I have always been a massive Slipknot fan. Actually, scratch that, I am the trifecta of a "Peak Millennial." I love Linkin Park, Marilyn Manson, and Slipknot. If it was angry and on the radio in the early 2000s, I was into it.
Because of that Slipknot love, I’ve had my eye on the signature models for a while. I was cross-shopping this guitar against Jim Root’s Jazzmaster and Telecaster, and even the Jackson American Series Soloist.
So, why did I land on the LTD MT-1 Mick Thomson Signature? It came down to three things: price, pickups, and that fretboard.
I was used to seeing ESP everywhere in east Asia, along with their regional sub-brands like Edwards and GrassRoots. But LTD is primarily the "western" export brand, which always made it seem pretty cool to me. I was initially going to grab the 2026 Satin Black model, but let’s be real, as a metal guitarist, 90% of my collection is satin black. I needed a change. I went with the Obsidian Metallic, and I don't regret it.
Here is my review of this absolute beast of a guitar.
The Look: Candy Paint & Minimalism
First off, the stock photos do not do this guitar justice. In person, the finish feels like premium candy car paint. It’s absolutely gorgeous.
The aesthetic is stealthy, minimalist, and undeniably metal. You get a single pickup and a single volume knob. That’s it. It’s a statement.
I usually prefer some inlay art on the fretboard, but both Jim Root and Mick Thomson seem to love that blank, void-like look. I’m okay with it, though not my biggest fan feature. However, the Lumilay side dots are a game-changer. They glow in the dark, looking super cool and actually helping on dark stages.
The body is Mahogany with a White Ash top. Not only does this wood combo make the sound pop and cut through the mix, but it also helped me avoid paying the "American-Made Tax." I didn’t have to shell out for a Corona, CA Jazzmaster or a US Jackson to get a pro-level instrument. Plus, it comes with an awesome ESP hard case, which is a huge win.
Fishman Fluence
I’ll say it: Fishman never lets me down. The pickup in this thing is perfection.
The toggle switch offers three distinct voices (bottom to top) (plus a coil split on the volume knob):
Voice 1: This is the Fishman active tone we all know. Aggressive, tight, and super clean.
Voice 1 (Bass Boost): Honestly? I didn't notice a massive difference here yet, but I’m still running stock strings without a heavy gauge downtune or a massive 4x12 cab. It feels a bit like rolling the tone knob down if there is one.
Voice 2: I was surprisingly impressed by this. It gives you a much more organic, passive pickup sound.
Voice 3 (Volume Knob Pull): This is the single-coil mode. It’s snappy, bright, and has a good "bite" to it. It doesn’t sound exactly like a Fender single coil, but it’s powerful and usable.
A note on tone: These do not sound like EMGs. If you want the EMG 81/85 sound, go buy those. These are a different animal.
Do I miss the neck pickup? Since I have other guitars for different styles, absolutely not. A single bridge pickup just yells METAL.
The Neck & Frets: Speed and Steel
The deep set-neck is pure speed. It feels slightly thicker than a Jackson speed neck to me, but definitely thinner than a PRS "Wide Thin." It’s the Goldilocks zone. Thick enough for comfortable barre chords without tiring your hand, but thin enough for shredding. I also like that they sanded down the neck for a stain feel. No one likes glossy neck.
It features a compound radius, which is my absolute favorite spec. It makes the playability incredible all the way up the neck.
Since it does not have a neck pickup, 24 frets it’s a must. Weirdly, A and Low E strings only have 23 frets but who needs them anyway. It’s unique.
This is also my first guitar with Stainless Steel frets. I remember Herman Li mentioning he isn't a fan of stainless steel for professional recording because of the specific "zing" they have. I can finally see what he means. It feels snappy, and bending feels different compared to nickel. But honestly? The fact that I will likely never have to pay for a refret makes it 100% worth it. The fretwork itself is perfect, well-rounded, no sprouts.Seems to be glued in.
The Hardware
Everything on this guitar screams premium. With these premium hardwares, this guitar came out of the box perfectly in tune which is crazily stable.
Tuners: Hipshot locking tuners. Rock solid.
Bridge and Nut: It’s a Hipshot HI mass fixed bridge (feels like a big copper block) that gives crazily good sustain since it pairs with a Graph tech nut. It is by far the most comfortable bridge I have ever rested my hand on for palm muting.
Strap Locks: Comes stock with Gotoh strap locks.
The Verdict
The LTD MT-1 is a Made-in-Korea masterpiece. For the price (and yes, I know, paying $1.8k for an LTD sounds steep on paper. Honestly, with the way inflation and tariffs are going, hitting that $2k mark for a top-tier non-American guitar is just the new norm now.), you are getting premium specs, incredible build quality, and a sound that cuts through anything.
If you’re a millennial metalhead looking to complete your Nu-Metal trifecta, or just someone who wants a high-performance minimalist axe, I highly recommend picking this one up.
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