ESP LTD EC-256FM Electric Guitar User Reviews

Submitted July 30, 2010 by a customer from hotmail.com

"A LP for those of us who can't afford over 2 G's..."

Overall:

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

This guitar will remain in my stable permanently- along with my other three ESP/LTD's.

Sound

This is my fourth ESP/LTD guitar (I also have the M100-FM, EC-200QM, ST-203FR). Have been in love with the ESP/LTD line since '03. I've always loved the LP look and style and wanted to get that vintage look ala Page or Slash. I've got the honeyburst and the worn look is great. The coil splitting is nice and allows for some real versatility. Thin body and fast neck (slimmer than 60s LP- IMO) makes this a dream to play. Classic rock tones through a Marshall. It really doesn't get much better than this for the money.

Features

The coil splitting is a nice feature, as is the slim, fast neck. The worn finish is cool and the guitar is a dream to play. Pickups are solid, not too harsh or bright.

Ease of Use

Plug it into a Marshall and wail away. The knob for the coil splitting may be difficult at first to get used to, but well worth it.

Quality

All my ESP/LTD guitars have been spot on. For the price, these guitars are hard to beat. I use them regularly for gigging and haven't been let down. I've gotten numerous compliments on my live sound. I use the ST-203FR and EC-256 for classic rock and the M100-FM and EC-200QM for metal. Got all my bases covered...

Value

ESP/LTD guitars are the best "bang for the buck" guitars...period. There isn't anyone making such great guitars at these prices. I'm not rich/famous nor do I have an endorsement deal, so gig money needs to go a long way.

Manufacturer Support

I had to call ESP once, a couple of years ago to register my EC-200QM as I didn't get the warranty card with my purchase (local guitar dealer). ESP called me the next day and sent an email as well. Pleasant, prompt and professional on the phone. Class act.

The Wow Factor

It's practical and delivers the goods.

Musical Background:

Hobbyist, Semi-Active Musician

Musical Style:

Classic Rock, Metal, Rock

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Submitted September 20, 2013 by Gregg Chirpka in Pahrump, NV

"Bought a "Blemished" Lemon Drop EC-253 for $250...Best deal ever!"

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Can't find a blemish...not even a subtle nick or scratch...absolutely beautiful AX...not even fingerprints. Made in Vietnam..God bless the artisans! The Lemon Drop color is actually more golden orange like a flame maple gold top. Action feels like .009s,slinky,but neck has the correct relief and intonation is very close. Fretboard could use some bore oil for moistening and protection befoer dirty build-up. ay consider Sperzal Tuners and upgrade to DiMarzio Super Distortions (they can be Coil-Split)..We'll see. So far, extremely happy with this "Poor Man's Les Paul".Unbeatable best value compared to EPIs, PRS Koreans, and Schecters.Don't be afraid of a "Blemish"! Cost me 1/10th of Gib.Les Paul Stndrd. I've been playin' for 40 years..own Fender,Gibson,G+L,Hagstrom,Ibanez,RWG and Washburns...Thank you ESP and ZZOUNDS...forever grateful...G3.

Musical Background:

40 years, anything with strings.

Musical Style:

Christian Rock, Southern Rock, Honky Tonk, Classic Rock and Jazz.

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Submitted November 21, 2012 by Steve N in Cleveland, OH

"ESP LTD EC-256"

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You know guys, on other sites everyone is always trashing this guitar for the pickups. And, no, it does not have EMG shred heads in it. You won't get that here. What you DO get is a fine instrument at an EXCELLENT price. It even came with Cleartone strings - that is the discovery of the month for me - neck perfect, nice coil tap feature, perfect weight and balance, and I love the artsy distressed worn gold look. This is my favorite ESP LTD guitar - in fact my go-to, plugged in as I write, ready for some more rock music - Gimme Back My Bullets, That Smell, Had To Cry Today just sort of came out of her effortlessly. I will take her out and play live with this one, no shame there. Put EMG's in it if you want, but for me, a GREAT value.

