Head to head
ESP Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry vs Gibson Johnny Winter 1964 Firebird V, Polaris White
The verdict
The ESP Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry 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 Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry wins on
- Better build (97 vs 87)
- Better sound (73 vs 68)
- Better value (71 vs 65)
- Lower price ($6,149 vs $8,999)
Gibson Johnny Winter 1964 Firebird V, Polaris White wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry | Johnny Winter 1964 Firebird V, Polaris White |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 81 | 75 |
| Build | 97 | 87 |
| Playability | 78 | 75 |
| Sound | 73 | 68 |
| Value | 71 | 65 |
Full specifications
| Spec | Snapper Ctm See Thru Black Cherry | Johnny Winter 1964 Firebird V, Polaris White |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | US |
| Body wood | Swamp Ash | Layered Mahogany |
| Neck wood | Maple | 5-piece Mahogany/Walnut Neck-Through |
| Fretboard | Hard Maple | Indian Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus / Seymour Duncan ’59/Custom Hybrid | Firebird Alnico 5 / Firebird Alnico 5 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $6,149 | $8,999 |
| Bridge | ESP Flicker-III | No-Wire ABR-1 |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan ’59/Custom Hybrid | Firebird Alnico 5 |
| Case | ST-1 Guitar Form Fit Case | Custom Shop Hardshell |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Coa | Y | — |
| Construction | Bolt-On | — |
| Controls | Passive | 2 Volume, 2 Tone, 500K CTS Potentiometers, Hand-Wired Harness |
| Finish | See Thru Black Cherry | Nickel and Chrome |
| 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 | Firebird Alnico 5 |
| Neck profile | Slim U | — |
| Nut | Bone | Corian |
| 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 | Deluxe Banjo Tuners |
| Binding | — | Fretboard 1-ply Cream |
| Body Finish | — | Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | — | Firebird |
| Body Styles | — | Firebird |
| Control Covers | — | Black |
| Control Knobs | — | True Historic Black Top Hats with Silver Inserts |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Aged Celluloid Trapezoids |
| Fret Count | — | 22 |
| Joint | — | Neck-Through Construction |
| Model | — | FB5JWAPWNH1 |
| Mounting Rings | — | Firebird Nickel |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" Switchcraft |
| Pickguard | — | 3-Ply White/Black/White |
| Pickup Selector | — | 3-Way Switchcraft |
| Profile | — | Medium C |
| Side | — | Solid Mahogany Wings |
| Strap Buttons | — | 3 - Upper Bout, Heel, and Bottom |
| String gauges | — | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 |
| Switch Tip | — | Chrome |
| Tailpiece | — | Chrome Plated Aluminum Stop Bar |
| Truss rod | — | Standard |
| Truss Rod Cover | — | Black, No Stamp |
| Tuner Plating | — | Nickel |
| Weight Relief | — | None |