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I have played a few Viper Deluxe's with the Seymour Duncan pickups; most with the JB/59 combination, but one especially nice one in antique white with covered alnico II pros and another super nice one with the Custom 5 and 59. These were some of the nicest feeling guitars I've ever played and I expect the 256 would feel the same. The above humbucker guitars sounded really really good, I don't know how the P90 would compare.

I have a cheap Viper 50 that feels and plays great and surprisingly has a good sound, but it doesn't begin to compare to those Deluxes's. The new Deluxe Viper with the heritage cherry transparent finish is really nice looking.

Those LTD's are half way decent guitars. I saw one of the best guitar players I've ever seen in the shop the other day playing a like 300 dollar LTD explorer type and it sounded really great - I don't know if it had ESP or EMG pickups, but it sounded great and most of that was in his hands I'm sure. He was playing thru a Peavey 6505 halfstack and then a top of the line Marshall halfstack, so that didn't hurt his tone either.

I think you'd love that Viper, if you like P90 sound. I have two P90 guitars that I don't play much, but they do sound good, especially when turned up a little, if not cranked.

Good luck with making that happen. The color of that is nice and I can just imagine how well it feels in the hands.

Have you played this 256 C64?
 
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I haven't played that particular model of Viper. I've only played whatever Vipers are at Guitar Center...which are the low enders (50) or the high enders with the EMGs. I like them a lot. I don't want active PUPs and I'm looking ot spend about $400, and I like the SG body style. Nothing wrong with the Epi 400 series, I just think the ESPs are better for the money. Actually, I'm in the process of refinishing a jagmaster type Samick which has P90s so i'm not dead set on the P90s, as I think one P-90 guitar will be enough.

As of now, I want the ~400$ Viper 256 series and I'm leaning towards a guitar with 2 humbuckers. The ones with regular 'buckers are "distressed" finish. I actually like the black one, but I'm not enamored of the gold hardware.

Viper-256_AVB.jpg


http://www.espguitars.com/guitars/ltd-distressed/viper-256_avb.html

And I do have to admit, that the ESP Strat clone is looking pretty good too.

ST-203_BLK.jpg




Less than glowing reviews for the ESP-256 back in 2009 here: http://bbs.espguitars.com/showthread.php?t=45883
 
Commodore 64 said:
I haven't played that particular model of Viper. I've only played whatever Vipers are at Guitar Center...which are the low enders (50) or the high enders with the EMGs. I like them a lot. I don't want active PUPs and I'm looking ot spend about $400, and I like the SG body style.
Click to expand...
Here's your friendly question: you like 24.75" now? I've seen you go through a number of perfectly nice G-scale guitars on here, so before you plop down money I figure it's worth a quick review.
 
I can deal with both. My Ibanez hollow body is 24.75 and I've had that for over a year (amazing, I know).

Off the top of my head, I've had, and subsequently offloaded, the following 24.75 scale guitars since I started playing guitar ~2 years ago:

Michael Kelly LP Style (Shoulda kept that one)
Samick Artist Series LP Style
Epiphone LP Special
PRS Custom SE (Probably shoulda kept that one too)
Epiphone Dot (Good Riddance)
 
Commodore 64 said:
I can deal with both. My Ibanez hollow body is 24.75 and I've had that for over a year (amazing, I know).
Click to expand...
Well in that case, the Viper looks pretty cool. Sorry -- I wasn't trying to bust on you; just making sure you're not going to regret buying one later.
 
I had heard that the LTD EC 256 distressed LP style was a great guitar for the money. I played one that they had used at a shop near me and it was really nice. They wanted like 175 for it and it was brand new, the guy just bought it and returned it on consignment. I would have bought it but I had to make a decision: the beautiful flammed tobacco burst very lightly distressed 256 or the mint used tobacco burst flammed PRS SE Singlecut Tremolo that I got for 250 out the door, perfectly mint. That PRS SE Singlecut tremolo is an awesome guitar. The LTD EC 256 was sold within a week of it being on the used stand.

I would think that the Viper would have the same quality construction and great feel with the really good sounding ESP pickups. That 256 looks a lot better than the bolt on Viper 50, stock, that I have. I got my Viper fifty for half price used, but I don't think they are worth the price they ask for buying new. I think the 256 is worth it, probably, but the Rondo Valkyrie III is about the same price I think and I wouldn't be surprised if it is even a better value. Admittedly I don't know much about the Valkyrie, but you could check it out on the Agile forum.

http://www.agileguitarforum.com/showthread.php?tid=9445 A Valkyrie thread.

