LTD H-1007FR Review

This guitar has opened up a new part of my music making in some ways. Eventually the regular six string gets a bit repetitious but with my seven string I get that one extra string and the new horizons it has opened of for me are amazing. I got this so I could have the low lows of a Baritone and the high screams of a high e 24 fret scream. And it makes all of these Noises falwlessly.

Features:	9.5
Sound:	10
Action:	10
Reliability:	10
Impression:	9.5
Overall rating:	9.1
Reviewer rating:	9.8
Users rating:	8.4
Votes:	30

Reviewed by: unregistered, on november 16, 2012

Price paid: $ 975.00

Purchased from: AMS

Features: This is my first seven string and I was basically wanting the best of both worlds when it comes to a Baritone setup but be able to switch back to a standard six string. People think seven strings are so compicated but if you just stop and think about it they only have five more frets and instead of e being the lowest note ya very low octave of b is now the lowest. It is a set-thru design a 2011 model comes with EMG 81-7 at the bridge which has the same sound as the EMG 81 and the neck is a 707N and creates a beautiful clean tone. I have the Floyd Rose version and I absolutely love it. // 10

Sound: As I was saying I got this so I could have the low lows of a Baritone and the high screams of a high E 24 fret scream. And it makes all of these Noises falwlessly. I own two other ESP LTD's and this is an amazing addition to my collection. I have my EC-500 in drop C or one whole step down I have my MH-401QM in drop D and keep the seven in standard. Who needs to tune it down when its basically a dropped B. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Finish is a flame maple top in see thru black with black nickle hardware. I have my action set very low cause I play the fastest of the fast metal and I've had the frets in all my guitars fully leveled and pollished. My string are less than 2 mm off the fretboard at the 12th fret and I never got any fret buzz out of this guitar compared to my other 2. The others were a lil off. All guitars I get I play for about 5 minutes just to check it out then I get to work setting the action to my own. The action it came with was extremely high compared to mine but the truss rod was set up perfectly. Just a few turns on the studs and put it in tune and it hasn't gone outta tune yet. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Well I haven't had it for long I got it as a christmas gift for myself but if it hold up anything like my EC-500 which I've had for about 5 years I have no doubt that it will last for my decades long worth of playing. It Is Set-thru construction that gives incredible sustain without having to pay an extra 500 to 750 for a full neck through. // 10

Impression: Well This was my first seven string and I will admit I am biased to ESP LTD guitars cause I've had so many with so very very few problems. Worst problem was a bad output jack or selector switch which is going out in my EC-500 so I'll need to get that replace but when you slam the selector switch they tend to give out quickly especially the Les Paul 3 position style. The selector on this is a blade type and easier to get to so I don't have to slam it when I reach for it when playing live. This guitar has opened up a New part of my music making in some ways. Eventually the regular six string gets a bit repetitious but with my seven string I get that one extra string and the new horizons it has opened of for me are amazing. I'm one of the few good guitarists in town that can back it up on stage and only one other plays the seven and that's how I got the idea. Basically if your looking at getting a Baritone think about a seven string. Yes the tuning isn't exact cause the g string is tuned to F# and baritones have no high E. The only down side that I have had with it is the accessibility to Ernie Ball seven string guitar packs. I've had it for almost 2 months and still playing on original strings. // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on november 16, 2012

Features: I received this guitar as the grand prize for the Cleartone Colossal Giveaway. Specifications taken from www.espguitars.com:

- Set-Thru Construction
- 25.5" Scale
- Mahogany Body
- Flamed Maple Top
- Maple Neck
- Rosewood Fingerboard
- 48mm Locking Nut
- Thin U Neck Contour
- 24 XJ Frets
- Black Nickel Hardware
- ESP Tuners
- Floyd Rose 1000 Series Bridge
- EMG 81-7 (B) / 707 (N) Active p.u.
- Finish: STBLK (See Thru Black)
- CONTROLS: Master Volume, 3-Way Switch, Master Tone // 9

