whats the quality difference between esp and ltd?

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deathfann
whats the difference between the two exactly? i no that ltd is made with cheeper quality products but thats all iv used so is ESP supposed to be better? iv heard they arent as good as ltd's.
Metalmilitia306

Well i think you've heard wrong, ESPs are built alot better, and play alot better. ESP uses the best Woods and are made by better crafts people. Others on the forum can tell you all the details, but i know for a fact my ESP is way batter than my LTD

EvolutionVII

Well i think you've heard wrong, ESPs are built alot better, and play alot better. ESP uses the best Woods and are made by better crafts people. Others on the forum can tell you all the details, but i know for a fact my ESP is way batter than my LTD

I do like my LTDs and I've played quite some ESPs. They're nice, but quite expensive for the uprate of a name (and "better" woodselection). Craftmanship is one topic of it's own.
Imho: Japan > Korea > Indonesia & China.

Davi B.
EvolutionVII wrote:
Well i think you've heard wrong, ESPs are built alot better, and play alot better. ESP uses the best Woods and are made by better crafts people. Others on the forum can tell you all the details, but i know for a fact my ESP is way batter than my LTD I do like my LTDs and I've played quite some ESPs. They're nice, but quite expensive for the uprate of a name (and "better" woodselection). Craftmanship is one topic of it's own. Imho: Japan > Korea > Indonesia & China.

so... I can say that the LTD is the same thing as the Squier is for Fender?(a cheap version of the guitar)

Justinschut

Japan > Korea > Indonesia > China.

sirsloop

USA>Japan>Korea>Indo>China ?

Whats the difference between a Chevy Tahoe and a Cadillac Escalade? Both are made by GM.

You can definitely tell the difference through the LTD models in fit and finish. The 50-250 series are made from inferior woods, have inferior finish, and typically no name pickups. Once you get into the 300-1000 series there is a noticeable increase in quality. The top on my MH250NT was nice, the top on my MH1000NT is fucking awesome. When you move from LTD 1000 to ESP's... I would expect the fit, finish, and parts all to be top of the line. If you go Custom ESP you are getting your named parts on your designed guitar with the fit, finish, and quality of ESP standards.

FSM

If you go Custom ESP you are getting your named parts on your designed guitar with the fit, finish, and quality of ESP standards.

Negative.

Justinschut

he's probably talking about the LTD Customshop.. which > ESP Customshop

sirsloop

explain

Fordman65

ESP customs are hand made dude. Standards are not. If you like standards, a custom will make you blow your load faster than your old lady.

FSM

Yep, and I don't know what magical forest they get their wood from, or how they test it for quality, but my M-II Custom's tone blows all my other guitars away, and most of them are ESP Standards.

MV-CTM

Epic Beard Man cultivates the trees from which the custom shop gets their woodz. The wood grows in a thicket of gutter-stomped bitchasses.

Kevin M.

I always wondered what the difference was. I have a LTD KH-202 & it made my Ibanez sound/play like a toy. Now from the posts I've read I can't wait to plug in an ESP!

Custom is always better quality but either way I'd say their both awesome guitar lines.

 

note to Sirsloop:

I used to work for Honda motor co. & sad to say but you could tell which were assembled in Japan & which were done in the USA. same exact parts, but americans take no pride in their work anymore. just there to get a check & it shows.

Fiutem F.

To be clear.   I have a 2012 Hanneman Custom and a 2015 E2-MI.  

I ordered a MH1000QM and after 30 dismal seconds sent it back to the vendor.

If Tokyo knew what was going on in Jakarta, they would send them a box of wakizashis to solve the problem.

Alain P.

So why is the George Lynch Burnt Tiger an LTD model? I bought one through Sweetwater at almost half price. Should I be worried?

