ESP LTD M-100FM – Hot Output Budget Machine

Body And Neck:
Electronics:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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ESP's LTD brand is known for producing balanced, affordable instruments which carry a lot of spirit inside them. M-100FM one such model which we consider to be a prime choice for beginners of all ages.

Body And Neck

Along with Schecter, ESP LTD is one of the rare companies who insist on attractive design as well as performance. ESP LTD M-100FM comes packing some serious heat, but it also looks incredible.The tonewood they have chosen for this purpose is basswood. No matter what you've heard about basswood, it has its benefits.

One that comes to mind right away is weight reduction. Basswood body is covered with a flamed maple top, giving it a rather attractive appearance. The neck is a maple piece which sports a 24 fret rosewood fretboard. That's am upgrade from a two-fret shorter version of the same guitar.

Electronics

While some may argue that a pair of EMGs might suit this guitar better, LTD's decision to install a set of their LH-150 passive pickups might have been the right choice after all. These two humbuckers are wired to a pretty simple set of controls. You get one Tone, one Volume knob, and the pickup select switch. For a set of in-house passive humbuckers, LH-150s have a pretty high output. Combine that with a great dynamic range, and you have a winning combination no matter which genre of music you're interested in playing.

Hardware

Even though a lot of ESP LTD guitars which sit at the very edge of entry level segment sport a standard Tune-o-Matic bridge, this one actually comes with a full blown Floyd Rose tremolo piece.

At the headstock, you can see a set of standard tuners, although that's not too big of an issue since the locking is there to keep everything in tune. Floyd Rose might be a bit tricky to grasp for a beginner, but once you learn how to use it, you will quickly see the benefits of this design.

Sound

In terms of sound, the guitar brings a lot of range and versatility. Passive pickups are known to be more expressive by nature, however that's not something you expect to see in a set which was manufactured in-house. Either way, the tone is awesome.

Cleans are nice and crispy, with enough low-end response to provide a wholesome tone. Once you punch it into overdrive or distortion, the guitar sets free. The ability of LH-150 pickups to retain clarity even when you push a decent amount of gain, is outstanding by all means. Compared to some higher end LTD or ESP guitars, M-100FM tones it down a notch, but still gives you that core quality.

The Verdict

If you are looking for a well-balanced guitar that offers a great combination of components and craftsmanship, this model fits that description perfectly. Most importantly, you won't have to completely flip your budget upside down. M-100FM is pretty well priced at the moment.

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