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VINTAGE ESP LH-200 WIDE-SPACED HUMBUCKER PICKUP
CONDITION
The measurements confirm DC continuity and a clear electrical resonance. I do not claim that these measurements establish every aspect of installed performance.
Important condition notice: the black bobbins have multiple visible cracks. The cracking is most pronounced on the slug-pole bobbin, where I found cracks extending across the bobbin face and around several pole pieces. I also found scratches, scuffs, edge wear, and other age-related marks on both bobbins.
I have not disassembled the pickup, so I have not directly inspected the full extent of the cracks beneath the visible surfaces or the internal winding condition.
The baseplate shows substantial natural aging, including oxidation, green verdigris, staining, scratches, dulling, and accumulated surface residue. The pole pieces, mounting ears, and other metal parts also show tarnish and age-related wear.
The braided lead is very short. I measured approximately 11 cm / 4.33 in to the braid end. The end has been stripped and retains previous solder residue. Depending on the guitar and control-cavity layout, installation may require extending or replacing the lead. I recommend checking the required length before purchase.
The mounting screws were attached to the pickup when I acquired it, but I do not claim that they are original ESP parts. The included springs are new generic replacements.
I personally photographed the exact pickup and hardware offered in this listing. Please examine all photographs carefully, particularly the close-up photographs of the bobbin cracks, short lead, baseplate oxidation, model sticker, and included parts.
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I identify this pickup as an ESP LH-200 based directly on the surviving rear sticker, which reads LH-200 and PRODUCED BY ESP. I regard that physical label as the primary evidence for the model identification.
Based on the label style, construction, materials, and overall aging, I believe this example likely dates from the late 1980s to early 1990s. I have not found an individual production date marked on the pickup, so I present that period as my informed estimate rather than an exact confirmed manufacturing date.
| Model | ESP LH-200 |
| Identification evidence | Rear LH-200 / PRODUCED BY ESP sticker |
| Estimated period | Likely late 1980s to early 1990s, in my judgment |
| Configuration | Uncovered black double-bobbin humbucker |
| Pole configuration | Six adjustable screw poles and six fixed slug poles |
| Pole spacing | Approximately 53.8 mm / 2.12 in, measured by me with a caliper |
| Lead | Single-conductor braided-shield lead, approximately 11 cm / 4.33 in to the braid end |
| Included hardware | Mounting screws received with the pickup and new generic replacement springs |
I measured DCR, series-equivalent inductance, and Q with a DER EE DE-5000 LCR meter. I photographed the actual meter displays rather than reporting nominal specifications.
| Measurement | Result |
|---|---|
| DCR | 9.740 kΩ at 27.0°C / 80.6°F |
| Relative humidity | 57% |
| Series-equivalent inductance (Ls) | 6.495 H at 100 Hz |
| DE-5000 Q reading | 0.414 at 100 Hz |
The Q value of 0.414 is the DE-5000 reading obtained at 100 Hz. It is not the resonance Q at 7.7 kHz.
I also recorded an unloaded electrical impedance and phase sweep using the following equipment and settings:
| Software | REW V5.40 Beta 132 |
| Audio interface | Yamaha AG06 |
| Sample format | 48 kHz / 24-bit |
| Rsense | 100 kΩ |
| Rref | 100 kΩ |
| Approximate unloaded electrical self-resonance | 7.7 kHz |
| Peak impedance at resonance | Approximately 0.74 MΩ |
I interpret the dominant impedance peak at approximately 7.7 kHz as the pickup's unloaded electrical self-resonance under this REW measurement arrangement.
The 7.7 kHz value is not a peak in a magnetically excited pickup-output frequency response. I have not measured the pickup's output response by magnetically exciting it, and I have not measured an output peak in dB.
The approximately 0.74 MΩ value is the peak electrical impedance at resonance. It is not an output level, voltage level, gain figure, or dB measurement.
I use “unloaded” to mean that the pickup was measured outside a guitar without the normal volume pot, tone circuit, guitar cable, strings, or amplifier input load. The audio interface, sensing resistor, reference resistance, wiring, and other test-system characteristics necessarily remain part of the measurement arrangement.
