2021 New Guitar and Bass Preview - PHASE 2

It’s time to unveil the second phase of new guitar and bass models for 2021! If you haven’t seen the Phase 1 models yet, click below. More new ESP, E-II, and LTD models have yet to be announced for 2021, so stay tuned for that!

View Phase I

New and Updated LTD Signature Series Guitars

One of the most highly-anticipated new Signature Series guitars is one created for Josh Middleton, highly-respected and influential UK-based guitarist for progressive metal/metalcore bands Sylosis and Architects. His new LTD Signature Series JM-II has an alder body with quilted maple top in an outstanding Black Shadow Burst finish. This guitar features a three-piece roasted maple neck with an extra thin U-shaped profile and bolt on construction. Other features of the JM-II include 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a recessed Gotoh bridge with string-thru-body, and a set of Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker pickups.

A longterm member of the ESP artist family, Mike Schleibaum of DC-based melodic death metal band Darkest Hour, is getting a Signature Series guitar with the LTD MSV-1. based on the ESP Arrow shape, the MSV-1 offers neck-thru-body construction, a mahogany body with maple cap, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, block inlays, Grover tuners, a Floyd Rose 1000 bridge, and a single EMG JH (James Hetfield signature) active pickup. It comes in Olympic White finish.

We also have some updated finishes and components for two existing Signature Series guitars. The LTD MAX-200 RPR from the Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy) Signature Series. Now available in Military Green Satin finish, this guitar features a basswood body, maple neck, and a set of high-output ESP Designed LH-150 humbucker pickups. The LTD Sparrowhawk, a Signature Series guitar for Bill Kelliher (Mastodon), is now being offered with Seymour Duncan Distortion set w/ custom covers and is available in Black finish.

Note that we have other Signature Series guitars in the works, including a very special anniversary model that will be announced soon!

Introducing the LTD Arctic Metal Series

The LTD Black Metal Series, which launched in 2018, quickly became one of our most popular collections of guitars due to their brutal aesthetic look and streamlined performance with a crushing sound. For 2021, we’ve taken the same concept and flipped the color theme from the darkest of blacks to the coldest of frozen wastelands with the new LTD Arctic Metal Series. We’re launching this series with five new guitar models: the Arrow-NT Arctic Metal, the EC Arctic Metal, the M-HT Arctic Metal, the M-7BHT Arctic Metal, and the Phoenix Arctic Metal.

All Arctic Metal Series guitars have Snow White Satin finishes with stainless steel frets, a Macassar ebony fingerboard with no inlays and glow-in-the-dark side markers, and black hardware. They all include a single aggressive-sounding EMG 81TW pickup with a push-pull control for coil splitting.

Another New Black Metal Series Addition

Even though we’ve just announced a bunch of updates to the LTD Black Metal Series, we still have one more. By popular demand, the EX Black Metal now exists. This guitar features an all-black design theme, set-thru construction, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a Macassar ebony fingerboard with no inlays and glow-in-the-dark side markers, a TonePros locking bridge and tailpiece, and a single EMG 81 pickup (with special black logo).

A Whole New World for the LTD TL Series

The TL Series was designed for musicians who wanted the sound of an acoustic guitar, but with the playing comfort and fast feel of an electric guitar. For 2021, we’re unveiling a truly remarkable new TL Series guitar with the TL-7, the first 7-string model in this series. It gives you the expanded range you need for specialized music forms, with the lowest string typically tuned to B. The TL-7 has high-quality components like a Graphtech Nubone XB nut and saddle, Grover tuners, a Fishman SONICORE pickup, and Fishman TL-3 preamp with onboard tuner.

More New LTD Deluxe EC Series Guitars

Bet you thought we’d already shown off all of our “New for 2021” LTD Deluxe EC Series models in Phase 1, huh? Nope. Here are three more outstanding guitars. The LTD Deluxe EC-1001 Tiger Eye has a mahogany body with flamed maple top, a mahogany neck with 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a set of direct-mounted Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker pickups, with push-pull controls to select voicings.

We are also introducing two more EC Series guitars with Floyd Rose bridges. The EC-1000FR in Black Satin features 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, Grover tuners, a Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge with stainless steel screws, and a set of EMG 60 and EMG 81 active pickups. The EC-1000FR in See Thru Black also offers stainless steel frets and the Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge, with a flamed maple top and a set of EMG 66TW and EMG 57F pickups with coil splitting via push-pull control.

Killer Bass Updates

We have two new finishes to announce in our bass offerings. The LTD GB-4 now comes in Vintage white. This bass offers a swamp ash body with maple neck, gold hardware, a Gotoh 404BO-4 bridge, and Seymour Duncan SSB-4 pickups with excellent tone-sculpting EQ controls including a slap switch. The affordable, high-quality LTD AP-204 is now being offered in a cool Dark Metallic Purple finish. It features bolt-on construction, and a set of ESP Designed LDP and LDJ active pickups.

More New LTD Deluxe Models

Phase 2 of our “New for 2021” collection still has even more additions to our popular LTD Deluxe guitars. The H-1008 Baritone EverTune is an absolute beast of a guitar, with eight strings, 27” baritone scale, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, the innovative EverTune constant tension bridge, and a set of EMG 85-8H and EMG 81-8H active pickups for brutally aggressive tones.

The LTD Deluxe TE-1000 EverTune is available in a great-looking Charcoal Metallic Satin finish, and has set-thru construction at 25.5” scale. This guitar includes 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, an EverTune bridge, and a set of EMG 60-RTW (with coil splitting) and EMG 81 active pickups.

…And New LTD Colors

We’re almost done… at least for now. We’ve added two new colors to the affordable LTD SN-200 guitar, which is now available in Charcoal Metallic Satin and Dark Metallic Purple Satin. These guitars include an LTD fixed hardtail bridge with string-thru-body, and a set of ESP Designed LH-150 humbuckers. Finally, the Viper-256 gets an update for 2021 with a new great-looking Dark Brown Sunburst finish. This set-neck guitar features a mahogany body with quilted maple top, and also includes high-output ESP Designed LH-150 pickups.

Is That All?

No. We’re going to be introducing some new higher-end guitars in our E-II, ESP USA, and ESP Original Series soon. Make sure to watch our “ESP Presents 2021” streaming video show on January 11-13, 2021 for more info, and keep your eye on espguitars.com where we’ll continue to announce new models as they become available!