Head to head
ESP M-II Dx Snow White Satin vs Gibson Les Paul Custom, Light Aged, Earl Grey
The verdict
The ESP M-II Dx Snow White Satin comes out ahead overall — 81 to 75 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP M-II Dx Snow White Satin wins on
- Better build (93 vs 87)
- Better playability (81 vs 75)
- Better sound (74 vs 68)
- Better value (71 vs 65)
- Lower price ($5,249 vs $8,299)
Gibson Les Paul Custom, Light Aged, Earl Grey wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | M-II Dx Snow White Satin | Les Paul Custom, Light Aged, Earl Grey |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 81 | 75 |
| Build | 93 | 87 |
| Playability | 81 | 75 |
| Sound | 74 | 68 |
| Value | 71 | 65 |
Full specifications
| Spec | M-II Dx Snow White Satin | Les Paul Custom, Light Aged, Earl Grey |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | US |
| Body wood | Roasted Alder | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | 3Pc Maple | Solid Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Flamed Maple | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 24 | 22 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Seymour Duncan ’59 Black Nickel Direct Mount *(Pull Tone for Split) / Seymour Duncan JB Black Nickel Direct Mount *(Pull Tone for Split) | 490R / 498T |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $5,249 | $8,299 |
| Bridge | Floyd Rose Original | Tune-O-Matic |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan JB Black Nickel Direct Mount *(Pull Tone for Split) | 498T |
| Case | MH Guitar Form Fit Case | — |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Coa | Y | — |
| Construction | Bolt-on | — |
| Controls | Volume/Tone(Push/Pull)/3-way Switch | 2 Volume, 2 Tone, Hand-wired with 500k CTS Potentiometers |
| Finish | Snow White Satin | Aged Nickel |
| Fretboard radius | 305mm | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Hardware | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | Seymour Duncan ’59 Black Nickel Direct Mount *(Pull Tone for Split) | 490R |
| Neck profile | Thin U | — |
| Nut | Locking | Corian |
| Nut width | 42mm | 42.85mm / 1.69in |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Button | ESP Strap Lock | — |
| Tuners | Gotoh Locking | Grover Kidney |
| Binding | — | Multi-ply |
| Body Finish | — | Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | Les Paul |
| Body Styles | — | Les Paul |
| Control Knobs | — | Black Speed |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Mother of Pearl Block |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Jack Plate Cover | — | Nickel |
| Joint | — | Long Tenon |
| Mounting Rings | — | Black M69 |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" Switchcraft |
| Pickguard | — | Black Multi-Ply |
| Pickup Covers | — | Aged Nickel |
| Pickup Selector | — | 3-Way Switchcraft |
| Profile | — | Modern Medium C |
| Strap Buttons | — | 2 |
| Switch Tip | — | Cream |
| Switchwasher | — | Black |
| Tailpiece | — | Stop Bar |
| Top wood | — | 2-Piece Plain Maple |
| Truss rod | — | 2-way Adjustable |
| Truss Rod Cover | — | 2-Ply, Engraved Les Paul Custom |
| Weight Relief | — | 9-Hole |