Installed resonance and audible response will normally differ because pot values, tone capacitors, cable capacitance, pickup height, strings, surrounding metal, guitar wiring, and amplifier input impedance all change the electrical and magnetic operating conditions. I do not present this unloaded impedance sweep as a magnetic-output frequency-response measurement or as a prediction of the exact installed response.
I measured the accessible pole surfaces and calculated separate six-pole arithmetic averages:
| Six fixed slug poles | 46.82 mT / 468.2 gauss average |
| Six adjustable screw poles | 47.57 mT / 475.7 gauss average |
| Combined twelve-pole average | Approximately 47.20 mT / 472.0 gauss |
The two six-pole averages differ by 0.75 mT / 7.5 gauss, approximately 1.59% of their combined average. I regard that as a closely balanced pole-surface result between the two sides of the pickup.
I treat these readings as comparative pole-surface measurements. I do not interpret them as direct measurements of the magnet's total strength, alloy, grade, remanence, coercivity, or maximum energy product.
These magnetic surface measurements are separate from the REW electrical impedance sweep. They are not a magnetically excited output-response measurement.
Based on the 9.740 kΩ DCR and 6.495 H series-equivalent inductance at 100 Hz, I place this pickup above a lower-wind vintage-output humbucker in electrical strength, but below the most extreme high-resistance designs.
Under otherwise identical loading, I would generally expect a comparatively strong humbucker tendency with greater midrange weight and drive than a substantially lower-inductance pickup. I present this only as an expected tendency derived from the electrical measurements, not as a measured magnetic-output frequency response.
The wide 53.8 mm / 2.12 in pole spacing may suit guitars requiring broad bridge-position string spacing, but I recommend measuring the intended guitar before purchase.
I cannot determine the exact installed sound from these measurements. Audible results also depend on coil capacitance, magnet material and charge, pole adjustment, pickup height, strings, pot values, cable capacitance, guitar construction, amplifier, effects, and playing technique.
This item is not drop-shipped. I personally own, photograph, inspect, pack, and ship everything I sell.
What you see is exactly what you will receive. I do not use stock images or third-party fulfillment.
I have been an eBay member since 2004 and have more than 30 years of experience with vintage guitars and parts.
To the USA: I ship via Japan Post or eBay SpeedPAK with full tracking. For qualifying merchandise shipments under current U.S. postal-import rules, I prepay the applicable import duty through the required DDP procedure. In other words, the applicable tariff is already covered, so you should not receive an unexpected import-duty bill at delivery. eBay may still collect state sales tax at checkout, and separate carrier or customs-processing fees may apply in some cases.
To all other countries: I ship from Japan with tracking. Import VAT, customs duties, clearance fees, and compliance with local import regulations are the buyer's responsibility unless collected at checkout.
I accept returns within 30 days. The buyer is responsible for return shipping when the return is based on preference, compatibility, lead length, pole spacing, or another buyer-related reason.
I handle all returns in accordance with eBay policy. Cutting or extending the lead, soldering, installation, disassembly, changing a magnet, rewiring, repairing or altering the bobbins, or any other modification changes the item's condition and may affect return eligibility or the refund amount to the extent permitted by eBay policy. This does not limit the buyer's rights if the item is not as described.
This vintage product may contain lead, nickel, or other substances known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling and avoid unnecessary exposure.
I consider this a clearly identified vintage ESP LH-200 with a surviving rear model sticker, documented DE-5000 measurements, an unloaded REW electrical impedance sweep, wide 53.8 mm pole spacing, and recorded pole-surface magnetic averages. The visible bobbin cracks and very short lead are important condition factors and are fully disclosed in my photographs and description.
I am not affiliated with or endorsed by ESP or any other manufacturer. I use brand and model names only for historical identification and descriptive purposes. I state the estimated production period, model identification, REW interpretation, electrical calculations, magnetic discussion, bobbin condition, and hardware history with their respective supporting evidence and limitations.