Yes, I purchased one in April, 2025 for $160. Store’s asking price had been $250. The owner said, “You can have it for $160.”
Is the ESP LTD B50 a passive bass with EQ?
All my Internet research indicated the ESP LTD B50 was a passive bass with a battery for EQ for greater tonal control. But my LTD B50 is purely a passive bass; no battery. But I like it. – Shoshin Guitarist
Tennis Elbow Injury, Needed a Lighter Electric Bass
Sadly, I injured my left elbow coming home from bass guitar practice.
My Deltatone bass was in its heavy case, so I am carrying 30 pounds in my left hand.
It’s January 2025, the basement stairs were slippery with a bit of ice/snow. I slipped and caught my balance with my right arm, wrenching it badly. Great, I didn’t fall. But I messed up my right elbow for months.
So I convinced myself I needed a bass lighter than 9 pounds. Guitar players will find any excuse for a new guitar, won’t they?
LTD B50 Initial Impressions at Guitar Store
Matt showed me his used bass section at his guitar store.
Sorry, my budget is $250 max for a used bass. I need a bass that is lighter than my Deltatone. I hurt my right elbow badly. So I kept picking up bass guitars and testing them for their heft and weight.
ESP LTD B50
Matt said: Here’s an ESP LTD B50. It’s light and marked for $250. I’ll give it to you for $160. I tried its weight, balanced it in my lap while sitting down and played it. I liked its sounds.
Ibanez Bass Choices
Sadly I didn’t like the way the Ibanez basses played with and without an amp.
Fender Mustang Bass
I had read about it and now I had a chance to test it. Sadly the scale was just too darn short. It felt like I was playing a guitar. I want to play a bass.
Semi-Hollow Schecter – Beautiful but Neck Dive
It was the lightest of any bass tested. And, it looked pretty. But even standing up I could tell the Schecter had neck dive. No thank you.
So I left the local Chicago used guitar store wanting to do my Internet research on the ESP LTD B50. Yes, it was the cheapest. But for me, it had the best weight, balance, and sounds of the bass guitars under $300.
Internet Research on the ESP LTD B50
zZounds Review: 4.5 + out of 362
One Reviewer called the ESP LTD B50 “A Diamond in the Rough”.
Jake Wildwood ESP LTD B-50 Review was the Positive “Tipping Point”
Jake Wildwood is a down to earth, practical luthier/guitarist on the Internet. He wrote:
“This is a good, practical, gig-worthy, student bass.” – Jake Wildwood
Jake Wildwood’s assessment on the ESP LTD B-50 meant a lot. I went to the local Chicago guitar store the next day (early) to buy the ESP LTD B-50 electric bass.
Jake Wildwood does a great demo of the ESP LTD B-50. Please visit his demo here.
Re-testing and Purchasing the ESP LTD B50
Tested the ESP B50 some more at the used guitar store.
Verified it was a passive bass. Has no EQ. Internet thinks it does.
Did not check truss rod. I do hope it isn’t stripped (that would be sad).
I asked the guitar technician if it had new strings. He responded, “The strings are OK.” Which I think was his code for “the strings were OK and I didn’t change them”.
$160 cash got me the bass and a cheap gig bag that fit it.
Testing the ESP LTD B50 at Home
Same weight but better balanced than my 9 pound Deltatone? Actually, the LTD B50 is a little lighter at 8.2 pounds but it’s better balanced.
Almost guitar like in its balance. Reminded me of a comfortable Fender Mustang Bass that seemed too short in the store. But the scale is a full 34 inches.
The ESP LTD B50 neck is one or two inches longer than my Deltatone bass while the body is about 2 inches shorter. You would think this would case neck dive but it does not. Again, it’s nicely balanced.
With a strap, the LTD B50’s neck tilts up nicely for easier left hand fretting. Much better than my Deltatone bass.
Working high on the neck is much easier than the Deltatone. Why is that? So I found myself experimenting with sounds and chords up the neck. Fun.
The LTD B50 sounds good on my Fender B-Dec 30 watt bass amp. I really do like that amp.
Playing the ESP LTD B50 the 2nd time
Same weight but better balanced than my 9 pound Deltatone? Actually, the LTD B50 is a little lighter at 8.2 pounds but it’s better balanced.
Today I played the Deltatone bass (2008) for a bit and then went to the ESP LTD B50 (still need a name for it). I am tempted to call it “Lucky” since it came to the guitar store in the AM and I bought it in the PM.
Deltatone compared to ESP LTD B50
- Deltatone, Slight Neck Dive. The Deltatone has a bit of neck dive without a strap. Nothing serious, but slight neck dive.
- The LTD B50 is better balanced than the Deltatone.
- And played sitting down, the ESP LTD 850 just feels lighter, more balanced, than the Deltatone.
- Deltatone, higher action. The Deltatone seems harder to depress strings. I know that Paul G. who set it up prefers low action. The Deltatone takes greater strength for my fretting hand 3rd and 4th fingers.
- By contrast, the ESP is easier to depress strings.
Playing the ESP LTD B50 the 3rd time
I think the ESP LTD B50 is easier to play than my Deltatone.
I notice this when I am trying to fret with my 3rd finger. With the Deltatone I would fret with the 3rd and 4th finger combined. With the LTD B50, I often can fret simply with the 3rd finger. That’s a good thing.
Playing the ESP LTD B50 Again and Again
I reach for the B50 bass a lot. I think it’s 50/50 between my LTD B50 and my beautiful $50 Huntington Bass (another article one day).
ESP LTD B50 Observations
- B50 is lighter than my Deltatone. Just over 8 pounds.
- My right elbow is finally recovering from a winter “slip” injury. Using a lighter bass is easier on my elbow.
- B50 is comfy.
- It fits nicely against my body.
- I only play sitting down, but the ESP LTD B50 feels good in my lap.
- The neck of the B50 tilts up nicely so I can see it and fret it easily.
- B50 is more resonant than my Deltatone or my Huntington Bass.
- Many times I will pluck a single string and let it ring out for easily 5 maybe 10 seconds.
- I like a resonant bass. I can always silence the string with one of my fingers or a palm.
At $160 I Give the Used ESP LTD B-50 a Thumbs Up
It’s a keeper. Well priced, feels good, sounds good, and a bit lighter for me to use.
Purchased around April 2025 from a local guitar store in Chicago, IL USA.
Thanks for visiting Shoshin Guitarist today.