ESP vs LTD Guitars: Does the price really matter?

I noticed when you were doing the clean noodle at the beginning you were tapping the LTD pickup selector a few times when switching.
Is it a poor switch in the LTD compared to the ESP?
When switching the ESP you engaged it with just one click and with much confidence.

I owned an ESP LTD EC-1000 made in Korea 2021 model, bought it brand new for 840 euro, there was too much buzzing noise and after 2 attempts from the luthier to fix it we werent able to achieve a good result so i end up selling it. I bought an ESP Horizon E-II 2018 model second hand for 1200 euro, i didint find any build quality differences as it comes to the ltd ec-1000 but the playbiility was worst in terms of the ec-1000. I end up trading it with an ESP Eclipse I CTM paul landers (2008) the playability was amazing 0 buzzing easiest neck i ever played got it for 3 months and i ended up selling it for 1800 euro. For me the result is to first play the guitar for a while and then deciding, build quality doesnt change at least for the models i had it only comes to the mindset you have (like having an adroid versus an iphone) its just the status, same applies to the E-II, people are selling them because they are not ESP Originals on the headstock even though they are build in the same factory.

I love ESPs and now i am saving money to buy a custom build one.
As it comes to other brands i believe they are top of the line, i played with schecters, gibsons, fenders, musicman, solars etc, for the money they are selling them its the best choice for me.

I can't hear any difference in sound

Passat and Audi are both rubbish

emgs in both so they essentially are gonna sound the same.

Guys... 😌 listen🙏
Just build your own damn guitars, you're going to be completely satisfied having all the top grade parts and you won't go broke chasing brands, okay !😏👍

I’d have to agree and disagree. I agree that for the money the LTD’s are absolutely SOLID guitars. Very nice. It pisses me off that ESP has made the water so needlessly muddy with their odd branding. ESP, Navigator, Edwards, E-II, LTD, Grassroots etc…etc…it just makes everything surrounding the brand “ESP” so difficult to explain to folks. I currently have 43 guitars. Of those guitars I have a number of ESP/LTD guitars (and one Edwards E-LP-130CD). I have a ESP (actual ESP branding before the switch to E-II) M1 NTB, a E-II DBVB Eclipse, a E-II M-II NTB, a LTD M1000M, LTD KH-3, LTD Black Metal EX, LTD Hetfield Vulture and of course the ESP built Edwards LP mentioned earlier. So, suffice to say I have a bit of hands on experience with various examples of models and price points within the ESP brand.

If ESP would have just kept the “ESP” brand and utilized model numbers to differentiate between levels (example, Ibanez Prestige vs Ibanez Premium) then it would be easier to explain ESP to folks that have never had one. This is why questions such as “What’s the difference between an ESP and an LTD?” exist. We could entirely eliminate the ESP vs LTD thing if say my LTD M1000M was instead an ESP M1000M. So in that case the question would instead be “How’s the quality of an ESP M-II vs an ESP M1000?”. The answer would of course be about the guitars versus trying to explain branding and the obvious fact that the LTD is an ESP just like an Ibanez RG370 is still an Ibanez even though it isn’t MIJ and it isn’t an RG570. 😂

So, what’s the difference? Cost and obviously a bit more attention to detail. Obviously MIJ ESP’s tend to REALLY utilize incredible pieces of ebony for fretboards vs the cuts used for their LTD counterparts…..but as far as hardware goes it’s basically neck and neck. I mean, Gotoh tuners aren’t “better” than Grover tuners. They are both really great quality. Gibson uses Grovers for many of their models…..they came stock on both my 2013 Gibson Les Paul Signature T and my 2021 Gibson Explorer just as examples.

My old (2007) ESP M1 came from the factory with locking Sperzel tuners and I’d have to say those are actually much more “built” compared to a Gotoh tuner. My M-II came with locking Gotohs and those as well are nice, meanwhile my M1000M came with Grovers. All very nice tuners. TonePros hardware is just Gotoh, so that’s quality…..which is what my LTD Vulture came with.

