ESP EX-351

Mine has a black finish with the titanium diamond plate. Has a tune o matic bridge. No sure of the brand of tuners but i want Grovers. Has 22 XJ frets and two knobs for volume and tone. Has two EMG HZ H1s as pickups. Fretboard is made out of rosewood.

I play speed metal so i am picky about my sound. This guitar has a kick ass sound, especially through the bridge pickup. I use it through a Marshall MG50DFX and it sounds killer. I have to mess with the tone knob to get the sound i am looking for all the time, cuz it changes.

I bought it used at a guitar store and looked pretty much brand new when i bought it. Came already tuned and not a scratch on it. THe only thing i dislike about it is that smudges and fingerprints seem to stick to the finish and is hard to clean off.

The guitar looks like it can take a beating. I bumped it on the ground with the headstock and looked at it, and didnt even get it out of tune. I would use it at a gig without a backup, thats for damn sure.

never needed it

I have been playing for 5 years and i wish i had this guitar when i first started. I am a big Metallica fan so i have it because it greatly resembles Hetfield's axe. If i lost it, i would probably cry like a little girl and eventually get a new one. I have always liked ESP and i wouldnt buy any other brand. I thought about Gibson or Epiphone but i played them and they dont match up. Jacksons dont even match up in my opinion. I am going to put EMG 81-60s on it to give it even more power.

Dunno the year but made in Korea. 22 XJ frets, volume tone and three way toggle. EMG-HZ H1 pickups, neck and bridge, all passive electronics. The neck is beautifully made, and lovely to hold and play. It just feels so nice in your hand. I love it

I play a bit of everything. It always pulls through with great tone. The neck and bridge pickups sound so different. The rhythim is great for all of the metal and punk sounds and the lead pickup is so good for solos and clean emo stuff. The tone controll is also great. Ive never used it more. On other guitars you leave it on full most the time, but on this i change it round and use it heaps.

All good. Perfectly made

Live: great. Never sounds better. Hardware is solod and well made. Finish is good. Ive thrashed mine a bit but its only wearing off on the ends where ive banged it into things

Never had to

Ive been plaing for 5 years and this is the best guitar ive played. Mine, my friends, in shops. This is my baby. I love it. If it wasnt so spikey i would sleep with it. If i lost it or it was stolen i would cry and hit things...then buy another (when i had the money). Ive compared it to other ltd guitars, a few epiphone, and heaps of other guitars in the shop. Great buy. No regrets

Made in Korea. It is the 351d which has the diamond plate which looks cool as hell. Has a volume, tone and pickup switch. Supplied with emg hz passive pickups. Mahogany body with with a set neck and a rosewood fingerboard. This comes with a tunomatic bridge.Not sure the make of the tuners but would like to upgrade to sperzel. To be honest this guitar isnt bought just because of features it is for the look.

Well I play metal which this guitar seems to love. Upgraded those pickups to emg 81s which make it sound even better. The amp that I use this with is my peavey xxx which puts it in metal brown sound. It has so much grunt to it and has a neck that is not to thick and not to thin.

diamond plate finsh is great. This guitar has been set up propely for tuning to drop c which is cool.

I play in a metal band with this it has taken a kicking in the past and still sounds great.To be honest I would never not use a backup due to strings breaking.

emailed them onece got quick reply.

Ive been playing in my band for a year now and this guitar is the reason I cant use other brands Ive tried gibson and more and its just not the same. It wouldnt be stolen I would kill for it.

Made in Korea, Mahogany body with a set maple neck.
Rosewood, 22XJ fretboard.
2 EMG HZ Humbuckers, Tune-o-matic bridge.

The body is and explorer like copy, but has a little more edgyness to it. I like the headstock a lot, and the gunmetal blue looks very nice.

The EMG Hz pickups are not the greatest pickups, they sound way to muddy. I replaced them with EMG 81's and they sound very nice. Very good metal guitar, I play Metallica, Megadeth, In Flames, Children of Bodom and this guitar suits me very well, even with the HZ's in it. I play a Marshall AVT 275 and while that's not the greatest amp, the guitar sounds nice on it.

I have one problem with my volume and tone knobs getting loose, but I just screw them back in. I think the guy who installed the pickups is to blame for the being loose in the first place...

I've played live a few times and its worked out great. I've dinged the body on the wall numerous times though. When I first got it my guitar teacher took a look at it and banged it up against the bookcase and it dented the body, but it sounds fine. Nothing bad has happened to this guitar that was caused by poor production. I'm suprised that this guitar is soo nice for being made in Korea.

Never dealt with them...

