ESP LTD James Hetfield Signature Snakebyte - Snow White

This guitar is an amazing piece to add to the collection. Only draw back is because of the explorer shape and location of the strap knobs I will need to order a longer strap as it feels like it sits too high when standing up with a normal strap. That and I will upgrade it to strap locks which unfortunately the LTD version does not come with.

My grandson loves it

GUYS! TWO WORDS, AMAZING GUITAR! i have a Gibson Les Paul and a SG Standard, but i always wanted an ESP and this Snakebite IS LOVELY! a must have guitar! JAMES HETFIELD AND METALLICA RULE! i am updating on July 2013 as the bad review stated, well i bought mine in 2011 and the price was $1200+ with an amazing hard case ESP Branded.. unlucky you. make sure you contact the dealer directly and make sure it comes with one! hell i even asked him to throw me an extra (POLICE DO NOT CROSS Strapp as gift) very kind dealer! the only con was made in Korea approved in USA.. But two yrs now, still amazing!

I bought this here because they showed they had stock when everywhere else there was a backorder. I received it in good condition with the guitar in its case, but I noticed that the original ESP box had been taped shut and the staples were undone. When I opened the case the guitar wasn't wrapped in the typical foam and the accessories were scattered inside the case compartment. The guitar was in new condition with no noticeable marks or damage, but one of the pickups were so far raised that it rested on the strings preventing them from ringing. After a quick set up the guitar looked and played like new. None of this would be an issue if I didn't have to pay brand new pricing on a clearly "open box" buy. One the more positive side, I received a Korean guitar as opposed to an Indonesian made one. My understanding is that these are all being made in Indonesia now. I didn't take away any stars because the condition of the instrument was immaculate although it needed a small bit of TLC to be playable. I think an unknowing customer would've returned it.

I chatted with an amazon employee before I purchased this guitar. He confirmed it was made in Korea. It's not. ESP switched where they make these at some point from Korea to Indonesia apparently and after some research it looks like so many people were upset that ESP had to make a statement saying their quality did not drop. Very shady to suddenly switch where a guitar is made after people research and expect it to be made in Korea, a known location that makes quality guitars. Upon inspection the guitar has an area above the pickups that has less of a polish and hits the light different. There are no serious problems and it looks/feels great but 2 stars for pulling a fast one about false information on the sellers part. Also the included bags of information papers and wipe down cloth had been opened with the staples on the bags popped. It is worth noting on several other unboxings I had watched there was foam padding covering the toggle switch but mine was missing and the neck tag had been removed and placed in the storage box in the case.

Guitar plays great neck has blemishes. For the price this shouldn't be a thing. I won't buy online again.

Ever since ESP moved the construction of their guitars (at least the LTD lineup), the quality of craftsmanship in minor details has gone down. But these little faulty details do add up. Upon inspection, the case it came in had loose buckles that were not secured all the way. Upon opening up the case, there was still a sense of grandeur and awe. From afar, this instrument is not a toy and it does show. Amazing white gloss finish to the body and the coiled snake inlay is metal as hell. However, upon closer examination the flaws start to show from the Indonesian factory. Only one of the pickups has the plastic wrapping. The input jack for the guitar cable is loose and floppy. The 3-way toggle switch had loose pieces that failed to keep it in place. And the bridge volume control was also loose and not in line with the rest of the assembly. I had to take out my tools to secure everything on the guitar. However, once that was taken care of and I plugged it into my amp... WOW. This thing packs a mean and heavy punch. TLDR: Killer instrument but came with loose knobs, input jack, and toggle switch. Guitar case had loose buckles. ESP please go back to your Korean factory!

Amazing sound and crafted to perfection! This purchase was an absolute winner. The pickup sound is incredibly clean with a reasonable overall weight to the body. The small neck allows for great maneuverability. Whoever purchases this ESP will not be disappointed. If I could I would give it 6 stars out of 5!