bazguitarman
Half assed at best
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2007
- Messages
- 366
- Reaction score
- 67
Up for review today is my new ESP LTD H-1007. I've spent a week with this guitar and have a good idea of what it's all about by now. Let me preface this review by saying I love this guitar. Be prepared for the 100% win contained in this review.
Ok, first the specs........
The H-1007 is pretty much just an ESP/LTD Horizon body with ESP's new 4x3 headstock. Which is a modified version of the F-style headstock. It seems to remind everyone of Schecter's similar styled 3x3 and 4x3 headstock design. The build type is "set through". Meaning it features an extended set in neck joint that is carved down to feel like a neck-through joint. Very comfy with great access.
Specs.........
* Body wood: Mahogany
* Neck wood: Maple (3 piece)
* Body top: Trans black finished Flame maple
* Neck joint: Set through
* Fretboard wood: Rosewood
* Headstock: 4x3 with matching flame maple finish
* 48mm standard nut
* 25.5" scale, 24 Xtra jumbo frets
* "Thin U" neck contour
Also Featuring.........
* ESP locking tuners
* Tone Pros TOM bridge with string through body
* EMG active pickups (81-7 bridge, 707 neck)
* Single volume, single tone, 3-way blade style pickup selecter
* Black nickle hardware
* MOP LTD, Deluxe and fret position markers
* Pearloid body, neck and headstock binding
Fit, Finish and Features........
I bought this guitar as a "B stock". Meaning it had some kind of cosmetic flaw. Which turned out to be a chip out on the hole drilled for the low E tuning peg. I had to look for the flaw. It's not easy to see and has no negative impact on playability, reliability or tone. It also saved me $150.00 over the average street price for this ax. Yay for me
Other than the "B stock" flaw, the fit and finish of the guitar is pretty much perfect. Average for the three LTD 1000 series models I've owned. I would like to note, the fret work on my particular guitar is fantastic. Very slick. The fret ends seem to melt into the fretboard binding.
All inlays and binding are well done. The "LTD" and "Deluxe" headstock inlays are mother of pearl. As are the fret position markers. Which are the standard for the Horizon model, edge of fretboard small block markers. Giving the guitar a cleaner than average looking fretboard. The 12th fret model number inlay is white pearloid. As is the body, neck and headstock binding. I very much like the pearloid binding that is used on this model. It is a great cosmetic upgrade without being over the top bling like the abalone on most of the other 1000 series LTD's.
All the hardware is solid and high quality. Finished in black nickle giving it a little dressier look as fitting for this models "Deluxe" classing. The ESP branded locking tuners seem to work very well. And have a pretty fine tuning ratio. I see no reason to change them out for any of the name brand after market locking tuners. The Tone Pros bridge is rock solid as usual. And uses string through body rather than a stop tail.
The nut is well cut and fitted. It is plastic so those who prefer graphite or bone be prepared to change it out. I am having no tuning issues with mine so I will leave it stock for now.
The finish of this guitar is stunning. Hands down the best trans black finish I've ever seen on an LTD guitar. It's not purple. It's not blue. It's black. And not so dark that you can't see the wood grain. In fact the flame maple top pops very well. And has a ton of 3 dimensional movement to it. The dark grain is black and the light grain is gray. As an added bonus the headstock over-lay matches perfectly. This is how trans black should be done. This is a beautiful guitar.
Tone, Sound, Playability.........
As I said above, the fret work on my guitar is fantastic. The frets are all level and well crowned and polished. The fret ends are practically melted into the binding. The fretboard feels very fast and slick. A joy to play on. The rosewood fretboard on my sample is very dark with an even coloring and nice graining. Ebony would have been darker, but this is a very nice piece of rosewood. I like it.
The neck is what I would consider to be a shallow D shape with a pronounced flat back and good shoulders. I find it to be very comfortable and easy to play on. I have no issues with fatigue with this neck shape. It reminds me of a beefier version of the Ibanez Wizard II 7-string neck. For those of you who like the Ibanez neck shape but wish it had just a touch more beef this neck shape should be perfect. Over-all I find the neck to feel very fast and easy to play on.
The set through neck joint is also a delight. It gives the player all the access of a neck through joint while being less expensive for ESP/LTD to manufacture. I have no problem playing to the 24 fret position even with my short fingers. Even though the neck has a poly finish on it, I don't find it to be sticky or tacky. Again, movement up and down the neck is fast and slick.
Before I talk about the pickups and over-all tone I want to mention the wood used in my guitar. My H-1007 was built with a piece of heavy and dense mahogany. In fact this guitar reminds me of my old LP Custom silverburst. It has a heavy and solid feel to it. It weighs in at almost 9 lbs. Which I feel is on the heavy side for the Horizon style body. The acoustic properties are hard and fast. With strong initial attack and even sustain. I know each piece of wood will be different and every guitar that comes off the assembly line will be different. But I feel lucky in what I got. I think most 7-string guitars benefit from a nice tight sounding piece of wood.
