player opinions
ESP F-200
Name: Matt Connard
Band: Betraying Shadows
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Model Year: 2003
Price Paid: $385 (discount)
Performance
Well, first off I would have to say that this is an awesome guitar for it's price. I have a Jackson Soloist and the necks are very similar down the neck and it's a very sweet shredder's guitar, and playing sick rhythms is very easy on it. Even though the body looks very hurtful and heavy, it's actually quite light and it's very comfortable playing sitting down or standing up. The tremolo system works well and pulling off Dimebag's harmonic squeals is a sinch on here. The EMG passive pickups sound great, even though I suggest buying the active pickups to really turn it up a notch! Overall, the performance on it is bar none the greatest for it's range. Awesome metal machine.
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Performance Rating: 10
Sound Quality
The sound quality of this guitar sounds wonderful. If you are into metal or rock, this is the guitar I would recommend you buying. At first, I was afraid of it sounding too much like Metallica and that I wouldn't have my own sound, but it is actually really diverse. You can play anything from 80's metal to Black/Death Metal. The pickups are better than a lot of Seymour Duncans and they have allot of bite to it. Getting EMG 81 and 85 pickups and a nice amp set-up would probably be the best thing to make the guitar really complete. Overall, nice sound.
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Sound Quality Rating: 10
Construction
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Well, some things aren't all cherries and pie, but I have to let you know about the construction. It is a really solid guitar and it's light, so if you don't like light guitars, even though I like it light, it might not be for you. The 3 way switch might be a little rough at first, but it'll break in soon enough. The Floyd Rose tremolo system works well and decent, but the locking heads just need to be broken in, just like a shoe. The tuners work good and keep it in tune fairly well. Overall, it's an awesome guitar and you should definitely get it if your are into metal or any type of rock.
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Construction Rating: 9
Name: Phil Lester
Band: Conquest of Nations
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Model Year: -----
Price Paid: £649
Performance
Despite the uncomfortable looking shape, this guitar is very easy to hold comfortably, I picked it up in a shop to see how uncomfortable it was and instantly fell in love! It is very easy to play and I find it easier than a regular “Strat” shape. The neck is really thin, and there is a lot of room at the bottom of the neck, so solos are much easier. Flawless.
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Performance Rating: 10
Sound Quality
The first thing I noticed about the sound is how clean it was even when played through a tiny amp, the pick-ups are EMG-HZ and reduce feedback dramatically. When played at the appropriate level (master volume=10), pile on the gain and this guitar really comes to life! It's very heavy, yet each note sounds precise and clean. Because there are 3 guitars in our band, I needed a guitar with a really clean, yet heavy sound, and this is perfect for the job. OH! And its the only ESP I have ever played which doesn't remind me of Metallica! It's very different! There is more grind to the sound.
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Sound Quality Rating: 10
Construction
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Every guitar has its downsides, and unfortunatly, the only good thing I can say here is that the fretboard and neck are immaculate, and well designed. However, the locking system seems not to work properly, and although it stays in tune while playing, the slightest bump seems to knock the bottom string out, and it can take 20 minutes to get it right again! All the knobs are solid, but the 3-way selector switch is very tough to move and I think it may snap soon! It has stood up to many live shows and the finish on the body is good, but the whole thing feels a bit light, for a guitar with such a big body? Ma bye that's not really a problem though! I love this guitar despite its problems, the shape does it all for me, and of course...it's METAL!!! A good choice if you like to play really heavy guitar with a certain “grind” to the sound. But you should really consider those slight build problems, for a guitar of this price, they may be just too many “small” problems to ignore.
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Construction Rating: 6
links
Average Ratings
- Performance: 10
- Sound Quality: 10
- Construction: 7.6
Ratings Key
- 10: Excellent
- 0: Useless
Company
- ESP