All user reviews for the ESP Horizon FR-II

Origin: Japan
Body: Ash
Pickups: Seymour Duncan SH-1n (neck) and TB-4 (bridge)
Vibrato: Floyd Rose Original
Channel: varnish. driver handle with an ebony fingerboard.
Electronics: 1 volume (system with push / push (which for me works fine), 1 tone.

UTILIZATION

So let's start with the big attraction of using this guitar, the neck. It is simply magical, magnificent, grandiose. It is thin, with a round profile, is a real highway. The ebony fingerboard makes it even more comfortable, it slips alone is a plus that facilitates the execution of the game as it is conductive, access to acute occurs without problems and also give a contribution that comes in sustain. This handle is a pure delight, that is happiness ...

For ergonomics, this is a super stratum, and I can say that the makers do not joke with ESP. The wood is heavier as ash, but the body is also smaller in size which is balanced in the end. Some will still complain that it is heavy (I finally found it). So good ergonomics, there is a good balance, the head does not lean.

The tremolo is a Floyd Rose original home (and not a vibrato "license"). Translation: he does not out of tune when it is used. The strings do not move one iota. If it is not great! It is fantastic even.

SOUNDS

Then the sound of this guitar proves quite versatile. even if it is typed metal, thanks to the push / push for split mics we get to have a huge range. First things first. Ie: the Seymour Duncan SH1-na a vintage sound and air. It is ideal for cleans sounds (especially if the split). In large distortion is very clean so to send to sextuplets 58416541641 bpm is great. The TB-4 is, for him, but not too powerful. But thanks to substances of wood that make the sound more dynamic, it feels more jittery. In sum, the combination is perfect, the sounds are powerful, palm-mutes very precise and aggressive and at the same time the sound palette is very wide and varied ... The pickups sound reminiscent fenderiens splits. The magnets in the pickups are Alnico V. And even if they have less power than a ceramic magnet, the grain is more beautiful because Alnico is a best quality material. But as said before, wood boosts over the sound and it is balanced perfectly. For those who want a metal guitar, this one does well majestically. Death metal on the other hand, or other extreme, no!

In summary:
-For the cleans sound is happiness (through SH1-n and the possibility of split mics)
-For distos: The TB-4 is incredibly well balanced and can play while leaving the heavy blues to heavy metal. The SH1-n, meanwhile, just swing the power of BD-4 with a more vintage blues or other types of overdrive sounds. Or with a big distortion it is incredibly clean to shred.

OVERALL OPINION

What do I say?? ESP offers us the high end, a violin dream and I can tell you that 1500 euros is nothing new for what it is!! A beautiful guitar to their collection. My guitar has no problem with push / push that does not put up with ease (as mentioned in previous reviews). Everything works nickel ...

10/10 and she did not steal

Curly maple table
Alder body
Maple neck crosswise.
Ebony
Binding on body, neck and head
24 frets
Jumbo frets
Landmark "half blocks" pearlescent inlaid
Overlay "ESP" at 12th fret
Floyd Rose Original
Neck pickup Seymour Duncan SH-1n
Seymour Duncan TB4 bridge pickup
Black hardware rather than pulling on floyd dark gray.
Knob volume push / pull splitter to the microphones.
Comes with a hard ESP case in good order.
For STBC See-Tru black cherry which means that the color varies between red and black

Warning lead times can be quite long. I got away with an unusually months of waiting but the importer is often a period of 5 months.

Once you open the case you take a slap. Damn she is beautiful. It is already seen in the photos but even better in real life. The finish is just perfect. In short, the stick ...

Small flat anyway. The floyd is not black like the rest of the hardware but rather dark gray steel. This does not run not exactly a bad taste but black might have been better.
While we're on is the floyd. The original floyd is good, it has proven itself but on a guitar in this category some marks are allowed to take the concept, improve it and make it more ergonomic (I mean the pro-edge of the home Ibanez Japanese competitor who is superior).
Well that's all well and good. We'll wipe the drool that drips from his lips like a boxer and we will dare to leave the beast of the box
Next Step


UTILIZATION

First point is not really a lightweight. This is not an LP either but we feel there is wood which is not a bad thing in itself. The future will tell me that it will not be disabled even after 3 hours of rehearsal. Good balance. It sounded empty. Good impression, it bodes well for when we have connected. Knob The volume is very linear knee a little soft for my taste, I would have preferred something stronger even than the tone is perfect on that side.
The ebony fingerboard is very particular when it was not used. It's like pressing something smooth like glass it also shines almost.
When it is done it seems that other races are rough
I must say that personally, I like a lot even if we ended up with black fingertips. There's not to say it anyway, ebony is class.
The handle is not particularly fine is not an Ibanez S series However, it is very comfortable
and can gallop without much difficulty. Access the latest boxes is tip top.
It is still for the handle that I push a rant. From the first minutes of use I felt the pale. Fucking on the frieze that bends and squeals in several places. Arpeggios impossible to ring these places there. Yet I know regulate and control the curvature of a handle. I thought I strove to find the best setting but nothing happens, it's just not. Morality we take the gear and we'll take a look at his favorite luthier. Problem of finding the saddle but also and especially the problem of shrinking. Fucking shit a grater to 1500 euros, they are not able to control (I do not know if they have done in any case they have buffered) to notice. It is not serious. And I would say to these gentlemen manufacturers, exporters or sellers that is foutage of the mouth. And it's not just because ESP from my luthier all brands in the same upscale as here, the models have not paid (I can confirm because I also had an Ibanez prestige when it was necessary to rectify the nut). In his experience, the brand ESP is still classified in the most serious.
Balance, a planimetry at 90 euros later, the guitar is finally playable. Ca fout the balls anyway. It's like buying a Mercedes and bring for review the first day.
So beware internet buy without testing can mean unpleasant surprises ...
Good short, I now have a super machine worthy of what one can expect in terms of comfort, precision and sound. Speaking of sound ...


SOUNDS

At ESP we take no risks with microphones horizon. We play it safe with the duo SH-1n/TB-4 may be the most popular couple in the world. Note that you can have it too with EMG85/81 for a more warlike.
One thing was sure that I had an a-priori on the TB-4. I had already used extensively on another guitar. It's not a bad microphone is quite good because you can not make him do evil things, just look at the reviews, but to me it in a big flaw in any case for this kind of guitar c is its lack of aggressiveness and sustain.
I gave him that chance a few hours while my fears are confirmed.
I must say it works well on the horizon for someone looking for versatility but want to do too many things we can not excel in everything. Me and my horizon I wanted her to have a big sound. Never mind, once a soldering iron and this is my TB-4 replaced by a TB-6. The advantage of BD-6 is that it has nearly the same tonal balance as the TB-4 with acrimony and sustain more.
Thus, a horizon with a TB-6 that roars well. Anyway, whatever the microphone used, the characteristics of the guitar are preserved, ie harmonics that fly from all sides, very deep bass and treble particularly clear and precise. On this side of the guitar is a marvel of balance sound probably due to the impeccable quality of the violin.
After passing the neck pickup split the bridge pickup was a range of sounds that confirms the versatility of the guitar. So if you play a little while it will satisfy you for sure.
Note that for fun I tested this guitar with a pair of Seymour Duncan Blackouts active. The sound actually very hard and made a sacred weapon of war. But like the active pickups are still failing to overcome a few characteristics of the guitar I wanted to keep the personality of it and so I went back to the passive friendly violin making.


OVERALL OPINION

The strengths of this guitar is undoubtedly his violin and finish. This guitar is simply the class, almost a work of art.
The sound and playing comfort are at the height of what can be expected. Some said they were embarrassed by the marks on the neck or the volume positions too close to the microphone. This is not my case but it's really very personal. Following is what it is expensive? Search another brand guitar with this level of finish: ebony, cross handle, curly maple table, microphones are all quality at this price. I see nothing in the competition. Therefore excellent value for money. I've had six months and there is a point that should also be noted. Thanks to the quality of the polish and a healthy dose of attention it is true, she has not the slightest trace of any pet or scratch despite heavy use. It is still like new. It is quality.
After of course I had my problem binders. It is not glop it must be said, but it's really the only negative point I have to honestly report and then it could be corrected. For the rest it is faultless.

- Made In Japan
- Original Floyd
- 24 Jumbo Frets
- 2 Seymour Duncan SH-Humbuncker 1n (neck) & TB4 (Bridge)
- Color STBC (See Through Black Cherry)
- Original Series A

UTILIZATION

use this guitar is truly amazing, one feels when one puts his fingers on that guitar is a great bill, the D-shaped handle is really nice (with its ebony fingerboard is no sense asperity it slide by itself), it is fast and accurate. It's a nice light guitar and then when we play for hours standing.
The floyd is very accurate, I do not give 10 because of a little something directly related to the way I play, Palm Mute I frequently scratches on the neck pickup, I find the floyd enough behind the body, but c is a blow to take. Taken below the guitar also calls attention to it may soon lose its jack if you walk on it.

SOUNDS

Is a guitar made for metal, so every aspect of style will have been worked up, the sustain is insane thanks to the handle driver harmonics out of an almost demonic, severe are very rich and powerful and micro particularly precise, every sound perfectly clear, even during boisterous shred.
Although made for the distortion sound will satisfy also melted clean sound, it is not on the fender bluesy sound but prevents the clean spectrum is incredible for the game by agreement or in arpeggios responds perfectly and nothing is erased by another, which means that the slightest misstep means as a result.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 1 month, I have a guitar of a different style (Fender Deluxe Lonestar Stratocaster American) and as I am not surprised by its sound and its use in all its Disto its more clean I'm amazed because it sounds sort of divine right. Having a version Seymour Duncan gives more versatility to this guitar version EMG (which I find less accurate personal and a little more "rough"), the metal of course, but she balances on other musical style. Delivered Fly Box Rigid provided for her, no risks during transport it is walking inside, fly box also note the beautiful at the same time at a rate such that the fly is happily provided. One key