ESP LTD EC-1000

I`ve had my EC-1000 for about 2 yrs. so this review has some get to know you time behind it.Rundown of features is as follows:

*Mahogany single cut(Les Paul type)body w/quilted maple veneer top.
*Mahogany 3-piece set neck w/rosewood fretboard.
*24 Xtra jumbo frets, 24.75" scale length.
*Tone Pros locking tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece, sperzel locking tuners.
*Dual EMG 81 pickups w/dual volume and single tone control, 3-way pickup selector.
*Multi-layer white, black and abalone binding on body, neck and headstock. Abalone flag inlays on fretboard.
*See through black cherry finish w/black hardware.
*quick access pop-up battery compartment for EMG`s

This catagory gets a 10 because there is no other manufacturer offering this level of features in this price range.

As far as sound, well with the EMG 81`s I think the guitar is geared more toward heavy music. This is not suprising, since ESP is considered by most to be metal guitars. EMG 81`s have a decidedly bright EQ curve to them. This makes them "the" choice in a bridge pup. High output without getting muddy and loosing string definition. Pinch harmonics leap out and scream with high gain amps. You have to be on your toes with technique because every little scrape and squeak gets picked up.
I was suprised to find the neck position 81 also suited this guitar. I would have thought it would be too bright for a good woman tone. Not so, just roll the tone back and play on.
The Tone Pros bridge and tailpiece also help lend a solidness and sustain to the guitar`s voice. The locking bridge and tailpiece in conjuction with the set neck construction make this one of the most solid playing guitars I`ve ever picked up. Sustain goes on and on.
I was origionaly playing this ax through a Marshall Valvestate stack and was very impressed. Since then I`ve moved up to a Peavey 5150 II and now the guitar really shines. The two seem to be made for each other. Ultra thick, heavy tones abound. I`m going through a Dimebag custom wah to the 5150 II. With Digitech X-series delay, flange and chorus through the amps effects loop. All coming out through two Marshall valvestate 4x12 cabs. The EMG pickups make all my rig sound better. The effects are quiet and seem to have a broader range of sound. Like the difference between a transister radio and a 5.1 digital surround system.
If you want heavy clear tones then this guitar will not dissapoint.

O`k now for fit and finish. This was my second EC-1000. The first one I recieved had numerous small cosmetic faults. No big deal except for one major problem. The nut was not well done. There was a large gap under the base of the nut. You could slide two buisness cards between the nut and the neck. A major no-no in a new instrument. So here I go calling ESP`s customer service #. I talked to their warranty manager who proceeded to tell me that this defect would not affect the guitar. After informing this individual that I was not a 16 yr. old kid who didn`t know his ass from a hole in the ground, he agreed to replace the guitar. He even sent me a UPS shipping voucher and guitar box to return ship it. Things where looking up. The replacement I recieved was perfect as could be expected. No flaws at all. Good for me. The guitar was even set up for me with my string gauge and tuning.
I got the impression that most if not all of the faults where from the initial production run and the rush to supply demand for this model.
After nearly two yrs. I`ve not had any trouble out of the guitar. I didn`t even have any string buzz until this winter set in. That`s pretty damn good.

I would give this guitar a 8 or 9 in this catagory except for having to go through two guitars to get a good one. So 5 is what it gets.

This is one of the most solid guitars I`ve ever played. The finish is thick and seems tough although I am pretty carefull with mine `cause it`s too beautifull to scratch. The hardware is top shelf and I don`t expect any trouble out of it. The strap buttons where large and solid but I replaced them immediatly with strap locks. No use pushing things. Just like any guitar it can break at any given time. Even if it`s only a string breaking. Never gig without a backup.

The only long term problem I see is with fret wear. I notice that the fret wire seems pretty soft and cuts easily. Especially under the wound strings. This is really no big deal. I`ll just play it till the frets get too bad then have it refretted with some premium wire. Even with a refret I`ll only have about $1,000.00 in this guitar including hardshell case. That`s pretty damn good for this level of features/performance.
Although this guitar deserves a 10, I`ll remember the fret wear and give it a 7.