Musical Background:

Rock musician from the classic days of Jimi in London

Musical Style:

Long Live Rock, I need it every day

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Submitted March 3, 2023 by Russell N in Raleigh, NC

"After a couple of years, it's still scratching the itch"

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This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.

I bought this guitar coming up on 2 years ago now. When I received the guitar, I was a little disappointed at how dark the see-through purple was. It's grown on me though, and now I think I prefer the darker purple. It's a pretty guitar and it's the most comfortable guitar to play that I've ever played. I'm not a guy who just goes around playing guitars a lot in stores, but this is my 5th guitar and it's my favorite. It didn't sound as good out of the box as my PRS Standard 24, but it looks just as awesome and the neck is super comfortable to me.

Sound

The sound quality of the guitar out of the box can pretty much be described as adequate. It sounded good with overdrive or distortion. It holds a tune well and the split coil is nice in concept. If I'm honest, I think the stock pickups really let this guitar down. They just don't have any range and the split coil feature didn't make much of a difference in tone. I upgraded the pickups in the guitar to EMG 57/66 pickups and this thing came alive. Now I can dial in any tone.

Features

The neck on this guitar does have a glossy finish on it, which I know a lot of guitarists don't love. However, for me, the neck is the most comfortable guitar neck I've ever played. Again, the pickups are *fine* if you like throwing distortion on the guitar. It chugs out of the box like a monster, but I found that clean tones let me down. There's really not much versatility. The tuners have held up well. My guitar has been babied so it still looks brand new. I oil the fretboard and polish the finish every few months and everything on the guitar is still beautiful.

Ease of Use

I really got this guitar because of how it looks. Never played an EC-256FM before. I'd only ever seen other versions of the guitar in stores, but never picked it up and played it. I had every intention of replacing the pickups if I didn't love the stock ones. I own a PRS Standard 24(with a Seymour Duncan 59 in the bridge and a JB in the neck), Squire Bullet Strat, and a cheap Epiphone Les Paul and this guitar is by far the most versatile and most comfortable of my guitars to play.

Quality

This guitar has been solid. No electronic, tuner or other hardware issues. I don't think I've ever dropped this guy. I travel with an extremely padded soft case and when it's at home, it hangs off the wall in my bedroom. I never have had to worry about this guitar not doing what it needs to do.

Value

I'm not going to lie. You can probably find a guitar that you like better at this price point, but you are going to be splitting hairs really. At this price point, I've found you can get some amazing guitars that might just need a little bit of love to turn them into high-end-sounding beasts. This guitar is no exception. All said, I've got probably 900 dollars in this guitar. For a guitar that looks beautiful to me and makes me want to play it constantly, sounds like I want it to sound and do it on a fretboard that is a joy to play, I would say money well spent. When I record at a friend's house, we ignore his Gibson SG Standard and his Les Paul Standard and just use my ESP. Not bad for a guitar that's a quarter of the price out of the box(with an extra 260 bucks on the pickups).

Manufacturer Support

Never dealt with ESP. This is the only ESP product I've ever owned and I would buy again based off of my experience with this guitar.

The Wow Factor

I love this guitar. It's been my workhorse for a year and a half now and I really don't have any major needs to upgrade. If you decide to buy this guitar, give the pickups a try before you immediately replace them. You might like the stock pickups better than I did. Everything else about this guitar was great. Nothing flashy. Just a good solid guitar for the price you are paying and it's not the same guitar everyone else is playing.

Musical Background:

26 years drumming, 8 years playing guitar and bass, piano, various woodwind instruments

Musical Style:

I play everything. No judgment zone here.

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Submitted August 9, 2012 by Theo M in Ängelholm, NA

"Great affordable guitar"

Overall:

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I just bought this guitar for fun since It was dirt cheap and I had some money in my pocket but, wow, I was blown away.

Sound

I like the ESP-pu's sound and they produce a truly full and warm tone. One problem I have is that the neck pu is a bit too bassy, though this can be fixed by changing the settings on your amp/pedals or adjusting the height of the pu. I am Probably going to switch them for a Gibson 500T in the Bridge and a seymour duncan something in the neck slot.

Features

The hardware is pure quality and the coil-splitting gives the oppurtunity for some real versatility. The woods resonate well and the fretboard feels great. Also it stays in tune well.

