E-II RZK-II
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label_quick_facts:E-II RZK-II
E-2 RZK-2 is a signature guitar by Richard.
Information[1]
First version
Rammstein fans around the world, rejoice: the Richard Z. Kruspe RZK-II BURNT is now available in an ESP E-II version. Previous only offered from the ESP Custom Shop, the E-II RZK-II BURNT is built by the luthiers at our ESP factory in Japan. It takes the single-cutaway Eclipse shape and presents it in a remarkably distressed finish with burn marks and gouges over its top and headstock. The RZK-II BURNT offers an alder body and maple neck in neck-thru-body construction for terrific sustain and tone. It’s built at a 25.5” scale, slightly longer than a typical Eclipse. The guitar also provides a rosewood fingerboard with 24 extra-jumbo frets and white neck binding. Its high-end professional components include Gotoh tuners, Schaller straplocks, a Floyd Rose Original tremolo, and a pair of brushed chrome EMG 81 active pickups for a super aggressive sound.
2023 E-2 RZK-2
If you’re one of the many guitarists influenced by the intense performances of Rammstein founder Richard ZK, the ESP E-II RZK-II Burnt offers all of the glorious power, style, and attitude that defines this great player. Built at the ESP factory in Japan, the E-II RZK-II Burnt takes the single-cutaway Eclipse shape and presents it in a remarkably distressed finish, with burn marks and gouges over its top and headstock. The RZK-II Burnt offers an alder body and maple neck in neck-thru-body construction for terrific sustain and tone. It’s built at a 25.5” scale, slightly longer than a typical Eclipse, making it great for downtuning. The guitar also provides a rosewood fingerboard with 24 extra-jumbo frets and white neck binding. Its high-end professional components include Gotoh tuners, ESP strap locks, and a Floyd Rose Original tremolo. It also offers the innovative and flexible Fishman Fluence Richard Z Signature Series pickup set, with Modern alnico in the neck and Modern ceramic in the bridge, both with brushed stainless covers. These unique and toneful pickups use a hybrid magnet configuration.
2023 ESP RZK-2
One of the most intensely distinctive guitars offered in the ESP Signature Series is the ESP RZK-II Burnt, and "intensely distinctive" is also an apt description of its designer: Richard ZK of the world-renowned Neue Deutsche Härte (New German Hardness) band Rammstein. The RZK-II Burnt is created one-at-a-time by the legendary master luthiers at the ESP Custom Shop in Japan. "Distressed" doesn't quite cover the kind of artistic treatment given this instrument by our ESP artisans. The guitar's body is thoroughly gouged and burned, giving the appearance that it’s come through some kind of apocalyptic event and is still ready to rock. No detail goes unattended here, from the matched finish treatment on the headstock to the mysterious red in the routing of the tremolo cavity. But this guitar is more than an art piece: the ESP RZK-II Burnt is a neck-thru-body machine of sonic destruction. Based on the single-cutaway ESP Eclipse shape, it features an alder body, a three-piece thin U-shaped maple neck, and premier components like ESP strap locks, Gotoh tuners, and a Floyd Rose Original bridge. It also offers the innovative and flexible Fishman Fluence Richard Z Signature Series pickup set, with Modern alnico in the neck and Modern ceramic in the bridge, both with brushed stainless covers. These unique and toneful pickups use a hybrid magnet configuration. The ESP RZK-II Burnt includes a high-quality hard shell case and a Certificate of Authenticity from ESP.
ESP also have a press release considering this new version of the guitar, which is the following:
ESP Guitars (NAMM Booth 208A/B) announced that as of immediately, the Signature Series guitars for Richard ZK, founding member of the German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein, will include his new Fishman Fluence Richard Z Signature Series pickup set. Richard ZK’s current ESP Signature Series guitars include the ESP RZK-II Burnt, E-II RZK-II Burnt, and the E-II RZK-I Burnt. The announcement was unveiled at the 2023 NAMM Show.
“Richard has been part of the ESP artist family for many years, and we’re always proud to be associated with one of the main creative forces in a band like Rammstein,” says Tony Rauser, ESP Director of Artist Relations. “Richard’s ESP and E-II Signature Series guitars represent his innovative approach to making music, so it’s no surprise he’s using an equally innovative pickup with Fishman Fluence.”
The Japan-built E-II RZK-II Burnt takes the single-cutaway ESP Eclipse shape and presents it in a remarkably distressed finish with burn marks and gouges over its top and headstock. It offers neck-thru-body construction with an alder body and maple neck at 25.5” scale. Its high-end professional components include Gotoh tuners, ESP strap locks, a Floyd Rose Original tremolo. His new Fishman Fluence Richard Z Signature Series pickup set are Modern alnico (neck) and Modern ceramic (bridge), using a hybrid magnet configuration. Three voicings are available for the each of the pickups. The RZK-II Burnt will feature brushed stainless covers.
Also built in Japan, the ESP E-II RZK-I Burnt has the same distinctive gouged and burned finish, but also with a unique asymmetric body style. It features neck-thru-body construction at 25.5” scale with a comfortable contoured alder body and a satin-finished maple neck. It offers pro components including Gotoh tuners, ESP strap locks, a Floyd Rose Original tremolo, as well as Richard’s signature Fluence pickups in red covers.
Specs
| Category | First version | 2023 new |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Neck-Thru | Neck-Thru |
| Scale | 25.5" | 25.5" |
| Body | Alder | Alder |
| Neck | 3Pc Maple | 3Pc Maple |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood | Rosewood |
| Fingerboard Radius | 305mm | 305mm |
| Finish | Distressed & Burnt | Distressed & Burnt |
| Nut width | 42mm | 42mm |
| Nut type | Locking | Locking |
| Neck contour | Thin U | Thin U |
| Frets/Type | 24 XJ | 24 XJ |
| Hardware color | Chrome | Chrome |
| Strap button | Schaller Straplock | ESP Strap Lock |
| Tuners | Gotoh | Gotoh |
| Bridge | Floyd Rose Original | Floyd Rose Original |
| Neck PU | EMG 81 | Fishman Fluence Richard Z Signature Modern Alnico Brushed Stainless |
| Bridge PU | EMG 81 | Fishman Fluence Richard Z Signature Modern Alnico Brushed Stainless |
| Electronics | Active | Active |
| Electronics layout | Vol/Toggle Switch | Vol/Toggle Switch |
| Strings | Elixir Nanoweb Super Light (.009/.011/.016/.024/.032/.042) | |
| Case | CECFF | EC GUITAR FORM FIT CASE |
| Case included | Y | Y |
Gallery
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ESP RZK-2 -
E-2 RZK-2
