ESP LTD EC-Black Metal - Black Satin

This is a beautiful instrument from a company I wasn't very familiar with and I'm glad I took a chance. ESP makes guitars that run into the double digits but this single humbucker black satin beauty cuts like a knife. You'll notice just the one knob. That's volume and it's all you'll need. The set through neck is really well constructed with a beautiful transition at the heel going down the neck. Macassar Ebony fretboard has no dots visible from the front but glow in the dark dots as fret markers viewed from above the neck. I'm sorta stuck on the black satin finish to the point that I've got 4 other guitars in that finish, two of them Schecters. The price is competitive across the web and free shipment in 2 days is always welcome. Played great right out of the box and those locking tuners make string changes a breeze. The literature says this axe is for metal and I can see why because, like I said, that lone bridge pickup could be used to arc weld metal. Neck was straight and really well finished at the fret ends. Feels like it was rolled over on the finishing belt really well as the hand slides so nicely along the neck. Top and fret board look banded but it's that ebony on top of the neck. Get one if you can afford it.

This guitar is just an awesome simple machine. The neck feels amazing, and the single control is awesome. This is absolutely a player's guitar. I will be getting a second one in the future because ESP have made the guitar I wish I had when I started playing 20+ years ago.

I'm Glad I got her, the Les Paul - Gibson refuses to make.

I'm a guitarist for over 30 years and so far this is one of the best quality and versitile guitar ever manufactured. Much better than my Gibson Les- paul.

Updated Review: This thing sounds, feels, and overall looks great for what I am after. However, there are a couple paint job issues on the finish. At the very back up the body on both sides of the strap button there are white dots that I have pictured. It was this way right out of the box and at first sight looks like dust. The problem is that it's not dust. It is places where the paint hasn't set up properly. It's disappointing but I still love it. It also has fret buzz on the low E string until you get to fret 10 or 12. This shouldn't be an issue at this cost. Other website reviews have been reporting the same with other LTD Black Metal Series guitars. It's possible that yours won't have this issue. At the end of the day, I'm not unhappy with this purchase because this guitar is great! That is if your willing to maybe have to fix the fret buzz. I just didn't expect an annoying issue like this in this price range. I can get it taken care of though. Not the end of the world.

I have played a ton of guitars over the last 25 years from low to high value and I have to honestly say this has to be the punchiest one yet. Everyone has their own sound and feel so I’m speaking on my own preference but this is the top for me, too and it has taken 25 years and thousands of dollars to find it. Bigger shame is that it showed up falling out of the box and had chunks out of the body!!!

Really lightweight guitar @ 7lbs, fretbpard easy to play. Super hot pickup, switched to X2n but otherwise no changes. Holds tune well and tuners are easy to turn

This is a work of art. The simplicity and cost cutting doesn’t justify the price. I bought this for 700 hundred about 4 years ago. Seemed awesome until I plugged in a guitar with active pickups. The black winter in there just doesn’t cut it. This is a 500 dollar guitar that needs a powerful active pickup.