Members BAZGUITARMAN Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Well, after waiting for a couple of months, my ESP M-1 finally came in. Big thanks to Eddie Carlino of Carlino Guitars for the great deal and service. Check this guy out when looking for an ESP. I`ll do a short review and then get to the pics. This is the first "real" ESP that I`ve ever owned. I`ve played quite a few over the years and always wanted one, but could never quite put it together. I`ve owned a couple of LTD 1000 series guitars so I may reference them while doing this review. Features: Ok, this is a very stripped down guitar. One bridge position humbucker and one volume knob. The pickup is an EMG 81 so no coil taping. The volume knob is the only tone control. If you view straight forward simplicity then this guitar is perfect for you. Other notable features are the use of Gotoh hardware including the TOM bridge and Magnum locking tuners. All finished in black nickle. An added plus is the ebony fretboard. Making this the only standard series M model that features ebony. Feels great and looks great. Score: 8.5 Fit and finish: I had to look very, very hard to find any finish flaws at all. I found one spec of dust stuck in the finish. That`s all the bad news. The rest is great. The finish is very thin feeling. The entire guitar has the same satin finish. Making it feel like one piece. Apparently the black body finish was done first, then the entire guitar was sprayed with a thin satin sealer. Note that the neck has the same finish feel as the body. It is not unfinished or oil finish. It is the same satin sealer that is sprayed over the black finished body. It feels very thin, like an acoustic guitar finish. I`m curious to see how well it will stand up to abuse. Every piece that fits against another is perfect. No rough edges, no gaps, no funny stuff. The fret job is as good as I`ve seen in a production guitar. All hardware is mounted perfectly and just looks like it belongs. There is an over-all look and feeling showing that the guitar was built to impress. This is what seperates the high end LTD`s and the ESP standard series. You hold the guitar in your hands and just feel the difference. It`s very subtle yet powerful at the same time. Score: 9 Playability: This is easy. The action was set up on the low side of moderately low. Perfect for fast, easy fretwork but with enough space for a heavy picking hand. Like I said. The fret work is as good as I`ve seen on a production guitar. I would compare it to the fret work on Jackson`s USA series. Short of having stainless fret wire, I don`t see how it could be any better. I dropped the tuning 1/2 step and it plays like butta. No dead spots, no buzzing, no fretting out on big bends. Really, really nice. Score: 10 Tone: Also easy to describe. Anyone worried about an EMG 81 in a neck-through guitar with an alder body...forget about it. This thing sounds huge. Like a giant. The bottom end is much bigger than my mahogany bodied EC-1000 had. In fact, everything seems bigger. The mids are the best I`ve ever heard out of an 81. Wide and smooth. Not round like mahogany. Wider in frequency responce and even. A really nice tonal charactor when playing through my 5150 II which can be kinda strident in the mids. The big suprise was the even transition from mids to the high end. The treble tones are soft and pleasant. Smooth like the lead tone of a neck position humbucker, but with the cut and bright edge of the bridge position. I thought this guitar would be a one trick pony. Working either for heavy rhythm or leads, but not both. I am more than pleasantly suprised and think that it will do a great job at both. This is the best I`ve ever heard a bridge position 81 sound. Score: 9.5 As you can guess. I`m very happy with this guitar. It is everything I hoped my first ESP would be. IMO, the ESP standard series is one of the best deals on the market. Fully equal to USA Jacksons, but at a lower price point. This is most definitaly the nicest production model guitar I`ve ever owned. As nice as any I`ve ever played. If you can get past the single pickup design you owe it to yourself to check this guitar out. Now for my crappy picstory. I would like to say that I got some sleep last night, but I was too excited. There was no way the FedEx driver was going to sneak up on me. Every car that passed my house had me running for the door. Then about 10:30 the wait ended. You can tell, I`m not the only ESP fan in the house. Annabelle was very excited when she saw the new guitar was in an ESP box. She was also very sad because she`s just a cat and can`t play guitar. Talk about case candy. Not only do I get a killer guitar, but also a "real" ESP plastic bag. At this point I`m almost jumping up and down. I`m afraid I tore my ESP plastic bag up pretty bad in my excitement. But look at what I found. What a sexy guitar case. Then the moment we`ve all been waiting for. Like the first time seeing a beautiful woman naked. Maybe even better. Hmmm... Now for the rest of the pics.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tsunamijesus Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 cool heel. looks like a riffy guitar. congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members trey85stang Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 damn I want one of those.. I wish had the scratch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members -Juggernaut- Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 compared to your Jugg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kung-Fool Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Damn that's hot! I can't wait for mine to get here. What does the neck profile feel like compared to an EC1000? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BAZGUITARMAN Posted May 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 compared to your Jugg? Well, the M-1 is certainly not a custom made guitar. I think the tone is more even than the Juggy, but it doesn`t have the exotic flavor. The two make a great combination, but if I had to pick just one it would be the Juggy. I`m just glad I don`t have to choose between them. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Killing Nevada Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 HOt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BAZGUITARMAN Posted May 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Damn that's hot! I can't wait for mine to get here.What does the neck profile feel like compared to an EC1000? Honestly feels about the same to me. About as deep as the EC-1000, but with rounder shoulders. The M-1 nut width is 1mm wider. I would put the M-1 neck about half way between the Ibanez Wizard II and a Jackson Soloist. Definitaly fast, but with enough depth and meat to add to the tone. I like it pretty well. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MattACaster Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooot! You and I have very similar taste in guitars, Baz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members -Juggernaut- Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Well, the M-1 is certainly not a custom made guitar. I think the tone is more even than the Juggy, but it doesn`t have the exotic flavor. The two make a great combination, but if I had to pick just one it would be the Juggy. I`m just glad I don`t have to choose between them. Eric I understand completely, I've got a Gibson Explorer, that I absolutely love, It's got a "Mojo" to it, plays amazing, neck feels fantastic, and it sounds HUGE through my Mesa. My Juggernaut is my favorite by far, but I still love it. I'm sure Brent would rather me playing only his guitars (though I doubt he even gives a {censored}), but I figure just because I work for the dude doesnt mean I have to be a "Brand snob" Congrats on the ESP, I'd love to have another SRC sig, but for that kinda coin, I'll have another Gutierrez please.... I was just curious on your thoughts......someday, I'll have him make me an Explorer and then I'll make a more fair decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BAZGUITARMAN Posted May 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 I understand completely, I've got a Gibson Explorer, that I absolutely love, It's got a "Mojo" to it, plays amazing, neck feels fantastic, and it sounds HUGE through my Mesa. My Juggernaut is my favorite by far, but I still love it. I'm sure Brent would rather me playing only his guitars (though I doubt he even gives a {censored}), but I figure just because I work for the dude doesnt mean I have to be a "Brand snob" Congrats on the ESP, I'd love to have another SRC sig, but for that kinda coin, I'll have another Gutierrez please.... I was just curious on your thoughts......someday, I'll have him make me an Explorer and then I'll make a more fair decision. This is the last 6-string I`ll be buying for a while. I`m still hoping to get in on the next bunch Brent starts and have him make me a 7-string Juggernaut. A Gutierrez Explorer should be a sweet piece. You should totally go for that when you can. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members -Juggernaut- Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 I still got you on my waiting list.....I'll let you know as soon as I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les-Zombie Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 congrats, im a huge fan of esp guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members trendkill1168 Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Very nice Baz!!! I love the simplicity of that guitar. Do they make that model with a Floyd? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cougar Hunter Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 how much was that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BAZGUITARMAN Posted May 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 how much was that? You should be able to get it at most ESP dealers for around $1,100 with a case and shipping. That`s only a couple hundred more than the LTD 1000 series M model. IMO, the best deal in the ESP standard series. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yabba Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 {censored}in' eh that's hot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thesplawnster Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Dam man, I love it dude. I'm also a floyd user but dam, I was looking for one like that but had to settle with this, of which am very happy with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thesplawnster Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Here is my M-1 custom want to trade. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mhenson42 Posted May 16, 2007 Members Share Posted May 16, 2007 Great review Eric and thanks for the pics. I can't wait to get mine. I'm a little disappointed about the neck though. I thought it was going to be unfinished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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