As I said above there was some trouble with my first EC-1000.The worst part was the condescending way the ESP rep. acted toward me. A gap under the nut is a major problem. To try and convince me otherwise was wrong. I am convinced that the old adage of the customer being right is gone and dead in american buisness.Too bad.
Since ESP/LTD did replace my guitar with no cost to me, I`ll be generous and give a 5 in this catagory.

I`ve been playing for more than 20 years and have owned my share of equipment. I`ve not played everything out there but have sampled most of what`s offered. The LTD EC-1000 is the best deal out right now. If you want a high end modern take on the venerable Les Paul then this ax is the one to get. The best of hardware and electronics, superb fit and finish with great ooh and ahh factor and a killer aggresive sound with equally impressive playability.

This guitar makes everything in my rig sound better. Hell it even makes me sound better. I like everything about this guitar. Even after the trouble I had with my first one I was so impressed that I went and bought another LTD deluxe series guitar this year. This time I got a Viper 1000 and it`s just as good a guitar. Another awesome deal. The fact that I bought another LTD after havig trouble out of my first one says it all.

Do yourself a favor. Go out and try one of these guitars or one of the other LTD deluxe series guitars. They are all superb guitars and you will not be dissapointed. If anyone needs any info on this guitar or the Viper 1000 you can contact me at the email address below.

2003 Korea. 24 frets. Solid top. black finish with abalone/white binding and abalone flag inlays. EMG 81 set, You know the rest...

Love the sound... The EMG 81's provide lots of low end for metal. I'm not using any effects with it as of yet. Not noisy. Full sounding. Some people say the cleans are too harsh but i like them. very good tone. This guitar is mostly for the heavier areas of music... ie. Metal, Hardcore... if thats what style you play you will LOVE this guitar.

the set up was good. But one minor flaw in the finish; the abalone inlays were not cut very well, and there is more filler than there should be. Its not enough to make it an eyesoar but its something they [factory and inspection] should be more careful on. Theres no excuse for sloppyness on any guitar in this price range. However, overall the quality of the finish is good. nice gold hardware, nobs are tight and sturdy. Some slight fret buzz, but thats not a concern to me.

This guitar looks and feels sturdy enough...

never dealt withem

Been playing 4 years, i also own a yamaha pacifica which sounds like crap compared to this beast. Wish i had taken a closer look at the red one before deciding on black. If it were lost or stolen i'd probly get a new one. I love the low 24.75 scale and slim neck for fast playing, and the sound. Finish looks beautiful... Wish they had done a better job on the inlays though. I compared it to jacksons' other ESP's, ibanez, this came out on top. Great guitar, period.

This EC1000 came with the ASB finish (antique sunburst). the pickups
are Duncan '59neck + JBbridge. this guitar is a freshly made Korean import year 2003 model. LP body styling with refinements that are mucho appreciated! mine has a three piece mahogany body in equal measurements(center piece + two wings ...very Fender in build)along with a three piece mahogany neck (very Hamer in build). two volumes and one master tone plus typical LP three way switch. Refinements: thinner body thickness, tummy cut, underside horn bevel, venetian cut-a-way ..... resulting in way less weight and way more comfort. Glitz: abalone fret markers - neck and body trimmed and bound with abalam - two piece center seamed flame maple top - tone pros II hardware + Sperzel locking tuners. Finish: poly-something or other resin based urethane-a-ma-bobber. Neck: 24 fret two octave scale over 24and 3/4 inches .....say what?

