Feature:
This is a basic axe; no Floyd, no whammy bar - but I'm not complaining, because I like the solid nature of a good Tune-O-Matic setup. The guitar is rock solid, and the finish is beautiful. I was very impressed to see threaded inserts for the control cavity cover screws, not just wood screws - a very nice, high-end touch in this price range. I'm still not sure about the Earvana compensated nut and the super jumbo frets. Maybe I'm just accustomed to a standard nut - even if that means the intonation is only 99% and not perfect - and smaller frets, but I find that I hear oddities in the intonation and sometimes my hand pressure causes strange tuning anomalies on big chords. The frets are BIG, and if you have a heavy fretting hand, you might have issues. I'm getting used to it, and still use this guitar regularly for stage performances. The inlay, finish, and overall construction are top-notch. No doubt there.
Quality:
Construction is top-shelf. Really well done. No visual blemishes of any kind, and as I stated before, the threaded inserts with machine screws (instead of simple wood screws) used to attach the control / battery cavity covers is a seriously nice addition to a guitar in this price range. Really gives a high-end touch. The guitar required minimal setup to get the intonation/action right, and it has remained rock-solid and in-tune no matter what I put it through.
Value:
It's a great guitar for the money, if you are looking for an EMG-equipped piece. I might not buy another guitar with actives, just because it's not quite the sound I look for. I have several other guitars, and I especially prefer the Seymour Duncan JB's; the difference is clarity and string definition is dramatic. But that's my opinion, your may differ. The guitar is very comfortable to play, and it's nice to have an LP-style axe without the LP weight .... sometimes. When I want that chunk-o-resonating-lead feel, I strap on my Paul. Worth the money? If you can get a decent discount on it (and now that it's discontinued, you probably can), it's worth it. I paid about $550 with an ESP hardshell case. I bought as a blem from another site, and still can't find the blem.
Desirability:
Look at it! It's definitely a damn fine looking instrument, in any color. And comfortable, too.
Sound:
The sound out of this ESP is very good. Thick, chunky, and grinding when used for hard rock/metal with a good dose of distortion. It's also whisper-quiet with the EMG pickups. Full chords are a little bit undefined; you can't "hear every string", and used on a clean channel it's not the best. Sounds a little thin and weak. Not bad by any means, but it'll never substitute for an acoustic, nor is it even passable to emulate one. This is my first EMG-equipped axe, and while the sound is pretty sweet, I miss some of the "soul" of magnetic pickups.
Ease of Use:
With simple controls, you can get any basic sound you want. Again, clean sounds are a little thin, and the string definition is a little lacking, but overall it's a good sounding guitar. I'm almost glad there's only a single tone control; I almost never use it anyway.
Support:
Haven't needed support.
Overall:
Would I buy it again if mine was stolen? Probably not - I'd probably just try something else in the price range. But I'm not looking to sell it anytime soon, either. It's not my 100% go-to axe, but I use it and enjoy it just the same.
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