SV Standard
Reviewed by:
TimmerGuitarMan, on november 15, 2012 7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 1.83
Features:
- Body: Alder
- Neck: Maple (Thru)
- Fingerboard: Ebony with White binding
- Scale: 25.5"
- Tuners: Deluxe Gotoh (Locking)
- Bridge: Original Floyd Rose
- Frets: 24 / XJ
- Neck pickup: EMG81
- Bridge pickup: EMG81
- Controls: 1 Volume , 3-way toggle switch
- Case included. // 10
Sound: I play mostly metal, so this guitar suits it to a tee. It has a very full sound when distorted and a lovely clean tone without. I use a Behringer 120 watt with it and a DigiTech Death Metal pedal, which gives it an amazing metal tone. The guitar itself is capable of many different techniques thanks to the whammy bar and the extremely thin neck. // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: When I first got the guitar it was in perfect condition, no visible flaws, if any at all. One main concern was that when I pull the whammy bar up to create an inverted dip, sometimes a string would snap off at the base of the guitar, but this has since stopped. The action of the guitar is a tad too high as well, but I'm blaming this on down tuning, and the fact that I can't be bothered re-adjusting the bridge. // 8
Reliability & Durability: The guitar would be able to last a lot! I've bumped it off of things and the worst that's happened is I've hurt myself. All of the hardware seems as though it's gonna last a very long time. Not being in a band myself I wouldn't be able to tell you if it would last at a gig, but I'm gonna hazard a guess at yes, it would! And it would probably be the best guitar there! // 9
Impression: The overall impression is 10/10. Best guitar I've ever played. ESP have the greatest looking and sounding collection of guitars that I have ever heard. The EMG's give it a sexy tone with awesome harmonics! I think for a fan of metal, this is the guitar for me, and if you wanna risk not getting any presents for the next 10 years, it's the guitar for you too! // 10
SV Standard
Reviewed by:
Psycho_McFool, on november 15, 2012 4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: Kosmic Sound
Sound: This guitar dishes out an excellent metal tone when put through a DigiTech Death Metal into a 12 watt Practice Amp. What it sounds like through a Randall RH300G3 (my amplification goal) I can only imagine. A chunky rhythm tone reminiscent of DevilDriver barraged my ears as well as my neighbours'. The palm mutes literally shook my bedroom walls. This guitar absolutely wails when I play leads, and this is without wah. Harmonics really scream with the EMG 81s and a Floyd Rose bridge allows awesome Dimebag squeals. However, the clean tone of the bridge EMG 81 isn't the cleanest. It had the slightest bit of overdrive to it, but it sounds excellent when put through a slow flanger effect. The neck pickup puts out the most amazingly serene cleans. A little bit of reverb and it would sound positively lush. // 9
Action, Fit & Finish: I got Kosmic to set up the Floyd Rose with 10-52 Strings tuned to D Standard (low to high: D, G, C, F, A, D). The action was perfect, I found myself playing the SV with absolute comfort. The pickups were just the right height for me to do crazy pitch bending with the Floyd Rose. The locking nut kept perfect tuning very well. I'm currently debating whether or not to Switch the Gotoh Machine Heads with Locking Sperzels. // 10
Reliability & Durability: This guitar would stand out on stage like Shaquile O'Neil among a crowd of Albino midgets. It's incredibly lightweight, but it has handled anything & everything I've done and Still Remains perfect. The only thing I would worry about is string breakage, and that happens to everyone. The finish could stay on forever, it's great! // 10
Impression: As a young death metal/progressive metal/neoclassical lead guitarist, this guitar is my perfect partner in crime. I've only been playing for almost 2 years, but I know that I'll keep this guitar until the day I die. If this guitar was lost or stolen, I would definitely buy another one. The Floyd Rose really adds to my creativity, and the tone put out by this guitar is excellent. I've played Jackson RR1s and RR24s before, but this takes the cake. A definite must have for all extreme metal lead guitarists. // 10
SV Standard
Reviewed by:
tiyfs, on november 15, 2012 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 450
Purchased from: used
Features: - Not sure when it was manufactured
- 24 XJ frets
- Black with creme pinstripes, gold hardware
- 3 piece maple neck-thru, I think it has alder wings.