Ease of Use

Fantastic playability with the fast and slim neck. In comparision with other guitars (Like the Schecter Hellraiser V-1) the neck feels super thin and comfortable to play.

Quality

The guitar feels like it's real quality and I've never had any problems with it. Since it's distressed from the factory, I don't have to worry about dings or scratches!

Value

This guitar is 100% worth the money.

Manufacturer Support

Never had to contact support.

The Wow Factor

It looks and feels stunning.

Musical Background:

I have been playing music since I was 13 and professionally since I was 15.I play the guitar, bass, drums and sing.

Musical Style:

With this guitar, I mostly play classic rock, blues and other pop-rock sub-genres. Otherwise Metal.

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Submitted May 7, 2012 by Brad W in I.F., ID

"BUTTER!"

Overall:

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I absolutely love ESP and all of their work! I've owned the EC-100QM for about three years now and upgraded to the EC-256 a little over three months ago. And both are still so fun to play that I'll switch off between them.

Sound

It comes with LH-150 ESP humbucker pickups(kind of unfortunate because that's what my EC-100QM came with). But don't get me wrong, they are much better quality in the EC-256 with the chrome finish(and to be honest, I personally think they have a more distinct sound). Which is why I put them into my EC-100QM guitar and upgraded my EC-256 to the ESP EMG LH-300 humbucker pickups(very similar sound to the EMG HZ4's). Either way though, both humbuckers sound good, I just wanted my EC-256 to sound a little more metal.

Features

The push pull coil splitting is pretty cool. You can get any sound out of it that you want really.. I personally don't have much use for it but it is a great feature. Everything else seems very well built, the only thing I can think of is to check the input jack and make sure it's screwed on tight. An easy fix but I've had this problem with both my ESP's when first purchasing them.

Ease of Use

Once you get the push pull coil splitting figured out you are golden. The neck is mahogany and pretty slick for fast playing(slicker than the EC-100QM with the maple neck) you don't have to worry about sweaty hands. It also has a nice thin neck and smooth fret board. Both of my ESP's have the same tune o matics and they stay in tune perfectly!

Quality

All ESP guitars are very well made and durable. The EC-256 is light weight and built to shred. I had to get my neck straightened out on it and of course get new strings, but it plays like a dream now.

Value

Over all this really is a great value if you're in the 400 dollar price range! Even though I upgraded the pickups, got the neck straightened, and switched out the strings, it is pretty much needed for any guitar. But I guess if you have an extra 200 dollars to upgrade to an ESP with active EMG pickups I highly recommend it.. Just because you absolutely can't go wrong with that.

Manufacturer Support

I have never had to deal with ESP support.. But I don't see why your local guitar shop couldn't help you out with what ever is wrong.

The Wow Factor

I bought the 2tone burst and the pictures don't justify its looks. The age finish is epic and I won't have a problem getting br00tal with this guitar on stage.(hint* kind of why I got it as well, I won't feel quite as bad if i ding it up). But once again, I absolutely love this finish on it.

Musical Background:

In a band.

Musical Style:

METALCORE/HARDCORE/DEATH-METAL/POST-HARDCORE/POP-PUNK/INDIE

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Submitted September 10, 2016 by sean a in tyler, TX

"Awesome"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I'm more than satisfied with the quality and sound, I play metal and country and it does everything I want. The quality is incredible, just try it, you'll buy it.

Sound

I play alot of metal and country and I am blown away with the tone this guitar resonates, the sustain is all there, I could not ask for more.

Features

Of course the coil tap is a major plus for this guitar, it really comes in handy.

Ease of Use

I play this guitar through my line 6 spider IV 75 watt and It just screams, it will do anything I want it to do.

Quality

Very solid built, tight quality tuners, feels better than most 1000 dollar guitars I've played. The feel of this guitar is what sold me, I picked it up and couldn't put it down.

Value

It's definitely worth the price, I chose this over a few guitars that were 3x the price.

Manufacturer Support

Haven't needed to use them.

The Wow Factor

The appeal and feel is what convinced me to buy it, it's really nice for the price.