Possum

I recently purchased an E-II Eclipse BB in the satin black. It took several months to finally arrive because I was one of the first to order the new color/configuration. When it arrived it had dents in the silver binding paint. It's not actually a layered binding but simply a stripe that's painted on the guitar to simulate a binding. Seemed cheap to me. You could see the glue separating under the paint already. I sent that one back and waited 2 more months for another Eclipse. This one had the same problems. Also both came with a string buzz on the E string that couldn't be eliminated as well as the G string would go out of tune with any bending or heavy riffing. I was very dissapointed in the quality for $1850. I sent both of them back and ordered an LTD EC-1000 Evertune. I love this guitar. Same EMG pickups as the E-II, Frets are a little thinner but after a professional setup and some fret leveling it plays as well as the E-II did and stays in tune no matter what. I don't even notice the difference between the 350mm and the 305mm fretboard radius. I think the EC-1000 Evertune is slightly heavier than the E-II was as well. Great solid heavy feel and tone. The only drawback to the evertune is once it's locked in to a particular tuning you can easily switch tunings. It takes a while to set up. But over all a great playing, sounding value for $1050 list.

Kevin B.

I recently purchased 2 LTD EC-256's, one in Flamed Maple Cherry Sunburst and the other in Cobalt Blue, Both Play and feel very nice, the G&B pickups aren't bad but a little too muddy, I put some Seymore Duncan Hot Rodded Humbuckers in the Cobalt Blue one and now it Sounds Great, I will probably upgrade the other soon too, these look awesome and are a steal for the the price they're asking, I found Deals that I could not pass up on both guitars, and they stay in tune..... better than my fender. 

Vincy

LTD is their "economy" line. Similar to Gibson's "Epihone" line. The LTD's are less expensive and lower quality than ESP's.

 

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Scotty Guitar

Hi,

While many have already pointed out that LTD is the "mass produced" made in a factory "economy" line, whereas ESP is very expensive and handmade.  And....as people have said it's "cheaper" than ESP.  The LTD is a GREAT guitar.  There are also a lot of youtube reviews about LTD and even one where they compare several guitars, one branded as an ESP and one branded as an LTD, (same guitar models otherwise)  and there is virtually no noticeable difference.  They both sound fantastic.  Others have said, ESP/LTD does not put out a bad guitar.  So, for an LTD ES256 LP, let's say, for about $200???  Are you kidding me?  An amazing guitar company all around.  I have an acoustic ESP which is awesome and sustains for weeks, beautiful green flametop.  My next guitar is an LTD electric ESP 256.  I may even get 2.  They're great and have amazing colors/finishes. 

Some perspective......

I went to a local place last night and they had a band.  As a guitar player, I tried to see what everybody was playing.  I had no idea what the acoustic was, I didn't even see a sticker through the sound hole.  And from where I was sitting I couldn't make out the name of the electric, plus lighting/movement etc.  The band was really good, fun, and the crowd had a good time.  So, one thing that hit me was, they sounded good, played well and nobody, I mean nobody in that place had any clue what brand was being played and nobody cares.  People are drinking beer, having some food, and enjoying the show.  This made me realize, just get what makes you happy, and what you like.  I think if you go LTD, you'll be impressed with your instrument and giddy that you still have a lot of money in your wallet/bank account.  And, if you ever do play live, nobody will care what you play.  They may like or dislike the way your rig looks/colors, etc, but that's about it, pretty superficial and uninformed most people in the audience would be.    I think the only people that might honestly notice or comment, would be other musicians, and especially those who are gear snobs.

M. T.

I'm considering buying ESP LTD KH-602. Is Floyd Rose in this model the ORIGINAL one ? ...or it is something made in China... I am afraid, because I have a 2 guitars with FR, but quality is very different, on my Cort x-6 is qiute good, It keeps in tune aprox. 2 weeks every day playing for 3 hours, but second one is out of tuning after a couple of chords  . Is the RF in KH-602 good quality ? Do somebody have opinion ?

GN V.

I had an LTD KH602 and then upgraded to the ESP KH2 - They are both good guitars, but I found the KH2 much easier to play - better action somehow - my playing improved alot with the KH2 versus the KH602 because of this.  The KH2 is a signature series built in Japan - the KH2 vintage is a custom one made in the workshop.    I've since fitted the Het set which is a nice improvement   

Eric V.
deathfann wrote:
whats the difference between the two exactly? i no that ltd is made with cheeper quality products but thats all iv used so is ESP supposed to be better? iv heard they arent as good as ltd's.

Honestly, unless it's completely handmade, (cut, fitted, routed, etc. BY HAND,) the quality is going to vary from piece to piece. ESP or LTD, they are both mass produced, factory products. QC is the biggest factor in quality.

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