ESP LTD VP400 Viper Electric Guitar

Feature:
Well, if you want active EMGs there's no better guitar (except maybe other 400 series) The Earvana compensated nut is every guitarists dream. They should be standard on every guitar made from now on. This is not an opinion, it's a fact that it compensates each string individually, giving chords a little higher on the neck a much clearer sound. The Tailpiece and Tune-o-matic bridge, also used on Gibsons, are great and solid. The grover tuners allow you to tune it very fine and they stay in tune whatever you do.

Quality:
I was amazed by how precise this guitar was made. There's not a single flaw in the guitar! The neck feels solidly attached to the body and you can definately tell that there has been put in a lot of research before they remade the 301 with active pu's. It just fits! It's my main axe and it feels like it lasts for ever! Definately road worthy!

Value:
This guitar will be very popular. I see it is being used a lot in pro bands already and it will increase, I'll tell you that. I wouldn't be suprised if the value goes up with maybe even 200 bucks in the future and it will still be worth that money.

Desirability:
I was looking for an alternative shaped body because I had it with the strat type guitars and I was looking for either a LP or anything else that wassn't too radical. I think the original SG series look so old and out of fashion, so an SG kind of model was not on my list untill I saw the Viper. They threw off the pickguard and instead of a flat bottom, they gave it a slant bottom and it makes the axe look so damn good. It's still an alternative shape, but nothing radical but it's still very modern. I love the finish too. vintage style burst and you can still see the wood through it. It's exactly as it should be on a guitar like this.

Sound:
The sound fo this thing is amazing. The active pu's osund great, very balanced sound. It has a really tight low end. Ofcourse, because they are active pu's they don't clean up completely on a clean channel with a lower pu volume, but for a metal/rock axe it has an amazing sound. The set neck gives it a smooth sounding tone and the mahogany body and neck give the sound a solid, smooth in highs chunky in low end sound

Support:
I haven't dealt with warranty but it looks like it's the same as with other guitar companies.

Overall:
Well, I don't want to give it a 10, because there's always something that can be inproved, but when I look at my previous grades I give each individual point, it pretty much comes up to a 9.5 so the 10 is a rounded figure...

Feature:
I love that the guitar looks and is straight foward... dont get me wrong, I love my floyd and D Tuner on my wolfie, but again, I was looking for a dedicated rythmn guitar. Wonderfully simplistic, one volume knob, one tone knob.

Quality:
1st time I have owned an ESP... I am absolutely impressed. As good of quality as my much more expensive Wolfgang. I would buy another ESP in the future but I am content now with my Wolfgang and Viper. The guitar looks just like it came from the custom shop.. Unbelievable for a guitar that is mass assembled on a production line in Korea.

Value:
This is the best guitar out there for this price range if you are looking for an aggressive sounding axe... I can't believe they can produce this axe for the price.

Desirability:
I always wanted an all white guitar just like Steve Clark of Def Leppards Les Pauls he used... I just didn't think it would be on ESP's Vision of what a Gibson SG should look like, the ESP/LTD Viper 400!!!!! I will never lust for a les paul ever again... unless I had 5 Grand to shell out on a jimmy page signature that is LOL... but that would be just for bragging rights...

Sound:
I was looking for a guitar in this price range that would fit my needs. I have a Peavey Wolfgang TR Flametop which is my absolute favorite guitar for lead work, but I needed to find the ultimate axe for rythmn work. I originally thought I would get an epiphone les paul custom and put some emg's in it Zakk Wylde style, but decided to find a guitar that came with the bad boys. Man does this thing sound crushing, all the requirements for a great rythmn guitar are met with this axe; rosewood fingerboard, mahogany body, neck thru design, fixed bridge, and emgs.. Sounds just pummeling.

Ease of Use:
Easy to adjust the action to your liking. It's also easy to whip out those pinch harmonics with those emg's. The neck feels fast even though it is painted... (I have always felt that painted necks are slower, some disagree) I prefer maple necks like my oil finished wolfgang for speed, but this thing is surprisingly fast... Does have 24 frets, my wolfgang does not..

Support:
I emailed them for info on the guitar before I bought it and they emailed me back within 24 hours.. Safe to say they are good.. Don't think I will have any warranty issues... the guitar is built very well.

Overall:
This guitar is built to last a lifetime even with maximum use..... I would never get rid of it... It's beautiful, solid, and addictive....