Sound: I play metal almost exclusively so a 7-string Floyd Rose system fits this style on point. I am using this guitar through a Peavey 5150 and a Randall XL 4x12 or Revalver MKIII.V 6505 model with guitarhacks impulse pack. The guitar is well grounded and produces no discernible noise whatsoever. It has a very full sound though it does have EMG pickups in it which do not have much dynamics to them. The guitar does well from clean to full on shred. The pickups definitely do hi-gain justice and maintain clarity at almost any gain setting. Rating of 8 for the EMG pickups. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was well setup from the factory. The action is very low with no fret buzz. The guitar arrived almost in perfect tuning. I did have to adjust the fine-tuners just a bit after giving the strings a nice stretch with the Floyd Rose. The pickups and bridge look great. So far I have not found any flaws in this guitar. // 10

Reliability & Durability: From the feel and weight I can tell this guitar will do well with live use. I am used to using an LTD V-500 which is much lighter than the H1007FR and has suffered drops and scratches. The hardware all looks very solid. I would gladly depend on this guitar, though regardless of quality of build I always have a backup guitar. This guitar will definitely be replacing my V-500 as my main stage guitar. Previously a Jackson RR3 Rhoads served as my backup. I can see this guitar lasting many years. // 10

Impression: Fantastic guitar overall and a great match for metal players of all kind. Over the course of 8 years I have owned several different guitars: Jackson KE3 Kelly, Schecter Omen 6, Ibanez PR1660, Jackson RR3 and LTD V-500 and while I have loved each and every one of those guitars for different reasons the LTD H1007FR is definitely the most comfortable and fluid of them all. I love the full sound, though I am a big fan of thinner Jackson unfinished necks, though it could very much be that I am still getting used to the difference between 6 and 7 strings. // 10

Comments

[sewoo55]

I got this so I could have the low lows of a Baritone and the high screams of a high e 24 fret scream.

It's got a 25.5' scale. Not a baritone

[fav13andac1)c]

falwlessly

[Kenji20022]

It's tuned like a Baritone Sewoo, no one said anything about scale.

[Symphonica]

fav13andac1)c wrote on 01/19/2012 - 09:51 am / quote |
falwlessly

The irony in some spelling mistakes!
At least it sounds pretty.

[sim_1113]

I thought a baritone and a 7 string were two different things?

[sim_1113]

I thought the whole point of a 'baritone' was its shorter scale so it can be downtuned without losing the intonation like low tuning will do to a normal sized guitar.

I don't know, I'm asking, that's just what I've heard before, and judging by the review this guitar is a normal 7 string

[COREYTAYLOR721]

think u r right sim anyway well written review hope u play this beast a lot.

[sim_1113]

It's definitely a good guitar though, my bandmate has a cheap $200 ESP 7 string and its suprisingly good, so I'm sure the $1000 one is epic

[Single Foo]

sim_1113 wrote:

I thought the whole point of a 'baritone' was its shorter scale so it can be downtuned without losing the intonation like low tuning will do to a normal sized guitar.

I don't know, I'm asking, that's just what I've heard before, and judging by the review this guitar is a normal 7 string

Baritones have a longer scale friend, and you're right, that's what they're for lol

[sim_1113]

Oh ok, thanks well now I know. I just remembered reading about it recently when some people were arguing about whether to play in standard E or dowtunings.

[nodurquack]

He's not saying this is a baritone... He is just saying he can now have the low end a baritone would give by having 7th string and would not have to sacrifice the high end of a high e that would be on a regular 6 sting.

[eric.j.kubik]

To clarify what a baritone guitar is actually has a 27" scale not a 25.5" scale. With that said the 7 strings don't make it necessarily a baritone guitar. Just gives it that low end of a baritone. Now you know the difference

[X DogBert X]

sim_1113 wrote:

I thought the whole point of a 'baritone' was its shorter scale so it can be downtuned without losing the intonation like low tuning will do to a normal sized guitar.

I don't know, I'm asking, that's just what I've heard before, and judging by the review this guitar is a normal 7 string

he didn't ever say at any point that it was a baritone, he was saying you can get the same lows out of it, that you could get with a baritone guitar, you dont need a baritone 7 string, it's already low enough, he's just talking about the actual sound of the instrument

[vIsIbleNoIsE]

my only complaint about this guitar is also the EMG pickups. the treble tends to sound a bit thinner.

[COREYTAYLOR721]

Who gives a shit? Looks like a nice guitar, guy won it cool.

[Logan_B]

sewoo55 wrote:

I got this so I could have the low lows of a Baritone and the high screams of a high e 24 fret scream.

It's got a 25.5' scale. Not a baritone

lol fail