Late-1970s ESP Navigator Esparto — Translucent Black Finish

When I first acquired this late-1970s ESP Navigator Esparto, I assumed it was simply finished in solid black.
Only later did I realize that it was actually see-through (translucent) black.
It’s difficult to capture in photos, but the finish has a subtle transparency through which the underlying wood grain is faintly visible.
At the time, I didn’t think much of it — until I came across an illuminating passage in Hidetoshi Shiino’s book, “Bokura ga Tsukutta Guitar no Meiki” (The Legendary Guitars We Built).

Shiino explains that during his roughly three years at ESP (1975–1978), he and his team experimented extensively with finishes.
Recognizing that Japan couldn’t yet match the raw material quality of German paints, he sought to compete instead through craftsmanship and innovation.
One such innovation was the development of translucent finishes — See-Through Black, See-Through Red, and See-Through Blue — which gained popularity not only in Japan but also among overseas guitarists.
In that sense, ESP was a pioneer of translucent guitar finishes.

The finishing itself was handled by Mr. Nishimori, a craftsman so skilled that his sunburst work became known as “NSB” (Nishimori Sunburst) — a style praised for its graceful treatment of the natural wood grain.

According to the catalog, the body wood is ash, though in practice it’s difficult to distinguish from sen ash by eye.
Weight: 3.34 kg (including strings).
(Updated August 25, 2016)