ESP LTD F-5 EBONY - Overview and Best Prices

ESP LTD F-5 EBONY Review
Add to Compare
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
  • From ESP LTD's 2022 New 2022 Basses series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 5 strings
  • 35"'' scale
  • 15.748" Fretboard Radius
  • Burled Poplar top
  • Mahogany body
  • 7Pc Maple / Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: ESP SB-5B (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: ESP SB-5N (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 3 tone Dome knobs
  • LTD BB-605 bridge
  • Bass Extra Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • LTD tuners
  • Side-By-Side Comparison
Show Specs
ESP LTD F-5 EBONY Specifications
ESP LTD F-5 EBONY
General
Brand: ESP LTD
Year: 2022
Configuration: HH
Strings: 5
Made in: Indonesia
Series: New 2022 Basses
Colors: Burst
Left-Handed Version: No
Body
Top: Burled Poplar
Type: Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany
Bridge: LTD BB-605
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through
Tuners: LTD
Fretboard: Ebony
Neck Material: 7Pc Maple / Mahogany
Decoration: Abalone Offset Dots
Scale Size: 35"
Shape: Bass Extra Thin U
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo
Fretboard Radius: 15.748"
Nut: Plastic
Nut Width: 45mm (1.772'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: ESP SB-5B (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: ESP SB-5N (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 0
Knobs: Dome
Volume Controls: 2
Tone Controls: 3
Hardware
Strap Lock: No
Hardware Color: Black

Our Scores and Tone Evaluation

Playability 82
Sound 82
Build quality 65
Value for money 81
Overall Score 76
Tone Evaluation
  • Heavy Metal
  • Hard Rock
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Funk
  • Country
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD F-5 EBONY
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Active Preamp
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Price Overview

Its average competitor's price is $730, which means that the ESP LTD F-5 EBONY is within the average price asked for this kind of bass. This takes into account all instruments of the same category in our database with 5 strings and Fixed bridge that are made in Indonesia.

User Reviews & Feedback

Not all instruments are created equally. That's why it's important to have different opinions. Here's what our users who have played this instrument say. If you've played it before, help others by voting below!

Weight

Vote

Tuning stability

Vote

Neck speed (thickness)

Vote

Neck access to high frets

Vote

Neck profile shape

Vote

Fret edges

Vote

Pickups noise

Vote

Pickups power

Vote
No Reviews Yet

Explore All From ESP LTD >

Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the neck profile, scale size, fretboard radius, and nut width, we can conclude that the ESP LTD F-5 EBONY's construction is balanced for most hand sizes.

Nevertheless, this comes down in the end to personal preference. Make sure you test this bass—or another one with similar characteristics—before buying.

Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The ESP LTD F-5 EBONY meets 3 out of our 6 criteria items for beginner friendliness, which means that it's not bad for beginners, but it could be better. 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 to get used to.

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD F-5 EBONY
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

Videos

ESP LTD F-5E Mahogany NS | Guitar Center PL
ESP LTD F-5E 5-String Bass Guitar Natural Satin
My First Bass Revisited
ESP LTD F5 -unboxing
ESP LTD D 5 Bass Review (and my tones!)
THE NEW ESP/LTD GUITARS ARE (LOW-KEY) WILD...
ESP LTD F-5E demo
ESP LTD B-205FM, See Thru Blue | Gear4music demo
ESP-LTD F-105 5 String Bass Guitar
Unboxing my first NEW BASS in 14 years! [ESP LTD B-205SM Reaction/Review]

Playability

Scale Length

Scale length is the distance the strings will span between the bridge and the nut. It can tell you a lot about the overall playability and tone of the instrument. A longer scale length means longer distance between frets, brighter tone and more string tension—which means lower action, but more difficult bending of the strings.

Here's the ESP LTD F-5 EBONY's 35" scale length compared to other common sizes:

ESP LTD F-5 EBONY Scale Length Comparison
ESP LTD F-5 EBONY's scale length (at the top) compared to other popular sizes

This is considered a long scale bass, and it's the most popular choice for several reasons. Even though it might be more difficult to play than short scale basses due to their increased string tension, their punchier low-end results in a clear and defined bass tone that can cut through in a mix, making them well-suited for genres like rock, metal, and funk.

