Head to head
ESP Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry vs Gibson 1958 Korina Explorer Reissue, VOS, Natural
The verdict
The ESP Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry comes out ahead overall — 81 to 77 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry wins on
- Better build (97 vs 87)
- Lower price ($6,149 vs $9,999)
Gibson 1958 Korina Explorer Reissue, VOS, Natural wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry | 1958 Korina Explorer Reissue, VOS, Natural |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 81 | 77 |
| Build | 97 | 87 |
| Playability | 78 | 75 |
| Sound | 73 | 74 |
| Value | 71 | 67 |
Full specifications
| Spec | Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry | 1958 Korina Explorer Reissue, VOS, Natural |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | US |
| Body wood | Swamp Ash | Korina |
| Neck wood | Maple | Korina |
| Fretboard | Hard Maple | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus / Seymour Duncan ’59/Custom Hybrid | Custombucker / Custombucker |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $6,149 | $9,999 |
| Bridge | ESP Flicker-III | ABR-1 |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan ’59/Custom Hybrid | Custombucker |
| Case | ST-1 Guitar Form Fit Case | Historic Explorer Brown/Pink Hardshell Case |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Coa | Y | — |
| Construction | Bolt-On | — |
| Controls | Passive | 2 Volume, 1 Tone, 500K CTS Vintage Taper Potentiometers, Phone Book Capacitor |
| Finish | See Thru Black Cherry | Aged Gold |
| Fretboard radius | 240-305mm Compound | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Hardware | Chrome | — |
| Middle pickup | Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus | — |
| Neck pickup | Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus | Custombucker |
| Neck profile | Slim U | — |
| Nut | Bone | Nylon |
| Nut width | 42mm | 42.86mm / 1.69in |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Button | Standard | — |
| Top wood | Flamed Maple | — |
| Tuners | Gotoh Locking | Kluson with Celluloid Tips |
| Body Finish | — | VOS Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | Explorer |
| Body Styles | — | Explorer |
| Control Covers | — | Brown Explorer |
| Control Knobs | — | True Historic Gold |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Pearloid Dots |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Headstock | — | 1958 Explorer |
| Headstock Inlay | — | Gibson Logo in Mother of Pearl |
| Jack Plate Cover | — | '58 Explorer Black 4-ply |
| Joint | — | Hide Glue Fit |
| Model | — | 58KEXPBLKVOGH1 |
| Mounting Rings | — | True Historic Black |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" Switchcraft |
| Pickguard | — | '58 Explorer Black 4-ply |
| Pickup Covers | — | True Historic Aged Gold |
| Pickup Selector | — | 3-Way Switchcraft |
| Profile | — | 50s Vintage |
| Strap Buttons | — | 2 - Brass |
| String gauges | — | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 |
| Switch Tip | — | True Historic Amber |
| Tailpiece | — | Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar |
| Truss rod | — | Authentic 1950s No-Tube |
| Truss Rod Cover | — | True Historic Black |
| Tuner Plating | — | Aged Gold |
| Weight Relief | — | None |