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ESP LTD M-1000HT
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium
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Playability
78
Sound
76
Build
75
Value
76
Score
76
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Playability
73
Sound
81
Build
70
Value
70
Score
75
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LTD M-1000HT vs Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium

Reasons to Get
LTD M-1000HT over Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Extra Thin U vs Wizard
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Pickups
HH vs HSS
High output without hum
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.748'' (19mm) vs 0.71'' (18mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.827'' (21mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Bridge
Fixed vs Edge
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
76 vs 70
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium over ESP LTD M-1000HT

Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Wizard vs Extra Thin U
Thin neck for playing fast
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSS vs HH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.71'' (18mm) vs 0.748'' (19mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.827'' (21mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Edge vs Fixed
Intense vibratos with more features than a Floyd Rose
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
LTD M-1000HT vs Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic vs EMG 81
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico vs EMG SA
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
R6 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD M-1000HT vs Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm)
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
Pickups Power
Active
More output
Decorative Top
Burled Poplar vs Koa
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 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

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Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD M-1000HT is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD M-1000HT wins when it comes to playability, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium has the upper hand when it comes to sound.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium 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 M-1000HT is the better choice.

The ESP LTD M-1000HT meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium 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 M-1000HT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium
  • 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 M-1000HT Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2020 M series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Burled Poplar top
  • Alder body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Hipshot w/ String Thru bridge
  • Extra Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2021 RG series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Koa top
  • African Mahogany body
  • 11pc Maple/Walnut/Bubinga neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 81 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Middle pickup: EMG SA (Single Coil/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG SA (Single Coil/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Edge bridge
  • Wizard Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo Gold frets
  • Gotoh machine heads 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

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

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.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD M-1000HT

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

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: Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium.

Pickup Configuration

The ESP LTD M-1000HT has an HH configuration while the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium has HSS 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, HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

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.

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

We found the same or similar pickups to the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium'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: Tie.

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 Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium gives you 5 switch options while the ESP LTD M-1000HT gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the ESP LTD M-1000HT comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

ESP LTD M-1000HT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD M-1000HT's switch options
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium'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: Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD M-1000HT
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 76
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 81

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 M-1000HT compares to the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium.

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 M-1000HT 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 Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium 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: Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium.

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 M-1000HT 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 M-1000HT.

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 M-1000HT'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 Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium's is a Edge. This is a double-locking tremolo system designed by Ibanez. It's a tremolo inspired by Floyd Roses but with its own design improvements, like a push-in arm, better-positioned fine-tuners for more right-hand comfortability, replaceable knife edges, and more mass for more sustain. These bridges offer tons of versatility, but they also require more work than simpler tremolos to set up.

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: Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium.

Tuners

The ESP LTD M-1000HT 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 Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: ESP LTD M-1000HT.

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 M-1000HT 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 Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium 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 M-1000HT.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD M-1000HT
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium
  • Gold Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD M-1000HT
Quality of materials 75
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 75
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium
Quality of materials 65
Features 65
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 70

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 M-1000HT 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 43mm (1.693'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

ESP LTD M-1000HT and Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium'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 M-1000HT Neck Profile
ESP LTD M-1000HT's neck profile
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium Neck Profile
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium'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 M-1000HT 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 Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium, on the other hand, has a Wizard neck. This is thinner than most C-type necks. It won't get in your way if you want to play fast solos. It's not as slim as 'Super Wizard' necks, so it might fit you better if you don't like ultra-thin necks.

Fretboard Radius

ESP LTD M-1000HT Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD M-1000HT's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium'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 M-1000HT's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium'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 Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium.

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 M-1000HT favors large hands more than the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium.

ESP LTD M-1000HT:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD M-1000HT Frets Size
ESP LTD M-1000HT's Frets Size
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium Frets Size
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium's Frets Size

The ESP LTD M-1000HT has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium's Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

ESP LTD M-1000HT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78
Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD M-1000HT vs Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium
General LTD M-1000HT Ibanez RG6PKAG Premium
Brand: ESP LTD Ibanez
Year: 2020 2021
Configuration: HH HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: M RG
Colors: Black Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder African Mahogany
Bridge: Hipshot w/ String Thru Edge
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: LTD Locking Gotoh machine heads
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: 3pc Maple 11pc Maple/Walnut/Bubinga
Decoration: Dots Mother of Pearl dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Extra Thin U Wizard
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.748'' (19mm) - 12th Fret: 0.827'' (21mm) 1st Fret: 0.71'' (18mm) - 12th Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Gold
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 16"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active) EMG 81 (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup: EMG SA (Single Coil / Active)
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker / Active) EMG SA (Single Coil / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1