Neck Profile

ESP LTD F-5 EBONY Neck Profile
ESP LTD F-5 EBONY's neck profile

The neck profile tells you the thickness (neck depth) and shape in cross section. Every difference will completely change the feeling and comfortability of the neck. This is a highly subjective thing, but most players indeed prefer certain types of necks (like Cs and Ds) because they feel nice in most hands.

It has a U type neck. This shape usually has more 'shoulders' than a C neck. It's great for guitarists who love the feel of a vintage neck. Most of them are thick, which makes it better for people with big hands. However, some of them can be thin like a C neck but with more mass to the sides for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

When it comes to fingerboard radius, personal preference will dictate which one is better for you. However, most people seem to agree that a more curved (lower) radius will make it easier to play chords while a less curved (higher) radius is better for soloing and bending.

The ESP LTD F-5 EBONY has a 15.748" fingerboard radius.

Here's an image comparing this fretboard radius to other popular choices:

ESP LTD F-5 EBONY Fretboard Radius Comparison with Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul
ESP LTD F-5 EBONY's fretboard radius compared to others

Compound radius fingerboards give the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, the ESP LTD F-5 EBONY has the same radius across the board.

Playability compared to main competitors

35'' Scale Length
U Neck Profile
1.772'' Nut Width
15.748'' Fretboard Radius
34'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.772'' Nut Width
12'' Fretboard Radius
35'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.85'' Nut Width
15.748'' Fretboard Radius
35'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.85'' Nut Width
15.748'' Fretboard Radius
34'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.772'' Nut Width
12'' Fretboard Radius

Nut Width

ESP LTD F-5 EBONY Nut Width
ESP LTD F-5 EBONY Nut Width

The ESP LTD F-5 EBONY has a nut width of 45mm (1.772''). This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 5-string bass. This is what most players find as a balanced width for both playing chords and single notes across different strings. If you have an "average" hand size, or you're not sure what nut width you'd like, this is a safe bet.

Frets

The ESP LTD F-5 EBONY has 24 frets. A lot of people mistakenly believe that having more frets will always be better because it gives you a higher octave. This is certainly an advantage, but there's also a disadvantage to this.

Since the fretboard will be longer, the neck pickup will need to be placed closer to the bridge. And as you may know, the further away the neck pickup is from the bridge, the warmer it sounds. This means you'll have a brighter-sounding neck pickup when using a 24-fret bass, even if you use the same pickup on a 22-fret bass.

It comes with nickel silver frets, so they won't last as long as stainless steel frets. If you use your instrument a lot, you might need to replace the frets after a few years. But this is unlikely as most people change instruments before this happens.

Fret Size

ESP LTD F-5 EBONY Fret Size Comparison
ESP LTD F-5 EBONY's fret size (in orange) compared to other popular sizes

Finally, let's talk about fret size. Some people prefer tall frets because it's easier to press the strings and perform bends since there's less friction against the fretboard. On the other hand, some people like shorter frets because they like to touch the fretboard when playing, or because they got heavy hands and tend to press too much on the string and alter the of the note pitch accidently.

The ESP LTD F-5 EBONY's frets are XL Jumbo size. These are extra-large frets, which are perfect for people who truly want the least resistance for techniques like vibrato, bending, tapping, and just playing fast in general. You won't be able to feel the fretboard with these frets, so if you press too hard you'll get the notes out of pitch. It might take a while to get used to them because of this.

Playability Score

Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 90
Playability 82

Tone

Wood will have little influence in the final tone of an electric guitar or bass. Instead, the hardware, especially the pickups, will be the most important thing to look at. Bur first, let's see the quality of the wood.

Wood

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany Body
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple Neck
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony Fretboard

Mahogany Body: This is the type of wood found in many top-of-the-line guitars, so that's a positive point for the build quality. This red-looking wood Mahogany is found in Africa and Central America and has great sustain and a warm tone due to its high density. The downside about this type of wood is that it's relatively heavy.

Maple Neck: This is one of the most popular types of wood used in all kinds of guitars. It's heavy, strong and compact, which makes it great for necks. However, it's also used for fretboards, bodies and tops due to its light color, resistance and beautiful patterns. When it comes to tone, it highlights the mid and high frequencies.

Ebony Fretboard: This is one of the most expensive woods there is, which is why it's mostly used for fretboards. It is dense, heavy, highly resistant and comes in a really dark color that gives any guitar a classy touch. Tone wise, it helps the high side of the spectrum and provides good sustain.

Pickups

This bass comes with pickups from one of the top brands: ESP. So you can expect well built pickups with great sound that shouldn't need an upgrade anytime soon.

These are passive pickups, so you can expect a rounder sound and a moderade level of output.

Preamp

The preamp is an electronic circuit that serves as an intermediary between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its primary function is to boost and shape the bass's raw signal before it reaches the amplifier. This allows for greater control over the bass's tone, volume, and other sound characteristics. Preamps often include tone controls, equalization settings, and sometimes even onboard effects, enabling bassists to tailor their sound to their preferences and the musical context.

This bass has a Active preamp. Unlike passive basses, which rely solely on passive pickups and tone controls, active preamps require a power source, typically a 9-volt battery, to operate. The active preamp offers several advantages, including the ability to boost or cut specific frequencies, resulting in a more versatile and customizable tonal palette. Active basses are favored in genres where precise tonal sculpting and extended tonal options are essential, such as jazz fusion or progressive rock. However, they do require occasional battery replacement or recharging to ensure optimal performance.

The ESP LTD F-5 EBONY's configuration is HH. With this pickup combination, you'll get warmer tones and more output than using single coils. Humbucker pickups cancel the noise that single-coil suffer from, which also results in a warmer tone. This pickup combination isn't only for high-gain music like Hard Rock or Heavy Metal. Their warmness is also popular for Jazz, Indie, R&B, Blues and more.

More with the same pickups

24 Frets
Fixed Bridge
ESP SB-5B Bridge Pickup
ESP SB-5N Neck Pickup
24 Frets
Fixed Bridge
ESP SB-5B Bridge Pickup
ESP SB-5N Neck Pickup

Versatility

Unfortunately, it doesn't come with more options for coil split or coil tapping. This makes it less versatile than some competitors.

What music genre is it good for?

As a 5 strings, Solid Body bass with HH configuration and Passive pickups, we'd recommend it for genres like Heavy Metal or similar. However, you can use almost any bass for any genre. This is just the typical type of music for this particular one.

Sound Score

Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 81
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 82

Build Quality

Country of Origin

Knowing where the instrument is produced is a good way to know how well it's built. Some manufacturing countries are known for having higher quality standards. For example, most expensive instruments are made in the US or Japan, but there are some exceptionally great countries—like South Korea—that are building a good reputation.

The ESP LTD F-5 EBONY is made in Indonesia. Many people prefer the quality of an Indonesian guitar over a Chinese. Respectable brands like Epiphone, Ibanez and Schecter are building in this country because of the great quality and lower price. Some people like to compare them to the ones built in Japan during the 80s, when Japanese guitar makers made a name for themselves.

Bridge

LTD BB-605: The advantage of fixed bridges is that they don't require any kind of set-up. This makes it extremely easy when changing strings because you don't need to adjust anything besides tuning the guitar. Also, the fact that the bridge is directly attached to the body will help to increase sustain. The disadvantage is the lack of versatility since you can't create the same vibrato effects as with tremolo bridges.

Nut Material

Another important thing to analyze is the nut material, as it's one of the most important aspects that can affect the sound and playability of your bass. A well-cut nut will make sure it stays in tune and will make it more comfortable to play.

In this case, the ESP LTD F-5 EBONY 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.

Neck Joint

The neck joint is the part where the neck of the bass meets the body. There are three main techniques to attach both parts together: Set-In, Bolt-On and Neck-Through. The latter two provide different advantages, although neck-throughs are the most expensive.

This bass has a Neck-Through neck joint. Many people believe a neck-through build delivers the best sustain because some of the vibrations from the neck aren't lost like with other neck joints. However, no one has been able to prove this. What we know is that a neck-through build is usually the most comfortable when playing the upper frets because there's nothing on your way at the neck-body joint.

Build Quality Score

Quality of materials 45
Features 80
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 65