LTD Richie Sambora SA-2

Posted by waxer on April 14, 2008

Yes, I am in the process of buying a new guitar. Since I am a big fan of Richie Sambora, I have already bought a number of the Richie Sambora Signature Edition Stratocasters. They are absolutely fabulous.

Nevertheless, LTD, which is owned by ESP, has brought a new Richie Sambora Signature Edition, the SA-2. As for the design goes, you either love it or you sincerely hate it. For me, it was the first option.

SA-2

Well, I do not have it yet, but I am looking forward to buying it. Now, most of you know that LTD is not the high end of ESP, but nevertheless…. cool.

here’s a pic of Richie playing it live:

Richie Sambora

The ESP SA2 Richie Sambora is the latest addition to ESPs long line of artist endorsed models. Richie Sambora and his long-time associate and expert luthier Chris Hofschneider designed the guitar. The SA2 features a comfortable basswood body with a fast maple neck and a rosewood fretwood. The LH100 pickups produce that tone that is so well known on hit records around the world. Plus they added a double locking bridge with ESP tuners for great stability. The unique SA2 will become a classic.

Technical Info

Construction/Scale : Bolt-On/25.5 inches

Body: Basswood

Neck/Fingerboard: Maple/Rosewood

Nut Type/Width: Locking/43mm

Neck Shape: Thin U Neck Contour

Inlays: Dot

Frets: 22 XJ

Hardware: Chrome

Tuners: ESP

Bridge/Tailpiece: Double-Locking

Pickups: ESP LH 100 (Bridge & Neck)

The 22 nicely flat, extra-jumbo frets and low action again tick all the right rock boxes. The SA-2 has a good feel. The neck is fixed to the body with a slightly offset four-screw join, and the headstock bears Richie’s name on a bespoke piece of three-ply pearloid scratchplate material.

Richie Sambora II

In this youtube movie below you can see Richie play a similair guitar. Do mind the really smooth guitar play buy the way. This guy still amazes me after all these years. I mean, I have seen guitar heroes, but they are always so serious and focussed. Richie certainly plays relaxed.

Here is the link to the YouTube Page

LTD SA-2

In order to provide you with some background information, I have gathered some links to sites writing aout the SA-2:

See Richie in action on his SA-2, during a live performance in a show called The View

I found a great pic on the web, where Richie performs with the SA-2. It can be clearly seen that the SA-2 has no tuning knobs on the headstock. It has the Floyd Rose machine head. More information abou that can be found at the website of Floyd Rose and on the speedloader page. The website also confirms Richie as one of the artists using Floyd Rose.