LTD F-2005 Review

To commemorate thirty years of excellence, the ESP design team introduces the 30th Anniversary Collection F-2005. Features an anniversary logo inlay accompanied by a black satin finish. A great addition to any collection.

Features:	9.5
Sound:	9.7
Action:	9.5
Reliability:	9
Impression:	9.7
Overall rating:	9.5
Users rating:	8.6
Comments:	7

Featured review by: unregistered, on november 22, 2005

Price paid: $ 750.5

Purchased from: Steve

Features: The guitar is a limited edition. ESP is celebration their 30 anniversary so they decided to make a line of guitars and basses. The guitar has 24 XJ frets. The neck scale is 25. 5". The neck is maple and the fingerboard is ebony. The body is mahogany wood. All the anniversary guitar/basses only come in one colour, and that is black satin. It has a Tune-O-Matic bridge with string-through body. The pickups are EMG dual 81's (actives). There are 2 knobs, one is the volume knob and the other is the tone knob. The guitar features a 3-way pickup toggle. The tunners are non-locking (you don't need locking because then it disables you to change tuning fast)and they are made by Grover. All the hardware is black. Beautiful. // 10

Sound: This guitar suites my style of playing very well. I play heavy metal, death metal, rap-metal and metalcore. I use a Cube 30 (which is more powerful than you think) and the distortion I use is incredible, I use the Uber Metal distortion pedal by Line 6. The EMG 81's guitar such a great distorted and clean sound. The pickups are very clear and make every note worth playing. Truly amasing. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: When I first bought this guitar I immediatly asked the salesman at the store if they could arrange the neck and put on some heavier strings for my style of guitar playing (Drop B). I can't really tell you how it was out of the factory because mine had to go through some minor ajustments. When I got it back everything was in perfect order, the action was low and fast, the pickups were at a great level to transmit great output. There was absulutly nothing wrong with the guitar when I got home and played it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar would withstand live playing for sure. The hardware is very strong and sturdy. The strap bottons are very solid and your guitar strap locks right into. I could depend on this guitar for sure for gigs. The finish will stay nice as long as you keep in in good clean hands. If you don't touch the body too often you'll have no problem with the finish but if you do you'll needa clean it alot. // 10

Impression: Like I said earlier this guitar suites my style of play very well. I have been playing for more than a year now and I have played several guitars (Ibanezs, BC Richs, Washburns, Gibsons, Yamahas, Charvels) and this guitar still has the nicest feel. If this guitar was stolen I'd hunt down that guitar for sure. I don't hate anything about the guitar. I love everything about it. Go out there and get this guitar before they stop making because they are only here for a limited time only. // 10

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: bigtimmy, on february 28, 2008

Price paid: $ 1064

Purchased from: Billy hyde Music

Features: This guitar came out in 2005 as the 30th anneverisary edition of the 05' F-series LTD. The only differences from the F-400 (the '04 model) are that it has a black satin finish, grover tuners and has a special '30' inlay on the 12th fret, which I think is badass. It's a single piece wood with 24 frets, has a volume and tone control, with the 81/85 EMG pickup combo (81 bridge, 85 neck). The style of the guitar is based after the popular ESP bass guitar style, so they crossed that over to the guitar. I wish it had a Floyd Rose tho. // 9

Sound: It's an ESP, therefore it's built for heavy music. I play thrash mainly (Metallica, iced earth, Slayer) and it's brilliant. the pickups are perfect for what I need and even though I used a Roland Cube 60 atm, I've played this on dual rectifiers and laneys (like the VH100R that I want) and it pounds out killer tone. Sustain is great and harmonics are a cinch to play. Even playing clean I'm still happy with it, so long as I turn down/tweak the tone, otherwise it's very twangy with no warmth. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Since it was an ex-display model a few scratches were on the body but I didn't care for the price I paid. The paint does scratch easily and after a gig the sweat was hard to get out of it but aside from that it holds up beautifully no matter what you throw at her. It's a very light guitar so it won't weigh you down at a gig and nothing is in the way of you playing, such as strap lock and knobs and that. I've had mine setup to play with super low action with 10/48 strings, and with a slight amount of buzz (which you can't hear when the amps plugged in) only if you seriously hammer those strings. The reason I bought this guitar and not an quality RG Ibanez was that everytime I played this guitar, no matter which shop it was in, it always played far better than the prestige series ESP, Ibanez, Jackson or Gibson. // 10

Reliability & Durability: my word I would fight people with this guitar and it would still play like new. I've had mine for just over a year now and apart from the service I had done to check her out after a good years playing, it's never let me down. I don't even think about the strap locks coming loose because they have a death grip on the body. I once thought I had killed the circuits in it but it just my sillyness of not replacing the 9v battery for the active pickups. Apart from the worry of scratching the beautiful finish I could easily (and I have) gigged without a backup. // 9