Musical Background:

10 years jamming at home

Musical Style:

Metal, rock, country

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Submitted October 13, 2016 by Richard C in Texarkana, AR

"zzounds has the best customer service ever"

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two days ago i placed an order on the esp ltd ec256 lemon drop flamed maple guitar. not only was it shipped the same day i ordered it, but it arrived at 10am the following day!! on standard shipping! when i unboxed the guitar every thing was in good order the guitar itself needed tuning but other than that and needing new strings, it plays like a dream. the guitar feels like a 1200$ guitar not a 400$ guitar. the action is very low and slick the pick ups sound great although they will probably be replaced later down the line with seymour duncans. but the push pull pot for the coil splitting sounds great and the set neck delivers more sustain than any bolt on neck possibly could. epiphone better watch out because the ec models by ltd are way better than "lepies" thank you zZounds for hooking me up!

Musical Background:

15 years of playing lead guitar 5 years professionaly

Musical Style:

started as christian and punk rock, but after a few years i got into classic rock and blues, and all types of metal

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Submitted February 6, 2010 by a customer from comcast.net

"awsome guitar"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I will have this guitar a long time

Sound

this guitar rocks.powerful pick-ups,great sustain.I could not believe this guitar is only 399.00.To me it sounds as good as my Les Paul.I am blown away .

Features

I like the classic worn look.this is a high end guitar at a low end price

Quality

high quality guitar.This is my second ESP and I would definitly buy another

Value

worth every penney and then some

Manufacturer Support

never needed support

The Wow Factor

very sexy guitar

Musical Background:

garage band

Musical Style:

rock and blues

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Submitted November 25, 2013 by Sydney S in Morton, MS

"Esp gem"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Excellent guitar not just for the money. Has the best neck I've played. Tone is great. Finish is first class. Lemon drop is awesome.

Musical Background:

Playing for 40 years. Play all kinds of music but this instrument was perched for playing with church band.

Musical Style:

Rock, blues, Christian, country

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Submitted November 7, 2012 by Richard G in North Aurora, IL

"Best Les Paul style guitar on the market today"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

If you are considering a single cutaway Les Paul style guitar buy this one and you will be happy. Where to begin? The tone? It's incredible. Everything from sparkling clean strat tones (thanks to the coil tapping) to bluesy quack and honk to classic rock crunch to overdriven saturated metal. The feel? Exquisite. A little thinner body to save weight but not so thin as to sacrifice solid tone. Belly cut for comfort. The neck is thin enough for shredding solos and leads but thick enough for easy chording with a solid feel in the hand. Combined with the extra jumbo frets for easier fretting and it feels like a dream. The look? Gorgeous! I bought the cherry sunburst and the perfectly book ended flame maple is as beautiful as anything coming out of a custom shop. The pictures make the red look too bright and pinkish. In reality the red is much more subtle and blends perfectly into the gold of the burst. Sitting in the stand across the room it's so sexy it makes me want to play it all the time. Finally, the price? Un-believeable! It has everything the EC-1000 has with the exception of gaudy abalone pimp style binding, ebony fretboard, and active pickups. If you like active pickups get this guitar and install them. You will save money and have a better guitar (the EC-1000 is heavier with no belly cut). The EC-256 is every bit as good as a $2000 Gibson Les Paul also. Save money and sound better. Buy this guitar!

Musical Background:

I've played guitar for 27 years. Professionally for 10. Now just for the love.

Musical Style:

Rock, metal, jazz, blues.

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Submitted May 2, 2020 by Emha E in Adelanto, CA

"In A Female's Hands..."

