ESP LTD KH-202 Vs ESP LTD KH-602 - FindMyGuitar

Swap Browse >> Swap Browse >> ESP LTD KH-202 ESP LTD KH-602 VS Playability 77Sound 73Build 59Value 75Score 70 FIND IT ON: Playability 80Sound 79Build 64Value 74Score 74 FIND IT ON: Set a price alert Set a price alert Had Have Want Add to Compare Had Have Want Add to Compare Add more to comparison › ‹ DifferencesSimilaritiesPricesHand SizeBeginnersWoodsNeck ProfileRadius Show Full Spec Comparison LTD KH-202 vs KH-602 Specs Comparison

LTD KH-202	KH-602
General
Brand:	ESP LTD	ESP LTD
Year:	2009	2018
Configuration:	HH	HH
Strings:	6	6
Made in:	Indonesia	Indonesia
Series:	Signature	Signature
Colors:	Black	Black, Purple
Left-Handed Version:	No	Yes
Body
Type:	Solid Body	Solid Body
Body Material:	Basswood	Alder
Bridge:	Floyd Rose Special	Floyd Rose 1000
Neck
Neck Joint:	Bolt-On	Neck-Through
Tuners:	LTD	LTD
Fretboard:	Roasted Jatoba	Pau Ferro
Neck Material:	Maple	3pc Maple
Decoration:	Skulls	Skulls
Scale Size:	25.5"	25.5"
Shape:	Extra Thin U	Extra Thin U
Thickness:	1st Fret: 0.748'' (19mm) - 12th Fret: 0.827'' (21mm)	1st Fret: 0.748'' (19mm) - 12th Fret: 0.827'' (21mm)
Frets:	24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver	24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius:	13.78"	13.78"
Nut:	Locking	Locking
Nut Width:	42mm (1.654'')	42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups:	ESP Designed LH-301B (Humbucker / Passive)	EMG Bone Breaker (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup:	ESP Designed LH-301N (Humbucker / Passive)	EMG Bone Breaker (Humbucker / Active)
Switch:	3 Way	3 Way
Knobs:	Dome	Dome
Pickup Mods:	None	None
Volume Controls:	2	2
Tone Controls:	1	1
Hardware
Strap Lock:	No	No
Hardware Color:	Black	Black

Show Diagrams Comparison

Reasons to GetLTD KH-202 over KH-602

Pickups PowerPassive vs ActiveCleaner sound and no battery neededValue Score75 vs 74Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to GetESP LTD KH-602 over KH-202

Release Year2018 vs 2009From a more recent year Pickups Brand EMG vs None Pickups from a renown brand Neck JointNeck-Through vs Bolt-OnStronger neck and easier access to upper fretsPickups PowerActive vs PassiveMore output

Other Key DifferencesLTD KH-202 vs KH-602

Bridge Pickup ESP Designed LH-301B vs EMG Bone Breaker Different Bridge Pickup Neck Pickup ESP Designed LH-301N vs EMG Bone Breaker Different Neck Pickup Body Wood Basswood vs Alder Different Body Wood Fretboard Wood Jatoba vs Pau Ferro Different Fretboard Wood

Shared FeaturesLTD KH-202 vs KH-602

Neck Wood Maple Same Neck Wood Headstock R6 Same Headstock Nut Material Locking Same Nut Material Strings6Same playing styleBody TypeSolid BodyFeedback freeSwitch Positions3Same pickups versatilityVolume Knobs2Same volume controlTone Knobs1Same tone controlPickupsHHHigh output without humNumber of Frets24Same maximum octaveNeck Thickness at 1st Fret0.748'' (19mm) Same neck comfortabilityNeck Thickness at 12th Fret0.827'' (21mm) Same neck comfortabilityNut Width1.654'' (42mm) Same string separation at the nutPaint FinishPolyResistant paint that ages wellBridgeFloyd RoseAllows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive BombsScale Length25.5'' (647.7mm) Same string tension and fret separationFretboard Radius13.78'' (350mm) Same fretboard comfortability Neck Profile Type U Comfortable neck with more grip Type of FretsXL JumboYou won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

