Best Esp Guitar For Metal (2024 Update)

This guitar is lightweight very well balanced, it seems to almost float when wearing it with a strap, As I heard in another rating, it feels like every single note on every single fret is available and reachable at any moment. It takes me back to the early 90's when I played a early 70's Gibson Explorer. What an easy guitar to play! It just seemed to fall off the frets into your hands, and this ESP SnakeByte is no different. I've heard James Hetfield talk about his love for his Gibson Explorers, so it's not a surprise that his signature series SnakeByte has that feel and tone! I really like the locking tuners, what a great invention! It makes the horrible business of replacing strings easy and painless! The locking bridge is also a delight, keeps intonation intact when changing strings. I like the tone of the JH HET SET pups, they scream when needed, and purr when needed. This guitar matches up particularly well with a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, or most any amp from Mesa Boogie or Marshall.mkcr33l

I was so excited to get this guitar and I hooked it up out of the box a played it for about 5 minutes. Unplugged it put it back in the case. The next day I hooked it up again and got a terrible flanger like sound out of the guitar so I switched guitars and my other one was fine. Before I sent it back I wanted to check the 9v battery in the back compartment for the pickups and discovered only 1.2 v of power coming out of the battery. I swapped the battery and now it's good. I just thought it was kind of annoying that esp would sell guitars with off brand dead batteries. I know it's not musiciansfriends fault but still.Chris

I can say that the "real" ESP is slightly better, but not 4x time better as it is 4x more expensive. No regrets. Love the thin body – a regular single cut guitar is way too heavy for me. EMGs by default are great, but if you don't like particular models – swapping those for another EMGs is almost as easy swapping a game cartridge in your Nintendo Switch. Definitely great guitar!Artem

Plugging this guitar into the MXR Full Bore Metal pedal sounds amazing. The neck is very comfortable. The pick-ups are awesome. The look of the guitar is great. The hard shell case was a nice bonus. I was amazed how easy this guitar plays because it has a finished neck. This is the best piece of musical gear I’ve ever purchased. Highly recommended.John

Overall: Purchased this guitar less than a month ago and so far…NO REGRETS!! Arrived on time and perfectly set-up ( I was concerned being around the holidays and the cold climate of the midwest I would have to perform a new set-up due to it sitting in the truck) however action is flawless; Little buzz on the low E if you really dig into it. Overall this guitar is a sonic POWERHOUSE. Palm-Mute some low Es on distortion and it sounds like an hosest to god FREIGHT TRAIN is coming out of your amp. Kudos to the inclusion of JH pickups (which I was leary of at first) but these things kick!!! Sustain? I could leave my finger waving and this thing thing will go on for days…Blues your thing? Kick on the bridge and a warm tone and you can groove like none-other. But let's not be mistaken…this guitar is meant to bring the thunder and lighting…Ima go jam now…Jason

I have had this guitar for about a month now. From the first day, I have absolutely loved this guitar. The included Seymour Duncan pick ups sounds amazing and the push/pull function gives you a nice range of voices. Everything about the build of this guitar feels amazing. The neck and the frets are smooth and well cared for, the quality of the hardware is top shelf. If you want a Les Paul, just forget about Gibson. This is what you want, of course there are many versions of this guitar, Any one of the EC-1000's are great, but the finish on this one is pretty outstanding in person.Logan C

I got the natural black color. Its a really nice looking guitar. With a different name on the head stock it would cost thousands. Sounds great, you can play any type music on it. Perfect out of the box . No setup at all needed to be done. I saved almost 200.00 with a blemish model model that was basically perfect.Ltd

I'm just in awe, every time I look at it I can't just pass by without taking it off the wall and playing it. Very fast neck and the EMG 81/85 pickups scream. This is everything I imagined a metal guitar would be. AMS got it to me in perfect condition and with the 12 payment plan it let me leave my money in the bank and make budget friendly payments. Once again AMS delivers an impeccable guitar. I have 2 more guitars on my all time dream list and will order them both from AMS without hesitation.M Turner

