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ESP LTD EC-256FM Electric Guitar Vintage Natural


Description
With set-neck construction and a flamed maple top over mahogany, EC-256FM electric guitar sings with woody, resonant tone and aggressive output. Its slim U-shaped neck and 22 extra-jumbo frets make shredding a breeze. The EC-256FM comes loaded with dual ESP humbucking pickups that produce tight lows, rich mids and searing highs. A push-pull tone knob enables coil-splitting for single-coil tones, expanding your tonal palette.
Set-Neck Construction Provides Exceptional Sustain
The EC-256FM's set neck joins the body and neck for optimal tone transfer and sustain. Its solid mahogany construction resonates with woody warmth while the maple top adds articulation. The 24.75" scale length provides taut, balanced tension for chords and leads. A tune-o-matic bridge and die-cast tuners offer rock-solid intonation and tuning stability.
Dual ESP Humbuckers Deliver Versatile Tone
The EC-256FM wields a pair of ESP Designed LH-150 humbucking pickups that produce tight lows, rich mids and blistering highs. Roll back the tone for a warmer, vintage-inspired sound or crank it for modern grit. A 3-way toggle lets you access neck, bridge or both pickups. The push-pull tone knob enables coil-splitting to tap bright single-coil tones from the humbuckers—ideal for genres from rock and metal to blues and country.
Fast, Low-Profile Neck Built for Speed
The EC-256FM's slim U-shaped neck and flat 12" radius rosewood fingerboard facilitate fast, effortless playing. Its profile is slightly thinner than a typical Les Paul for maximum comfort. The 22 extra-jumbo frets extend well into the cutaway for uninhibited access to the upper registers. Whether you prefer chunky barre chords, intricate solos or both, the EC-256FM neck is built for speed.
A High-Performance Electric at an Affordable Price
With premium features like set-neck construction, coil-splitting humbuckers and a flamed maple top, the EC-256FM outperforms its price point. This sleek rocker has the tone and playability of a high-end custom shop guitar at a working musician's budget. The EC-256FM brings you the quality and dependability of ESP at an incredible value.



Features
- Construction: Set-Neck
- Scale: 24.75"
- Body: Mahogany
- Top: Flamed Maple
- Finish: Gloss polyurethane
- Neck Contour: Thin U
- Wood: 3-piece mahogany
- Fingerboard: Roasted Jatoba
- Fingerboard Radius: 350 mm
- Nut Width: 42 mm
- Nut Type: Molded
- Frets/Type: 22 XJ
- Neck Pickup: ESP Designed LH-150N
- Bridge Pickup: ESP Designed LH-150B
- Active/Passive: Passive
- Layout: Volume/Volume/Tone(Push/Pull)/Toggle Switch
- Hardware Color: Chrome
- Strap Button: Standard
- Tuners: LTD
- Bridge: Tune-o-matic & tailpiece
- Strings: D'Addario XL110 (.010/.013/.017/.026/.036/.046)
- Case: Not Included
Warranty
One year warranty on parts and electronics.
Featured Articles
Reviews
4.45
38 Reviews
96%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend
Most Liked Positive Review
Loved it!
I went to guitar center to exchange my pedalboard and while i was waiting to get things sorted out, i went and picked this guy up. I've had my eyes on the eclipse-401 for a while, so I was curious to how it's little brother would be. This was one of my favorite necks i've played on, thick enough to not feel like a toy, but still felt like i could go as fast or wherever i wanted. It was just one of those where once you touch it, it just fits. I was able to get some amazing cleans, especially with the coil tap. I was really impressed with how well it handled distortion and was able to comfortably handle a few slayer and killswitch riffs. Overall i loved how this guitar handled and had to double check the price, it is a beautiful instrument and incredibly versatile; probably the best bang for the buck i've found so far.
Most Liked Negative Review
Great but...
I really enjoy ESP guitars so when this one came on sale I snagged it! I changed the pickups to a set of Emg Het sets! Love the sound! But there are scratches and finishing flaws all over the body like someone grabbed it wile it was drying
- Practicing24
- Jamming22
- Recording14
- Small Venues12
- School Bands7
- Fret Buzz3
- Craftsmanship1
- None1
- Poor Pick Up1
- Cheap Plastic Nut1
- Experienced21
- Novice8
- Professional Musician1
- Good Feel26
- Fun To Play25
- Good Tone22
- Good Pick Up18
- Solid Electronics17
Reviewed by 38 customers
Great guitar!
