LTD Bass guitars

Hi, I'm Mark Steele from Peterborough Ontario. There has always been a guitar in the house and I have always picked it up daily. I've been through a few bands recently, mainly Celtic, traditional Irish, Scottish, Canadian folk. I solo on occasion and am a regular at the local "jams". I accompany a local fiddle band "Fyd-L-Styx" and consider this 26 piece "orchestra" my working band. This is a follow up to a previous review on my Norman B-50 dated 2004-04-04 when I purchased it at Bud's for about $500. A little scarred now from being my primary working instrument, the Norman has proven to be strong, robust, impact resistant etc. The sound!!!! Clean, clear and loud!! With a fresh set of Martin acoustic bronzes this guitar just yells through the fiddles!! When I play solo with a vocal mike I don't even need a mike on the guitar, in fact the tone in quieter passages is still quite bright and needs a little discretion with a soft pick. Still the balance is very good. Recently I've tried other strings to mute the beast a bit. This one took a little while to set up properly..nut and bridge were adjusted..and then twice the truss rod was tightened. This I think is not a fault..it's been stable now for nearly 2 years of being hauled around. This is not a "pretty" guitar..plain and yellow looking ( and the target of a little good-natured ribbing from fellow "expensive" guitar players ). However no tuning problems. As previously..well built and solid. The body gets used as an "Irish Drum" on occasion with no ill effects. Mahogany neck, flame maple back and sides and solid spruce top are all holding up well. Would I buy this guitar again? Yes, and yes again. This instrument is durable goods. Next time I may spend a little more and opt for a more appearance value from the same manufacturer. Seagull ( I don't like the shape of the head!! ), and Simon and Patrick both have nicely trimmed guitars that aren't ..um...yellow!! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I had been looking to purchase a bass guitar for awhile. I was inspired by some of my favorite heavy metal and funk bassists...meaning, I needed something with versatility...and I wanted it to be a 5-string. I started looking around local stores, and when I saw this model, I knew it was what I wanted. I had to drive some extra distance to a store that had it, but it was worth it. At the time, I did not have as much knowledge about bass guitars as I do now, but after playing my friend's Squier Affinity P-bass and my other friend's Ibanez GSR200(both suggested beginner's models) I knew I had done the right thing to pay the extra $70 for this ESP. It cost me around $280. I have played this bass for over a year and a half now, it has endured practices 1-3 times a week and gigs at major clubs. The only problem I have had is I needed to replace the wires in my input(which is half my fault for trying to fix it myself) and that only cost $20 to get repaired. It is very endurable, which is definitely a good thing since I am not one of those people who obsesses over the proper care of my instruments all the time. The bass itself never hums, buzzes, or makes any unwanted sound (unlike some of those other "beginner's" models.) It sounds good whether it is through a 20w practice amp, a 100w pa amp, or my Ampeg 350w head and 800w 4x10 cab half-stack. The strings are a good spacing apart, and in my experiences, just as easy to handle as any four string bass would be. The four knobs allow me to twiddle away the sound I want, which I enjoy because I love to play around with my sound from one song to the next. Usually there are not this many controls at this price range, but I love having them. If all you want is one same old sound, then this may not be the right bass for you, but I think it is better to have a series of unique tones. There is not much for me to dislike. I have always been a little suspicious of ESP guitars, sometimes their sound is too clean for me and lacking the interesting tones other guitars have. Still, you will not find better quality and sound from a bass in this price range, under $300. I love my bass, and even after I upgrade to a more expensive model, this will stand by as my backup. This bass has two passive humbucking pickups(which I think give it a better sound than just a split coil like the Squier Affinity, or the J/P configuration of the Ibanez GSR200). The bass has four knobs to adjust volume, pickup selection(bright and clear, soft and bassy, and gritty, loud sounds) and two knobs to adjust tone. This gives you the ability to change your sound through your bass immensely, and quickly, from one moment to the next. 24 frets for a full two-octave range on each string. Quality strings that I still play on. Bolt-on neck with 6 bolts for extra sturdiness. If you're a beginning bassist, go for this model, especially if you want to learn the 5 string. This model would also make a great second bass for a more experienced bassist who wants a bass they can depend upon (without spending upwards of $500 on it). It has served me well, and gave me no problems that I didn't ask for. Everything still plays good, sounds good, and looks good after a year and a half of almost constant moving, bumping, and driving around. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Bought from Musician's Friend for $279 because I needed a bass for my recording. Extremely good build quality and finish. Good balance and comfortable to wear. Came with a case -- most companies don't offer a free case until the $800 range! The sound isn't all that easy to control -- I wasn't able to get a straight-forward Precision-type thud. Then again, I wasn't using a proper bass amp. I still felt that a bass at this price range would do better to have simpler controls -- I find the pan control useless and the mid-scoop redundant -- I'd rather do my EQ on the sound board or the amp. Excellent. Beveled edges, luminant transpared blue finish, finished headstock, smooth tuners and good strings all for under $300. This was a good bass, but I wish it had simpler controls. Excellent value for money, though. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I was just checking out sites of different guitar brands. One day, I wandered into (thank heavens) ESP's website. I went into their LTD section and then clicked on this model. I was instantly awed by this beutiful bass. It was as if the screen was glowing. I then commenced my frantic quest for this bass. Unfortunately, this is a rather rare bass. I finally found it at www.marsmusic.com, and immediately bought it for $499, w/o tax. I suggest, however, www.music123.com, because they have better prices and more color options. THIS BASS IS SEXY!! It is impossible for one to understand how it looks like before actually seeing it. It looks as if it had been carved in a madman's basement! It's jagged, and has awesome curves. It has a beutifully carved head, and is painted to match the body finish. The finish is also a marvel, perfect in every way. The black finish I have has a glassy quality to it and it highlights the many grooves in the bass. All my friends envy this piece of heaven. (or hell?^^) This is not only a showcase bass though, and it was built to last. It comes with 2 EMG humbucking pickups, bridge and neck. Add two volume controls, and an active 3-band EQ, you got a tone monster that can go from sweet ringing sound to earth shaking thumps. It also has 24 frets, the most in any guitar or bass, and has steep cutaways to make the access easier. The fingerboard is rosewood, and the inlays are mother of pearl, not the plastic on many basses. It also has the model name inscribed in the twelvth. What is particularly appealing is that the neck is an extended 35", which is VERY useful for the following reasons. 1)For playing metal, or the like, 2) so that you don't have to get a 5 string to get that extra bottom end, 3) even if you use standard tuning, it gives you nice tension that gives you a nice "feel". This bass is also extremely lightweight, despite the fact that it is made of mahogany. Great for jumping around onstage. =) This bass, as magnificent as it is, does have a few defects. The string height is low, and although this allows quick licks, it creates buzz. Raising the string height does the job. Also, it's beutiful finish is, ironically, it's defect also. It smudges as soon as you touch it, so you have to clean it ALL the time! Other than that, i don't think there are any. This bass is bolt-on, with 4 bolts. This bass was obviously built to last, and has great quality. It sounds really great at any volume on any amp. A BASS YOU WILL LOVE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!! One of the best basses I have seen at this price range. I played a couple Yamaha's, Fenders and Ibanez's at this price range, and it doesn't even come close to this bass. A SOLID FIVE OUT OF FIVE! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com