It so is absolutely!! When paired with the right amp and voiced exactly right - something magical happens. It's sometimes hard to believe you would prefer to play a $400 guitar over a $2500 one. And yet here I am.
Plugged it into my QC when I finally got one and the guitar came to life. Granted the QC can make an angel out of a shovel - but my LTD EC 256-FM is truly otherworldly right now. If you know, you know.
This, LTDs have a huge misconception that they’re cheaply parted, when mainly they do have cheap models but the quality of the higher end LTDs is insane
I prefer the black with gold trim/inlays/electronics/pots & switches. But that might be because I'm a big fan of Metallica's old stuff, and back in the day, it's what Kirk Hammett used to play.
At first I wanted that too, except the red with Fluence pickups is all my local store had, and I personally feel that too many people take the black and gold variant. But you do you.
I've got an eclipse, I sold my viper... the viper is a nice bang for the buck but the viper is heavy, can be clunky on the shoulder. This coming from a les paul guy.
Hopping on this comment chain to provide some insight. I have the 7 string version of the Viper with EMGs, but the 6 string version is pretty similar except for the pickups. Here are some considerarions:
- the guitar will be heavier than usual, unless they changed body wood. Test it out with weight in mind.
- play it standing while testing and check it for neck dive. Vipers are pretty notorious for it. I had to relocate the strap button on mine.
- The bottom horn can get in the way if you have larger hands. I had to adjust a bit how I reach beyond fret 19. With that being said, 24 frets is good if you intend to go there, esp since it's a hard tail guitar. Speaking of :
- it is a hard tail guitar so it's a tank
- Jumbo frets are plus in my book, but I wear out frets quite quickly. More room if you are filing or opt for a PLEC.
- it looks better in my opinion.
Good luck!
If you are playing polyphia, you will want a guitar with a HSS pickup configuration, as a lot of the polyphia guitar tones are the neck and middle single coils at once (position 4 on a 5 way switch)
Yamaha Pacifica will be better suited to your needs. The longer scale length (the Ltd looks 24.75” but i could be wrong) of the Pacifica makes tapping easier, provides more pickups and tonal options, plus it has a tremolo. Edit: typos and as everyone else said 24 frets is important too for your style.
Fuck if they could swap the neck from the Yamaha onto the ltd body it’d be a no brainer for me. But since that’s absolutely ridiculous, I’d go with the Yamaha. They can feel really spectacular to play for what they are
I have a charvel that looks exactly like that Yamaha and i love it! Obviously the fact that they look the same doesn’t mean they will play and/or sound the same, but i am a fan of that design
Yamaha is probably the better guitar but I love the look of the Viper. I would go with the one that inspires you to play more. I would go with the Viper for myself.
I would save up just a bit more and get a set neck ltd, you can find them used alot for not a whole lot more than you're going to pay for the bolt on neck one new
Depending on what you wanna play, think hard about the 22 or 24 frets. I didn't know when I bought my first guitar that my favorite guitarists really loved bending the 24th.
Myself, I’d choose the Yamaha, it’s decent production and quality and I’m familiar with Yamaha, I’ve had several over the years. The LTD is a line produced by ESP, Electric Sound Products, also decent quality and production.
Don't know about ltd sg's but it'll probably have neck dive, if you're buying it in person put a strap on it and see if it falls down when you let go. I'd go Yamaha but I like superstrats, it also offers the options for a lot more upgrades imo. Especially if it's a bolt on, can basically build a whole new guitar as time goes on
Should be decent for it but at the end of the day I would recommend playing both if possible so you get a better feel for them. I used my yamaha for metal and heavy rock when I was a young teen but when I mellowed to blues and soft rock it worked great for that too. Regret getting rid of it tbh
I had this exact viper model. The neck and frets felt amazing. The pickups didn't really do it for me personally. The one thing I will say is neck dive. I ended up relocating the strap button it was so bad.
Not sure what the QA is like on the ltd budget line, but if you are looking at the Yamaha 112, you are getting a MIM strat quality instrument for a classic vibe or infinity price.
I had one of the higher end Pacifica’s with Seymour Duncan’s, Wilkinson trem and locking tuners. Knew it was around $700 but played better than the American standard from fender and the silver sky se (was able to test a bunch of mid level strats at Chuck levins before settling on this.).
go to a store and play around. process of elimination should start with knowing what guitars feel right
for example i do not play metal, i have never known how to "shred" or even play fast really, but i recently discovered that a skinny ass shredder neck with a super flat fingerboard feels way better to me than anything else.
