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ESP E-II Horizon FR-II
ESP Kamikaze-4
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Playability
80
Sound
84
Build
82
Value
72
Score
82
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Playability
70
Sound
82
Build
74
Value
60
Score
75
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E-II Horizon FR-II vs ESP Kamikaze-4

Reasons to Get
E-II Horizon FR-II over ESP Kamikaze-4

Decorative Top
Quilted Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2021 vs 2013
From a more recent year
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs HS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
72 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP Kamikaze-4 over ESP E-II Horizon FR-II

Pickups
HS vs HH
High output with bright neck cleans
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Other Key Differences
E-II Horizon FR-II vs ESP Kamikaze-4

Bridge Pickup
EMG 57TW vs Seymour Duncan Signature George Lynch “The Hunter”
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
EMG 66TW vs ESP SS-120
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
E-II Horizon FR-II vs ESP Kamikaze-4

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Floyd Rose
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • 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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ESP Kamikaze-4 Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP E-II Horizon FR-II is probably the better product overall with its final score of 82 compared to the ESP Kamikaze-4's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP E-II Horizon FR-II wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the ESP Kamikaze-4 in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the ESP E-II Horizon FR-II.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the ESP E-II Horizon FR-II is the better choice.

The ESP E-II Horizon FR-II meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP Kamikaze-4 meets only 3. 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 E-II Horizon FR-II
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

ESP Kamikaze-4
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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 E-II Horizon FR-II Overview

  • From ESP E-II's 2021 Horizon series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 57TW (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG 66TW (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Original bridge
  • Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP Kamikaze-4 Overview

  • From ESP's 2013 Signature series
  • George Lynch Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Signature George Lynch “The Hunter” (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: ESP SS-120 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Original bridge
  • GL Original U Bolt-On neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh 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

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 ESP E-II Horizon FR-II

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.

Winner: ESP E-II Horizon FR-II.

Pickup Configuration

The ESP E-II Horizon FR-II has an HH configuration while the ESP Kamikaze-4 has HS 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, An HS configuration gives you a bridge pickup with a lot of output for playing distortion parts, but you'll also have the bright sound of a Tele or Strat neck pickup for your clean tones.

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 Kamikaze-4 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 E-II Horizon FR-II's and use them on any guitar:

The ESP E-II Horizon FR-II's pickups are Active while the ESP Kamikaze-4's are Passive.

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 Kamikaze-4.

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 offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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 E-II Horizon FR-II pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP E-II Horizon FR-II's switch options
ESP Kamikaze-4 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP Kamikaze-4'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 Kamikaze-4.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP E-II Horizon FR-II
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 84
ESP Kamikaze-4
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82

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 E-II Horizon FR-II compares to the ESP Kamikaze-4.

Country of Origin

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

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.

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

The ESP E-II Horizon FR-II 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.

Nevertheless, the ESP E-II Horizon FR-II has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: ESP E-II Horizon FR-II.

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 E-II Horizon FR-II has a 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.

On the other hand, the ESP Kamikaze-4 comes with 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: ESP E-II Horizon FR-II.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP E-II Horizon FR-II
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP Kamikaze-4
  • Made in Japan
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP E-II Horizon FR-II
Quality of materials 55
Features 95
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 82
ESP Kamikaze-4
Quality of materials 51
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74

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 E-II Horizon FR-II Nut Width
ESP E-II Horizon FR-II Nut Width
ESP Kamikaze-4 Nut Width
ESP Kamikaze-4 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP Kamikaze-4 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP Kamikaze-4, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

ESP E-II Horizon FR-II and ESP Kamikaze-4'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

ESP E-II Horizon FR-II Neck Profile
ESP E-II Horizon FR-II's neck profile
ESP Kamikaze-4 Neck Profile
ESP Kamikaze-4'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.

Both the ESP E-II Horizon FR-II and the ESP Kamikaze-4 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

ESP E-II Horizon FR-II Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same 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 E-II Horizon FR-II and the ESP Kamikaze-4 have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

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 Kamikaze-4 favors large hands more than the ESP E-II Horizon FR-II.

ESP E-II Horizon FR-II:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP Kamikaze-4:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP E-II Horizon FR-II and ESP Kamikaze-4 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 E-II Horizon FR-II
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 90
Playability 80
ESP Kamikaze-4
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

E-II Horizon FR-II vs ESP Kamikaze-4
General E-II Horizon FR-II ESP Kamikaze-4
Brand: ESP E-II ESP
Year: 2021 2013
Configuration: HH HS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan Japan
Series: Horizon Signature
Colors: Tiger Eye Sunburst, See Thru Black Cherry Sunburst Green Patterns
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Maple
Bridge: Floyd Rose Original Floyd Rose Original
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: Gotoh Locking Gotoh
Fretboard: Ebony Maple
Neck Material: 3pc Maple Maple
Decoration: Offset Blocks Offset Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Thin U GL Original U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG 57TW (Humbucker / Active) Seymour Duncan Signature George Lynch “The Hunter” (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EMG 66TW (Humbucker / Active) ESP SS-120 (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0