NGD: ESP LTD SN-1000 - Purple Blast

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sideshowsmitty

Member
I picked this up last week...has anyone tried one out? I'm a Charvel guy, and I was hoping they would make a hardtail with a roasted maple 22 fret neck with two humbuckers. They came out with the 22 fret three pickup model which I wasn't a fan of. So far I'm digging this ESP. I don't like it as much as my 2018 MIM Charvel though, but overall its a good guitar for the money and has what I was looking for: HT/22 Fret RM neck/coil taps. The pickups are SD Pegasus/Sentient models and they're good, but I will probably swap them for a jb/59, or may try a Tone Zone since I hear good things about them and have never had one. The tone knob is spring loaded and seems to be cheap. It doesn't consistantly work unless I turn it and then press again. I'm assuming this isn't as intended, since thats a pain in the ass to do during a gig while playing a song. I'll find out this weekend. https://share.icloud.com/photos/0KN6p917LxUmD3tZwaIfRQr1w
 

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As far as that Charvel, the MIM models definitely aren't as consistent as the USA, Japan, and from what I've heard the new Korean-made models. I love the Charvel (hd ash body pictured in my original post) but I originally had a 2016 blueburst model that had a twisted neck. I bought it on sale for $599. The fret ends weren't filed well, and notes would just seem to die when bending them. I never thought of looking for a twisted (bowed, yes..but not twisted) since I've never had a neck do that. The Fender/Charvel rep for the store was great though, and offered me the 2018 model which had just come out. I asked for a new neck but he said they couldn't do that and offered me the ash guitar. This is my first ESP (well..LTD) and its made in Korea and seems to be built well other than the spring loaded tone knob which I'm going to replace with a push/pull.
 

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Spring loaded tone knob --- like a push/push pot? If so I'm not a fan of those for sure. How are those scalloped frets?
 
Inearthed said:
Spring loaded tone knob --- like a push/push pot? If so I'm not a fan of those for sure. How are those scalloped frets?
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Yeah, it splits the coils like a push/pull knob. I had a Les Paul a few years ago with a spring loaded knob and it worked much better. This one just seems cheaper. I had a scalloped neck back in the early 90s. They are actually cool for bending notes since you don't feel any wood. I prefer a non scalloped since its easy to bend notes/chords sharp if you press too hard if your not used to it. This only has from frets 17-22 which you never play chords on that part of the neck anyway and its good for bending notes.
 
Nice LTD except for the inlays. Charvel has an OK neck but usually a shoddy fretboard.

I cannot see myself buying an LTD guitar with steel frets, so it's either re-fret a used guitar or buy a different brand from now on.
Likely move will be from LTD to E-II, Fender (ultra series), or something like Epiphone Prophecy, Balaguer, or Kiesel.
 
endless said:
Nice LTD except for the inlays. Charvel has an OK neck but usually a shoddy fretboard.

I cannot see myself buying an LTD guitar with steel frets, so it's either re-fret a used guitar or buy a different brand from now on.
Likely move will be from LTD to E-II, Fender (ultra series), or something like Epiphone Prophecy, Balaguer, or Kiesel.
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I love the neck on my Charvel. But your right...the MIM ones are less consistent. I got a great one though. What do you not like about stainless steel frets? Just curious. I love my warmoth neck, and this LTD feels real good too. Its nice having frets that barely wear.
 
I have a ESP LTD Viper 1000 made in korea. It's a great sounding, playing, feeling guitar. For the money spent it would be hard to beat. It even sounds and plays better than my Gibson SG.
 
sideshowsmitty said:
I love the neck on my Charvel. But your right...the MIM ones are less consistent. I got a great one though. What do you not like about stainless steel frets? Just curious. I love my warmoth neck, and this LTD feels real good too. Its nice having frets that barely wear.
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Too firm. I would rather the frets feel a bit softer. I see no reason to change fret material at all. I also do not the guitar sounds of the 21st century in metal. I can see steel frets making things sound worse in that direction also.
 
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endless said:
Too firm. I would rather the frets feel a bit softer. I see reason to change fret material at all. I also do not the guitar sounds of the 21st century in metal. I can see steel frets making things sound worse in that direction also.
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I love stainless steel frets, they barely wear at all. Regular fret material wears down in no time and then it's time for a refret, which is bummer. Tone wise I don't hear much of a difference between different fret wire, not anything worth noting.
 
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