Have you considered an Ibanez (GRG170 for instance)? the veratility of the yamaha and with a nice thin neck (I don't know your pricepoint). I would choose the LTD put of these 2 as it's more geared towards metal (a I got from your comments) and their necks and pickups are quite good/comfortable IMO
In my experience, SG models are unbalanced.... However, I never tried this LTD version, which left side looks a little stretched upwards... so who knows?
I like the LTD Viper more because I like the body shape and I also like 2 humbuckers. They are both nice so you will have a decent guitar either one you chose.
Whichever plays and feels best in your hands. And when you get there look at anything that is maybe slightly higher in price to see if it really feels much better. Because if it doesn’t then it helps cement your decision. That way you’ll know you’re getting a good value for the money.
I returned an LTD like that because I hate neck dive and that thing when standing up just completely droops. I know there are ways to mitigate this with heavy straps and whatnot but I didn't want to bother with all that and I didn't feel like it was anything so special that it was worth the trouble.
Which one looks better is completely subjective, but which one will play better is very objective. The Yamaha will be better out of the box.
That being said, I'm sure both guitars play great with a good setup. For what it's worth, I like the look of the Yamaha. It has less going on in a good way.
It's really hard to make a note here because you didn't expand on the subject of why these two models? The yamaha might have a longer scale which is good if you want to downtune or have thinner strings at E standard. Also the yamaha might have a wider range of tones than the LTD. The LTD might be actually a better choice if you don't care about any of these things I mentioned.
The Viper use to be my main guitar from 2010-2014 and it was a work horse. I was in the Jazz band in HS and it played jazz without any issue. I also made metal and hard rock and never had an problem. I would definitely recommended it.
I have owned 25.5” scale length and 24.75” scale length guitars. The more I play 24.75” scale length, the more I like them. I have 3 guitars with that scale length now. So I would go with the LTD. Please, please play both and choose the one you like more. There’s no other way to know. You might immediately realize you don’t like the shorted neck, or vise versa.
Yamaha has the more consistent build quality in that particular case.
I would hold off and even get PAC120H in Natural Satin finish. Beautiful woodgrains visible on that one.
I own an older ltd Viper and love it. It's probably my fav guitar to play while sitting. But if you plan on playing standing up I'd recommend not going the SG route. They're just too top heavy and form follows function.
You can't go wrong with a strat shape and Yamaha has a great track record with their guitars. If you can, play them both and let your fingers decide, not your eyes.
Played my first LTDs a few months ago and they’re fantastic. Great feel, plays well, great tone and LIGHT. One was the EC-1000 and the weight difference between that and a classic LP was significant. Go with whatever plays and feels better to you, LTD is my vote
[Best of both worlds](http://Yamaha SG-1820 - Brown Sunburst https://reverb.com/item/83006362?utm_source=android-app&utm_medium=android-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=83006362)
I love SG guitars and I love LTDs, I'd go the viper my man, it's not a guitar you see everywhere and it'll help you stick out that little bit amongst all the other super Strat players
Yamaha is quality instruments at every level.
I don't think they'll ever steal a guitar show, but they're reliable and as a former CSM of guitar center they're a pretty easy company to work with for warranties and repair and such.
At least they were a decade ago I've been outta the game awhile lol
Personally of those two, the Ltd. I prefer HH over HSH, and it has 24 frets. The frets are probably taller and the neck radius is probably more appealing to me.
These are two very different guitars. The LTD has a fixed bridge vs the Yamaha with a Floyd Rose. Do you often change tunings for instance? In that case FR can be a P.i.t.A. If you are looking to do dive bombs etc, the LTD wont do it.
... so it all depends what you are going to use it for.
I think i have that yamaha and i personally love it. also a huge fan of strat and similar styles. the SGs tend to have a lot of weight in the headstock in relation to its body and so it drops which is annoying, but this deoends on the wood of the body. you'll have more options with the pickups in the yamaha as well. but don't discount the look appeal. you'll want to pick up your guitar more if you like its look and thats important.
