LTD MH-50 Review

It is equipped with 24 jumbo frets and they are on a rosewood fingerboard and a maple neck. The body has a black glossy black finish and it is shaped really well.

Features:	9
Sound:	9.3
Action:	8.7
Reliability:	9.3
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.3
Users rating:	7.9
Comments:	28

overall: 9

Featured review by: freddaahh, on february 28, 2007

Price paid: $ 366

Purchased from: www.Thomann.de

Features: I bought this guitar as my first electric guitar, I did it as a chnge from playing thrash metal on an acoustic. I got a good discount from Thomann and I was really pleased with the result. When I first picked it up it felt natural and easy to play. It is equipped with 24 jumbo frets and they are on a rosewood fingerboard and a maple neck. The body has a black glossy black finish and it is shaped really well. It is a srat shape with a descending curve to the edgesa all around. The only drawback of it is that it is made out of agathis; it's a cheap wood, but not a bad one and surprisingly it has nice acoustics when unplugged. there is a Floyd Rose locking trem and that is great, it can drop the notes on the low strings a couple of octaves and it pulls the strings up about 5 frets. The pickups aren't awesome but they are a pair of good pickups. They are ESP LH-150s and slightly trembly, but when you put the selector on the neck pickup it sounds good and heavy. The selector and controls are fine, there is one tone and one volume control and the selector is a three way. The site I bought it from didn't include any accessories but you can probably get some with other sites. // 9

Sound: I play a mixture of thrash metal, death metal and metalcore. The guitar fits the thrash and death metal mix perfectly, but it isn't so good for gindcore or anything like that. If you want to get the Metallica/Slayer/Arch Enemy sound it is perfect. I use a Fender 30watt sometimes with reverb and surprisingly, when you put the treble and bass on full and the mid on zero, it sounds really good and even better when you put a decent pedal in the works. The pickups, like I said, are cheap but they produce little feedback and you can stop playing for a while without intrusive feedback building. But if you don't enjoy these pickups or want better ones, like I do, there is plenty of room to fit in EMGs which will aid the sound instantly. The guitar is designed for metal but you can get a nice clean tone out of it and if you do some fiddling with the sounds you can pull off AC/DC riffs and even Skynard riffs. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar had been nicely put together at the factory, without any rusting, faults in the finish or dents. But the action is a bit too big, even though I do enjoy it, many people will dislike it. The fretwire is filed well and there is no scratching or intrusive sounds from the fretboard. But there I sometimes some noise from the selector and Floyd Rose. The arm can be slightly loose but screw it tightly and it is as accurate and reliable as any could be. The rest of the controls are well secured and are quiet when adjusted. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I haven't taken this guitar to any gigs but it's been beaten slightly at band meets and rehearsals. The hardware is tough and it seems like it'll last. I'd use it at a show without a spare as long as I check the strap buttons, because they sometimes slip and I'd screw on the trem arm tightly. I have already dented it and the finish hasn't worn away at all; and it seems like it'll stay for a long time. // 9

Impression: The guitar is a perfect match ofr a metal guitarist, it can pull of other syles but it is designed for metal. It is the only electric I own and I don't feel like I need another immediately. My favourite feauture on it would be the bridge, the fine tuning Tool makes things simple and you can get so much range with the trem. I had always wanted an Ibanez, but when I discovered ESP I immediately changed my views, ESP make higher quality instruments, more versatile guitars and are much more suited to the metal world than Ibanez. I will play this guitar for a long time and stick with ESPs. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on october 30, 2007

Price paid: $ 240

Purchased from: Musicians Friend

Features: My guitar is a 2007 model that was made in china (which is stamped on the back of the headstock) with the liscensed Floyd Rose tremolo. It has 24 jumbo frets on a 25.5" scale neck. The pickups are the passive, ESP LH-150 humbucker set, with a volume, tone, and 3-way switch. Mine has a black finish with a rosewood fretboard and agathis body. On a side note, it was in perfect tune when I got it and I only have to make minor adjustments after every 2-3 days of playing (I play 4-5 hours a day). // 9

