@@Gfy7365 I’ve owned a number of prestiges, man. They’re killer guitars but honestly the moment I got an ESP standard in a trade I preferred it in every way to my prestiges. I find they have better quality and I guess the feel is more my preference
I got the neck thru black 2 weeks ago and its a badass guitar... best I've ever had and I'm 60 haha. Very happy I made this purchase... when I unboxed it...I teared up... & the floyd is to fun lol ... enjoy it man
Got myself a used EC EII BB. It is tremendous! The neck is straight as an arrow. Strong and stiff so it holds tune amazingly well. I changed the strings the other day and haven’t had to retune yet which is crazy. The Thin U neck shape is very comfortable. It’s slightly thinner than a Gibson LP 60’s model. Point is it’s not an ultra thin hardly there to hold on to thin D shape neck. I hate super thin necks. Looks beautiful. Basically a flawless instrument. It’s got the EMG 81 65 (I believe…). They sound great. I will probably swap to the 57 60 set because those are my favorite actives. The fret work is crazy good. As good or better than my Suhr Modern which is just nuts. If you’ve got the coin this is one of the most impressive guitars I’ve ever played.
You said it best when you said you don't need to do anything to it. My Horizon FRII is the only guitar I own that I haven't upgraded anything on. It just comes perfect, and stays perfect, too. Had mine for almost 20 years and the finish is like the day I got it. ESP are very elaborate with their coatings, it's a thick coating and just very strong. Great instruments. I have the old block logo which is a bonus, and made in Japan.
I got ESP LTD M-1000 deluxe see-thru black from Korea 2010 and Im pleasently surprised the specs are almost identical. The difference is set-thru neck design, and grover - not gotoh tuners. Yes it does have the original FR and 81s set. I absolutely adore this guitar and the design. Added abalone markers on fretboard is such an nice, distinctive look. If you want this kind of guitar as the E-II in the video but budget is tight, i highly recommend ltd korean built option (before they moved to indonesia).
Owned several LTD through the years. Picked up an e-ii a month ago. Haven’t touched anything else since. It’s such a night and day difference between the two.
I just pre-ordered a horizon -iii FR, I played a non FR one 2 years ago in a sam ash and regretted later not just buying it on spot because the neck was so awesome for me (i have small hands) it just felt so amazing. I've never felt that on a guitar before.. ANY. These Japanese guitars are so well made. I've tried LTDs in store, but it wasn't *quite* as good as the Japanese version. I think if someone wants to save $$$ they could prob find a used older Japanese model.
The necks on ESPs are a bit narrower than those one Jackson and Ibanez for example which is why it suits better for smaller hands such as mine. I own some of the three and the ESPs are definitely my favourite.
That guitar is absolutely amazing! even if you wanted to swap out the pick ups for some passives.. im sure you'll sound amazing because of the wood quality. Outstanding guitar!. What i like of this esp is that comes with the original Floyd which ltds dont. Though owning two ltds f.rose special isn't having me a problem at all, in fact the only updgrade i did was changing the saddles. Awesome guitars!
The biggest problem with all ESP's for me is the volume knob is to close to the PU, yet all LTDs have it lower and further back.... At this point everyone knows E-II is ESP so it doesnt bug me anymore. Ive got the Urban Camo E-II M-II and ive got a 2007 ESP KH2, if i had to keep only one id be keeping the E-ii as it has a bit clearer tone and i actually like the thicker neck on it. mine has 4 springs on the floyd and it could win a flutter contest witch is counter to what should be.
This guitar is pretty awesome. I was having a really hard time deciding between this guitar and the tiger eye horizon. Very hard decision. I wish I had them both because this guitar is excellent.
I have the M1. I have put some thick strings on it to try to play in c standard. The playability is amazing the neck is a dream. I just need to file the saddle and nut for the thick string at a guitar builder. Can‘t wait to play it again
Excellent review Oli, I'm in a quandary on another guitar to buy. I bought a Jackson Soloist SL1 in 1991 for $1200 and like a fool I sold it when I needed money. Well, to replace that SL1 today I have to pay the Jackson Custom shop a bit over $5000, a lot of money. I've seen a couple other Jackson guitars which rival this ESP guitar and was hoping I could get your advice. I'm trying to decide whether to buy this ESP model you're reviewing or the Jackson MJ Series Soloist SL2 or the Jackson American Series Soloist SL3, you probably hate questions like this but can you tell me of the three you think is the better value? I am leaning toward the ESP 2. Help? Thanks for the video, new subscriber, great job and fun to watch.
