ESP LTD Viper-301

It is a 2003 ESP Viper 301, all black. 24 frets, Two EMG HZ pickups, 1 volume, 1 tone and 3-way selector. Pretty standard set up. Looks like a SG, but with much better upper fret access.

I play in a metal band and this suits my style perfectly. I use it with a modded Peavey 5150 head and a mesa oversized cab. The sound is pretty good, if it had EMG 81's instead I think it would be perfect. I think I'm going to swap the stocks for the 81's soon.

The action is unbelievable. This is the first ESP that I've owned, but I've played a ton and they all have very fast necks with low action. No buzzing either. Finish is pretty good, it's black I'm not sure how they can go wrong with that. The paint on the bridge is coming off a little, but that can be expected. One of the bridge pins was loose when I got it because it wasn't seated properly, but I fixed that and now it's great. I'd give it a 10 now but can't because I had to fix that bridge. I also wish the neck wasn't painted, but I'm just being picky

I'm not a fan of non locking buttons so I replaced them. The finish is wearing off the bridge, but that's to be expected. It's seems like it will take a beating. I do have a backup guitar, but I always carry one in case of strings breaking.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing of about 12 years, I own a slew of guitars...Les Paul Custom, Ibanez Universe 7-String, Gibson Flyin V, Gibson Explorer, Fender Strat, Dean Bass, Martin d-16gt, Marshall Sl-x, Peavey 5150, and a lot more. If it were stolen I'd definetly go and get another. I really like this guitar the neck is amazing, the action is great, and the tone will be right where I want it with the EMG 81's installed.

made in 2002.
24 frets
Mahagony body - a bit heavy
Set Neck for extra sustain
Flag Inlays (not real pearl)
3 controls - volume, tone, and pickup 3way selecter knob thing
2 humbuckers - EMGhz's(passive)
Black..with a shiny finish
Sg-Style
Die cast tuners
came with a cheap thin cable, a few allen wrenches, and an ESP sticker.

would be better with more volume and tone controls. Also the tuners aren't so great. The pickups also are what you paid for.

Sounds great. Most people say it's for metal and stuff..but really it's all up to your amp. You can get a lot of sounds out of it. It's quiet. I use a Marshal Mg 30dfx with it. I think it would sound much better on a tube amp but i can't afford one.

this guitar is much better than the shitty squier i used to use. The pickups are hotter and are better for hammerons and stuff. It's not muddy either. I think it would be much better with some emg 81/85's in it. But it has great sound for the price.

Action is very low.
The verylow action causes annoying buzz in many spots. You'll get used to the buzz..but it sucks. The factory should have set the action up better.

As for flaws...the fretboard is a little messy. On the higher frets around the 20th, on the edges of the fretboard you can see areas that were sanded off and not finished it looks messed. Also the binding is shaved off and unfinished along the top edge.

And one thing that keeps pissing me off is the nut where you plug in your cable. Ther's like a metal tube that goes inside the guitar..and it's screwed on by a black nut. The nut always get's loose and the cable slot thing alwasy comes out..you have to keep twisting it back with your hand. I don't have a tool to secure it..so..if it happens to you get a wrench that can screw very thing nuts back on.

On time it completley fell off and i had to put it back. annoying.


The finish is black which can be a problem if you have a dusty room like me. ;) There's always tons of dust logded between the pikcups and also near the tuneomatic bridge. It's hard to clean and is annoying.

I think i need to get some polisher and stuff and treat my guitar. haven't done that yet.

It's durable. The tuners seems a bit weak. The finish seems strong. NOthing has broken except the stupid nut that attacches to the slot where you plug in yoru cable.

There's warranty but you have to send it within 10days of purchase...that was so stupid. I bought it from musiciansfriend and they have a return policy of 40 days. you have to give all the warranty and crap back........so by the time the 40days passed i couldnt even turn in the warranty with the guitar.

annoying.

This is a great guitar for it's price. There are just many minor things that can be annoying but they do not affect the playability at all. Nice guitar and it plays very well.

it's much better than a squier and is a very good second or third guitar. I wish it came with a case..haha. but at that price you can't expect a case.

good guitar. If you wanna spend aroudn $450 get this guitar. It's one of the best in its range.