I've been playing for 2 years and this is my second guitar (my first being a squier). I have played lots of guitars at stores and friends and I like this one a lot. The price was so nice for this guitar and I would tell people to by the Ex-400, since the EMG-81's (which are missing, and pretty much needed in the Ex-351) are present in the guitar. I dislike how the neck dives when standing up, but I don't solo too much on the high frets, so it doesnt bother me too much. I'd hunt down the jerk that stole this guitar and hang him by the legs and dip him into a pool of acid.

I like it!

Korea made Explorer style guitar. Two EMG HZ H1 humbuckers, 22 XJumbo frets, mahogany body, set neck, rosewood fingerboard, metallic midnight blue that is now discontinued, tune-o-matic bridge with stop piece, one volume, one tone control, three way pickup selector.

I play it with a Fender solid state 2x12, death metal pedal, boss eq. The EMG's are great, good crunch, good metallica type sound. The neck pickup has a les paul tone. I did however replace them with a Lawrence 500xl, 500c combo. I'm a huge Lawrence fan and they fit my style a little better. The HZ's are a good metal, rock pickup but the Lawrence is a better shred, prog metal pickup and that's what I play.

Set up with GHS strings when I got it. The best thing about this ax is the neck. ESP's Thin U contour necks are my choice in necks. They are comfortable, narrow, and not to thin, not to thick. The fastest neck for me. I like it better than Jackson's, Ibanez's, or Fenders. The finish is nothing great, but it is super durable. I've hit it one the wall several times and it holds up. I wish the clear coat was thicker. Gave it a 8 because I wish the coat was thicker.

Very well built, durabile finish, good frets. I've had it a year and I plan on keeping it for good. I would gig this anytime but you should always have a backup.

NA

Been playing three years and I have grown to love ESP's. I just ordered a EC-1000 with the same neck. I would buy this again, it fit me very well. For ESP's prices they are one of the best buys out there.

Bought this guitar in late 2001 so I've had it for about 2 years now. It's got a fixed tune-o-matic bridge (Gibson style of course) set neck, nice tuners, mother of pearl inlay at 12th fret, all that crap. No included accessories. Pickups are EMG HZ passives. Oh yeah its a 22-fret guitar.

Very versatile guitar. I've played everything from blues to metal to open chord crap, it always sounds good. Clean channel with neck pickups has a very warm tone (lots of bass too). One thing I've noticed is this guitar sounds very good tuned down. I have it currently in C, and it sounds great. Even when I drop the C string down to Bb it has a good crunch to it. Great sounding guitar overall that can do pretty much anything you need it to.

When I got it it was set up fine (I don't really remember). The guitar was flawless. I opened up the back panel and all the solder joints were solid, the finish is perfect, the pot's were fine. Everything is built to last.

I've put a few nicks and dings in it and it's starting to show its age, but that's nothing unordinary. It kinda looks good beat up. The only problem I can think of is that the guitar is neck heavy. The best way to fix this is to use a cotton strap, which won't slide on yoru shoulder. This pretty much took care of the problem for me. It's nothing big, and I'm sure ESP fixed this the next model year.

haven't dealt with them

I've been playing almost 3 years and I've already had a few guitars. This is by far my favorite for its versatility and sound. Definitely good bang for your buck. Get it in black the gunmetal blue finish is kinda dumb looking.

The axe is korean made I guess 2002, 22 XJ frets,HZ H1 picups,mahagony body,set neck,black finish,tun-o-matic bridge.....ahh ya know it from reviews below.came with case(a very heavy one)

I am a metal guitarist(from old Metallica, Pantera,Sepultura,Slayer to Death, Deicide, Cryptopsy, Kataklysm, Carcass........and other fast&brutal shit).Hz's sound is Bright but tight.Sharp on bass and screaming on leads, a very good sound!!!But since i looove Pantera sound and wanted fuller, heavyer bass I changed HZs for gibsons T500(bridge) & R496(neck) with my friend. T500 has very dark and a bit muddy sound on (friends)gibson gothic EXP, but on my EX351 it sounds less dark but totaly raw couse of its roaring bass.leads are full and powerfull.Mahagony body is light and has brigter sound than gibsons.EX also has maple neck which makes sound brighter and adds sustain(its very heavy!)and attack!!! live i had problems with noise, but with some compression or NR you can handle it.
My set is EX-351 - boss MT2 Metalzone - Yamaha 7 band EQ - Marshall JMP MKII Super Lead(30 years old but rocks!)with 4x12 Marshall JCM 800B cabinet. Very simple set, maybe to add some compresor for noise at high volumes and delay & wah for solos.I own guitar for 14 months, Marshall for 10 months, played 7 shows and it sounds fucking brutal!! Ideal for death metal!! Sound of guitar is a perfect match to me, only thing i plan to change are pickups to active EMG 81, and get some real rack effects (ADA MP-1, 15 band eq, HUSH NR.....) when i earn some money(I'm a student so financialy almost always broke, hehe!!!) This guitar is definetly made for heavy music. I give 9 becouse with EMGs 81 sound can be better.

