ESP vs LTD and NGD

[maddnotez]

So I just got this LTD V-500. I have been wanting an LTD for a while to check out and this happened to pop up locally.

I have always wondered how comparable they are and how different they are to the ESP's. Have asked around and did research but couldn't find much info. So here is my take, I cannot say this applied to all ESP's and all LTD's because I haven't played that many but this is my comparison between a 2011 SS Horizon MIJ and a 2007 LTD V-500 MIK.

They both have a Thin U but the LTD's have 350mm Radius and the ESP's have a 305mm. This was the main difference I was expecting but to my surprise the neck carve was a lot different. Both Thin U so this was unexpected but there was a noticeable difference.

The ESP is perfectly rounded where as the LTD was more like a V shape neck. It was rounded I suppose but the very middle 1/2" or so was is very flat. Really reminded me of the Ibanez 7620 neck whatever that is.

Not a huge deal tbh, it is different and not ideal but I get used to it and it still plays phenomenal. The Bridge may not be a real TOM and it has Grover tuners which aren't bad and all could be changed but it really does play damn near as good as my ESP. The ESP is definitely better in all areas (although I have not plugged into my stack yet so idk about sound wise) BUT the LTD is no slouch.

I can tell where the extra money goes with an ESP but for a beater or even just a less expensive guitar the LTD works for me.

The moral of the story for me is that the ESP thin U and the LTD thin U are not the same carve. That may vary from model to model but if you get one of the higher end LTD's it will be a very nice playing guitar.

 

[maddnotez]

Sorry for the sideways pic. At work and can't fix.

 

[NinjaRaf]

Like I said in the GAB thread...if you decide you dont like it, let me know. I will buy it.

Also, interesting about the ESP vs LTD neck. I have a number of LTDs over the years, and found the necks to be basically the same. Even my LTD Elites, which were MIJ and replaced the ESP Standard series were pretty much the same. I really love their necks and find them to be my overall favorite of all the guitars I have played.

 

[maddnotez]

Like I said in the GAB thread...if you decide you dont like it, let me know. I will buy it.

Also, interesting about the ESP vs LTD neck. I have a number of LTDs over the years, and found the necks to be basically the same. Even my LTD Elites, which were MIJ and replaced the ESP Standard series were pretty much the same. I really love their necks and find them to be my overall favorite of all the guitars I have played.

Yeah I guess that was my main point of the thread. The necks are definitely not the same. They are both labeled "Thin U" but they aren't identical.

Very close but I can feel the difference. It's dead center all the way down the back of the neck. There is a small area, maybe 1/2" wide that is almost completely flat. Kind of like a V I suppose but only with the middle. The rest of the neck is rounded the same.

It's not a huge deal. I'm already used to it and it plays great. I really like the LTD. Probably won't sell, at least not for a while.

This does really make me want to try more ESPs and LTDs though to compare some more.