Back in 1996, Japanese guitar maker ESP decided to expand in a big way into the lower-cost end of the electric market. The company already had a profile as a supplier of serious thrash metal ordnance to the glitterati of the day – bands such as Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer – so a new brand, LTD, was launched as the home for these new, price-friendly models.
As well as some seriously pointy high-powered guitars there’s now a good selection of models that display all the heritage aspects of classic electric guitar-making of the type pioneered by the likes of Gibson and Fender. The EC-256 is one such instrument. There are approximately 30 flavours of EC electric guitar in all, spread across ten models with prices ranging from around £200 to £800, but they all riff on the same basic body shape. The EC-256 slides into the mid-price bracket and combines a classic goldtop-style finish with set-neck construction and some raunchy humbuckers. And there’s a coil tap option to give you single-coil sounds as well. It’s a hard offer to fault when the RRP is only £359, especially when a street price deal may shave another £60 off.
While the EC-256’s shape leans heavily on the Les Paul theme, all the curves are appropriately different. In particular the sharpness of the lower forward cutaway adds a very LTD touch, which echoes the ‘sway’ of the headstock and the distinctive position markers on the neck. Body, neck and headstock are bound, which adds a nicely finished, retro feel, and the rich brown of the natural mahogany completes the look of a well turned-out package. The top is a sparkle finish rather than a flat gold and there’s a reddish/amber tint, so there’s none of the picture-frame gaudiness you can get with a simple gold paint.
This finish is applied directly to the mahogany; there’s no maple cap, which is yet another break with the more traditional LP build. The three-piece mahogany neck sports a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard. As is quite often the case with LTD guitars, this is buffed to a shine.
The board is relatively flat and the well-dressed medium-gauge frets make for a fast and accurate playing surface. The position inlays are quite stylish, but I’m not sure if I like the idea of using the model number as the 12th-fret indicator. Overall, the acoustic tone and feel are snappy and bright – classically LTD, in fact.
However, the 24.75” scale length is classically Gibson, so there’s a looseness that lets you dig into the strings and bend with ease. The hardware choice is straightforward: individual ESP-branded tuners, standard stoptail and tune-o-matic bridge. As a result the tuning seems to be very stable.
A pair of ESP LH-150 humbuckers provides the oomph for the EC-256. There’s a three-way selector on the upper bout and volume controls for each unit. The single tone control is a push/pull pot for activating the coil tap. It’s a great, simple solution; the guitar will deliver six distinctly different sounds without any confusion.
Sounds With the coil tap facility you have the ideal solution for delivering the full range of clean and distorted sounds. Voicing a bridge humbucker for a great rock tone can leave the midrange a little lacking and boxy-sounding for clean playing. However, a single-coil at the bridge will give all the wiry twang you need. This is exactly how it works here, and you can switch with ease. Generally speaking the humbucker voices are rich and open. Twin-pickup and neck sounds are great clean; country, jazz, reggae and ’70s pop chords all sound authentic, and melodic playing is well articulated.
Gradually wind up the gain and the EC-256 easily performs classic blues and punk before grasping rock and metal in style. Here, the bridge voice comes into its own and soloing is a joyous experience. There is a slight, but inevitable, drop in volume when you switch to single-coil operation from humbucker, so some sort of volume boost pedal on the floor will prove a valuable addition to your kitbag. The tone is great and the sharper, more cutting sound offers both clarity when you need it and added grit for those mayhem moments. The EC-256 is a good platform on which to build effected sounds as the basic output is suitably hi-fi in the first place. This means you can really hop genres and eras, which makes this a great guitar for a player who appreciates playing a wide range of material.
Japanese guitar maker ESP is one of the biggest names in Asia. Their guitars are generally pricey to export to the rest of the world, though. As a result, ESP is not quite as big in America, but affordable models like the ESP LTD EC-256 have certainly made a dent in the industry.
The LTD line focuses on affordable guitars, mostly following the Les Paul blueprints. It works a modified Les Paul, then, as ESP builds it for metal genres specifically.
Naturally, the ESP LTD looks mean, sounds mean, and feels fast. Take all of that into consideration and add a humble price tag for a friendly first-timer for metal fans.
That said, ESP hasn’t built a reputation for their original models, although they have a custom shop store in California, United States. Other than Les Paul copies, they also produce “SuperStrats.”
By that, I mean the original ideas the late Eddie Van Halen had for a rock guitar, which was using a Stratocaster with humbuckers plus a Floyd rose. There’s more info on our types of electric guitars guide.
We already reviewed one of the top models of the ESp LTD EC line, which is the Deluxe 1000 model. If the “Deluxe” implies something to you, it’s probably right. It’s a premium metal guitar with an amazing array of playability and sound features for professional players.
Other resources you could check is our list of best metal guitars, as well as the best guitars for each genre.
The ESP company started as a small luthier shop in Japan in 1975. Back then, the full name was Electric Sound Products.
ESP Company LTD is a Japanese brand that has started from humble beginnings, with just one shop in 1975 when it was known as Electric Sound Products.
