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ESP LTD Deluxe H-1001
BY ERIC KIRKLAND (As originally featured in Guitar World)
ESP'S LTD Deluxe Series guitars are a boon for technically gifted guitarists. These midpriced Korean-built super-axes feature detail-rich designs, fast playability, top-shelf components, tasteful embellishments and flawless fit and finish. ESP's latest addition to the series is the carved-top H-1001, a shred-ready beauty that ideally marries elegance and musicality with a devious metal attitude. My test guitar was the glossy black, non-trem variety, but options include figured maple tops and Floyd Rose trems.
FEATURES
A mirror-like piano black finish with active EMG 81 and 85 pickups indicate that the H-1001 is designed for metal, but the fluid ergonomics of the carved-top mahogany body and slick neck give it a custom shop feel that would likely suit any style player who appreciates and recognizes a finely crafted instrument. Abalone inlays tastefully outline the body's top and frame the entire rosewood fretboard and headstock.
The maple neck is shaped into what ESP calls a "thin-U" contour. The wide and flat hill facilitates wide intervals and stabilizes the thumb during fast runs, while the radiused shoulders create a comfortable junction with the fretboard. This lightning-fast stick couples with the body using ESP's ingenious set-through joint, in which the glued-in neck extends much deeper into the body than a standard set-neck joint. Players who shred the upper registers will likely appreciate how this contoured joint seamlessly eliminates the obstruction of a neck heel. Adding to the guitar's speed potential, massive and beautifully crowned fretwire makes it possible to fret notes with a light touch.
The H-1001's hardware is as impressive as the guitar's design details. A locking TonePros Tune-o-matic-style bridge elevates the strings and locking ESP keys maintain absolute tuning stability through the wildest string stretches. The strings run through the body for maximum sustain, and the EMGs are controlled with a three-way blade switch and standard master volume and tone controls.
PERFORMANCE
The H-1001 creates powerful acoustics across the frequency spectrum, without accentuating any area in particular. Lows are tight and defined, mids are deep and highs scream without being harsh. Though the EMGs perform best with high gain and thick saturation, this guitar's innate characteristics help them produce more organic tones and surprisingly warm clean tones.
THE BOTTOM LINE
ESP'S H-1001 is fast, thoughtfully constructed and purposefully appointed. While it sells for well under a grand, it plays and sounds every bit as good as a fine custom-shop creation.
PROS: SUPER-FAST PLAYABILITY • SEAMLESS NECK JOINT • LOCKING HARDWARE
CONS: BREAK ANGLES AND DESIGN ADD SOME EXTRA STRING TENSION
WATCH THE VIDEO REVIEW!