ESP LTD KH-202 BLK Kirk Hammett

For a budget guitar, it feels very premium!
Ticks all the boxes I was looking for in a new guitar:
24 XJ-frets
Floyd Rose
Thin Neck
Well balanced
Gig worthy

Also, the passive pickups are quiet aggressive, I'm thinking I won't bother converting the guitar to active pickups, maybe in the future

Since getting the guitar I've re-stringed with ernie ball extra slinky and the guitar has stayed mostly in tune over the last 2 weeks and I am fairly tremolo happy

Visually the guitar looks great, I immediately associate the looks with the Black album era of Metallica. Just watch A Year & A Half In The Life Of Metallica part 1 when Kirk nails the Unforgiven solo!

Overall, the guitar is perfect for what it is. My ratings is based on the price, it think it would be unfair to compare to a more deluxe model or premium guitar. The guitar is well made and has some great features like Floyd Rose Special. ESP humbuckers, 24 XJ-Frets. Visually you get the upside down headstock and skull & crossbones inlays, the Kirk Hammett look basically

Out of the box, the only thing I needed to do was adjust the Floyd Rose, action was just too low and I got buzzing frets. Don't "fret" if this happens to you (sorry for the bad pun), just re-adjust and carry on :)

The ESP LTD KH-202 is an excellent guitar for the price, especially if you’re into metal and fast playing. The neck feels really smooth and comfortable, making it easy to play solos and quick riffs, and the overall build quality is solid for a mid-range instrument. The Floyd Rose tremolo system works well once set up properly and stays in tune, though it can take a bit of getting used to. The pickups sound good for heavy tones, and the design looks amazing with the classic skull inlays. Overall, it’s a great choice for anyone looking for a stylish, fast-playing guitar that delivers strong performance without costing too much.