Verified Buyer
submitteda year ago
byAvrum
fromNew York city
Submitted as part of a sweepstakes
Great guitar!
I wouldn't purchase this guitar again
submitteda year ago
byJared
fromTroy, Montana
The guitar has decent tone but doesn't stay in tune for more than a minute. Completely disappointing.
Amazing guitar
submitted2 years ago
byAdison
fromRichmond Virginia
Got this as my first electric about 8 months ago and have loved every single note I've played on. It's able to jam out clean tones but can handle turning up the distortion. Definitely worth the price.
Worth more than I paid for it.
submitted3 years ago
byAidan
fromOklahoma City, Ok
All around great guitar can't find anything wrong with it and the coil split is amazing
Excellent guitar!
Verified Buyer
submitted3 years ago
byMike G.
fromBoyertown, PA
Submitted as part of a sweepstakes
Excellent guitar. Only wish GC would perform a pre-sale check on the guitars. The outside of the manufacture box was damaged(not the shipping) box, which had my heart drop; but, all was good.
Great budget-friendly LP style guitar!
submitted3 years ago
byJeff
fromToledo, OH
I'm impressed! As a former owner of a 71' LPC, this budget-friendly LP knock-off really brings back memories of my LPC. The only negative I could find isn't surprising for an Asian import. It has a cheap, plastic nut which I'll replace with a Graph Tech or bone. It's ground too high, which I suppose is better than being too low. But for the price I paid for this guitar, I would've expected to find more negatives than just this. The finish is impeccable. Action is standard. Intonation dead-on. It comes with D'Addario .46-.10. I prefer .46 or .42 to .09 but these are good strings for now. Love the coil-split. Pots turn nicely and are silent, as is the pickup switch. Eventually, I'll replace the pots and the pickups, but the ones it comes with aren't too bad. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase, and Musician's Friend's price could not be beat!
Q&A
Have a question about this product? Our expert Gear Advisers have the answers.
submitted9 months ago
asked byCG
fromKirkland, WA
How does this model differ from this model? https://www.guitarcenter.com/ESP/LTD-EC-256-Electric-Guitar-Black-1401720419608.gc
The main difference between an LTD EC-256 and an LTD EC-256FM is that the "FM" model features a flamed maple top on its body, while the standard EC-256 has a plain mahogany body, meaning the FM version has a visually distinct, more aesthetically appealing top with a wood grain pattern; otherwise, both guitars share the same basic design, construction, and electronics.submitted2 years ago
asked byJames
fromWagoner ok
Is this guitar a round top?
It's a flat top.submitted3 years ago
asked bybobf150
fromlas vegas, nv
i have smaller hands looking for a narrow thin neck. is this it?
The rosewood fretboard has 22 XJ frets accross a 24.75" scale length and is designed for speed and comfort.submitted5 years ago
asked byBurdie
fromWisconsin
Is this a factory "2nd" with blemishes? If so, what are the blemishes?
This guitar is not a factory 2nd or a blemished model.submitted6 years ago
asked byWill
fromPennsylvania
Case included?
This does not include the case, the EC GUITAR FORM FIT CASEsubmitted6 years ago
asked byglenn
fromhartsville, TN
the picture shows binding on the body, neck & head-stock. someone answered saying the manufacture's website says no. please confirm yes or no?
Yes, this has neck and body bindingsubmitted7 years ago
asked byDrifter
fromAmarillo Tx
Does anybody know the weight of the guitar?
This guitar weighs approximately 10 lbs.This guitar weighs approximately 10 lbs.submitted7 years ago
asked byBill
fromMorristown, New Jersey
What's the neck radius?
ESP lists this at 350 mm (13.78 in.)submitted7 years ago
asked byJT
fromUT
What color options are there for this Guitar?
We have See-Thru Black, See-Thru Black Cherry Sunburst, and Lemon Drop available.submitted7 years ago
asked byEnrich
fromundisclosed
Would I be able to install EMG JH James Hetfield Humbucker Set on this guitar?
Yes, you would be able to install EMG James Hetfield pickups on this guitar.Yes, you would be able to install EMG James Hetfield pickups on this guitar.