Beautiful guitar,top quality build, easy to play, & sounds amazing. I chose this over the Gibson Flying V and Jackson King-V. I play mostly hardcore. Hatebreed, Strife, Gorrila Bisquets, Cro-Mags. But when I plug it into my Blues jr. I can get great clean sounds. It's my new favorite. And as always AMS was a pleasure to deal with.Jace

Sound: The 'Blackened' Black Winter pickup is very bright. Not shrill, but definitely will cut through a mix. It's incredibly clear, and touch sensitive. Very high output, which is appropriate for a guitar called the Black Metal! Features: This guitar has an alder body, which is amazing for almost all tonal aims. The raised LTD logo on the headstock is an incredibly nice touch! The Grovers are smooth, and stable, and the OFR is also stable and reliable. Ease of Use: This is where this, and just about every other LTD I've purchased shines. The fretwork is immaculate. I have the action at .75mm, and it doesn't buzz, for those who aren't familiarwith action measurements, this is incredibly low. The pickup height was perfect right out of the box. The only thing I needed to adjust was the truss rod, it had a bit too much relief. But once that was done, it plays like butter and sounds brutal! Quality: This guitar has absolutely no quality control issues, and feels extremely well made. As stated above, it has all high end appointments, such as a Seymour Duncan pickup, OFR, and grover tuners. It functions amazingly. Value: Absolutely. I'm a Jackson fanboy 90% of the time, but I can say (and zZounds can verify) I've had to return multiple Jackson products and never a single LTD. The Jacksons cost more, and have less. Manufacturer Support: I haven't needed to deal with ESP, as I've never had an issue with their products. The Wow Factor: When you're playing this guitar, if feels metal. The guitar is so easy to play, and sounds so brutal. I can't recommend it enough if you like to play extreme genres of music. Overall: LTD never disappoints. This guitar is metal as it gets, and plays fantastically.Matheau

I'm pretty new to playing guitar. I've been at it for a couple of months when I started looking for another guitar. I wanted a black sandblasted one with as few switches and knobs as possible. I came across this and took the chance on it. I don't regret it one bit. It's beautiful, light and the neck is smooth, no fret buzz and overall has a comfortable feel. On top of that, it just rocks! I would definitely buy this again.Thug nasty, B

The Purple Blast is an ash body not Alder which gives a nice top end shimmer but the roasted maple neck gives this guitar its dark nasty (in a good way) tone. Cuts through gain like butter. Pick ups are powerful yet very articulate, you hear every note of the cord. Its an ESP product so the neck is flawless and comfortable like a flat Fender neck it was very familiar feel. Frets are wonderfully done smooth rounded ends. I now have 1 ESP and 4 LTDs love them all but the Snapper is more of a guitar players guitar, It plays like an old friend but SCREAMS like a mother. Plugged in to my Dual Rectifier its so Brutally Beautiful.Big T

If I custom spec'd a guitar it would be this exact guitar but with an ebony fretboard. Pictures cant capture how cool the finish is. The neck has no finish and feels a bit chunky for being a Thin U. Plays really smooth. I can tell nobody touched this guitar or used as a display. Straight out the box it was in tone and straight action. Solid maple! A change of strings and it came to life! Ive done my research over and over before getting this. I am really satisfied with this Guitar!mortem

