New guitar! ESP E-II Arrow or ESP LTD Arrow-1000?

[Metalmann13]

Hey everyone! I have been wanting to upgrade my guitar for awhile now, and currently I have a ESP LTD Arrow-401. I know I will for sure be buying either a E-II Arrow or a LTD Arrow-1000. I know the difference is the hardware, but what if I were to buy a LTD Arrow-1000 and put a Floyd Rose Original, and Gotoh locking tuners in it? I really like the color of the LTD Arrow-1000 Violet Andromeda, and I like that it has mahogany rather than alder, but I suppose some people say tonewood is fake. Would the LTD Arrow-1000 stand up to the E-II Arrow if it had better hardware? Buying an LTD Arrow-1000 would be cheaper even with the new hardware, but I don't want price to be a decision point because this will be my last guitar I buy for a couple years.

 

[Fordman65]

Hey everyone! I have been wanting to upgrade my guitar for awhile now, and currently I have a ESP LTD Arrow-401. I know I will for sure be buying either a E-II Arrow or a LTD Arrow-1000. I know the difference is the hardware, but what if I were to buy a LTD Arrow-1000 and put a Floyd Rose Original, and Gotoh locking tuners in it? I really like the color of the LTD Arrow-1000 Violet Andromeda. Would the LTD Arrow-1000 stand up to the E-II Arrow if it had better hardware? Buying an LTD Arrow-1000 would be cheaper even with the new hardware, but I don't want price to be a decision point.

If price isnt a decision point, why would the LTD factor into the equation?

 

[Metalmann13]

Hey everyone! I have been wanting to upgrade my guitar for awhile now, and currently I have a ESP LTD Arrow-401. I know I will for sure be buying either a E-II Arrow or a LTD Arrow-1000. I know the difference is the hardware, but what if I were to buy a LTD Arrow-1000 and put a Floyd Rose Original, and Gotoh locking tuners in it? I really like the color of the LTD Arrow-1000 Violet Andromeda. Would the LTD Arrow-1000 stand up to the E-II Arrow if it had better hardware? Buying an LTD Arrow-1000 would be cheaper even with the new hardware, but I don't want price to be a decision point.

If price isnt a decision point, why would the LTD factor into the equation?

The LTD has a much cooler color.

 

[Pushead]

The Korean 1000 level LTD guitars are pretty good. Replacing some of the hardware and a good setup should get you there.

That being said, I haven't played any of the Indonesian made 1000 series guitars, so maybe my opinion would change. I suspect they wouldn't put out guitars that didn't measure up.

 

[Spaceboy]

I can’t speak for that particular guitar, but my main is an E-II Eclipse, and I have an LTD version of almost the same exact guitar for backup. I honesty can’t say that the E-II functions $1000 better, but it does have an overall more comfortable and playable feel. The finish on the LTD is more interesting, although not necessarily better. The LTDs are great. I have both of mine stock, but probably wouldn’t have bought the LTD if I thought I’d have to spend a couple hundred or more in upgrades to fairly compete with the E-II.