Swap
Swap
ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal
ESP LTD Alexi-200
VS
Playability
82
Sound
74
Build
70
Value
80
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
77
Sound
69
Build
59
Value
73
Score
68
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logoMusician's Friend logo
Add more to comparison

LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal vs Alexi-200

Reasons to Get
LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal over Alexi-200

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2007
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
EMG vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs None
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
80 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD Alexi-200 over Arrow-NT Arctic Metal

Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Avg. Weight
6.75lbs (3.1kgs) vs 6.775lbs (3.1kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Other Key Differences
LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal vs Alexi-200

Bridge Pickup
EMG 81TW vs ESP Designed LH-301B
Different Bridge Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Jatoba
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal vs Alexi-200

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Pickups
H
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal Prices

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the ESP LTD Alexi-200's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the ESP LTD Alexi-200 in every aspect.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal is the better choice.

The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP LTD Alexi-200 meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD Alexi-200
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2021 Arctic Metal series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 81TW (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru bridge
  • Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Weight between 6.65lbs (3kgs) and 6.9lbs (3.1kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD Alexi-200 Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2007 Signature series
  • Alexi Laiho Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Roasted Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: ESP Designed LH-301B (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Floyd Rose Special bridge
  • Thin U Bolt-On neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • LTD tuners
  • Weight around 6.75lbs (3.1kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD Alexi-200

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

Jatoba is a hard and dense wood that emphasizes the mid-lows, giving a fuller, more round sound than, for example, Mahogany. However, it also has a lot of clarity in the top end. Find out more about Jatoba.

Winner: ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are H. A single H pickup gives you the advantage of having a little longer sustain (all other things being equal) because there will be less magnetic fields from other pickups affecting the strings' vibration. However, they also give you the least versatility because you won't have other pickups at different distances from the bridge to create different tones. A single humbucking pickup is used for noiseless high output, which is used mainly for Hard Rock genres.

Pickups Quality

The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal has pickups from a more specialized brand than the ESP LTD Alexi-200. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal and similar genres.

You can purchase similar pickups to the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal's and use them on any guitar:

The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal's pickups are Active while the ESP LTD Alexi-200's are Passive.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Only the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split, Killswitch.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

A Killswitch lets you disengage the pickups instantly. It can be useful when playing live, and it allows you to create some cool sound effects by using the switch rapidly.

In this case, both of them lack pickup selector.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: ESP LTD Alexi-200.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 52
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 74
ESP LTD Alexi-200
Pickups 55
Sustain 80
Versatility 57
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 69

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal compares to the ESP LTD Alexi-200.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal has a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD Alexi-200 comes with a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

Winner: ESP LTD Alexi-200.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

In this comparison, the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD Alexi-200's is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: ESP LTD Alexi-200.

Tuners

The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Nevertheless, the ESP LTD Alexi-200 has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal has a Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD Alexi-200 comes with Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Coil Split, Killswitch Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD Alexi-200
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal
Quality of materials 61
Features 80
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 70
ESP LTD Alexi-200
Quality of materials 41
Features 65
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 59

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal and ESP LTD Alexi-200's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal and the ESP LTD Alexi-200 have a U-shaped neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal and the ESP LTD Alexi-200 have the same fretboard radius of 13.78". It's closer to the 12'' that most Les Paul guitars have, but it's a bit flatter. It'll make it easier to play single notes than chords, but it's still relatively comfortable for chords.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD Alexi-200:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal and ESP LTD Alexi-200 Frets Size
Both have a similar XL Jumbo fret size

Both have a XL Jumbo fret size. These are really tall frets made like this so you don't meet any resistance when playing techniques like vibrato, bending, tapping, etc. They should make the guitar easier to play, but you have to be careful not to get the notes out of pitch by pressing down too hard, which might happen since the fretboard will be too low to stop your hand.

Final Playability Scores

ESP LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 90
Playability 82
ESP LTD Alexi-200
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal vs Alexi-200
General LTD Arrow-NT Arctic Metal Alexi-200
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2021 2007
Configuration: H H
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Arctic Metal Signature
Colors: White Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru Floyd Rose Special
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: LTD Locking LTD
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Roasted Jatoba
Neck Material: 3pc Maple Maple
Decoration: Shark Teeth
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Thin U Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG 81TW (Humbucker / Active) ESP Designed LH-301B (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup:
Switch: 0 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split, Killswitch None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 0 0