On the newer models they also use stainless steel on the E-II. The nebula black burst Arrow should have stainless steel frets but it looks like the older models (like the white and black Arrow) don't have stainless steel frets yet.
LTD QC issues, incorrectly mounted Floyd Rose studs. Should I return?
- Thread starter cheapwalkcycles
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Captain Shoggoth
Gotoh 1996T shill
Infinitely superior arm holder is the biggest one (you can get Floyd Rose and FU-Tone branded push-in arms for the 1000/OFR but the Gotoh arm also has keyless insertion and height adjustment as well as allen-key tensioning), much thicker and more coarsely knurled fine tuners (all the others feel dinky in comparison, even FU-Tone upgrade stuff)
Plus more comfortable/premium-feeling saddles, locking studs, higher tension + quieter springs (actually checked this on the Gotoh website lol, the springs that come with the 1996T are listed as their 'high tension' springs on their parts list) phillips screws for the springs into the block in the back.
Nothing worth upgrading a perfectly good 1000 series or OFR for, with a push-in arm especially all 3 feel essentially the same in practice, but a must for a custom job / major upgrade from something cheap or beaten up given (in the UK anyway) they're cheaper than 1000s now. They've not really moved in price for years owing to low demand, probably because they get so little OEM business with them.
I feel like all I'm posting is trem lore at the moment lol. My top upgrades for an FR1000 would be the push-in arm for better arm feel, and the Schaller Sure Claw, which is a huge time-saver.
trem licking
Well-Known Member
I found the floyd branded push in arm to be pure garbage. Red bishop Magik arm and plastic bushing mighty might arms work way better in floyds. I also saw the 2020 or 2021 upgraded threaded collar design for floyds is much better, but i have not used one myself yetInfinitely superior arm holder is the biggest one (you can get Floyd Rose and FU-Tone branded push-in arms for the 1000/OFR but the Gotoh arm also has keyless insertion and height adjustment as well as allen-key tensioning), much thicker and more coarsely knurled fine tuners (all the others feel dinky in comparison, even FU-Tone upgrade stuff)
Plus more comfortable/premium-feeling saddles, locking studs, higher tension + quieter springs (actually checked this on the Gotoh website lol, the springs that come with the 1996T are listed as their 'high tension' springs on their parts list) phillips screws for the springs into the block in the back.
Nothing worth upgrading a perfectly good 1000 series or OFR for, with a push-in arm especially all 3 feel essentially the same in practice, but a must for a custom job / major upgrade from something cheap or beaten up given (in the UK anyway) they're cheaper than 1000s now. They've not really moved in price for years owing to low demand, probably because they get so little OEM business with them.
I feel like all I'm posting is trem lore at the moment lol. My top upgrades for an FR1000 would be the push-in arm for better arm feel, and the Schaller Sure Claw, which is a huge time-saver.
Captain Shoggoth
Gotoh 1996T shill
What about the floyd-branded one don't you like? One of mine the interior bushing seems to be a tad loose now compared to a Gotoh arm but it's still but still miles beyond the stock threaded collar.
I've posted thoughts on the magik arm in another thread recently, tldr it's great in theory but too fragile for me
Marked Man
Well-Known Member
That's a shame and LTDs generally punch well above their weight. Can't all be awesome.
trem licking
Well-Known Member
I put a push in arm on one of my floyds and it feels sloppy/loosens up and the deltin sleeve cracked on me with not very much use. Just not solid at all. The magic arm does loosen up after a bit of use occasionally but it's way better than the old stock threaded collar. The push in arm is as bad or worse than anything else in my opinion, but as with anything to each their own
cheapwalkcycles
SS.org Regular
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- Nov 13, 2023
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An update on the question of stainless steel frets on E-II models: I emailed ESP with the serial number of a 2023 black E-II Arrow asking if it would have SS frets. On the website this model is not listed with SS frets, while models announced 2023 and later do have this feature listed. But here is the response from customer service:
“E-II manufactured as of 2023 should have stainless steel frets. Based on the serial number formatting, this would have been made in 2023.”
So it sounds like even the models designed before 2023 are now being built with SS frets, which is great news (assuming we believe ESP customer service). I think I’ll be going for the E-II Arrow soon!
“E-II manufactured as of 2023 should have stainless steel frets. Based on the serial number formatting, this would have been made in 2023.”
So it sounds like even the models designed before 2023 are now being built with SS frets, which is great news (assuming we believe ESP customer service). I think I’ll be going for the E-II Arrow soon!
