ESP LTD Snakebyte Electric Guitar - Snow White

James Hetfield is known the world over as one of the best guitar players in the world of metal. ESP have released this LTD signature model: the ESP LTD Snakebyte Electric Guitar, sticking to some great features that the man himself uses while remaining in the reach of more players than the ESP version. Hardware and electronics come from some of the biggest names around; Sperzel, Schaller, Tonepros and EMG all contribute parts which add to the premium feel of the ESP LTD Snakebyte. If you're after recreating Metallica's famous rhythms and leads or if you're on your own path to stardom then this is the guitar for you.

Construction

The first part of the ESP LTD Snakebyte that most will notice is the unique body shape and how much it stands out. While being unique it still allows for brilliant upper fret access and is comfortable to play. Mahogany is known for it's wide and solid tonal response and as such is perfect for this guitar. A wonderfully balanced harmonic range is present and suits well for lead playing as much as tight rhythms. Mahogany is also used to construct the slim U shaped neck of the ESP LTD Snakebyte, which also hosts an ebony fingerboard. This combination encourages long sustain and the set-neck construction pushes this even further.

All of the hardware used to make this guitar comes from top names in the industry, increasing reliability and performance. Tuning stability is taken care of by Sperzel and their locking tuners, which are known for how great they are at keeping your guitar in check, so you stay in perfect tune for longer. Partner those with a Tonepros bridge and tailpiece and you have a relentless combination that will hold up even during Metallica's fast paced thrash rhythms. Straplocks are an essential add-on for anyone playing live and the pre-fitted Schaller straplocks save you the trouble of fitting your own while being some of the best available. The system is easy to use and reliable and doesn't require any additional hardware apart from a standard guitar strap. All of the hardware mentioned above has a sleek looking black finish which greatly contributes to the professional look and feel of this guitar.

Electronics

Dual EMG humbuckers, favoured by James Hetfield himself, are a great feature to see present on the ESP LTD Snakebyte and the tone on offer is nothing short of phenomenal. Crank up your amp, add some thick distortion and you're on your way to hitting the signature Metallica tone already. As you should expect from a signature guitar you can emulate the album tones of the great thrash band pretty much perfectly and a lot of this is down to the active pickups. In the bridge position is an EMG 81 humbucker, one of the most popular active pickups on the market. Switch to this pickup for your hi-gain rhythm and lead sounds and you'll slice through the mix and create a huge impression on whoever's listening. The EMG 60 humbucker in the neck position is known for it's versatility and works well at replicating the thick clean tones present on some of Metallica's most well known tracks but also outputs a brilliant lead tone with rich overtones when the distortion is turned up.

Overall the ESP LTD Snakebyte is a wonderful choice for playing rock and metal and works equally well for lead and rhythm work.