Sound: The 'Blackened' Black Winter pickup is very bright. Not shrill, but definitely will cut through a mix. It's incredibly clear, and touch sensitive. Very high output, which is appropriate for a guitar called the Black Metal! Features: This guitar has an alder body, which is amazing for almost all tonal aims. The raised LTD logo on the headstock is an incredibly nice touch! The Grovers are smooth, and stable, and the OFR is also stable and reliable. Ease of Use: This is where this, and just about every other LTD I've purchased shines. The fretwork is immaculate. I have the action at .75mm, and it doesn't buzz, for those who aren't familiarwith action measurements, this is incredibly low. The pickup height was perfect right out of the box. The only thing I needed to adjust was the truss rod, it had a bit too much relief. But once that was done, it plays like butter and sounds brutal! Quality: This guitar has absolutely no quality control issues, and feels extremely well made. As stated above, it has all high end appointments, such as a Seymour Duncan pickup, OFR, and grover tuners. It functions amazingly. Value: Absolutely. I'm a Jackson fanboy 90% of the time, but I can say (and zZounds can verify) I've had to return multiple Jackson products and never a single LTD. The Jacksons cost more, and have less. Manufacturer Support: I haven't needed to deal with ESP, as I've never had an issue with their products. The Wow Factor: When you're playing this guitar, if feels metal. The guitar is so easy to play, and sounds so brutal. I can't recommend it enough if you like to play extreme genres of music. Overall: LTD never disappoints. This guitar is metal as it gets, and plays fantastically.Matheau

Overall: I purchased the Viper 400B expecting a middle of the road guitar for lower tunings. When it arrived, I was blown away by the quality. This guitar is my first ESP purchase, and now I'm a big fan. The pickups are great for heavy guitar, as you'd expect from EMGs. The matte finish is beautiful, and i catch myself staring at the guitar across the room when I'm not playing it. I've been able to get an awesome clean tone for intros out of this axe, and the palm muting(chugs) and chordal stuff I do really growl and punch nicely. Single note passages sing out beautifully, and the neck feels very nice to my hands. If you're like me, and you love Melodic Death Metal Bands that use B standard tuning(Amon Amarth, Avatar, Kataklysm, etc.) and want to capture that tone yourself without having to file the nut down on a normal scale-length guitar, I don't think you can find a better option anywhere else in this price range. Great job, ESP! You've got yourself a new loyal customer!James

So. Guitar arrived on time,and required zero setup. Literally tune and play. I have an older version of this,the ex50. Both are amazing… buy one.Gary Mayhem Rumpff

This guitar is absolutely amazing, the neck is fast and not loggy, vary easy to move up and down the neck. The pickups it comes are bright and aggressive and the weight of it is just right, not to heavy and not to light and has a good natural tone. Finally it looks amazing all black finish with all black hardware including locking tuners and white binding going around the neck and headstock.Bret

This is such a great guitar I love it Maybe an LTD but it please like an ESP The neck is great sounds awesome it just feels great to play I really have nothing bad to say about this guitar price is great And it comes with a case and everything you need to play like Kirk Hammett {awesome} like I said price is great compared to the ESP version and it’s basically the same guitar if you can’t afford the Esp version this is a great deal And I love American music supply cheap and affordable payment and great customer serviceVic

Just learning to play but wanted a quality Guitar that I could grow into. This thing is amazing, came in tune right out of the box and feels great . Ams customer service was great as always! So looking forward to learning some songs !Voke60d

Sound: The 'Blackened' Black Winter pickup is very bright. Not shrill, but definitely will cut through a mix. It's incredibly clear, and touch sensitive. Very high output, which is appropriate for a guitar called the Black Metal! Features: This guitar has an alder body, which is amazing for almost all tonal aims. The raised LTD logo on the headstock is an incredibly nice touch! The Grovers are smooth, and stable, and the OFR is also stable and reliable. Ease of Use: This is where this, and just about every other LTD I've purchased shines. The fretwork is immaculate. I have the action at .75mm, and it doesn't buzz, for those who aren't familiarwith action measurements, this is incredibly low. The pickup height was perfect right out of the box. The only thing I needed to adjust was the truss rod, it had a bit too much relief. But once that was done, it plays like butter and sounds brutal! Quality: This guitar has absolutely no quality control issues, and feels extremely well made. As stated above, it has all high end appointments, such as a Seymour Duncan pickup, OFR, and grover tuners. It functions amazingly. Value: Absolutely. I'm a Jackson fanboy 90% of the time, but I can say (and zZounds can verify) I've had to return multiple Jackson products and never a single LTD. The Jacksons cost more, and have less. Manufacturer Support: I haven't needed to deal with ESP, as I've never had an issue with their products. The Wow Factor: When you're playing this guitar, if feels metal. The guitar is so easy to play, and sounds so brutal. I can't recommend it enough if you like to play extreme genres of music. Overall: LTD never disappoints. This guitar is metal as it gets, and plays fantastically.Matheau

