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ESP LTD WA-Warbird
ESP LTD JR-608
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Playability
77
Sound
77
Build
60
Value
71
Score
71
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Playability
78
Sound
79
Build
77
Value
68
Score
78
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LTD WA-Warbird vs JR-608

Reasons to Get
LTD WA-Warbird over JR-608

Strings
6 vs 8
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 2.126'' (54mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
71 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD JR-608 over WA-Warbird

Decorative Top
Quilted Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2020 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Nut Material
Black Tusq XL vs Plastic
Good tuning stability with rich tone
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Set
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Strings
8 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
2.126'' (54mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Other Key Differences
LTD WA-Warbird vs JR-608

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic vs Fishman Javier Reyes Open Core Humbucker
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico vs Fishman Javier Reyes Open Core Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 4-4
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
LTD WA-Warbird vs JR-608

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
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
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Active
More output
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
  • Locking Tuners
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • 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

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD JR-608 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 JR-608 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the ESP LTD WA-Warbird has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the ESP LTD WA-Warbird is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

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 JR-608
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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 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 JR-608 Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2020 Signature series
  • Javier Reyes Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 8 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple top
  • Swamp Ash body
  • 5Pc Walnut/Maple/Padauk neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Javier Reyes Open Core Humbucker (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Javier Reyes Open Core Humbucker (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Hipshot w/ String Thru bridge
  • Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • LTD Locking tuners
  • Weight between 9.05lbs (4.1kgs) and 9.8lbs (4.4kgs)
  • 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
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 ESP LTD WA-Warbird

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 JR-608

Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.

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 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 JR-608's online:

Both use Active pickups. These pickups use an additional 9v battery to be able to increase their output for high gain tones. This is why they're popular among heavy metal guitarists. Their disadvantage is that you need batteries for the pickups, so you'll need to spend money on batteries and time swapping them. Also, the clean tones aren't as clean as other pickups because they'll have really hot output.

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 JR-608 gives you 5 switch options while the ESP LTD WA-Warbird gives you 3. This means that the ESP LTD JR-608 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

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 WA-Warbird pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD WA-Warbird's switch options
ESP LTD JR-608 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
ESP LTD JR-608'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 JR-608.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP LTD WA-Warbird
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 56
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 77
ESP LTD JR-608
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 62
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 79

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 JR-608.

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 JR-608 comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

Winner: ESP LTD JR-608.

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

They both have 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: Tie.

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 WA-Warbird 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 LTD JR-608 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 LTD JR-608.

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 JR-608
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • 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 JR-608
Quality of materials 65
Features 80
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 77

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 JR-608 Nut Width
ESP LTD JR-608 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP LTD JR-608 has the wider nut with 54mm (2.126'') vs 43mm (1.693''). This is a 11mm (0.433'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP LTD JR-608, 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's Scale Length
ESP LTD WA-Warbird's Scale Length
ESP LTD JR-608's Scale Length
ESP LTD JR-608'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 LTD JR-608 has the longest scale: 27". The ESP LTD WA-Warbird is only 24.75" long. This is a 2.25'' (57.2mm) 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 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 JR-608 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 JR-608 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 JR-608 favors large hands more than the ESP LTD WA-Warbird.

ESP LTD WA-Warbird:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD JR-608:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP LTD WA-Warbird and ESP LTD JR-608 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 JR-608
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

LTD WA-Warbird vs JR-608
General LTD WA-Warbird JR-608
Brand: ESP LTD ESP LTD
Year: 2014 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 8
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Signature Signature
Colors: Black Faded Blue Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Swamp Ash
Bridge: TOM & Tailpiece Hipshot w/ String Thru
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Neck-Through
Tuners: LTD Locking LTD Locking
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: 3pc Maple 5Pc Walnut/Maple/Padauk
Decoration: Warbird logos Offset Blocks
Scale Size: 24.75" 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: 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 54mm (2.126'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active) Fishman Javier Reyes Open Core Humbucker (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern Alnico (Humbucker / Active) Fishman Javier Reyes Open Core Humbucker (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 1 1