Head to head
ESP CS-II Vintage Natural vs ESP EC-1000 Granite Sparkle
The verdict
The ESP EC-1000 Granite Sparkle comes out ahead overall — 85 to 81 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP CS-II Vintage Natural wins on
No standout advantage.
ESP EC-1000 Granite Sparkle wins on
- Better playability (84 vs 78)
- Better sound (77 vs 68)
- Lower price ($1,499 vs $1,799)
Scorecard
| Metric | CS-II Vintage Natural | EC-1000 Granite Sparkle |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 81 | 85 |
| Build | 97 | 93 |
| Playability | 78 | 84 |
| Sound | 68 | 77 |
| Value | 78 | 82 |
Full specifications
| Spec | CS-II Vintage Natural | EC-1000 Granite Sparkle |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | ESP |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | JP |
| Body wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | 3Pc Mahogany | 3Pc Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Macassar Ebony | Macassar Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | 24 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound / Seymour Duncan Custom 14 Gold (ESP Exclusive) *(Pull Volume for Split) | Fishman Fluence Modern 3-Voice Humbucker Alnico Black Nickel Direct-Mount *(Pull Neck Volume for Voice 3 / Pull Tone for Voice 2) / Fishman Fluence Modern 3-Voice Humbucker Ceramic Black Nickel Direct-Mount *(Pull Neck Volume for Voice 3 / Pull Tone for Voice 2) |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,799 | $1,499 |
| Bridge | Gotoh TOM & Tailpiece | TonePros Locking TOM & Tailpiece |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan Custom 14 Gold (ESP Exclusive) *(Pull Volume for Split) | Fishman Fluence Modern 3-Voice Humbucker Ceramic Black Nickel Direct-Mount *(Pull Neck Volume for Voice 3 / Pull Tone for Voice 2) |
| Case | Phoenix Guitar Form Fit Case | EC GUITAR FORM FIT CASE |
| Case Included | Y | N |
| Construction | Neck-Thru | Set-Thru |
| Controls | Passive | Volume/Volume(Push/Pull)/Tone(Push/Pull)/Toggle Switch |
| Finish | Vintage Natural | Granite Sparkle |
| Fretboard radius | 350mm | 350mm |
| Hardware | Gold | Black |
| Neck pickup | Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound | Fishman Fluence Modern 3-Voice Humbucker Alnico Black Nickel Direct-Mount *(Pull Neck Volume for Voice 3 / Pull Tone for Voice 2) |
| Neck profile | Thin U | Thin U |
| Nut | Black Bone | Molded |
| Nut width | 43mm | 42mm |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Strap Button | Standard | Standard |
| Top wood | Quilted Maple | — |
| Tuners | LTD Locking | LTD Locking |