Nowadays, they’ve seen plenty of success for their valuable guitars. More than that, they’ve become one of the top contenders in the metal music industry, with bands as Slayer, Anthrax, and Metallica taking ESP guitars under their wings.
Now, the EC-256 is not a high-end offering. But it delivers a modified, heavy-metal Les Paul that balances built, sound, and price.
The aim of the guitars is the intermediate, beginner, and hobby player. Loaded with coil-tap electronics and black & gold luxurious looks, it behaves like a Swiss army guitar for the rock enthusiast.
Otherwise, ESP has a selection of high-powered guitar without reaching crazy premium fees.
The EC line is the one the company can export to America at affordable prices, though. The line has about 30 different models spreading across multiple price brackets.
Our model slides into the mid-price segment with a gold top finish, set-neck construction, and raw humbuckers.
Here’s a video showcasing the best entry of the series, the ESp LTD EC-1000:
Overview
The all black ESP 256 EC model puts super affordable prices to the test.
It brings a classical shape, which is excellent for most musical genres. However, it delivers a modified neck for overall faster playability.
As a mahogany guitar with a set-in neck and ESP custom humbuckers, the LTD EC-256 surpasses its budget expectations.
Let’s see:
Built quality
With the timeless Les Paul single-cutaway design and an overall clean built quality, the 256 has plenty to offer.
Body
As I said, the guitar has the traditional Les Paul shape with a single-cutaway to deliver extra access to the higher frets.
The tonewood of choice is mahogany. More importantly, it has an alder top that ships in various colors. Arched tops are typically a higher-priced feature, as it goes a long way in improving the overall aesthetics of the guitar, as well as the sound balance.
Similarly, it has laminated oak on the back and sides of the body.
While the shape takes cues from Les Paul, I have to note the curves on the EC-256 are different. Particularly, the lower cutaway is sharper, which adds an LTD touch. It’s also there to echo with the distinctive headstock, as well as the unique markers on the neck.
Neck
The EC-256 electric guitar uses solid mahogany for the 3-piece neck and couples it with a rosewood fretboard.
Regarding its size, it has a 24.75’’ scale length, the same as a Les Paul. Another feature that’s similar to Gibson and Epiphone alternatives is the set-in neck construction, which means the body and the neck are glued together.
The neck has a slim D profile plus a 12’’ radius, which makes it an all-rounder for solo and chord playing. With its 22 extra-jumbo frets, though, the playability leans heavily towards metal riffs and fast playing.
Finish & colors
The body, headstock, and neck have a bound finish, which adds a nice retro feel to the guitar. Then, the natural shiny brown of the mahogany woods completes the look for near-premium aesthetics.
Additionally, the top of the guitar has a flat gold feature plus an amber tint. On top of that, the hardware comes tainted in golden colors. There’s also an all-black version as well. Other colors include Lemon Drop and See-Thru Black Cherry Sunburst.
Lastly, the fretboard is flat, smooth, and accurate. There’re no flaws and no sharp edges, and it has stylish position inlays plus the model number on the 12th fret.
Sound quality
With a couple of humbuckers with coil-tap features, the ESP LTD EC-256 has a surprising amount of versatility.
The guitar can voice mellow cleans, as well as handling strong distortions when pushing the guitar to its limits.
Particularly, the bridge humbucker has a deep and gritty tone for rock. However, it lacks some mid-range power, so it may leave the guitar sound boxed-up.
If you engage the coil-tap function, you can turn the humbucker into a single-coil for an extra twang. That’s how it works: the coil-tap allows you to swap between gritty humbucker tones towards twangy single-coil sounds.
Generally, the humbuckers on the guitar are open, rich, and powerful. The neck pickup sounds different than the bridge piece, though. The sound leans towards early metal and classic rock, while its single-coil and clean tones go towards jazz, reggae, country, and ‘70s. pop.
That means you can wind-up the EC-256 from classic blues and punk to progressive metal, where it shines the most. That means it can handle overdrive, distortion, and fuzz pedals with ease.
However, the guitar loses some volume when engaging the single-coils, so you might need an extra boost pedal.
That said, the EC-256 is a great platform to work with guitar pedals and build your sound. You can go like crazy, psychedelic, and hi-fi as you’d want, and the guitar will always respond accordingly. Because of that, the versatility of the EC-256 is potentially endless.
Electronics
The EC-256 packers a couple of custom ceramic humbucker pickups. These are a couple of LH-150 tapers, which are not very remarkable but do the job very well.
Whereas it doesn’t have the best pickups, the controls deliver plenty of options. It has two individual volume knobs for each pickup.
Additionally, it has a master tone control that allows you to further modify the sound signature of the guitar. The master tone has a push-pull mechanism so that when you pull the knob upwards you turn the humbuckers into single-coils.
Lastly, it has the classic 3-way pickup switch to blend the bobbins.
Feel Quality
As I said before, the guitar is built for heavy metal.
