ESP LTD EC1000 QM Review: Active Pickups and Push/Pull
A LTD with Fishman Fluence Modern pickups!
3,0 / 5,0 | 
ESP LTD EC1000 QM Review: Active Pickups and Push/ Pull · Source: Jan Rotring
Lady in red: ESP LTD EC1000 QM · Source: Jan Rotring
In good company · Source: Jan Rotring
It’s time for an ESP LTD EC1000 QM review! After spending a few days with this red beauty and trying out several different setups, we had a pretty solid impression of what this awesome LTD is all about. So, let’s dive into the ESP LTD EC1000 QM review.
ESP LTD EC1000 QM Review: The Details
Originally published at Gearnews.de by Jan Rotring, translation by Julian Schmauch.
ESP LTD EC1000 QM – The Highlights
- Classic single-cut design
- Mahogany body, quilted maple top
- Beautiful dark ebony fingerboard
- Active Fishman Fluence Modern pickups
- Push-pull controls for different sounds
- Black locking tuners, bridge and tailpiece from Tonepros
If you’re into high-quality product designs and exclusive packaging, you might be a bit disappointed by ESP. The guitar comes in a plain cardboard box and a plastic foam bag that most people hate.There’s no gig bag or case included, which is a bit of a bummer at over 1,500 euros.
But after I removed the packaging, I was blown away. The ESP LTD EC1000 QM looks outstanding—simple and striking. As a Les Paul fan, I have taken the classic single-cut design to my heart anyway—I really like the LTD in this slim and slightly more aggressive design. The finish, the grain of the top, and the strong contrast to the very dark fingerboard – it’s such a beauty! Design: 10/10.
Beautiful finish
Before playing the first licks, I looked closely at the workmanship. It is well known that there are big differences, and not everyone appreciates the “character” of handmade guitars As a Gibson fan, I’m used to grief, even with expensive guitars.
It’s different from the Korean-made ESP LTD EC1000 QM: precision down to the smallest detail. It looks like it was made from a single piece of wood. The finish is perfect, the binding is sharply defined, and the hardware is installed without the slightest tolerance. Nothing wobbles, cracks or rattles.
The now iconic flag inlays are super precise, the fingerboard is wonderfully smooth, and the frets are well-dressed Personally, I would polish the fret ends again, but that’s just a hobby.
Only the string action (subjective anyway) and intonation could have been better adjusted at the factory But I’ve never done anything to it anyway.
Playability
You either love the ergonomics of single-cut guitars, or you don’t. I’m part of the cutaway camp. Therefore, I got along really well with the guitar in this ESP LTD EC1000 QM review. The cutaway is perfectly positioned. The smooth transition between the neck and body helps when playing in the higher registers.
The body is slightly thinner than a classic Les Paul, making it much lighter and easier to play. And that might potentially be an advantage for many guitarists, especially when standing up. In addition, the neck of the ESP fits very well in the hand, thanks to the “Thin U” profile.
Thanks to the well-dressed XJ frets, the axe can also be played surprisingly well and quickly. The neck just feels good in my hand – not too slim a profile as is common with many guitars that are more geared towards metal (looking at you – Ibanez).
ESP LTD EC1000 QM Review: The Insides
The ESP LTD EC1000 QM’s hardware and electronics are pretty standard. Tonepro’s stop tail and TOM-style bridge make it easy to tune, and the LTD’s OEM locking tuners keep everything in place. It’s got a two-way truss rod, strap pins in the usual spot, and an easy-to-reach battery cover for the active pickups.
However, the ESP LTD EC1000 QM is a bit of an outlier when it comes to electronics. It’s got these Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers, which are super popular in the industry and are like the gold standard for active pickups.
And with its push-pull potentiometers, you can easily switch between different voicings and combinations of single coils and humbuckers. It’s all intuitive and works like a charm, just as expected from ESP.
I’m still a bit puzzled, though, as a Les Paul fan, by the arrangement of these three pots (due to design-legal restrictions, I assume) and their wiring. Can someone please shed some light on why the volume pot of the neck PU isn’t also the one most toward the neck? I’d go so far as to consider changing the potentiometer positions. Which would be a breeze, thanks to the guitar’s clear cable management in the electronics compartment.
But don’t worry, LTD, I didn’t do that with the review unit. I would have liked to, but I didn’t. Enough talk, now it’s time for the sound.
ESP LTD EC1000 QM Review: Sound Check
Personally, I love the harder music styles and am all the more pleased that the ESP LTD EC1000 QM seems most at home in exactly this genre.
But let’s work our way step by step through the gain settings. For sound samples, I am very happy to refer you to the excellent review by our colleagues at Bonedo: ESP LTD EC1000 QM review.
Part 1: Clean
ESP and clean sounds have always been a bit of a love-hate relationship, and the ESP LTD EC1000 QM is no different. The Fishmans allow for a wide range of sounds, but they deliver such a high output that it requires a good deal of gain reduction to get a good clean sound. The only thing you can do here is to turn down the pots, both on the amp and on the guitar.
The ESP LTD EC1000 QM loses a bit of dynamic range when played clean, but it still sounds great. I used my trusty old Laney Lionheart as a clean amp and, to be honest, I really liked the sound of the ESP LTD!
Part 2: Dirt
When we get into somewhat rougher terrain, the Fishmans and the ESP LTD EC1000 QM audibly come to life. Clear, transparent sounds with a noticeable increase in dynamic range are just a joy and make you want more.
Whether you play it through a pedal, tube distortion, or software, the ESP LTD EC1000 QM handles all setups with flying colors and impressed me with a clear, transparent, and highly versatile sound in dirt mode.
Part 3: High-gain
Now, we are entering the realm in which the ESP LTD EC1000 QM really feels at home. These fat high-gain sounds coming out of the Fishmans are absolutely delicious and a lot of fun.
No matter how high you set the distortion, the sound’s resolution is outstanding. At the moment, I mainly play through a Bias FX II or Amplitube 5 (at a child-friendly volume on my headphones), but I was able to get my hands on a wonderful 50-watt 5150 III for the test. And what can I say? (Alomst) nothing beats a loud, open tube amp.
Whether you play it solo or with a boost in front of it, the ESP LTD EC1000 QM is so much fun with an amp that has higher gain reserves. 11/10 for the Fishman Fluence Modern in this setting.
Conclusion and verdict
The ESP LTD EC1000 QM is a wonderful single-cut guitar for those who like hard rock and metal. Its build quality and sound are excellent, especially at higher gain levels, thanks to the Fishman Fluence humbuckers. However, if you play a lot of clean, you might want to look for a less hot companion.
In short, I really enjoyed my time with the ESP LTD EC1000 QM. This guitar is absolutely reliable and ready to play, and I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to take it on stage. Its playability and handling (not counting the pot assignment) are first-class, and it sounds fantastic. My only real criticism is the packaging—I would have liked a nice gig bag.
Want to check it out for yourself? You can get the ESP LTD EC1000 QM here at Thomann* for 1699 Euros. Furthermore, you can find more information on the manufacturer’s website.
Pros and cons of the ESP LTD EC1000 QM
Pro
- Excellent finish
- Great playability, smooth to use thanks to the slim body and deep cutaway
- Amazing for metal and hard rock sounds
- Push-pull options make the different voicings very easy to dial in
- Great Ttuning stability and reliability thanks to high-quality hardware and locking tuners
Con
- Clean sounds not very dynamic
- No gig bag, no case included
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