ESP LTD SN-1B Baritone Electric Guitar in Black

The ESP LTD SN-1 Baritone Electric Guitar in Black is a finely crafted instrument designed to meet the demands of players who require extended range and exceptional tonal versatility. This baritone guitar, with its longer scale length and specialized features, is ideal for heavier music genres where depth and clarity at lower tunings are paramount. Here’s an in-depth review of its specifications and standout features:

Construction and Design

• Construction: Featuring a bolt-on neck construction, this design offers a snappy response with enhanced clarity and punch, which is particularly effective for articulate playing styles and complex riffs.
• Scale: The 27" baritone scale length allows for stable tuning at lower pitches, providing a tight and responsive feel across all strings, making it perfect for metal, progressive, and other genres that frequently utilize lower tunings.
• Body Material: Swamp ash is chosen for the body for its light weight and resonant properties, offering a balanced tone with ample sustain and a crisp top end.
• Neck: A 5-piece roasted maple and purple heart neck not only ensures exceptional stability and resistance to environmental changes but also adds to the overall sustain and tonal richness of the guitar.
• Fingerboard: The Macassar ebony fingerboard with a compound radius of 300-400mm allows for easy playability and comfort at both lower and higher frets, suitable for both rhythm and lead playing.

Playability

• Nut: A black bone nut enhances tonal quality, offering superior resonance and sustain compared to traditional materials, and with a width of 42mm, it provides comfortable string spacing for intricate playing techniques.
• Neck Contour: The Thin U-shaped neck profile is designed for speed and comfort, allowing for effortless movement up and down the neck.
• Frets: The guitar features 24 XJ stainless steel frets, with scalloping from the 17th to the 24th fret, which facilitates easier bending and vibrato on the higher notes, enhancing playability for lead guitarists.

Hardware and Electronics

• Tuners: LTD locking tuners provide excellent tuning stability, crucial for maintaining consistent performance, especially when playing in lower tunings.
• Bridge: A Hipshot bridge with string-thru-body design not only contributes to the guitar’s sustain but also ensures stable and precise intonation across all strings.
• Pickup: The Fishman Modern Ceramic Brushed Stainless bridge pickup offers a high-output tone that can be crisply defined or heavily distorted, maintaining clarity in lower registers. The pull volume for Voice 2 feature allows quick tonal shifts, enhancing the guitar's versatility.
• Electronics Layout: Simplified controls with a single volume (push/pull for tonal variations) ensure ease of use during performance, allowing for quick adjustments.

Aesthetic and Extras

• Finish: The sleek black finish provides a classic and timeless look that complements the chrome hardware, giving the guitar a modern yet understated aesthetic.
• Strings: Equipped with D'Addario XL158 strings in a baritone tuning (B/E/A/D/F#/B), this setup is optimized for deep, resonant tones and robust playability.

The ESP LTD SN-1 Baritone Electric Guitar in Black is an excellent choice for guitarists looking to explore the sonic depths of lower tunings with a reliable, high-performance instrument that delivers both on stage and in the studio. Whether you're playing heavy riffs, intricate leads, or anything in between, this guitar is built to exceed expectations.