ESP vs LTD Guitars: What's the difference?

Amongst some of the biggest names in the world of electric guitars, particularly within rock and metal, are ESP and LTD. You’ll often see these two brands’ names together as the latter is owned by the former. They often have the same or similar body shapes, and will share many of the same features, so what are the differences between ESP and LTD?

LTD essentially produces more affordable versions of ESP guitars and basses – they range from relatively cheap starter instruments to more expensive, reliable workhorse guitars for working musicians. ESPs are very premium instruments and so they usually carry a hefty price tag. The idea behind LTD was to make these amazing, cutting-edge instruments more accessible to a wider audience.

There are all sorts of different ranges and models when it comes to ESP and LTD, so what we aim to do here is to look at the differences between them, take a brief look at where they both began and then give some recommendations for particular models. It’s worth noting that ESP and LTD do make acoustic guitars and basses, but here we’ll be focusing on their electric guitars here.

ESP vs LTD: History

ESP was founded in 1975 by Hisatake Shibuya in Tokyo. It was initially a shop (Electric Sound Products) that supplied guitar parts, though he also made custom guitars around the same time. It was in the 1980s when those parts came into America and started to get noticed. George Lynch of Dokken discovered the company's guitars whilst on tour in Japan and eventually became its first signature artist.

Cut to the late ’80s and Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield of Metallica are playing ESP guitars which gives the brand a lot more worldwide attention. ESP then starts to mass-produce instruments in the ’90s.

LTD was introduced in 1996 so that more players could get their hands on these superb instruments at a reduced cost. Of course, LTD and ESP aren’t the same – LTDs are made in Indonesia, Korea and sometimes China, whereas at the time, ESPs were made in Japan. In 2014, ESP introduced an American range of guitars – ESP USA. The idea behind these was to offer players American-made instruments boasting the same high-end quality as their Japanese-made counterparts.

ESP vs LTD: Key players

Most ESP and LTD guitars feature cutting-edge designs and modern, contemporary electronics, and as such, they’re played primarily by guitarists who linger somewhere within the rock world. Lots of heavy metal players look to them as most models are fitted with high-output pickups, and shredders often gravitate towards the thin, modern neck profiles.

Both LTD and ESP make great instruments though, and with the right pickup configuration, you’ll likely find one that works for any style of music. Some of their guitars will feature coil split pickups too, so they can actually be super versatile.

If you look at the list of signature models from both ESP and LTD though, you’ll notice a massive roster of high profile metal players. Guitarists from the likes of Korn, Deftones, Mastodon, Slayer, Rancid, Rammstein and of course Metallica all have guitars with their names attached to them.

ESP vs LTD: Ranges

With both LTD and ESP, there’s a lot of range within the brands. You can pay a few hundred $/£ for the cheapest LTD, and a top-end Custom Shop ESP is going to set you back thousands – compare those two and you’ll notice a world of difference in every possible aspect. Compare one of the more premium LTDs with an ESP E-II though, and the differences may be more subtle.

ESP is multi-layered. Right at the top, you’ve got the Custom Shop in Japan – these are largely hand-crafted guitars made by very experienced luthiers. As well as crafting their flagship Original series, you can also spec your own custom guitar and those luthiers will build it for you – but of course, you’ll be paying top dollar. There’s then the aforementioned ESP USA range which produces incredibly high quality guitars and basses in California.

The ESP E-II guitar range, formerly known as the ESP Standard range, is made in Japan and bridges the gap between LTD and ESP Originals. These are factory-made guitars, built to an incredibly high standard using premium materials, but are more aimed at working musicians and touring professionals.

LTD makes everything from beginner guitars through to intermediate instruments all the way to touring, pro-level guitars, though they’ll still normally work out cheaper than an ESP. These guitars are made in either Indonesia, Korea or China.

ESP vs LTD: Sounds, tones, features

With ESP and many LTD models, most of the pickups tend to be third party, so they’re made by the likes of Fishman, EMG, Seymour Duncan etc. You do see in-house made pickups on some of the more affordable LTDs – these are great and are usually fairly high output passive pickups that pack a weighty punch. Compared to the more premium pickups though, they won’t quite have as much detail or definition.

If you’re comparing an ESP fitted with active EMGs or a set of Fishman Fluences, for example and then an LTD with the same, they’re going to sound very similar. Some would claim they sound identical, but my experience has always been that a guitar, and indeed how it sounds, is a sum of all its parts.

The build quality and attention to detail on ESPs is phenomenal. It’s very good on the LTDs, but the Japanese and US-made models have the edge here. Where an LTD might have a set neck, an ESP has a thru neck which can increase sustain. Better finished frets help the guitar play better, but also make it resonate and ring out more clearly.

You’re also probably going to get better quality hardware (like top-end Gotoh pieces) on an ESP – not only does this help with tuning stability, but it can also increase resonance and sustain. All of these slight improvements lead to a guitar that rings out better unplugged, but is also more harmonically rich when plugged in and sustains more.

There’s also how it feels to play. With the love and care that goes into the ESPs, they’re an absolute joy to play and, if you’re more inspired to play it, chances are you’re going to perform better. Again, that’s not to say that LTDs aren’t made well – many of the top-end models can give some premium guitar brands a run for their money, but ESPs are on another level.

ESP vs LTD: Buying advice

When shopping for either an ESP or LTD, budget is almost certainly going to play a part. If you’re after investing in something truly special, then a Custom Shop Japanese or USA model might be right for you. If you want the premium quality and features, but you want to take it out on the road without being too frightened of damaging it, then maybe an E-II is right for you.

Of course, there are plenty of touring musicians out there using LTD guitars. The more premium models are incredible instruments and will offer you superb tones, great playability and solid reliability. The models at the cheaper end of the scale are still great, and mean that guitarists that are perhaps at the start of their playing journey can still have access to these amazing instruments.

Pickups play a huge factor in choosing the right guitar for you. If you’re after a set with loads of clarity, a balanced frequency range and super high output, then you might want active pickups – perhaps something from the likes of EMG or Fishman. However, if you want pickups that are more dynamic and expressive, but can still handle a ton of gain, then high output passive pickups might be the way forward.

Some ESP and LTD guitars offer pickups with coil splits too – these enable you to go from humbucker sounds to single-coil style tones at the flick of a switch and can be incredibly versatile.

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