1977 Navigator by ESP ES-12 Les Paul Standard Vintage Guitar w/ Seymour Duncan SH-1 PAFs, Case

Up for sale, a 1977 Navigator by ESP ES-12 “Les Paul” in excellent condition and in perfect working order, loaded with Seymour Duncan SH-1 PAFs and complete with the original hardshell case. Built by Kasuga for ESP’s Navigator brand, the early Navigator instruments are considered by many to be a high watermark for the “lawsuit” era of Japanese guitar production. This particular ES-12 dates to the second year of production, with a notably early serial number and “Les Paul” script on the headstock.

In line with traditional Les Paul construction, this Navigator features a mahogany body, two-piece carved maple top, mahogany neck, and bound rosewood fretboard, weighing 9lbs 13oz. The (likely upgraded) pickups are a set of vintage late ‘70s/early ‘80s Seymour Duncan SH-1 ‘59 PAF humbuckers. One of Duncan’s most popular offerings, these pickups are a reverse engineered wind based on Seymour Duncan’s expertise in Gibson’s late ‘50s humbuckers, offering excellent clarity and dynamic responsiveness, with spongy lows and smooth, detailed trebles. The neck pickup is expansive and lush, with a focused throaty punch and sweet growl from the bridge position. This ES-12 Les Paul has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, dialed in with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Mahogany
-Shape: Medium C, measuring .850” 1st fret, 1.025” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood, pearloid trapezoid inlay
-Frets: Medium jumbo, leveled/crowned, no wear
-Scale Length: 24 3/4”
-Nut: 1 11/16”, bone
-Headstock: “Drop V” Navigator logo inlay (1976-80), “Les Paul” script
-Tuners: Grover-style, “kidney” buttons
-Serialization: Four-digit

Body Specs:

-Wood: Mahogany
-Pickups: Seymour Duncan SH-1 ‘59 PAF humbucker x2
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, Three-way pickup selector
-Harness: Noble pots, Nichicon tone caps date to the 18th week of ‘77
-Hardware: ABR-1-style bridge, stopbar
-Plastics: Gold reflector cap knobs, one-ply cream pickguard

The gloss Sunburst finish exhibits buckle rash on the back and some minor dings on the body as a whole, largely relegated to the back and behind the bridge on top. The gloss on the neck profile is clean and smooth.

The original black tolex hardshell case is included.