Made in Korea in 2002, 24 XJ frets, Mahogany body, see-thru cherry finish. set maple neck. one volume, one tone, 3 way toggle. EMG HZ pickups

the guitar sounds really nice, and I've not had any real problems with the wiring. I've managed a really decent bluesy sound, as well as heavy metal sounds ala machine head, pantera, down, corrosion of conformity, etc.. it sounds pretty nice, but the pickups are definitely going to go, they're wayyyy too low output. The neck pick sounds like ass, it has no character, it's just like EMG's active pickups- they dont color your sound at all, and in this instance, that isn't a good thing. Otherwise, the guitar sounds wonderful

The action on the guitar from the factory was too low for my taste. It arrived in its box, i took it home, opened it up, it was outfitted with 9's, and was horrendously out of tune, i started tuning it to standard tuning, and broke the high E-- so i replaced teh strings with 11's (DR) and it was perfect. The bridge pickup was adequately adjusted, but the neck pickup was adjusted way too conservatively, so I fixed that. The finish looked beautiful, not like something from a < $1000 guitar. There were no visible flaws in the finish, and that's great

I've a feeling that this guitar will withstand gigging without a problem. I jam with buddies of mine periodically, and we can get pretty stupid while we're playing, and this guitar has already been to one such event, and took everything with a wink and a nod. I'd always gig with a backup, but I'm pretty confident that this guitar would have no trouble taking most any abuse I give it.

haven't dealt with 'em

I love the guitar. I've been playing for ~7 years or so, and I've played lots of guitars, Fenders, ibanezes, gibsons, schecters, G&L's, PRS', etc and some of them are pretty nice, but I think that this guitar really fits me pretty well. It's heavy enough to make it feel even more solid, the tone is really nice, and i'm sure it will be even better when I get some different pickups installed in it. Great guitar

Bought new in spring 2002, made in Korea. 24 frets with volume and tone controls with three-way selector switch. I changed the knobs from black to chrome skull knobs. Black hardware is poo! But, I'm not gonna replace everything just for chrome hardware.

Good if you like low end. I prefer to switch to the bridge pickup and turn the bass all the way up to give it a very nice growl. Used with a boss mega-distortion it is very good for slow doomy metal. I mainly use my Digitech Metal Master for most things. With my pedals I think it is fairly versatile, not as much as I'd like it though. Finally, something in the electronics is wrong because it has a strange chorus sounding problem with it. It has been isolated to the electronics in the guitar and I'm looking into it. It sounds like shit now but it did sound quite good when it worked.

Very little buzz and good action. All seems well produced.

Strap buttons are well located, it's also well balanced. Finish seems good also. Hardware is sturdy except for the tuners which look kinda weak, but haven't had a problem yet. Cannot and would not depend on it because it has broken on me within a year. I've had an Ibanez starter kit bass that has lasted much longer than this thing.

Don't know about the warranty. I'm gonna replace the pickups because I think that's the problem. At the ESP website they have not finished the tech support portion of things. They suck.

I love the growl that I can get from it when it works. I liked it better than the Kirk Hammet signature because it seemed more versatile to me. Sometimes (rarely) I play parts without distortion. If it were stolen I'd laugh at the guy who stole it and he'd realize why when he played it. I've been playing guitar since I bought it, I've been playing bass for around 5 years now. This guitar is good when it works.

This is the new model, 2003 with the sunburst finish. First of all, the guitar I chose was quite heavy, I prefer a heavy body.

It is a pretty basic set up, solid mahogany body with a set 24 3/4" scale neck. Has 2 humbuckers, EMG HZ- passive with flag inlays on the neck.

The only criticism I have of this guitar is the the very small, some what crappy tuners. Other than that it is great.

Has a single tone and volume control, 3 way selector with a typical tune-o-matic style bridge.

the neck shape is quite thin, with large frets.

I play blues and hard rock. This guitar has a very balsy, low end sound. Lots of chunk. No noise, these pickups are actually quite good. I would normally change these out, but these can stay, I like them. The guitar has a very flutey, musical sound, very nice.

The action and set up was perfect. Again, lots of sustain, lots of low end chunk. The fit and finish is perfect, no flaws, the fret work is quite even. It supports a low action setting with light strings, with out significant buzz.

I still hate these tuners, they are so small, they feel funny.

I could stand on this thing and not break it. It is a tank, literally.

Who knows?

Over all, I am impressed. This thing completely kills any Gibson SG I have ever played. there is no comparison.

Have I mentioned, I hate the tuners?

I think it was made in Japan. 24 Frets, Laminated top, one volume and one tone poti, EMG passive Picks, Mahagony body.

I do some heavy stuff, but also a little jazz, funk, blues... This guitar is definitly perfect for heavy music... The EMG's do their work. I use it also in my band for the other styles on my Marshall Combo. Even with Hi-Gain there is no noise. The sound is very bright.

Finish is very good, but there are some things I don't like: The couloured neck looks like plastic. I would prefer a simple neck without this coulourthing... I also don't like the inlays. I would prefer simple dots. The rest is very fine

That's my favourite guitar for gigs. I have a 7-string Ibanez and Gibson Les Paul Standard. The Ibanez is for some special songs. The Les Paul is to heavy for stage (I mean it weights to much - 4,5 kg). The LTD Viper has 3 kg and a killer sound too. I also played the original ESP Viper, but the sound was not so good than the LTD and the prize was horrible. I think there are better pickups in it than in the original.

