ESP LTD EX-401 Guitar Review

The ESP guitar make is known to take popular guitar designs and curtail their features to the hard rock and metal guitarists' advantage. By using different materials and making slight changes, a guitar that would formerly just be average in the hands of a musician can become a real, legitimate sonic weapon. One example of this is the ESP LTD EX-401 electric guitar. In this article, I'll take a closer look at the guitar to see what it sets apart from guitars with similar design.

Features: The body of the ESP LTD EX-401 is, like most other ESP's, made of mahogany wood. This provides a solid feel and richer sound to the listener's ears. Its design is based on that of the Gibson Explorer, save for some very small curves that give a more finned appearance as opposed to straight angles. There are just a couple finishes available on the ESP LTD EX-401, including ebony and stark white. Both look very clean, and very sharp. The neck of the guitar is made of maple wood, and is set into the body. It has a rosewood fretboard with twenty two extra jumbo frets, and dot inlays. The hardware of the ESP LTD EX-401 is tailored to those who play hard. It has an Earvana brand nut, which locks to keep strings in tune in all situations. Also, it has a bridge modeled after the Tune-O-Matic style. It is a make emphasizing simplicity and functionality. Electronically, the ESP LTD EX-401 has two EMG humbucker pickups, one volume and one tone control knob, and a three way selector switch.

Playability: The features above, including the hardware and build, are geared toward playability above and beyond what most expect. The set neck and sharp cutaways mean high fret access is very good. Although, on the other, hand, there are only twenty two frets as opposed to twenty four. Also, the bridge style and Earvana nut make the ESP LTD EX-401 very hard to knock out of tune and easily adjustable (a quality that experienced musicians value highly).

Sound: By just looking at the ESP LTD EX-401, you can tell it is designed to play hard rock and metal. And, of course, the specs match this assumption. The EMG active pickups are extremely hot, which is tough on clean settings but near perfect with distortion. In the right hands, though, a good equipment and setting combination could make it a little more versatile.

Overall: The ESP LTD EX-401 is a role-fitting type of guitar. Intermediate and more experienced guitarists who play mostly hard rock and metal will appreciate its sound quality and features. You can find the ESP LTD EX-401 in music stores for about $600.