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ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
ESP LTD AS-1
VS
Playability
82
Sound
78
Build
74
Value
78
Score
78
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Playability
77
Sound
77
Build
68
Value
69
Score
74
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LTD EC-FR Black Metal vs AS-1

Reasons to Get
LTD EC-FR Black Metal over AS-1

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
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
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Avg. Weight
7.5lbs (3.4kgs) vs 8.875lbs (4kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
78 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD AS-1 over EC-FR Black Metal

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
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
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
LTD EC-FR Black Metal vs AS-1

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Black Winter vs Seymour Duncan JB SH-4
Different Bridge Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Pau Ferro
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Locking vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD EC-FR Black Metal vs AS-1

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
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

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • High-Quality Nut
  • 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

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the ESP LTD AS-1's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the ESP LTD AS-1 in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD AS-1
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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-FR Black Metal Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2021 Black Metal series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Black Winter (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Floyd Rose 1000 bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Weight between 7.15lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.85lbs (3.6kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD AS-1 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
  • Mahogany body
  • 3Pc Mahogany 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
  • Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece bridge
  • Custom U Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Weight between 8.7lbs (3.9kgs) and 9.05lbs (4.1kgs)
  • 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

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-FR Black 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 AS-1

Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro

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-FR Black Metal.

Pickup Configuration

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal has an H configuration while the ESP LTD AS-1 has HH pickups.

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.

On the other hand, 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-1 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-FR Black Metal's and use them on any guitar:

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

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: ESP LTD AS-1.

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

The ESP LTD AS-1 gives you 3 switch options while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal gives you 0. This means that the ESP LTD AS-1 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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.

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal doesn't come with pickup switching options.

ESP LTD AS-1 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD AS-1'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 EC-FR Black Metal.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 62
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 78
ESP LTD AS-1
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 77

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-FR Black Metal compares to the ESP LTD AS-1.

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-FR Black Metal has 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.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD AS-1 comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Winner: Tie.

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-FR Black 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 EC-FR Black 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 EC-FR Black Metal's brige 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.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD AS-1's 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.

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 EC-FR Black Metal.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with Grover.

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

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Quality of materials 71
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 74
ESP LTD AS-1
Quality of materials 65
Features 60
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 68

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-FR Black Metal Nut Width
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Nut Width
ESP LTD AS-1 Nut Width
ESP LTD AS-1 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP LTD AS-1 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-1, 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-FR Black Metal and ESP LTD AS-1'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-FR Black Metal Neck Profile
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's neck profile
ESP LTD AS-1 Neck Profile
ESP LTD AS-1'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-FR Black Metal and the ESP LTD AS-1 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-FR Black Metal Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's Fingerboard radius
ESP LTD AS-1 Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD AS-1'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-1's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal'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-FR Black Metal.

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-1 favors large hands more than the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD AS-1:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal and ESP LTD AS-1 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-FR Black Metal
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82
ESP LTD AS-1
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD EC-FR Black Metal vs AS-1
General LTD EC-FR Black Metal AS-1
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2021 2016
Configuration: H HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Black Metal Signature
Colors: Black Yellow Burst
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1000 Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Grover
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Pau Ferro
Neck Material: 3Pc Mahogany 3Pc Mahogany
Decoration: Blocks
Scale Size: 24.75" 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: Locking Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Black Winter (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 0 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 0 1