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

In a YouTube review of this guitar, there was one guy that said he didn't understand why any experienced and knowledgable guitar player would want THIS guitar over something more high-end (i.e., a "real" Eclipse), because of the differing body design features. I, myself, am not anything of a virtuoso player, nor do I have the fattest wallet at the moment, which is why I settled on something more in the midrange for my first relatively decent guitar. I've been playing for years, writing songs on "piece of crap" guitars, and it didn't matter to me that my instrument was nothing to show off when that's all that I was using it for (i.e., to write songs). Before I am an instrumentalist, I am a vocalist and songwriter... but I digress. Anyhow, coming from someone that has a limited span of what truly "decent" is in this department, I, personally, found this guitar to be worth the price. I am not the most knowledgable about guitars, no, but I know what feels right to me as a player. This one is pretty nice. The body is lightweight and thin without feeling or looking cheap or flimsy, and the playability is fantastic. There is little strain on your fingering hand due to how easy it is to press the strings down, unlike on cheaper guitars. Had I learned to play on this one, I would have been totally spoiled! Maybe like that guy with the YouTube review. Haha. The sound is nice and crisp... and the color is beautiful. I went with the Cobalt Blue, because it matches with my room. I have no complaints about it, under the circumstances. It is everything that I needed it to be. The available payment plan was the cherry on top. Just two more payments! Thanks, zZounds!Note: I was required to rate "Manufacturer Support" when I submitted this review, even though I never made any direct contact with the manufacturer. I couldn't give it less than 5 stars when there was never a problem with it. *shrug*

Musical Background:

Rock Vocalist, Songwriter, and Multi-instrumentalist of 27 years.

Musical Style:

Rock

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Submitted January 12, 2011 by a customer from yahoo.com

"owner of 5 ec model esp and ltd loves new 256mg"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

anyone that buys a guitar will change parts, nut, tuners, etc. the foundation of a guitar is the neck and fretboard. esp/ltd has that down no matter what hardware is used

Sound

sounds great. the coil tap is refreshing. this plays sraight into a crate 60 watt tube head and 4 - 12 cab

Features

although it plays and feels great the nut is the one thing that i changed. from a ec-400. nut too soft and slots too deep

Ease of Use

i think any ec plays great. i own 5

Quality

made well besides the nut. but that wouldnt stop me from getting the black one.

Value

yes

Manufacturer Support

esp support depends on the store you buy it from

The Wow Factor

an addition. all are unique

Musical Background:

active musician

Musical Style:

punk

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Submitted December 5, 2013 by Scotty D in Owego, NY

"Unstoppable Axe! "

Overall:

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I bought this guitar after settling on (first) a used Schecter that I later returned due to a twist in the neck. Next up to bat was a Ibanez RG350 White w/ Floyd Rose copy - A week after buying that one the licensed Floyd fell apart so I did PLENTY of research, trial & error, & playing different models, brands, etc. at local shops to see what was what although I must mention I am a seasoned 44 year old guitarist/ instructor that knows my way around. Guitar companies have changed mostly to save money by cutting corners on pickups & hardware leaving us to search out the best axe for the money without spending your life savings to get the guitar you need. Having said this I will follow this up by pointing out why this is by far the best deal out there due to the tone, features & tone wood used to make it come to life.

Sound

First off the pickups are cool. You can use your coil - tap feature to change from Metal to blues/ country twang. I do agree with a previous reviewer that it takes some adjusting to cut the bass down on the neck pup, however that is a minor "flaw" in the overall scheme of things. The sound of this guitar is a hit for any style. I am an old school metalhead & I get plenty of Zakk Wylde SQUAWW pinch harmonics with little effort on my part. Just remember to choke up on your pick! Thumbs up for sound.

Features

The Mahogany body is a huge plus/ upgrade from the world of basswood guitars in this price range.The set neck *A.K.A - "Glued in" is one of the best features & main reasons I picked this over similar models like the 330. It sings & feels more solid & sturdy than most guitars in this range. The push - pull pots are a smart idea for getting either a single or humbucking tone if you can't afford a fender & a gibson for both styles. The tuners are well made & tight. The guitar stays in tune quite nicely. I only wish I knew about this guitar sooner.

Ease of Use

The guitar's action is splendid & all I did to modify it was change the .10's (strings) to .09's as ESP ships all non-Floyd & non-baritone guitars with .10's on it standard. Once I did this the action was AMAZING! I was blown away at the ease of use. I will never shop different brands now that I've gone through this & learned my lesson as I had been using my old Yamaha guitar exclusively for quite some time.