- neck had a clear finish
- Original Floydrose
- 2 81's and a PA2 afterburner had been installed
- single volume, 3 way pickup selector, EMG PA2
- Gotoh tuners
- fitting hardcase // 9
Sound: This is my first neck thru instrument, had to get used to it. Cause of the maple neck it had a bright tone, the EMG's couldn't disguise it. It came stock with 2 EMG 81's, the 81 in the neck is alright. I had a spare ahb-2 blackout, so I tried that in the neck, it was wayyyy to bassy so I put the 81 back in. I mean the tone is alright, I just think it should have come with a more versatile pick up combo (like an 85 in the neck or 89/81tw combo). I play all genres, but I keep this one just for metal, it handles the drop tunning well, but I am still not convinced this is the best sound this axe has to offer. When I have time, I'm going to experiment with some passive pickups. // 7
Action, Fit & Finish: - got it used, cannot comment
- the bridge intonation is amazing (now I see the difference between an OFR and a LFR.)
- shape is very comfortable to play sitting and standing.
- Now comes the part what cause me to write the review, the FLAWS (ESP employees, I hope you read this)
- the neck. The online description LIED. It's supposed to have a thin U profile. THIS had a FAT neck. I have an ltd mh-400, that has a thin U, I measured the difference in circumference, there was a difference of 4mm. It may not seem as much, but when you are used to a certain profile, trust me your hands can feel the difference. It was probably due to the thick layer of lacquer (or whatever the hell it was on the neck)
- the locking nut was a size too small. It is an R2, when it should have been a R3 or R4. They messed up cutting the slot for the locking nut, it wasn't leveled flat, it had not only a shim but a small piece of sand paper to fill in the gap.
- the fret work: now I understand that I live in a HOT an humid region (the normal temperature here is 36-45 Celsius) so i can understand the excuse that the climate has an effect on the guitar, but still, the corners of the frets, 40% of them had risen out off the fret board. I have an ltd, and have gigged with it regularly, THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO THAT.
- if you tilt the guitar in the light, you can see the paint how the finish has slightly indented on where the neck meets the wings ( did the guys in the factory not put primer and level it before painting?)
- the HEEL - for a neck thru, the heel off this thing should have been MUCH thinner, it is not like having shaved off a few centimeters was in any way going to cause issues for structural integrity. It is way to bulky how it comes stock. // 3
Reliability & Durability: - the shape is a bit fragile, its a rhaods after all, so you have to handle with care.
- the hardware is top notch, it will last
- strap buttons are solid, but it should have come with strap locks
- it has a floating trem so you need to have a back up guitar
- the finish is good and thick, it will last. // 9
Impression: - I dabble in metal / neoclassical / technical stuff. I bought this guitar for that reason, it fits that genre perfectly. I have it tunned at drop C, so I can't really use it for cleaner genres (again I wish it had a different pickup in the neck, that way I could have used it for other genres...)
- been playing for about 4 years, I have a ESP LTD MH-400 (made in Korea, my favorite guitar), a mij Fender Stratocaster (got this for a steal, it was my beater guitar, modded the hell out off it), a 1983 Burny Les Paul (put in a pair of Duncan antiquities, it can destroy any Gibson). I use a Vox vt30, it is a great little amp, a 535q crybaby is the only pedal i really use.
- if it were stolen, I would get a fixed bridge version of a rhoads guitar or an ESP eclipse.
- I love the shape.
- I already listed out my peevs about this guitar.
-the interesting bit, I have experience in making and modding guitars, the way i figured it, I am not going to compromise on this guitar, I don't care how much its worth, I bought it to paly, not to look pretty. I took things into my own hands. I fixed the frets, sanded the neck finish off and made the profile thinner (more comfortable), I also butchered the heel joint and carved it the way the guys at ESP should have made it in the first place. Now that all the saw dust has settled, the paint has been touched up, the fret work done, and the action set up just the way i like it, it plays like a dream.
- I got this cause I love the shape and got it for a great bargain, so I didn't really compare, I just read reviews on line and the specs, I assumed that it would be surpass my ltd, I was mistaken.
- It needed work, but now it is alive and well, it is a good guitar, not great, other than its shape, there is nothing about it that is memorable, well not for the good reasons anyway. // 6
and what? alder body and maple neck? thats what my 300 quid ($600) telecasters made of! so basically, whack on a floyd and a couple of EMG's and it'd sound the same as this. right then.
and alexi laiho has more than one esp guitar model methinks. correct me if im wrong.
