{"product_id":"ragnar-esp-ltd-ex-104-gloss-black-active-electronics","title":"Ragnar! - ESP LTD EX-104 | Gloss Black | Active Electronics","description":"\u003cp\u003eWe’ve introduced quite a few black, pointy guitars recently. Some have been intimidating, some have been downright antisocial, and a few have looked as though they might cause structural damage if you turned around too quickly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut we realised there was a rather glaring omission.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe hadn’t introduced a black, pointy bass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eClearly, this situation couldn’t be allowed to continue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEnter Ragnar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith a body that appears to have been designed using nothing but a ruler, a set square and a fairly substantial grudge, Ragnar is an ESP LTD EX-104, an Explorer-inspired four-string bass from LTD’s wonderfully angular back catalogue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd he’s not particularly interested in blending into the background.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProduced during the EX-104’s now-discontinued run, Ragnar takes the familiar Explorer silhouette and stretches it into something altogether more imposing. His gloss black basswood body is generously proportioned, sharply contoured and finished with enough points to make negotiating doorways an activity requiring considerable concentration.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFortunately, there’s rather more to him than his ability to threaten nearby furniture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHis bolt-on maple neck features ESP’s Thin U profile, paired with a rosewood fingerboard carrying 22 extra-jumbo frets. At a full 34-inch scale length, he’s very much a proper, full-sized bass, although the relatively slim neck profile makes him considerably more approachable than his appearance might suggest.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere’s also a rather lovely little EX-104 inlay at the twelfth fret, just in case somebody somehow manages to forget what they’re holding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhich seems unlikely.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eElectronics come courtesy of two ESP SB-4 pickups, paired with ESP’s ABQ-2 active two-band equalisation system. Rather than relying on a conventional passive tone control, Ragnar offers independent bass and treble adjustment alongside master volume and pickup balance, allowing you to shape his sound to suit everything from thick, rumbling low-end to something with considerably more bite and definition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn other words, he isn’t restricted to looking like he belongs in a metal band, even if he has made absolutely no effort to suggest otherwise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChrome ESP tuning machines and a substantial ESP DB-4 four-saddle bridge complete the hardware, providing a reassuringly straightforward setup on an instrument whose body shape is anything but.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRagnar has been through our usual workshop process, including fret levelling, crowning and polishing, a thorough clean and a full setup to get him ready for his next home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCosmetically, he’s certainly lived a little. There are various knocks and surface scratches across his gloss black finish, along with a few small chips that have received repairs. Nothing particularly unusual for a bass with this much pointy real estate, and he’s still a very attractive instrument overall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn fact, we’d argue that a bass looking like this probably ought to have a few stories to tell.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe EX-104 is no longer part of LTD’s current production range, making Ragnar an interesting option for somebody after something a little less commonplace than the usual Precision or Jazz Bass silhouette.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHe’s bold, distinctive and unapologetically angular, but underneath all that attitude is a properly equipped four-string with a comfortable neck and plenty of tonal control.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSo, if you’ve been looking for a bass that makes an entrance before you’ve even plugged it in, Ragnar might be exactly what you need.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust be careful carrying him through the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe accept no responsibility for damaged doorframes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOr startled pets.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRescue • Restore • Rehome\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Stray Chord","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59175931412744,"sku":null,"price":235.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1059\/2829\/4664\/files\/FB73D660-2AB9-4181-A576-9B3F969E82C9.jpg?v=1792567895","url":"https:\/\/thestraychord.com\/products\/ragnar-esp-ltd-ex-104-gloss-black-active-electronics","provider":"The Stray Chord","version":"1.0","type":"link"}