If you compare EX with Gibson gothic EXP this is where Gibson takes edge! Gothic is much expensive guitar but for many reasons. Finish is not to compare better and more beautifull than ESP's. ESPs nec is A bit fat but confortable,thou it isn't fast as some low profile Ibanez edge or Jackson.I like very low action so the neck needed to adjust.It's ok now but i can't rid off fret buzz when bending 2nd string on 11th and 17th fret!?When i band string on these and only on these frets for a full step - the string CHOKES!!!!! I tryed every possible strings(9's,10's,11's,13's) at every possible tunings but there is no help!!!! I had to rise action a lot!now its OK. You just forget super low action you can get on Ibanez RG.NO WAY!!!!! You can solo on it but it is made for ritham.
On the other hand EX can handle with deep tunings ( momently i play low b tuning - b-e-a-d-g-b, strings 13-56)hardware and electronics are solid and will last, tuning machines are ok but tend to go out of tune when plaing for longer time.locking goths or shaller tuners will do the thing.
I don't like rosewood fretbord.It's solid i don't wory,but it's not 100% flat and is full of thiny thiny white scrackes. Something like thiny holes or stripes. If ya look gibson gothic It has the most beatifull black ebony fingerbord! It's so sexy! It's extremely hard, it feels like it's made of stone and it gives extra speed and makes gibsons neck very confortable and faster than EX 351!!!! Goth has standard 59 LP neck and fingerbord is the thing that makes him high class!Goth is unlike ESP well balanced. This is another problem! The neck is heavy and it dives! So if ya hold guitar like James Hetfield You will have a lot of problems, you'll have to hold neck with left hand all the time(when standing of course)which can be very difficult. I hold guitar higher so I press body with right hand and the neck goes up.Ahhh ya get used to it.

Guitar is very well built and shoud last for a very long time. Depends how much you (ab)use it. Very dependable when live playing. I don't have backup becouse I don't have money for another guitar, but yes I need backup!It's safer, ya never know what can happen!! I replaced strap buttons with Shaller straps locks so I can preform without fear of dropping it. Finesh it OK. I smashed it accidently couple of times in the wall and paint on the rear horn feel off. fuck!!

Came with 6 month warranty. Had no deal with ESP.
Guess they're ok!?

I play for 7 years and this is my third guitar (preowned Epiphone LP and Ibanez RG505) but it played lots of different guitars and i think i know how good guitar must feel. ESP LTD EX-351 is higher medium class guitar. If it waz stolen i would go for some more serious, more expensive guitar like Gibson gothic explorer or flying V, Jackson Warrior or King V or some custom ESP work (it's a deam to me!! :-)
Generaly i love this guitar. It's a good deal for small money!!
I don't tend to sell it ever. I already compared it with Gibson goth EXP. If i knew that Gibson is so much better I would defenetly go for it! I considered it and I could have it for 1100$ with case!!!GOOOOd price!! Ltd was cheaper and for the rest of money I bought Marshall. AH ya know ya can't have it all at once! EX is a serious guitar but Gibson Gothic EXP is better.No doubt! Why?:
1. body is better balanced,
2. neck is better, faster, it a solo monster!not just rhitam,
3. tuners and hardware are top class,
4. finish and overall look is better, a class higher than my LTD!

Soundwise LTD can rock with Gibson side by side!!! This is why I love this guitar!!!! Sustain and Ballz. Heaven for a metal player. So much metal for 550$ it deserves 9. I think only Ibanez can beat it.
Great guitars for even less money!Check 'em out!

2003 Korea 22 fret solid mahogany slab, 3-way H/H setup, EMG HZ set, black gloss finish, probably catalyzed polymer. X style tune-a-matic, o trem,neck is similar to the old Strat C, Gotoh tuners, but with medium frets. Already had the giant case required for carrying this baby.

I play blues, rock, with a BOSS ME-50 and a Marshall AVT50. EMGs are quiet. Really bright, snappy sound, but I put 10s on it to thicken the sound and give it a little more bass response. First, the ME-50 could make a Squier sound like a Les Paul Custom, so it souns wonderful in this configuration. Hey folks, if you don't have a BOSS ME-50, spend the $300 and get rid of all the pedals. I was going to replace the EMGs with Duncan Invaders, but I like the EMGs snap. They sustain really well and the guitar has excellent harmonics.