+1000. I mean, a fill and redrill isn't hard, but it's *new*
I know a lot of people that like them because the feel of the saddles is smoother under your. I'm not one of those - the regular Floyd style is fine for me - but they're equally as good as OFRs in my experience and half the price. Hard to argue with that. The lock screw alloys supposedly last longer, too, but I haven't had either of mine (a 6 and a 7) for that to be an issue yet.
cardinal
Buys guitars, sometimes plays them
The GE1996T really looks and feels fancy in your hand compared to a Floyd. I'm not sure it's better or worse, but I wouldn't hesitate to use either.
chipchappy
thudmaster
diogoguitar
SS.org Regular
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+1
I think SOME E-IIs now come with stainless... but I'm always amazed how most LTDs have more modern specs... like
- Compound fretboard on LTDs vs straight 12" on E-II
- Most LTDs 1000 have SS frets vs lots of E-II still have nickel
- EXTRA thin U neck shape on LTDs (vs E-II thin U... and honestly it's not thin at all)
- More one-off models like the '87 with the giant front scoop for better upper fret access on the LTD (the one in the pic below)
the list goes on.
@OP: for the record, I've had 4 guitars with the original floyd rose and one with the FR-1000. There is no difference in tuning stability between the two if they are well-setup. I think you just got a lemon
Well thin necks are crap! And can totally kill the tone of a guitar.
And I would much rather have a guitar where the focus is on making a well-built instrument out of quality components rather than spec sheet masturbation.
But today everything is about specs and price. Well no wonder the guitars end up bad!!! There's no money to pay for care in construction, good wood etc.
And also for all the stainless steel frets and whatever modern mumbo jumbo the LTDs have going on, the fixed bridge versions are still using those crappy plastic nuts!!! Ever heard about bone, ESP?? Or just SOMETHING that isn't crap? Like HELLO??? Jeez.....
And I would much rather have a guitar where the focus is on making a well-built instrument out of quality components rather than spec sheet masturbation.
But today everything is about specs and price. Well no wonder the guitars end up bad!!! There's no money to pay for care in construction, good wood etc.
And also for all the stainless steel frets and whatever modern mumbo jumbo the LTDs have going on, the fixed bridge versions are still using those crappy plastic nuts!!! Ever heard about bone, ESP?? Or just SOMETHING that isn't crap? Like HELLO??? Jeez.....
Dumple Stilzkin
Pointy star bastard.
LTD does compound radius only a few guitars and not every single one. That giant scoop you posted on the 87 series is the same scoop I have on two of my ESP MII's.
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Sorry guys, but LTD guitars have gone down a lot in quality only over the last few months.
The Black Metal and Arctic series were really good guitars in their first iterations. However current manufactured ones appear to be more miss than hit.
Also, a 1000 series floyd is not comparable to an OFR. Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise.
We truly are in the age of if you want a decent guitar, you're looking at near on £2000. Anything lower than that and you're buying shite.
The Black Metal and Arctic series were really good guitars in their first iterations. However current manufactured ones appear to be more miss than hit.
Also, a 1000 series floyd is not comparable to an OFR. Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise.
We truly are in the age of if you want a decent guitar, you're looking at near on £2000. Anything lower than that and you're buying shite.
gh0styboi
El Stressperado
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It's odd, the majority of complaints and issues I've seen lately do relate to the Black Metal series...
I wouldn't say anything under $2k is shit, though, unless someone doesn't know how to do some intermediate stuff to a guitar. My personal expectation - sadly - is that anything under around $1600 (depending on brand) is going to need fret work/nut work and a full setup on delivery if it's ordered. Which is a shame, but doable with a little know-how.
I've also seen folks get Strandbergs and Jacksons over $2k and had issues with QC. It's such a darts in the dark world we live in these days. So much of it is luck anymore a lot of the time, which sucks. Case in point, I recently picked up a Squier Paranormal Baritone Tele that had better fretwork than my $1400 Ibanez Axxion Label. So, yeah. Strange days.
It's a lot of the reason I won't even pay 2k for a guitar anymore. If there's a 50/50 chance I'm gonna have to do the same fret and nut work anyway, why would I pay $1,800 for it when I could pay a grand?
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Yep. If you look through my old posts, you'll likely find me stating that the best guitar you can buy right now is the black metal series. I saw quite a few of them in my little set up and repair business and all of them were great.