IMO, the factory installed EMG 81-7 and 707 pickups work very well in this guitar. Yes, they sound like EMG's. If you like EMG's you will love this tone. If you prefer passives you may want to look at another model. Rather than try to deal with the factory EMG pickup routing. Regardless of your prefered pickup choices, this guitar is a super solid platform to work with. Through my 5150 II/Boogie 4x12 rig the bridge position 81-7 is tight with a searing top end. Rhythm work in the bridge position will cut through any band situation and is as tight as Dick's hat band. Single note lead work explodes off the fretboard and is very percussive. The 707 in the neck is warmer, with a rounder midrange. I was a little suprised by the 707 in the neck. I expected it to be more like an 85 and get muddy quickly as the tone was rolled back. But not so. I can't get it to lose definition. Even with the tone rolled all the way back it stays tight and beefy. The neck position lead tone is perfect for me. This is where you want to be for a good singing lead tone.
Tone control is simple. You get one master volume, one master tone and a three way blade type pickup selecter. The single master volume is a little limiting for those of you who like to have independant volume levels for the different pickups. But that's what you get in this model. Keep that in mind depending on your playing style.
Reliability.........
Ask me in a year. Given the basic fixed bridge and set through build the H-1007 should be dependable. The foundation is solid. The quality hardware and electronics should work reliably for years if cared for. Treat this guitar with respect and outside of an occasional broken string you should have no trouble. I see no reason that would keep this guitar from being a lifetime instrument that can be passed down to your children. It is that well made.
Over-All.........
I consider this guitar to be one of my best purchases of the last few years. Especially considering the low price I payed for it. It is a truely beautiful instrument. The trans black over flame maple finish is stunning. Combined with the high class yet subtle pearloid binding it really delivers in the eye candy department. Aside from my guitar's "B" stock flaw, the fit and finish is excellent. Playability is also excellent. At least in my hands the guitar seems to play itself. It is comfortable, fast and slick. The tone is pure EMG. With a perfect match of pickups, body wood and scale length. The guitar delivers a tight and percussive tone especially suited to heavy rhythm playing. The neck positon 707 was a pleasant suprise for me. I can use the entire range of my tone control to get a singing lead tone with no mud at all in the neck position. Very nice.
This is the third LTD 1000 series guitar that I have owned. It joins my two ESP standard series models and can go head to head with either one of them. If you are looking for a high quality, EMG loaded 7-string in the sub $1k price range do yourself a favor and check out the LTD H-1007.
Ok, first the specs........
The H-1007 is pretty much just an ESP/LTD Horizon body with ESP's new 4x3 headstock. Which is a modified version of the F-style headstock. It seems to remind everyone of Schecter's similar styled 3x3 and 4x3 headstock design. The build type is "set through". Meaning it features an extended set in neck joint that is carved down to feel like a neck-through joint. Very comfy with great access.
Specs.........
* Body wood: Mahogany
* Neck wood: Maple (3 piece)
* Body top: Trans black finished Flame maple
* Neck joint: Set through
* Fretboard wood: Rosewood
* Headstock: 4x3 with matching flame maple finish
* 48mm standard nut
* 25.5" scale, 24 Xtra jumbo frets
* "Thin U" neck contour
Also Featuring.........
* ESP locking tuners
* Tone Pros TOM bridge with string through body
* EMG active pickups (81-7 bridge, 707 neck)
* Single volume, single tone, 3-way blade style pickup selecter
* Black nickle hardware
* MOP LTD, Deluxe and fret position markers
* Pearloid body, neck and headstock binding
Fit, Finish and Features........
I bought this guitar as a "B stock". Meaning it had some kind of cosmetic flaw. Which turned out to be a chip out on the hole drilled for the low E tuning peg. I had to look for the flaw. It's not easy to see and has no negative impact on playability, reliability or tone. It also saved me $150.00 over the average street price for this ax. Yay for me
Other than the "B stock" flaw, the fit and finish of the guitar is pretty much perfect. Average for the three LTD 1000 series models I've owned. I would like to note, the fret work on my particular guitar is fantastic. Very slick. The fret ends seem to melt into the fretboard binding.
All inlays and binding are well done. The "LTD" and "Deluxe" headstock inlays are mother of pearl. As are the fret position markers. Which are the standard for the Horizon model, edge of fretboard small block markers. Giving the guitar a cleaner than average looking fretboard. The 12th fret model number inlay is white pearloid. As is the body, neck and headstock binding. I very much like the pearloid binding that is used on this model. It is a great cosmetic upgrade without being over the top bling like the abalone on most of the other 1000 series LTD's.
