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ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
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Playability
78
Sound
74
Build
63
Value
67
Score
72
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Playability
78
Sound
77
Build
69
Value
75
Score
75
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LTD BB-600 Baritone vs EC-1000 Baritone

Reasons to Get
LTD BB-600 Baritone over EC-1000 Baritone

Decorative Top
Quilted Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone over BB-600 Baritone

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2022 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
75 vs 67
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
LTD BB-600 Baritone vs EC-1000 Baritone

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 vs Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N vs Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood

Shared Features
LTD BB-600 Baritone vs EC-1000 Baritone

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
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
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm)
Same neck comfortability
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
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
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

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • 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

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone's 72 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone has the upper hand when it comes to.

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 EC-1000 Baritone is the better choice.

The ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone 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 LTD BB-600 Baritone
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
  • 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.

ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2017 Signature series
  • Ben Burnley Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple top
  • Mahogany w/ Maple Cap body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Macassar 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 & Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Weight between 7.85lbs (3.6kgs) and 8.4lbs (3.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2022 EC series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany / Maple Cap body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker/Active)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • LTD Locking 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 LTD BB-600 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.

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.

You can purchase similar pickups to the ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's online:

The ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone's pickups are Passive while the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone's are Active.

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

Winner: Tie.

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: 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.

ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone's switch options
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone'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 LTD BB-600 Baritone.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 75
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 LTD BB-600 Baritone compares to the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone.

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.

In this comparison, the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone is the only one that has 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: ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone.

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 LTD EC-1000 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 LTD EC-1000 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 LTD BB-600 Baritone
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone
Quality of materials 55
Features 55
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 63
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
Quality of materials 61
Features 70
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 69

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 LTD BB-600 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 LTD BB-600 Baritone and ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone'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 27".

This is a scale used for baritones and guitars with more than 6 strings. Since the scale is so long, the tension of the strings will be higher. This means that bending will require a lot more strength than with a shorter scale. However, it also allows you to use really low tunings without causing fret buzz and without needing to increase your string gauge too much.

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 LTD BB-600 Baritone Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

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

Both the ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone and the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone 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 LTD BB-600 Baritone 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 LTD BB-600 Baritone and the ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone have the same fretboard radius of 13.78". It's closer to the 12'' that most Les Paul guitars have, but it's a bit flatter. It'll make it easier to play single notes than chords, but it's still relatively comfortable for chords.

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 .

ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD BB-600 Baritone and ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone 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 LTD BB-600 Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78
ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD BB-600 Baritone vs EC-1000 Baritone
General LTD BB-600 Baritone EC-1000 Baritone
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2017 2022
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Signature EC
Colors: See Thru Black Sunburst Satin Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany w/ Maple Cap Mahogany / Maple Cap
Bridge: Graph Tech Ghost Loaded Resomax NV Bridge & Tailpiece Tonepros Locking TOM w/ String Thru
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover LTD Locking
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: 3pc Maple 3Pc Mahogany
Decoration: Breaking Benjamin symbol
Scale Size: 27" 27"
Shape: Thin U Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker / Passive) Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker / Passive) Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 0 1