Back to navigation


Finely Honed, Blistering Bass





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





When it comes to quality craftsmanship and enduring design, artists around the world have turned to ESP for their genre-spanning instruments. From jazz fusion to black metal, ESP basses run the gauntlet, and this LTD M-1004 is no exception. Boasting an extra-thin “U” neckline and a contoured alder body, this 24-fret maple-neck menace has been forged to rock. This no-frills 4-string Firestarter sports a Macassar ebony fingerboard with a 15.75-inch radius, great for thundering lows with tremendous character. Sweetwater’s bass buffs appreciate the active Fishman Fluence SB-1 humbucking pickups for their push-pull single-coil modes, offering deceptively versatile voicing to hone your tone. While it’s crafted to rock, this LTD Deluxe bass will be right at home with whatever grooves you throw at it.





Related Videos: LTD M-1004 Bass Guitar - Black


Designed to rock





Boisterous basses abound with this LTD M-1004, starting with its flat, alder body. This hefty tonewood offers rich, warm sustain, boasting a low-end predilection that favors solid basses and biting mids. You’ll find the maple neck imparts a characteristic brightness to this bass’s overall sound, with premiere note separation, great projection, and a balanced articulation through every register. The Macassar ebony fingerboard is oozing with presence, sporting a dynamic, responsive range with excellent sustain, full bass, crystalline trebles, and just-so-slightly scooped middle range. All in, these tonewoods harmonize for a stable, clear, thundering bass befitting anyone willing to put it through its paces.





High-octane electronics





These tonewoods are all well and good, but they won’t matter much if your pickups aren’t up to the task, right? Fortunately, ESP’s craftsmanship doesn’t stop there, as they opted for Fishman Fluence SB-1 humbuckers. These active-duty pickups can sniff out every tone with excellent efficiency. Moreover, they’re wired with push-pull options to freely engage single-coil modes with each pickup, diversifying your voicing for unmatched sonic sculpting. Volume, balance, and tone controls let you dial in your sound even further, arranged to be accessible yet out of the way.





Sculpted for speed





The 3-piece maple neck isn’t just for sounding great ? naturally light in weight and sporting an extra-thin “U” profile, this bass feels great in hand and ready for fast, smooth action. Moreover, maple is physically sturdy and resilient to twisting and warping (the same is true with the alder body), making this an excellent choice for gigging bassists or anyone short on time for maintenance You’ll find yourself exploring all 24 XJ frets of the Macassar ebony fingerboard, sporting a 15.75-inch radius with unmatched access, thanks to the ergonomic cutaway in the body. The set neck-through design ensures robust, reliable sound, from the Grover tuners to the Gotoh 201B-4 bridge. A precision-angled, pointed inline headstock exudes metal panache, sending the strings through a molded 1.65-inch nut, which optimizes string tension without sacrificing clarity.





ESP LTD M-1004 Bass Guitar Features:


Flat alder body boasts thundering lows


Maple neck delivers great note separation with tremendous projection and brightness throughout


Macassar ebony fingerboard resonates spectacularly in every register with excellent sustain


3-piece set neck-through construction is structurally stable, lightweight, and naturally resistant to twisting and warping


Extra-thin “U” profile begets fast action with comfort and ease


24 XJ frets sprawl a 15.75-inch fingerboard radius to provide balanced, rugged playability across a 35-inch scale


Grover tuners, 1.65-inch molded nut, and Gotoh 201B-4 bridge ensure consistent, buzz-free sound


Fishman Fluence SB-1 active humbuckers capture every frequency with tons of heat


Push-pull single-coil modes let you split your pickups for versatile voicing


Tone, balance, and volume controls allow you to fine-tune your sound