The LTD EC-401 is part of ESP's 400 series made to deliver professional-grade quality and playability at an affordable price. Retailing for a little over $700, it joins a pretty crowded arena of very capable guitars that offer a lot of value and quality craftsmanship, most notably Fender's Made in Mexico series of electrics. With that said, ESP definitely knows how to put together a quality instrument and has proven it could stand toe-to-toe with the biggest names in the industry.  

The Features

The ESP LTD EC-401 is a dual humbucker solid body electric with a design style not too unlike a Les Paul. The body itself is made of mahogany and features a set-neck design -- a good delineating feature that tends to separate quality guitars from "beginner" models. The three-piece mahogany, thin u-shaped neck is complemented by a beautiful pau ferro fingerboard and 24 extra jumbo frets, coming together to create a package that won't slow you down as you make your way across the board. Other core features include EMG 81/60 active pickups, high-quality Grover tuners, and a Tune-O-Matic bridge and tailpiece.  

The Build

At this price point, you should expect a good quality guitar that might not feature all the bells and whistles of a thousand dollars plus instrument, but should be a true workhorse nonetheless. All in all, the EC-401 delivers on that front and beyond. From the moment I first took this bad boy out of the box, the quality and craftsmanship of the EC-401 became apparent. The entire setup was nearly perfect and even the paint job had plenty of crispness and pop. It even matches up, specs wise, with the ESP LTD EC-1000, a guitar priced a few hundred dollars more (it just doesn't include the nicer hardware). Overall, this is a guitar well worth the price.  
ESP LTD EC-401 @ $749.00 As part of the 400 series, LTD’s EC-401 is built to last and perform for even the most demanding professional musician and features EMG 81/60 active pickups. The EC-401 is ready to handle any kind of music where the guitar gets pushed to the forefront. It has a set-neck design for comfortable, fast access to the higher frets, and a mahogany body, 3 pc. mahogany neck, and pau ferro fingerboard. It also includes high-quality Grover tuners and is available in Black and Olympic White.
 

The Sound

The bulk of the tone from the EC-401 comes courtesy of the EMG 81/60 set -- a classic pair of active humbuckers that are very well known in the hard rock scene and used by countless players. And after putting the EC-401 to work, it became very clear that this is a beast built with high-gain tones in mind. The 81 bridge pickup will easily yield a high attack, cutting tone with good articulation and plenty of sustain, making it perfect for blistering solos and heavy distortion. The 60, on the other hand, is a more balanced humbucker with boosted mids, nice lows, and rich highs. If you're going to be doing some slightly overdriven tones or something with a little more character than full-on distortion, the 60 is the way to go. It should be noted that while the EMG 60 can do some clean tones well, it and the 81 were made with distorted sounds firmly in mind. Those in need of an instrument with versatile clean tones might want to look elsewhere, but if you're a metal guitarist in need of an ax that excels in that arena, you'll love what the EC-401 will bring to the table.  

The Verdict

The ESP LTD EC-401 is a professional-grade guitar through and through. Featuring premium components, top-quality build and time-tested set of EMG 81/60 pickups, the EC-401 is worthy of being a fully capable workhorse for professionals and weekend warriors alike. If you're looking for a truly awesome metal guitar at a great price, I can't recommend the LTD EC-401 enough.