ESP LTD Surveyor '87 Lefty Electric Bass Black
Description
ESP LTD Surveyor '87 Lefty Electric Bass Black
The Surveyor '87 delivers the vintage P/J voicing your sessions need in a left-handed format. Its lightweight alder body and maple neck provide the harmonic clarity and sustain essential for tracking, while the Macassar ebony fingerboard with 21 extra-jumbo frets ensures smooth intonation across the neck. The responsive construction cuts through dense arrangements and maintains definition whether you're tracking fingerstyle parts or aggressive pick-driven lines in the studio.
Recording & Intonation Foundation
The 34" scale length with 42mm molded nut width establishes a solid foundation for left-handed recording sessions, while the bolt-on maple neck paired with alder body construction ensures stable tuning across takes and tonal consistency through mixing. The 400mm fingerboard radius combined with the 21 XJ frets delivers a playing surface that accommodates both smooth legato lines and articulate pick attack, capturing the tonal nuances your productions demand without dead spots in critical register areas.
Pickup Pairing & Mix Integration
The Seymour Duncan Vintage P pickup at the neck and Seymour Duncan Vintage Jazz pickup at the bridge provide the classic P/J tonal palette that blends and sits naturally in modern productions. The Volume/Balance/Tone control layout grants real-time sonic shaping during sessions, while the Gotoh 203-B4 bridge guarantees precise intonation and sustain characteristics that lock your bass tracking to the kit without tuning drift between verses and choruses.
Key Features
- Left-handed configuration with bolt-on construction
- 34" scale length with 42mm molded nut width
- Alder body and maple neck
- Macassar ebony fingerboard with 400mm radius
- 21 extra-jumbo (XJ) frets
- Seymour Duncan Vintage P neck pickup and Vintage Jazz bridge pickup
- Volume/Balance/Tone electronics layout
- Gotoh 203-B4 bridge hardware
- LTD Vintage tuners with black hardware finish
- Black finish throughout
- Approximately 8.5 lbs weight
- Equipped with D'Addario XL165 strings (.045/.065/.085/.105)
The Surveyor '87 combines recorded vintage character with the tonal control and intonation stability your home studio requires, serving as a reliable voice for tracking sessions across multiple production styles.
More Information
| Condition | New |
|---|---|
| Dexterity | Left handed |
| Country of Manufacture | Indonesia |
Reviews
At a Glance
The Surveyor '87 Lefty is a left-handed studio bass engineered to capture warm vintage tones with clarity and definition across the full frequency spectrum, making it a natural fit for jazz, funk, and genre-crossing session recording. The dual Seymour Duncan Vintage pickups paired with intuitive Volume/Balance/Tone controls let you shape tone quickly during tracking and layering, while the 34" scale and stable bolt-on construction keep intonation tight across multiple takes. Home recordists and producers tracking bass-heavy material will appreciate how this bass sits in the mix with articulate midrange and responsive dynamics that cut through without muddiness.
Who This Is For
Great for
- ✓ Jazz
- ✓ Funk
- ✓ Studio Sessions
- ✓ Live Performance
Not the best pick for
- – Metal
- – Djent
Skill level: Intermediate · Advanced · Professional
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this bass suitable for metal or aggressive music?
No—the Surveyor '87 is optimized for jazz, funk, studio sessions, and live performance where vintage warmth and articulate clarity are priorities. The warm tone profile and dynamics-responsive nature make it less suited to metal and djent styles.
What skill level do I need to play this bass?
This is an intermediate-to-professional instrument designed for players with solid technique. The 21 extra-jumbo frets, 400mm fingerboard radius, and responsive construction reward dynamic playing from fingerstyle to pick work without dead spots.
What are the key specifications for this left-handed bass?
The Surveyor '87 Lefty features a 34" scale length, 42mm molded nut width, lightweight alder body, maple neck, and Macassar ebony fingerboard with 400mm radius. Electronics include Seymour Duncan Vintage P and Jazz pickups, Gotoh 203-B4 bridge, and a Volume/Balance/Tone control layout. It ships with D'Addario XL165 strings and weighs approximately 8.5 lbs.
How does this compare to other vintage-style precision basses?
The Surveyor '87 sits alongside the Fender Precision Bass and Fender Jazz Bass as a warmly voiced, articulate instrument. Its dual Seymour Duncan Vintage pickups and bolt-on construction deliver authentic vintage character with modern build stability and left-handed accessibility that many players seek.
What kind of tones should I expect from this bass?
Expect warm vintage character with clarity across the frequency spectrum, articulate midrange, and natural sustain. The dual Seymour Duncan pickups respond immediately to dynamic playing, delivering precision in jazz and funk settings while maintaining definition in studio tracking and live performance.