The setup wasn't right, but I'm not concerned about it. As long as all the parts are there, that's fine. pickup height needed tweaking. Note: the part of the pickups with no poles still has to be 4/64" or you're robbing some of your sound.
Beautiful finish. So far as I'm concerned, the guitars made in Korea, except for pickups, are the best out there. BUT, like Ibanez, where the heck is the pickguard? It's easy to scratch the finish. No pickguard, down goes the rating. Sorry, but the finish gets prematurely ruined.

Neck through, and if you lock-wind the strings, it's a tune it once or twice and forget it. Don't like the plastic strap buttons. You don't need a backup with this guitar. Despite its solidity, it is very lightweight, less than my SG. As I said, no pickguard. It's an integral part of the instrument, considering the plectrum used.

n/a

I've played many years, owned many electrics. But the trend for quality seems to be coming from Korea, not the US guitar companies' custom shops. Their instruments are flawless, resonant, and made with decent parts, so if you want to change something, there's plenty to work with. I like this guitar's playability and sound over my SG, customized Strat, and my Ibanez RG. There is one problem- you have to be careful handling it because of its size. And the pickguard.

Made in Korea, 2002, 22XJ Frets, set neck, EMG HZ1 Set, Volume/Tone 3-Way Toggle, Black Hardware, Black Finish, ESP Tune-o-Matic w/ stop tailpiece, Got a case with it (for 80 bucks extra, so overall I paid 400$)

I play mostly Metal like ICED EARTH, MetallicA, Megadeth. Sometimes even stuff like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, AC/DC and Guns N Roses. The guitar fits that sound pretty well, the pickups give a pretty high output, awsome for good crunchy sound. I use a Peavey Studio Pro 112 with it. This is almost the sound I was looking for, I think it's just the amp I have to change around, the pickups are very well done. The Mid-Range of the Sound is not too great, but I don't use that anyway for Metal. I get that really nice squeaky sound, really high gain and lots of Treble, or that deep growling crunch. Both you can get real nice with this set- up.

For this price, god damn, it's freakin awsome! You get right what you want and you pay less than 350$ for it !!! Gibson, go to hell ... :). No, Gibson's still the king, but I pay a thousand bucks more for a good Explorer.
Clean sound is nice, not super clean, but alright. Is probably the amp. In general, you don't hear any buzzing until you crank it up to 11. And then very very hard to hear. So awsome pickups for being passive. Might put some EMG 60/81s in there later in the year but right now I like my HZs and don't need anything else.

Factory set-up is awsome. Good strings, the strings are just a tiny little bit too low, they buzz a little bit on the 18th fret upwards.
Pickups are well adjusted. Maybe a little bit too low too, might raise them later.
I got it from the Music123 B-Stock, meaning it had some kind of flaw in there, which was a loose Volume knob for me. Took it out and tightened it up really well again, still comes off once in a couple weeks though. Not a big problem. Very well though cause I got it a hundred bucks off normal prize!!
Input Jack is awsome, never gets loose, everything but the Volume knob is really tight.

ONLY BIG PROBLEM: It's neck-heavy, meaning it takes a dive if you don't hold it. Falls down. I was really angry first and wanted to send it back, but then I read some reviews here at Harmony-Central (thanks guys!) and everybody said you get used to it. The guitar is really light in general, so the neck is more heavy then the body. Things you can do is put the strap on a different location, or put weights in the body. Both I thought were a really bad solution, so I just waited and forgot (!) about it. Now I hardly feel it anymore. So, again: It's only a problem if you play while standing and then after a while you get used to it. But it feels weird if you think about it and sometimes I have problems soloing on the higher frets while standing. But the last weeks I practised basically standing up only, so now it's gotten better. Still not a huge problem. If you have questions about it, write me an email please, I know it sucks to hear about it the first time and then to try the guitar the first time, but let me tell you that it's really not the biggest deal and you forget about it.

The case is awsome. No complaints there, very well done for 80 bucks! Nice job ESP.

Live? Haven't tried yet. Will in a couple weeks though. Bandpractise runs well so far. The finish rocks, due to its pointy form, I keep running into walls from time to time, but chips usually are not noticable. Once, I ran in my closet door and now I got a deep chip at the right corner, fixed it with a marker, now you can't see it anymore.

