Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

[Seraphial]

Specifically the one at the bottom

http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_st.html

Haven't played one, but was looking for a house for my SD C5 and this looks like a good candidate. My guess from the price that the Floyd maybe fairly cheap & its made somewhere like Indonesia. Apparently the distressing is covered by a gloss finish, so it won't distress anymore, but anyone actually played one?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

IMO, you are correct to anticipate the need for pickup and vibrato upgrades. LTDs get serious when the model number passes 400. Probably wiser to simply buy a more up-market model to begin with.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

IMO, you are correct to anticipate the need for pickup and vibrato upgrades. LTDs get serious when the model number passes 400. Probably wiser to simply buy a more up-market model to begin with.

or a more Low budget like a Rondo
thay have a Floyded strat for 130 bucks
that probably needs hardware and pickups
you end up at the same place whilst spending less

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

They're about the same quality as other Indonesian Strat copies -- the cats saying Rondo or even Squier are dead-on.

Tack on a $200 upcharge for the worst-looking relic you'll ever see (including little gray circles on the fretboard that are supposed to look like finish wear but are actually obviously drawn on with pencil) and you have a really stupid guitar. Don't buy one, ever.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

They're about the same quality as other Indonesian Strat copies -- the cats saying Rondo or even Squier are dead-on.

Tack on a $200 upcharge for the worst-looking relic you'll ever see (including little gray circles on the fretboard that are supposed to look like finish wear but are actually obviously drawn on with pencil) and you have a really stupid guitar. Don't buy one, ever.

+1

To top it all off, you have the model badge at the 12th fret. Now, I think it's unfortunate and unnecessary for LTD to put those on any of their guitars. But that eyesore on the maple-necked one? Christ on a bike.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

what the......
are ya'll agreeing with me
or making fun of me?

I cant tell

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

what the......
are ya'll agreeing with me
or making fun of me?

I cant tell

I don't know about the Rondo, but the LTD is a cheeseball. Based on the relic job and the 12th-fret model badge, I'm saying "avoid".

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

ah
ignoring me

cool

back to where we were

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

Nah, I think we're agreeing with you. The only person who can rock an ESP/LTD Strat/Tele and make it look cool is Ronnie Wood. And even then, it's questionable...

 

[SFW]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

The stock bridge pickup isn't that bad. You'll probably want change it at some point. But I think you said that you were going to put a C5 in it anyway... The Floyd copy is a hit or miss thing. Worse case, just pick one up off the bay that they keep raping out of the new USA Charvels and selling.

 

[lex666]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

ESP/LTD's have had some pretty cool looking graphics and models with a "worn" or distressed finish...

But, check 'em out in person before you buy. The photos always look sweet, but in person they look cheap. Things with a graphic had a tendency to look grainy and cheap. You could literally see the pixels in the graphic.

Distressed items looked like bad paint job. Some items looked like they were painted in layers and its very obvious and doesn't look natural at all.

These are just my opinions, if you dig the way they look, go for it.

BTW - I have 2 ESP LTD guitars that I love and 2 that I've tired in the past and hated so I'm not just bashing on ESP/LTD's... Other than the above they do make a great quality guitar. Solid colors and flame tops look amazing. Avoid anything with graphics or distressed paint jobs...

 

[tc]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

Nah, I think we're agreeing with you. The only person who can rock an ESP/LTD Strat/Tele and make it look cool is Ronnie Wood. And even then, it's questionable...

George Lynch anyone? His GL-56, save for the knife cuts in the back, is pretty cool.

And to be honest, the REAL ESP Strats put a lot of Fenders to shame.

 

[devastone]

Re: Anyone played the ESP LTD strats?

The "real" MIJ ESP Strats cost as much or more as a US Fender and are as good or possibly better (YMMV), including the GL-56 which is MIJ and will cost you a couple o' US Strats. The LTD strats, including the GL-256, are pretty much dogs IMHO, they are made in Vietnam, not Korea. The higher end MIK LTDs and MIJ ESPs are great guitars, but I can't recommend the lower end ones.