@@OliRoyer Just got my new ESP E-II M-II neck thru black 2 weeks ago and its absolutley amazing... the EMG81's are super hot. Gr8 guitar from what I've seen so far. Hope to figure out how to use the plugins...hmm where should i start? Thanks for the vid Oli the original floyd rose is very cool.... I was not going to buy a guitar with out 1. Fine choice man
How about "MIJ" on the back, or "MIJ CUSTOM SHOP"? They could have differentiated on the back of the headstock. Or maybe, just maybe, different letter in front of the serial numbers...
I own the exact same model, AMAZING GUITAR. I have a question though. How would you compare this neck to the jackson SL2h USA, wich one is thicker/beefier? best regards
Great review and playing. I've got the LTD MH1000NT from a few years ago which I thought was neck through due to the 'NT' in the name. Bit misleading, but hey it still sustains for days.
Well, I just bought two used ESP Horizon NTs (one with the old block logo, one was a Japanese E-II import, the Amethyst Sparkle), and I paid less than my friend who got a new Eclipse LTD. So that’s the way to go if you ask me :)
Great video! Thanks for sharing! Do you happen to know the weight of this guitar? I have 2 ESP LTDs, and they are right around 9.5lbs (4.3kg), which I prefer... anything less than 4kg feels like a toy to me.
Awesome video mate. Greetings from Brissy. I'm unfortunately one of those people that can't get past having E-II on the headstock. Pre-loved Esp or a Jackson for my next guitar I think. My guitar hero's have those brands so that's what I aspire to. Not E-II with not heritage. I know it's only a name and the quality still carries on, but it just doesn't feel the same. Thanks for your review! Still a shit hot guitar and maybe if I play one I'll change my mind
Fyi, E-II has figured maple veneer. ESP only uses a figured maple top for ESP branded guitar. I hope someday they will put a thin but real figured maple top since E-II is getting more and more expensive. If other brand with similar price can use it, I don't see why ESP can't. My only complaint with E-II is what you say in the video. ESP on 12th fret. It is useless because audience can't see it and we, as the owner, has already knew E-II is made by ESP. I don't understand why they still put it there since no other ESP lineup has that. Luckily, my E-II M-II CTM doesn't have that. But I have to accept it when buying other E-II. Well...I can look past that when the guitar has good build quality.
I currently have an E-II eclipse on order but was thinking of changing it to this guitar because I want a floyd. Quick question, did you leave 9 guage strings on it or switch to something else? I usually play 10-46 but sometimes on longer scale guitars the tension can feel quite high and unpleasant ( like my tele for example). I was just wondering what the tension would feel like on the M-II with 10’s.
@@OliRoyer Thanks for the reply, yeah I’m not a big fan of 9-42 either but for some reason 10’s on my tele are brutal??? 10’s to me are a bit warmer sounding and bends are more smooth and controlled. I’m really leaning towards the M-II, I think 10’s will be fine, I can always experiment if need be but it’s reassuring knowing you are ok with them. Thanks for your help.
I bought this guitar last week and it arrived on Thursday. Really easy to play and it came with a satin neck instead of the one you showed in the video. - really really fast and great to play. Sadly it also has a lot of minor issues on the binding at the headstock, between 15/17 fret and at the end. I mean it’s all just optical but I’m shocked that a 2399€ guitar looks same as a Ltd. Sure it got best features and plays amazing, still im disappointed in esp. Does your E-II Have some minor issues or is it flawless? Anyway I’m right now talking to customer support if they can re arrange the price and give me some discount, otherwise I might send it back. :(
I'm one of those guys that wants the ESP logo on the head stock still...lol. I have an LTD deluxe M1001 that looks exactly like that one except mine has check mark inlays and it has a tone knob. I'm willing to pay more money but I want the esp logo. There's a cool horizon from 1998 on reverb with the ESP logo for 1600 plus close to $200 for shipping. If he'd accept $1500 for everything I might have to get it. They had a cool EXP ESP Japan model for around the same price. I have a 50 watt EVH 6l6 with matching EVH cab. I just use the red channel as the boost.
