ESP LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie Guitar Review

In order to step up their guitars' attractiveness to potential buyers, the ESP brand has come up with some very unique, often very cool original designs. Most people, when walking into a guitar store, see only flamed maple and lacquer finished tops. That's why the ESP LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie comes as such a surprise to many. Let's take a closer look at it to see if the look is just a gimmick, or if the guitar has quality to go with it.

Features: The body of the LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie, like most other ESP guitars, is made of mahogany wood. This helps to maintain a rich tone and long sustain. The finish, as you could guess from the introductory paragraph, is an artists' complicated rendition of the inner workings of a clock along with bones and a skull. Needless to say, it's pretty intense looking and very interesting. The neck is also made of mahogany, and is set into the body. It has a dark rosewood fretboard to match the finish, with twenty four extra jumbo frets and flag shaped pearloid inlays. The hardware on the LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie is made to mimic old classics while adding technical advantage. It has Grover brand locking tuners, along with an Earvana designed nut that locks as well. Also, it has a Tune-O-Matic style bridge with a tailpiece. Electronically, the ESP LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie has an EMG-81 humbucker active pickup in the bridge position and an EMG-60 in the neck position. Additionally, it has two volume and one tone control knobs, and a three way selector switch.

Playability: Though the body style is designed after the legendary Les Paul, the LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie is very strong in the playability department. The body is unexpectedly light, making it comfortable to play. Also, it has a thin U shaped neck for increased ability to move up and down the fretboard quickly. And, finally, its sharp cutaway and small neck joint allow for excellent high fret access.

Sound: As you could guess by just looking at the guitar, the ESP LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie is definitely made to play metal. It is mean looking and mean sounding, with the EMG pickups being perfect for ear splitting solos and highly distorted power chords.

Overall: The ESP LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie is, as I hope you've learned from this review, a perfect instrument for the serious metal musician. It has a hard look, solid hardware and playability, and a sound that is as edgy as it gets. You can find the ESP LTD Graphic EC Clockwork Zombie in music stores for about $900.