All user reviews for the LTD EC-400 [2004-2006]

The ESP LTD EC400 is roughly the midline models of the LTD series that ESP offers. It's for people who are on a budget but want something that's a step up from the 50 or 100 series that they offer. The EC400 features a mahogany body, a three piece mahogany set neck with a rosewood fretboard, 24.75'' scale, 24 extra jumbo frets with flag inlays and the name on the 12th fret, a TOM bridge, EMG pickups and a special Earvana compensated nut.

UTILIZATION

These guitars can tend to be hit or miss. There are some real nice ones, but there are also some dogs. On paper, the guitar has good specs. The wood is the same as the higher line models, and it has the same features, including real EMGs. However, you really need to play these before you buy. The fretwork can be extremely hit or miss with sharp fret ends and unproperly leveled frets. The earvana compensated nut helps allow for more proper intonation, which is a huge plus, but the bodies themselves can be somewhat dead if you happen to pick up one made with dull woods.

SOUNDS

The sound really depends a lot on whether or not you lucked out with the wood choice. If you got a good sounding, resonant guitar, you'll get a great sound. The 81 in the bridge is extremely cutting and aggressive. It works awesome for a great metal tone, and it records even better. You can do brutally tight riffs with ease thanks to this pickup. The EMG 60 in the neck delivers an almost single coil tone at times, and it works awesome for clean tones. I'm not a huge fan of it under gain, but some people like it.

OVERALL OPINION

If you can afford one of these, you can afford a used EC1000. I highly recommend looking for one of those instead of the EC400 as it'll be more consistent tone wise and fit + finish wise. While the specs might appear to be similar on paper, the woods themselves tend to be much more inconsistent than the higher LTD line, and that's the biggest reason why I tend to recommend buying a higher model that's used instead of a lower model that's new.

LTD EC 400 RED
mechanical Grove (CA does not move)
EMG 81 & 60
24 frets
3 position selector, one tone, one volume for each active pickups.

UTILIZATION

I use it mostly for metal, some blues and rock and this requires lowering the knobs and using appropriate simulations.
I like the handle though. it changes a lot of my other guitars for Ibanez and Fender strato know but U.S. jem'y am accustomed quickly. He plays very well, is fast for this type of guitars. Access to acute is sometimes difficult but it gives a game more rock in the approach to acute solos.

The guitar is balanced, easy to take in hand.

SOUNDS

For me it's the guitar I was looking for my style metal electro accurate (thanks to EMG). Accurate sound, super powerful.
The bridge pickup (EMG 81) is excellent for metal, top, EMG 60 in neck I like a lot too, it provides a more bluesy and greasy, lowering the gain, and her very round for clean.

Plug in a POD Live sound card and it's killing!

This guitar is part of my 2 guitars for which I never tire of playing it, the other being a 1990 U.S. Stratocaster, also stunning.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a year.
I had trouble finding the guitar metal that is 100% my expectations. This is the closest.
Its color (red) is beautiful, the price / quality ratio is very good, sound is perfect, I n'hésitarais not make the election again and I will even acquire a second to tune differently.