ESP LTD EC-257 - Black Satin

Flawless finish. Well dressed neck and frets. Excellent bridge. Great low action, easily adjustable. Required only minor intonation twerking out of the box. Pickups sound wayyyy better than expected for being generic LTD. I was going to replace them, however I don't find the need. Cool tap feature is pretty cool at this price point. The neck and frets really impress. Beautiful, rich color on the fretboard, no sharp or goofy high frets. If I had to complain about anything, it would only be that the machine heads could be better. They are quite tight at first, but when they loosen a bit, they feel a little sloppy and imprecise. That being said, the guitar actually stays in tune really well. All in all, I don't see a lot of difference between this guitar and the more expensive, 1000 series. I own several ESP/LTD instruments and once in a great while, I'll get a turd... It's very rare, and this guitar is great.

Absolutely love this guitar. I own Gibsons and Fenders, and honestly, this ESP LTD is quickly becoming one of my favorites — especially when it comes to playing metal. The tone is thick, punchy, and aggressive, just what you want for lower tunings and heavy riffs. The 7-string setup holds tuning great, and the neck feels super comfortable — fast, but still solid. The matte black finish looks killer on stage and in the studio. I was blown away by how well it holds up next to higher-end guitars in my collection. If you're into metal and want a guitar that delivers both tone and playability without breaking the bank, this one’s a beast. Highly recommended.

Pros: good quallity for the price Really captures the low ends of down tunings fret board is smooth and easy to get used to Great design Color and finish are perfect as well Comes prestrung with didario xl strings Cons: Only comes in a matte finish from what i could find but thats if you dont like matte if you plan to play in really low tunings(lower than drop g) restring the guitar with lower guage strings

Looks, sounds, and feels awesome. The action was set perfect and it was in tune when i recieved it. The pickup selector switch was broken when it was shipped however and i had to spend an extra 45 bucks to replace it. There was also a small imperfection on the finish on the back of the neck that you can feel while playing.

You see lots of cheap brands out there for a 7-string, but NEVER overlook ESP’s LTD line! They have always been the best when it comes to their entry level to the 1000 series compared to their competition. Arrived well packed, matte finish is flawless. After tuning it to pitch, intonation is almost spot on (would take some getting used to D’Addario’s low .59 string, but it STAYS in tune). Neck is nice and has a slight heft, I can’t do thin necks on 7s like they have on the Jackson Dinky 7. Only con are the pickups, but that is personal preference as I ALWAYS replace the stock ones anyway. I would not hesitate on these EC-257s if you’re on a market for a 7-string. Highly recommended!

I love the finish and the light weight of this guitar. Very meaty sound on the lower frets but the higher frets are hard to reach and sound less vibrant. Most won't need to use them anyway. This is definitley good for a deathcore/djent lover just beginning. I would not recommend using for live shows, unless you install a major pickup upgrade.

It came tuned and intonated. It's become my go-to for jamming and bedroom recording. Neck is pretty comfortable and the frets are nice and smooth. The strings it came with were also pretty decent. The picks up work as they should, and the coil split is a nice addition. The tone is overall a little bass heavy but nothing that can't be fixed with a little eq and amp settings adjustment. The finish was also perfect with no blemishes.

Its a beautiful guitar. My first 7 string, super smooth and love how deep it gets. Have been playing nothing but this guotar since i got it. Only downside is the toggle switch seems to cut out in between changes