Quality

Other than having to change the nut & washer on the input as it was loose upon receiving the guitar, I can honestly say that the guitar is a 10! I have NO complaints about the choices of materials used to manufacture this EC-256. I set out to buy a solid guitar, & I got way more than I paid for. Almost feel like I won the solidly - built guitar lottery!

Value

I must say I have looked high & low for a guitar under five hundred dollars that wouldn't fall apart from cheaply made hardware & bad tone woods & I must say that ESP/LTD has made it all possible with the EC-256 model. The set - neck is just amazing. It makes the guitar sustain wonderfully & sing beautifully when using the neck pickup too. 100% worth every cent!

Manufacturer Support

I called ESP's customer service "shoppe" lol..in California & they were 100% awesome & registered my Axe right on the phone as mine didn't come with a warranty card (Which I found out you can print from their web - site anyway) The service was perfect.

The Wow Factor

The only thing I forgot to mention is the finish. I have the see through black non-distressed model & it IS the wow factor when you pull it out to gig, practice, or just head bang you will see the wonderful world of "It sounds as good as it looks" for a reasonable price. Thanks for letting me share my wonderful experience with ESP!

Musical Background:

Professional studio musician & Guitar Instructor

Musical Style:

Old school METAL, Blues, Rock, & Christian Metal.

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Submitted April 26, 2016 by Billy R in Naples, FL

"Great Affordable guitar."

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I always liked LP style guitars but, was never a fan of the chunky neck on most LP's. I started doing research on this particular model due to finish.(always was a fan of the lemon FMT finish) After watching tons of video on this product and hearing from a few guitarists about the very fast neck I decided to pull the trigger and get one of these. I was not disappointed. The finish was gorgeous and the playability is out of this world. Love the mahogany body and neck and love the tone from this guitar. A lot different from my Strat but a nice addition to the family just the same. Thinking about changing out the stock L-150's to a set of Duncan PG pups to match the output I get from my Strat. But, other than that this guitar is a great looking and sounds fantastic.

Musical Background:

Been playing for 30 years.Also play bass, Drums, Keyboards and sing. Play locally

Musical Style:

Rock,metal,blues

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Submitted June 27, 2018 by Harold Saxe in NANTICOKE, PA

"Awesome guitar, great price, fast shipping "

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I purchased this guitar(the cobalt blue model) from here on the pay as you play program. The instrument showed up within the day and plays like a dream. The blue is much darker than shown in the picture but thats not a problem with me, the only thing I didnt like was the strings that came on it but thats a personal thing. It rocks any style Ive played on it from shreading metal to folky 4 chord songs it really is alot of fun.

Musical Background:

Ive been playing guitar for 4 years

Musical Style:

Rock, folk, metal, some classical

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Submitted November 6, 2012 by Jason A in Cedar Park, TX

"A Real Screamer and a Great Value!"

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My first impression when I pulled it out of the box was that it was very light and that I did not like the finish - i ordered the 2-tone burst. I think i would have liked the Honey burst better, but it was not in stock when i wanted to buy. The sound is fantastic - it is my first set neck guitar, and there is a definite tone and sustain difference from my other bolt on neck guitars. Decent setup out of the box. Overall I am happy.

Musical Background:

Long musical background but failry new to guitar (two months).

Musical Style:

Rock, Metal, Pop

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Submitted May 18, 2021 by a customer from gmail.com

"Great guitar for the price"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I got the see through purple burst and it was a lot darker than I was expecting, but it is a beautiful guitar. It's got a very warm tone and it is great for classic rock and blues. It holds up to distortion and drive well too. The construction is solid and the neck feels good. My major complaints are that the guitar isn't very versatile. It does one tone extremely well, but generally the pickups don't really change the sound much. Holds a tune like a champ too.

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Submitted June 16, 2011 by a customer from hotmail.com

"ESP 256-2TB Vintage Electric Guitar-Fits like your favorite old blue jeans"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I expect this guitar to stay in my inventory forever, I may even buy a second in a different finish. Doubt I will ever add another one, looked at Gibson Epiphone and others...extremely happy with my ESP.

