ESP USA Eclipse VS Gibson Les Paul Custom: Which one is the better value?
Humbuckers, tuning hardware, style, active/passive pickups, and more.
This is mostly a battle of style preference, with a very modern take from the ESP Eclipse and more of a classic approach from the Gibson Les Paul Custom. That said, the Custom can absolutely handle modern styles and is one of Gibson's nicest mainline guitars. We like the Eclipse a little better for the EMG pickups, locking Sperzel tuners (American made boutique brand), plus the Flamed Maple top looks really nice. It might just be that the Eclipse is a little more novel, but we're giving it the win, in spite of a hard decision between two excellent guitars.
ESP USA Eclipse
Gibson Les Paul Custom
| Specification | Gibson Les Paul Custom | ESP Eclipse |
|---|---|---|
| Body Top Material | 2-piece Plain Maple | Flamed Maple |
| Color/Finish | Ebony/Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer | Purple Haze Burst/Gloss |
| Neck Joint | Set Neck | Neck-through |
| Neck Shape | Not Specified | Thin U |
| Fingerboard Inlay | Mother-of-Pearl Blocks | ESP Flags |
| Fret Size | Medium Jumbo | Extra Jumbo |
| Nut Width | 1.6875" | 1.653" |
| Nut Material | Corian | Bone |
| Bridge/Tailpiece | Tune-O-Matic with Stopbar | TonePros Locking Tune-O-Matic |
| Tuners | Grover Kidney | Sperzel Locking |
| Neck Pickup | Gibson 490R Humbucker | EMG 66 Humbucker |
| Bridge Pickup | Gibson 498T Humbucker | EMG 57 Humbucker |
| Tone Controls | 2 x tone | 1 x master tone |
| Strings | Gibson, .010-.046 | D'Addario NYXL, .010-.046 |
Eclipse and Les Paul Custom Differences
Body Top Material:
- Les Paul Custom: 2-piece Plain Maple
- ESP Eclipse: Flamed Maple
Color and Finish:
- Les Paul Custom: Ebony color, Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- ESP Eclipse: Purple Haze Burst, Gloss
Neck Joint:
- Les Paul Custom: Set Neck
- ESP Eclipse: Neck-through
Neck Shape:
- Les Paul Custom: Not specified
- ESP Eclipse: Thin U
Fingerboard Inlay:
- Les Paul Custom: Mother-of-Pearl Blocks
- ESP Eclipse: ESP Flags
Fret Size:
- Les Paul Custom: Medium Jumbo
- ESP Eclipse: Extra Jumbo
Nut Width:
- Les Paul Custom: 1.6875"
- ESP Eclipse: 1.653"
Nut Material:
- Les Paul Custom: Corian
- ESP Eclipse: Bone
Bridge/Tailpiece:
- Les Paul Custom: Tune-O-Matic with Stopbar
- ESP Eclipse: TonePros Locking Tune-O-Matic
Tuners:
- Les Paul Custom: Grover Kidney
- ESP Eclipse: Sperzel Locking
Neck Pickup:
- Les Paul Custom: Gibson 490R Humbucker
- ESP Eclipse: EMG 66 Humbucker
Bridge Pickup:
- Les Paul Custom: Gibson 498T Humbucker
- ESP Eclipse: EMG 57 Humbucker
Tone Controls:
- Les Paul Custom: 2 x tone
- ESP Eclipse: 1 x master tone
Strings:
- Les Paul Custom: Gibson, .010-.046
- ESP Eclipse: D'Addario NYXL, .010-.046
ESP USA Eclipse and Gibson Les Paul Custom Similarities
- Number of Strings: 6
- Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
- Body Type: Solidbody
- Body Material: Mahogany
- Neck Material: Mahogany
- Fingerboard Material: Ebony
- Radius: 12"
- Number of Frets: 22
- Scale Length: 24.75"
- Bridge/Tailpiece Design: Tune-O-Matic
- Control Layout: 2 x volume, 3-way toggle pickup switch
- Case/Gig Bag Included: Hardshell Case
Related Electric Guitar Comparison Articles
Written by Guitar Chalk on Electrics & Roundups
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Electrics & Roundups
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