ESP Guitars has unleashed a surprise mid-year batch of new guitar models. These include six new guitars in the completely updated LTD Black Metal Series, as well as two new value-priced seven-string guitars and a new Signature Series model.
“The new Black Metal Series delivers everything that extreme metal guitarists have been asking of us over the years,” says Tony Rauser, Director of Marketing and Artist Relations for the ESP Guitar Company. “They offer more aggressive shapes, streamlined control layout, and a variety of tones from a single pickup design.”
The six completely updated LTD Black Metal Series guitars include the Arrow Black Metal, the EXL-7 Baritone Black Metal, the EXL Black Metal, the M-7 Baritone Black Metal, the M-6 EverTune 30 Black Metal, and the Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal. All of these newly-released guitars come in Black Red Burst Satin finish with black hardware, and feature matching red LTD metal headstock logos.
The LTD Arrow Black Metal offers neck-thru-body construction at 25.5” scale with a three-piece extra-thin u-shaped maple neck, mahogany body wings,Macassar ebony fingerboard, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, precise Grover tuners, a Floyd Rose 1000 double-locking tremolo bridge, and a Seymour Duncan MortalCoil 3-Voice active bridge pickup with a 3-way toggle to select voices.
The LTD EXL Black Metal and EXL-7 Baritone Black Metal make use of ESP’s EX body shape with slightly larger dimensions. They offer set thru construction, mahogany body, thin u-shaped three-piece maple neck, Macassar ebony fingerboard, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a TonePros locking TOM-style bridge and tailpiece. The EXL Black Metal is offered in 24.75” scale and features a Seymour Duncan MortalCoil 3-Voice active bridge pickup with selectable voices. The EXL-7 Baritone Black Metal is a 7-string, 27” scale guitar that features a Seymour Duncan MortalCoil 7 String 3-Voice active bridge pickup with a 3-way toggle to select voices.
Two new M Series models are also part of the new Black Metal Series. Perhaps the most extreme guitar in the collection is the LTD M-6 EverTune 30 Black Metal, a six-string guitar with a 30” scale that’s tuned a full octave down from standard tuning. This guitar includes the innovative EverTune constant tension bridge system, and features bolt-on construction, a mahogany body with maple cap, an extra-thin u-shaped three-piece maple neck, Macassar ebony fingerboard, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a Seymour Duncan MortalCoil 3-Voice active bridge pickup with a 3-way toggle to select voices.
The LTD M-7 Baritone Black Metal is built with neck-thru-body construction at 27” baritone scale, with a comfortable alder body paired to a fast extra-thin u-shaped three-piece maple neck. Features include a Macassar ebony fingerboard, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a Hipshot hardtail bridge with string-thru-body design, and a Seymour Duncan MortalCoil 7 String 3-Voice active bridge pickup with a 3-way toggle to select voices.
Another seven-string baritone in the updated series is the LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal, with with neck-thru-body construction at 27” scale, a thin u-shaped three-piece mahogany neck, mahogany body wings with a maple cap, Macassar ebony fingerboard, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a TonePros locking TOM-style bridge with string-thru-body design, and a Seymour Duncan MortalCoil 7 String 3-Voice active bridge pickup with a 3-way toggle to select voices.
ESP has also announced two new guitars in its value-packed 200DX Range. The LTD M-207DX Baritone is being offered in Crimson Satin and See Thru Black Satin finishes. These seven-string baritone guitars have bolt-on construction at 27” scale, a poplar body with flamed maple top, an extra-thin u-shaped roasted maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, and 24 extra-jumbo frets. Components include LTD tuners, a TOM-style bridge with string-thru-body, and a set of ESP’s LH-150 humbucking pickups with matching black chrome covers, with single-coil tones offered by a push-pull switch on the tone knob.
Finally, the company announced a new version of their Signature Series guitar for Ben Burnley, founder of the rock/alt-metal band Breaking Benjamin. The LTD BB-200 Baritone is a more affordable version of this popular signature guitar, and is offered in See-Thru Black Sunburst Satin finish. It includes set-neck construction at 27” scale, a mahogany body with quilted maple top, and a three-piece maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, red dot inlays, and 24 extra-jumbo frets. Components include black nickel hardware, LTD tuners, a TOM-style bridge and tailpiece, and a set of ESP’s LH-150 humbucking pickups with red covers that can be split for single-coil tones.
Street prices for each of the new models are:
LTD Arrow Black Metal - $1,299
LTD EXL-7B Black Metal - $1,299
LTD EXL Black Metal - $1,199
LTD M-7 Baritone Black Metal - $1,299
LTD M-6 EverTune 30 Black Metal - $1,399
LTD PHX-7 Baritone Black Metal - $1,299
LTD M-207B DX Crimson Satin - $499
LTD M-207B DX See-Thru Black Satin - $499
LTD BB-200 Baritone - $799
More information visit www.espguitars.com.
