Head to head
Epiphone USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst vs Gibson Hummingbird Standard EC, Heritage Cherry Sunburst
The verdict
The Gibson Hummingbird Standard EC, Heritage Cherry Sunburst comes out ahead overall — 78 to 63 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Epiphone USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst wins on
No standout advantage.
Gibson Hummingbird Standard EC, Heritage Cherry Sunburst wins on
- Better build (96 vs 65)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Better value (68 vs 54)
- Lower price ($3,999 vs $4,999)
Scorecard
| Metric | USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst | Hummingbird Standard EC, Heritage Cherry Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 63 | 78 |
| Build | 65 | 96 |
| Playability | 72 | 75 |
| Sound | 60 | 68 |
| Value | 54 | 68 |
Full specifications
| Spec | USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst | Hummingbird Standard EC, Heritage Cherry Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | Gibson |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | US |
| Body wood | AA Figured Maple | Solid Mahogany |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Indian Rosewood | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | L.R. Baggs VTC | LR Baggs VTC |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $4,999 | $3,999 |
| Accessories | Certificate of Authenticity | — |
| Back | AA Figured Maple | Solid Mahogany |
| Binding | Multi-ply Top and Back, Single-ply Fretboard | 6-ply Top, 4-ply Back, Single Ply Fretboard |
| Body Finish | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer | Gloss |
| Body shape | Frontier | Hummingbird EC |
| Body Styles | Square Shoulder | Square Shoulder |
| Bracing | Traditional Hand Scalloped X-bracing | — |
| Bridge | Traditional Belly Up, Indian Rosewood | Belly-up; Rosewood |
| Bridge Pins | TUSQ | Ivory Plastic |
| Case | Custom Hardshell Case with Pink Interior and Tooled Exterior | Hardshell |
| Controls | Soundhole Mounted Volume and Tone | — |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother of Pearl Slotted Rectangle | Mother of Pearl Split Parallelogram |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Fret Count | 20 | 20 |
| Headstock | 1962 Epiphone Small Peghead | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Mother of Pearl 1962 Epiphone Logo and Beehive | Gibson Logo and Crown in Mother of Pearl |
| Joint | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body Joint; Hot Hide Glue | Glued In, Set Neck; Tapered Dovetail |
| Model | AMSSSFFB | MCSSHBECHCS |
| Nut | Bone | Bone |
| Nut width | 43.82mm / 1.73in | 43.0mm / 1.69in |
| Output Jack | 1/4" Endpin Jack | Combination Battery Box and 1/4" Output Jack |
| Pickguard | Dual Tortoise, Engraved with Frontier Lariat & Cactus Graphics | Tortoiseshell Hummingbird with Graphics |
| Preamp | L.R. Baggs VTC | — |
| Profile | Rounded C | Rounded C |
| Saddle Material | Bone | TUSQ |
| Scale length | 647.7mm / 25.5in | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Side | AA Figured Maple | Solid Mahogany |
| Strap Buttons | Cream - in Case | 2 - Battery Box/Output Jack and Back of Heel |
| String gauges | .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053 | .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053 |
| Top wood | Thermally Aged Sitka Spruce | Solid Sitka Spruce |
| Truss rod | Adjustable | Dual Action |
| Truss Rod Cover | 2-Screw White/Black Bullet | 2-ply Black Bell |
| Tuner Plating | Gold | Gold |
| Tuners | Gotoh Keystone | Grover Rotomatic |
| Under Saddle Pickup | L.R. Baggs VTC | LR Baggs VTC |
| Finish | — | Gold |
More USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst comparisons
- USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst vs J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst
- USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst vs SJ-200 Standard, Tri Burst
- USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst vs 1960 Hummingbird Reissue, Heavy Aged, Washed Cherry Sunburst
- USA Chris Stapleton Frontier, Frontier Burst vs J-45 EC Studio, Vintage Sunburst