Sound

The EC256 from ESP has a tremendous range of sound from a light mellow distortion to a clear strong rhythm mode. You can get extreme distortion and rock sound or simple clarity for lead licks or rhythm riffs.

Ease of Use

Plug it in and start playing. The dial set and push pull tap coil are well described both in the manual and on the knob itself with a hang tag. Control the volume and levels of each pickup.

Quality

The 2 tone burst, or as some call it tobacco burst, is an absolutely awesome vintage finish. It exceeded my expectations because it was much nicer than the photographs showed...it is a very rich deep finish and the worn look adds nice character.

Value

Zzounds price beat the competition on the web, quickly and without pushback. I love my equipment and I love to shop at Zzounds.com. You guys Rock!

The Wow Factor

This is a very cool and distinctive guitar. Smooth neck action and fret movement, nice markers on the frets, a vintage finish that is like your favorite pair of blue jeans but in a guitar. It also has a gift tag from SIT, Stay in Tune strings...nice touch. ESP and SIT are paired up to bring you some great products if you are in the market.

Musical Background:

Active Musician

Musical Style:

Christian Contemporary, Old school Rock, Country

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Submitted December 17, 2019 by William Ernst in Hudson, FL

"Awesome Guitar"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Love it, the only thing is the pickup switch sometimes needs to be abused to work correctly

Musical Background:

open mic

Musical Style:

rock

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Submitted September 10, 2015 by RW Malin in Glendora, NJ

"ESP LTD EC 256 Non-Distressed LEMON DROP"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

EXCELLENT GUITAR. It was already on sale,BUT,when I received it,there were a couple of Blems at the top of the Headstock,as far as when someone trimmed the binding,It was set and then Clear Coated over. After calling zZounds Customer Service,I told them,It was noticeable IF you were right up on it,but,not from 3 fet back,the only issue was I would know,which as a guitarist,You KNOW is BAD in Itself. Customer Service Did me a HUGE SOLID and gave a GREAT DISCOUNT of the already "On Sale Price. Pickups were OK,BUT,I had a Brand New Seymour Duncan SH-14 (SH CUSTOM-5) I had a KILLER Agaile LP ,same Lemon drop Finish,which reminded me of a GARY MOORE Re-=Issue,..AFTER Plugging in the EC256,It took over my "GARY MOORE REPLICA : ) ... The Neck was PERFECT,the Body was Thinner than a Standard LTD EC Model,or a Gibson,BUT,still had AWESOME TONE. EVEN Though Slighly Blemished,I'm VERY HAPPY With the Guitar,and it WON'T be my LAST ESP LTD!

Musical Background:

Been Playing guitar over 40 years

Musical Style:

ROCK

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Submitted July 8, 2021 by Shawn E in Knoxville, PA

"Arrived in unplayable condition"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

It is a pretty guitar, but when it arrived I tuned it up and every string on every fret buzzed horribly. The tail piece was adjusted all the way to the guitar body and the strings were hitting the bridge behind the saddles. And the neck had a backwards bow. I was able to make adjustments and get it to play half decent, however the guitar manufacturers need to realize that everyone is not a guitar tech, some people just want to buy a guitar they can play. It never should have been shipped in that condition. Not that I expect perfection in this price range, but it should have at least been playable.

Musical Background:

Played guitar for the last 25 years on and off

Musical Style:

Rock, Acoustic Rock

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Submitted November 13, 2023 by a customer from hotmail.com

"My LTD"

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Great guitar I am playing it now. Once you get use to it. Thin neck fast action. It will be a daily player.

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Submitted July 5, 2021 by Shawn E in Knoxville, PA

"Disappointed"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I have always liked ESP products, but today i am disappointed. This guitar arrived today and is unplayable. The neck has got a back bow and all the strings buzz horribly. The strings are hitting on the back of the bridge after the saddle because the tail piece was screwed all the way down to the body. If ESP did this they should be ashamed, if zZounds did this they should be ashamed. Not sure who set this guitar up? I'm going to try to fix it tomorrow wish me luck. If i can get to stop buzzing and to play decent i may keep it, if not it's going back. It is a pretty guitar and aside from the atrocious setup seems to be of decent quality.