Overall: I have 2 of the ESP E2 M2 Urban Camo NT guitars and can't be happier. I got the third one back in March 2019 after my second one got stolen. I wanted to wait to write a review after I put the guitar through a few gigs and studio sessions. The guitars are total "machines", they perform above and beyond my expectations. I've got 2 of them and the old one (2016 model) hangs in there with the 2018 model I got back in March. I tune one in E standard and one in Eb tuning for different songs that we play, both guitars never go outta tune, they take all the punishment of the road and the studio, and they look cool on stage too. I wear camo on stage so they match me! The tone of these guitars through a Marshall Full Stack(tube)is legendary! Searing highs and moaning lows and everything in between, all the sounds a metal band would want! I get compliments on my tone from people and I tell them it's good equipment choices that I've made. The build quality of the guitars is perfect, their more like works of art with the paint jobs that they have and all of the cuts in the wood couldn't be more perfect. I would recommend these guitars to any pro who was looking for a shredder guitar for metal, death metal, hard rock, or prog cause that is exactly what they were built for, the sound, the lifestyle, the environment, everything! You don't have to modify nothing cause the guitars are already hot-rodded outta the box! With EMG 81's (Active), Floyd Rose locking bridge and nut, and Gotoh locking tuners(easy string changes). Just plug and play! If you get the black model or opt for the urban camo(my fav)ESP has built a shredding machine that is setup to make you play like a star. And ESP customer support was right there to answer any questions I had about the guitars, thanks to their website. Thanks ESP and Thanks zZounds!!!Jim

Overall: This guitar is awesome. Just received it yesterday. I used to own a esp mii standard series from 2010 and it is every bit as good as my eii mii and in some aspects better. The one I received has a dark rosewood fretboard and looks really high grade my old mii rosewood board was light in color in comparison. I keep looking the guitar over and I can’t find a single flaw. When I received the guitar the setup was flawless and it was even in tune. The fretwork is excellent. All hardware is top of the line. This guitar sounds so good for metal. It has a very quality sound and I play it through a evh 5150iii. It plays very good and effortlessly with no buzzing at all anywhere on the board. I am very impressed and can’t say enough things about it. I recommend anyone to buy this and not be hung up on the eii logo on the headstock vs. esp logo. It’s ever bit as good as my old standard and maybe better in ways. Don’t hesitate.Kelsey

My second favorite guitar of all times. I have many of good instruments but this one is woooow. My first favorite is Ibanez MTM1 if you were curious to ask. This esp is pushing you to play, cant play just for a couple minutes… every time you get stuck with it and dont feel time passing. So nice. I think I want to buy couple more ESPs. Nice work.Artem Bikin

Not many surprises after reading so many positive reviews online. This a great guitar at even twice the price, especially when you factor in the stock Duncan pickups, a split-coil, and the included hard shell case. Fit and finish is on par with any high-end instrument. The only minor complaint I have is that the pickup cavities are very shallow…so much so that I can't fully lower the coils (I set my neck pickup flush with the mounting ring). I found the same thing on an SG I purchased last year. It's an easy fix…just trim the length of the threaded pole-pieces and it's good-to-go.Charley Pizazz

Bought this guitar sight unseen. Based my purchase off of video demos, the spec sheet, and a few reviews I'd seen. I'd owned the ESP LTD EC1000T previously, but was never satisfied with the sounds I got from it – too mushy, no edge to it. This one promised improved pickups, push/pull coil tapping, and it just looks amazing, so when I saw a deal on Guitar Center for a used one, I took the gamble. I've owned many Epiphone, ESP, and Fender guitars but I must say this is my new favorite. Love it. Some reviews described this guitar as, "being built like a tank," but that just refers to the high quality and sturdiness of the build; it actually weighs less than my telecasters and other LPs. The only upgrade I'd consider at this point would be some locking tuners, but it wouldn't be necessary even. Sonically, visually, tangibly it's fantastic. Highly recommended.Chris