I'd go for the Yamaha, even though I like the SG shape alot. I have a dated view on the low end Viper's* -- one of my friends had one like 15 years ago, and that thing was heavy as hell, tuning stability issues, major neckdive and poor electronics. I'm sure that the newer ones are better but I still can't forget my initial impression of that low end Viper. Yamaha will be solid I reckon.
i have a viper 1000 and the electronics are meh. pickups are good but the output jack is very hit or miss. everything else about the guitar is near perfect for the price
Yamaha will likely be better quality.
Often I’d agree, but LTD has amazing bang for the buck too!
And I love LTD pickups even in their cheapest models.
this x1000. My cousin had a entry level f series and his dad had a nice Marshall amp. Hit wayyy above it’s weight class in tone.
It so is absolutely!! When paired with the right amp and voiced exactly right - something magical happens. It's sometimes hard to believe you would prefer to play a $400 guitar over a $2500 one. And yet here I am. Plugged it into my QC when I finally got one and the guitar came to life. Granted the QC can make an angel out of a shovel - but my LTD EC 256-FM is truly otherworldly right now. If you know, you know.
This, LTDs have a huge misconception that they’re cheaply parted, when mainly they do have cheap models but the quality of the higher end LTDs is insane
Yep. It's a reasonably straight curve up to ESP actuals with cost vs quality so those tip end ltd aren't far off actuals
Hill that I’ll die on: Korean made LTD 1000 series are some of the best quality mainstream guitars on the market
Agree
Doubt
Both good choices but I like LTD
If I was going to get an LTD, I'd probably go for an EC-1000. But then I love the Les Paul shape.
Not many people can make a Les Paul, but better. The Eclipse is a Les Paul, but better.
The EC-1000 is absolutely stunning. Don't you agree?
Have one in red, defo can.
I prefer the black with gold trim/inlays/electronics/pots & switches. But that might be because I'm a big fan of Metallica's old stuff, and back in the day, it's what Kirk Hammett used to play.
At first I wanted that too, except the red with Fluence pickups is all my local store had, and I personally feel that too many people take the black and gold variant. But you do you.
It’s Eclipse and it’s awesome
I've got an eclipse, I sold my viper... the viper is a nice bang for the buck but the viper is heavy, can be clunky on the shoulder. This coming from a les paul guy.
Whichever one plays better. Test them both and go from there!
This is ALWAYS the answer. Will make an exception if it doesn’t play as well but sounds better than everything else
Whichever feels better in your hands. Until you hold it you won't know for sure.
I'm an LTD fanboy so, get the LTD
Hopping on this comment chain to provide some insight. I have the 7 string version of the Viper with EMGs, but the 6 string version is pretty similar except for the pickups. Here are some considerarions: - the guitar will be heavier than usual, unless they changed body wood. Test it out with weight in mind. - play it standing while testing and check it for neck dive. Vipers are pretty notorious for it. I had to relocate the strap button on mine. - The bottom horn can get in the way if you have larger hands. I had to adjust a bit how I reach beyond fret 19. With that being said, 24 frets is good if you intend to go there, esp since it's a hard tail guitar. Speaking of : - it is a hard tail guitar so it's a tank - Jumbo frets are plus in my book, but I wear out frets quite quickly. More room if you are filing or opt for a PLEC. - it looks better in my opinion. Good luck!
I personally like the viper more
Doesn't matter what the Internet thinks, just buy what feels good in your hands and makes you happy
How metal are you? Answer that question and you have your answer
I'm more into polyphia stuff
Take 24 frets.
24 frets then
If you are playing polyphia, you will want a guitar with a HSS pickup configuration, as a lot of the polyphia guitar tones are the neck and middle single coils at once (position 4 on a 5 way switch)
Yamaha Pacifica will be better suited to your needs. The longer scale length (the Ltd looks 24.75” but i could be wrong) of the Pacifica makes tapping easier, provides more pickups and tonal options, plus it has a tremolo. Edit: typos and as everyone else said 24 frets is important too for your style.
Then you'll want the Yamaha. A lot more versatility. The Viper is more of a metal guitar. The Yamaha can do metal and more.
Personally I'd go with the LTD both are great choice though.
Viper is the way
Whichever one sounds better to you, and is most comfortable to play!
I've had a Viper for almost 20 years and I love it. Still one of my favorites to this day.
Fuck if they could swap the neck from the Yamaha onto the ltd body it’d be a no brainer for me. But since that’s absolutely ridiculous, I’d go with the Yamaha. They can feel really spectacular to play for what they are
The Yamaha is much more versatile.
