The question we hear at the counter goes something like this: "Is the Hexed actually worth six grand, or am I just paying for the name?" It's a fair question, and the honest answer is that this guitar is built to a spec you can feel — but it's also genuinely not for everyone. Let's go through what makes it tick, where the money goes, and what the B-Stock opportunity actually looks like.

View the ESP Alexi Laiho Hexed Guitar Purple Faded Pinstripes Product Page

What the Hexed Is (and Isn't)

The ESP Alexi Laiho Hexed in Purple Faded Pinstripes is a Japan-made signature guitar built around Alexi Laiho's specific playing demands — high-speed lead work, aggressive tremolo use, and a very particular feel in the upper register. It's not a "tribute" or a trickled-down version of the concept. This is the actual instrument, built in ESP's Custom Shop in Japan, with a Certificate of Authenticity included.

If you're looking for a guitar that approximates this for less money, ESP's LTD line has options. But that's a different conversation. This post is about the Hexed specifically.

Construction: Why Neck-Through Matters Here

The Hexed is built neck-through — meaning the neck isn't bolted on or glued in, it runs continuously through the center of the body, with alder wings joined to each side. On a guitar designed for upper-fret lead playing, this matters more than it does on a rhythm guitar. You get better sustain past the 12th fret, improved resonance balance across the full scale, and — arguably most importantly — easier physical access to the high frets because there's no heel joint in the way.

The body shape is an offset V, which sits differently than a traditional V when you're playing seated. It's designed to balance on the thigh without the awkward forward tilt you get from a symmetrical V body. Worth knowing before you buy if you do a lot of sit-down practice.

The Neck and Fretboard: Built for Speed

This is where the Hexed earns most of its reputation among technical players.

• 3-piece maple neck with a Thin U contour — fast and flat, built for players who keep their thumb behind the neck rather than wrapped around it
• Ebony fingerboard with a 305mm (12") radius — flatter than most production guitars, which reduces fretting out on bends at high frets
• 24 Extra Jumbo (XJ) frets — taller fret wire means you need less finger pressure to fret cleanly, which matters on long sets and fast runs
• Scalloped frets 19–24 — the wood between the frets is removed in the upper register, so your fingertips contact only the string and fret, not the fingerboard. This allows lighter touch and more expressive vibrato in the positions where Alexi spent most of his time
• 42mm locking nut — locks string position at the nut so the Floyd Rose can do its job without the strings going sharp or flat from nut friction
• Glow-in-the-dark side markers — genuinely useful on a dark stage, not just an aesthetic choice

The scalloped upper register is the detail most players either love immediately or take time to adjust to. If you've never played a scalloped fretboard before, expect a brief learning curve — finger pressure that feels normal on a standard board will bend the string sharp on a scallop until your touch calibrates. That said, players who spend time in that upper register on a scalloped neck rarely want to go back.

Hardware: Floyd Rose Original and Gotoh Locking Tuners

The bridge is a Floyd Rose Original — not a licensed copy, not an "Original Series" variant. The actual Floyd Rose Original, which uses steel blocks and saddles and holds tuning under aggressive use better than most alternatives. Paired with the locking nut and Gotoh locking tuners (the tuners still matter for initial setup even with a locking nut), this is a complete tuning-stability system. ESP also includes their own strap locks — a small thing, but it means you're not hunting for aftermarket hardware out of the box.

Strings are Elixir Nanoweb Super Light (.009–.042), which tells you something about the intended playing style. These are light strings built for lead playing and tremolo use, with a coating that extends life in sweaty live conditions.

Electronics: Passive Pickup, Active Boost

The pickup configuration here might surprise people expecting active EMGs: the Hexed runs a passive EMG HZ F-H2 humbucker in the bridge, controlled by a volume knob and the ESP MM-04 Active Boost switch. This is a single-pickup setup — there's no neck or middle pickup.

The passive-plus-boost approach gives you a cleaner base signal that responds to playing dynamics the way a passive pickup should, with the option to hit the boost when you need the extra push into the amp's front end. It's a different feel than a fully active setup, and some players strongly prefer it for exactly that reason — more touch sensitivity at lower boost settings, more aggression when you flip the switch.

Worth noting: if you primarily play clean or need significant tonal variety from the guitar itself, a single-pickup passive setup is a constraint you should think about. This guitar is designed around high-gain lead playing. That's what it does.

