ESP - E-II Horizon NT-7B Hipshot Black Satin + Housse

The ESP E-II Horizon NT-7B Hipshot is a 7-string baritone electric guitar designed for guitarists seeking an extended low-end range without compromising playing precision. In styles where tunings go very low, a traditional guitar can quickly lose tension and definition: notes become less crisp and rhythmic parts lose some of their impact. The baritone format of this Horizon NT-7B addresses this issue precisely. Its 27-inch scale length provides greater string tension and creates a foundation particularly well-suited to low tunings, with a response that remains firm under the fingers. The seven strings also expand the available range, providing access to additional low notes whilst retaining the high strings needed for melodies and solos.

This approach really comes into its own in modern metal genres, with very low-tuned rhythm parts and compositions that exploit the contrasts between massive low-end and melodic passages. The through-body construction contributes to this sense of continuity along the entire length of the instrument, with a three-piece maple neck paired with an alder body. The Thin U profile and the ebony fingerboard with a 305 mm radius offer a grip designed to allow comfortable navigation across the 24 Extra Jumbo stainless steel frets. The 48 mm nut width complements the 7-string configuration naturally, providing the space needed to articulate the different strings with precision.

The electronics follow the same musical philosophy. The pair of active pickups – the EMG 85-7H at the neck and the EMG 81-7H at the bridge – cover a range from deep, thick tones to much crisper attacks, particularly suited to dense distortion. The 81-7H at the bridge provides the bite needed for riffs and fast rhythmic passages, whilst the 85-7H at the neck favours a fuller response. The 3-position selector switch, alongside the volume and tone controls, allows you to quickly shape the character of the sound to suit the passage being played.

The hardware has also been selected to withstand this intensive use. The fixed Hipshot bridge with through-body string routing and Gotoh locking tuners ensure excellent overall stability – a particularly important feature on a guitar designed for low tunings. The stainless steel frets, bone nut and ESP strap locks reflect the standard of specification expected of an E-II. Manufactured in Japan at the ESP workshops, this Horizon NT-7B Hipshot comes with its MH XL Guitar Form Fit Case to protect an instrument designed above all for guitarists who want to fully exploit the potential of a seven-string baritone guitar.