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ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal
ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal
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Playability
75
Sound
73
Build
74
Value
74
Score
74
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Playability
75
Sound
71
Build
67
Value
71
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal vs EX-7 Baritone Black Metal

Reasons to Get
LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal over EX-7 Baritone Black Metal

Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Set
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Value Score
74 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal over Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal

Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes

Other Key Differences
LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal vs EX-7 Baritone Black Metal

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic vs EMG 81-7H
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood

Shared Features
LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal vs EX-7 Baritone Black Metal

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
R7
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
Strings
7
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Pickups
H
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm)
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
27'' (685.8mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Active
More output
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal has the upper hand when it comes to.

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?

Both meet 5 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2022 Black Metal series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 7 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany / Maple Cap body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru bridge
  • Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2022 Black Metal series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 7 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 81-7H (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • LTD Locking 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

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

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 EX-7 Baritone Black Metal

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are H. 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal'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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal.

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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal's switch options

The ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 42
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 73
ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 37
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 71

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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal compares to the ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal.

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.

Both in this comparison come with 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: Tie.

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.

The ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal comes with 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: ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal
Quality of materials 66
Features 80
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 74
ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal
Quality of materials 61
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 67

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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 48mm (1.89'').

This is considered a wide width for a 7-string guitar. It gives your fingers the extra space you need to play without muting accidentally, but this also makes bar chords harder to perform, especially if you have small hands.

Scale Length

ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal and ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal'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 27".

This is a scale used for baritones and guitars with more than 6 strings. Since the scale is so long, the tension of the strings will be higher. This means that bending will require a lot more strength than with a shorter scale. However, it also allows you to use really low tunings without causing fret buzz and without needing to increase your string gauge too much.

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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal and the ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal and the ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal have the same fretboard radius of 15.75". It's a radius that makes playing single notes (and bending, vibrato, sliding, etc) easier than on a classic Les Paul guitar. However, it's still more curved than some baritone and 7+ strings guitars.

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 large hands .

ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal and ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal 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 Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75
ESP LTD EX-7 Baritone Black Metal
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal vs EX-7 Baritone Black Metal
General LTD Phoenix-7 Baritone Black Metal EX-7 Baritone Black Metal
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2022 2022
Configuration: H H
Strings: 7 7
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Black Metal Black Metal
Colors: Black Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany / Maple Cap Mahogany
Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Set
Tuners: LTD Locking LTD Locking
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: 3Pc Mahogany 3pc Maple
Decoration:
Scale Size: 27" 27"
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: 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 15.75"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 48mm (1.89'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active) EMG 81-7H (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup:
Switch: 0 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 0 0