Pricing and availability

Average Price: $636

Standard/Professional

$400

$1001+

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Budget

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High-end

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Description

Step into the spotlight with the ESP LTD AX-400FM, a guitar that exudes both style and performance. This electric axe is crafted for those who dare to push musical boundaries, featuring a stylized vampire body design that’s sure to turn heads both on stage and off. The set-thru neck construction offers seamless playability, allowing your fingers to glide effortlessly across the fretboard.

Under the hood, the AX-400FM packs a punch with dual EMG-81 humbuckers, delivering the high-output sound that metal and rock enthusiasts crave. These pickups are designed to slice through the mix with precision, ensuring that your solos and riffs stand out in any ensemble. The tune-o-matic string-thru bridge contributes to the guitar's impressive sustain, ensuring each note rings out with clarity and power.

One of the standout features is the Earvana compensated nut, which keeps your intonation spot on, so every chord and lead line sounds immaculate. It's adorned with a custom tribal graphic inlay on the fretboard, adding a touch of mystique and character to your performance. Whether you're shredding in the studio or commanding the stage, the ESP LTD AX-400FM is your ticket to an electrifying musical journey.

Key Features:

  • Stylized vampire body design
  • Set-thru neck construction
  • Dual EMG-81 humbuckers for high-output sound
  • Tune-o-matic string-thru bridge for enhanced sustain
  • Earvana compensated nut for precise intonation
  • Custom tribal graphic inlay on the fretboard

Product specs

Brand ESP LTD
Model AX-400 FM
Finish See Thru Black, See Thru Red
Year 2008
Categories Solid Body Electric Guitars
Body Material Mahogany
Body Shape Double Cutaway
Body Type Solid Body
Bridge/Tailpiece Type String-Through
Color Family Black, Red
Finish Features Matching Headstock
Finish Style Gloss
Fretboard Material Rosewood
Neck Construction Set-Neck
Neck Material Mahogany
Number of Frets 24
Number of Strings 6-String
Offset Body Offset Body
Pickup Configuration HH
Right / Left Handed Right Handed
Scale Length 25.5"
Top Material Maple
Wood Top Style Flamed

FAQs

What type of pickups does the ESP LTD AX-400FM feature?

The ESP LTD AX-400FM is equipped with EMG 81 active pickups in both the bridge and neck positions, offering a powerful and aggressive tone suitable for metal and hard rock genres.

What is the neck profile of the ESP LTD AX-400FM?

The ESP LTD AX-400FM features a thin U neck contour, providing a comfortable and fast-playing experience ideal for shredding and technical playing styles.

Is the ESP LTD AX-400FM suitable for live performances?

Yes, with its solid mahogany body, set-neck construction, and active EMG pickups, the ESP LTD AX-400FM delivers a robust sound and reliable performance, making it well-suited for live gigs.

What is the scale length of the ESP LTD AX-400FM?

The ESP LTD AX-400FM has a 25.5" scale length, which is standard for many electric guitars and provides a balanced tension and feel across the strings.

Does the ESP LTD AX-400FM have a fixed bridge?

Yes, the ESP LTD AX-400FM features a TOM bridge with a string-through body design, enhancing sustain and tuning stability.

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about ESP LTD AX-400FM.

User experience

  • Some players find it challenging to play the AX-400FM while sitting, as the guitar's shape requires positioning the right leg at the bridge for stability.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • The AX-400FM is versatile, suitable for a range of styles from blues and rock to metal, with users enjoying its use for metal songs like "Hand of Blood" by BFMV.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • Players appreciate the two humbuckers for metal, as they allow for switching between neck and bridge pickups to achieve different tones for rhythm and lead parts.

    Source

Comparisons

  • Owners have compared the AX-400 to the AX-50, noting significant improvements in the AX-400's quality and performance.

    Source

Critic Reviews

ESP LTD AX-400FM Review | Chorder.com

chorder.com

The ESP LTD AX-400FM showcases impressive construction and a fierce sound profile, designed for metal enthusiasts. Its combination of mahogany and flamed maple provides a thick tone, further boosted by EMG 81 pickups. However, despite its solid playability and aesthetics, it suffers from a lack of versatility—ideal for metal but less suitable for other genres. Additionally, some players may find its aggressive design and tone overwhelming. While it excels in specific contexts, those seeking a more diverse range may want to explore other options.

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Artist usage

Add artist
See how Blackie Lawless uses ESP LTD AX-400FM

Blackie Lawless

Singer, Guitarist

W.A.S.P.

...
Verified via Photo

The Wikipedia picture above shows the AX-400 or AX-400FM being used in concert. The earlier tag was incorrectly an AX-50, which is a low budget Chinese version of this model and has a bolt-on neck.

The Korean AX-400 was only for the 2006-2007 model years and has a neck-thru construction with EMG 81 pickups. The AX-400FM from 2008 added a flamed maple top - in the black color, the flamed maple pattern is only visible up close. Zoom in on the picture above, you will see tribal pearloid inlays of the higher end AX-400 models rather than the dot inlays of the cheaper AX-50.

The YouTube video link below shows another ESP AX being used by Blackie in concert in Sweden in 2018 (@11:30), this is a AX-401FM from the 2009-2010 model years or the AX-360 from the 2012-2013. The model is pretty much the same as the AX-400/400FM except for the tribal inlays being removed for more conventional block inlays, with a ‘AX-360’ or ‘AX-401’ fret marker in pearl on the 12th fret. The pickups seem to have been swapped out however.

https://youtu.be/fPGu4VN7bLA

In an interview to Ultimate Guitar, Blackie has also stated that he uses ESP AX’s in concert and Jackson USA guitars from the late 80’s/90’s in the Studio.

The high-end neck-thru, Korean AX series guitars were discontinued in 2013 with only the Chinese bolt-on AX-50 model available till 2017, which was also discontinued in 2019.

Genre Usage

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Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use ESP LTD AX-400FM, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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aman_5ingh

aman_5ingh

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