Swap
Swap
ESP LTD PS-1000
PRS SE Standard 24
VS
Playability
80
Sound
75
Build
69
Value
75
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
72
Sound
72
Build
59
Value
73
Score
68
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

LTD PS-1000 vs PRS SE Standard 24

Reasons to Get
LTD PS-1000 over PRS SE Standard 24

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2019 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Wide Thin
Comfortable neck with more grip
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
P90P90 vs HH
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 0.91'' (23.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
75 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
PRS SE Standard 24 over ESP LTD PS-1000

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Wide Thin vs Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
PRS Propietary vs Plastic
Good tuning stability
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Body Type
Solid Body vs Semi-Hollow
Feedback free
Pickups
HH vs P90P90
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.91'' (23.1mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
LTD PS-1000 vs PRS SE Standard 24

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Phat Cat SPH90-1 vs PRS 85/15 S
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Phat Cat SPH90-1 vs PRS 85/15 S
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs PRS Propietary
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD PS-1000 vs PRS SE Standard 24

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • 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 PS-1000 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the PRS SE Standard 24's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD PS-1000 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the PRS SE Standard 24 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 PS-1000 is the better choice.

The ESP LTD PS-1000 meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the PRS SE Standard 24 meets only 4. 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 PS-1000
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

PRS SE Standard 24
  • 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 PS-1000 Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2019 Xtone series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Phat Cat SPH90-1 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

PRS SE Standard 24 Overview

  • From PRS's 2018 SE series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Bound Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS 85/15 S (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS 85/15 S (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • PRS Patented Tremolo, Molded bridge
  • Wide Thin Set neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • PRS Designed Tuners tuners
  • Weight between 7.35lbs (3.3kgs) and 8lbs (3.6kgs)
  • 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
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.

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 PS-1000

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 PRS SE Standard 24

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The ESP LTD PS-1000 has an P90P90 configuration while the PRS SE Standard 24 has HH pickups.

P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

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 PS-1000 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 PS-1000's and use them on any guitar:

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 PS-1000.

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 PRS SE Standard 24 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.

ESP LTD PS-1000 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD PS-1000's switch options
PRS SE Standard 24 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
PRS SE Standard 24'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: PRS SE Standard 24.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD PS-1000
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 75
PRS SE Standard 24
Pickups 85
Sustain 65
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 72

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 PS-1000 compares to the PRS SE Standard 24.

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 PS-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 PRS SE Standard 24 comes with a PRS Propietary nut. It's similar to TUSQ nuts, but they're not as hard, and the tone is not as bright. However, the material is self-lubricating, and it's usually well cut, so they have good tuning stability.

Winner: PRS SE Standard 24.

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 PS-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 PS-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.

The ESP LTD PS-1000'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 PRS SE Standard 24's is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

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

The ESP LTD PS-1000 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.

Winner: ESP LTD PS-1000.

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 PS-1000
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS SE Standard 24
  • Expensive Wood
  • PRS Propietary Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD PS-1000
Quality of materials 66
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 69
PRS SE Standard 24
Quality of materials 46
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 59

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 PS-1000 Nut Width
ESP LTD PS-1000 Nut Width
PRS SE Standard 24 Nut Width
PRS SE Standard 24 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the PRS SE Standard 24 has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.9mm (0.034'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the PRS SE Standard 24, 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 PS-1000's Scale Length
ESP LTD PS-1000's Scale Length
PRS SE Standard 24's Scale Length
PRS SE Standard 24'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 PRS SE Standard 24 has the longest scale: 25". The ESP LTD PS-1000 is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.25'' (6.4mm) 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 PS-1000 Neck Profile
ESP LTD PS-1000's neck profile
PRS SE Standard 24 Neck Profile
PRS SE Standard 24'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 PS-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 PRS SE Standard 24, 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 PS-1000 Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD PS-1000's Fingerboard radius
PRS SE Standard 24 Fingerboard Radius
PRS SE Standard 24'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 PRS SE Standard 24's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the ESP LTD PS-1000'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 PS-1000.

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 PS-1000:
Big Hands
Small Hands
PRS SE Standard 24:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD PS-1000 Frets Size
ESP LTD PS-1000's Frets Size
PRS SE Standard 24 Frets Size
PRS SE Standard 24's Frets Size

The ESP LTD PS-1000 has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the PRS SE Standard 24's Medium 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 PS-1000
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 80
PRS SE Standard 24
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 75
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD PS-1000 vs PRS SE Standard 24
General LTD PS-1000 PRS SE Standard 24
Brand: ESP LTD PRS
Year: 2019 2018
Configuration: P90P90 HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Xtone SE
Colors: Black, Blue, Purple Blue, Red, Tobacco Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Bound Mahogany
Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece PRS Patented Tremolo, Molded
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: LTD Locking PRS Designed Tuners
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: 3pc Maple Maple
Decoration: Blocks Birds
Scale Size: 24.75" 25"
Shape: Thin U Wide Thin
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.91'' (23.1mm)
Frets: 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 10"
Nut: Plastic PRS Propietary
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Phat Cat SPH90-1 (Humbucker / Passive) PRS 85/15 S (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Phat Cat SPH90-1 (Humbucker / Passive) PRS 85/15 S (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1