Head to head
ESP LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic vs Gibson Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony
The verdict
The Gibson Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony comes out ahead overall — 78 to 66 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic wins on
- Lower price ($1,699 vs $19,999)
Gibson Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony wins on
- Better build (87 vs 61)
- Better sound (79 vs 68)
Scorecard
| Metric | LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic | Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 66 | 78 |
| Build | 61 | 87 |
| Playability | 72 | 75 |
| Sound | 68 | 79 |
| Value | 64 | 68 |
Full specifications
| Spec | LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic | Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | US |
| Body wood | Alder | One Piece Ultra-Light Weight Mahogany |
| Neck wood | Maple | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Macassar Ebony | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | ESP LS-120 *(Pull to Select) / Seymour Duncan ‘78 Direct Mount *(Push to Select) | Custombucker / Custombucker |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,699 | $19,999 |
| Bridge | Floyd Rose 1000SE | ABR-1; Screws Towards Neck |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan ‘78 Direct Mount *(Push to Select) | Custombucker |
| Case | ST-TE Guitar Form Fit Case | Custom Duck Brothers Case |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Construction | Bolt-On | — |
| Controls | Passive | 2 Volume, 2 Tone; CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper in Oil Capacitors |
| Finish | Black w/ Desert Eagle Graphic | Custom Murphy Lab Aged Gold |
| Fretboard radius | 305mm | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Hardware | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | ESP LS-120 *(Pull to Select) | Custombucker |
| Neck profile | GL Original U | — |
| Nut | Locking | Nylon |
| Nut width | 43mm nut / 45mm neck width | 42.86mm / 1.69in |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Button | Standard | — |
| Tuners | LTD | Grover Milk Bottle |
| Accessories | — | Certificate of Authenticity, Extra Pickguard Signed by Eric Clapton and Albert Lee, Custom Shop Switchplate Medallion in the Case |
| Binding | — | Multi-ply Top, Back, and Headstock, Single-ply Fretboard |
| Body Finish | — | Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | Les Paul |
| Body Styles | — | Les Paul |
| Control Covers | — | Black Royalite; EC Signature Switch Plate Medallion Installed (Custom Shop Medallion in the Case) |
| Control Knobs | — | True Historic Black Top Hat (No Dial Pointer) |
| End Of Board Width | — | 56.89mm / 2.24in |
| Fretboard inlay | — | 1950s Pattern Mother of Pearl Block |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Headstock Inlay | — | Gibson Logo and Custom Split Diamond Inlay in Mother of Pearl |
| Jack Plate Cover | — | Multi-ply Laminated Acrylic |
| Joint | — | Long Tenon, Hide Glue Fit |
| Middle pickup | — | Custombucker Screw Side Towards Neck |
| Model | — | CSECB8MLAEBGH1 |
| Mounting Rings | — | M69 Cellulose Acetate Butyrate |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" Switchcraft |
| Pickguard | — | Multi-ply Laminated Acrylic |
| Pickup Covers | — | Authentic Profile Gold-plated Nickel Silver; Murphy Lab Aged |
| Pickup Selector | — | 3-way Switchcraft |
| Profile | — | Medium C |
| Strap Buttons | — | Black |
| Switch Tip | — | Cream |
| Switchwasher | — | True Historic Black |
| Tailpiece | — | Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar |
| Truss rod | — | Authentic 1950s No-Tube |
| Truss Rod Cover | — | Authentic Stepped 2-Ply Les Paul Custom |
| Tuner Plating | — | Custom Murphy Lab Aged Gold |
| Weight Relief | — | None |