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ESP LTD EC-256FM Electric Guitar, Cobalt Blue

  • Based on 495 reviews
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Fulfilled by Wolf Music Company
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Color: Cobalt Blue


Features

  • An affordable and popular guitar with many similarites to some of the most highly-regarded guitars in history
  • Features a comfortable Mahogany body and 3 pc. neck, as well as roasted jatoba fingerboard and flamed maple top
  • Also features covered passive pickups, set-neck construction, and 22XJ frets
  • At home on blues, classic rock, hard rock, progressive rock, fusion, and much more

Description

The ESP LTD EC-256FM electric guitar gives you as much visual flair as it does sonic force. This axe features a dark and warm mahogany body cut into a stylish single-cutaway contour, a sturdy mahogany neck, a smooth rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets, ESP LH-150 bridge and neck humbuckers, a confident Tune-o-Matic bridge and tailpiece, nickel hardware, and a push/pull tone pot to give your output an edgier single-coil bite whenever you want it. Though this the EC-256FM shines as a rock or metal instrument, it yields a pretty dynamic and powerful sound to fit other genres and styles as well.

Specs & Other Info

SpecificationDetails
BrandESP GUITARS
FinishCobalt Blue
Top MaterialMaple Wood
Body & Back MaterialMahogany Wood
Neck MaterialMaple
Fretboard MaterialJatoba Wood
Pickup ConfigurationHumbucker
String MaterialAlloy Steel
Bridge SystemTune-O-Matic
Weight0.01 ounces
Dimensions42 x 4 x 17 inches
OriginChina
Model NumberLEC256CB
Launch DateFebruary 1, 2017
String GaugeLight
Number of Strings6

Frequently asked questions

The ESP LTD EC-256FM stands out for its stunning cobalt blue finish, flame maple top, and versatile sound capabilities. It's designed for versatility, offering a wide range of tones suitable for genres from rock to jazz, thanks to its dual humbucking pickups and coil-tap feature.

Absolutely. The ESP LTD EC-256FM is very capable of handling heavy metal music. Its dual humbucking pickups provide the powerful, high-output tones needed for metal, and the push-pull coil tap adds the flexibility to switch to cleaner, single-coil sounds for versatility.

Yes, the ESP LTD EC-256FM is a great choice for beginners due to its comfortable neck profile, easy playability, and versatile sound. It's also priced accessibly, making it a fantastic entry-level option for players looking to invest in a quality instrument that will grow with them.

The coil-tap feature on the ESP LTD EC-256FM works by pulling up on the tone knob, which splits the two humbucking pickups into single-coil pickups. This provides a brighter and more crisp sound, offering versatility and a wider range of tones from the same guitar, ideal for playing cleaner genres like blues, country, or classic rock.

Top Amazon Reviews

πŸš€ Abunda's Overview

This is our summary and key points to consider based on customer reviews.


The reviews overwhelmingly praise the LTD ESP guitar, highlighting its performance as far superior for its price range. Reviewers are particularly impressed by the guitar's quality build, beautiful finish, and excellent sound quality, including the stock pickups. Despite a few minor issues with packaging and picture accuracy, the consensus is that this guitar offers great value and rivals more expensive models in playability, and aesthetic.

Pros

  • 🎸 Great playability straight out of the box, with low action and accurate intonation.
  • πŸ‘€ Beautiful finish and build quality, often exceeding expectations.
  • πŸ”Š Excellent sound quality, even with stock pickups, suitable for various musical styles including metal.
  • πŸ›  Good quality materials and components, including tuners and fret work.
  • 🎡 Coil split feature for versatile sound output.

Cons

  • πŸ“¦ Some issues with packaging, leading to potential damage during shipping.
  • πŸ–Ό Picture accuracy may vary, as some guitars have much darker finishes than shown.

Should I Buy It?

If you're seeking a high-quality, versatile guitar that punches above its weight in terms of price to performance ratio, this LTD ESP model comes highly recommended. It's well-suited for both beginners and seasoned guitarists alike, offering excellent sound and playability across a range of styles. The minor cons noted are not deal-breakers by any means, especially when considering the substantial pros. Therefore, purchasing this guitar seems to be a sound investment for both practice and performance.


