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Cort X700 Duality II
ESP LTD SN-1 HT
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Playability
70
Sound
73
Build
68
Value
75
Score
70
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Playability
75
Sound
74
Build
72
Value
74
Score
74
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Cort X700 Duality II vs LTD SN-1 HT

Reasons to Get
Cort X700 Duality II over LTD SN-1 HT

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
D vs Thin U
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Switch Positions
5 vs 0
More tone options
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
75 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD SN-1 HT over Cort X700 Duality II

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Thin U vs D
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Cort X700 Duality II vs LTD SN-1 HT

Body Wood
Mahogany vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Cort X700 Duality II vs LTD SN-1 HT

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic
Same Bridge Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Active
More output
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Cort X700 Duality II Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD SN-1 HT is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Cort X700 Duality II's 70 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD SN-1 HT wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Cort X700 Duality II has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the ESP LTD SN-1 HT is the better choice.

The ESP LTD SN-1 HT meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Cort X700 Duality II meets only 5. 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.

New Player Friendliness

Cort X700 Duality II
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD SN-1 HT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Cort X700 Duality II Overview

  • From Cort's 2022 X series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pcs Maple & Panga Panga neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Cort CFA-III Tremolo bridge
  • D Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Stainless Steel frets
  • Cort Staggered Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD SN-1 HT Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2021 SN series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Swamp Ash body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Hipshot w/ String Thru bridge
  • Thin U Bolt-On neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Weight between 6.45lbs (2.9kgs) and 7.6lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

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

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Woods Used in the Cort X700 Duality II

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD SN-1 HT

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Cort X700 Duality II has an HH configuration while the ESP LTD SN-1 HT has H pickups.

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.

On the other hand, A single H pickup gives you the advantage of having a little longer sustain (all other things being equal) because there will be less magnetic fields from other pickups affecting the strings' vibration. However, they also give you the least versatility because you won't have other pickups at different distances from the bridge to create different tones. A single humbucking pickup is used for noiseless high output, which is used mainly for Hard Rock genres.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the ESP LTD SN-1 HT has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Cort X700 Duality II's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD SN-1 HT's online:

Both use Active pickups. These pickups use an additional 9v battery to be able to increase their output for high gain tones. This is why they're popular among heavy metal guitarists. Their disadvantage is that you need batteries for the pickups, so you'll need to spend money on batteries and time swapping them. Also, the clean tones aren't as clean as other pickups because they'll have really hot output.

Winner: ESP LTD SN-1 HT.

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

The Cort X700 Duality II gives you 5 switch options while the ESP LTD SN-1 HT gives you 0. This means that the Cort X700 Duality II gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the ESP LTD SN-1 HT comes with some kind of pickup modification: Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

Cort X700 Duality II pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Cort X700 Duality II's switch options

The ESP LTD SN-1 HT doesn't come with pickup switching options.

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

Winner: Cort X700 Duality II.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Cort X700 Duality II
Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 67
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 73
ESP LTD SN-1 HT
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 47
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 74

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 Cort X700 Duality II compares to the ESP LTD SN-1 HT.

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 Plastic nuts. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

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.

Both in this comparison come with stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

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.

The Cort X700 Duality II's brige is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD SN-1 HT's is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

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

They both have locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

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.

Both have 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.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Cort X700 Duality II
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD SN-1 HT
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Cort X700 Duality II
Quality of materials 65
Features 70
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 68
ESP LTD SN-1 HT
Quality of materials 76
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 72

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

Cort X700 Duality II Nut Width
Cort X700 Duality II Nut Width
ESP LTD SN-1 HT Nut Width
ESP LTD SN-1 HT Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Cort X700 Duality II has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.9mm (0.034'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Cort X700 Duality II, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Cort X700 Duality II and ESP LTD SN-1 HT's Scale Length
Both have the same 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

Cort X700 Duality II Neck Profile
Cort X700 Duality II's neck profile
ESP LTD SN-1 HT Neck Profile
ESP LTD SN-1 HT's 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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Cort X700 Duality II has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

The ESP LTD SN-1 HT, on the other hand, has a U 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

Cort X700 Duality II Fingerboard Radius
Cort X700 Duality II's Fingerboard radius
ESP LTD SN-1 HT Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD SN-1 HT's Fingerboard 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.

In this case, the ESP LTD SN-1 HT's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Cort X700 Duality II's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Cort X700 Duality II.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

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

Cort X700 Duality II:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD SN-1 HT:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Cort X700 Duality II Frets Size
Cort X700 Duality II's Frets Size
ESP LTD SN-1 HT Frets Size
ESP LTD SN-1 HT's Frets Size

The ESP LTD SN-1 HT has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Cort X700 Duality II's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Cort X700 Duality II
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70
ESP LTD SN-1 HT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Cort X700 Duality II vs LTD SN-1 HT
General Cort X700 Duality II LTD SN-1 HT
Brand: Cort ESP LTD
Year: 2022 2021
Configuration: HH H
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: X SN
Colors: Blue Burst, Red Burst Black
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Swamp Ash
Bridge: Cort CFA-III Tremolo Hipshot w/ String Thru
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Cort Staggered Locking LTD Locking
Fretboard: Ebony Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: 3pcs Maple & Panga Panga Roasted Maple
Decoration: Abalone Dots with Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: D Thin U
Frets: 24 Medium Stainless Steel 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic (Humbucker / Active) Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 5 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0