FROM THE TOP ESP GUITARS I TODD BINDER
more people inside the company ready to carry us forward into that next chapter. WHAT DON’T PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ESP THAT YOU’D LIKE THEM TO BE AWARE OF? First off, I think a lot of people assume that ESP is a huge corporation because it’s a big international brand that’s been around for 50 years, but we’re really not. Our core group of people is much smaller than most
to be a place for us. It’s interesting that people have been saying that guitars are finished since synthesizers came out in the ’80s, and then samplers in the ’90s. Now it’s being said about AI, and the same pattern rings true. But when you pick up a great guitar and play it, there’s nothing like it. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR OWN MUSICAL BACKGROUND? When I was growing up, my dad played trumpet, and my
people would expect, but we still man - age to compete with brands that are much larger than us. Another thing I don’t think people realize is that this company started in Japan in the mid- 1970s as a small parts workshop for working musicians. That spirit of craft is at the core of everything we make. Since many people know us as a metal guitar company, they don’t realize we also distribute Takamine acoustic gui- tars and ENGL amplifiers here in the U.S. HOW HAS THE TRANSITION BEEN ADJUSTING TO YOUR NEW ROLE OF PRESIDENT AND COO OF ESP IN THE U.S.? Since ESP was founded, there’s been only one boss in the U.S. the entire time I’ve been here. Matt Masciandaro was the president when ESP U.S. opened in the mid-1980s, and he was a huge
mom sang and played piano in church. We had lots of albums around. I took piano lessons when I was really young and then played trombone in junior high school. I always wanted to play guitar, though, and got my first guitar when I was 16 years old. It was a Taka - mine classical guitar, which is really cool when you think about it because now ESP distributes Takamine in the U.S. I still have that guitar today. WHAT A FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT. SO, HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO THE MI BUSINESS? Like a lot of people in this industry, I got into it because I loved playing, but quickly figured out that I was bet - ter at building and fixing guitars than playing them. Once I learned how to be a capable luthier and guitar techni- cian, I got my first role at ESP Guitars in 1993 when the company moved to
“I ALWAYS WANT OUR GUITARS TO BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR SERIOUS PLAYERS, AND I SEE US CONTINUING TO PUSH INNOVATIONS THAT WILL KEEP PEOPLE THINK- ING OF ESP THAT WAY FIVE OR EVEN 50 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.”
part of the company’s success. Having worked alongside Matt for 30 years and learned a lot from him, I feel like there’s a well-defined path already there for me to follow. I don’t have to reinvent anything. That said, I’m not sure anyone feels they’re fully ready to step into the role of president of a successful company like this, but thankfully I have a great team that’s been support- ing me throughout the transition. That’s the most important and meaningful thing — having a team around me that I know and trust, and that can help me honor the founda - tions of this company and carry it forward. SHIFTING GEARS A BIT, HOW HAS THE EXPLOSION OF AI AFFECTED BUSINESS? There are a lot of interesting AI tools that we’re looking at to possibly help internally when it comes to ERP systems, warehousing and operations to help make things more ef - ficient. Technology is always changing, and we know we can’t remain static. Setting up for the next 50 years means evolving with the times. There are always going to be chang - es and challenges to adapt to, but we also have to stay true to our purpose, which is to build great instruments that inspire people. If we keep doing that, there’s always going
Los Angeles from New York. I worked my way up from there. Life is busy, but I still love to pick up a guitar and strum whenever I can. WHAT’S THE LAST SONG OR BAND YOU STREAMED? A buddy of mine turned me on to Sleep Token. They’re all over the place when it comes to genres. Sometimes, they remind me of Deftones with heavy detuned guitar, and other times they can be very melodic and light, soft and even jazzy. Their songs are really long and very well produced. IF YOU WEREN’T WORKING IN THE MI INDUSTRY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING FOR WORK? I’ve been around music products for my entire career, so it’s hard to imagine anything different. I grew up out - side of the U.S. and love traveling internationally and experiencing other cultures. I’m grateful to have gotten to do a lot of that with ESP. But if I wasn’t involved in the MI industry, I’d probably be some kind of engineer, building or fixing something and spending a lot of time traveling and enjoying other cultures. MI
30 I MUSIC INC. I SEPTEMBER 2026
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