Strap buttons and the screws in general are a little weak, but again no problem. I put my strap lock in there again and now it's really nice looking and doesn't fall down.

You can depend on it I'd say. But time will take it's due and I will see what will happen. Looks like a very very solid guitar.

I dealt with Music123, cause the guitar didn't come after two weeks. So they gave me the number of FedEx. Both lines were very nice and turned out that they always found my house when nobody was there, so we scheduled a pickup. Really nice hotlines.

Warranty (ESP) is for a lifetime I guess, Music123 has its own policies, look pretty well though. Never had to deal with their return stuff or something so I don't know. SOunds pretty fair overall.

Been playing for a year and a half now. Own a Yamaha Pacifica 112 and a Peavey Studio Pro 112.
I compared it to some Gibson and Epiphone Explorers, also some Ibanez ones. The only guitar that was really cool for almost the same price was the ESP KH-202 (Hey, Kirk Hammet is GOD ... :) ). Nice guitar, but I liked the Explorer Shape. And it was cheaper too. So no, no real guitars for that price out there that could compare to this one I'd say! Not for me at least :).

I don't think I'd buy it again if it were stolen, not right away at least. I'd go for some Gibson Explorer and I would have to get way more money, but still. Gibsons are Gibsons u know? But ESP makes good guitars and I like them a lot, so now I'm fine with this for a thousand bucks less ... ;)

Ok people, that's it for me. Hope I could help! Contact me if you need help, I would be happy to. And listen to the new 'Tallica Record, sounds like it's gonna be one of the best ones on years! So long ... rock on!

Georg

2002 model made in korea. 22 frets, 24.75" scale length. solid top. 1 volume knob, 1 tone knob. 3 way toggle switch. H/H pickup config- EMG HZ passive pickup set. Mahogany body, set maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. Gun metal blue finish (beautiful). pointy explorer body style. tune-o-matic bridge. ESP deluxe non locking tuners. extra jumbo frets. Got a case with it too, which is really bulky!

I play mostly Metallica for which this guitar is absolutely perfect. The HZs give growling lows and screaming highs. I play it through a 65w Torque Amp with a Korg Ax100G Effects board, which gives me one hell of a crunch when using the 'static' option on the board. Met solos also sound perfect when coupled with a wah pedal, so no complaints from me. This guitar has a wonderful clean sound too, which makes tracks like Metallica's 'One' sound awesome. This is a full on metal beast though, so if you want something with wider scope look for something else. This guitar is apparently great for blues, however.

Everything was how I would've wanted it, the guitar is wonderful to play. The fretboard is so fast and the finish is immaculate. The only thing I didn't like at first about this guitar was that it is top heavy, and it will first seem a chore to have to hold the neck end up whilst playing, but you soon get used to it!

This guitar could survive a nuclear holocaust. Its so solid thanks to the set neck that it could survive quite a drop. I'm sure it could survive loads of gigs, you may not even need a spare! The strap buttons were a little wobbly at first, but this was easily fixed.

Never had to deal with them.

I've been playing for over two years now and I've been playing almost every day since I started. I own a Ventage Strat which I started on and that guitar is absolutely NOTHING compared to this. This guitar is my dream come true as I am a huge Metallica fan and I always wanted to own a guitar similar to that of James Hetfield. I had played a few explorers before (Gibson, Epiphone, Jackson) and none of them seemed right. This one does, its perfect. The tone is awesome, and it feels just perfect to play. If someone stole this sucka I would definetely get another, then hunt the guy who stole it and stab them with it. My favourite feature would have to be the refined explorer shape, its just so cool looking and coupled with the Gunmetal blue finish it looks awesome. A great guitar!

2002 i think, made in korea. 22 frets, 24.75" scale length. solid top. 1 volume knob, 1 tone knob. 3 way toggle switch. H/H pickup config- 2 EMG HZ passive pickups. Mahogany body, set maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. Glossy black finish. poiny explorer body style. tune-o-matic bridge. ESP deluxe non locking tuners. extra jumbo frets. came with cable and allen wrench. i bought a stand and hardshell case with it for a discount.

Suits my style (MetallicA, Slayer, even Hendrix) very well. im using it with a peice of shit LTD 13 watter. sounds fucking amazing. with the amp cranked to 10 its a fucking monster, any lower and its tone still kicks your ass no matter what. neck position clean gives a warm, rich tone that is great for just clean intros or whole songs. bridge position with distortion is chunky as crunchy as fuck, great for rhythm. neck position with distortion is great for a rich, smooth lead tone, not too trebly or squeely. You can get lots of sounds, speed/thrash/heavy old school metal, vintage rock like hendrix and zeppelin, and old fashioned heavy metal like sabbath. I even get good skynyrd tone out of it. its that fucking awesome. the only thing i dislike is my amp. im bringing the ex to sam ash soon i think and ill try some good amps there. thatlll make it even better (if thats possible).

