ESP Guitars announces 43 new LTD and LTD Deluxe guitar models to kick off the new year.
A new Camo finish has been made available for the LTD and ESP James Hetfield Snakebyte. The Snakebyte features set-neck construction at 24.75" scale, 22 extra-jumbo frets, a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece, and James' own EMG JH SET active pickups.
The LTD Arrow Series has expanded with four new additions. The LTD Deluxe Arrow-1000 offers a quilted maple top in a Charcoal Burst Satin finish. It features neck-thru-body construction, a reverse headstock with matching finish, Macassar ebony fingerboard with stainless steel frets, a set of direct mount Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker active pickups, and a Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge with stainless steel screws. The LTD Deluxe Arrow-1000NT (Charcoal Metallic Satin) offers a recessed TonePros TOM bridge with string-thru-body, neck-thru-body construction, stainless steel frets, and direct mount Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker active pickups. The LTD Deluxe Arrow-1000 EverTune includes the innovative EverTune constant tension bridge system, and comes in Black. All Arrow 1000 models have compound radius fingerboards. The LTD Arrow-200 (Military Green Satin) offers a more affordable version of the Arrow Series with a set-neck design, an LTD Floyd Rose tremolo, and a set of high output ESP LH-301 pickups with black covers.
Seven new guitars have joined ESP’s popular LTD EC Series. The LTD Deluxe EC-1000 Baritone comes in a 27” baritone scale, with a Charcoal Metallic Satin finish and black single-ply binding. Features include 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, glow-in-the-dark Luminlay side dots, a TonePros locking TOM bridge with string-thru-body, and a set of direct-mount Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker active pickups with black nickel covers. The new LTD Deluxe EC-1000 in See Thru Purple Sunburst offers 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a set of EMG 60TW-R (neck) and EMG 81 (bridge) pickups. The LTD Deluxe EC-1000T CTM EverTune has a traditional full-thickness body, custom multi-ply binding on the guitar’s front and back, and the EverTune constant tension bridge system. It also features Fishman Fluence Classic Humbucker pickups and 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets.
The new LTD Deluxe EC-1000T CTM in Violet Shadow has a gorgeous flamed maple top, traditional thickness body and multi-ply binding. This guitar includes a set of direct-mount Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker pickups with multiple voicings, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a TonePro locking TOM bridge and tailpiece. The LTD Deluxe EC-1000T CTM in Charcoal Burst combines an elegant quilted maple top and a traditional full-thickness mahogany body (with no waist cut). It features a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece, matching headstock finish, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a set of direct-mount Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker pickups. Another new EC Series guitar is the LTD Deluxe EC-1000T CTM Vintage Gold Satin, which features a traditional full-thickness mahogany body, multi-ply binding, a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a set of direct-mount Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker pickups with multiple voicings. Finally, a more affordable version of the EC Series has been announced with the LTD EC-201, which offers set-neck construction, 24 extra-jumbo frets, and a single ESP LH-150B pickup with antique nickel cover, which can be split for single-coil sounds with a push-pull volume knob.
ESP’s EX Series has two new models for 2022. The LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal is a seven-string guitar at 27” baritone scale. It offers the Black Metal design theme of all-black finish, components, and hardware, and a Macassar ebony fingerboard with no inlays and glow-in-the-dark side markers. It features a set-thru maple neck, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a TonePros locking bridge and tailpiece, and a single direct-mount EMG 81-7H pickup with black logo. The LTD EX-201 is an affordable way to get into the extreme EX shape, and offers a reverse matching headstock and a single direct-mount ESP LH-150B pickup with antique nickel cover, which can be split for single-coil sounds with a push pull volume knob. A high output pickup, the LH-150B is great for rock and metal, and has an antique nickel cover. ESP also made an addition to their F Series with the LTD Deluxe F-1001, which comes in the multihued, iridescent Violet Andromeda Satin finish. It features set-thru construction, an extra-thin maple neck that has a compound radius for maximum speed and comfort, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge with stainless steel screws, and a single direct-mount EMG 81TW active pickup with a brushed black chrome cover.
ESP has added new finishes for its popular ’87 Series guitars. The LTD M-1 Custom ’87 offers neck-thru body construction, a top-mounted Floyd Rose 1000 bridge, a single Seymour Duncan Distortion TB-6 pickup with a push-pull control for coil splitting, and an EMG PA-2 boost switch for when you need that extra push of raw power. For 2022, it is being made available in Dark Metallic Purple and Metallic Gold finishes. The LTD Mirage Deluxe ’87 features a Floyd Rose 1000 bridge and a pickup set that includes a Seymour Duncan Distortion TB-6 in the bridge and Hot Rail single coil in the neck. Its new finishes for 2022 include Snow White and Metallic Gold.