Sound: I currently am running my MH-50 through a Weeping Demon, followed by a Boss Metalzone and into my Crate XT-15R. I play many different styles of music, primarily thrash metal (Metallica, Trivium) and this guitar lets me play it all. I use the neck pickup, which I adjusted from the original position by pulling it closer to the strings and adding more treble to the tone. The 24 fret neck is smooth and fast although, you might want to adjust the action because the E, A, and D strings were pretty buzzy when I first got it. The clean sound is great, all you have to do is pull back on the volume a little inorder to get a real warm bluesy sound. All in all it sounds great. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was setup fine when I first got it, I only had a few complaints, mainly because I'm a tone freak. First thing I did straight out of the box was plug in and start adjusting my pickups. Since I play lead guitar, I pulled the bridge pickup down about 1/8 of an inch so the strings wouldn't hit it when I pulled up on the tremolo. Then I set up the bridge pickup so it would have higher output (adds overdrive sounds to my distortion) and have the high I need to shred while still being able to chunk along to gallops. The action was a little low at first, but that's more a matter of personal taste. But overall it was set up fine. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I haven't played live with this guitar yet, unless you count showing off for maybe 15 people at once. But I have dropped this guitar down stairs and had it fall out of a van, but it isn't even scratched yet. In fact it wasn't even out of tune after I dropped it down the stairs after playing for 3 hours. // 10

Impression: I loved this guitar from the moment I pulled it out of the box. It is beautiful you should go buy it now. No, not should, will, you will go buy this guitar now, or face the consequences! What? You refuse? I'll flame your ass, mortal! // 10

overall: 9

Reviewed by: kOoL AiD2420, on september 15, 2008

Price paid: $ 249

Purchased from: musciansfriend.com

Features: This is my first electric guitar that I've bought. It was made in Indonesia, 2007 model with locking tremolo. It has 24 jumbo frets, maple/rosewood neck, basswood body, and ESP LH-150 pickups. It has a volume, tone, and three-way selector switch. The guitar is a very solid guitar I love it, it came in perfect tune, and really didn't have to mess with it to much. Although, when I first decided to switch out the strings the Floyd Rose gave me quite a bit of trouble. So I would recommend if you don't know how to restring a floyd getting it done professionally. I now have it set back up and it holds tune perfect with minor adjustments. // 9

Sound: I play pretty much any style of music that I find I feel I can play. Anywhere from Atreyu, A7X, GnR, to Brad Paisley or Johnny Cash. It keeps up pretty well with how I play. Sure it doesn't give that good acoustic sound, I just turn my tone knob all the way down on the bridge and it gives me a decent acoustic sound. It is however better for the hard stuff. Atreyu and A7X sound great on this guitar with loads of distortion. I run it through a Roland Cube 15X and Boss DS-2 Turbo. The sound is great from cleans to dirty. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Like I said from factory it was in perfect tune. Very well setup from ESP and very well packaged. I had it shipped to Iraq and it got here without a scratch. So yeah, job well done ESP! The pups I've raised just a little to get a harder sound although from factory they were still in a good setting. The only flaw so far is the output jack for the cable is kinda crappy. It comes undone and goes up in the guitar sometimes. So that kinda sucks, but really not to hard a fix. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I haven't gigged with it yet but I believe it would do well for live playing. All the hardware other than the minor output jack problem are great. The only thing it could use if you care on how it looks would be a pickguard. Mine is getting pretty beat up from picks but with a little polish all is fixed. // 9

Impression: I love my guitar and am very happy with the choice I made. I will continue to purchase from ESP not let down at all! If this was stolen I'm not sure if I would buy this exact one, I would probably go for the EC-1000 from ESP. Not becuase of the guitar, I just love that one too. // 10

Comments

[metalW]

hi dudes, i just ordered my own LTD MH-50 Black Floyd Rose, i hope thats the right chose, can anyone tell me whats the difrentness are between the LH100 and LH150 pickups, greetings from belgium

[freddaahh]

The Lh 150s are the 2007 edition of the 100s, they came in at the start of the year. But dude, save up for EMGs, it'll be an ultimate guitar then.

[yamiman]

ya i own this guitar also, but i put in EMG 85/81 active pickups, and it helped it a ton, and it has little to no feedbak with the EMG's, even wile using a full petal board.

[Silky Smooth]

Looks like a great guitar

[alex240993]

im gonna get this or a jackson equivalent

[ibikinz]

Is this good for blues?

[tenaciousjp]

metalW wrote:

hi dudes, i just ordered my own LTD MH-50 Black Floyd Rose, i hope thats the right chose, can anyone tell me whats the difrentness are between the LH100 and LH150 pickups, greetings from belgium

its just a 2007 version of lh100's that pretty much it,but if i were you i would get dimarzio pick-ups

[freddaahh]

ibikinz

Just make sure your amp is ok, and lower the distortion and you can pull of blues easily.