This Valkyrie is cool:

http://www.rondomusic.com/product4430.html

I don't know about the ceramic pickups though, but they might be just fine and are probably pretty hot.

I would probably go with the LTD but I don't know much about these Valkyries. They have ebony boards and if they are anything like the LP copy Agiles they should be good values.
 
Guys,

Those guitars are *NOT* ESP's...they're LTD by ESP and it's a whole different story. A real ESP Viper costs around $2300 here while the same looking LTD Viper can be bought for $230...any ESP owner would be very pissed if someone called their LTD's ESPs...it's kinda like you'd call an Audi a Skoda because they're both made by VAG...

ESP's are usually considered very good guitars, made in Japan, but LTD's are their 'Epiphone' line and 1/5th the price of a real ESP and made in Indonesia (models up to roughly 400 series, so 256 also) and slightly better ones in Korea.

I haven't had much experience but from one; still both LTD's I've played were pretty bad; see my LTD100FM review from a while back...good player, nice neck feel, but for instance can't set the intonation right, and lifeless junker sounwise...not to say all LTD's must be bad, just that I would not expect marvels. Sub-100 series at least are largely outright crap guitars but I do hear they get better fast.

But it's not 'real' ESP and should be called LTD instead.
 
No doubt about that...I always find real gems in even very cheap guitars...might well come accross a great entry level ltd as well and really doubt an esp is really worth the tenfold price anyway.... But I'd not buy an ltd sight unseen while I might an esp.
 
Probably so.

Around here you can get an ESP Eclipse II for about 1600US. The LTD EC-1000 Deluxe with either the Custom Custom bridge and 59 neck or the JB bridge and 59 are about the same 799+/-US as the EMG 81/60 or 81/90's, and they feel real good. The Viper Deluxe in a similar passive or active version is about 700US. Both of these LTD top of the line models feel and play and sound very good; plus some of them look real good. I especially like the cream white Viper Deluxe with gold hardware and alnico II covered HB's; but the new heritage trans cherry Viper Deluxe with the Custom 5 and 59 also looks real good. Seven or eight hundred can buy a half way decent guitar around here, brand new, and imagine what you could get for that used.

The problem where I live is that you "rarely" see real good guitars used, and if you do they want ridiculous prices - like the 2K used PRS at the shop by me on consignment. I don't think the guy will get close to that. I almost never see local used American Fender anythings around here, except at prices that are almost what you can get them for new. American guitars almost never show up locally, used; and Mexicans are very rare as well, although I picked up a perfectly mint MIM Fender P bass for 200, a very nice bass as well.

I have never seen a used ESP guitar around here, locally.
 
Seemingly somewhat more expensive than around here, if you can find one. But I'm sure everything is relative too, considering the two distinctly different countries and economies - wages, cost of living, etc.

I wonder how much he wants for that Eclipse II Snow White, just out of curiosity. I didn't see a price stated. Fishing?
 
Oh, that's a WTB. Eclipse II is usually ~1500$ used. I have a buddy who has one of those in lefty.

And yeah, well, everything here is a bit more expensive than in the US...but because dollar is of lower value it's a good time for us to buy overseas - that is if we can get around the customs which gets their hands on everything over 50€.

But, I just ordered a new battery for my wife's laptop and it was $40 shipping included...here it would have been 150€ plus shipping...that's like $200. Insane.
Makes more sense to buy everything separately...it's crazy, if I buy, say 500€ worth stuff in one package, I'll have to pay 25% or so customs plus handling fees etc...but if I can order the same stuff each in under 50€ packages, no costs, free shipping...

But, yeah, USA seems very cheap for us. If we do make the move over there for a year, I'll get a loan for at least $20-30K or so and bring back a full container of stuff, guitars, motorbikes, snowmobiles and at least one or two cars. I can easily sell them for twice the money here then and make a sweet bundle.

I guess I've already mentioned cars often, but can you imagine for instance a Grand Cherokee Jeep with a hemi might cost round 140K here, even slightly used? I don't know what it costs in the US but can't be nothing like that. It would indeed be pretty sensible to ship one here, as it'd be tax free after a year abroad...
 
I've got a hemi Dodge four door three quarter ton heavy duty four wheel drive pickup, a nice one. It cost 37K, new. I would guess that the hemi Grand Cherokee's are a little more, maybe 42 or so, new. Plus they have cool Durango's.
 