• Retainer Bar
• High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

• Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
• Weight Relief
• Stays in Tune (Evertune)
• High-Quality Frets
• Compound Radius Fretboard
• From a High-Quality-Standards Country
• Luminescent Sidedots
• Strap Lock
• Expensive Wood
• 21:1 Tuner Ratio
• Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

3 MONTH 6 MONTH 12 MONTH

ESP LTD KH-202 Prices

• New from $522.10 >>
• New from $599 >>
• New from $599 >>
• New from €649 >>
• Used from $385 >>
• Used from $539.10 >>

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ESP LTD KH-602 Prices

• New from $1,195 >>
• New from $1,399 >>
• New from $1,399 >>
• New from €1,469 >>
• Used from $899.99 >>
• Used from $1,208.73 >>
• B-Stock from €1,259 >>

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Set a price alert for the ESP LTD KH-602 We'll send you an email if we find the price you want

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

ESP LTD KH-202:

Big Hands Small Hands

ESP LTD KH-602:

Big Hands Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD KH-202

• Comfortable shape
• Tall frets
• Narrow nut
• Comfortable neck
• Comfortable fretboard
• Short scale
• Locking tuners
• Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD KH-602

• Comfortable shape
• Tall frets
• Narrow nut
• Comfortable neck
• Comfortable fretboard
• Short scale
• Locking tuners
• Easy-to-use bridge

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD KH-202

Jatoba is a hard and dense wood that emphasizes the mid-lows, giving a fuller, more round sound than, for example, Mahogany. However, it also has a lot of clarity in the top end. Find out more about Jatoba.

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD KH-602

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

The ESP LTD KH-602 pickups from a more specialized brand than the ESP LTD KH-202. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal and similar genres.

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD KH-602's online:

The ESP LTD KH-202's pickups are Passive while the ESP LTD KH-602's are Active.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: ESP LTD KH-602.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: ESP LTD KH-202.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD KH-202 Pickups 55 Sustain 80 Versatility 71 Tuning Stability 85 Sound 73 ESP LTD KH-602 Pickups 85 Sustain 85 Versatility 61 Tuning Stability 85 Sound 79

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the ESP LTD KH-202 compares to the ESP LTD KH-602.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Locking nuts. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

Both models come with a retainer bar, which is helpful when changing the strings on a double-locking tremolo. Without it, the strings would change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'd have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with LTD.

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The ESP LTD KH-202 has a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD KH-602 comes with Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

Winner: ESP LTD KH-602.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & WeaknessesESP LTD KH-202

• Locking Nut
• Tremolo
• Retainer Bar
• Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
• No Locking Tuners
• Made in Indonesia
• No Expensive Woods
• No Top Brand Pickups
• No Neck-Through Build
• No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
• No Weight Relief
• No Luminescent Inlay
• No Compound Radius Fretboard
• No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
• No Strap Lock

Strengths & WeaknessesESP LTD KH-602

• Locking Nut
• Top Brand Pickups
• Neck-Through Build
• Tremolo
• Retainer Bar
• Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
• No Locking Tuners
• Made in Indonesia
• No Expensive Woods
• No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
• No Weight Relief
• No Luminescent Inlay
• No Compound Radius Fretboard
• No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
• No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD KH-202 Quality of materials 41 Features 65 Quality Control 70 Build Quality 59 ESP LTD KH-602 Quality of materials 41 Features 75 Quality Control 75 Build Quality 64

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the ESP LTD KH-202 and the ESP LTD KH-602 have a U-shaped neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the ESP LTD KH-202 and the ESP LTD KH-602 have the same fretboard radius of 13.78". It's closer to the 12'' that most Les Paul guitars have, but it's a bit flatter. It'll make it easier to play single notes than chords, but it's still relatively comfortable for chords.

Fret Size

Both have a XL Jumbo fret size. These are really tall frets made like this so you don't meet any resistance when playing techniques like vibrato, bending, tapping, etc. They should make the guitar easier to play, but you have to be careful not to get the notes out of pitch by pressing down too hard, which might happen since the fretboard will be too low to stop your hand.

Final Playability Scores

ESP LTD KH-202 Bending & Vibrato Ease 80 Chord Playability 70 Solo Playability 80 Playability 77 ESP LTD KH-602 Bending & Vibrato Ease 80 Chord Playability 70 Solo Playability 90 Playability 80

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