My conclusion - get the LTD 1000/600 and learn how to do proper service if you want great guitar, but watch out for lemons (not sure about new Indonesian facility). Get the E-II if you want perfect finish and "top" components, I newer saw lemon E-II thought. Get the ESP to get pristine guitar. Note: you can rock as hard on the LTD as you can rock on ESP and while you can actually feel some and certanly see the difference - unless you're nitpicky - you won't feel the need for E-II or ESP. Crowd you gather don't give a damn about it for sure (maybe some guitar snobs). I was playing custom Mayones once, guitar worth five times more that mine axe at the time, it was something like that. It was flawless, but nothing more. I don't need perfect binding, perfect top, perfect setup, perfectly sanded routings with no CNC feel and no factory dust present or some badass logo. I need guitar that is great hardware wise, tune correctly, feels great and sounds huge after one day of proper DIY setup - that's the LTD.
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I own an old ESP and while I am saving up for an E-II, I can't deny I super miss the original ESP logo on all MIJ models hahaha. Just hits different.
I also own one of those old ESPs... I think that this "E-II" thing in the headstock is the worst marketing decision ever.
@@imanolrio agreed! Stupid name really.
Get an Ibanez prestige for same price. At least the name is on the headstock unlike the esp e-ii bullshit
@@Gfy7365 I’ve owned a number of prestiges, man. They’re killer guitars but honestly the moment I got an ESP standard in a trade I preferred it in every way to my prestiges. I find they have better quality and I guess the feel is more my preference
@@TobyKBTY yeah I gave an older esp mii which is really well made I just don’t like they can’t put their original name on the headstock anymore
I just purchased one of these beauties after watching this review. Can’t wait to get it
I got the neck thru black 2 weeks ago and its a badass guitar... best I've ever had and I'm 60 haha. Very happy I made this purchase... when I unboxed it...I teared up... & the floyd is to fun lol ... enjoy it man
Got myself a used EC EII BB. It is tremendous! The neck is straight as an arrow. Strong and stiff so it holds tune amazingly well. I changed the strings the other day and haven’t had to retune yet which is crazy. The Thin U neck shape is very comfortable. It’s slightly thinner than a Gibson LP 60’s model. Point is it’s not an ultra thin hardly there to hold on to thin D shape neck. I hate super thin necks. Looks beautiful. Basically a flawless instrument. It’s got the EMG 81 65 (I believe…). They sound great. I will probably swap to the 57 60 set because those are my favorite actives. The fret work is crazy good. As good or better than my Suhr Modern which is just nuts. If you’ve got the coin this is one of the most impressive guitars I’ve ever played.
Sounds fantastic so want one may I ask how much it costs?
You said it best when you said you don't need to do anything to it. My Horizon FRII is the only guitar I own that I haven't upgraded anything on. It just comes perfect, and stays perfect, too. Had mine for almost 20 years and the finish is like the day I got it. ESP are very elaborate with their coatings, it's a thick coating and just very strong. Great instruments. I have the old block logo which is a bonus, and made in Japan.
Love that metal guys play through an EVH amp. Awesome playing, my brother.
I got ESP LTD M-1000 deluxe see-thru black from Korea 2010 and Im pleasently surprised the specs are almost identical. The difference is set-thru neck design, and grover - not gotoh tuners. Yes it does have the original FR and 81s set. I absolutely adore this guitar and the design. Added abalone markers on fretboard is such an nice, distinctive look.
If you want this kind of guitar as the E-II in the video but budget is tight, i highly recommend ltd korean built option (before they moved to indonesia).
The flamed maple top finish looks cool and evil at the same time for me, which I personally like the most.
Owned several LTD through the years. Picked up an e-ii a month ago. Haven’t touched anything else since. It’s such a night and day difference between the two.
Exactly the video I was looking for. Big thanks maynee.
Love EMG'S! 81/85 is my go to. Very consistent and I know what I'm getting.
I'm also ran two 81's. The 60 in the neck is also nice.
🤘🤘🤘🤘
Brilliant review! Definitely gonna share it !!
I just pre-ordered a horizon -iii FR, I played a non FR one 2 years ago in a sam ash and regretted later not just buying it on spot because the neck was so awesome for me (i have small hands) it just felt so amazing. I've never felt that on a guitar before.. ANY. These Japanese guitars are so well made. I've tried LTDs in store, but it wasn't *quite* as good as the Japanese version. I think if someone wants to save $$$ they could prob find a used older Japanese model.
