Head to head
ESP M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst vs Gibson Noel Gallagher 1960 ES-355, 60s Cherry Murphy Lab Aged
Electric$9,999
No ratings yet75Overall / 100
The verdict
The ESP M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst comes out ahead overall — 85 to 75 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst wins on
- Better build (98 vs 87)
- Better playability (81 vs 75)
- Better sound (82 vs 68)
- Better value (75 vs 65)
- Lower price ($7,799 vs $9,999)
Gibson Noel Gallagher 1960 ES-355, 60s Cherry Murphy Lab Aged wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst | Noel Gallagher 1960 ES-355, 60s Cherry Murphy Lab Aged |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 85 | 75 |
| Build | 98 | 87 |
| Playability | 81 | 75 |
| Sound | 82 | 68 |
| Value | 75 | 65 |
Full specifications
| Spec | M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst | Noel Gallagher 1960 ES-355, 60s Cherry Murphy Lab Aged |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | US |
| Body wood | Honduras Mahogany | Plain Maple Laminate |
| Neck wood | 3Pc Maple | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Ebony | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 24 | 22 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | EMG 66TW Brushed Black Chrome Direct Mount *(Pull Tone for Single Coil Mode) / EMG 57TW Brushed Black Chrome Direct Mount *(Pull Volume for Single Coil Mode) | Custombucker / Custombucker |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $7,799 | $9,999 |
| Bridge | Floyd Rose Original | ABR-1 |
| Bridge pickup | EMG 57TW Brushed Black Chrome Direct Mount *(Pull Volume for Single Coil Mode) | Custombucker |
| Case | MH Guitar Form Fit Case | Brown/Pink Custom Shop |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Coa | Y | — |
| Construction | Set-Thru | — |
| Controls | Volume(Push/Pull)/Tone(Push/Pull)/3-way Switch | 2 500K CTS Volume Pots, 2 500K CTS Tone Pots, Mono Varitone Switch with 2 Chokes, Hand-Wired Harness with Black Cat Capacitors |
| Finish | Black Aqua C-Burst | Aged Gold |
| Fretboard radius | 305mm | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Hardware | Black Nickel | — |
| Neck pickup | EMG 66TW Brushed Black Chrome Direct Mount *(Pull Tone for Single Coil Mode) | Custombucker |
| Neck profile | Thin U | — |
| Nut | Locking | Nylon |
| Nut width | 42mm | 42.85mm / 1.69in |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 628.63mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Button | ESP Strap Lock | — |
| Top wood | Solid Flamed Maple | Plain Maple Laminate |
| Tuners | Gotoh Locking | Grover Kidney |
| Accessories | — | Reproduced Handwritten Lyric Sheet, Hand-Signed Certificate of Authenticity, and a Custom Bear Strap |
| Back | — | Plain Maple Laminate |
| Binding | — | 5-ply Top and Headstock, 3-ply Back, Single-ply Fretboard |
| Body Finish | — | Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | ES-335 |
| Body Styles | — | ES |
| Bracing | — | Red Spruce |
| Centerblock | — | Maple |
| Control Knobs | — | True Historic Black Top Hats with Gold Inserts and Dial Pointers |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Mother of Pearl Block |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Joint | — | Hide Glue Fit |
| Model | — | 60ES355NGASSCBG1 |
| Mounting Rings | — | Black |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" Switchcraft |
| Pickguard | — | Bound Tortoiseshell |
| Pickup Covers | — | Aged Gold |
| Pickup Selector | — | 3-Way Switchcraft |
| Profile | — | SlimTaper |
| Side | — | Plain Maple Laminate |
| Strap Buttons | — | 2 - Brass |
| Switch Tip | — | True Historic Amber |
| Switchwasher | — | Gold Varitone Plate |
| Tailpiece | — | Bigsby B7 |
| Truss rod | — | Reissue No-Tube |
| Truss Rod Cover | — | 2-Ply Black/White; Vertical Stereo |
| Tuner Plating | — | Aged Gold |