Available in Black Satin finish, the LTD Deluxe MH-1000 Baritone offers the extended range of a 27” baritone scale. It features neck-thru-body construction, a compound neck radius, 24 extra jumbo stainless steel frets, a TonePros locking TOM bridge with string-thru-body, and direct-mount EMG 81 and EMG 60TW-R pickups with brushed black chrome covers. The LTD Deluxe MH-1000 comes in the beautiful new Black Ocean finish on its quilted maple top, and includes 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge with stainless steel screws, and a set of direct-mount Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers with brushed stainless steel covers.
Three new models are being added to the Phoenix Series. The LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal is an extended-range version of the Phoenix with seven strings and 27” baritone scale. It features neck-thru body construction, a Fishman Modern 7-String Humbucker pickup, and 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a TonePros locking TOM bridge with string-thru-body. The LTD Deluxe Phoenix-1000 EverTune is the first Phoenix model to offer the EverTune constant tension bridge. Finished in Silver Sunburst Satin, it features neck-thru-body construction, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a set of Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers with black nickel covers. The LTD Deluxe Phoenix-1000 has a quilted maple top in a See Thru Black Sunburst finish. Features include neck-thru-body construction, a reversed headstock with matching finish, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece, and a set of Seymour Duncan Phat Cat (neck) and Custom (bridge) pickups.
The SN Series is expanding with four new models. The LTD Deluxe SN-1000 EverTune is the first SN Series guitar to include the innovative EverTune constant tension bridge. Available in Charcoal Metallic Satin finish, it comes in an H/S/S pickup configuration with two Seymour Duncan Hot Strat single coils in the neck and middle positions, and a high-output Pegasus in the bridge. Other features include a roasted maple neck with compound radius, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets (scalloped from frets 17-24), a matching-finish headstock, and a special mini toggle switch (same as found on the ESP Snapper models) provides even more tonal options. The LTD Deluxe SN-1007 Baritone HT is the first SN Series model with the extended range of seven strings and a 27” baritone scale. Offered in the textured Black Blast finish, it has a roasted maple neck with a compound radius, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets (scalloped from frets 17-24), a black bone nut, a Hipshot hardtail bridge with string thru body, and a set of Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers.
The LTD Deluxe SN-1000HT Fire Blast has a textured, sandblasted Fire Blast finish over a swamp ash body, a roasted maple neck with a compound radius, 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a black bone nut, a Hipshot hardtail bridge with string thru body, and a set of Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers. The LTD Deluxe SN-1000FR (Snow White finish) includes a double-locking Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge with stainless steel screws, a roasted maple neck with a compound radius, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets (scalloped from frets 17-24), a matching-finish headstock, and an H/S/S pickup configuration with two Fishman Fluence Single Width pickups in the neck and middle positions and a Fishman Fluence Classic Humbucker in the bridge.
Three new models are also joining the TE Series. The LTD Deluxe TE-1000 Snow White offers set-thru construction, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a Hipshot hardtail bridge with string thru body, and a set of Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers. Two new lower-priced TE models join the series with the LTD TE-200 (Black finish, LTD fixed bridge with string-thru-body and a set of ESP LH-150 pickups) and the LTD TE-201 (Black Satin finish, LTD fixed bridge with string-thru-body, and a single ESP LH-150B pickup with antique nickel cover).
A new finish comes to the LTD TL-6. Now in Purple Sparkle Burst, the TL-6 is a chambered transducer electric guitar with a Graphtech NuBone-XB nut and saddle, a Fishman SONICORE pickup, and TL-3 preamp with onboard tuner.
Finally, three new guitars have been added to the Viper Series. The LTD Deluxe Viper-1000 Baritone is a 27” baritone scale guitar with 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece, and a set of EMG 60TW-R (neck) and EMG 81 (bridge) pickups. The LTD Deluxe Viper-1000 EverTune includes the innovative EverTune constant tension bridge, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, and a set of EMG 60TW-R (neck) and EMG 81 (bridge) pickups. The LTD Deluxe Viper-1000M offers a mahogany body in See Thru Black Cherry finish, 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets, a TonePros locking TOM bridge with string-thru-body, and a set of direct-mount Fishman Open Core Humbucker pickups.
Detailed information and specifications for all “New for 2022” ESP and LTD guitar models is available at the ESP web site at espguitars.com
- ESP LTD Vintage-204 Bass Review - Premier Guitar ›
- ESP LTD AP-204 Review - Premier Guitar ›
- ESP James Hetfield Snakebyte Electric Guitar Review - Premier Guitar ›
Day 4 of Stompboxtober brings a chance to win a pedal from TWA: The Chemical-Z! Don’t miss out—enter now and return tomorrow for more!
