New from ESP is the LTD AP-5 bass, and what a beauty it is!

Nothing stands out for me more than a black finish on a bass, complete with black hardware, black pickgaurd with white trim, and an ebony fingerboard on top of all of that! While looks are outstanding with the LTD AP-5, so is the tone and playability. LTD quality control is top notch and the AP-5 was setup to play right out of the case. It kind of reminds me of another LTD bass that I had the honor of reviewing, yet the AP-5 having some different features, while still having the same great playability and tonal capabilities.

The LTD AP-5 34” neck, which seems to be preferred among some of the other bassists I converse with, is maple with a 21 fret ebony fingerboard with extra-jumbo frets. The PJ pickups are EMG, with a P5 for the neck pickup and LJ5 for the bridge pickup. Electronics are active, powered by one 9-volt battery, with controls for volume, tone, and balance.

While pickups have a lot to do with tone, so does the bridge. The LTD AP-5 comes equipped with a Babicz FCH-5 bridge, which allows for maximum transfer of the tonal woods from the strings. If you haven’t had the chance to check out the difference between other bridges and a Babicz bridge, you owe it to yourself to experience the difference, and what better way than with the LTD AP-5.

The tuners for the LTD AP-5 are Grover and the nut is molded with a width of 45mm.

The LTD AP-5 should be a welcome addition to your bass arsenal. It’s always nice to have a quality 5-string bass in a PJ setup. Once I picked this bass up, it was almost impossible to set it back down. I used it on a couple of gigs with a couple of different bands, playing different styles of music, and it fit right in just like a glove. As a matter of fact, I really want to get back to playing it, so without further adieu, check out the LTD AP-5 at an ESP retailer near you; set aside other plans for the day, I guarantee that once you pick it up, you won’t want to put it back down.

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