Head to head
ESP LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic vs Gibson Kirk Douglas Signature SG, Inverness Green
The verdict
The Gibson Kirk Douglas Signature SG, Inverness Green comes out ahead overall — 80 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 $2,499)
Gibson Kirk Douglas Signature SG, Inverness Green wins on
- Better build (91 vs 61)
- Better sound (79 vs 68)
- Better value (70 vs 64)
Scorecard
| Metric | LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic | Kirk Douglas Signature SG, Inverness Green |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 66 | 80 |
| Build | 61 | 91 |
| Playability | 72 | 75 |
| Sound | 68 | 79 |
| Value | 64 | 70 |
Full specifications
| Spec | LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic | Kirk Douglas Signature SG, Inverness Green |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | US |
| Body wood | Alder | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | Maple | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Macassar Ebony | Rosewood |
| 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) | Burstbucker 1 / Burstbucker 3 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,699 | $2,499 |
| Bridge | Floyd Rose 1000SE | Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic™ |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan ‘78 Direct Mount *(Push to Select) | Burstbucker 3 |
| Case | ST-TE Guitar Form Fit Case | Hardshell |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Construction | Bolt-On | — |
| Controls | Passive | Master Volume, Master Tone, plus individual Volume controls with push/pull coil splitting for each of the three pickups |
| Finish | Black w/ Desert Eagle Graphic | Nickel on Inverness Green-finished model - Gold on Ebony-finished model |
| Fretboard radius | 305mm | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Hardware | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | ESP LS-120 *(Pull to Select) | Burstbucker 1 |
| Neck profile | GL Original U | — |
| Nut | Locking | Graph Tech® |
| Nut width | 43mm nut / 45mm neck width | 43.05mm / 1.7in |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Button | Standard | — |
| Tuners | LTD | Nickel Keystone on Inverness Green-finished model - Gold Keystone on Ebony-finished model |
| Body Finish | — | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | SG |
| Body Styles | — | SG |
| Control Knobs | — | Black Top Hats with Silver inserts on Inverness Green-finished model - Gold inserts on Ebony-finished model |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Acrylic Blocks |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Headstock | — | Gibson logo in Mother of Pearl |
| Headstock Inlay | — | Custom split diamond in Mother of Pearl |
| Joint | — | Glued in |
| Middle pickup | — | Burstbucker 2 |
| Model | — | SGKD20IGNH1 |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" |
| Pickguard | — | White 5-ply on Inverness Green-finished model; Black 5-ply on Ebony-finished model |
| Pickup Covers | — | Nickel on Inverness Green-finished model - Gold on Ebony-finished model |
| Pickup Selector | — | 3-way toggle |
| Profile | — | SlimTaper |
| Strap Buttons | — | 2 - bottom and behind heel |
| String gauges | — | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 |
| Switch Tip | — | Cream on Inverness Green-finished model - Black on Ebony-finished model |
| Switchwasher | — | Black with Gold lettering |
| Tailpiece | — | Kirk Douglas signature Captain Lyre Tail Vibrola |
| Tuner Plating | — | Nickel on Inverness Green-finished model - Gold on Ebony-finished model |