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ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661
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Playability
78
Sound
77
Build
72
Value
71
Score
76
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Playability
80
Sound
77
Build
65
Value
74
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone vs Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661

Reasons to Get
ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone over Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs South Korea
Built with higher quality standards
Decorative Top
Quilted Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2017 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Thin C
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs Coil Split
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 over ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone

Neck Profile
Thin C vs Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Black Tusq XL vs Graphite
Good tuning stability with rich tone
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multi-Voicing
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
74 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone vs Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661

Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N vs Seymour Duncan JB SH-4
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Nut Material
Graphite vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone vs Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan JB SH-4
Same Bridge Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
2
Same volume control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone is the better choice.

The ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 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

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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.

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone Overview

  • From ESP's 2017 Signature series
  • Ben Burnley Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Graph Tech Ghost Loaded Resomax NV Bridge w/ Gotoh Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • Sperzel Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 Overview

  • From Schecter's 2016 Artist series
  • Zacky Vengeance Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Swamp Ash body
  • Mahogany 3-pc neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • TonePros T3BT TOM & T1Z Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin C Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • 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
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

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 Ben Burnley EC Baritone

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

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 Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661

Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

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: Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661.

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

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 Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 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 ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661's online:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661.

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.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone offers 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.

On the other hand, the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 comes with the following: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone's switch options
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661's switch 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: ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 77
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 77

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 Ben Burnley EC Baritone compares to the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone is built in Japan while the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 is made in South Korea.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

Winner: ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone

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.

The ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone has a Graphite nut. It's a self-lubricating material that will allow the strings to slide over the nut without a lot of friction. It's a good type of nut if you want to have better tuning stability than with plastic, although it's not as resistant as Bone or Tusq.

On the other hand, the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

Winner: Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661.

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: 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

The ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone has the best tuners of the two because they are 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: ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone.

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 Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • 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

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone
Quality of materials 55
Features 70
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 72
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661
Quality of materials 66
Features 55
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 65

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

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same 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

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone's Scale Length
ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone's Scale Length
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661's Scale Length
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661's 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.

The ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone has the longest scale: 27". The Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 is only 24.75" long. This is a 2.25'' (57.2mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone Neck Profile
ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone's neck profile
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 Neck Profile
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661'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 ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone has a U type of 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.

The Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone Fingerboard Radius
ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone's Fingerboard radius
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661'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 Ben Burnley EC Baritone's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661'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 Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661.

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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone favors large hands more than the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone and Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661 Frets Size
Both have a similar XL Jumbo 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 Ben Burnley EC Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78
Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 80

Specs Side-by-Side

ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone vs Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661
General ESP Ben Burnley EC Baritone Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV 6661
Brand: ESP Schecter
Year: 2017 2016
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan South Korea
Series: Signature Artist
Colors: See Thru Black Sunburst Satin Natural Black Burst
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Swamp Ash
Bridge: Graph Tech Ghost Loaded Resomax NV Bridge w/ Gotoh Tailpiece TonePros T3BT TOM & T1Z Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Sperzel Locking Grover
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: 3pc Maple Mahogany 3-pc
Decoration: Breaking Benjamin symbol Platinum Dots w/ZV Blade at 12th Fret
Scale Size: 27" 24.75"
Shape: Thin U Thin C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 14"
Nut: Graphite Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 0 1