Sounds like ..... well, it's own thing really as all guitars have their own signature sound and as we all scramble to find the best out of a given crop or offering. Is it good or bad sounding ...? neither really .... but it's extremely well voiced and usable. i have many different guitars as do most dedicated and skilled guitarists - this is just one more tool to work with and it performs very well. My ONE GRIPE - is the thinner narrower neck profile. i know most players love thinnner necks - i don't .... gimme some meat and width to mine please. i bought this guitar to save wear/tear on my fave axe ...my PRS McCarty (the king of all neck shapes are found on these!) the EC1000 isn't anything like my McCarty but i wasn't expecting it to be either. i use my McCarty very sparingly to extend it's near mint condition and the fact that i spent a very long time acquiring one as superb as this one - a really good McCarty is easy to find - but the great ones like vintage LP's you have search out ..... i got lucky and found a featherweight with the biggest vowel like voice you'll ever hear and does this with razor thin action - the guitar resonates at will!

this EC1000 had no major let-downs as received from the factory. the intonation was correct - no fret buzzing - superb finish overall - no compromised hardware parts (everything fits nicely and works smoothly). no hums - snap,crakle or pops! all i had to do was to setup my choice of strings and action - that's it!

Reliability ...... way to premature to determine at this time beings this guitar is three days old to me. but, by the looks of things and having great qaulity guitars many years, i can spot trouble areas quickly ..... i didn't find any with this guitar anywhere!

No input.

I know gear and guitars in particular - it's been the biggest consuming free part of my life for the last 30yrs. i buy/sell collectibles for the most part. i have my keepers and they are all American made babies and do me proudly .....but, when i noticed the serial # with the word KOREA before the string on this EC1000 - i had to stop and think it over before buying it - it was that mental trap and bias that only American guitars with potential appreciation are worth the buying - and i had years of experience to confuse myself all the more! so, i put my bias aside and looked over the guitar extensively and came to the very sane conclusion that these have to be one of the better bang-for-your-buck guitars right now being offered. even though, the neck profile isn't what i personaly prefer i knew i had found a gem nontheless. i have been hunting for one of the Japanese Zemaitis LP copies which are very hard to come across right now - and then i found the EC1000 at my favorite dealer. simply stated: the ESP EC1000 LTD is a guitar that delivers and doesn't disappoint and gives some of the higher priced big name boys a real challenge. NOTE: this guitar will most likely not appreciate in value over time because of it being a Korean built guitar - but, as a tool for making and creating music it's a keeper!

This has already been rehashed over and over... The specs on mine are the same as all the previous reviews, except it has the Seymour Duncan JB/59 passive humbuckers and the antique sunburst finish on a flamed maple top and chrome hardware.

The nice hardware is surprising for a guitar in this price range. The TonePros bridge makes adjusting the action and intonation so simple an idiot could figure it out by himself. Why do they even make guitars without locking tuners any more? From start to finish, I can change an individual string in 15-20 seconds.

One thing I would have liked to see on it from the factory is strap lock hardware. My USA Strat came with the hardware and I've NEVER dropped it, but another guy in our band has no strap locks on his acoustic guitar and he's dropped it several times, once punching the 1/4 inch jack right through the wood. All guitars should have locking straps.

Well, seeing as the first words out of an avid guitarist's mouth, after hearing me play for about 30 seconds through a lowly Johnson J-Station and a PA system were "OH MY GOSH that is some freakin FAT TONE!!! IT'S BEAUTIFUL!!!" .....it's pretty dang good.

The SD JB/59's fit my style perfectly, which falls anywhere between straight-up classic rock and blues rock, to highly processed U2-like sounds.

Unfortunately, at the moment I have no amp and can only play through the J-Station. Next week I'm hoping to hook up on a friend's vintage Marshall half-stack (I don't know anything about what models the head and cabinet are). The tone reacts well to any effect I've thrown at it...delay, reverb, chorus, tremelo..etc...

The pickups are remarkably clear and clean, with no excess noise or humming. Next to the JB/59's, my '02 Strat sounds like the Indy 500.

I first played an EC-1000 with the EMG 81's and instantly decided that the sound was much too harsh and sterile. Granted, for some musical styles this is exactly what is wanted....but not mine. With the JB/59's I get a beautiful warm distortion, full of wonderful tone just waiting to be played with. The clean tones are very good. The first sound I ever got from the guitar was a clean tone from a (simulated) VOX AC30 with some compression and a little reverb...I instantly knew I was going to buy the guitar.

