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Epiphone Joe Bonamassa "Lazarus" 1959 Les Paul Standard, Lazarus vs ESP E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry

Epiphone Joe Bonamassa "Lazarus" 1959 Les Paul Standard, Lazarus
Electric$899
No ratings yet
68Overall / 100
ESP E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry
Electric$2,899
No ratings yet
81Overall / 100

The verdict

The ESP E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry comes out ahead overall — 81 to 68 on our estimated score.

Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.

Epiphone Joe Bonamassa "Lazarus" 1959 Les Paul Standard, Lazarus wins on
  • Lower price ($899 vs $2,899)
ESP E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry wins on
  • Better build (97 vs 65)
  • Better playability (81 vs 75)
  • Better value (71 vs 66)

Scorecard

Estimated scores
MetricJoe Bonamassa "Lazarus" 1959 Les Paul Standard, LazarusE-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry
Overall6881
Build6597
Playability7581
Sound6871
Value6671

Full specifications

Specification comparison
SpecJoe Bonamassa "Lazarus" 1959 Les Paul Standard, LazarusE-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry
BrandEpiphoneESP
TypeElectricElectric
Years——
Country—JP
Body woodMahoganyMahogany
Neck wood1 Piece MahoganyMahogany
FretboardLaurelEbony
Strings66
Frets2222
Scale24.75"24.75"
PickupsGibson Burstbucker 2 / Gibson BurstBucker 3Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker Black *(Pull Tone for Voice 1 / Pull Volume for Voice 3) / Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker Black *(Pull Tone for Voice 1 / Pull Volume for Voice 3)
Rating——
Price$899$2,899
AccessoriesCertificate of Authenticity—
BindingSingle-ply Cream, Top and Fretboard—
Body FinishAged Gloss—
Body shapeLes Paul—
Body StylesLes Paul—
BridgeEpiphone LockTone Tune-O-MaticGotoh TOM & Tailpiece
Bridge pickupGibson BurstBucker 3Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker Black *(Pull Tone for Voice 1 / Pull Volume for Voice 3)
CaseIncludes Vintage-Style Case with BONAMASSA Nerdville, CA GraphicViper Guitar Form Fit Case
Control CoversBlack—
Control KnobsGold Top Hat with Dial Pointers—
Controls2 Volume, 2 Tone, with 50s Wiring, CTS Potentiometers, and Mallory CapacitorsActive
FinishNickelSee Thru Cherry
Fretboard inlayPearloid Trapezoid—
Fretboard radius304.8mm / 12.0in305mm
Fret Count22—
Headstock60s Kalamazoo—
Headstock InlayEpiphone logo in Mother of Pearl, Les Paul Model in Gold Silkscreen—
Jack Plate CoverCream—
JointGlued in, Long Tenon—
ModelEIGCJB59LZNH3—
Mounting RingsCream—
Neck pickupGibson Burstbucker 2Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker Black *(Pull Tone for Voice 1 / Pull Volume for Voice 3)
NutGraph TechBone
Nut width43.0mm / 1.69in42mm
Output Jack1/4" Switchcraft—
PickguardCream—
Pickup CoversNickel—
Pickup Selector3-Way Switchcraft Toggle—
Profile50s Rounded Medium C—
Scale length628.65mm / 24.75in24.75"
Strap Buttons2 - Bottom and Shoulder—
String gauges.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046—
Switch TipAmber—
SwitchwasherCream with Gold Text—
TailpieceEpiphone LockTone Stop Bar—
Top woodMaple with Wide Grain AAAA Flame Maple Veneer—
Truss rod2-Way Adjustable—
Truss Rod CoverBell Shaped; 2-layer (Black/White)—
Tuner PlatingNickel—
TunersEpiphone Deluxe with Tulip KeysGotoh Locking
Case Included—Y
Construction—Set-Thru
Hardware—Black
Neck profile—Thin U
Strap Button—ESP Strap Lock

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