Impression: By Thor, the bastard you even looks at my LTD the wrong way will die a slow and painful death. I feel guilty leaving my guitar out of the case sometimes I love it so much. If the F-2005 had a Floyd Rose and a less scratchable finish (despite its awesomeness) it would be my perfect guitar. However it comes damn close. I almost wish no-one else would buy one so I coudl say I'm the only one Who has it, but then you wouldn't know just how brilliant it is. // 10

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: aceforce, on december 11, 2007

Price paid: $ 1458

Purchased from: Internets

Features: This guitar was made in Korea in between 2005-7007 (lol). Body style is a Strat style with ESP's "forest" design. It looks killer. The bridge is a tuneomatic with string-through body construction. It has a satin black finish all over. Earvana compensated nut. All black hardware. The pickup configuration and controls is similar to just about all guitars with dual EMG81's. 1 volume, 1 tone and a 3-way pickup selector. The tuners are from Grover. // 9

Sound: The guitar suits my style of playing very good. Actually there is nothing I play that doesn't work with this guitar. It is very quiet, depending on amp it can be dead silent. On my amp it is a bit noisy, but it only gets bad if the tone knob is turned all the way up. Both the clean and distorted sound is amazing. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar came with very low action. (low e string, about 1.5mm clearance over 12th fret). It feels great to play, I have to be more careful with my touch so I don't sound unwanted notes. There is only a little fret buzz but with the right picking technique it's almost not worth thinking about. I would say the bridge is routed properly as the intonation is perfect on all strings. When I tuned it in the start the intonation came out a bit flat, but as the strings stretched it evened out. The only thing about the finish is that the surface is a little "textured" if you look closely but for a guitar at this price it is tolerable. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will most certainly withstand live playing. It stays in tune like any other high end guitar. At first the nut needs some running in and it will settle. The only low point worth noting of this guitar is the satin black finish. I've played it for about 3 weeks now and the areas that rub agaisnt my body have already started to get glossy. I'm considering to give it a full body polish. // 8

Impression: My style of music is metal and hard rock. I have been playing for 3 years, this is my second guitar. If it was stolen tomorrow, I would buy another one without hesitation. But after a few years I'll buy a more expensive guitar. What I love the most about this geetar is the body shape, headstock, overall appearance. The only thing I hate is sometimes the upper "horn" pokes my ribs while leaning over the guitar to concentrate on my fretting hand. But this is only when I practice new shit. The bottom horn on my thigh don't bother me. Sometimes I wish it had a Floyd Rose. But I wouldn't trade it with the guitar's already great reliability. // 9

overall: 10

Reviewed by: hermz, on september 04, 2006

Price paid: $ 1368

Features: The F-2005 is LTD's 30th Anniversary model of the F series and was made in Korea. The features have already been mentioned in other reviews but I'll go through them again. The guitar is on a 25.5" scale with 24 XJ frets. The bridge is a Tune-O-Matic with string thru body. The body is made of mahogony, the neck of maple, and of course the awesome fretboard of ebony. It comes loaded with two EMG 81 active pickups. You get a volume and tone control, with a 3-way pickup switch which is all you need. The construction is set-thru. The guitar is finished in wicked looking 'black satin' with a 30th Anniversary inlay on the fretboard. Additional features include Grover tuners and an Earvana compensated nut. This is a limited edition however has since been replaced by the F-500 in 2006, with the only difference being it doesn't have the 30th Anniversary inlay. // 10

Sound: I play predominantly metal, ranging from heavy to just plain brutal. This guitar suits my style of playing perfectly. It's no secret that the guitar is geared towards metal on a whole, but it can definitely play other styles without a problem. The EMG 81 pickups are simply awesome for those nice, lead tones but have no trouble providing thick and heavy grunt either. The response and clarity from these pickups won't disappoint, the sustain is great. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I got this guitar a few weeks ago and haven't changed anything with the setup at all, I haven't felt compelled to. It played like a beast from the moment I took it out of the box. The action is perfectly fine, very fast! I haven't found any flaws at all. The satin finish looks bloody awesome. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar hasn't been gigged but I haven't stopped playing it since I brought it home from the store. I have had no problems at all. It does what I want it to do, and I am confident it is going to last me for as long as I let it. Everything feels solid and it looks great. If you're worried about the satin finish being ruined easily, don't sweat it. Take care of your guitar and don't play like a retard and it'll be fine. The strings are quite high off the body so pick scratches shouldn't be an issue. // 10

Impression: I've been playing guitar for around 8 years and, like I mentioned earlier, I play mostly metal. This is the ideal guitar for it. It's so fast to play and the top fret access is excellent. Anyone Who has seen an F series ESP knows how awesome these guitars look and the black satin finish takes it one step further. If it was lost or stolen I would probably get an ESP F-STD FR. The only thing I don't like about this guitar is the little graphic on the headstock, they should have kept it simple. // 10

overall: 9.2

Reviewed by: TheConsequencer, on december 05, 2005

Features: This is a great guitar, made in 2005 in the ESP assembly line in Korea. It has 24 XJ frets, 25.5" scale. It has an ebony fretboard (I am not sure of what) but it feels great and it has an all-around black satin finish. It has a unique, but heavy metal-like shape and string-through body. It has 1 volume, 1 tone, and a 3-way selector Switch and Emg-81 active pickups. It has Grover tuners that stay put well. I bought a hard case for $90 that is impenetrable, because nothing hurts my guitar! // 9