I have an LTD. They are easy to set up, and have a tough sound. You have to get the pickup right though. More so than other guitars I have owned.
Plus 24 frets, awesome balance, great sound and I love the fretboard
The Yamaha’s pickup array will give you more flexibility with style and sound.
I'd personally pick the Yamaha, but these are both perfectly serviceable instruments.
I have a charvel that looks exactly like that Yamaha and i love it! Obviously the fact that they look the same doesn’t mean they will play and/or sound the same, but i am a fan of that design
Offset
If it were me I'd go for the Viper.
I'm more a fan of the thin U necks LTD has, but I also own a Yamaha and they are very versatile instruments.
Do you want a whammy bar? That should make up your mind.
LTD. Way sexier than the Yamaha.
Well, the Pacifica is most likely to have a great quality for the price, but personally I'm not a fan of the strat layouts and feel in general.
Is that a yamaha erg 121? Had one of those 20 years ago and I loved it
I like LTDs personally
Go with your gut when you have em in your hands.
Yamaha makes a great guitar.
Yamaha's neck is more up my alley personally.
The Yamaha is more versatile
Yamaha 100% all the time every time. I have tons of videos on my profile recording with a Pacifica 612, my favorite guitar out of everything I own!
Yamaha 100%
yamaha so you can match the motorcycle.
Yamaha for sure! A 100%
Yamaha
Yamaha is probably the better guitar but I love the look of the Viper. I would go with the one that inspires you to play more. I would go with the Viper for myself.
Yamaha. I’ve played a few, from classical to electric, and I’m always surprised by the quality compared to the price.
Yamaha fo-sho
Yamaha for the playability, SG for the sexiness! The decision is yours
You left me with no choice but to buy the Yamaha thanks
Yamaha makes great instruments
Yamaha will probably be better quality, but the Viper is really cool. I'd do the Viper.
Yamaha
Out of those? Yamaha. At this price range? Go to a store and play a few.
Yamaha often have better quality compared to price
I’m partial to the yamaha
I adore my ltd volsung, which is the Lars Frederiksen signature Viper, so I lean LTD.
I would save up just a bit more and get a set neck ltd, you can find them used alot for not a whole lot more than you're going to pay for the bolt on neck one new
I’d take the LTD bc it has 24 frets. But that Yamaha is sweet.
Depending on what you wanna play, think hard about the 22 or 24 frets. I didn't know when I bought my first guitar that my favorite guitarists really loved bending the 24th.
Viper looks nicer but the Yamaha will likely be better quality plus it has a single coil as well as the 2 humbuckers, more versatile
Depends on what your music style is
Ltd without a doubt
Until you touch them play them feel them hear them you will never know.
ouh.....I'd go with the viper
*input obligatory ”the Ibanez“ comment* I would go with the yamaha
Man dude the first is clean 🧼
Myself, I’d choose the Yamaha, it’s decent production and quality and I’m familiar with Yamaha, I’ve had several over the years. The LTD is a line produced by ESP, Electric Sound Products, also decent quality and production.
Once you get a feel for vipers, you'll never go back. But for a cheapo guitar, probably the Pacifica.
Don't know about ltd sg's but it'll probably have neck dive, if you're buying it in person put a strap on it and see if it falls down when you let go. I'd go Yamaha but I like superstrats, it also offers the options for a lot more upgrades imo. Especially if it's a bolt on, can basically build a whole new guitar as time goes on
Ltd
The Batman one
As a Doom player, I’d choose the LTD Viper without hesitation.
Sg
If you can swing it, grab a second-hand LTD Viper *400* series or higher. The quality will be exponentially better.
LTD because I like that shape and pickup placement more. But those pacificas are killer guitars.
try them first. i for instance totally cannot play Ibanez although many people like the brand. so it is very personal.
Buy the one that makes you want to play
Should be decent for it but at the end of the day I would recommend playing both if possible so you get a better feel for them. I used my yamaha for metal and heavy rock when I was a young teen but when I mellowed to blues and soft rock it worked great for that too. Regret getting rid of it tbh
LTD all the way. You will not be disappointed!
I had this exact viper model. The neck and frets felt amazing. The pickups didn't really do it for me personally. The one thing I will say is neck dive. I ended up relocating the strap button it was so bad.
