Head to head
ESP Snapper Ctm See Thru Black vs Gibson 1958 Korina Explorer Reissue, VOS, Natural
The verdict
The ESP Snapper Ctm See Thru Black 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 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 |