ESP Standard Series Eclipse II  

These have Gotoh Magnum locking tuners and I would suggest looking at a youtube video on how they work.  They are great and make string changes easy!  The back body is sculpted and this is not seen in the photos.  This makes it comfortable for sure.  The biggest thing about this guitar is the short scale of 24 & 3/4" length which makes it less of a stretch to the first fret in comparison to 25 & 1/2" scales like the LTDs have. This makes certain chords much easier to play!

Best quality in any guitar I've owned.  Blows away Ibanez and Fender or Shecter since I've owned them all.  Prestige, US strat & tele, Shecter C-6, etc. Simply the best quality!

Value is great overall since the Gibson LP version it is modeled after is over twice the price and doesn't come with EMGs either which is standard in ESP.  Anything over $1,500 should be great and this is certainly the case and I have no complaints at all.  If working pros play these then there is something good to be said about them in that alone.  Will these improve playing skills?  Probrably since you will never want to put it down!

I bought the snow white version recently.  After 30 days I loved it so much that I bought the black cherry version too.  They sound very different and that is why I am reviewing both for those out there who aren’t sure what to get.  The snow white has an ebony fret board and this along with the sealed mahogany body makes it sound very bright and clear, but almost too bright for standard tuning (IMHO). That being said it is great for clarity with low and Drop tunings like Drop D, C, B, etc. I also added the 18 volt mod which I add to all my active EMG pickups and also suggest you try it too. The snow white is so white that it almost looks like a plastic mold and not wood since there is no flamed maple top to see, but I grew to like this look in a few weeks. I put on black knobs and got rid of the vintage knobs it came with for a modern look. Overall it is the best guitar I’ve bought and is the reason I bought another. I am not rich and bought 2 because THEY ARE THAT GOOD and I will not need to spend and waste money “buying up” to it in the future!  The black cherry has a rosewood fret board and flamed maple top that is absolutely beautiful! The stock online photos don’t do justice and an LTD Eclipse version does not have the same grain pattern or finish as other reviewers have claimed. It has a more traditional tone being much warmer and darker in tone overall and sounds great in standard or Drop D tuning. I would choose the snow white for better tone to suit metal, but would chose black cherry for better looks overall if you don’t plan to play really low Drop tunings. Don’t misunderstand me about tones.  The rhythm guitarist for Devil Driver plays the black cherry version in Drop C and sounds great. I just wanted to say that these guitars are better then a Gibson LP for rock or metal (IMHO) with the 81/60 PUs and is better than anything I’ve played in the LTD versions which I have owned many other styles of LTD Eclipses too. These guitars are chambered and ridiculously light too in comparison to a Gibson LP. Don’t hesitate buying! Hope to have helped out? Keep on Rockin’ people! \m/ \m/

Several years ago, when I was in my early 20's and just getting into the band scene, I went looking for a new guitar. I assumed I would walk out of my local music store with a Les Paul. After trying out various guitars and a ton of Gibson models, none of them made me say "Wow that's a good deal for a sweet guitar".  One of the guys in the shop heard the style of music I was playing and suggested an LTD EC-1000. I fell in love with it within seconds. Since then I've bought nothing but LTD and ESP products. I own 2 EC-100'0's, an ESP Eclipse II, and an ESP Eclipse Custom model. Each time I spring for a more expensive ESP model I am never disappointed that I did so. Ever.