Factory setup: LOW action, but NO fret buzz at all. i love low action, and i havent been able to get it without buzz before now. the pickups are adjusted good, but i have no idea what the correct heights are, so fuck, as long as it sounds as great as it does, thats fine with me. Everything is aligned, set up, installed, routedtightened, painted, etc. great.

When i play my guitars, they take more damage than most people give playing live, and the ex comes out clean everytime. doesnt chip, scratch, or dent when being played. hardware is black and very solid, wont rub off or get damaged. strap buttons are solid, but my strap is a peice of shit so i took em off and put on straplocks. straplocks never fall off. this guitar is more dependable than a 5 condoms put over eachother. meaning itll withstand anything, and i can always depend on it without a doubt. i wouldnt use it without a backup, only because strings break on every guitar, its inevitable.

i sent away for the lifetime warranty. so thats all the experience i have with esp. before i bought it i called music123 and they were really helpful with any questions i had.

ive been playing almost a year, but im a fast learner and an equipment junkie, so i know about a lot of shit. i have the LTD practice amp, esp m-10, crybaby wah, esp tuner. stands for m-10 and ex, and a hardshell case for the ex. if this was stolen, i would beat the shit out of the thief. then id shhot out his kneecaps with a shotgun, leave him lying there a few hours, then shoot his face off. id definately buy it again if it were stolen and i couldnt track down the motherfucker that took it. i love everything about this guitar, the sound, body, quality, constructon, playability, it just rocks. i hate that i cant buy a few more of these until i get more money. i like this better than any guitar ive tried: gibson les pauls, sg's, esp kirk hammster sig.-kh2, kh503, viper 100, ex351D (diamond plate), jackson randy rhoads, and lots more. i chose this because getting it just felt right, and it looks badass. and after i got it, i learned that it sounds amazing too. i will eventually get better pickups, maybe a dime in the bridge or an EMG 60/81 set, but im happy with these pickups for now.

I really dig the smooth neck-through design and the balck hardware. one volume and one tone are all you need to have ful control of your sound(the pickup selector makes it even easier. I think it would have had a heavier sound if it came with active EMGs but the passive EMGs are sick enough to begin with.

Its the best for the heavy music of MetallicA. I have a line 6 50 whatt amp i play on and the guitar is too bright for it, s0o if you want to hear the full potential of this guitar you should be playign on a peavey, mesa boogie, marshal, etc.

it was put together really nice...i had it for a couple of months now and the nut on the imput never came loose. i raised the front pickup higher to get a little brighter sound. they make the pickup extreamly easy to raise and lower. i chipped the tip of the neck because it was allways diving down to the ground and the chip didnt go through all the layers of paint. any small scratches can be buffed out easily

a big problem i was having with 9 gauge strings were that my E,A,and D strings kept on breaking at the bridge...it was a big pain in the butt.

I didnt even send in the warenty card because i knew it would out last

If someone stole my guitar i would cry tears of blood...I love the sound and it looks really cool. only problem was that the strings were breaking

2000 Korean LTD explorer. 22 jumbo frets rosewood fretboard. Tuneomatic bridge and EMG HZ humbucker set
1 volume, 1 tone
Black Gold finish
black hardware
and i have added straplocks
(if u want straplocks get dunlops they are way better than some cheap imitaion)

AWESOME METAL TONE. the EMG HZ is BY FAR the BEST passive pickup in existance!!! Looking for "Zakk Wylde" tone? RIGHT HERE BITCH and its cheaper than a signature les paul too! sounds absolutely KILLER through my Warhead halfstack
absolutely beautiful tone

Pickups were set too low, no flaws otherwise
and i swear to god it has like 10 layers of clearcoat ..cuz i walked into a corner and it didnt scratch or nuthin!

