups: EMG 60 (neck) / EMG 81 (bridge), Active

Controls: 1 Vol / 1 Tone / 3-way toggle

Bridge: Gotoh TOM & Tailpiece

Tuners: Gotoh Locking

Strap Locks: Schaller S-Locks

Hardware: Black

Finish: Charcoal Metallic Satin (sole finish)

Factory Strings: .010/.013/.017/.026/.036/.046

Case: ESP Viper XL form-fit hardshell

Rarity

Moderately uncommon. It was a production model (not limited), but:

• Only offered in one finish (Charcoal Metallic Satin)
• Baritone-scale ESPs are a smaller niche than standard-scale
• The Viper shape is less common than M-II/Eclipse
• James Hetfield endorsement adds collector interest

Not a collectible in the traditional sense, but more sought-after than a standard E-II Viper due to the baritone niche and Hetfield association.

Price

New (MSRP, current): $2,399