ESP LTD B-155

Scale: Bolt-On / 34???
Body: Agathis w / Flamed Maple Top [Amberburst]
Neck / Fingerboard: Maple / Rosewood
Nut Type / Width: Standard / 45mm
Neck: Thin U / Dots
Frets: 24 XJ
Hardware: Black Nickel
Tuners: ESP-LTD
Bridge: ESP DB-5
Pickups: ESP SB-5 Set
Electronics: Vol / Bal w/ ESP ABQ2 2-Band Active EQ
Purchased 01 / 08 / 2007

Wow???where do I start? First off I???m using a GK BL600 amp with a 215 cab + Blackwidow speakers, and using the clean channel with EQ, and some mid-scoop. I mainly play Metal. I???ve also owned a G&L, a Fender, and several Ibanez basses [a SDGR-5, and a couple Roadstar???s]. This Bass has passive pickups with active EQ. The Bass / Treble Boost knobs are extremely smooth, quiet, responsive, and not ???cheap feeling???. In the flat [zero] position-the bass sounds great, but wait until you turn them up! Crystal Clear, and Punchy with Bright Highs, and Thunderous Lows. Using the bass / treble boosts can give you a multitude of sounds. Hum is almost non-existent as is Mud. The sound is simply amazing [for this price].

I really like the contours of the body on this Bass, and the Amberburst finish on Flamed Maple is gorgeous. At close examination the finish looks perfect (no bubbles, scratches, or defects). The neck pocket is nice and tight, and the neck itself is [un] finished in a natural satin which seems faster/sleeker than a glossed neck, and is slim as well as narrow (the way I like it). The fretwork is nice and even, and the tuners are smooth, and seem well made as is the bridge. Upon purchase it was in tune, and intonation was correct-but the action was too high for me and it had to be lowered. $60 at GC, and now it plays great, however I wish I could lower it just a little bit more (like the more expensive SDGR5).

As I stated before-the neck joint is tight with 6 bolts. The pots, and tuners are smooth, and tight. The hardware doesn???t seem cheap. This Bass is well made IMO. I???ve never abused my guitars, but I don???t see any reason that this Bass won???t last.

N / A

I???ve been playing for 25 years now, and tried my share of Basses. I can???t believe I???m saying this but I like the sound better than the Ibanez SDGR5. The passive pickups with the active EQ are crystal clear, and the sound is outstanding. It comes with a lifetime warranty [new purchase only]. I will not hesitate to buy from ESP again. This is an excellent Bass IMO, and I am well satisfied with the purchase. Rock-On ESP!

2006 model made in Indonesia. 24-fret bolt on neck (six bolts). 5-string active bass. Twin soapbar pickups with ESP logo but look like knockoffs of EMG 40 series. Controls are volume, blend, bass and treble. Medium thin neck; light weight body.

My biggest complaint with the bass comes here: the very, very low output of the pickups/preamp. The tone itself is very good, but I have to use an outboard preamp to get the signal level up to where I need it. Rolling the blend knob will get you more low mid thump from the neck pickup or more upper mid bark from the bridge pickup. The bass control is voiced very well in that a little bit goes a long way here. The treble control isn't as responsive to my style of playing. However, even with the minor faults, there is a nice range of very usable tones from this bass.

This part surprised me. Since this is a "lower" end bass, my expectations were pretty low. But, this bass was built and setup very, very well. The fretwork is outstanding. Most basses in this price range feel a little rough on the fret edges and need a touch up with a file. These frets were perfect the first time I touched the instrument. The neck pocket is very snug and the bolts were all secure. The bridge and tuners are solid and have a quality feel to them. The action and intonation were spot on. The only issues I have are that the detent pots (blend, bass, treble) feel a little sloppy compared to my other active basses and the E-string was a dud.

I've used the bass on several gigs now and see nothing that should bring to question its ability to be a useful instrument for years to come.

Never dealt with ESP and have had no reason to contact them about this bass so I have no useful information here.

Got a couple of decades of playing under my belt. I play in a blues rock band, a modern rock band and do a lot of jazz stuff in a solo project. I have several high-end four strings and wanted a five string for my modern rock band but wasn't willing to throw a lot of money at something I may hate. This bass is an outstanding investment and I would easily recommend it to my friends.

ESP LTD B-155

5-string
Active
Body wood: Atathis
Top: flame maple
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Rosewood
Scale: 34???, 24fret
Nut: 1.85
Weight: just over 9lb
Comes in 2 colors: Burst, Black
Matching headstock, black hardware.

Pickups: 2 soapbars, center and bridge
Electronics: Volume,
blend, treble, bass
Battery: 1 9v.

Made in Indonesia
Bought: 3/07
Paid: 325

Using this through a 100w, 15" combo unit. Various EQ. No effects

Sound? "modern", from sort-of-P thump to sort-of-J growl. There is plenty of space in between. Tends to be deep and warm at the low end, does not go to muddy. Highs can be plenty bright and well defined. I would have preferred a mid-tone control and the (I assume) 25k pots roll off rather quickly after about the first quarter turn.

Very quiet. No hum.

This bass is most at home with any kind of rock, blues or contemporary country, it hass all the range you need for that kind of music. Maybe punk, probably not metal, not jazz.

Slap? I don't do it much but the pickup placement and low B-string tension suggests it is probably not ideal for slapping.

Do you really think you could hear a difference between Agathis and Ash? Maybe you could. I can tell you that I can _feel_ the difference in how the body vibrates between this and my ash-body Fender. But at this price point the difference is not worth commenting on.

The B string: it's right down there and plenty of punch. But with a 34" scale it won't have the definition you can get with a "35. That's a trade off at this price point. But that extra inch adds problems of it's own (playing space, your reach and the size of your hands).
Rumor has it the strings are GHS, though I don't know which ones.

ESP took some care with the aesthetics. This is a nice looking bass. If you like black (not everyone does) the black flame mable top is very subtle. I like it better than their burst, which seems too bright.

Pros:
Overall a very well made bass. Neck pocket fit is smooth and tight.

Controls are smooth and quiet. The control cavity is not shielded but there is some foil on the inside of the cover.

I don't know who makes the tuners but they are better than some I've seen on more expensive basses. Smooth and light.

Bridge is a solid block held by 6 screws and plenty of room if you want to twiddle the intonation.

Possibly the best feature is the neck. "C" profile, sort of like you might expect a Fender P. Not as slim as some Dean's I've played but comfortable. And fast. Smooth naturlal satin finish.

Cons (nothing major):
The set up was very poor out of the box but the dealer did a setup and I generally do my own.

Fret edges. No, they're not little razors, just a bit uneven. I've seen far worse on more expensive basses. This is a bit of a quibble but annoying on an otherwise very well made bass.

The famous "Gumby" head stock. It bothers some people. I could care less.

Haven't played out on this, but...

I wouldn't think twice about hauling this bass out. It's a workhorse, not a living room queen.

The electronics seem good, but only time will tell.

I also wouldn't be surprised if that finish dents easily. Agathis is a softer wood. I'd apply a protective coat. I use the same stuff I use on my car.

I like the strap button design. Why this detail is so hard to get right in so many basses escapes me.

I own 3 other basses and have been playing at the amature level for about 3 yrs. Blues, rock, jazz. I got this bass as my first try at a 5 string. Others I looked at were Squire and Dean. I bought it based on the aesthetics and build quality and less on the sound, which is plenty flexible but basically conservative. I can't say for sure I'd buy another but I will definitely give more attention too ESP in the future.

This bass does not box outside its weight. But the 300$ range it deserves serious consideration. You can pay more and get less.