The quality of this guitar is absolutely amazing, ESPECIALLY considering the price. Everyone that has seen it has been stunned at its finish level. The flamed maple top is excellent quality, and the bookmatching is perfect. All the hardware feels very durable, the tuners are precise, the output jack is solid, but not too stiff. The body is solid as a brick wall, but doesn't weigh as much as one (need to learn a lesson here Gibson). All of the inlays are perfectly set and well-styled. Some think it is overdone, but I think it was done just right.

The setup from the factory wasn't bad at all. The action may be just a tad high at the bridge and the intonation is very little bit off, but then I'm also an obsessive perfectionist.

The one and only problem I found was that two of the strings were slightly damaged or deformed, having a few small kinks in them. However this was quickly resolved by the best sales rep I've ever met.

If you're into smashing guitars at concerts and stupid stuff like that, look elsewhere. I'm not altogether sure you would be able to break this one if you wanted to. Every joint is solid and every piece of hardware is set well. Finish seems quite solid, but only time will tell. The strap buttons are solid, but then I never trust strap buttons on ANYTHING. The first thing I do on any guitar I buy is install strap locks. As has been said over and over, you don't EVER gig without a backup...EVER... Lets just say that if I had to trust on one guitar to last me the rest of my life...this one would be my choice.

Haven't had to deal with support yet, hopefully never will. All I know is that I have the best sales rep in the world. The guy will break his back to get you exactly what you want. If you're in the San Antonio TX area, drop by Alamo Music on loop 410 and talk to Neal, he is THE MAN!

If it were lost or stolen, I would first hunt down and kill the person who stole it, and then go buy another one. As is quite obvious, my favorite feature about it is its sweet tone. There's nothing I hate about it. I compared it to a Les Paul Standard, but then did a reality check and came to the conclusion that Gibson and my bank account are not compatible terms. Now that I have the EC-1000, I wouldn't want a Les Paul anyway...much too muddy of a sound. If you can only buy one guitar right now, get this one, its quality and versatility make it unbeatable.

I think many of the other reviews cover the features, the fret board is a work of art! (had to say it sorry) Tone pro's -EMG's -Great tuners -Awsome Black Cherry Finish!

My Music style is mainly metal and hard rock original stuff, this guitar works great for that syle through my Mesa Dual Rec. I run a boss Noise Gate and it cleans out all fuzz and buzz (I love that pedal!)Very thick sound and the set neck makes it happen with the EMG's. I run EMG'85's through my other guitar's necks but the 81 works better than any no name most companies throw in there guitars. All in all this guitar sound like $1500 Not $800!!!

Set up was flawless on mine the guys at the shop set the neck just right for me -new strings and the binding and body were perfect (surprised) for the price! I am a freak for flaws and I am trying to find one but damn I just can't! I also own a PRS Tremonti and these guitars are similar to a point and both are perfect and set up just as good as the other for such a price difference! Hat's off to ESP good job on this one!

I am hard on my live stuff so I am hoping it will withstand the pressure it is so good looking I hope it is built like a tank! The Emg's should be great never had a prob. with those ever and the tone pro's bridge is a plus, should stay strong and in tune! The finish looks great the black cherry is the best of the three offered (in My Opinion)It looks very solid! I don't suggest playing w/o a back-up if you don't have to--- but this one might make it.

N/A Have not had to deal with them yet-- Lifetime warranty!!! I give that a 10!

I have been playing for a few years and this guitar is worth checking it out for under $1000.--Not a bad piece at all for a intermed. player or a pro check them out! I would compare it to the Prs Tremonti SE for body style and the way it feels on you, The ESP neck is a little better. For Looks it is right up there with some custom shop stuff can't say enough about the good work on mine very very surprised and pleased! Thanks

2003 Model Black, fitted with the stock EMG 81's. Kind of wish they offered to put an EMG 85 in the neck. Beautiful looking guitar.

Great distortion sounds, a little harsh on the clean sounds due to the 81's. May swith the neck to a EMG 85. Overall, can't beat it for the price. Fingers slide like butter over the frets.

One of the better looking guitars out there. Mine is with the black finish, but I really like the cherry as well. The guitar came set up a little to low with a little too much fret buzzing, but a little tweeking fixed that.