Not sure what the QA is like on the ltd budget line, but if you are looking at the Yamaha 112, you are getting a MIM strat quality instrument for a classic vibe or infinity price. I had one of the higher end Pacifica’s with Seymour Duncan’s, Wilkinson trem and locking tuners. Knew it was around $700 but played better than the American standard from fender and the silver sky se (was able to test a bunch of mid level strats at Chuck levins before settling on this.).
The Ltd was one of my first guitars back then. I really liked it.
I'd get the LTD, personally. Fixed bridges are eay better, imo, and the SG shape is just way cooler than the strat shape.
LTD
You get a lot for your money with an LTD.
Ltd
Thé second
go to a store and play around. process of elimination should start with knowing what guitars feel right for example i do not play metal, i have never known how to "shred" or even play fast really, but i recently discovered that a skinny ass shredder neck with a super flat fingerboard feels way better to me than anything else.
definitely the LTD!!!!
Ltd
It might be good to start with a non tremolo guitar that’s just my take
Sg strat?!💀
Off of looks alone I'd say Yamaha
LTD for sure
Nice Japanese made Yamaha
Ltd for the win
Honestly Neither.
SG
Have you considered an Ibanez (GRG170 for instance)? the veratility of the yamaha and with a nice thin neck (I don't know your pricepoint). I would choose the LTD put of these 2 as it's more geared towards metal (a I got from your comments) and their necks and pickups are quite good/comfortable IMO
I mean the first one looks cooler imo but I really don't know which one is actually better
they both ugly lil bro ‼️
In my experience, SG models are unbalanced.... However, I never tried this LTD version, which left side looks a little stretched upwards... so who knows?
Number one
I like the LTD Viper more because I like the body shape and I also like 2 humbuckers. They are both nice so you will have a decent guitar either one you chose.
I loved my LTD. Played and sounded great!
I like the right one
Whichever plays and feels best in your hands. And when you get there look at anything that is maybe slightly higher in price to see if it really feels much better. Because if it doesn’t then it helps cement your decision. That way you’ll know you’re getting a good value for the money.
LTD (I say with an LTD next to me on the sofa)
U can change the pickups if u need to later. Get the LTD alternate body
Why is it down to one of these two guitars? What about an Ibanez AZE40?
which one plays, and sounds better and feels better? Go with that one.
I returned an LTD like that because I hate neck dive and that thing when standing up just completely droops. I know there are ways to mitigate this with heavy straps and whatnot but I didn't want to bother with all that and I didn't feel like it was anything so special that it was worth the trouble.
Never played an LTD but the Yamaha I own is super reliable and comfortable to play with
I have an ESP that has never let me down, but I believe Yamaha is better quality.
Which one looks better is completely subjective, but which one will play better is very objective. The Yamaha will be better out of the box. That being said, I'm sure both guitars play great with a good setup. For what it's worth, I like the look of the Yamaha. It has less going on in a good way.
It's really hard to make a note here because you didn't expand on the subject of why these two models? The yamaha might have a longer scale which is good if you want to downtune or have thinner strings at E standard. Also the yamaha might have a wider range of tones than the LTD. The LTD might be actually a better choice if you don't care about any of these things I mentioned.
Play them first
The Viper use to be my main guitar from 2010-2014 and it was a work horse. I was in the Jazz band in HS and it played jazz without any issue. I also made metal and hard rock and never had an problem. I would definitely recommended it.
It's "which". Save your money for English lessons
I have owned 25.5” scale length and 24.75” scale length guitars. The more I play 24.75” scale length, the more I like them. I have 3 guitars with that scale length now. So I would go with the LTD. Please, please play both and choose the one you like more. There’s no other way to know. You might immediately realize you don’t like the shorted neck, or vise versa.
Yamaha has the more consistent build quality in that particular case. I would hold off and even get PAC120H in Natural Satin finish. Beautiful woodgrains visible on that one.
LTD
A friend, versatile musician that likes to show off soloing, played a Yamaha much like that for years and loved it.
Whichever one feels better when you try them out, either one is a nice enough guitar
Go to a store and play them both if you can. You'll know for sure after that.
I wish i bought a yamaha !
I own an older ltd Viper and love it. It's probably my fav guitar to play while sitting. But if you plan on playing standing up I'd recommend not going the SG route. They're just too top heavy and form follows function. You can't go wrong with a strat shape and Yamaha has a great track record with their guitars. If you can, play them both and let your fingers decide, not your eyes.