Live playing? are you fucking kidding me??? DUH...great live, plus its an eye catcher too
everything is rock solid but NEVER NEVER NEVER play a gig without a backup
thats damn near the dumbest thing you can do

not had to deal with them

I have been playing for 5 years. And is there something i wish i had asked before i bought it? YUP...can i get another one of these? $550 for this awesome ax and a hardshell case...cant beat that.
Anything i wish it had? ...maybe a couple grand stuffed in the case!
GODLY METAL TONE and sweet looks...
surprisingly, it balances well too

Brand New 2002 EX model. 22 XJ frets(the most comfortable and smooth I have ever played on). solid top, one volume one tone, 3 way ESP style selector (which is one of the best features on the guitar because it makes pickup switching so damn easy). 2 EMG HZ pickups which are a nice fit for the guitar, but I will soon replace them with active EMGs. Mahogany body, maple neck, solid black finish, which is sick. Tune-O-Matic bridge, ESPs tuners 24.75 scale EXTREMELY comfy neck

The sound is very crunchy for the Bridge, and a little less crunch in the Neck position. These pickups, HZ1, are very well suited for Metal and Hard Rock, but I havent tried to many others. The pickups themselves are nice, dont knock them, they are better than most Duncans. This guitar fits my style perfectly,METALLICA. The sound is very much evolved around a thick bottom end rhythm tone. The sound is very good, but (to my liking) I will put an EMG60 in the neck, 81 in the bridge- AND NO I am not a Hetfield wanna be-

The guitar was in tune right out of the case. Everything was in perfect working order and is perfect in every way. The black finish is amazing and the action on the guitar was PERFECT! The only problem with this guitar is THE NECK DIVES!, This isnt a huge problem, I usually have my right hand always steering the neck, but how the hell could ESP not notice that ALL the EX's necks are diving. The body is so light that the the neck, which is also light, takes a dive. That is the only flaw, which doesnt bother me much, but could bother others out there, who while trying to communicate with a crowd etc- have their neck take a dive. THAT IS THE ONLY REASON IT DOESNT GET A 10!

This guitar would survive a nuclear holicaust, and still sustain for days. The hardware and finish seem very sturdy and well done. The finish hasnt hindered at all at the places where I usually get some heavy wear on my other guitar( Jackson DX10D Dinky- a GREAT beginners guitar) The strap buttons couldnt be removed by a tank, but with the shape I felt the need to change them with Strap-Loks, and boy were they a bitch to get off! I would use this to gig without a backup, now that is trust

I havent had to deal with them, Lifetime Warranty

This is the SICKEST guitar I have ever played. Before deciding on this, I tried out the following guitars: Gibson Gothic Explorer-SUCKS, Jackson Kelly, Hamer Standard(Import) and a Gibson Les Paul. GIBOS SUCK, you pay for the name. This guitar came out the victor by far. I have also played several other guitars and this one was calling me. If this guitar was stolen, I would go nuts and kill the person who took it. The guitar is flawless, in my eyes(see neck), Theres nothing else that this guitar could possibly have more except for active EMGs, but that would boost the price, and they almost, ALMOST arent neccassary. Plain and simple; Go play an EX-351 and get ready for a guitar with balls.

10!

Everythings how I'd want it. No changes by me. Only thing that bugged me at first was the heavy neck and unbalanced me a little. But I like it now.

The guy and his wife at RIT own the store so they're there all the time, they are either very good salespeople, or they're just extremely kind.

I've been playing for 2.5 years now, learning on a Fender Stratocaster. A pretty good beginners guitar. As my skills improved I felt like the guitar was holding me back, like I was slowing down. That is when I realized it was time for a new one. I'm a big Metallica fan, and when I saw this guitar, I knew I had to have it. Whenever I play I feel like pro, and whenever I give my old guitar a try again, it doesn't take long before I throw it.

The new Korean made 2001 EX model. 22 XJ frets which are very comfortable to play on. solid top, one volume one tone, 3 way ESP style selector which i like. H/H configuration with two EMG HZ pickups which aren't bad at all but I'm going to replace them with Bill Lawrence L500 for the bridge and a PAF for the neck. Mahogany body, maple neck, black solid fnish. EX body style, Tune-O-Matic bridge, ESPs tuners which stay in tune VERY well i might add, 24.75 scale but keeps my strings nice and tight, VERY comfy neck, and the finish on the back doesnt hinder playing at all.

I play mostly Heavy Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, Hard Rock, all that good stuff and it suits my style VERY well. It has a HUGE sound, nice thick sparkly clean, huge crunchy distortion. I play it through an Ibanez Smashbox, Morely Bad Horsey Wah and a fender champion 30 amp. This Guitar is SILENT at all times that you aren't playing. Completely Full sound with NICE sustain. This guitar is a great buy, but mainly if you like a big thick sound with tight bottom end and screaming highs. I dont dislike anything about it, although im replacing the pickups with some badasses but the HZ's really arent too bad.

The action was a little low and the Truss rod had to be adjusted a little bit, but thats usual for all guitars to get it to the setting you like it. Pickups couldnt be adjusted better. everything works good. The only thing you have to worry about is that this guitar is extremely light for its size so it is neck heavy, but never fear, some lead weights in the body cavity fixed that no problem.