TWA CHEMICAL-Z
Roy Z signature overdrive pedal designed by TubeScreamer creator Susumu Tamura. Inspired by Maxon OD808, OD808X, and APEX808 circuits, Chemical-Z features the "Magic" IC used in APEX808 for less compression & more even frequency response than a standard 808. Increased output level. Two footswitch-selectable clipping modes - normal & hot.
Many listeners and musicians can tell if a bass player is really a guitarist in disguise. Here’s how you can brush up on your bass chops.
Was bass your first instrument, or did you start out on guitar? Some of the world’s best bass players started off as guitar players, sometimes by chance. When Stuart Sutcliffe—originally a guitarist himself—left the Beatles in 1961, bass duties fell to rhythm guitarist Paul McCartney, who fully adopted the role and soon became one of the undeniable bass greats.
Since there are so many more guitarists than bassists—think of it as a supply and demand issue—odds are that if you’re a guitarist, you’ve at least dabbled in bass or have picked up the instrument to fill in or facilitate a home recording.
But there’s a difference between a guitarist who plays bass and one who becomes a bass player. Part of what’s different is how you approach the music, but part of it is attitude.
Many listeners and musicians can tell if a bass player is really a guitarist in disguise. They simply play differently than someone who spends most of their musical time embodying the low end. But if you’re really trying to put down some bass, you don’t want to sound like a bass tourist. Real bassists think differently about the rhythm, the groove, and the harmony happening in each moment.
And who knows … if you, as a guitarist, thoroughly adopt the bassist mindset, you might just find your true calling on the mightiest of instruments. Now, I’m not exactly recruiting, but if you have the interest, the aptitude, and—perhaps most of all—the necessity, here are some ways you can be less like a guitarist who plays bass, and more like a bona fide bass player.
Start by playing fewer notes. Yes, everybody can see that you’ve practiced your scales. But at least until you get locked in rhythmically, use your ears more than your fingers and get a sense of how your bass parts mesh with the other musical elements. You are the glue that holds everything together. Recognize that you’re at the intersection of rhythm and harmony, and you’ll realize foundation beats flash every time.“If Larry Graham, one of the baddest bassists there has ever been, could stick to the same note throughout Sly & the Family Stone’s ‘Everyday People,’ then you too can deliver a repetitive figure when it’s called for.”
Focus on that kick drum. Make sure you’re locked in with the drummer. That doesn’t mean you have to play a note with every kick, but there should be some synchronicity. You and the drummer should be working together to create the rhythmic drive. Laying down a solid bass line is no time for expressive rubato phrasing. Lock it up—and have fun with it.
Don’t sleep on the snare. What does it feel like to leave a perfect hole for the snare drum’s hits on two and four? What if you just leave space for half of them? Try locking the ends of your notes to the snare’s backbeat. This is just one of the ways to create a rhythmic feel together with the drummer, so you produce a pocket that everyone else can groove to.
Relish your newfound harmonic power. Move that major chord root down a third, and now you have a minor 7 chord. Play the fifth under a IV chord and you have a IV/V (“four over five,” which fancy folks sometimes call an 11 chord). The point is to realize that the bottom note defines the harmony. Sting put it like this: “It’s not a C chord until I play a C. You can change harmony very subtly but very effectively as a bass player. That’s one of the great privileges of our role and why I love playing bass. I enjoy the sound of it, I enjoy its harmonic power, and it’s a sort of subtle heroism.”
Embrace the ostinato. If the song calls for playing the same motif over and over, don’t think of it as boring. Think of it as hypnotic, tension-building, relentless, and an exercise in restraint. Countless James Brown songs bear this out, but my current favorite example is the bass line on the Pointer Sisters’ swampy cover of Allen Toussaint “Yes We Can Can,” which was played by Richard Greene of the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils, aka Dexter C. Plates. Think about it: If Larry Graham, one of the baddest bassists there has ever been, could stick to the same note throughout Sly & the Family Stone’s “Everyday People,” then you too can deliver a repetitive figure when it’s called for.
Be supportive. Though you may stretch out from time to time, your main job is to support the song and your fellow musicians. Consider how you can make your bandmates sound better using your phrasing, your dynamics, and note choices. For example, you could gradually raise the energy during guitar solos. Keep that supportive mindset when you’re offstage, too. Some guitarists have an attitude of competitiveness and even scrutiny when checking out other players, but bassists tend to offer mutual support and encouragement. Share those good vibes with enthusiasm.
