Swap
Swap
ESP LTD BK-600
ESP Max Cavalera RPR
VS
Playability
80
Sound
76
Build
60
Value
72
Score
72
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoSweetwater logo
Playability
83
Sound
71
Build
74
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoSweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

LTD BK-600 vs ESP Max Cavalera RPR

Reasons to Get
LTD BK-600 over ESP Max Cavalera RPR

Release Year
2020 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Value Score
72 vs 61
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP Max Cavalera RPR over ESP LTD BK-600

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Set
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain

Other Key Differences
LTD BK-600 vs ESP Max Cavalera RPR

Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD BK-600 vs ESP Max Cavalera RPR

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6
Same Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Number of Frets
22
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
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
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

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

ESP Max Cavalera RPR Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP Max Cavalera RPR is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the ESP LTD BK-600's 72 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP Max Cavalera RPR wins when it comes to playability, build quality. On the other hand, the ESP LTD BK-600 has the upper hand when it comes to sound, 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 BK-600 is the better choice.

The ESP LTD BK-600 meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP Max Cavalera RPR meets only 4. 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 BK-600
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

ESP Max Cavalera RPR
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • 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 LTD BK-600 Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2020 Signature series
  • Bill Kelliher Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany (full thickness) body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tonepros Locking TOM Bridge & Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP Max Cavalera RPR Overview

  • From ESP's 2017 Signature series
  • Max Cavalera Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Neck-Through 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

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 LTD BK-600

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 ESP Max Cavalera RPR

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

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

The ESP LTD BK-600 has an HH configuration while the ESP Max Cavalera RPR 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.

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

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP Max Cavalera RPR'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: 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

The ESP LTD BK-600 gives you 3 switch options while the ESP Max Cavalera RPR gives you 0. This means that the ESP LTD BK-600 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the ESP LTD BK-600 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 LTD BK-600 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD BK-600's switch options

The ESP Max Cavalera RPR 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: ESP LTD BK-600.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD BK-600
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 76
ESP Max Cavalera RPR
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 37
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 71

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 BK-600 compares to the ESP Max Cavalera RPR.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The ESP LTD BK-600 is built in Indonesia while the ESP Max Cavalera RPR is made in Japan.

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.

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: ESP Max Cavalera RPR

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 LTD BK-600 has a Plastic nut. 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.

On the other hand, the ESP Max Cavalera RPR comes with 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.

Winner: ESP Max Cavalera RPR.

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 LTD BK-600 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 BK-600.

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 LTD BK-600 has 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.

On the other hand, the ESP Max Cavalera RPR comes with 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.

Winner: ESP Max Cavalera RPR.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD BK-600
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • 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 Max Cavalera RPR
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • 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 LTD BK-600
Quality of materials 41
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 60
ESP Max Cavalera RPR
Quality of materials 61
Features 60
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 LTD BK-600 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 BK-600 and ESP Max Cavalera RPR'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 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

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 BK-600 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 BK-600 and the ESP Max Cavalera RPR 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 BK-600 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 BK-600 and the ESP Max Cavalera RPR 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.

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 BK-600:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP Max Cavalera RPR:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD BK-600 and ESP Max Cavalera RPR 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 BK-600
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 80
ESP Max Cavalera RPR
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 83

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD BK-600 vs ESP Max Cavalera RPR
General LTD BK-600 ESP Max Cavalera RPR
Brand: ESP LTD ESP
Year: 2020 2017
Configuration: HH H
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Japan
Series: Signature Signature
Colors: Military Green Sunburst Satin Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany (full thickness) Mahogany
Bridge: Tonepros Locking TOM Bridge & Tailpiece Tonepros Locking TOM & Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Neck-Through
Tuners: LTD Locking Gotoh
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: 3Pc Mahogany 3pc Maple
Decoration: Flags Cavalera Inlays
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
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: 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Plastic Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0