I have guitars by Gibson, Fender and Ibanez etc but this is my first ESP and I cannot think why I have never bought one before. A stunning guitar with exceptional playability and a stunning finish, along with the evertune bridge it is a joy to shred and then be able to play chords knowing that everything is staying in tune – an awesome bridge on an awesome guitar. If you a still thinking about getting an ESP – just do it, you will not be disappointed.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Sound: It sounds great for metal. You can't go wrong with EMG's as long as you have a reputable amp and/or effects processor as part of your overall sound. Features: The obvious best feature is the Ever Tune system. I was highly impressed at how in-tune and intonated this guitar was out of the box. The string action was a little high though. Ease of Use: The Ever Tune system is not the easiest to grasp. It was rather frustrating. It shipped perfectly in tune and intonated like I stated above. However, I wanted the string action lowered just a little bit. Once you lower the string action, you have to go through all the steps from the beginning to get it in tune and intonated. I mean, once it's in…it doesn't come back out. But, there are a lot of steps getting to that point. Once you do, one more step is thrown into the mix, which is adjusting the degree of your string bend. Not fun at all. Because once you got it to where it sounds good, the intonation is out of whack again. So, this system will take a while to master. Quality: The build and finish of this guitar seems pretty good. High quality tuners and electronics. There was minor fret buzz but I adjusted the string height to make it go away. But, i didn't like the how high I had to keep it in order for there to be no buzz. For $1049, I feel it should play much better than it does. I have a Jackson Soloist around the same price that blows this out of the water as far as playability. And is equal to the ESP's sound/tone. Value: I feel this is a $600 guitar with an overpriced and complex tuning system attached to it. And come on….an expensive guitar like this doesn't come with a case? Manufacturer Support: N/A The Wow Factor: I wasn't really wowed as I have been in the past when first receiving and playing brand new gear. Obviously, seeing this for the first time was impressive, all shiny and new. I just didn't feel like I was playing a $1000+ professional guitar. Overall: Great Mid-Level guitar, but certainly not for a seasoned musician.Thomas

Looks incredible and sounds heavy. Comfortable to play standing up or sitting down. Good, balanced weight too so it hangs/rests nicely when playing. Feels nice to play, neck isn't too chunky and the action is decent, although some may prefer it to be lower past the 12th fret. I'd recommend wearing a sweatband (like Hetfield) as the top edge of the body can catch your lower arm when playing. Comes with a big, sturdy, lockable, hard case too.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Overall: When my LTD EC-1000T CTM Tobacco Sunburst arrived, I immediately checked the country of manufacture. Mine was made in Indonesia. Initially I was bummed by this (I think we all want one from S. Korea) but after getting a feel for this guitar I can honestly say I have no QC issues or complaints with my specific guitar. I can't imagine there's any quality difference between mine and one made in Korea. That is to say, the quality and craftsmanship of this guitar are absolutely top notch!First off, this is a beautiful guitar. The color is dark, darker than most of the pictures show. This is a very good thing indeed, perfectly balancing a traditional design with modern flair and finesse. The flamed mahogany top has a decent amount of shimmer and "3D effect." The matte finish is gorgeous and feels great to handle. The full thickness body is well, thick! I love this chunky body style but if you're playing live a lot it may be too much. This is completely subjective though. Just know, it's thick! On top of that there's 7-ply binding front, back, and headstock…and it just blows me away how great it looks. 7-ply!The black hardware is nice, and complements the overall design and gives it a modern/brutal kinda look. The nut (molded plastic?) has some sharp corners that took me by surprise. They'll need to be filed down to prevent jabbing myself when returning to the first fret abruptly.But the rest of the neck/frets/fingerboard experience is absolutely glorious! Seriously this is my favorite thing about this guitar. It feels like a Les Paul, but the slightly thinner neck on this Eclipse is way more comfortable, but still has that "beefy" Les Paul feel. Hard to explain, but to me this is perfection. I do not experience wrist pain playing this guitar (every Gibson LP I owned gave me wrist pain). The ebony fingerboard and stainless steel frets simply feel wonderful, a complete joy to play this guitar with the added bonus of knowing you won't need a fret job for a very, very, long time (if ever).The Open Core Classic pups are pretty nice too, different than I'm used to, but it's not hard to pull very good and useable tones out of them. The push/pull tone pot switches between Modern and PAF sounds. While I can kind of see that, it's more of a frequency response shift that actually is quite useful. I find it more useful than switching between the neck and bridge pickups. Modern gives me crystal clear definition for distored metal runs, and I can pull the pot for the PAF sound that adds just the right amount of "hair." I haven't messed with the single-coil voice, so I won't comment on it other than it's cool that it's there.Overall this a serious guitar. I purchased this with the intention of keeping it around the home studio and I have no doubt after spending some time with it I will have this guitar for a very long time to come.Eric