However the last 4-5 I have seen? Nope, I take it all back. Those were brand new and out of the box with some pretty hefty flaws - two of them I told my customer to return it without charging them for any work. It's a shame, the BM and Arctic series are just as poorly made as any other sub £1000 guitar.
I do maintain that you need to spend a lot in order to hope for something decent. The days of a great gigging axe for around £800 are gone gone gone. And yes, I have had in guitars that no matter what sort of set up, fret dress, etc that you do, it's dead as a doornail.
The price of timber worldwide has gone up and up. Guitar manufacturers cannot be as selective as they were anymore and are allowing some pretty rubbish lumbar into their manufacturing process. Not just ESP/LTD but pretty much every manufacturer. The tone these woods give is just dead dead dead, uninspiring as hell. And there is no pickup or set up in the world that can correct that.
This is why the idea of "wood doesn't matter" has really been forced down our throats these days. It's so manufacturers can get away with using below-grade timbers and adding no-cost upgrades like stainless steel frets or fancy pickups or stupid looking tops in order to make a substandard guitar appear premium. And we're falling for it.
But due to these extra costs now, QC has had to go out the window. And it is showing. Is it a viable product? Yes? Out the door then, let's hope they don't notice the leaning bridge posts, or the bridge that's in the wrong place, or the binding that's cracking off, or the string that falls off the fretboard if you try and play it. Maybe they're not good at guitar and blame themselves.
I worked for a car company years ago. They had a big problem with their clutch plates wearing out totally in about 20,000 miles. Dealers were instructed to insist that it was down to the customer's "driving style!" That was pervasive. The same company years later got flack when it turned out a lot of the engine management functions in their models were tied into the media systems. These cars also required a very particular kind of battery. Fitting the incorrect one even for a moment could very likely fry the media system. So if the media system failed, the car was un-drivable as the engine management functions were then unavailable. That was flagged during production and even marketing phases. The directive from the company: "People buy what we tell them to buy. Never assume the consumer has a choice!" Failures were put down to customer's misusing their vehicles.
Guitar manufacturers are no different. We will buy what we are told to. Ooooh stainless steel frets? Oooh this must be good. It's a shame the core construction of the guitar is weak, dead sounding pieces of crap wood that would have been rejected by that same manufacturer only 5-8 years ago.
We are buying shite right now. Really we are. And we should really stop buying shite. I've been harping on about this now for a good year. And I am being objective. I buy a good few guitars per year and given I do guitar and amplifier repairs, I get to see a good variety of modern guitars. And yes, it is downhill they are going in quality and uphill in price.
If you want a guitar right now, go to the store and try one. You may have to try ten of the same model. I guarantee, for the truly objecting and discerning buyer, chances are you will leave empty handed more often than not.
Only a year ago, I was crowing about what a bargain E-II guitars are. And they genuinely were. Decently made, good hardware? All for £1800? Sure I'lll easily buy one sight unseen. The last few E-IIs I've had in? Hmmm, not sure that's true anymore.
The only company right now that I feel is actually delivering a quality product worth the £1800 you might pay is Ibanez. Yes they are boring to look at, no I am really not an Ibanez fan boy, but the last two guitars I bought were both Ibanez and it wasn't for want of trying not to. I'm sure eventually that will change, the trend of quality going downwards will hit everyone eventually, but for now...
Prices went up after the wu-flu and will not be going back down. Ever. Folks paid those prices then, they'll pay them now. Even if all the smart people retired all at once and it seems like nobody is fully capable of doing their damn job anymore.
Factor in the looming uncertainty of where and how timber products are being regulated and I'd be doing a cash grab as well if there are people willing to fork it over. I wouldn't be banging out trash, but we're all working twice as hard for half as much in regard to affordable instruments compared to before the pandemic. This is our life now, these are the consequences of the decisions that were made.
Factor in the looming uncertainty of where and how timber products are being regulated and I'd be doing a cash grab as well if there are people willing to fork it over. I wouldn't be banging out trash, but we're all working twice as hard for half as much in regard to affordable instruments compared to before the pandemic. This is our life now, these are the consequences of the decisions that were made.
TheShreddinHand
Uber Stringer
I’ve bought two M-1000s and two M-1007s in the last year. All Korean made, all with no problems whatsoever. No complaints from me on quality and this coming from a guy whose spent the majority of my 30 years playing guitar on Ibanezes and Petruccis.
trem licking
Well-Known Member
another good reason why it's good these companies aren't releasing much new stuff this year, they need to catch up. I'm sure the pressure of demand isn't helping QC at all