So far so good. The guitar just feels like it can take a beating without even scratching the finish.

I've been playing a Schecter Diamond series elite for the past year or so. I've been looking for something to replace it as my primary guitar, however I had trouble finding anything that matched up to Schecter. In my opinion, this guitar is the best guitar priced under $3000. Since I paid about $750 for mine, it feels like I saved a grand with this deal.

(Just a slight update to my previous post as my PRICE PAID did not show)
Made in Korea 2002 and have played it about 100 hours so far.
I paid a little more than some (by the looks of the reviews) but still feel it is worth that and more.
I sold my Les Paul Deluxe (WHY!! WHY!!!) and looked for another, until I saw this guitar. (Not to mention the price of a new Deluxe is about $3500 Canadian, and good luck finding a nice used one. If money were no object... BUT HELLO GIBSON, IT IS!).
The ESP is a mahogany body, capped with a quilted carved maple top, with abalone laminate ("ablam") on top, fingerboard, neck and headstock. It has a mahogany set-neck, and compared in some respects to my beautiful old Gibson at a fraction of the cost.
I would like to have seen an ebony fingerboard as well, but I guess you can't get all the goodies for this price.

Definitely very good bang for your buck though!
(Read other reviews for the rest).

I listen to and play many styles, but 95% of the time it's HEAVY IS AS HEAVY DOES!
Main amp is a BOOGIE 4-12" with a Carvin (450 watt) stereo power amp and Rexx 2 channel pre-amp. For practice a BOOGIE combo, straight in both, (if you can't get a good sound straight in you need a different amp)!
Mahogany sounds great for electrics and the set neck, fixed bridge and EMGs give loads of sustain.

Switching to 11-54s from the limp noodles they ship with was also a big improvement.
Ya' can't get no sustain out of a 9 guage!

I haven't heard or played a better pickup than EMG for high gain loud volume.
They feedback far less than non-active pickups and don't muddy up by covering a wide harmonic spectrum.

I probably would have preferred an 85 in the neck though for a fatter lead tone, but I'll change that myself and can't complain cause' the 81 is worth about $30 more.

Action from the factory was good... other than the fact it buzzed pretty much all over!
Unfortunately it was my only choice at the time and I didn't want to pass it up (and wait for another) so I grabbed it. Since I worked at Larrivee Guitars for many years (and have literally set up thousands, YES thousands) of guitars I was confident I could fixer' up.

They must have fretted this on a Friday afternoon long weekend after a liquid lunch though, because I had to recruit the expertise of Larrivee's old fretter to dress, reseat and glue down a number of high frets. No excuse for this level of carelessness on any instrument over $1000.
However, I doubt this is indicative of most.

This is one problem with ?ablam? though on the fingerboard since the frets (friction fit) can't always grab enough, but it should have been caught at the factory (or at least at the USA inspection point) as this was over and above what should be let go.
The nut was also a little high but an easy fix.

The quilt and cherry stain on the maple top is beautiful but could have been fit better, as there is a (glue) line in the center of the book-match.
Otherwise the inlay, joints, and paint are quite good (other than a slight buff-through on the headstock).

Have to giver' a 6.5 when I bought it but it's a 9 now.
In my books a 10 means perfect and nothing less so let's not overuse the 10 rating.

Quite a pretty guitar to risk cuts and bruises, but quality doesn't concern me. Still, I'll probably (try to) use my other workhorses out most of the time.

Without a backup? This question doesn't deserve an answer until they make non-breakable strings.

The warranty is "Limited Lifetime" (original owner) so what more do you want?
Yes I could have sent it for warranty repair on the frets but what for when I would rather tweak it to perfection myself, so I haven't dealt with them yet.

I don't anticipate any problems though. If you have a valid issue and treat people with respect the results are usually positive.

I have been playing about 20 years and owned Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Kramer, Larrivee, etc. and swear by Boogie for amps.
I would have wet dreams of playing this guitar if it ever were burned in a fire or crushed in an earthquake.
IT WILL NOT BE STOLEN! I HAVE EYES IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD!