The necks on ESPs are a bit narrower than those one Jackson and Ibanez for example which is why it suits better for smaller hands such as mine. I own some of the three and the ESPs are definitely my favourite.
11:19 Maybe things have changed in two years, but the M1000s are listed as neck-through on ESP's website.
my old esp eclipse is the one that got away man that thing was smooth and you could feel every note it was so lively
Got my beauty today and it’s awesome and thanks again for the review.
That guitar is absolutely amazing! even if you wanted to swap out the pick ups for some passives.. im sure you'll sound amazing because of the wood quality. Outstanding guitar!. What i like of this esp is that comes with the original Floyd which ltds dont. Though owning two ltds f.rose special isn't having me a problem at all, in fact the only updgrade i did was changing the saddles. Awesome guitars!
The biggest problem with all ESP's for me is the volume knob is to close to the PU, yet all LTDs have it lower and further back....
At this point everyone knows E-II is ESP so it doesnt bug me anymore. Ive got the Urban Camo E-II M-II and ive got a 2007 ESP KH2, if i had to keep only one id be keeping the E-ii as it has a bit clearer tone and i actually like the thicker neck on it. mine has 4 springs on the floyd and it could win a flutter contest witch is counter to what should be.
This guitar is pretty awesome. I was having a really hard time deciding between this guitar and the tiger eye horizon. Very hard decision. I wish I had them both because this guitar is excellent.
what happened to the classic ESP logo on the headstock??
Great video subbed. I have a few Jacksons and am thinking of an ESP. Can't bring myself to get an LTD even though many people love them.
Great video. Love it. Very in depth.
I have the M1. I have put some thick strings on it to try to play in c standard. The playability is amazing the neck is a dream. I just need to file the saddle and nut for the thick string at a guitar builder. Can‘t wait to play it again
Excellent review Oli, I'm in a quandary on another guitar to buy. I bought a Jackson Soloist SL1 in 1991 for $1200 and like a fool I sold it when I needed money. Well, to replace that SL1 today I have to pay the Jackson Custom shop a bit over $5000, a lot of money. I've seen a couple other Jackson guitars which rival this ESP guitar and was hoping I could get your advice. I'm trying to decide whether to buy this ESP model you're reviewing or the Jackson MJ Series Soloist SL2 or the Jackson American Series Soloist SL3, you probably hate questions like this but can you tell me of the three you think is the better value? I am leaning toward the ESP 2. Help? Thanks for the video, new subscriber, great job and fun to watch.
I'm looking for that exact guitar with the FR... looks and sounds great... I sure hope to have one in the next month or so. Gr8 review
@@OliRoyer Just got my new ESP E-II M-II neck thru black 2 weeks ago and its absolutley amazing... the EMG81's are super hot. Gr8 guitar from what I've seen so far. Hope to figure out how to use the plugins...hmm where should i start? Thanks for the vid Oli the original floyd rose is very cool.... I was not going to buy a guitar with out 1. Fine choice man
what string brand you using here?
How about "MIJ" on the back, or "MIJ CUSTOM SHOP"? They could have differentiated on the back of the headstock.
Or maybe, just maybe, different letter in front of the serial numbers...
Nice video, now you have me looking at an M I, What do you think this guitar weighs ?
I own the exact same model, AMAZING GUITAR. I have a question though. How would you compare this neck to the jackson SL2h USA, wich one is thicker/beefier? best regards
Great review and playing. I've got the LTD MH1000NT from a few years ago which I thought was neck through due to the 'NT' in the name. Bit misleading, but hey it still sustains for days.
Hmm, I see a red cord plugged into the guitar and a green one into the 5051. May we please know, what's in between?
Love ESP/LTD guitars. I have a LTD Ouija natural which is killer
Love that intro playing, harmonic minor?
@@OliRoyer haha i suck at theory, i leant that scale to write some exotic riffs haha
P.S. this is the best comprehensive review of this guitar out there, hands down. Great job and thank you. I now have one on order.
Dude I can’t find these guitars in stock anywhere. Mines on back order tho
Well, I just bought two used ESP Horizon NTs (one with the old block logo, one was a Japanese E-II import, the Amethyst Sparkle), and I paid less than my friend who got a new Eclipse LTD. So that’s the way to go if you ask me :)
Great video! Thanks for sharing! Do you happen to know the weight of this guitar? I have 2 ESP LTDs, and they are right around 9.5lbs (4.3kg), which I prefer... anything less than 4kg feels like a toy to me.
