Swap
Swap
ESP LTD MH-1001NT
ESP LTD MH-1000NT
VS
Playability
78
Sound
76
Build
60
Value
71
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Playability
78
Sound
76
Build
68
Value
74
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Add to Compare
Add to Compare
Add more to comparison
Show Full Spec Comparison
LTD MH-1001NT vs MH-1000NT Specs Comparison
LTD MH-1001NT MH-1000NT
General
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2015 2016
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: MH MH
Colors: Black Purple
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: LTD Locking LTD Locking
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: 3pc Maple 3pc Maple
Decoration: Offset Blocks Offset Blocks
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Thin U Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 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 Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: EMG 81 (Humbucker / Active) Seymour Duncan Pegasus (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EMG 85 (Humbucker / Active) Seymour Duncan Sentient (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
ESP LTD MH-1001NT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD MH-1001NT's switch options
ESP LTD MH-1000NT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD MH-1000NT's switch options

Reasons to Get
LTD MH-1001NT over MH-1000NT

Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD MH-1000NT over MH-1001NT

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2016 vs 2015
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
74 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
LTD MH-1001NT vs MH-1000NT

Bridge Pickup
EMG 81 vs Seymour Duncan Pegasus
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
EMG 85 vs Seymour Duncan Sentient
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
LTD MH-1001NT vs MH-1000NT

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm)
Same neck comfortability
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
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Decorative Top
Quilted Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
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

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

ESP LTD MH-1001NT Prices

    SET PRICE ALERT

    ESP LTD MH-1000NT Prices

      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.

      Hand Size Comfortability

      After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

      ESP LTD MH-1001NT:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands
      ESP LTD MH-1000NT:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands

      Beginner Friendliness

      Both meet 6 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 MH-1001NT
      • Comfortable shape
      • Easy-to-use bridge
      • Locking tuners
      • Tall frets
      • Narrow nut
      • Comfortable neck
      • Comfortable fretboard
      • Short scale

      New Player Friendliness

      ESP LTD MH-1000NT
      • Comfortable shape
      • Easy-to-use bridge
      • Locking tuners
      • Tall frets
      • Narrow nut
      • Comfortable neck
      • Comfortable fretboard
      • 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

      Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
      Maple
      Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
      Ebony
      Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
      Mahogany

      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.

      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.

      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

      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 MH-1001NT 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 MH-1001NT's and use them on any guitar:

      We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD MH-1000NT's online:

      The ESP LTD MH-1001NT's pickups are Active while the ESP LTD MH-1000NT'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 MH-1001NT.

      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.

      Only the ESP LTD MH-1000NT comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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: ESP LTD MH-1000NT.

      Final Sound Quality Scores

      ESP LTD MH-1001NT
      Pickups 95
      Sustain 85
      Versatility 49
      Tuning Stability 75
      Sound 76
      ESP LTD MH-1000NT
      Pickups 85
      Sustain 80
      Versatility 64
      Tuning Stability 75
      Sound 76

      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 MH-1001NT compares to the ESP LTD MH-1000NT.

      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.

      In this case, both have Plastic nuts. 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.

      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 MH-1000NT 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 MH-1000NT.

      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 MH-1001NT
      • Locking Tuners
      • Expensive Wood
      • Top Brand Pickups
      • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
      • Made in Indonesia
      • No High-Quality Nut
      • No Neck-Through Build
      • 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 MH-1000NT
      • Stainless Steel Frets
      • Locking Tuners
      • Expensive Wood
      • Top Brand Pickups
      • Coil Split 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

      Final Build Quality Scores

      ESP LTD MH-1001NT
      Quality of materials 45
      Features 60
      Quality Control 75
      Build Quality 60
      ESP LTD MH-1000NT
      Quality of materials 65
      Features 65
      Quality Control 75
      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 MH-1001NT 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 MH-1001NT and ESP LTD MH-1000NT'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 MH-1001NT Neck Profile
      Both guitars have the same 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 MH-1001NT and the ESP LTD MH-1000NT 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 MH-1001NT 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 MH-1001NT and the ESP LTD MH-1000NT 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.

      Fret Size

      ESP LTD MH-1001NT and ESP LTD MH-1000NT 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 MH-1001NT
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
      Chord Playability 70
      Solo Playability 80
      Playability 78
      ESP LTD MH-1000NT
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
      Chord Playability 70
      Solo Playability 80
      Playability 78