The ESP LTD M3-1000FR Brings 80s Shred Vibes with Modern Updates
The ESP H3-1000FR has the bold curves of the ESP Horizon-3, with an extended and beveled upper horn and a shortened lower horn that offers excellent high-fret accessibility. This guitar offers set-thru construction at 25.5” scale, pairing a mahogany body to a three-piece, extra-thin maple neck that has a compound radius for maximum speed and comfort. It also offers a bound Macassar ebony fingerboard that features offset white pearloid block inlays and 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets.
The H3-1000FR features an EMG 66TW in the neck position, splittable with push-pull control, for a tonal balance of thick, boosted mids, big lows, and singing highs. The bridge pickup is an EMG 57, with its iconic PAF tone. Both pickups are direct-mounted and have brushed gold covers to match the H3-1000FR’s gold hardware. It also includes a Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge with stainless steel screws, and Grover tuners.
Guitars in the LTD 1000 Series are designed to offer the tone, feel, looks, and quality that working professional musicians need in an instrument.
Body
The ESP LTD M3-1000FR features a mahogany body with neck-thru construction. GuitarSpec found the body to be balanced and comfortable. The large cutaways and sculpting make for easy access to the upper frets. The Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo is top quality and has upgraded stainless steel intonation and string lock screws.
Pickups
The M3-1000FR employs the EMG 66/57 Set for incredible tone without a bit of noise. The neck pickup is a 66TW, with a coil splitting feature built into the push-pull tone knob, and has a wide range of tones from twangy single coil to creamy humbucker. The EMG F-57 in the bridge position offers classic PAF tones with a familiar bite.
Neck
The ebony fretboard gives the M3-1000FR an upscale clean look and sharp contrast with the offset block inlays. With 24 extra jumbo stainless steel frets, the neck offers a precision surface that will last for years of playing. The carve is definitely made for shred, with a thin, modern design that GuitarSpec found a pleasure to play.
