Hugely popular in heavy and thrash metal, ESP Guitars were founded in Japan and are now based in North Hollywood. In the mid 80s they made custom guitars for artists such as Kiss’s Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick, and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones, as well as making bodies and necks for other companies such as Kramer. The production lines were originally designed to be a good-priced alternative to classic guitars. The range now includes custom and high-end instruments, signature guitars and subsidiary budget lines. Well-known players include Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Rachel Rosen of Most Precious Blood, and Rob Holliday of Sulpher and The Prodigy. ESP subsidiaries include LTD, Grassroots and Edwards Guitars.