Guitar buddies, question..

**AngelsDemon** · March 11th, 2005, 05:12 PM

I'm thinking about purchasing a new ax and really buckling down on it to start learning more soon (Possibly next month, or after my next insurance payment).. What do you think of this one? I'd possibly eventually get Seymore Duncan pickups.

ESP AX50 Features & Specifications

Bolt-on construction
25.5? scale
Agathis body
Maple neck
Rosewood fingerboard
Dot inlays
ESP LH-100 pickups
Volume & Tone controls with 3-way toggle
Black hardware
Tune-o-matic bridge with string-thru-body
24 XJ frets

p30701h

**Peter Peeker** · March 11th, 2005, 05:30 PM

I really like ESP's stuff.
our guitarist uses one.

I say go for it, as long as it's not a gazillion bucks. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

**AngelsDemon** · March 11th, 2005, 05:47 PM

That's the thing, it's a really good price in my range.. It's $84 a month for 3 months.

**RipperBendix** · March 11th, 2005, 06:06 PM

it's an LTD as I see.
LTD's are great if there's no whammy bar involved. If you wanna switch to Seymours then I'd say GO FOR IT

**Darkest Angel** · March 11th, 2005, 06:17 PM

...pretty! You buy now. NOW. [img]graemlins/grrr.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/bat.gif[/img]

[img]wink.gif[/img]

**baimun** · March 11th, 2005, 06:19 PM

I have always liked ESP guitars and have owned one custom and two LTDs with great results...

... that said, I wouldn't buy a guitar made of agathis, particularly if you're buying mail order or without hands-on before. That is basically a scrap mahogany. Very inconsistant and no where near as durable as mahogany.

I haven't looked yet, but I bet that if they have different levels available of that shape (like the carved tops have a model letter like H or M followed by 50, 100, 200, or 400) that only the lower end models are agathis.

Checks esp site

Okay, since the neck is maple and bolt on, that should help... and actually the next model up has a basswood body which I hate more than agathis.

If you go with this axe, make sure that you can play it first and check it out. Some of the 50 and 100 series have rough frets on the edge of the fingerboard (the 200 and 400 series are often bound) and make sure the neck fit is tight with no shims.

The first upgrades I would do would be Seymours or EMGs in place of the stock pickups, and a TonePros bridge. The Tone Pros is a better, stronger bridge and has set screws to keep it from shifting, which will aid in sustain, tone, and tuning stability.

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ March 11, 2005 02:29 PM: Message edited by: Baimun ]</font>

**AngelsDemon** · March 11th, 2005, 08:02 PM

Well bad thing Baimoon is that the place I'd order from I can't get to off hand, it's mail order.. But I can try or music shop here in town to at least see if they have that model in stock and get a feel for it before I do anything. Just in case measure and all. I didn't particularly want one made out of Agathis, but considering that it's in my price range I can make do.. It was the cheapest ESP for the best quality in the look I would go for.

In regards to the eventual upgrade of the pickups I thought of

Seymour Duncan Screamin Demon Pickup
This pickup was designed in Duncan's Custom Shop for George Lynch. It has the big open sound of the '59 Model? with a little less bite and a little more growl. The tone is big, percussive and still bites without being harsh. It uses alnico magnets and yields medium output. Available in black. Four conductor cable, with traditional spacing.

or

Seymour Duncan Full Shred Pickup Bridge
This pickup was built for some of rock 'n' roll's hottest guitarists who wanted a pickup with a blazing expressive sound. Double rows of Allen head screw pole pieces help fine tune the high end. The tone is fat and chunky, yet perfectly defined for speed riffs. Four conductor cable.