Sound: It suits my playing style of Metal like Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth (they use mainly ESP guitars) and some rock like GN'R sounds OK because of the sound from the active pickups (but not perfect). I use a Crate MX15R (very small) with no effects and it still sounds good with/wo amp distortion. I would say It has a very varied sound from the Emg-81's, but it has a rather deep, full sound on any setting. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything on this guitar is great, pickups were perfect (no buzz), no factory errors, everything was awesome. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I have only played for 5 months, so I havent played live yet, but it is very durable (except the satin finish can get scratched) and it sounds great on high volume, so I would play it live. // 9

Impression: I have been playing for 5 months and own an amp, but that is about it. Yes, the one major flaw of this guitar is that it has no tremolo system, and I wish I had asked about it first. If this was ever or stolen, someone might find an unpleasant surprise at their doorstep, or if it was lost, I would definitely save up and get another one. My favorite feature is the shape, because it looks great, while sounding awesome. I chose this one after months of searching because of the way it felt to me, the price, and the tone quality. If only it had an installed tremolo system, it would be near perfect for the money. // 9

overall: 9.2

Reviewed by: Zergling55, on october 19, 2007

Price paid: $ 435

Purchased from: Ebay

Features: This guitar is one of the 30th anniversary ESP models produced in 2005. It has 24 jumbo frets. It is made out of Mahogany. The Finish is a matte black, and it is absolutely gorgeous. The body style is incredibly comfortable and is very much like a Stratocaster. This guitar is incredibly light. I can barely feel it when it's on a strap and I'm not holding it. It is a string through bridge. It has a Set Thru neck, which is incredibly nice for access to the higher frets. It has dual Active EMG 81's. It has grover tuners and they hold tune for forever. Mine came with an F series fit ESP hard case. // 10

Sound: I play mostly Metalcore, Deathcore, and Melodic Death Metal and this guitar suits it perfectly. The EMG's give a nice sharp biting lead tone but can also give a deep crunchy rhythm tone. I'm using a Fender FM65R with it (that I'm replacing soon), and no pedals. The guitar is not noisy at all. Can be dead silent if your not playing anything. It's got a great tone. I'm not really sure how to describe it. But it's a very nice and dark metal tone. I've tried playing the guitar on clean a bit, and that's where it falls. Emg's are obviously not the best pick ups for cleans, but then again. If your buying this guitar, your probably not thinking about cleans. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was set up perfectly when I bought. The action was incredibly low. The picks ups were a tad high for my preference, but nothing to freak out over. The Finish was fantastic, breathtaking in fact. The guitar didn't contain any flaws and the electronics seem very stable. I love the little locking mechanism it has near the input because it holds the input in place amazingly well. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar could definitely handle a few shows, and even a tour if your up for it. The hardware seems solid and the strap buttons are tight. You could depend on this guitar very easily (just make sure you have a 9v battery for the EMG's just in case). But I would never gig with a back up. The finish seems great, but I wouldn't go around doing guitar flips and dropping this thing. Obviously that'd ruin it. // 8

Impression: I love this guitar for metal, the tones it produces are priceless and the pinches on this thing are legendary. I've been playing for about a year and I feel unworthy of this guitar, but I play this thing so much that soon enough me and it will be best friends. If it were stolen, I would go crazy. I probably wouldn't but another one. I'd probably buy an EC-1000 just for the fact that it has the same hardware but with an 85 in the bridge and a killswitch and I love the les paul body shape. I compared it to the entire ESP line, Schecters, Washburns, Ibanez, and Epiphones and all of them fell short. If there were one thing I wish this guitar had it would be a killswitch. I play a lot of music where that would come in handy and well, I might add one in myself later on down the road. Point is. This is an amazing guitar and I LOVE this thing. The action is tight, it's beautiful, and the tone is godly. What more could you ask for? // 10

Comments

[jerm__]

this guitar is amazing, i own one and you can definalty not go wrong if you purchase one

[musicissick]

hey
awesome guitar you got
i have a piece of crap at the moment but i'm upgradin to one these in about a month.
looks awesome

[musicissick]

HELL
Bullet for Valentine ROCK

sick dog mate

c ya

people

[Jimmmy]

Had this guitar for about 9 months now, and I love it!
The only thing that sort of gave me a hard time is that the neck is way thicker than my old Ibanez RGX.

This is an old model in particular (2005,duh)But I'd look into one if I were you. The F-400 model is very similar and could be a good alternative in case these run out.

[aceforce]

Mine has a bit of fret buzz on the low frets... Very annoying if you for example palm mute the 2nd fret e- string in master of puppets and you get a nasty little buzz noise with it

[aceforce]

Oh, and if u polish it, u can make it gloss black

[brutalnorway]

the only thing that will make this gloss is sweat