Head to head
Epiphone Uptown Kat ES, Sapphire Blue Metallic vs ESP EXL-200 Black
The verdict
The ESP EXL-200 Black comes out ahead overall — 82 to 70 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Epiphone Uptown Kat ES, Sapphire Blue Metallic wins on
- Lower price ($449 vs $699)
ESP EXL-200 Black wins on
- Better build (87 vs 65)
- Better playability (81 vs 75)
- Better sound (74 vs 68)
- Better value (85 vs 73)
Scorecard
| Metric | Uptown Kat ES, Sapphire Blue Metallic | EXL-200 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 70 | 82 |
| Build | 65 | 87 |
| Playability | 75 | 81 |
| Sound | 68 | 74 |
| Value | 73 | 85 |
Full specifications
| Spec | Uptown Kat ES, Sapphire Blue Metallic | EXL-200 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | ESP |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | JP |
| Body wood | 5-ply Maple/Poplar | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | 3Pc Maple |
| Fretboard | Ebony | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Scale | 24.72" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Epiphone Mini-ProBucker FB720 / Epiphone Mini-ProBucker FB720 | ESP LH-301N / ESP LH-301B |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $449 | $699 |
| Binding | Body: 5 ply black and white, Fretboard: 1-ply white | — |
| Body Finish | Gloss | — |
| Body shape | UpTown Kat ES | — |
| Body Styles | Archtop | — |
| Bridge | LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ | TOM & Tailpiece |
| Bridge pickup | Epiphone Mini-ProBucker FB720 | ESP LH-301B |
| Case | Optional Hard Case | EXL GUITAR FORM FIT CASE |
| Control Knobs | Gold Top Hat knobs | — |
| Controls | Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, Master Tone, Master Volume | Volume/Tone(Push/Pull)/Toggle Switch |
| Finish | Gold | Black |
| Fretboard inlay | Pearloid Block | — |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | 350mm |
| Fret Count | 22 | — |
| Headstock | 60s Kalamazoo | — |
| Joint | Glued in | — |
| Model | ETUESBMNH1 | — |
| Neck pickup | Epiphone Mini-ProBucker FB720 | ESP LH-301N |
| Nut | Graph Tech® | Molded |
| Nut width | 42.67mm / 1.68in | 42mm |
| Output Jack | 1/4" Heavy-Duty Epiphone | — |
| Pickup Covers | Gold | — |
| Pickup Selector | 3-way Epiphone toggle | — |
| Profile | SlimTaper C | — |
| Scale length | 628.0mm / 24.72in | 24.75" |
| String gauges | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 | — |
| Tailpiece | Trapeze | — |
| Tuner Plating | Gold | — |
| Tuners | Grover® Rotomatic® 18:1 | LTD |
| Case Included | — | N |
| Construction | — | Set-Neck |
| Hardware | — | Black |
| Neck profile | — | Thin U |
| Strap Button | — | Standard |