Esp Ltd H-400 !!!

[CW14]

ESP LTD H-400, can someone please share their opinion on this axe?

I played an H-1000 Deluxe in the shop today and it felt/sounded great to me!
The H-400 is pretty much the same I think. It really felt good to play and it has Seymour Duncans.

Anyway... views please!!!

BTW, Suggestions welcome, but make sure they have exactly the same retail price as the H-400, because I really can't go even 1 cent higher.
The H-400 is US$799, but in Australia its AU$1700.

[PonyOne]

i almost got one of those instead of my Kramer, but, the kramer was $200 on sale... so... it won. it turned out to be a nicer guitar overall, but of the H-400 i will say this:

it is a nice guitar. good balance and weight, and excellent tone. needs a pickup change right out of the box if you want it to be on par with higher-end instruments but the body itself makes a great template to work with. nice woods, and the neck-thru construction gives it a great tone and resonance. the first thing that struck me about it is that it felt alive when plucked and strummed, it resonates and vibrates more than i expected.

the only complaints i had are that it uses a stop tailpiece whereas the Kramer uses a string-thru tailpiece, which when combined with the neck-thru construction means that it gets ungodly sustain. it would be nice if the H-400 was like that, but it's not a big deal. the other complaint is that, while the guitar is well built and feels solid, it doesn't have the same solid feel you find on a guitar like a Jackson or the Kramer I have; don't get me wrong, it's an excellent axe, and it doesn't feel crappy or anything, just not quite as tight.

tonally it's great, it's awesome for moderate rock or bluesrock, and with the right pickups could probably be made to do pretty much any style.

[CW14]

Thanks a heap!!!

But could you please clarify a few things...

needs a pickup change right out of the box if you want it to be on par with higher-end instruments
Whats wrong with the Seymour Duncan JB/59?

it's awesome for moderate rock or bluesrock
Do you think it would be suitable for metal? (out of the box, I mean)

Thanks again for the help!
I will look into Kramer and Jackson aswell.

[PonyOne]

hmm, i didn't know the pickups were a JB/59 combo... i didn't like the sound of the pickups too well! maybe they're the "Duncan Designed" equivilants? Duncan Designed are made overseas to Duncan's specs as opposed to being made stateside with individual attention to detail and production.

i played the guitar over a Mesa F50 combo, which with the gain back gives a nice bluesy tone and cranked, you can get some pretty good metal tones. it did fine for both but i'd probably put a more aggressive pickup in the bridge if i were looking for harder tone and it was to be used mainly for that.

i also played it over a Nomad combo (this was at the Mesa store in Hollywood) and with extremely high gain it didn't sound quite as nice as the DKMG they had. it sounded better clean, though.

[CW14]

If you look here: http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_h.htm
It says they're Seymour Duncan, not Duncan Designed. Mabe its a new feature or something.

I play blues/classic rock aswell as metal, so I think it will do nicely.

Would I find a Kramer or Jackson that suits these styles?

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

Pony,you sure you didn't play a different model?The 400 series is pretty new(about 6months at most).

I had a viper 301 and it kicked for the price.You wont find a jackson or kramer in the price range with even close the features for the price...

here is the current H-400 specs

* Mahogany body
* Flamed maple top
* Set maple neck with super-low heel
* Bound rosewood fretboard
* Bound headstock
* Seymour Duncan JB/59 humbuckers
* Earvana compensated nut
* Grover tuners
* 24 extra-jumbo frets
* 25-1/2" scale

Go for it dude!

[PonyOne]

Pony,you sure you didn't play a different model?The 400 series is pretty new(about 6months at most).
hmm, it must be then, because I played it about 2 years ago. I could have sworn it was the H-400 though, and it had the same finish/construction.... perhaps this is just a new iteration of what i played previously.

I had a viper 301 and it kicked for the price.You wont find a jackson or kramer in the price range with even close the features for the price...
http://www.musicyo.com/product_specs.asp?pf_id=573
the nut isn't compensated, but it is graphite which has to count for something. Fewer frets but overall I think it's not a bad deal!

http://www.musicyo.com/product_specs.asp?pf_id=571
and Kramer's SG/Viper competitor, which though the neck scale is standard Gibson as opposed to the more pleasant 25.5, is still 24 frets and still has a graphite nut... and for about the same as a new Squier (one of the higher end ones that stays in tune). If they had these lefty I'd be in trouble.

i do agree with you on the Viper though... generally better axes than the SG's they emulate, and a better design; the neck is way more stable.

[CW14]

I could have sworn it was the H-400 though, and it had the same finish/construction.... perhaps this is just a new iteration of what i played previously.
Yes, I think you played a lower H series model. Mabe it was an H-400, then they made a new one and shifted the others down?

I played it again today, this time through a Mesa Boogie Mark IV !
I got a good metal tone, an awesome classic rock tone and an adequate blues tone.
Its very comfortable until I get high on the neck, but thats just cuz im not used to 24 frets.

Is there a big difference between the H-1000 and the H-400?
It looks to me as if the only differences are the binding, inlays and tuners.

[PonyOne]

Its very comfortable until I get high on the neck, but thats just cuz im not used to 24 frets.

Is there a big difference between the H-1000 and the H-400?
It looks to me as if the only differences are the binding, inlays and tuners.
believe me, after a few weeks of playing a 2-octave neck, if you go back to a 21 fret instrument you'll get way up there on the fretboard and go "...huh?" as you slide your finger past the fretboard :D

i went to the ESP webpage and there are a few major differences. First and foremost, the H-1000 uses a string-through design instead of a stop tailpiece; thus, it will most likely have better sustain. the H-1000 uses a locking bridge as well as locking tuners, meaning you'll most likely get better tuning stability as well (especially considering that it doesn't even have a trem).

i don't see anything wrong with the 400 and the 1000 is guaranteed to cost more. the only thing that i think is really noticeably different between the two is the bridge/tail combo. and yes the 1000 is prettier...

[CW14]

I'll shop around a little more, and if I can't find anything else that I like, I'll buy the H-400.
Those differences aren't enough to make me pay the extra. I don't even like the glittery bining anyway lol.

Thanks for your help man!!! :cool: