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EVH Striped Series
ESP LTD M-1007HT
VS
Playability
70
Sound
77
Build
67
Value
71
Score
71
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Playability
78
Sound
76
Build
68
Value
74
Score
74
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EVH Striped Series vs LTD M-1007HT

Reasons to Get
EVH Striped Series over LTD M-1007HT

Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 15.75"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
EVH Modified C Backshape vs Extra Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.748'' (19mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.81'' (20.6mm) vs 0.827'' (21mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Avg. Weight
7.35lbs (3.3kgs) vs 8.35lbs (3.8kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD M-1007HT over EVH Striped Series

Decorative Top
Burled Poplar vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2020 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Extra Thin U vs EVH Modified C Backshape
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
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.748'' (19mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.827'' (21mm) vs 0.81'' (20.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
74 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
EVH Striped Series vs LTD M-1007HT

Bridge Pickup
EVH Wolfgang Humbucking vs Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic
Different Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Basswood vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs R7
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
EVH Striped Series vs LTD M-1007HT

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • 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

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ESP LTD M-1007HT Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD M-1007HT is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the EVH Striped Series's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD M-1007HT wins when it comes to playability, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the EVH Striped Series has the upper hand when it comes to sound.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the EVH Striped Series 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-1007HT is the better choice.

The ESP LTD M-1007HT meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the EVH Striped Series 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

EVH Striped Series
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD M-1007HT
  • 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.

EVH Striped Series Overview

  • From EVH's 2014 Striped series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Quartersawn Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EVH Wolfgang Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Bell knobs
  • EVH-Branded Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo with EVH D-Tuna bridge
  • EVH Modified C Backshape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • EVH-Branded Gotoh tuners
  • Weight between 6.9lbs (3.1kgs) and 7.8lbs (3.5kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD M-1007HT Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2020 M series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 7 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15.75" 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 frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Weight between 8.3lbs (3.8kgs) and 8.4lbs (3.8kgs)
  • 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 EVH Striped Series

Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD M-1007HT

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.

Winner: ESP LTD M-1007HT.

Pickup Configuration

The EVH Striped Series has an H configuration while the ESP LTD M-1007HT has HH pickups.

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.

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 EVH Striped Series has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD M-1007HT's online:

The EVH Striped Series's pickups are Passive while the ESP LTD M-1007HT's are Active.

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: EVH Striped Series.

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 M-1007HT gives you 3 switch options while the EVH Striped Series gives you 0. This means that the ESP LTD M-1007HT gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the ESP LTD M-1007HT 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.

The EVH Striped Series doesn't come with pickup switching options.

ESP LTD M-1007HT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD M-1007HT'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: ESP LTD M-1007HT.

Final Sound Quality Scores

EVH Striped Series
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 52
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 77
ESP LTD M-1007HT
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 59
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 EVH Striped Series compares to the ESP LTD M-1007HT.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The EVH Striped Series is built in Mexico while the ESP LTD M-1007HT is made in Indonesia.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

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 EVH Striped Series has 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.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD M-1007HT comes with 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.

Winner: EVH Striped Series.

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.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

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.

The EVH Striped Series's brige 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.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD M-1007HT's 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.

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: EVH Striped Series.

Tuners

The ESP LTD M-1007HT 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 EVH Striped Series has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: ESP LTD M-1007HT.

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 EVH Striped Series has a 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.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD M-1007HT comes with 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: ESP LTD M-1007HT.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
EVH Striped Series
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD M-1007HT
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

EVH Striped Series
Quality of materials 51
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 67
ESP LTD M-1007HT
Quality of materials 55
Features 75
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

EVH Striped Series Nut Width
EVH Striped Series Nut Width
ESP LTD M-1007HT Nut Width
ESP LTD M-1007HT Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP LTD M-1007HT has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 5.1mm (0.202'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP LTD M-1007HT, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

EVH Striped Series and ESP LTD M-1007HT'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

EVH Striped Series Neck Profile
EVH Striped Series's neck profile
ESP LTD M-1007HT Neck Profile
ESP LTD M-1007HT'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 EVH Striped Series has a C type of 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.

The ESP LTD M-1007HT, on the other hand, has a U 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

EVH Striped Series Fretboard Compound Radius
EVH Striped Series's Compound Fretboard Radius
ESP LTD M-1007HT Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD M-1007HT'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 EVH Striped Series is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

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-1007HT favors large hands more than the EVH Striped Series.

EVH Striped Series:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD M-1007HT:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

EVH Striped Series Frets Size
EVH Striped Series's Frets Size
ESP LTD M-1007HT Frets Size
ESP LTD M-1007HT's Frets Size

The ESP LTD M-1007HT has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the EVH Striped Series'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

EVH Striped Series
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70
ESP LTD M-1007HT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

EVH Striped Series vs LTD M-1007HT
General EVH Striped Series LTD M-1007HT
Brand: EVH ESP LTD
Year: 2014 2020
Configuration: H HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: Mexico Indonesia
Series: Striped M
Colors: Yellow Black
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Basswood Alder
Bridge: EVH-Branded Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo with EVH D-Tuna Hipshot w/ String Thru
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Neck-Through
Tuners: EVH-Branded Gotoh LTD Locking
Fretboard: Maple Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple 3pc Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: EVH Modified C Backshape Extra Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.81'' (20.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.748'' (19mm) - 12th Fret: 0.827'' (21mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 15.75"
Nut: Locking Plastic
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EVH Wolfgang Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 0 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 0 1