First I'll go through the specs, than I'll get to the shit that really matters...
24 Fret/25.5" scale 3-piece Maple Set-thru neck with Rosewood Fretboard.
Solid Mahogany Body w/ Quilted Maple Top. (See-thru Black finish)
Original Floyd Rose Tremelo w/ Locking Nut. (Not a shitty licensed version, she's the real deal.
Gorgeous Abalone Purfling Binding.
Grover Tuners.
EMG 81 (B) / 85 (N)
3-way toggle, one tone, one volume pot.
See the Musicians Friend add for more info and pics.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ESP-LTD-MH1000-Electric-Guitar-with-EMGs?sku=512954
I struggled to get this guitar. I ordered it on Musicians Friend for $945, but it went on a damn near 4 month backorder. So I cancelled the order and got lucky on eBay. I snagged this puppy for $750, brand new, with a hardshell case, and I didn't have to wait 4 months to get it! Right out of the case the thing is just beautiful! It is a trans-black dealio with the wood grain popping through, in certain light it looks almost a dark purple. Down to business... People told me not to get a Floyd, some said tuning stability is shit, some said I would want to slit my wrists during a string change... Neither is true. It took some work to get it set up to my liking, low but buzz free action, Drop-C tuning with my choice of 11 gauge DR Tight Fit Strings. I also put in a 4th spring to really keep the Floyd in place while riffing. Changing Strings? A total breeze. I choose to block my Floyd and remove all strings, clean up the frets and bridge nicely, re-string, stretch, tune, stretch, tune, and finally lock down the nut and fine-tune. I have had NO PROBLEMS with this Floyd at all, after hours of diving and pulling, still in tune. The neck? It's just sick really... It's not an Ibanez, so if you're looking for a super thin lightweight feel, get an RG Prestige. It's not a Les Paul neck either, it's simular to some Jackson's I have played but has a more solid feel to it. The heel of the neck, or the lack-there-of is just that, non existent. Finally, I can hit the high frets and sweep without curling my hand under the neck. The body is very comfy, of course I jack my guitar up all goofy, so you be the judge. Over all it is a beefy, solid playing guitar. The tone is great! It will sound like shit through your solid state crate, but through my rig it is bliss. Super thick and crunchy with alot of warmth on the bridge pup, and when you slap it up to the neck pup for leads it's like heaven. Super "bubbly" or "glassy" with high gain, with a cool bluesy tone with the volume knob turned a little down. The pinch harmonics that come out of this thing is redick! And of course, the "dimebag" squeals are a breeze. The clean tone is fairly bright with alot of punch, of course I have a 5150 so what do I know about clean tone, right? All in all this is one bad mother... Highly recommended to anyone looking for a sick "metal" guitar for a good price. In my opinion it beats the shit out of the lower end standard ESP models. It's got all the bells and whistles right from the get-go. I've just realized I'm terrible at product reviews but I hope I have shed a little light on this underrated bad-assed gee-tar.
i have 2 of the EC-1000 deluxes and they both kick ass. i pulled the EMGs out of the black one and am having some custom wound humbuckers made for me, but the other one with the duncan JB 59 set will be fine for now.
i must say that ESP got it right with those guitars. fan for life.
www.myspace.com/gordabega
Agreed, just finished recording with my ESP F-204.