Swap
Swap
ESP LTD KH-V
ESP LTD MSV-1
VS
Playability
82
Sound
74
Build
65
Value
69
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
85
Sound
78
Build
75
Value
74
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

LTD KH-V vs MSV-1

Reasons to Get
LTD KH-V over MSV-1

Release Year
2023 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.748'' (19mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.827'' (21mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD MSV-1 over KH-V

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.748'' (19mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 0.827'' (21mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
74 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
LTD KH-V vs MSV-1

Bridge Pickup
EMG Bone Breaker vs EMG JH James Hetfield
Different Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Limba vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD KH-V vs MSV-1

Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Active
More output
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
Neck Joint
Neck-Through
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Neck-Through Build
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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 MSV-1 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the ESP LTD KH-V's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD MSV-1 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the ESP LTD KH-V 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 KH-V is the better choice.

The ESP LTD KH-V meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP LTD MSV-1 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 KH-V
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD MSV-1
  • 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 KH-V Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2023 Signature series
  • Kirk Hammett Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Korina body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Bone Breaker (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG Bone Breaker (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru bridge
  • Extra Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD MSV-1 Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2021 Signature series
  • Mike Schleibaum Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany w/ Maple Cap body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG JH James Hetfield (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Bell knobs
  • Floyd Rose 1000 bridge
  • Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Weight between 7.3lbs (3.3kgs) and 7.7lbs (3.5kgs)
  • 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

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 KH-V

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Limba wood pattern used for guitar building
Limba

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.

Limba is a relatively rare wood that shows exotic tight dark grain stripes. It comes in white or black. As a tonewood, it is comparable to Mahogany but with richer mids. Find out more about Limba.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD MSV-1

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The ESP LTD KH-V has an HH configuration while the ESP LTD MSV-1 has H pickups.

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.

On the other hand, 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

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 MSV-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 KH-V's and use them on any guitar:

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

Both use Active pickups. These pickups use an additional 9v battery to be able to increase their output for high gain tones. This is why they're popular among heavy metal guitarists. Their disadvantage is that you need batteries for the pickups, so you'll need to spend money on batteries and time swapping them. Also, the clean tones aren't as clean as other pickups because they'll have really hot output.

Winner: ESP LTD MSV-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 KH-V gives you 3 switch options while the ESP LTD MSV-1 gives you 0. This means that the ESP LTD KH-V gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

ESP LTD KH-V pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD KH-V's switch options

The ESP LTD MSV-1 doesn't come with pickup switching 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 KH-V.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD KH-V
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 49
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 74
ESP LTD MSV-1
Pickups 95
Sustain 85
Versatility 47
Tuning Stability 85
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 KH-V compares to the ESP LTD MSV-1.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The ESP LTD KH-V is built in South Korea while the ESP LTD MSV-1 is made in Indonesia.

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.

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 KH-V 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 MSV-1 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 MSV-1.

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 MSV-1 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 MSV-1.

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 KH-V'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 MSV-1'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 MSV-1.

Tuners

The ESP LTD KH-V 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 MSV-1 has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: ESP LTD KH-V.

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 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.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD KH-V
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD MSV-1
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 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 KH-V
Quality of materials 46
Features 70
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 65
ESP LTD MSV-1
Quality of materials 71
Features 75
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 75

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 KH-V 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 KH-V's Scale Length
ESP LTD KH-V's Scale Length
ESP LTD MSV-1's Scale Length
ESP LTD MSV-1'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 KH-V has the longest scale: 25.5". The ESP LTD MSV-1 is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) 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 KH-V Neck Profile
ESP LTD KH-V's neck profile
ESP LTD MSV-1 Neck Profile
ESP LTD MSV-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 KH-V and the ESP LTD MSV-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 KH-V 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 KH-V and the ESP LTD MSV-1 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 KH-V:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD MSV-1:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD KH-V and ESP LTD MSV-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 KH-V
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 90
Playability 82
ESP LTD MSV-1
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 90
Playability 85

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD KH-V vs MSV-1
General LTD KH-V MSV-1
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2023 2021
Configuration: HH H
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea Indonesia
Series: Signature Signature
Colors: Yellow White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Korina Mahogany w/ Maple Cap
Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru Floyd Rose 1000
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Neck-Through
Tuners: LTD Locking Grover
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: 3pc Maple 3Pc Mahogany
Decoration: Custom Blocks
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: Extra Thin U Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.748'' (19mm) - 12th Fret: 0.827'' (21mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG Bone Breaker (Humbucker / Active) EMG JH James Hetfield (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EMG Bone Breaker (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0