[psyklone]

The Lh 150s are the 2007 edition of the 100s, they came in at the start of the year. But dude, save up for EMGs, it'll be an ultimate guitar then.

pfffft why emgs everyone know dimarzios and seymour duncans are whey better emgs are too trebely and harsh if youre gonna go active then go seymour duncan

[antysocial]

Yes.. I was gonna ask the same thing.. isn't it better to put seymoure duncan pickups in it instead of EMGs.. Aren't the SDs better? I'm thinking of takin' one just next month... looks perfect for me..

[antysocial]

infact... I think that Seymoure Duncan's SH10 and TB10 Full Shred Would sound pretty good :} I just heared samples from the rouf pickups and the SD's are better for me :}

[Bloopt]

my tune runs when i play around with the floyd rose or drop my mh-50. what should i do since i read in the reviews that this guitar's tune would stay the same after dropping it?

[purebredmutt]

Bloopt wrote:

my tune runs when i play around with the floyd rose or drop my mh-50. what should i do since i read in the reviews that this guitar's tune would stay the same after dropping it?

i know this sounds silly but an obvious reason why it's not staying in tune is because you haven't locked your locking pads tightly enough. you gotta put some elbow grease into it.

[Bebbo]

I have this guitar also and can't say that it's all right. The neck is curved at the 17th fret so binding it was useles. Also as they say that the guitar's got jumbo frets it doesn't feel like that :/

[Bebbo]

and i haven't even dropped it or anything...

[wasted-years]

i have nothing but good things to say about my mh-53
its basicly the same guitar just with a hum-single-silngle pickup configuration with a maple fret board and i have nothing but good things to say about it sure i plain on upgrading the pickups but for 250 bucks you cant complain

[michaelminnis]

whats string match better for this guitar? do it comes with good strings?

[wasted-years]

the one bad thing i have against ltds is that they come stock with SIT strings they just dont do it for me id say try the wylde dunlops thats what i have on my mh-53

[Wrecklore]

i used to own this guitar, if you ask me its good as hell for the 180 i had bought it for. but i never play it and the action i just can't seem to get to work it the way i want it. (my neck was bowed) great for a beginner who wants to mess around and learn a floyd rose guitar

[ZaÐ]

Bebbo wrote:

I have this guitar also and can't say that it's all right. The neck is curved at the 17th fret so binding it was useles. Also as they say that the guitar's got jumbo frets it doesn't feel like that :/

then add that u must change PU...

antysocial wrote:

Yes.. I was gonna ask the same thing.. isn't it better to put seymoure duncan pickups in it instead of EMGs.. Aren't the SDs better? I'm thinking of takin' one just next month... looks perfect for me..

Buy some I-SPira

[killerKOOL12345]

i have this guitar and a line 6 spider III combo amp..... is that worth $500 because i bought all that stuff and now i dont know if i like it or not?

[valensi00]

I'm going to get this guitar tomorrow. It has red finish. Going to trade it with my 95' Korean Squier Strat. I hope I make a right choice...

[OXL]

It's a good guitar for it's price. I bought it this weekend as a backup guitar. The pickups aren't comparable with SM's or EMG but to be honest, I think they have a quite warm sound for cheap factory picks. What I don't like is that on first use of the trem, the middle spring popped of and it won't stay in place so I removed it and tightened the screws a bit. I guess I will have to change them from time to time. As most of these guitars it doesn't really like 011 strings (tuned to D#). It took me a lot of time to get it tuned correctly and to get the bridge in the right position again. Once that was done, it stays in tune perfectly and the intonation was 100% after changing strings so that's a big plus.
All in all, a great guitar for starters or as a cheap backup solution, especially if you play heavy music.

[tmfiore]

Is the whammy on this as good as a Floyd Rose.

[wbjackson517]

I was going to go with the M50, but decided to go with this guitar. Going to buy in three weeks, maybe two. I have read excellent reviews on this guitar. I also have seen good demos on youtube.

[OXL]

The whammy to my opinion is defenately not as good as most FL's. Still, I like this guitar very much.

[Hcs92]

I have been playing with this guitar for over two years now and I like this guitar. The whammy is very good at first, but if you change different strings in it, you don´t even want to imagine what happens. The bridge goes into a funny position and it will not stay in tune. And if you try to fix it yourself, it will get even worse. This guitar looks cool and it feels good. It´s very easy to play and you can make great harmonics with it. I have played this live a few times and I have nothing bad to say about it. I think I will buy MH-250 in the future but I will not sell this guitar away.

[sewoo55]

tuning a guitar with floyd rose can be a real b**ch sometimes.... if u change your tuning alot get an m-50