Which neck is more comfortable for you, the ltd/esp or jackson necks?
@@OliRoyer thanks so much for the quick answer!!
Awesome video mate. Greetings from Brissy. I'm unfortunately one of those people that can't get past having E-II on the headstock. Pre-loved Esp or a Jackson for my next guitar I think. My guitar hero's have those brands so that's what I aspire to. Not E-II with not heritage. I know it's only a name and the quality still carries on, but it just doesn't feel the same. Thanks for your review! Still a shit hot guitar and maybe if I play one I'll change my mind
Fyi, E-II has figured maple veneer. ESP only uses a figured maple top for ESP branded guitar. I hope someday they will put a thin but real figured maple top since E-II is getting more and more expensive. If other brand with similar price can use it, I don't see why ESP can't.
My only complaint with E-II is what you say in the video. ESP on 12th fret. It is useless because audience can't see it and we, as the owner, has already knew E-II is made by ESP. I don't understand why they still put it there since no other ESP lineup has that. Luckily, my E-II M-II CTM doesn't have that. But I have to accept it when buying other E-II. Well...I can look past that when the guitar has good build quality.
"A thin but real maple top" isn't a veneer just a very thin maple top?
I currently have an E-II eclipse on order but was thinking of changing it to this guitar because I want a floyd. Quick question, did you leave 9 guage strings on it or switch to something else? I usually play 10-46 but sometimes on longer scale guitars the tension can feel quite high and unpleasant ( like my tele for example). I was just wondering what the tension would feel like on the M-II with 10’s.
@@OliRoyer
Thanks for the reply, yeah I’m not a big fan of 9-42 either but for some reason 10’s on my tele are brutal??? 10’s to me are a bit warmer sounding and bends are more smooth and controlled. I’m really leaning towards the M-II, I think 10’s will be fine, I can always experiment if need be but it’s reassuring knowing you are ok with them. Thanks for your help.
I bought this guitar last week and it arrived on Thursday. Really easy to play and it came with a satin neck instead of the one you showed in the video. - really really fast and great to play.
Sadly it also has a lot of minor issues on the binding at the headstock, between 15/17 fret and at the end. I mean it’s all just optical but I’m shocked that a 2399€ guitar looks same as a Ltd. Sure it got best features and plays amazing, still im disappointed in esp. Does your E-II Have some minor issues or is it flawless?
Anyway I’m right now talking to customer support if they can re arrange the price and give me some discount, otherwise I might send it back. :(
I'm one of those guys that wants the ESP logo on the head stock still...lol. I have an LTD deluxe M1001 that looks exactly like that one except mine has check mark inlays and it has a tone knob. I'm willing to pay more money but I want the esp logo. There's a cool horizon from 1998 on reverb with the ESP logo for 1600 plus close to $200 for shipping. If he'd accept $1500 for everything I might have to get it. They had a cool EXP ESP Japan model for around the same price. I have a 50 watt EVH 6l6 with matching EVH cab. I just use the red channel as the boost.
My conclusion - get the LTD 1000/600 and learn how to do proper service if you want great guitar, but watch out for lemons (not sure about new Indonesian facility). Get the E-II if you want perfect finish and "top" components, I newer saw lemon E-II thought. Get the ESP to get pristine guitar. Note: you can rock as hard on the LTD as you can rock on ESP and while you can actually feel some and certanly see the difference - unless you're nitpicky - you won't feel the need for E-II or ESP. Crowd you gather don't give a damn about it for sure (maybe some guitar snobs). I was playing custom Mayones once, guitar worth five times more that mine axe at the time, it was something like that. It was flawless, but nothing more. I don't need perfect binding, perfect top, perfect setup, perfectly sanded routings with no CNC feel and no factory dust present or some badass logo. I need guitar that is great hardware wise, tune correctly, feels great and sounds huge after one day of proper DIY setup - that's the LTD.
its a sick ax
You need to learn mute strings , you make a lot of unnecessary noise and it makes this great guitar sound bad.
The E-II logo looks cheap…….ESP logo rains supreme
Like old saying you don't take care of a esp e 2 guitar you get another one for taking care of the first one.