ESP LTD FB-208 Frank Bello Signature 8-string electric bass guitar

General

The ESP LTD FB-208 is a truly exceptional instrument. Frank Bello, of Anthrax fame, co-designed this remarkable 8-string electric bass guitar. You might expect its neck to be rather wide and cumbersome but fortunately there's no need for that, as this signature bass guitar features four standard bass guitar strings, each with another one directly next to it that's tuned an octave higher. That means every note you play is on two strings, and seeing how they're an octave apart their tone is broad, rich and pierces through the band mix excellently. This is a great bass guitar for melodic bass playing.

FB-208: looks and active EQ

The FB-208 has the same elegant body shape as most of the guitars from LTD's B series, which is mostly notable for the deep cutaways and large horns combined with beautiful, comfortable bevels. Another striking feature of this guitar is its distinctively shaped headstock which features four large and four small tuners. The fretboard is home to chic block position markers that nicely match the silver-coloured hardware on the body. The three outer knobs allow you to control the powerful active EQ to create a veritable array of bass tones by experimenting with bass/mid/treble boost and cut.

ESP's LTD bass guitars

LTD is a subdivision of the renowned ESP brand. Many hard rock and heavy metal bass players, ranging from amateur to professional to rock legend, own an ESP instrument. ESP bass guitars aren't exclusive to rock and (heavy) metal though. ESP offers several series, including a large number of signature models made in collaboration with famous artists. LTD guitars are perfect if a professional instrument is out of your reach just yet. They offer durable quality, a beautiful shape, a tasteful finish and excellent sound at a reasonable price.