The ESP Viper line of electric guitars and basses is a deadly species, noted for its venomous tones and sleek, almost sinister appearance. The Viper can be found in a variety of musical surroundings and with widely varied appearance, from a simple black coating to a rustic red or earthy mahogany coloring, depending on the individual specimen in question, but all feature a striking, twin-horned body and fiercely biting tone. Similar in appearance to the Gibson SG, the Viper’s silhouette has more of an asymmetrical, diagonally slanted outline, complemented by the distinctive, wave-like ESP headstock. The line ranges from the more simply adorned LTD models, to the more regally appointed ESP Standard Series. For instance, the ESP VIPER-JR is a full-featured, half-sized tone monster ideally suited for younger musical snake wranglers with its 20.5” scale length, but ready to strike with twin humbucking pickups and a two-octave, 24-fret fingerboard. The full-sized Vipers are commonly found with a 24.75” scale length, as well as the 24-fret fingerboards and dual-humbucker layout of the JR, but vary somewhat with regard to external appearance and internal body parts. For instance, the ESP LTD Viper-10 features a basswood body and bolt-on maple neck, with master tone and volume controls and adjustable bridge with stopbar tailpiece, with either Black or blood-red Black Cherry coloring and black nickel hardware. The LTD Viper-50 sports slightly more evolved humbucking pickups, with either Black or a distinctive Silver Sunburst skin coloring, with chrome hardware. The LTD Viper-100FM boasts a striking flamed maple top on the basswood body, with a see-through black finish and distinctive ESP LH-150 humbuckers. The LTD Viper 256 is a steal, with a set-through neck and dual ESP P-90-style single coil pickups. The LTD Viper 330, 300M and 300FM all feature a mahogany body and more venomous pickups, with the black-colored Viper 330 equipped with a pair of ALH-200 active humbuckers and a bolt-on neck; the Viper 300M sporting a set (glued) neck, ferocious EMG-81 and EMG-85 humbuckers and a polyurethane finish to highlight the mahogany woodgrain; and the similarly-equipped 300FM boasting a flamed maple top and see-through Black or Black Cherry finish. The LTD Deluxe Viper 1000 is dressed to kill, with full neck and headstock binding, abalone flag inlays on the ebony fretboard, set neck and EMG-81 and EMG-85 active humbuckers. The ESP Standard Series kicks it up a notch, with a set-through mahogany neck, and black nickel hardware including Gotoh Magnum locking tuners and Tune-O-Matic-style bridge. Bassists will want to check out the LTD Viper 104, a 34”-scale thumper with basswood body, bolt-on maple neck with 21 XJ frets, dual ESP humbucking bass pickups and 2-band active EQ; the LTD Viper-154DX with 3-band active EQ, string-through-body bridge, flamed maple top and see-through black finish; or the LTD Viper-414 bass, with 5-piece maple-walnut set neck, black hardware and Black or gorgeous see-through Black Cherry finish. Whether you’re used to handling an asp, adder or rattler, you owe it to yourself to check out an ESP Viper, and let the fangs sink in - once you’ve been bitten, you’ll be smitten! Order yours today!