The overall feel is comfortable, lightweight, and fast. That makes it okay for players of all experiences looking for rock-oriented designs.
I’d also say the guitar reaches the playability of a Stratocaster thanks to its speed and lightweight.
With the classic Gibson scale length and neck radius, you could also slide and bend the strings with ease.
Hardware
The hardware of choice further conveys the point of the guitar: solid, and yet versatile rock experience for a mid-tier budget.
On the headstock, the guitar has individual chrome die-cast ESP tuners, which are solid enough to play live, even on extreme bendings. I wouldn’t test the tuners with down tuning, though.
On the other side, it has a tune-O-Matic bridge, which delivers solid tuning intonation.
Downside & Alternatives
The main drawback of the guitar is its humbuckers. I wouldn’t say they are lackluster, but they fall behind the extremely built quality of the guitar.
In fact, the built and design choices of an LTD EC-256 have nothing to envy of guitars with four times its price. That’s why changing the stock humbuckers for a better pair could turn it into a professional performer.
I recommend the Seymour Duncan Blackouts if you’re looking for the meanest sound possible.
Another option, also by Seymour Duncan, is the reliable SH-4 model:
For further alternatives, please check our article on the best pickups for metal.
Variety
There’re other ESP LTD models we could check as well.
First off, there’s a very similar 256F model, which simply adds a flamed maple veneer on the arched top material.
If you’re looking for an extra metal edge, you could also go for a V-shaped ESP guitar. HEre’s the ESP Arrow enters, like a crowd-pleasing guitar with top-tier EMG 81/85 active pickups. It also has Grover tuners, a near hand-crafted body and neck, and a Pau Ferro fingerboard.
Climbing the price ladder further delivers the ESP EC-1000, a deluxe guitar that sounds nothing but professional. You could carry this to the stage, in front of thousands of people, and play with some of the best features a rock-oriented guitar has to offer.
On the other side of the ladder, you could find a budget LTD guitar as well. I recommend the LTD MH, a basswood guitar with a bolt-on maple neck and sturdy humbuckers.
Alternatives
Here are the options if we’re looking for other brands.
First, we’ve got the Ibanez GRG “SuperStrat” guitar. Similar in specs but distinctly different in aesthetics, the sound of the GRG is as classic as it is modern.
A similar alternative is the Ibanez GRX20, an affordable guitar with a surprising range of sounds:
Lastly, you could check the Schecter Omen 6, a cheaper alternative that surpasses the EC-256 in terms of electronics nonetheless. That’s why you could take that guitar as a canvas to upgrade the pickups.
However, the built quality falls short with a basswood body and a bolt-on neck.
ESP LTD EC-256 spec
- Design: Les Paul body with single-cutaway
- Body tonewood: mahogany body with oak top and alder on the back and sides
- Neck: slim D
- Neck joint: set-in 3-piece neck
- Neck tonewood: maple
- Scale: 24.75’’
- Fingerboard tonewood: rosewood
- Fingerboard radius: 12’’
- Pickups: ESP LH-150 ceramic humbuckers
- Controls: two individual volume knobs, master tone knob with push/pull & 3-way pickup switch
- Tuners: ESP chrome die-cast tuners
- Bridge: tune-O-Matic bridge & set-thru tailpiece
In summary
Why do I like the ESP LTD EC-256 guitar?
The ESP LTD EC-256 is a fine-tuned metal guitar. It offers a good range of sounds, super-fast playability, premium built, and an okay sound for a modest price.
Its simple pickup configuration is very effective with the coil tap option. Naturally, the untapped potential of the guitar can flourish with a better pair of pickups.
Final Say
Beginner players or pros looking for something affordable to bang can trust the EC-256 will deliver its promise. It punches well above its price and presents itself as a great opportunity to experiment with sounds and improvements.
Jen is a guitarist and singer-songwriter who spends much of her time on the road and has lived in 13 cities across 4 continents. She picked up her first guitar at the age of 6 and learned to play by ear shortly after. She received her formal music education at the Berklee College of Music, and currently plays for a few bands in her free time. She has an uncanny ability to improvise creative melodies and harmonies. Her early influences include blues, jazz and rock.
Is the ESP LTD EC
This guitar is one of our best selling LTD guitars: guitarists looking for an affordable singlecut guitar for Rock, Blues and Metal should place the EC-256 on their list straight away! We keep a variety of these guitars in stock throughout our UK showrooms, all ready to play and buy!
What pickups are in ESP LTD EC
Available in beautiful Black or Metallic Gold, the LTD EC-256 is an amazingly affordable way to get into the look and sound of an all-time great guitar that's great for every style of music, with great-sounding ESP Designed LH-150 passive pickups.
What size frets are on ESP LTD EC
Nut: Molded. Nut Width: 42mm. Frets: 22x Extra Jumbo.
What does ESP stand for in ESP guitars?
In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products [ESP] in Tokyo, Japan, which provided custom replacement parts for guitars. At this time, ESP also began making guitars under the ESP and Navigator brand in the Japanese market.