Head to head
ESP ALR-II See Thru Purple vs Gibson Slash Les Paul Standard, Appetite Burst
The verdict
The ESP ALR-II See Thru Purple comes out ahead overall — 82 to 76 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 playability (84 vs 75)
- Better value (79 vs 66)
- Lower price ($1,799 vs $2,999)
Gibson Slash Les Paul Standard, Appetite Burst wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | ALR-II See Thru Purple | Slash Les Paul Standard, Appetite Burst |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 82 | 76 |
| Build | 93 | 91 |
| Playability | 84 | 75 |
| Sound | 68 | 68 |
| Value | 79 | 66 |
Full specifications
| Spec | ALR-II See Thru Purple | Slash Les Paul Standard, Appetite Burst |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | US |
| Body wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | 3Pc Maple | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Macassar Ebony | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 24 | 22 |
| Scale | 24.75" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Seymour Duncan Custom Stack Plus / Seymour Duncan JB | Custom Burstbucker Alnico 2 Zebra-AP Dbl Black-NV / Custom Burstbucker Alnico 2 Reverse Zebra-AP Dbl Black-NV |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,799 | $2,999 |
| Bridge | Floyd Rose 1000 | ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan JB | Custom Burstbucker Alnico 2 Reverse Zebra-AP Dbl Black-NV |
| Case | MH Guitar Form Fit Case | Hardshell |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Construction | Neck-Thru | — |
| Controls | Passive | 2 Volumes, 2 Tones & Toggle Switch (Hand-wired with Orange Drop Capacitors) |
| Finish | See Thru Purple | — |
| Fretboard radius | 300-400mm Compound | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Hardware | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | Seymour Duncan Custom Stack Plus | Custom Burstbucker Alnico 2 Zebra-AP Dbl Black-NV |
| Neck profile | Thin U | — |
| Nut | Locking | Graph Tech |
| Nut width | 42mm | — |
| Scale length | 24.75" | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Button | Standard | — |
| Top wood | Quilted Maple | AAA Flame Maple |
| Tuners | LTD Locking | Vintage Keystone |
| Accessories | — | Includes Gibson Accessory Kit, Slash Pick Set, Extra Blank TRC |
| Binding | — | Cream |
| Body Finish | — | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | Les Paul |
| Body Styles | — | Les Paul |
| Control Knobs | — | Gold Reflectors w/ Pointers (AP) & Gold Top Hats w/ Pointers (NV) |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Acrylic Traps |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Headstock | — | MOP Gibson, Les Paul Model Silk Screen, Waterslide Decal on BOPH |
| Joint | — | Glued in |
| Model | — | LPSS00APNH1 |
| Pickguard | — | Cream (not installed) |
| Plastic Parts | — | Cream w/ Vintage Toggle Cap |
| Profile | — | 50s Vintage |
| Strap Buttons | — | Grover/Schaller Strap Locks |
| String gauges | — | Ernie Ball: .010 -.046 |
| Tailpiece | — | Aluminum Stop Bar |
| Truss Rod Cover | — | Slash Signature |
| Tuner Plating | — | Nickel |
| Weight Relief | — | None |