There are the ESP and LTD versions available, and I think there are about 3 or 4 different models of the same guitar at different prices. His guitars also come in a couple of different paintjobs
and what? alder body and maple neck? thats what my 300 quid ($600) telecasters made of! so basically, whack on a floyd and a couple of EMG's and it'd sound the same as this. right then.
Actually, Mr. Dumbass, no. This guitar has better sustain (thanks to the thru-body neck and ebony fingerboard) and a brighter sound (also thanks to the thru-body maple neck and ebony fingerboard) than a Tele with EMGs and a Floyd would have. Also, it has like, 2 or 3 more frets than a Telecaster with superior acces to the upper ones. And looks a helluva lot meaner, too.
and what? alder body and maple neck? thats what my 300 quid ($600) telecasters made of! so basically, whack on a floyd and a couple of EMG's and it'd sound the same as this. right then.
Don't forget, its not just what wood it is - its the quality of wood. You probably have some tacky wood for your telecaster, while the ESP probably uses stupidly high quality wood for the best tone it can give.
Yeah I agree that the wood quality and the bridge obviously make it a better pick over that dudes tele, but as far as pickups go you put active emg's in anything and it will almost sound exactly the same regardless of wood based on the fact that active pickups have their own preamp. Basically the pickups do all the work tone wise making the type of wood redundant for sound. The better wood would equate to a more reliable guitar and the ebony a much smoother feeling fingerboard.
alexi Laiho's sig needs a REALLY good amp to put it through if your looking for a heavy distortion or just good distortion at all.
He uses a passive EMG (which totally sucks unless it is put through a high quality distortion pedal/channel)
so yeah...
i just wonder why this has two of the same pup....wheres the mix up in that?
I owned this at one point but I was extrmely unhappy. The tone I was getting was not full. I blame the pickups though. I changed the battery numerous times but it sounded as though the volume was on 1/4. hm.. great neck though lol
a 25.5 inch scale provides more string tension that the standard 24/75 inch scale. this makes it good for dropped tunings. This is quite literally THE perfect Metal guitar.
E V H 5150 wrote:
I'd go for a Randy Rhoads before this.
A Jackson RR1 Rhoads (the best of the Rhoads Series) costs a ****load more, it's EXACTLY the same, apart from a painted neck and the exclusion of 2 frets. This is also one of (if not THE) best Standard Series guitars ESP makes. The Jackson Rhoads is an excellent guitar, but it can't hold a candle to this.
richard_edwards wrote:
and alexi laiho has more than one esp guitar model methinks. correct me if im wrong.
All are made in Japan except for the USA models (don't really have to say where these are made) and the LTDs, which are made in Korea.
And the difference between the Signatures & Custom Shop models is that the Custom Shop are built by the best ESP luthiers, and that basically means they're GOOD. Also means they're more expensive.
a 25.5 inch scale length basically has more string tension than the standard 24.75 inch scale length, which makes it good for drop tunings and stuff. This guitar is really excellent, it is MY dream gutiar.
E V H 5150 wrote:
I'd go for a Randy Rhoads before this.
A lot of people would disagree. The Jackson RR1 costs a ****load more, but doesn't have Active pickups or a natural neck, and has 22 frets instead of 24. Aside from that, it's exactly the same. But it's your call, matey. For me, this is the best guitar i could ask for. It has EVERYTHING I want, except Sperzel Locking Tuners, and they're $200 away . This model is seriously one of the best ESP Standard Series models out, if not THE best.
Erlend Johan wrote:
I'm buying this beauty! (When i can afford it).
Ditto mate.
MrDURPEEDURP wrote:
alexi Laiho's sig needs a REALLY good amp to put it through if your looking for a heavy distortion or just good distortion at all.
He uses a passive EMG (which totally sucks unless it is put through a high quality distortion pedal/channel)
so yeah...
i just wonder why this has two of the same pup....wheres the mix up in that?
Alexi Recently had his MM04 gain booster installed in his Japanese signature guitars. It gives a boost to the signal, so the tone's a lot heavier.
The EMG 81 in both positions is really good for alder bodies I suppose.
Having a look at my wage, I'm prolly gonna get this around sometime next year. Well worth the wait, I reckon.
how do u delete comments plz? posted some stuff twice -blushes-
Thanks for your comment, even if you posted twice! Heheh! And if you search Alexi Laiho on wikipedia you can find all of his guitars, I think he may have a few more than you said (inc. Edwards etc)
dudeweresmypick wrote:
how would someone be able to get this in the states?
