Choosing between these guitars basses comes down to what matters more in your used bass: a fully specified 35-inch-scale instrument with active controls, or a 1995 Japan-made model with a distinctive vintage-metal identity. Both are right-handed, solid-body ESP basses in used condition, but they point toward different priorities.
Quick verdict
Pick the ESP LTD F-204 Black Gloss Electric Bass Guitar if the practical specification is your deciding factor. It brings a 35-inch scale, 24 extra-jumbo frets, two ESP Designed humbuckers, and an active ABQ-3 3-band EQ, all at the lower listed price. Choose the GrassRoots G-J-53 Black ESP Metal Gothic 1995 Luna Sea Vintage Bass Guitar Japan when the 1995 designation, Japanese origin, alder body, and rosewood fretboard are the defining parts of the appeal. The F-204 is the more feature-detailed choice; the GrassRoots is the more era- and origin-specific choice.
Listed-price and attribute comparison
| Detail | ESP LTD F-204 | GrassRoots G-J-53 |
|---|---|---|
| Listed price | USD 439.99 | USD 666.00 |
| Body | Mahogany solid body | Alder solid body |
| Neck and fretboard | Bolt-on 5-piece maple/jatoba neck; roasted jatoba fretboard | Rosewood fretboard |
| Scale and frets | 35-inch scale; 24 extra-jumbo frets | 1995 model designation in title |
| Origin | Made in Korea | Japan |
| Shared basics | Used, solid body, right-handed, ESP | Used, solid body, right-handed, ESP |
Where each product wins
ESP LTD F-204: the detailed control-and-playability route
The F-204 has the strongest case when you want the listed construction and electronics to drive the decision. Its thin U neck contour, 400 mm fingerboard radius, 40 mm nut width, and bolt-on 5-piece maple/jatoba neck give it a notably specific setup on paper. The 35-inch scale is described as providing tighter low-end string tension, while the pickup layout pairs an ESP Designed SB-4N neck humbucker with an SB-4B bridge humbucker. A master volume, blend control, and 3-band EQ complete the control layout.
GrassRoots G-J-53: the 1995 Japan-made route
The GrassRoots appeals through its named era and build identity rather than an extensive electronics specification. Its title identifies it as a 1995 Luna Sea vintage bass guitar from Japan, and its attributes add an alder body and rosewood fretboard. That combination makes it the focused choice for someone whose decision starts with a Japan-made GrassRoots G-J-53 and its metal-gothic presentation. It is the higher-priced choice, so the appeal needs to be the particular model designation and stated materials rather than feature count alone.
Product notes
ESP LTD F-204 Black Gloss Electric Bass Guitar
Choose the F-204 when a longer 35-inch scale and active tone controls are central to your bass search. The active ABQ-3 3-band EQ, blend control, two humbuckers, and 24 extra-jumbo frets provide several concrete specification points for a player comparing neck feel, scale length, and onboard controls. Its listed USD 439.99 price also places it below the GrassRoots G-J-53. The limitation is straightforward: it is listed as used and comes with no case. Its body is described as mahogany, and the neck uses a bolt-on five-piece maple/jatoba construction with a roasted jatoba fretboard. Select it for the detailed setup, not for a 1995 Japan-made designation.
GrassRoots G-J-53 Black ESP Metal Gothic 1995 Luna Sea Vintage Bass Guitar Japan
The GrassRoots G-J-53 is the choice for a shopper specifically drawn to a 1995, Japan-made bass with an alder body and rosewood fretboard. Those details give it a clearly different basis for selection from the F-204's extended-scale, active-electronics package. The "Luna Sea Vintage" and "Metal Gothic" wording in the title further makes this a particularly model-specific purchase rather than a generic four-string comparison. Its concrete limitation is the USD 666.00 listed price, which is higher than the F-204. It is also a used, right-handed solid-body bass, so the major decision is whether its named 1995 Japanese identity and stated wood combination outweigh the F-204's broader technical specification.
Final choice by use case
Choose the ESP LTD F-204 for the 35-inch scale, 24-fret layout, humbuckers, and active 3-band EQ. Choose the GrassRoots G-J-53 if the 1995 Japan-made designation, alder body, rosewood fretboard, and Luna Sea vintage framing are your priorities. The listed-price spread is USD 226.01: the F-204 is the practical specification-led pick, while the G-J-53 is the model-identity-led pick.
