ESP LTD ARROW-400 CM

ESP LTD ARROW-400 CM review

The ESP LTD ARROW-400 CM takes a distinctive V-style shape and outfits it with a neck-through maple neck, active EMG humbuckers and a Floyd Rose Special bridge. Its Charcoal Metallic finish and black hardware give it a restrained, dark look, while the long 648 mm scale and 24 frets point toward a guitar built for broad reach across the fretboard. The listed price is $954.

One player's short field report describes it as "a good guitar," notes that it feels quite long, and says it "sounds like a rain of axes." The same player praises access to the upper frets. Those comments offer a useful snapshot of its physical feel and forceful sound, though they are not a substitute for measurements or a full playing test. The specifications provide a clearer picture of what the design is intended to deliver.

Construction and playing feel

The body is mahogany, joined to a three-piece maple neck in a neck-through-body construction. Rather than attaching the neck at a joint, this design runs the neck through the body. The fingerboard is rosewood, with 24 extra-jumbo frets and a 350 mm radius. The neck profile is an extra-thin U, and the nut measures 42 mm wide.

The 648 mm scale is also listed as 25.5 inches. That is a familiar full-length scale, although the V-shaped outline and overall dimensions may make the instrument feel longer or more substantial than a compact guitar. The field report specifically calls it quite long, so players who prefer a smaller instrument should try the body shape and balance in person if possible. No weight or balance measurements are supplied, so those points cannot be assessed from the available information.

Upper-fret access is one of the more concrete positive observations from the player report. The V-style body and neck-through construction are relevant to that experience, but the reported access should be understood as a personal impression rather than a measured feature. The 24-fret layout provides two full octaves per string, giving players access to notes beyond the standard 21- or 22-fret layouts.

Pickups, controls, and bridge

ESP fits the ARROW-400 CM with two active humbuckers: an EMG 85 at the neck and an EMG 81 at the bridge, both in black. The control layout is straightforward, with a master volume control and a toggle switch. There is no separate tone control listed. The player's description of the sound as forceful suggests an assertive character, but no detailed tonal comparisons or recording examples were provided.

The bridge is a Floyd Rose Special, a double-locking tremolo design, paired with Grover machine heads. The nut width is 42 mm, and the supplied string set is D'Addario XL120 in gauges.009,.011,.016,.024,.032, and.042. A locking tremolo can support pitch changes using the arm while helping keep the strings secured at the bridge and nut, but setup and string changes can take more time than with a fixed bridge. Players who rarely use a tremolo may prefer a simpler bridge arrangement.

The guitar's specifications list active pickups, but do not state battery type, battery access, or battery life. Those details are worth checking with a retailer before purchase. The listed hardware is black, which keeps the visual treatment consistent with the dark finish and pickup covers.

What the specifications mean in practice

• Body and neck: Mahogany body with a three-piece maple neck-through construction.
• Fingerboard: Rosewood, 350 mm radius, and 24 extra-jumbo frets.
• Scale and nut: 648 mm (25.5 inches) scale with a 42 mm nut width.
• Electronics: Active EMG 85 neck and EMG 81 bridge humbuckers, master volume, and toggle switch.
• Bridge: Floyd Rose Special tremolo with Grover machine heads.
• Finish and included items: Charcoal Metallic finish; no case or gig bag included.

Verdict

The ESP LTD ARROW-400 CM is a focused option for players drawn to the V-style outline, an extra-thin neck profile, active EMG pickups, and a locking tremolo. Its mahogany body, neck-through maple construction, and 24-fret rosewood fingerboard make for a clearly specified instrument, while the player feedback highlights upper-fret access and a powerful sound. The main practical reservations are its reported long feel, the additional setup demands of the Floyd Rose Special, and the absence of a case or bag in the package.

At $954, the ARROW-400 CM is best considered by players who want these particular features and are comfortable with the V-style shape and tremolo setup. It has been listed as available since May 2026. Item number 634260; sold as one guitar.