The B-Stock Opportunity: $1,280 Off

The ESP Alexi Laiho Hexed lists at $6,399 new. Our current B-Stock unit is $5,119.20 — that's a $1,279.80 difference on the same instrument.

At this price point, B-Stock deserves a direct answer: what's the catch? On Japan-built ESP instruments, B-Stock designation typically means a cosmetic issue caught during quality control or a return that came back in unplayed or lightly played condition. It does not mean structural compromise, replaced parts, or a repaired instrument. Check the specific listing photos for what's noted — on a guitar with a high-wear Purple Faded Pinstripes finish, a minor scuff in a non-visible area is genuinely hard to distinguish from normal play wear after your first session.

The Certificate of Authenticity is included with B-Stock units. The case — the V-ALEXI Guitar Form Fit Case, which is specific to this body shape and not a generic V case — ships with it as well.

If the $1,280 savings matters to your budget and you're buying this to play rather than to keep sealed in the case, the B-Stock unit is the one we'd point you toward. If mint condition is the point — for collection purposes, or because the Certificate and presentation matter to you as much as the instrument — buy new.

Who Should Actually Buy This Guitar

The Hexed is a purpose-built instrument. It's excellent at what it does and genuinely limiting outside of it.

Buy it if:

• You play high-gain lead metal and spend significant time above the 12th fret
• You use a Floyd Rose regularly and want the best version of that system
• You've played scalloped frets before and prefer them, or you're committed to adapting
• The Alexi Laiho signature specifically matters to you — this is the real thing, not a licensed approximation

Skip it if:

• You need tonal versatility — multiple pickups, clean tones that respond to pickup switching, etc.
• You've never played a Floyd Rose and aren't prepared for the setup and maintenance learning curve
• You primarily play seated and haven't tried an offset V body to see how it sits
• Your budget is genuinely better served by a strong LTD Signature — those are serious guitars at a much lower price point

For the player this guitar is built for, there isn't a meaningful compromise at this spec level. The neck-through construction, Floyd Rose Original, scalloped ebony board, and Japanese build quality add up to an instrument that will last and perform. The B-Stock unit at $5,119.20 makes that proposition noticeably easier to say yes to.

View the ESP Alexi Laiho Hexed Guitar Purple Faded Pinstripes Product Page

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "scalloped frets 19–24" actually mean for playability?

Scalloping means the wood of the fingerboard between the frets is carved away in a shallow scoop from fret 19 to 24. Your fingertip contacts only the string and the fret wire — not the fingerboard itself. This allows lighter touch, more expressive vibrato, and easier bending in the upper register. There's a short adjustment period if you're used to a standard board, since too much finger pressure will push the string sharp. Most players who put in the time to adjust prefer it for lead work at high frets.

Is the B-Stock Hexed the same instrument as the new one?

Yes — same construction, same specs, same Certificate of Authenticity, same V-ALEXI form fit case. B-Stock designation on Japan-built ESP instruments means a cosmetic issue was flagged during quality control or the guitar was returned in unplayed or minimally played condition. Check the listing photos for the specific noted blemish. Structurally and electronically, it's the same guitar at $1,280 less.

What's the difference between the EMG HZ F-H2 passive pickup and a fully active EMG?

A fully active EMG (like the EMG 81 or 85) runs on battery power and has its own internal preamp, which produces a consistent, high-output signal with less sensitivity to playing dynamics. The HZ F-H2 is a passive pickup — no battery required for the pickup itself — which means it responds more to how hard you play. The ESP MM-04 Active Boost switch adds a battery-powered preamp boost on top of that when you want the extra push. The result is a more touch-responsive base tone with the option for aggressive output when you need it.

Does the Floyd Rose Original require more maintenance than a fixed bridge?

Yes, and it's worth being honest about that. A Floyd Rose Original requires setting up string tension and spring tension in balance, and any string gauge or tuning change means re-balancing the system. Restringing takes longer than on a fixed bridge. That said, once properly set up and locked at both the nut and the bridge saddles, a Floyd Rose Original holds tuning through aggressive tremolo use better than virtually any other system. If you're unfamiliar with Floyd Rose setup, budget time to learn it or plan to have it professionally set up initially.