Overall if you want an excellent guitar with quality HW and nice features I personally can't justify spending more money for anything else, unless you are a collector.

This ones' a keeper!

Made in Korea 2002 and have played it about 100 hours so far.
I paid a little more than some (by the looks of the reveiws) but still feel it is worth that and more.
I sold my Les Paul Deluxe (WHY!! WHY!!!) and looked for another, until I saw this guitar. (Not to mention the price of a new Deluxe is about $3500 Canadian and good luck finding a nice used one. If money were no object...BUT HEY GIBSON, IT IS!).
The ESP is a mahogany body (and neck), set-neck, and compared in some respects to my beautiful old Gibson at a fraction of the cost.
I would have liked to see an ebony fingerboard but you can't get all the goodies for this price.
Definitely very good bang for your buck though!

(Read other reviews for the other details).

I love and play many styles but 95% of the time it's HEAVY IS AS HEAVY DOES!
Gear is a BOOGIE combo and a BOOGIE 4-12" with a Carvin (450 watt) stereo power amp and Rexx 2 channel pre-amp straight in both. (if you can't get a good sound sraight in you need a different amp)!
Mahogany sounds great for electrics and the set neck, fixed bridge and EMGs gives loads of sustain.
I haven't heard or played a better pickup than EMG for high gain loud volume.
They feedback far less than non-active pickups and don't muddy up by covering a wide harmonic spectrum.
I probably would have preferred an 85 in the neck though for a fatter lead tone, but I'll change that myself and can't complain cause' the 81 is worth about $30 more.

The action from the factory was good... other than the fact it buzzed pretty much all over!
Unfortunately it was my only choice at the time and I didn't want to pass it up (or wait) so I grabbed it, and since I worked for Larrivee Guitars for many years (and have litteraly set up thousands, YES thousands) of guitars I was confident I could fix er' up.
They must have fretted this on a Friday long weekend after a liquid lunch though because I had to recruit the expertise of Larrivee's old fretter to reseat and glue down a number of high frets. No excuse for this level of carelessness on any instrument over $1000 but I doubt this is indicitive of most.
This is one problem with ablam though on the fingerboard since the friction fit can't always grab enough, but it should have been caught at the factory (or at least at the USA inspection point).
The nut was also a little high but an easy fix.
The quilt on the maple top is beautiful but could have been fit better, as there is a (glue) line in the center of the bookmatch.
Otherwise the inlay joints and paint are quite good.
Have to giver' a 6.5 when I bought it but it's a 9 now.
In my books a 10 means perfect and nothing less so let's not overuse the 10 rating.

It's a pretty guitar to risk cuts and bruises so I'll probably use my other workhorses most of the time.
With out a backup? This question doesn't deserve an answer until they make non-breakable strings.

The warranty is "Limited Lifetime" (original owner) so what more do you want?
Yes I could have sent it for a warranty repair on the frets but what for when I knew I could tweak it to perfection myself, so I haven't dealt with them yet.
I don't anticipate any problems though. If you have a valid issue and treat people with respect the outcome is usually positive.

I have been playing about 20 years and owned Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Larrivee, etc. and swear by Boogie for amps.
I would have wet dreams of playing this guitar if it ever were burned in a fire or crushed in an earthquake.
IT WILL NOT BE STOLEN! I HAVE EYES IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD!
Overall if you want an excellent guitar with quality HW and nice features I personally can't justify spending more money for anything else, unless you are a collector.
This ones' a keeper!

This is a 2003 Delux ESP/LTD EC-1000.......this guitar freaking rocks. It was made in korea, has 24 gloriously jumbo frets, solid mohogany body with quilted maple top, 2 volume, 1 tone control (great for the one cancelled humbucker effect), three way pickup selector, 2 EMG 81's!!! Wow, these 'buckers rock. Some people think that they're too heavy for some styles, but I think that they clean up too-thick distortion, and add wonderful amounts of low-end to any set-up. Great active pickups. All maple neck with rosewood fretboard ( not the best rosewood, though. real grainy). Finished in a real deep black cherry (looks awesome with the quilted maple top.) Has abalone inlay all along the body, neck and headstock. Very eye-catching. Also has abalone flag inlays. Sort of a Les-paul body style, but with more severe curves, and a lighter body. comes with the very nice tone-pro's locking bridge system ( like a tune-o-matic, but bolted to itself) and sperzel locking tuners all finished in black.

I like to play many different styles and this guitar can cover them all. I will say in particular that it is unbelievable for the hard rock/metal style of playing because of it's fast neck and great active pickups. here's the chain that I put it through. One Boss MD-2 Mega Distortion, a digitech multivoice chorus stompbox (awesome chorus sound!!) and my Bedrock 50-watt tube amp combo. Turning the volume back, I can get some twangy, almost fender-ish sounds from the bridge 'bucker, and real blues from the neck. turn up the volume and it's peel-the-paint-off-the-walls ballsy tone. sometimes distorts clean channels when volume is up high (depends on the amp, doesn't happen as much with tube amps). sound can get a little too raunchy sometimes, but I like it like that!!

right from the store ( no set up from a pro, nothing) the action was pretty darn good ( about 3/16ths or so) although the intonation really needed to be set. after I got it set up, there was absolutely no problem at all. perfect action, GREAT intonation. Love those sperzels. pickups were what I thought was a little high at first, but that's just because I had my other ones more than a full inch away from the strings.....duh. great top ( put together very nicely) quilted maple looks flawless. bridge is tight against the wood, so we get crazy sustain. all the controls are quiet and smooth. the nut, however, could have been filed a little lower ( and a little cleaner). the only wood that doesn't look all that hot is the fretboard. the rosewood looks a little low-grade. And so much abalone inlay can get a little superfluous.

this guitar is GREAT. I'm pretty sure it could withstand about anything (unless you're curt kobain). all the hardware is stout, the finish looks and feels very reliable, the strap buttons are very different from gibson and fender-style. they are wider, and look like they would hold up better. ( but I'm not gigging it untill I install some straplocks!!!) this guitar is dependable, but I would NEVER gig without a backup if I could help it. Hopefully I'd have another one of these. You have to remember to change the preamp battery ( for the 81's) before a show, just in case. ( -1 for having to remember to change the battery)

wouldn't know, never had to deal with them.

I've been playing for a little over three years, but trust me, I have been methodical and ravenous about playing different guitars and choosing the right one for the money. I also own an epiphone les paul standard, and a cort starfire (surprisingly not bad). Before I traded it in for this guitar, I also owned a Fender Showmaster Scorpion HH. I really love having this guitar, it suits me and it was SOOO worth the money. You won't find a better guitar for the price, guaranteed. You can do just as well with one of the new fenders that just came out, but not better. If this guitar was stolen, I would f@#$ing freak out and chase down the thief, ripping out his vital organs with a dull salad fork. It is worth it.

Made in Korea, 24 frets, les paul shape, mahogony body, neck blah blah look on www.espguitars.com for features or other reviews. Gets a 10 for its features due to price and what you get. This bad boy doesn't weigh that much either.

AMAZING SOUND! I remeber plugging in at the store and totally loved it! Bought it right there, prefered it over the Gibson Les Paul Custom's sound and defintely the weight. I play Black/Death Metal/Thrash and this suits very well. Show No Mercy sound dead on! I can also get that detuned sound like on Blasphemy's Fallen Angel of Doom or Conquerer, HAIL METAL!

Set up nice. No buzz or anything, pickups adjusted fine etc. I looked the baby over plenty of times, no flaws in site. Gets a 10.

This bad boy will last a long ass time. The hardware is great, the wood is great, I can depend on this beast and I don't need a stinkin backup!

Haven't dealt with them. Has a pretty good warranty so I will give an 8.

I have been playing for couple years. I also own an Ibanez RG 560 and BC RICH NJ NECK-THRU WARLOCK and this is defintely the best out of the two! I would buy this again if it was stolen. I compared this guitar to a Gibson Faded SG and a Gibson Les Paul Custom, I liked this more.

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