Have had this for a few months now and am still very happy with it. Can't be beat for the price. Great look, great sound, great neck. Does the world really need one more person playing a Les Paul? Nah, get something different! I let another friend play this who owns a dozen plus guitars (including LP and tele), many of them vintage. After a day with the PS-1 he was off looking at ESP's website to learn more and see what else they have that he did not know about. These guitars are the best secret out there!TickyTicky

Best guitar for the money out there. A+ body, neck, hardware, craftsmanship, and playability. Way better than anything in this price range out there. Haven't touched my Epi Dot since I got this. Neck and set-up were spot-on from factory, stays in tune. Love the block inlay and white binding. Feels expensive, solid and weighty. After 3 yrs of high use I have had no issues at all. The stock pick-ups are a bit thin sounding. I recently installed some Gibson 57's and its barely secondary to my LP Custom. In closing, I currently buy and sell a lot of guitars. I haven't found anything on par with my PS2 for less than a G-note. Good buy for the beginner, easy to mod. Great for someone who already has pups. Get it! You know you want one!guitarHog

Overall: About a year ago, in April, I bought this guitar as a sort of early (very early) birthday gift to myself. A couple months ago, I finished paying off this guitar, and took a deep breath. I held off on writing this review to make sure it wasn't a honeymoon phase, and here I am.Firstly, let's talk about the construction and quality. In it's price range, this thing is unrivaled and unmatched. There's no way that I could see any Gibson coming close and maybe only a PRS in terms of fit and finish. Flawless. From there we got the neck feel – I'm a firm believer that ESP makes the best modern neck shape in the game. Hell, best neck shape period. The Thin U is perfect for just about anything and one of the most comfortable necks I've tried. The sleek feel translates directly to the clean aesthetics. A Sandy beach shore fade on a burl maple top with light flaming in the deep colors. An absolute joy to play and look at. The hardware compliments it nicely in a dark brushed chrome. The pickups give the nice looking exterior a screaming, heavy sound ah since if the best pickups that EMG has to offer in the 57TW/66TW set. All of this and it includes Schaller strap locks.Long story short every time I pick up this guitar in truly in awe of it's playability, craftsmanship, and just how affordable it is considering everything else. With every single penny, and ESP has a return customer for life.Socks

I honestly hate having to go to work anymore because I do not want to put this guitar down. No detail was over looked. It looks fantastic with the flat black and gold hardware. Playability is equal to my 91 PRS Custom 24…not kidding, it's flawless. The action was PERFECT out of the case. The EMGs are what they are…EMGs, you know what your getting. To me, that's all subjective and I'm focused on overall build quality and playability. Comparing this to a Les Paul really isn't fair. The E-II wins in my hands. I've had a couple nice LPs and the E-II is lighter and more comfortable to play than both. Seriously, if you are looking for a top notch player, look at the E-IIs.Rob