I like the sound, the weight, the look, the pickups, 24 frets (Gibson SG has only 22). The disadvantages is this neck-coulor and the inlays.
If you want to buy the original ESP Viper you will have to pay ? 1500 and there are no real advantages. I played both. The original has also a bader sound. The only thing is the brandname on it and the neck is not glued (but that could be a sound-disadvantage too).

I'm guessing this was made about a year or two ago? I bought it used. See thru Black Cherry finish (so beautiful), EMG HZ pickups, ESP tuners, one volume, one tone. 3 way switch, 24 frets, mother of pearl flag inlays, set neck, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fretboard, tune o matic bride w/stop tailpiece. Nothin much else to say. Its a very nicely built guitar.

Sounds great, pickups sound very good too. A bit lacking in sustain, but not so much-much better than most pickups. I might replace them with real EMGs sooner or later. Quiet guitar, im using with some line 6 and marshall stuff and a few stomp boxes, sounds great. You can play a wide variety of styles with this.

This guitar plays like a dream, everything I've basically wanted. This is now my eighth guitar, best one by far. Its very comfortable to play with, the action is amazing, and the neck is perfect. Yet this is only my opinion.

Seems very durable, the previous owner put a few dings and scratches into it, but they are unnoticeable. A nice thick, heavy guitar which I love. It is a very dependable guitar, thank you ESP LTD.

Never had to deal with them

This guitar is just amazing, it suits me perfectly. If it was ever stolen, i'd hunt down the thief, castrate him and leave him in an alley and take back the guitar. Definitely the best guitar i've played on yet. I own Jackson, Ibanez, Fender, etc. They are good, but this is better

everything listed above

I find the sound a little muddy and bass-y...definitely not enough treble in the tone...anybody else find this??if so email me at troy@newworldonfire.com and let me know how you corrected it...
nice sustain though...

setup was wicked...low action...easy playing...

havent played live with it yet...just got it...i have a show on friday but im a little nervous to play it because of the lack-of-treble thing...ive used it in practice and its held up against the jumping and thrashing

im about to email them ...we'll see

very nicely built...plays like a dream...speed picking comes almost too easy...not crazy about the tone...should have played with it a little more...im sure it's correctable...maybe with a different capacitor on the tone pot...we'll see

BEAUTIFUL, that one word sums it up. Outstanding finish work. Bound neck and headstock, beautiful flag inlays. The G string had a little trouble staying in tune, so i replaced the ESP tuners with some Sperzel locking tuners, and now i tune like one a month. It has a weird heel on the back of the neck up at the headstock. At first I thought it would take time getting used to it, now I dont even notice it.Two EMG-HZ Humbuckers, these are wonderful all around pickups, although not that much sustain, so thinking about replaceing them with some Duncans. All in all one helluva deal.

I play in 2 bands, a original Metal band, and a Beatles tribute band. And this guitar has found its home in both bands. It is a really all around guitar. use it for anything. I run it into a FM4 filter modeler-Rocktek Chourus-Smallstone Phaser-Marshall MG80. Not a noisy guitar.

My only problem here was the pickups where both at the bottom, so i lowered the neck one a little more and raised the bridge up to the strings. Aside from that, Wonderful in all these catagories.

VERY depedable guitar, Its an ESP. What do you expect.

Not dealt with them, but heard good things.

Ive got a Fender Strat, and a Epiphone casino. And I would put this guitar in the smae feild as they 2. If someone stole it I would put a bounty out on there head.

Set maple neck,rosewood fretboard w/ inlays, mahogany body, two EMG-HZ passive humbuckers, one volume and one tone nob, three per side ESP sealed tuners,and a stoptail bridge.

The sound is right up there next to my Gibson Gothic SG. They aren't the same, but the sustain and quality of sound is there. I enjoy playing the blues, and throwing heavy metal rhythems out. This guitar is not noisy, quality assembly. Everything is there to do whatever I want sonically, with the exception of any tremelo tricks. I meets my needs 100% and then some for what I enjoy.

This thing was perfect the day I fist picked it up. That's the main reason I bought it. It just felt so good. The action is on the low side, but no buzz. Easy, fast action. All areas of the guitar were better than all $900-1200 Gibsons in the store, with exception to the nut dressing. Nothing I could hear. It was pretty much perfect.

I am easy on guitars, so I can't really say. It feels as solid as any quality mahogany body guitar.

Everything feels perfect, sounds ideal, and promises the world. No guitar I have had has won me over like this one did. I've owned and played lots of guitars : Jackson USA/Japan, Charvel, Fender Mex/Japan, Kramer, Washburn, Gibson, Epiphone, Yamaha, Schecter, Ibanez,Peavey USA, Aria ProII, etc...You know how it goes. If it fits... get it. Easy.