The ESP LTD EC-1000 Vintage Black represents one of the most popular designs of the guitar company from Tokyo and proves to be a true workhorse for rock and metal sounds. Based on the chic Eclipse singlecut design, it features a mahogany body with an arched top and a set three-piece mahogany neck that offers great playability up to the 24th fret of the Macassar ebony fretboard thanks to the seamless neck joint and "Thin U" profile . With the proven pickup setup consisting of active EMG 60 and EMG 81 humbuckers , the ESP LTD EC-1000 Vintage Black builds up quite a bit of steam and delivers precisely articulated sounds even at maximum gain settings, which, thanks to sharply focused mids, assert themselves perfectly in the band mix. Last but not least, the ESP LTD EC-1000 Vintage Black comes with high-quality hardware in the form of a TonePros locking bridge and stop bar and precise LTD locking tuners .
Out of the box, the EC-1000 strikes with the quality of the finish. The fretwork, the body and neck binding, the factory setup (a very low action) are really impressive, considering the price. I had an EC-256 and the finish was correct but far from perfect. This EC-1000 comes from the Korean factories, you definitely notice the difference. The tuners feel sturdy and are very precise. The guitar stays in tune.
The sound is fantastic. The EMG pickups are of course very punchy, but the sustain is also very good. The satin finish gives the neck a very comfortable feeling as well. I've alternated my Gibson LP Tribute and the EC-1000, apart from the fact that the pickups are very different, from a lutherie quality perspective I would say that in terms of finish and feel, the Ltd EC-100 is as good, if not better than a Gibson Studio/Tribute.