Comments on: ESP Ltd PB-401 Guitar Review

By: JoeL

JoeL — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:49:23 +0000

I’ve been looking for a guitar this versatile but with a Floyd Rose trem. What would you guys go for?

By: Doug H.

Doug H. — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:33:31 +0000

I bought a gold PB401 through my luthier friend. His client didn’t want it because he decided he didn’t like gold! It was brand new with ESP rectangle case for $350 in 4/2011. That’s a deal any way you view it.

It is a versatile guitar with the Duncan P-Rails, Alpha regular pots and a good switch. The luthier lowered the nut slots and put it on his strobe to get the intonation perfect (Earvana nut is nice!). It plays fast and easy (I tune down 1/2 step and yet the neck relief is very minimal). Frets are well done and the finish i as good as you can expect in an inexpensive guitar.

The PB401 does cover a lot of ground sonically and the GuitarWorld review of the PB500 on YouTube shows what it can sound like with a good guitarist.

To me, it’s a well-priced, but well made and very versatile guitar that can do so much that it’s good enough for most gigs and is comfortable to play and does look good as well.

I wish the Grover buttons were higher quality chrome finished, but they work and the bridge hardware and electronics are pretty good for Indonesia-made.

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:47:51 +0000

Hi Alessandro, are you based in the UK? If so I’m pretty sure that Absolute guitars in Bristol and some of the stores in Denmark Street, London can orders these in.

By: Alessandro Ronchi

Alessandro Ronchi — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 23:25:16 +0000

I cannot find a dealer anymore. Is that guitar discontinued?

Does any p-rails factory mounted guitar exists anymore ?

By: Mattias Kalander

Mattias Kalander — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:11:12 +0000

I special ordered this guitar in Pearl White from http://www.thomann.de and it definitly kicks ass. Such quality instrument with sustaine and tone to die for.

By: Fretpoint

Fretpoint — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:04:34 +0000

I think this guitar is a winner all round Drew and a testimony to ESP’s fine attention to detail and ultimately what guitarists want. The only down side is trying to find a dealer in the UK. Right now they are few and far between so it’s difficult for guitarists to actually try one before they buy.

Thats why comments such as yours are so important!

By: drew

drew — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 04:00:22 +0000

This is the least expensive guitar in my collection, but is the most versatile guitar I own. I wanted a guitar I could throw a drop-d sperzel on, so I played this along with some low end PRS and other guitars. My Jem 7V, Jackson and Strats are now in their cases in the closet because I am addicted to this guitar.

The P-Rail P’Ups are outstanding, allowing me to dial anything from the classic LP sound to the Strat “out of phase” sound and just about everything in between. If you need diversity, this is your guitar. I write songs with varying styles so it works for me. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Give this one a try.

By: Robert Hahn

Robert Hahn — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:59:33 +0000

I just picked up one of these with a flame maple finish…..guy at the guitar store said someone messed up at esp and only 25 were made…dude this axe is sick