Sound

I haven't even got far enough to plug it in the action is so buzzy that is why i do not recommend this guitar. If it was set up to playable i would probably like it. You can feel a feel a few fret edges, but nothing horrible. That i would expect for a guitar in this price range, but for it to show up completely unplayable is unacceptable.

Value

The way it arrived no.

Musical Background:

Played for many years but not professionally

Musical Style:

Classic rock and Acoustic stuff

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Submitted September 21, 2023 by Illya R in Richmond, VA

"My new #1"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

First the color is way off from picture (see below),But everything else is a dream,the neck has a flat but comfortable feeling, I recommend 9-46 strings for easier bends on this guitar. The body is smaller and thinner than a Lp,but it's well balanced and comfortable to play. Will definitely buy another. Oh pickups are good I change them in all guitars but in no hurry with these

Musical Background:

20plus years playing producing music

Musical Style:

R/B,Pop,Jazz and Funk/Rock

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Submitted September 20, 2023 by Kuryakin R in Richmond, VA

"Cobalt who definitely not blue"

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

First the color is way off from picture, it looks more grayish than any kind of blue,the picture looks like a bright beautiful ocean blue.while the neck feels excellent it doesn't feel like the flat thin " U " as described. More of a compound radius feel which to me is better. The thinner body (compared to Gibson Lp)feels balanced and not too heavy at all.pickups sound really nice but I replace pickups on all my guitars to Duncan's (but no hurry)other than the color (looks faded grey)I would buy again.

Musical Background:

25 plus yrs. playing/semi professional

Musical Style:

Rock,R/B-Funk,Jazz and experimental

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Submitted January 30, 2011 by a customer from aol.com

"This thing is awesome......you cant go wrong."

Overall:

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I love my new guitar! its easy to play, looks awesome, sounds good. My first ESP wont be my last! definitely. I almost got the epiphone goth les paul.......so glad i bought this guitar! although i may some day buy the epi too.

Sound

sounds great, but i may go for new seymour duncan hot rods at some point. overall awesome guitar!

Features

like the coil tap too

Ease of Use

plays great!

Quality

seems really nicely made.

Value

awesome deal for a guitar like this

Manufacturer Support

havent needed any..................

The Wow Factor

love the looks of this baby

Musical Background:

hobbyist

Musical Style:

Alternative, Country, Worship

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Submitted May 16, 2011

"The best deal for the money!..ESP, baby!"

Overall:

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I know I will buy another ESP guitar..but to replace this one??, I doubt it. yes, if it were broken or stolen I would replace it in a minute..( after a thorough manhunt) All these have a maple top, but the Aged Honey has the flamed top...If looks might be your thing...Again, Thank you ESP and Zzounds for a helluva deal on a rock solid guitar! RAWK!

Sound

Sounds great, feels great and looks great....I love sexy curves and this little momma has them. I am new to guitar playing and bought this as my first. The wide range of tones available from the selectable, independently adjustable LH 150 humbuckers is totally awesome. I am in love with this guitar! It keeps it's tuning through the bends, and is built like a tank...Thank you ESP and Zzounds for the great deal.

Features

I love the coil tap, it just makes the tonal abilities almost endless. The Tune-O-Matic makes palm muting a breeze and with the Mohogany body and neck, the sustain keeps on going and going...I love it. No, it is not a Les Paul, it might resemble one in looks and sound. But, this one is all ESP, baby!

Ease of Use

I thought it was set up perfect right out of the box..a 1/2 to 3/4 turn on the tuners and she was ready to go. The action was perfect and the over all feel and playability is great. I use this with the Fender Frontman 212, and this baby Rocks. For $400 bucks, it is a steal.

Quality

It is ESP...built like a tank and keeps a tune through the twists and bends with sustain like mad! U will not find a better deal, period

Value

It is worth twice it's selling price.

Manufacturer Support

? I hope I never need it...I own a ESP Bass guitar as well and never needed them.

The Wow Factor

"I want It", "I got it"..."I love it!"

Musical Background:

Active Musician

Musical Style:

rock, country

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