Head to head
ESP E-II Horizon HT-II Granite Sparkle vs Gibson Mod™ Collection Les Paul Standard 50s, High Five
The verdict
The ESP E-II Horizon HT-II Granite Sparkle 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 E-II Horizon HT-II Granite Sparkle wins on
- Better build (97 vs 91)
- Better playability (81 vs 75)
- Better sound (74 vs 68)
- Better value (72 vs 66)
- Lower price ($3,099 vs $4,199)
Gibson Mod™ Collection Les Paul Standard 50s, High Five wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | E-II Horizon HT-II Granite Sparkle | Mod™ Collection Les Paul Standard 50s, High Five |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 82 | 76 |
| Build | 97 | 91 |
| Playability | 81 | 75 |
| Sound | 74 | 68 |
| Value | 72 | 66 |
Full specifications
| Spec | E-II Horizon HT-II Granite Sparkle | Mod™ Collection Les Paul Standard 50s, High Five |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | US |
| Body wood | Alder | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | 3Pc Maple | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Ebony | Indian Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 24 | 22 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico 3-Voice Black Nickel Direct-Mount *(Pull Volume for Voice 3 / Pull Tone for Voice 2) / Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic 3-Voice Black Nickel Direct-Mount *(Pull Volume for Voice 3 / Pull Tone for Voice 2) | Custombucker Alnico 3 / Custombucker Alnico 3 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $3,099 | $4,199 |
| Bridge | Hipshot Fixed w/ String Thru | ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic |
| Bridge pickup | Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic 3-Voice Black Nickel Direct-Mount *(Pull Volume for Voice 3 / Pull Tone for Voice 2) | Custombucker Alnico 3 |
| Case | MH GUITAR FORM FIT CASE | Hard Shell Case |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Construction | Neck-Thru | — |
| Controls | Master Volume(Push/Pull)/Tone(Push/Pull)/Toggle Switch | 2 volume, 2 tone |
| Finish | Granite Sparkle | Gold |
| Fretboard radius | 305mm | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Hardware | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico 3-Voice Black Nickel Direct-Mount *(Pull Volume for Voice 3 / Pull Tone for Voice 2) | Custombucker Alnico 3 |
| Neck profile | Thin U | — |
| Nut | Bone | Graph Tech |
| Nut width | 42mm | 43.05mm / 1.69in |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Button | ESP Strap Lock | — |
| Tuners | Gotoh Locking | Kluson Deluxe with black Keystone buttons |
| Accessories | — | Demo Shop Certificate of Authenticity and Gibson Limited Warranty |
| Binding | — | Single-ply, Top and Fretboard |
| Body Finish | — | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | Les Paul |
| Body Styles | — | Les Paul |
| Control Knobs | — | Custom Gold Top Hats |
| End Of Board Width | — | 57.4mm / 2.26in |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Acrylic Trapezoid |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Joint | — | Glued In, Set Neck |
| Model | — | RAM027049 |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" |
| Pickguard | — | Gold |
| Pickup Covers | — | Gold |
| Pickup Selector | — | 3-way toggle |
| Plastic Parts | — | Gold |
| Profile | — | 50s Vintage |
| String gauges | — | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 |
| Tailpiece | — | Stop Bar |
| Top wood | — | Plain Maple |
| Weight Relief | — | None |