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ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
ESP LTD AS-1FR
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Playability
78
Sound
77
Build
69
Value
75
Score
75
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Playability
75
Sound
82
Build
72
Value
71
Score
76
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LTD EC-1000 Baritone vs AS-1FR

Reasons to Get
LTD EC-1000 Baritone over AS-1FR

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2022 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs Coil Split
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
75 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD AS-1FR over EC-1000 Baritone

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multi-Voicing
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Other Key Differences
LTD EC-1000 Baritone vs AS-1FR

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic vs Seymour Duncan JB SH-4
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico vs Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Pau Ferro
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD EC-1000 Baritone vs AS-1FR

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
2
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD AS-1FR is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD AS-1FR wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone is the better choice.

The ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP LTD AS-1FR 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 EC-1000 Baritone
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD AS-1FR
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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 EC-1000 Baritone Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2022 EC series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany / Maple Cap body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker/Active)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD AS-1FR Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2016 Signature series
  • Alex Skolnick Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed Maple top
  • Full Thickness Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1000 bridge
  • Custom U Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • 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

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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 EC-1000 Baritone

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 AS-1FR

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro

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.

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

Winner: ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the ESP LTD AS-1FR has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD AS-1FR's online:

The ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's pickups are Active while the ESP LTD AS-1FR'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 AS-1FR.

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.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone offers Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD AS-1FR comes with the following: Coil Split.

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.

ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's switch options
ESP LTD AS-1FR pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD AS-1FR's switch options

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 AS-1FR.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 77
ESP LTD AS-1FR
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 71
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82

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 EC-1000 Baritone compares to the ESP LTD AS-1FR.

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 EC-1000 Baritone 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 AS-1FR 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 AS-1FR.

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 EC-1000 Baritone 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 EC-1000 Baritone.

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 EC-1000 Baritone'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 AS-1FR'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 AS-1FR.

Tuners

The ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone 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 AS-1FR has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone.

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.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD AS-1FR
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
Quality of materials 61
Features 70
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 69
ESP LTD AS-1FR
Quality of materials 60
Features 75
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 72

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 EC-1000 Baritone Nut Width
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone Nut Width
ESP LTD AS-1FR Nut Width
ESP LTD AS-1FR Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP LTD AS-1FR has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP LTD AS-1FR, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's Scale Length
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's Scale Length
ESP LTD AS-1FR's Scale Length
ESP LTD AS-1FR's 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.

The ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone has the longest scale: 27". The ESP LTD AS-1FR is only 24.75" long. This is a 2.25'' (57.2mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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 EC-1000 Baritone Neck Profile
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's neck profile
ESP LTD AS-1FR Neck Profile
ESP LTD AS-1FR's 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 EC-1000 Baritone and the ESP LTD AS-1FR 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 EC-1000 Baritone Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's Fingerboard radius
ESP LTD AS-1FR Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD AS-1FR's Fingerboard 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.

In this case, the ESP LTD AS-1FR's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the ESP LTD AS-1FR favors large hands more than the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone.

ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD AS-1FR:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone and ESP LTD AS-1FR 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 EC-1000 Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78
ESP LTD AS-1FR
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD EC-1000 Baritone vs AS-1FR
General LTD EC-1000 Baritone AS-1FR
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2022 2016
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: EC Signature
Colors: Black Black Aqua Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany / Maple Cap Full Thickness Mahogany
Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru Floyd Rose 1000
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: LTD Locking Grover
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Pau Ferro
Neck Material: 3Pc Mahogany 3pc Maple
Decoration: Blocks
Scale Size: 27" 24.75"
Shape: Thin U Custom U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 12"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active) Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker / Active) Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 1 1