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ESP LTD EC-1000
Schecter Solo-II Custom
VS
Playability
83
Sound
77
Build
67
Value
76
Score
76
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Playability
80
Sound
78
Build
67
Value
80
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
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LTD EC-1000 vs Schecter Solo-II Custom Specs Comparison
LTD EC-1000 Schecter Solo-II Custom
General
Brand: ESP LTD Schecter
Year: 2021 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia South Korea
Series: EC Custom
Colors: Gold, Black, Blue, Red, Purple, Natural Burst, Amber Sunburst Black, Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece TonePros T3BT TOM & T1Z Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: LTD Locking Schecter Locking
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: 3Pc Mahogany Mahogany 3-pc
Decoration: Flag Abalone Blocks
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: Thin U Thin C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 12" to 16"
Nut: Plastic Compensated
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active) Schecter USA Pasadena Plus (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker / Active) Schecter USA Pasadena (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Gold Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
ESP LTD EC-1000 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD EC-1000's switch options
Schecter Solo-II Custom pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Solo-II Custom's switch options

Reasons to Get
LTD EC-1000 over Schecter Solo-II Custom

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Thin C
Comfortable neck with more grip
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
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output

Reasons to Get
Schecter Solo-II Custom over ESP LTD EC-1000

Decorative Top
Burl vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 13.78"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Thin C vs Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Compensated vs Plastic
Fixes intonation issues
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multi-Voicing
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
80 vs 76
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
LTD EC-1000 vs Schecter Solo-II Custom

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic vs Schecter USA Pasadena Plus
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico vs Schecter USA Pasadena
Different Neck Pickup
Nut Material
Plastic vs Compensated
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD EC-1000 vs Schecter Solo-II Custom

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard 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
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
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

  • Locking Tuners
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the ESP LTD EC-1000 favors large hands more than the Schecter Solo-II Custom. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

ESP LTD EC-1000:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Solo-II Custom:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Schecter Solo-II Custom meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP LTD EC-1000 meets only 6. 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
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Solo-II Custom
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale

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
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

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.

Winner: Tie.

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 Schecter Solo-II Custom 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's and use them on any guitar:

The ESP LTD EC-1000's pickups are Active while the Schecter Solo-II Custom'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: Schecter Solo-II Custom.

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 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 Schecter Solo-II Custom 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.

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

Winner: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD EC-1000
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 77
Schecter Solo-II Custom
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 78

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 compares to the Schecter Solo-II Custom.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The ESP LTD EC-1000 is built in Indonesia while the Schecter Solo-II Custom is made in South Korea.

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.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

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 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 Schecter Solo-II Custom comes with a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

Winner: Schecter Solo-II Custom.

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 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.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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.

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: Tie.

Tuners

They both have 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.

Winner: Tie.

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
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Solo-II Custom
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD EC-1000
Quality of materials 61
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 67
Schecter Solo-II Custom
Quality of materials 55
Features 75
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 67

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 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 EC-1000 and Schecter Solo-II Custom'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 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

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 Neck Profile
ESP LTD EC-1000's neck profile
Schecter Solo-II Custom Neck Profile
Schecter Solo-II Custom'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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The ESP LTD EC-1000 has a U type of 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.

The Schecter Solo-II Custom, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

ESP LTD EC-1000 Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD EC-1000's Fingerboard radius
Schecter Solo-II Custom Fretboard Compound Radius
Schecter Solo-II Custom's Compound 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.

In this case, the Schecter Solo-II Custom is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Fret Size

ESP LTD EC-1000 and Schecter Solo-II Custom 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
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 83
Schecter Solo-II Custom
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 80