Head to head
ESP ALR-II See Thru Purple vs ESP E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry
The verdict
The ESP ALR-II See Thru Purple and ESP E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry are closely matched overall — 82 to 81 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP ALR-II See Thru Purple wins on
- Better value (79 vs 71)
- Lower price ($1,799 vs $2,899)
ESP E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | ALR-II See Thru Purple | E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 82 | 81 |
| Build | 93 | 97 |
| Playability | 84 | 81 |
| Sound | 68 | 71 |
| Value | 79 | 71 |
Full specifications
| Spec | ALR-II See Thru Purple | E-II Viper See Thru Black Cherry |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | ESP |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | JP |
| Body wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | 3Pc Maple | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Macassar Ebony | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 24 | 22 |
| Scale | 24.75" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Seymour Duncan Custom Stack Plus / Seymour Duncan JB | Fishman 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 | $1,799 | $2,899 |
| Bridge | Floyd Rose 1000 | Gotoh TOM & Tailpiece |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan JB | Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker Black *(Pull Tone for Voice 1 / Pull Volume for Voice 3) |
| Case | MH Guitar Form Fit Case | Viper Guitar Form Fit Case |
| Case Included | Y | Y |
| Construction | Neck-Thru | Set-Thru |
| Controls | Passive | Active |
| Finish | See Thru Purple | See Thru Cherry |
| Fretboard radius | 300-400mm Compound | 305mm |
| Hardware | Black | Black |
| Neck pickup | Seymour Duncan Custom Stack Plus | Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker Black *(Pull Tone for Voice 1 / Pull Volume for Voice 3) |
| Neck profile | Thin U | Thin U |
| Nut | Locking | Bone |
| Nut width | 42mm | 42mm |
| Scale length | 24.75" | 24.75" |
| Strap Button | Standard | ESP Strap Lock |
| Top wood | Quilted Maple | — |
| Tuners | LTD Locking | Gotoh Locking |