Heh, yeah, well that's under 30K€. Roughly a quarter of the price here. ~30K ($43K) Buys you a basic VW Jetta here. Yep no wonder everyone brings in at least one of those big Dodges, Jeeps or whatever if they stay in the U.S. a while.

Imagine if your Dodge had cost you 9.250;- brand new ...that's exactly how cheap cars over there feel for us. Same ratio.
 
That would amount to one super heavy duty, highly functional vehicle for a very small price. One that would be capable of intense work and be of high durability and extreme power, plus very comfortable and well excuted in terms of ergonomics and functionality.
 
Whatever, we can call it a "Dogturd by AXL" for all I care, as long as it meets my expectations. And I'm too lazy to go back and change all the ESP to LTD.

And I will almost certainly going used if I choose to get an SG style guitar.
 
The local store where I take lessons is Samick dealer. He quoted me a price darn close to wholesale. So I'm having him bring in 2 guitars for me to try. The

TR2: Mahogany
Double cutaway sculpted body, High Tech quilt top, bound, mahogany set neck, rosewood fingerboard, Grover tuners, stop tailpiece with adjustable bridge, HH Duncan Design pickups
1_1184931519.jpg


and the TR3
Double cutaway alder body with bound, carved, High Tech quilt top, bound, mahogany set neck, rosewood fingerboard, Grover tuners, stop tailpiece with adjustable bridge, HH Duncan Design pickups
1_1184931669.jpg
 
Commodore 64 said:
The local store where I take lessons is Samick dealer. He quoted me a price darn close to wholesale. So I'm having him bring in 2 guitars for me to try. The

TR2: Mahogany
Double cutaway sculpted body, High Tech quilt top, bound, mahogany set neck, rosewood fingerboard, Grover tuners, stop tailpiece with adjustable bridge, HH Duncan Design pickups

and the TR3
Double cutaway alder body with bound, carved, High Tech quilt top, bound, mahogany set neck, rosewood fingerboard, Grover tuners, stop tailpiece with adjustable bridge, HH Duncan Design pickups
Click to expand...
What's the difference? Just the body wood and the 4 knobs vs. 2 knobs?
 
And the inlays. I think the TR3 is their attempt to entice the PRS crowd. I have to pay off some stuff, so realistically I'm about 1-2 months from doin' this.
 
Personally I like the looks of the more traditional Samick with the mahogany body, but, of course, it's your choice completely.

I am definitely wondering how those Agile Valkyrie's are, considering how nice the LP copies are. If the build quality, feel, and playability is like the LP copies I think it would make a nice guitar, definitely a platform for hot rodding, possibly super nice the way it is.

I have a Samick strat type HSS with duncan designed pups but they don't seem to me to sound nearly as good as the duncan designed humbuckers I have on a different guitar. I'm not sure how that duncan designed deal goes down, if they just purchase the name and have to make the pickups within certain SD specifications, open to some discretion and variation in the production at any of many production sites. Anyway, the ones in the Samick strat-ish are not half way decent pickups, in my opinion. But I suppose you would immediately replace the pickups anyway, so it's probably irrelevant.

It would be really interesting to hear from someone that has or has had an Agile Valkyrie.
 
Hard to say from those photos, but first impression is the Tr2 is kinda trying too much...the Tr3 looks pretty classy. Of course, in real life the TR2 might look just right, can't say based on those photos.

I still haven't gotten an SG. I'm likely selling my V though...it just feels too big for me. The downside is, I'm selling it to my best friend, so I'm asking only the bare minimum for it, which is at least $300 less I've put into it. But, the truth is, that's what it's worth in open market and I'm not gonna ask my friend for any more that he wants to pay. I've told him I think it's worth 350€ in open market and that I've put more like 600 in it, but he can have it for whatever he feels is appropriate, and I'll be happy with 350, estatic with 400.

Anyway, I just had to upgrade my computer and I'm way too deep in creditcard debt, so if he's gonna buy it soon, it'll likely just go towards paying for my credit, but...might be an opportunity to get me some SG as well. I'm certainly quite interested in an epi 400 series SG...but a part of me is itching to get a faded Gibson even. If I sell the V I'll only have one Gibson scale axe...

But, I'll also miss the V...I might rip apart the weird 'X' guitar I built from scratch and make it a V shape, but more like the original, small-body V rather than the 67 model...we'll see...I can certainly see myself getting into building some guitar thing next winter...
 

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