If you’re searching for some of the best ESP LTD guitars for rock and metal, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place! In today’s article, I’m going to highlight some of the best and most affordable models made by this brand.
ESP LTD is a truly amazing guitar manufacturer. Their gear is particularly loved by enthusiasts of rock and metal music. Also, a lot of professional musicians decide to use their guitars for studio recordings and gigs. And what’s important, a lot of their guitars are actually really affordable!
Let’s dive deeper with research to find out what exactly makes these guitars so good and so popular. I created a list of 10 best ESP LTD guitars for rock and metal, so feel free to check it out below. You can also scroll down to the next section if you want to read more about each of these models.
10 Best ESP LTD Guitar For Rock & Metal – List
| 1. | ESP LTD EC-256 | See on Amazon | Thomann |
| 2. | ESP LTD Snakebyte James Hetfield | See on Amazon | Thomann |
| 3. | ESP LTD EC-1000S Fluence | See on Amazon | Thomann |
| 4. | ESP LTD Arrow-1000 | See on Amazon | Thomann |
| 5. | ESP LTD George Lynch GL-200MT | See on Amazon | – |
| 6. | ESP LTD EC-401 (My Favorite!) | See on Amazon | Thomann |
| 7. | ESP LTD MH-203QM | See on Amazon | Thomann |
| 8. | ESP LTD GH-600 | See on Amazon | Thomann |
| 9. | ESP LTD Viper-256 | See on Amazon | Thomann |
| 10. | ESP LTD MH-1007 Evertune | See on Amazon | Thomann |
1. ESP LTD EC-256
ESP LTD EC-256 is one of the most popular electric guitars manufactured by this brand. This particular model is relatively affordable and it’s designed for all lovers of rock and metal music.
What makes it so good? Well, the guitar has a mahogany body and a set-neck construction which gives you a better sustain and a faster attack. It’s also equipped with two ESP humbuckers which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. There’s also a Tune-O-Matic bridge, which provides a great tuning stability.
It is also worth mentioning that this guitar looks absolutely fantastic from the outside as well. It’s available in a few different color versions, so I’m sure that anyone will be able to find a model that suits their needs.
I have no hesitation in recommending ESP LTD EC-256 model to all musicians who are searching for a reliable and great sounding electric guitar. It’s perfect for all heavy genres of music!
2. ESP LTD Snakebyte James Hetfield
ESP LTD Snakebyte is a signature model of James Hetfield (Metallica). Whether you’re a fan of his music or not, you have to admit that this is a killer guitar! It’s not cheap, but it’s definitely worth checking out.
This particular model features a sleek mahogany body and a comfortable mahogany neck with the thin U shape. On top of that, there’s also an ebony fretboard, which feels really smooth and makes the playing even more enjoyable.
What’s interesting, the manufacturer equipped this model with a pair of unique humbuckers – EMG active JH “Het Set” pickups. If you want to sound like James Hetfield, you will definitely appreciate the high quality of these humbuckers!
Undoubtedly, this is one of the best and most interesting ESP LTD guitars for rock and metal. Even if you don’t like Metallica, you will be really impressed by the quality of that Snakebyte model.
3. ESP LTD EC-1000S Fluence
ESP LTD EC-1000S Fluence is an another excellent electric guitar suitable for the most demanding guitarists out there. This is not a cheap model, but it can be efficiently used for recording and gigging.
The EC-1000S Fluence model features a mahogany body and a comfortable three-piece mahogany neck. What’s interesting, the manufacturer also equipped this model with a pair of great sounding Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers.
Overall, this guitar looks and sounds absolutely fantastic. If you’re looking for a reliable guitar for rock and metal, you should definitely give this model a chance.
Here’s the sound demo.
4. ESP LTD Arrow-1000
ESP LTD Arrow-1000 is an another great electric guitar designed specifically for heavier genres of music. This particular model offers a really unique and aggressive look, so I’m sure that a lot of you are going to love it!
The guitar has a mahogany body, a thin and comfortable mahogany neck and a smooth ebony fingerboard. On top of that, there’s a pair of high quality EMG pickups and a Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge.
It is also worth mentioning that ESP LTD Arrow-1000 looks great from the outside too. This Candy Apple Red color is absolutely amazing.
Undoubtedly, this is definitely one of the best ESP LTD guitars available on the market right now. If you’re searching for a really special guitar, this is the way to go.
Here’s the demo.
5. ESP LTD George Lynch GL-200MT
ESP LTD GL-200MT is a signature guitar of George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob). If you’re not familiar with that artist, he’s a really talented heavy metal and glam metal guitarist. This particular ESP LTD model is based on his own famous guitar.
The GL-200MT model features a yellow basswood body with a tiger stripe graphic, a comfortable maple neck and a smooth maple fretboard. What’s interesting, the guitar features only one pickup – ESP Designed LH-150B bridge humbucker. As you can imagine, it sounds absolutely great!