And if you wanna order this from Germany, you can If not there are plenty of Laiho models available in the US
and what? alder body and maple neck? thats what my 300 quid ($600) telecasters made of! so basically, whack on a floyd and a couple of EMG's and it'd sound the same as this. right then.
You need to play an ESP... Alot of LTD models are almost exactly the same as the ESP' but the ESPs are like 200+ more expensive and thats because of crafmanship quality control and the types of wood. It has literaly the best money can buy so it sound way better than the lesser models or any other lesser guitar
There isn't an LTD model of this guitar, unless u go to finland, and get one of them MMVs, but its still not the same. Closest u can get to an LTD model is if you get an LTD Alexi 600 and whack an EMG 81 in the bridge and a battery pack in the electronics cavity
I owned this at one point but I was extrmely unhappy. The tone I was getting was not full. I blame the pickups though. I changed the battery numerous times but it sounded as though the volume was on 1/4. hm.. great neck though lol
You weren't putting the lead all the way into the input jack. I had the same problem with a Jackson RR24 until one of the staff helped me out.
I owned this at one point but I was extrmely unhappy. The tone I was getting was not full. I blame the pickups though. I changed the battery numerous times but it sounded as though the volume was on 1/4. hm.. great neck though lol
If you were using active pick ups then the battery had probably worn down.
alexi Laiho's sig needs a REALLY good amp to put it through if your looking for a heavy distortion or just good distortion at all.
He uses a passive EMG (which totally sucks unless it is put through a high quality distortion pedal/channel)
so yeah...
i just wonder why this has two of the same pup....wheres the mix up in that?
actually alexi recently switched to the blackouts made by seymour duncan
alexi Laiho's sig needs a REALLY good amp to put it through if your looking for a heavy distortion or just good distortion at all.
He uses a passive EMG (which totally sucks unless it is put through a high quality distortion pedal/channel)
so yeah...
i just wonder why this has two of the same pup....wheres the mix up in that?
pickups placed at the neck produce a more tinny sound; pickups at the bridge are more mellow. It doesnt matter that they're not different models, thats why people even bother with choosing where to put a pickup (do you ever see a guitar with a pickup just in the middle?).
im going to buy this guitar very soon, with a ENGL Fireball amp, I also have a Digitech Death Metal pedal and a BOSS Hyper Metal HM-3 pedal too, but I guess I dont need those distortion pedals anymore? :o
Can i ask why Rv shapes bodies are always made of alder? is it because of the shape or what, cause i really like mahogany* and isnt better than alder? thanks!
Can i ask why Rv shapes bodies are always made of alder? is it because of the shape or what, cause i really like mahogany* and isnt better than alder? thanks!
its not because of the shape its that mahogany is a heavy bastard of a wood and alders pretty much da same tone wise except a bit lighter dats why not make it lighter not because of the shape
Where could I get one of these? I can't find a Canadian based store that sells them anywhere.
go to thomann its a german place dats cheap enough but shiping will cost you about $200 i did something like dat and dats how much it cost for shipping thomann are a good place too ordered one from there no problems like
I have this guitar, and im planing on buying a Eclipse guitar. only thing that stops me is because of the neck. I want it to feel like the SV (thin) Does anyone know if
the neck on EC is anything like the Sv's?
I have this guitar, and im planing on buying a Eclipse guitar. only thing that stops me is because of the neck. I want it to feel like the SV (thin) Does anyone know if
the neck on EC is anything like the Sv's?
Neck dimensions are the same, the only difference is the Eclipse necks are finished.
Well if theres any u.k or EURO buyers intrested in this guitar, im selling my one, its brand new and lived in its case all life- i dont play this sort of music now and into my telecasters so im selling at a great price and might knock off a bit more compared to retail price- go to link for details, http://www.gumtree.com/london/32/7062213...
I'm currently thinking of buying an ESP SV Standard, more precisely the FM Model in See Through Black Cherry Satin Burst. I'll also have them add a second Humbucker in the Neck Position.
Anyone got any experience with that specific Model?
,
Heheh! And if you search Alexi Laiho on wikipedia you can find all of his guitars, I think he may have a few more than you said (inc. Edwards etc)
If not there are plenty of Laiho models available in the US