This guitar will stand live playing and more. All the hardware is in perfect working condition and looks like it will last. The finish is nice and thick, although I chipped the upper horn when i was jamming and ran into a door, but i smacked it pretty hard so its my fault not ESPs haha, oh well a permanent marker and some black nail polish fixed that. The strap buttons couldnt be moved if you ran over the damn things with a truck, solid as hell. It is VERY dependable. I would gig without a backup without worrying at all, but thats something you should never do......always have a backup.

never dealt with them. lifetime warranty

I've been playing a year and I own an Ibanez S series guitar as well but this thing blows it out of the water. If it was stolen I would hunt down the fucker who gnabbed it and stab him with it since its so damn pointy. I love the feel of it, the sound of it, and the look of it- and I should also say the Rosewood fretboard is one of my fav features not only because of the sound but because of its dark look, It is VERY dark with reddish streaking coursing over it.....it looks AWESOME. this guitar KICKS ASS, definately get it.

This is the newest EX model, built in Korea, 2001. Its got 22XJ frets, which are very easy to slide and bend along, its got EMG-HZ pickups, which are every bit as good a i expected, full bodied and with a really beefy, heavy sound, and this new model does not have locking tuners, which is a bonus, cause now you can tune it quickly and it stays in tune anyway bescause its so well made. The finish is a little rough on mine, but its very difficult to knock the paint off. One major problem i had with mine at first was that it had a slightly wobbly neck, the shop said it was just my guitar and changed it for another, but i wood think there are more like that out there, so CHECK THE NECK!! I got a free case with mine (worth #90), but again i think this was the shops offer and not ESP'S. You don't get a strap, but I did get the nicest little set of picks!

I play metal, all the time, i was looking for a guitar with a very kind of 'futeristic' sound, very heavy and technical (like Strapping young lad or Fear Factory.)This guitar is just right for this style. When played through my Marshall 1960 re-issue, it gives a jaw-droppingly heavy tone and a clean sound. Even with full distortion, each note is clearly definable thanks to those EMG's. The variety of sounds is a little dissapointing, i can get it to sound EXACTLY like Metallica's early thrashy sound and a little heavier and cleaner, but on the whole this is a one-sounded metal beast. My Dad said its also great for playing the blues!! Which i can't comment on!

Like i mentioned earlier, the first time i bought this, its neck was wobbly, the replacement guitar has had no problems so far, i've been playing it hard, every day for 5 months now, and everything has been okay. I havent needed to make any adjustments. The only flaw being the finish on the back of the body is rough in places, but i wouldent think this affects the guitars performance at all, its never bothered me.

I am damn sure this guitar would stand live playing, I have giged a few times with it and never even snaped a string. All the hardware is solid and the volume and tone controls seem like they are gonna last forever! Despite the slight finishing flaws (see earlier) the paint is very durable, and i havent noticed any chips in mine yet. The strap buttons are still solid, but i have never owned a guitar which hasent had loose strap buttons within a year. I doubt this guitar will ever let me down, i am planning on using it for the next 8 years so it better! As far as i know, ESP guitars are about the hardest guitars around, and last for many years. I have to use it without backup caues all my other guitars are either cheap (Squier strat, Jackson JS1) or sound totaly different (Gibson V, Aria pro 2, Yamaha custom Explorer.)but i am never worried about it getting damaged, its too well made.

Mine's got a life-time ESP warranty, and the shop has a extra special guaruntee. ESP were quite helpfull when i asked them for info on their guitars, they did seem rather un-organised when dealing over the phone. One of their guys did'nt know the difference between EMG pickups and normal pckups! The loon! I doubt i will ever need to get it repaired, i can probably do it myself anyway.

I chose this guitar because Devin Townsend (Canadian heavy metal artist) told me it was the heaviest guitar in the world. And i liked the shape. Its far better than any of my other guitars, i would probably get another one if i lost this one. I am happy with its features and i found out everything about the guitar long before i bought it.My faveorite feature is the sound, there is nothing i dont really like about it. Was Devin right, well sort of, it sounds extremly heavy when played in a band (drums, keyboards, bass etc) but on its own its sometimes a little difficult to tell just hoe heavy it is. ESP do make the heaviest guitars in the buisiness, and this one comes very close to the top end on the heaviness scale, overall a great instrument, highly recommended to any serious heavy players. If you want to know how heavy it can sound on record, buy Strapping yound lads '97 album: 'CITY'. You will be surprised.