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ESP E-II Viper Baritone
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
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Playability
82
Sound
76
Build
75
Value
73
Score
78
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Playability
75
Sound
73
Build
64
Value
66
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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E-II Viper Baritone vs PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline

Reasons to Get
E-II Viper Baritone over PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Pattern Thin
Comfortable neck with more grip
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Set
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
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 0.83'' (21.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 0.9'' (22.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 24.6'' (624.8mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
73 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline over ESP E-II Viper Baritone

Release Year
2020 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Pattern Thin vs Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.9'' (22.9mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Other Key Differences
E-II Viper Baritone vs PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline

Bridge Pickup
EMG 81 vs PRS 58/15 S
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
EMG 60 vs PRS 58/15 S
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs PRS Propietary
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
E-II Viper Baritone vs PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

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

ESP E-II Viper Baritone Prices

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PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP E-II Viper Baritone is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP E-II Viper Baritone wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline in every aspect.

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

Which One is Better for Beginners?

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

The ESP E-II Viper Baritone meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline 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 E-II Viper Baritone
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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 E-II Viper Baritone Overview

  • From ESP E-II's 2014 Viper series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 81 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG 60 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Gotoh TOM & Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline Overview

  • From PRS's 2020 S2 series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood w/ Faux Bone Binding fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS 58/15 S (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS 58/15 S (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • PRS Two-Piece bridge
  • Pattern Thin Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage-Style 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

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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 E-II Viper Baritone

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

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 PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

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

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 PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline 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 Viper Baritone's and use them on any guitar:

The ESP E-II Viper Baritone's pickups are Active while the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline'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: PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline.

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.

Only the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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 Viper Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP E-II Viper Baritone's switch options
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline pickups switch and push knobs diagram
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline'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: PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP E-II Viper Baritone
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 49
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 76
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 73

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 Viper Baritone compares to the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The ESP E-II Viper Baritone is built in Japan while the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline is made in United States.

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.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

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.

The ESP E-II Viper Baritone has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline comes with a PRS Propietary nut. It's similar to TUSQ nuts, but they're not as hard, and the tone is not as bright. However, the material is self-lubricating, and it's usually well cut, so they have good tuning stability.

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: 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 E-II Viper 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 E-II Viper 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.

The ESP E-II Viper Baritone 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 PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline comes with 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: ESP E-II Viper Baritone.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP E-II Viper Baritone
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • PRS Propietary Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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 E-II Viper Baritone
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 75
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
Quality of materials 46
Features 55
Quality Control 90
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

ESP E-II Viper Baritone Nut Width
ESP E-II Viper Baritone Nut Width
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline Nut Width
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline 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 PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline, 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 Viper Baritone's Scale Length
ESP E-II Viper Baritone's Scale Length
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline's Scale Length
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline'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 E-II Viper Baritone has the longest scale: 27". The PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline is only 24.6" long. This is a 2.4'' (61mm) 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 E-II Viper Baritone Neck Profile
ESP E-II Viper Baritone's neck profile
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline Neck Profile
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline'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 E-II Viper 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 PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline, 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 E-II Viper Baritone Fingerboard Radius
ESP E-II Viper Baritone's Fingerboard radius
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline Fingerboard Radius
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline'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 PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the ESP E-II Viper Baritone'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 ESP E-II Viper Baritone.

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 PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline favors large hands more than the ESP E-II Viper Baritone.

ESP E-II Viper Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP E-II Viper Baritone Frets Size
ESP E-II Viper Baritone's Frets Size
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline Frets Size
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline's Frets Size

The ESP E-II Viper Baritone has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline's Medium Jumbo 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

ESP E-II Viper Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 90
Playability 82
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 65
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

E-II Viper Baritone vs PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
General E-II Viper Baritone PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
Brand: ESP E-II PRS
Year: 2014 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan United States
Series: Viper S2
Colors: Black White, Black, Blue, Green, Brown Burst, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Gotoh TOM & Tailpiece PRS Two-Piece
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Set
Tuners: Gotoh Locking Vintage-Style
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood w/ Faux Bone Binding
Neck Material: 3pc Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Dots Birds
Scale Size: 27" 24.6"
Shape: Thin U Pattern Thin
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 10"
Nut: Bone PRS Propietary
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG 81 (Humbucker / Active) PRS 58/15 S (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EMG 60 (Humbucker / Active) PRS 58/15 S (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2