All the hardware is solid and high quality. Finished in black nickle giving it a little dressier look as fitting for this models "Deluxe" classing. The ESP branded locking tuners seem to work very well. And have a pretty fine tuning ratio. I see no reason to change them out for any of the name brand after market locking tuners. The Tone Pros bridge is rock solid as usual. And uses string through body rather than a stop tail.
The nut is well cut and fitted. It is plastic so those who prefer graphite or bone be prepared to change it out. I am having no tuning issues with mine so I will leave it stock for now.
The finish of this guitar is stunning. Hands down the best trans black finish I've ever seen on an LTD guitar. It's not purple. It's not blue. It's black. And not so dark that you can't see the wood grain. In fact the flame maple top pops very well. And has a ton of 3 dimensional movement to it. The dark grain is black and the light grain is gray. As an added bonus the headstock over-lay matches perfectly. This is how trans black should be done. This is a beautiful guitar.
Tone, Sound, Playability.........
As I said above, the fret work on my guitar is fantastic. The frets are all level and well crowned and polished. The fret ends are practically melted into the binding. The fretboard feels very fast and slick. A joy to play on. The rosewood fretboard on my sample is very dark with an even coloring and nice graining. Ebony would have been darker, but this is a very nice piece of rosewood. I like it.
The neck is what I would consider to be a shallow D shape with a pronounced flat back and good shoulders. I find it to be very comfortable and easy to play on. I have no issues with fatigue with this neck shape. It reminds me of a beefier version of the Ibanez Wizard II 7-string neck. For those of you who like the Ibanez neck shape but wish it had just a touch more beef this neck shape should be perfect. Over-all I find the neck to feel very fast and easy to play on.
The set through neck joint is also a delight. It gives the player all the access of a neck through joint while being less expensive for ESP/LTD to manufacture. I have no problem playing to the 24 fret position even with my short fingers. Even though the neck has a poly finish on it, I don't find it to be sticky or tacky. Again, movement up and down the neck is fast and slick.
Before I talk about the pickups and over-all tone I want to mention the wood used in my guitar. My H-1007 was built with a piece of heavy and dense mahogany. In fact this guitar reminds me of my old LP Custom silverburst. It has a heavy and solid feel to it. It weighs in at almost 9 lbs. Which I feel is on the heavy side for the Horizon style body. The acoustic properties are hard and fast. With strong initial attack and even sustain. I know each piece of wood will be different and every guitar that comes off the assembly line will be different. But I feel lucky in what I got. I think most 7-string guitars benefit from a nice tight sounding piece of wood.
IMO, the factory installed EMG 81-7 and 707 pickups work very well in this guitar. Yes, they sound like EMG's. If you like EMG's you will love this tone. If you prefer passives you may want to look at another model. Rather than try to deal with the factory EMG pickup routing. Regardless of your prefered pickup choices, this guitar is a super solid platform to work with. Through my 5150 II/Boogie 4x12 rig the bridge position 81-7 is tight with a searing top end. Rhythm work in the bridge position will cut through any band situation and is as tight as Dick's hat band. Single note lead work explodes off the fretboard and is very percussive. The 707 in the neck is warmer, with a rounder midrange. I was a little suprised by the 707 in the neck. I expected it to be more like an 85 and get muddy quickly as the tone was rolled back. But not so. I can't get it to lose definition. Even with the tone rolled all the way back it stays tight and beefy. The neck position lead tone is perfect for me. This is where you want to be for a good singing lead tone.
Tone control is simple. You get one master volume, one master tone and a three way blade type pickup selecter. The single master volume is a little limiting for those of you who like to have independant volume levels for the different pickups. But that's what you get in this model. Keep that in mind depending on your playing style.
Reliability.........
Ask me in a year. Given the basic fixed bridge and set through build the H-1007 should be dependable. The foundation is solid. The quality hardware and electronics should work reliably for years if cared for. Treat this guitar with respect and outside of an occasional broken string you should have no trouble. I see no reason that would keep this guitar from being a lifetime instrument that can be passed down to your children. It is that well made.
Over-All.........
I consider this guitar to be one of my best purchases of the last few years. Especially considering the low price I payed for it. It is a truely beautiful instrument. The trans black over flame maple finish is stunning. Combined with the high class yet subtle pearloid binding it really delivers in the eye candy department. Aside from my guitar's "B" stock flaw, the fit and finish is excellent. Playability is also excellent. At least in my hands the guitar seems to play itself. It is comfortable, fast and slick. The tone is pure EMG. With a perfect match of pickups, body wood and scale length. The guitar delivers a tight and percussive tone especially suited to heavy rhythm playing. The neck positon 707 was a pleasant suprise for me. I can use the entire range of my tone control to get a singing lead tone with no mud at all in the neck position. Very nice.
This is the third LTD 1000 series guitar that I have owned. It joins my two ESP standard series models and can go head to head with either one of them. If you are looking for a high quality, EMG loaded 7-string in the sub $1k price range do yourself a favor and check out the LTD H-1007.
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