Swap
Swap
ESP LTD WA-Warbird
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
VS
Playability
77
Sound
77
Build
60
Value
71
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
82
Sound
78
Build
74
Value
78
Score
78
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoMusician's Friend logoSweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

LTD WA-Warbird vs EC-FR Black Metal

Reasons to Get
LTD WA-Warbird over EC-FR Black Metal

Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs Coil Split
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
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
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal over WA-Warbird

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multi-Voicing
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
78 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
LTD WA-Warbird vs EC-FR Black Metal

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic vs Seymour Duncan Black Winter
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD WA-Warbird vs EC-FR Black Metal

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm)
Same neck comfortability
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
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

  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

ESP LTD WA-Warbird Prices

SET PRICE ALERT
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 LTD EC-FR Black Metal is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the ESP LTD WA-Warbird's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the ESP LTD WA-Warbird in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the ESP LTD WA-Warbird is the better choice.

The ESP LTD WA-Warbird meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal 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 WA-Warbird
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 LTD WA-Warbird Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2014 Signature series
  • Will Adler Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3pc Maple 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
  • TOM & Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2021 Black Metal series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Black Winter (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Floyd Rose 1000 bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Weight between 7.15lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.85lbs (3.6kgs)
  • 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 WA-Warbird

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

The ESP LTD WA-Warbird has an HH configuration while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal 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.

However, the ESP LTD WA-Warbird 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 LTD WA-Warbird's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's online:

The ESP LTD WA-Warbird's pickups are Active while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal'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 LTD WA-Warbird.

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 WA-Warbird gives you 3 switch options while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal gives you 0. This means that the ESP LTD WA-Warbird gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The ESP LTD WA-Warbird 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 ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal 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 LTD WA-Warbird pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD WA-Warbird's switch options

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal 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 EC-FR Black Metal.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD WA-Warbird
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 56
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 77
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 62
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 78

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 WA-Warbird compares to the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

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.

The ESP LTD WA-Warbird 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 LTD EC-FR Black Metal comes with a Locking nut. 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.

Winner: ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

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-FR Black Metal 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-FR Black Metal.

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.

The ESP LTD WA-Warbird's brige is a 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.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's is a 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: ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Tuners

The ESP LTD WA-Warbird 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 LTD EC-FR Black Metal has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: ESP LTD WA-Warbird.

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 WA-Warbird
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing 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 LTD EC-FR Black Metal
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP LTD WA-Warbird
Quality of materials 41
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 60
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Quality of materials 71
Features 75
Quality Control 75
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 WA-Warbird Nut Width
ESP LTD WA-Warbird Nut Width
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Nut Width
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP LTD WA-Warbird 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 LTD WA-Warbird, 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 LTD WA-Warbird and ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal'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 WA-Warbird 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 WA-Warbird and the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal 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 WA-Warbird 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 WA-Warbird and the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal 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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the ESP LTD WA-Warbird favors large hands more than the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

ESP LTD WA-Warbird:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD WA-Warbird and ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal 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 WA-Warbird
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD WA-Warbird vs EC-FR Black Metal
General LTD WA-Warbird EC-FR Black Metal
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2014 2021
Configuration: HH H
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Signature Black Metal
Colors: Black Black
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: TOM & Tailpiece Floyd Rose 1000
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: LTD Locking Grover
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: 3pc Maple 3Pc Mahogany
Decoration: Warbird logos
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 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active) Seymour Duncan Black Winter (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 1 0