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Sterling Albert Lee
ESP LTD MH-1000
VS
Playability
70
Sound
67
Build
57
Value
75
Score
65
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Playability
80
Sound
81
Build
80
Value
80
Score
80
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Sterling Albert Lee vs LTD MH-1000

Reasons to Get
Sterling Albert Lee over LTD MH-1000

Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Neck Profile
Albert Lee vs Extra Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Floyd Rose
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD MH-1000 over Sterling Albert Lee

Decorative Top
Quilted Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 9.5"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Extra Thin U vs Albert Lee
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
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
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Tremolo
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
80 vs 75
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Sterling Albert Lee vs LTD MH-1000

Bridge Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-2 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Sterling Albert Lee vs LTD MH-1000

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
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
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • 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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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD MH-1000 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 80 compared to the Sterling Albert Lee's 65 score, which is a significant difference.

The ESP LTD MH-1000 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Sterling Albert Lee 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 Sterling Albert Lee is the better choice.

The Sterling Albert Lee meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP LTD MH-1000 meets only 5. 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

Sterling Albert Lee
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD MH-1000
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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.

Sterling Albert Lee Overview

  • From Sterling's 2020 Artist series
  • Albert Lee Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Hard Maple neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Fulcrum Tremolo bridge
  • Albert Lee Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Narrow Tall frets
  • Diecast tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD MH-1000 Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2022 MH series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple top
  • Mahogany 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
  • Floyd Rose 1000SE bridge
  • Extra Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover 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
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 Sterling Albert Lee

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

Jatoba is a hard and dense wood that emphasizes the mid-lows, giving a fuller, more round sound than, for example, Mahogany. However, it also has a lot of clarity in the top end. Find out more about Jatoba.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD MH-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.

Winner: ESP LTD MH-1000.

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

The ESP LTD MH-1000 pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sterling Albert Lee. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal and similar genres.

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

The Sterling Albert Lee's pickups are Passive while the ESP LTD MH-1000'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: ESP LTD MH-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

The Sterling Albert Lee gives you 5 switch options while the ESP LTD MH-1000 gives you 3. This means that the Sterling Albert Lee gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the ESP LTD MH-1000 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.

Sterling Albert Lee pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Sterling Albert Lee's switch options
ESP LTD MH-1000 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD MH-1000'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 MH-1000.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Sterling Albert Lee
Pickups 60
Sustain 75
Versatility 67
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 67
ESP LTD MH-1000
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 69
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 Sterling Albert Lee compares to the ESP LTD MH-1000.

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 Sterling Albert Lee has a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD MH-1000 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: Tie.

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-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 MH-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 Sterling Albert Lee's brige 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.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD MH-1000's 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.

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: ESP LTD MH-1000.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Sterling Albert Lee's are Diecast while the ESP LTD MH-1000's are Grover

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 Sterling Albert Lee 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 MH-1000 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 MH-1000.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Sterling Albert Lee
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD MH-1000
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Sterling Albert Lee
Quality of materials 51
Features 55
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 57
ESP LTD MH-1000
Quality of materials 75
Features 90
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 80

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

Sterling Albert Lee Nut Width
Sterling Albert Lee Nut Width
ESP LTD MH-1000 Nut Width
ESP LTD MH-1000 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP LTD MH-1000 has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 0.1mm (0.004'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP LTD MH-1000, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Sterling Albert Lee and ESP LTD MH-1000'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

Sterling Albert Lee Neck Profile
Sterling Albert Lee's neck profile
ESP LTD MH-1000 Neck Profile
ESP LTD MH-1000'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 Sterling Albert Lee 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 MH-1000, 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

Sterling Albert Lee Fingerboard Radius
Sterling Albert Lee's Fingerboard radius
ESP LTD MH-1000 Fretboard Compound Radius
ESP LTD MH-1000's Compound 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.

In this case, the ESP LTD MH-1000 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.

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 .

Sterling Albert Lee:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD MH-1000:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Sterling Albert Lee Frets Size
Sterling Albert Lee's Frets Size
ESP LTD MH-1000 Frets Size
ESP LTD MH-1000's Frets Size

The ESP LTD MH-1000 has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Sterling Albert Lee's Narrow Tall 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

Sterling Albert Lee
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
ESP LTD MH-1000
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 90
Playability 80

Specs Side-by-Side

Sterling Albert Lee vs LTD MH-1000
General Sterling Albert Lee LTD MH-1000
Brand: Sterling ESP LTD
Year: 2020 2022
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Artist MH
Colors: Blue Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Fulcrum Tremolo Floyd Rose 1000SE
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Neck-Through
Tuners: Diecast Grover
Fretboard: Jatoba Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: Hard Maple 3pc Maple
Decoration: Black/White Dot Markers Offset Blocks
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Albert Lee Extra Thin U
Frets: 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12" to 16"
Nut: Compensated Locking
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1