The main difference is really feel (again, in addition to cost). My ESP/E-II stuff feels MUCH different than my LTD stuff. I’d say quality between “brands” is the same it just boils down to feel and again cost for that Japanese brand on the headstock versus the non MIJ branding.

I have an Ibanez S521L (I’m a lefty) that is an Indonesian model. It’s a super badass guitar, and since it’s a 24 fret S series I decided to see if a spare Prestige RG1570L neck I had laying around would feel good on it so I switched its neck. Guess what? All the “quality” as far as feel was like 90 percent in the neck! That guitar feels and plays as if the entire thing came from Japan. Easily in my top 3 favorite guitars to play.

So, to end such a long post…..the difference is the cost of the branding as well as the little bit of extra craftsmanship that the Japanese are willing to pour into their guitars. The other Asian companies outside of Japan are also doing great work (for the most part) but the Japanese are making legendary guitars…..IMO the best on the planet.

1 x ESP vs 3 x LTD for the same kind of money?

Tbh I only liked the esp on crunch, and didn't love it

Keep loving this vid man!

Got the LTD V-50 (that i ended up making an ESP by putting some cream painters tap with esp written on it) with a deathbucker in the bridge that I bought in like 2012-13 and its honestly one of the best things I've ever played. Even rhe regular ESPs play about the same. The quality from both is unmatched, but it explains why most LTDs are like 700 dollars haha

i own a few towards the top end LTD's (around the £1000 end) and a £2500 ESP E-II. Of course the quality of the E-II is phenomenal and just on a different planet but thats not taking anything away from the more top end LTDS they are also awesome.

I own a over 20 year old LTD a newer LTD,an E=II and a USA Made ESP and of course The ESPs are better quality but everyone is awesome and sounds great.Hands down my favorite guitar company and I own quite a few guitars including from the big two.

The EMGs make a huge difference when overdriven. But as far as clean tones, fairly on par to me.

I have an LTD Explorer "two dot" which was supposed made in the ESP Japan factory before they moved the rest to Korea and it's absolutely incredible

I went from a shecter lady luck (main guitar for 13 years) to an LTD EC1000 w/ sentient/Pegasus. The difference in quality and craftsmanship is astonishing. Literally makes the schecter seem like a toy, and it's not a bad guitar by any means.

LTD 1000 level is almost equivalent to EII. Any guitar can have fretboard/neck defects, so buying an EC-1000 means your search for the right guitar became more cost-effective if the LTD 1000s have the color/style you want. I have had two E-IIs that I would call duds and more than two LTD 1000s that have better fretboards than either of those E-IIs. Go for the Korean-made LTD 1000s.

I have the LTD Arrow 1000, and it is the best guitar I have ever played.

I can't imagine paying 5-6k for an ESP. Real musicians can't afford that. I guess ESP is more for Engineers, doctors, lawyers and other professional occupations. The last time I picked up a 1,000 dollar Eclipse it played and sounded like ass.

i can say that the both are amazing, i’ll definitely buy ESP LTD EC-1000QM STBC for a 1.179€ but if i could afford one of ESP Eclipse i would’ve buy it. Nice video btw

The way you said "Volkswagen Passat" I could tell you were nen Belg

You want it to feel like butter or sand? You decide.

I can't say a bad thing about ESP or the LTD guitar just feels great to play.

Great Video!

I did begin with LTD mh 400 and now I play ESP m ll ctm custom original series , many asking where you can find a real difference ,answer is how does it feel . ESP original series are unbeatable

I have an ESP LTD Phoenix Black Metal Black Satin that is phenomenally well crafted. If you're familiar with it, would you agree that it is an exception to this rule? The rule being that ESP's exhibit closer attention to detail and paint work than the LTD. I just have a hard time imagining a more perfectly crafted guitar, honestly. Thanks a lot!