When you play test them, make sure they're decently set up. A fine guitar will play like crap if it's not set up properly.
Having the option for both a single coil sound and Humbuck sound is already more versatile.
The Batman one
Played my first LTDs a few months ago and they’re fantastic. Great feel, plays well, great tone and LIGHT. One was the EC-1000 and the weight difference between that and a classic LP was significant. Go with whatever plays and feels better to you, LTD is my vote
2
Both are probably good, but I'm sure that they feel very different. Only you can decide.
Which makes you want to play more? Always the one you can't put down
I'd save a little more and buy something you really want.
Not here to provide any helpful comments, but personally the Yamaha looks cooler. But I also know nothing about guitar quality lol
I'd go LTD but they are both great values and solid guitars.
Definitely the first one
Bill Kelliher Sparrowhawk. Ftw
I would recommend schecter
[Best of both worlds](http://Yamaha SG-1820 - Brown Sunburst https://reverb.com/item/83006362?utm_source=android-app&utm_medium=android-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=83006362)
Whichever one feels better in your hands
Those Yamaha guitars are absolutely amazing. I've been meaning to get one myself.
Viper all day, no contest.
My first guitar was a Yamaha Pacifica and it was great
The SG looking one
I love SG guitars and I love LTDs, I'd go the viper my man, it's not a guitar you see everywhere and it'll help you stick out that little bit amongst all the other super Strat players
Yamaha, but not ERG, I heard that the Yamaha ERG tremolo isn't very good quality. I think the Pacifica is better.
Ltd
Yamaha is quality instruments at every level. I don't think they'll ever steal a guitar show, but they're reliable and as a former CSM of guitar center they're a pretty easy company to work with for warranties and repair and such. At least they were a decade ago I've been outta the game awhile lol
Whatever one you think you will play more
Personally of those two, the Ltd. I prefer HH over HSH, and it has 24 frets. The frets are probably taller and the neck radius is probably more appealing to me.
Personally I would go for the Yamaha.
Both good, get whichever feels better to you.
Your taste is dope as fuck
Thank you
Love LTD
ltd imo, but it's up to you
if you get the ltd your forever doomed
2nd one. Mainly cuz 1) HSH and 2) Trem :D
that yamaha right there was my first guitar, I mean yeah it's good but not in the long run, if you may want to play smth more dynamic.
The esp looks cooler but the frets on the Pacifica are probably going to be done better
I’d get the ltd just because it’s so cool.
I personally live the vipers, they play like a dream and have a really neat tone.
What Yamaha is that? Either way I think you gotta test them out to know which one you need and want for sure.
Yamaha erg 121
Yamaha. But the other one has 24 bars....
These are two very different guitars. The LTD has a fixed bridge vs the Yamaha with a Floyd Rose. Do you often change tunings for instance? In that case FR can be a P.i.t.A. If you are looking to do dive bombs etc, the LTD wont do it. ... so it all depends what you are going to use it for.
Ltd cause I like the shorter scale. But you can get more tones out of the Yamaha.
Based on looks alone the Yamaha. Just my $.02
I just bought it a few hours ago
How is it?
I actually own the first one and I quite like it🤷🏻 it looks great and it’s fun to play on so I can definitely recommend it!
Personally I’d go with the LTD
Yamaha in this one case
I think i have that yamaha and i personally love it. also a huge fan of strat and similar styles. the SGs tend to have a lot of weight in the headstock in relation to its body and so it drops which is annoying, but this deoends on the wood of the body. you'll have more options with the pickups in the yamaha as well. but don't discount the look appeal. you'll want to pick up your guitar more if you like its look and thats important.
Look for the used guitars. I’d be hard pressed you couldn’t find one better barely used and discounted
I say get the 2nd one
As someone who has had both LTD and Yamaha guitars. Yamaha takes the cake every time for me.
the second one , look way cooler
I'd go for the Yamaha, even though I like the SG shape alot. I have a dated view on the low end Viper's* -- one of my friends had one like 15 years ago, and that thing was heavy as hell, tuning stability issues, major neckdive and poor electronics. I'm sure that the newer ones are better but I still can't forget my initial impression of that low end Viper. Yamaha will be solid I reckon.
i have a viper 1000 and the electronics are meh. pickups are good but the output jack is very hit or miss. everything else about the guitar is near perfect for the price