The ESP Guitar Company

We’re doing something a little different for this year’s unveiling of our upcoming new guitar and bass models. We have so many great new models to tell you about that we’re going to be debuting them in multiple phases. Let’s kick things off with Phase I right now… and be aware that Phase II and more will be announced between now and the 2020 NAMM Show in January.

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The Phoenix Rises Again

You spoke; we listened. The Phoenix is a guitar that could be no more cool, and it has returned to the LTD lineup, now as an LTD Deluxe version in two different outstanding versions. The LTD Phoenix-1000 See Thru Black Cherry features a pair of Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker active pickups (Alnico in the neck position, Ceramic in the bridge), with a push-pull control to activate the second voicing. The Phoenix-1000 Vintage White offers a passive pickup set, with a Seymour Duncan Phat Cat single-coil in the neck position and a Seymour Duncan Custom in the bridge. This humbucker also can be split via a push-pull control. Both of these guitars have a neck-thru-body design, with mahogany body wings and a three-piece maple neck. Other features of the new Phoenix-1000 include a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece, LTD locking tuners, a Macassar ebony fingerboard, and gold hardware.

Additions to the Black Metal Series

When we debuted the LTD Black Metal Series in 2018, we genuinely had no idea how popular these guitars and basses would be. The all-black design theme — including a special black LTD logo — immediately hit the “best seller” range. For 2020, we have a number of new additions, including the LTD M-HT Black Metal and LTD M-7HT Baritone Black Metal. The names tell the story: these are hardtail versions of the Black Metal M Series guitar, with a standard scale 6-string version and a monstrous 7-string baritone version as well. Both models are neck-thru-body designs that features a Hipshot bridge with string-thru body setup for sweet sustain and stability. They feature the special single direct-mounted Seymour Duncan Blackened Black Winter passive pickup for brutal tones and excellent dynamics. A push-pull control allows the pickup to be coil split. Like other Black Metal models, these new guitars have an unadorned Macassar ebony fingerboard, but offer glow-in-the-dark side dots to help you find where you’re going.

Shredders Rejoice: More LTD M Series Models

In addition to the Black Metal models above, we’re adding more LTD Deluxe “1000 Series” guitars in the fast and extremely playable M shape with the M-1000HT and the seven-string M-1007HT. Both of these new guitars are being offered with amazing burled poplar tops finished in Black Natural Fade, and look incredibly cool. Both offer neck-thru-body construction with alder body and extra thin U-shaped three-piece maple neck (that features a natural satin finish on the back for supreme speedy playability). Pickups on these new models are direct-mounted Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers (Alnico in the neck position, Ceramic in the bridge), with a push-pull control to activate the second voicing. They also feature a Hipshot hardtail bridge with a string-thru-body design.

Professional-Quality Guitars for Everyone: New LTD EC-1000 Models

Pretty much everyone knows that the LTD EC Series ranks among the best-selling guitars in the world for the past 20+ years, and for good reason: they deliver the high quality single-cutaway guitar shape designed for serious musicians at a price that everyone can afford. This year, we have some phenomenal new EC-1000 additions to the LTD Deluxe series. The EC-1000 Blue Natural Fade has a burled poplar top on a mahogany body with a three-piece mahogany neck and Macassar ebony fingerboard. This guitar includes a set of Seymour Duncan Sentient (neck) and Pegasus (bridge) passive pickups, splittable by a push-pull control. The new EC-1000T Black Natural Burst has a traditional full-thickness mahogany body, chambered for weight relief, with a flamed maple cap. It also makes use of the Sentient/Pegasus pickup set, and offers premier-quality components including a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece. Another spectacular addition to the LTD Deluxe EC Series is the EC-1000 Violet Andromeda. This is the first time we’re offering ESP’s dazzling Violet Andromeda in an LTD EC Series guitar, and it is simply mind blowing in the way it changes color between shades of purple, blue, and even green as it reflects light from this special finish. The EC-1000 Violet Andromeda features Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker active pickups (Alnico in the neck position, Ceramic in the bridge), with a push-pull control to activate the second voicing.

LTD Deluxe H Series Grows in 2020

With a shape based on one of ESP’s earliest and most beloved guitars, the Horizon, the LTD Deluxe H Series has a number of killer new additions this year. The new H-1001FR is now being made available with a burled poplar top in Black Natural Burst finish, and has a set of direct-mount Seymour Duncan Sentient (neck) and Pegasus (bridge) passive pickups, splittable by a push-pull control. It also includes a Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge that features stainless steel screws for excellent stability and longterm reliability, as well as Grover tuners. The new H-1001 has a superb quilted maple top in See Thru Black finish, and features the same direct-mounted splittable Seymour Duncan Sentient/Pegasus pickup set along with a Hipshot hardtail bridge with string thru body.

A related but very uniquely cool guitar is the Horizon-3 shape, with its extended upper horn and shortened, pointed lower horn. Within the LTD Deluxe series, we’re debuting the new H3-1000 and H3-1000FR. The H3-1000 is a set-thru design, and is being offered with a flamed maple top in Black Turquoise Burst finish, and includes direct-mount Seymour Duncan Sentient (neck) and Pegasus (bridge) passive pickups, splittable by a push-pull control. This guitar also features a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece. The new H3-1000FR comes in See Thru Black Sunburst finish over a flamed maple top, and also includes a Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge that features stainless steel screws.

The Return of the LTD Deluxe Viper-1000

Much like the Phoenix, we heard from a lot of you when we stopped offering the LTD Viper in a “1000 Series” version. Most of you didn’t seem very happy about this decision. Well, it’s time to right that wrong, and to up the ante with two incredible new LTD Deluxe Viper-1000 guitars. Both models offer a mahogany body with an exceptional quilted maple top, and are being made available in See Thru Purple Sunburst and Tiger Eye Sunburst finishes. They feature direct-mount Seymour Duncan Sentient (neck) and Pegasus (bridge) passive pickups, splittable by a push-pull control. Other high-end components include a TonePros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece, and LTD locking tuners.

That’s Not All!

Again, be aware that this is just Phase I of the new ESP models for 2020. Make sure you sign up as an ESP All Access member (it’s free), and you’ll get the first looks at Phase II, Phase III, and Phase IV of our “New for 2020” guitars and basses over the next two months. In the meantime, please join our discussion on the “New for 2020” previews in our ESP forums!