Description
Gary Holt of Slayer and Exodus is a legend in the world of thrash metal. If you’re looking for the apex of his line of signature guitars, look no further. The ESP Gary Holt EC is handcrafted, one at a time, by our expert luthiers at the ESP Custom Shop in Japan. The detailed workmanship will be apparent from the moment you pick it up. Based on the ESP Eclipse body style, it was designed by Gary himself to handle the most aggressive, fast, and powerful playing you can muster. Its tone is driven by a pair of red-covered EMG active pickups: the EMG 89R in the neck, with a coil splitter controlled by a volume knob pull switch, and the in-your-face EMG 81 in the bridge. The Gary Holt EC offers a set-thru neck design, with its single-piece mahogany neck going deep into the guitar’s mahogany body cavity for terrific stability and smooth, unhampered access to the highest frets on its ebony fingerboard. Top-quality components include a Schaller Straplock, Gotoh tuners, and a Floyd Rose Original bridge. This guitar’s vibe is accentuated by red binding on the body, neck, and headstock that goes perfectly with its unique Liquid Metal Lava finish. The Gary Holt EC includes a high-quality hard case and comes with a Certificate of Authenticy from ESP. Musicians on a budget can look into another great Gary Holt model, the LTD GH-600 and GH-600NT.
EMG 89R:
The 89R is similar to the 89 but the coils are reversed so that the single coil side is closer to the neck to capture the sweet spot Strat fans love. Featuring two pickups in one, the 89R houses separate preamps and coils for a custom humbucker and single coil sound at your fingertips. Loaded with Alnico V magnets, the humbucker sound is rich, warm and powerful, but still clear and articulate, similar to the 85. The single coil mode, accessed via the included push pull pot, delivers the traditional Strat single coil sound: bright, airy, and chimey, and is very similar to the EMG SA. In either mode, the clean sound is gorgeously pristine and has a lot of presence. Used equally in bridge and neck positions. Whether you are playing hard rock or jazz, you can get it all with this beautifully balanced and versatile pickup.
EMG 81:
One of the most popular EMG’s, the 81 is the one that started a revolution. Utilizing powerful ceramic magnets and close aperture coils, the tone was designed with detailed intensity, incredible amounts of high end cut, and fluid sustain. Traditionally used in the bridge position of your guitar, this humbucking pickup will make your leads slice right through even the densest mix.
ABOUT ESP:
ESP Company, Limited is a Japanese guitar manufacturer, primarily focused on the production of electric guitars and basses. They are based in both Tokyo, Japan and Los Angeles, California, United States, with two distinct product lines for each respective market. ESP Company manufactures instruments under several names, including “ESP Standard”, “ESP Custom Shop”, “LTD Guitars and Basses”, “Navigator”, “Edwards Guitar and Basses”, and “Grassroots”. www.espguitars.com