And finally, give and take criticism with ease. This one’s for all musicians: Humility and a sense of helpfulness can go a long way. Ideally, everyone should be working toward the common goal of what’s good for the song. As the bass player, you might find yourself leading the way.Fuchs Audio introduces the ODH Hybrid amp, featuring a True High Voltage all-tube preamp and Ice Power module for high-powered tones in a compact size. With D-Style overdrive, Spin reverb, and versatile controls, the ODH offers exceptional tone shaping and flexibility at an affordable price point.
Fuchs Audio has introduced their latest amp the ODH © Hybrid. Assembled in USA.
Featuring an ODS-style all-tube preamp, operating at True High Voltage into a fan-cooled Ice power module, the ODH brings high-powered clean and overdrive tones to an extremely compact size and a truly affordable price point.
Like the Fuchs ODS amps, the ODH clean preamp features 3-position brite switch, amid-boost switch, an EQ switch, high, mid and low controls. The clean preamp drives theoverdrive section in D-Style fashion. The OD channel has an input gain and outputmaster with an overdrive tone control. This ensures perfect tuning of both the clean andoverdrive channels. A unique tube limiter circuit controls the Ice Power module input.Any signal clipping is (intentionally) non-linear so it responds just like a real tube amp.
The ODH includes a two-way footswitch for channels and gain boost. A 30-second mute timer ensures the tubes are warmed up before the power amp goes live. The ODH features our lush and warm Spin reverb. A subsonic filter eliminates out-of-band low frequencies which would normally waste amplifier power, which assures tons of clean headroom. The amp also features Accent and Depth controls, allowing contouring of the high and low response of the power amp section, to match speakers, cabinets andenvironments. The ODH features a front panel fully buffered series effects loop and aline out jack, allowing for home recording or feeding a slave amp. A three-position muteswitch mutes the amp, the line out or mute neither.
Built on the same solid steel chassis platform as the Fuchs FB series bass amps, the amps feature a steel chassis and aluminum front and rear panels, Alpha potentiometers, ceramic tube sockets, high-grade circuit boards and Neutrik jacks. The ICE power amp is 150 watts into 8 ohms and 300 watts into 4 ohms, and nearly 500 watts into 2.65 ohms (4 and8 ohms in parallel) and operates on universal AC voltage, so it’s fully globallycompatible. The chassis is fan-cooled to ensure hours of cool operation under any circumstances. The all-tube preamp uses dual-selected 12AX7 tubes and a 6AL5 limiter tube.
MAP: $ 1,299
For more information, please visit fuchsaudiotechnology.com.
Jackson Guitars announces its first female signature artist model, the Pro Series Signature Diamond Rowe guitar.
“I‘m so excited about this new venture with the Jackson family. This is a historic collaboration - as I am the first female in the history of Jackson with a signature guitar and the first female African American signature Jackson artist. I feel so honored to have now joined such an elite group of players that are a part of this club. Many who have inspired me along this journey to get here. It’s truly humbling.” says Diamond.
Diamond Rowe is the co-founder and lead guitarist for the metal/hard rock band Tetrarch. Since co-founding the band in high school, Tetrarch has become one of the most talked about up-and-coming bands in the world - with several press outlets such as Metal Hammer, Kerrang, Revolver, Guitar World and many others boldly naming Diamond Rowe the world’s next guitar hero. Tetrarch has connected with many fans while performing on some of the world's biggest stages garnering spots alongside several of the heavy music world’s biggest names such as Guns N’ Roses, Slipknot, Lamb of God, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Sevendust, Rob Zombie, Trivium, and many many others. The Jackson Pro Series Signature Diamond Rowe DR12MG EVTN6 is based on Jackson’s single-cut Monarkh platform and is a premium guitar designed for progressive metal players seeking precision and accuracy.
Crafted in partnership with Diamond, this model boasts a 25.5 “ scale, Monarkh-styled nyatoh body draped with a gorgeous poplar burl top, three-piece nyatoh set-neck with graphite reinforcement, and 12˝ radius bound ebony fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets. The black chrome-covered active EMG® 81/85 humbucking bridge and neck pickups, three-way toggle switch, single volume control, and tone control provide a range of tonal options. The Evertune® bridge ensures excellent tuning stability, while the Dark Rose finish with a new custom 3+3 color-matched Jackson headstock and black hardware looks simply stunning.
To showcase the Pro Plus Signature Diamond Rowe DR12MG EVTN6, Diamond shares her journey as a guitarist, delving into the inspiration behind her unique design specifications and the influential artists who shaped her sound within a captivating demo video. This video prominently features powerful performances of Tetrarch’s latest release, “Live Not Fantasize,” and “I’m Not Right” showcasing the DR12MG EVTN6’s unparalleled tonal versatility and performance capabilities.
MSRP $1699.99
For more information, please visit jacksonguitars.com.