  • Best Guitar Ever!!!
Color: Snow White
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2025 by Terrance Hill Terrance Hill

  • Beautiful esp in white
Color: Snow White
Guitar arrived in great shape and plays beautifully. Got it on sale and was totally worth the buy!
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2025 by E&M

  • Very versatile guitar. Worth every penny. Not what you would expect for $500
Color: Black Satin
First off, just because this thing looks kind of like a Les Paul, doesn't make it a Les Paul clone. The ESP branded humbuckers (the neck p/u splits) have a more mellow tone on the low end but can produce with overdrive some fairly aggressive tones. The neck is a little chunky and has a very inviting fret board. Easy to move around on. If you are looking for a clone, I suggest Epiphone. If you want a versatile guitar more suited to power chords and soloing, this is a good entry level axe. I have been playing mine for about 3 years now and I find myself coming back to it often for aggressive style playing when I've had my fill of my Tele or my Gretsch. It's fun and reliable. Fit and finish is excellent. Frets are set well and the ends are very nice. Intonation is perfect. Sounds great with 8's and holds a tune. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2024 by Jimbo428

  • It chugs
Color: Black Satin
Amazing guitar for the price got her on sale πŸ˜ƒ My first LP style guitar. The fret work is high quality but the turners are garbage, I just ordered locking turners to replace. Stock pickups are perfect not too dark or muddy. It's a fun guitar and she's a keeper.
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2025 by Benny

  • Absolutely a Fantastic Guitar!
Color: Black Satin
I needed a guitar with humbucking pickups capable of a producing a "heavy metal" sound for recording in order to compliment my other primary guitar which is a Strat, American Standard. I've always wanted a genuine Gibson Les Paul for the job but the prices for those are absurdly high and a result more of their legendary status than any actual qualitative differences from other less expensive Les Paul -style clones. After watching, listening to, and reading numerous reviews and recommendations from a variety of well-respected sources, this particular model of ESP was highly recommended and at the top of numerous "Best Guitars for Metal Under $500" Lists. When I saw this one listed for only $276 as an Amazon Warehouse Deal (which means someone returned it), I became very interested. Because I only intended to use it for recording, I didn't really care what it looked like, if it had a couple of dents or scratches, or whatever ... couldn't care less. My only concern was how it played and how it sounded. At that price, (and with my Amazon Prime free shipping), I figured it was definitely worth taking the risk. THE GUITAR IS FLAWLESS AND BEAUTIFUL! The box it came in was all beat up, but it was well packed and protected and there isn't a thing wrong with it. The fit and finish is impeccable, the frets are well-seated, the action is low and the intonation is incredibly accurate. The neck is straight as a razor. It's as if it's been expertly set up, right out of the box. It plays great and the tone is exactly what I was looking for. Even the stock pickups are better than I had any right to expect. When ordering it, I figured I might have to throw some Seymour Duncan pickups on it or something to get the sound I was after but, after recording with it a bit, I don't think I'll need to (although I still might want to, just to see if it could be even better). But I've played a number of "real" Les Pauls in my time and this guitar absolutely can hold its own against them. I couldn't be happier with this purchase. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2021 by ClockworkUniverse

  • good looking - bad electronics
Color: Black Satin
Beautiful looking guitar with lots of electrical problems - had issues twice from guitar center and once from amz with this same guitar - I gave up after 3 lemons - look elsewhere
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2025 by puckish88

  • Have to wait a few more days.
Color: Dark Brown Sunburst
Beautiful guitar except the G string tuner was broken off when it arrived. I checked it out and everything else worked. I'm a bit of a luthier so I decided to order a set of tuners and put them on. Strings need to be changed out and neck adjusted anyway. Hopefully after a set up, it will be a great guitar. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2025 by Amazon Customer

  • Too sweet
Color: Cobalt Blue
If you’re thinking about it. Do it. Love this guitar action and setups was near excellent. Comfortable neck radius for my playing
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2025 by AColoner

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