Head to head
ESP M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst vs Gibson Serj Tankian “Foundations” Les Paul Modern, Custom Artwork Sublimation, Exclusive
Electric$7,499
No ratings yet80Overall / 100
The verdict
The ESP M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst comes out ahead overall — 85 to 80 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 playability (81 vs 75)
- Better sound (82 vs 74)
- Better value (75 vs 70)
Gibson Serj Tankian “Foundations” Les Paul Modern, Custom Artwork Sublimation, Exclusive wins on
- Lower price ($7,499 vs $7,799)
Scorecard
| Metric | M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst | Serj Tankian “Foundations” Les Paul Modern, Custom Artwork Sublimation, Exclusive |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 85 | 80 |
| Build | 98 | 97 |
| Playability | 81 | 75 |
| Sound | 82 | 74 |
| Value | 75 | 70 |
Full specifications
| Spec | M-II Ctm Fr Black Aqua C-Burst | Serj Tankian “Foundations” Les Paul Modern, Custom Artwork Sublimation, Exclusive |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | US |
| Body wood | Honduras Mahogany | Mahogany |
| 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) | Burstbucker Pro / Burstbucker Pro Plus |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $7,799 | $7,499 |
| Bridge | Floyd Rose Original | Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic |
| Bridge pickup | EMG 57TW Brushed Black Chrome Direct Mount *(Pull Volume for Single Coil Mode) | Burstbucker Pro Plus |
| Case | MH Guitar Form Fit Case | Hardshell |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Coa | Y | — |
| Construction | Set-Thru | — |
| Controls | Volume(Push/Pull)/Tone(Push/Pull)/3-way Switch | 2 Push/Pull Volume (Coil Tap), 2 Push/Pull Tone (Pure Bypass/Phase) |
| Finish | Black Aqua C-Burst | Black |
| 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) | Burstbucker Pro |
| Neck profile | Thin U | — |
| Nut | Locking | Graph Tech |
| Nut width | 42mm | 43.05mm / 1.7in |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Button | ESP Strap Lock | — |
| Top wood | Solid Flamed Maple | Maple with Sublimation Custom Art |
| Tuners | Gotoh Locking | Grover Locking Rotomatic with Keystone Buttons |
| Accessories | — | Includes Gibson Accessory Kit and Serj Tankian Foundations Experience and Accessory Package |
| Binding | — | Single-ply, Top and Fretboard |
| Body Finish | — | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | Les Paul |
| Body Styles | — | Les Paul |
| Control Covers | — | Black |
| Control Knobs | — | Clear Top Hat |
| End Of Board Width | — | 57.4mm / 2.26in |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Mother of Pearl Trapezoid |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Headstock | — | Signed and Numbered (1-25) on Headstock Rear by Serj Tankian |
| Headstock Inlay | — | Gibson Logo in Mother of Pearl |
| Jack Plate Cover | — | Black |
| Joint | — | Glued In, Set Neck |
| Model | — | SUBLPM24SERJWNBN3 |
| Mounting Rings | — | Black |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" |
| Pickguard | — | Black 5-ply (Not Mounted-Included in the Case) |
| Pickup Covers | — | Black Nickel |
| Pickup Selector | — | 3-way Toggle |
| Profile | — | SlimTaper with Modern Contoured Heel |
| Strap Buttons | — | 2 |
| String gauges | — | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 |
| Switch Tip | — | Black |
| Switchwasher | — | Black (Not Mounted-Included in the Case) |
| Tailpiece | — | Aluminum Stop Bar |
| Truss rod | — | Adjustable |
| Tuner Plating | — | Black |
| Weight Relief | — | Ultra-Modern |