I didnt even watch this. I have enough experience to know the difference between an ESP and an LTD. Esp is in another league, and the Japanese ESP are in another league obove the Americans. Have fun if you'r one these pretenders that think they know better.

esp eclipse owner, more than 10 years ... one of the best guitar ever

LTD has the superficial, fragmented twangy sound of the cheap guitar, while the ESP has a more compact and robust, fatter, sound with greater depth.

Like fender and squire,

I play a Black Metal LTD. Its just fine I don't need an ESP USA guitar. For the price of the USA I can buy 3 LTDs. A nice set up on an LTD and you're good to go. ESP USA is like buying a ferrari to go to work everyday. Nice but not needed especially if you're just jamming in your bedroom or in a garage.

I have an ESP Hanneman and an LTD Hanneman and they are virtually indistinguishable from on another.

I've owned a couple ESP eclipses and I've owned 5 or 6 LTD ec 1000s. The ESP s were really nice. The LTDs were good too, out of the 5 LTDs one of them was just epic good! It was the best I've owned from ESP LTD

LTD's are quality guitars. I am a Jackson guy, and their cheaper models are trash compared to USA models.

No difference, I have both models

esp rules

LTD V 50 FLIYING V ???? what is your opinion, friend .. Greetings from Argentina

For the clean tone I feel that the LTD one even sounds better. Moreover, the LTD one ‘s intonation is better than the ESP one but it may the the guitar setup issues.

I own 2 ESP's and 3 LTD's. The most recent LTD I got was an MH1000 Evertune (made in early 2020 so no lockdown excuses can be put on it) while it is well put together the finish was B-stock worthy, several paint drips were cleared over on the back of the neck and one on the body. Not what i expect from LTD but its possible and ive had several people comment on a vid about it that they too had gotten crappy ltd Deluxes. The tone and stability on the ESP's is superior to just about any guitar Ive ever played, maybe its the genuine Floyds on them. My E-II M-II has a much thicker neck then my KH-2 custom shop and id say it sound better, both have the same EMG's but of way different production yrs.
I do have to mention that the position of the volume knob on ESP's sucks as its to close for me, its baffling tho that LTD places the volume knobs further away. Looks like thats not an issue son the EX models but anything S type from ESP has the issue.

Sorry but I hope you don’t mind. I like that clean tone riff you were playing and I think I might borrow that.

thank you for this video, ive been looking for a good comparison between these two guitars. 👍

The ESP really outshined the LTD on the distorted guitar.

They don't sound good clean. But dirty big difference.

How comfortable are these EX guitars when you are sitting down in classical position, guitar on your left leg? Is V-shape more comfortable in that position? ESP EX body shape smaller than Gibson Explorer?

I just bought a used Ltd mh203qm in top condition. I tried a lot of guitars priced a lot higher before I bought this one. It just felt and sounded amazing. So versatile to with coil split.

Hi can you do a comparation and surgery those electrical or wiring?

Generally speaking, everything made by WMI in S. Korea is excellent quality.
They used to build the PRS SE series for almost 2 decades, before PRS went to Indonesia, because it's cheaper to build guitars there. And if you know anything about PRS' owner Paul Reed Smith, the guy is obsessed with quality control.
They also build the more expensive Schecter models, which are some of the best value for money instruments on the market.
Yes, the MIJ ESP models are usually of higher quality, but their prices have gone so much up over the last 10 years, it's ridiculous. You pay for MIJ guitars almost prices of Made in USA models nowadays. Ten years ago, you could get a new MIJ ESP Standard Series model, with brand name pickups like EMG's or Duncans for around 1,500-1,700 Euros, nowadays Made in Indonesia guitars sell for this price. If you want a custom shop ESP, oh boy.... you have to sell a kidney.
And don't get me started on the whole renaming the Standard Series into ''E-II'' BS. The guitar says ''E-II'' on the headstock and on the back it says ''Made in Japan by ESP'', it's the dumbest sh*t ever! Imagine Fender rebranding their USA production models as ''F-I'' or something. 🤦‍♂
Anyways, you can't go wrong with a LTD Deluxe 1000 or 400 Series, these are usually extremely well build guitars and even pros use them.