Undoubtedly, it will be really tough to find a guitar similar to this signature George Lynch ESP LTD model. It’s one-of-a-kind. If you like the music of this artist, you should definitely consider adding this guitar to your own collection!
6. ESP LTD EC-401
ESP LTD EC-401 is an another amazing electric guitar suitable for the most demanding rock and metal guitarists. I have to admit that this is one of my favorite guitars on today’s list. I had the pleasure to use it on several occasions and I can definitely confirm that it’s worth the money.
What makes it so cool? Well, the guitar has a mahogany body with a gloss finish and a comfortable mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard. On top of that, the manufacturer equipped this guitar with two high quality EMG pickups, which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone.
I absolutely love the thin neck of the EC-401 model – it makes playing really comfortable and enjoyable.
Overall, ESP LTD EC-401 is a killer guitar. I know that it’s not cheap, but trust me – there’s a high chance that it will be one of your favorite guitars.
Here’s the sound demo.
7. ESP LTD MH-203QM
ESP LTD MH-203QM is an another amazing electric guitar made by this famous brand. In comparison with some of the other models on today’s list, it’s actually really cheap.
This particular model a mahogany body and a comfortable maple neck with a maple fretboard. What’s interesting, the manufacturer equipped this guitar with a really versatile HSS pickup setting! Whether you’re into rock or metal, these pickups won’t disappoint you.
It is also worth mentioning that this model also has a Floyd Rose tremolo bridge, which is a really important feature for all metal guitarists.
Undoubtedly, the MH-203QM model is one of the best ESP LTD guitars available on the market right now. Considering its low price and high quality, it’s definitely worth checking out!
Here’s the sound demo.
8. ESP LTD GH-600
ESP LTD GH-600 is a signature model of Gary Holt (Slayer & Exodus). As you can imagine, this guitar is designed for metal music!
The GH-600 model has a mahogany body and mahogany neck based on the ESP LTD Eclipse. But on top of that, it features the red binding on the headstock and the body that contrasts with the gloss finish. Surely, this is a beautiful guitar.
The manufacturer also equipped this model two high quality EMG pickups (89R and 81), which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. There’s also a Floyd Rose tremolo bridge and Grover tuners that offer an exceptional tuning stability.
I have no hesitation in recommending this guitar to all guitarists who are searching for a high-end guitar for rock and metal music. This is a killer guitar, so if you’re into metal, there’s a high chance that you’re going to fall in love with the ESP LTD GH-600.
Here’s the sound demo.
9. ESP LTD Viper-256
ESP LTD Viper-256 is one of the most affordable electric guitars manufactured by this brand. In comparison with other models on today’s list, it’s not that expensive.
The Viper 256 model features a really cool double-cutaway body made of mahogany. It kind of reminds of an offset Gibson SG, so that’s a really interesting design. There’s also a really comfortable mahogany neck with the Jatoba fretboard.
The manufacturer equipped this electric guitar with a pair of really good ESP-designed humbuckers, which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. On top of that, there’s also a Tune-O-Matic bridge, which guarantees a great tuning stability.
Overall, this is a fantastic and inexpensive mid-level guitar. I’m sure that a lot of you are going to love it! If you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a new guitar, you should definitely check out this model.
Here’s the demo.
10. ESP LTD MH-1007 Evertune
ESP LTD MH-1007 EverTune is a 7-string guitar suitable for the most demanding guitarists out there. This particular model is not recommended for beginners – it’s mainly designed for intermediate and professional musicians.
What makes it so special? Well, it offers a massive does of sustain and warmth. The guitar features a solid mahogany body and a thin U-profile mahogany neck, which is perfect for shredding. On top of that, there’s also a pair of EMG (817H & 857H) humbuckers which sound absolutely great.
It is also worth mentioning that the manufacturer equipped this model with the EverTune bridge which significantly improves the tuning stability and intonation.
Overall, this is one of the best 7-string guitars manufactured by ESP LTD. It’s not cheap, but I highly encourage you to check it out if you’re looking for a guitar of this type!
FAQ
Where are ESP LTD guitars made?
ESP LTD guitars are usually made in either Japan or Indonesia.
Who uses ESP LTD guitars?
A lot of famous artists use ESP LTD models as their main guitars. That includes such musicians as James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Stephen Carpenter, Tom Araya, Frank Bello and many, many more!
Where can I find out more about ESP LTD?
If you want to find out more about ESP LTD guitars, make sure to check out their official website.
Summary
As you can see, there are a lot of great ESP LTD guitars out there! I’m sure that if you decide to choose any of the guitars mentioned in today’s article, you’ll be really satisfied with your choice.
What do you think about ESP LTD? Have you ever tried playing on any of their guitars? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for checking out today’s article, hopefully it was helpful. If you enjoyed this review, you may also like:
