LTD EX-50

rx7

New member
Hey guys uhmm i'm planning to get the LTD EX-50, anyone has it or tried the guitar before care to tell me whether the sound and everything is good? Oh and i was wondering can a normal guitar bag fit an Explorer? And can the Explorer fit on a normal guitar stand, thanks bros.
 
i have an LTD EX400bd and i have to tell you, that guitar neckdives like mad, you better get rough leather straps. With it, the neckdive is none existent. The lack of forearm support on explorer (unless you wear the guitar very high :p ) shaped guitars may make it feel weird, but im used to that.

the neck is pretty comfortable, nice and slim. Pickups, i dunno, but i guess its fine tho. I think the LTD EC50 that subversion did a review on, those are the same pickups on the EX50. Has an agathis body, which i heard has similar tonal qualities( to some degree) to mahogany.

IMO, the 50 series are good value for money
 
Nonono

I used LTD Ex-50 before & I can tell you, its heavy & hard to handle. So far, the only guitarist who can handle it properly, thrash it well & sings while playing it = James Hetfield!!

The body is made in Indonesia, made of agathis body (which is not really good). I would say its quite a good starter guitar.

The pickups they used on the LTD is dual ESP LH-100 hum. Sounds quite okie tho. However, I wasn't satisfied so I went for a EMG-81s makeover & it sounded much better, but not as good as when they are fitted on a Mahogany ESP/LTD.

Imo, I would rather you get the LTD MH-50. Its much easier to handle & its got 24 frets & floyd rose bridge.

Alternatively, you can buy a new EPI LP Special if you are not keen on floyd rose bridge.
 
agathis is a fine tone wood. it's a mahogany lineage & has lots of warm midrange/ sustain & sounds sweet if you have the right pickups in there. i used to own an Ibanez GAX-70 which is agathis & it's a very acceptable guitar. still, the EX-50 is not as heavy as a typical Les Paul. we must avoid judging a guitar with exclusive reference to its country of origin.
 
Hmm

Correct me if I'm not wrong, I don't tink agathis is quite good as a wood material is it?

I tried EMGs on it & it sounded really muddy & watery & does not produce that much clarity for solos, I find it too bassy. I tweak my EQ to low bass & high treble, while maintaining enough mids, but its still too muddy for me.

Please advise.
 
Erm

Err.. I beg to differ.. Wood materials play an important part regardless of an active or passive pickup.
 
Ok, thanks guys but im still looking forward for more comments on the guitar before i buy it :D
 
Shape or what?

rx7 said:
Ok, thanks guys but im still looking forward for more comments on the guitar before i buy it :D

What is your budget? and price range? and type of sound you wan? If you are just go for the body shape, then I tink LTD EX-50 is value for money as one of the cheapest of its series.
 
Well, my budget is around $550+ and i play heavy metal and ya i like the shape of the guitar too
 
:)

Oic.. I am afraid you are gonna be disappointed with the stock pickups bec it can't really sustain & it's too softcore for a metal guitar (that's why I chg to EMGs).

$550 I'm afraid could only get you the guitar & the gig bag & the cable & the allen key.
 
the only wood to be wary of tone-wise, would be plywood.

people would cringe at the sheer mention of resoncast/ poplar/ agathis among others but these are really fine wood. no reason to be afraid of them. they may sound lacking but it's really the fault of the pickups (especially in entry-level units).
 
:)

I agree with subby but also to note that while they are still acceptable, they too contribute (to certain extent) to the overall sound too.

Pickups is just but one of the factors.
 
the cause for concern only arises out of bad production. in the 80s, production was really shabby & this added to the fact that less familiar wood types were used for the bodies.

Steve Morse has recently renewed his affiliation with Music Man & he still insists on the same body wood he started out with- poplar. why didn't he opt for an 'elite' wood type like ash/ mahogany, surely he knows better, yes?

Y2D Steve Morse model
Steve-Morse-Y2d-sm.jpg
 
Haha

Is that a transparent pickup? I never heard of Poplar before.

Perhaps its bec of general mindset that these wood materials are inferior to the more familiar ones e.g. Mahogany, Swamp Ash & Alder & the likes.

I personally tried the axe & I didn't realli like the sound. Maybe if I can get to try the more high end ones, I'd change my mind :)
 
Poplar is a fine wood, about the same bright tone as alder, I would say.
Which is why they were used on old mex fenders.
Think they stopped using them because of issues with the looks, non-matching grain etc.
 
in addition to that, poplar doesn't go too well with transluscent finishes. for that kinda finish, an additional maple laminate top has to be added which translates to increased cost for the manufacturer. the reason fender dropped poplar off its inventory.
 
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