Swap
Swap
ESP Snapper 7
ESP Snapper CTM
VS
Playability
73
Sound
83
Build
79
Value
63
Score
78
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
73
Sound
83
Build
82
Value
64
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

ESP Snapper 7 vs Snapper CTM

Reasons to Get
ESP Snapper 7 over Snapper CTM

Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Nut Width
1.811'' (46mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle

Reasons to Get
ESP Snapper CTM over Snapper 7

Decorative Top
Burled Poplar vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Compound Radius
9.5" to 12" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.811'' (46mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Value Score
64 vs 63
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
ESP Snapper 7 vs Snapper CTM

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan SH-14-7 vs Seymour Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Seymour Duncan SSL-5-7 vs Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan SSL-5-7 vs Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
7 vs 6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
ESP Snapper 7 vs Snapper CTM

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HSS
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
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
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

ESP Snapper 7 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 Snapper CTM is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the ESP Snapper 7's 78 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP Snapper CTM wins when it comes to build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the ESP Snapper 7 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 Snapper CTM is the better choice.

The ESP Snapper CTM meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP Snapper 7 meets only 6. 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 Snapper 7
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

ESP Snapper CTM
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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 Snapper 7 Overview

  • From ESP's 2022 Snapper series
  • Made in Japan
  • 7 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Honduras Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan SH-14-7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Seymour Duncan SSL-5-7 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan SSL-5-7 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • ESP Flicker-III bridge
  • Thin U Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP Snapper CTM Overview

  • From ESP's 2020 Snapper series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" to 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Burled Poplar top
  • Swamp Ash body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • ESP Flicker-III bridge
  • Thin U Bolt-On neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh 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

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.

Woods Used in the ESP Snapper 7

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the ESP Snapper CTM

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 HSS. HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

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.

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP Snapper CTM'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

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: Coil Split, Capacitance Selector.

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.

A Capacitor is what lets you change the tone of a guitar through the tone knob. With a capacitor selector, you'll be able to choose between multiple capacitors that can give you a warmer or brighter tone.

They both share the following switching options:

ESP Snapper 7 and ESP Snapper CTM pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
ESP Snapper 7 and ESP Snapper CTM'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: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

ESP Snapper 7
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 83
ESP Snapper CTM
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 83

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 Snapper 7 compares to the ESP Snapper CTM.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Japan.

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: 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 Bone nuts. 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.

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: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

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.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP Snapper 7
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split, Capacitance Selector Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP Snapper CTM
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split, Capacitance Selector Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

ESP Snapper 7
Quality of materials 66
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 79
ESP Snapper CTM
Quality of materials 65
Features 80
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 82

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 Snapper 7 Nut Width
ESP Snapper 7 Nut Width
ESP Snapper CTM Nut Width
ESP Snapper CTM Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP Snapper 7 has the wider nut with 46mm (1.811'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 4mm (0.157'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP Snapper 7, 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 Snapper 7 and ESP Snapper CTM'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 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

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 Snapper 7 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 Snapper 7 and the ESP Snapper CTM 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 Snapper 7 Fingerboard Radius
ESP Snapper 7's Fingerboard radius
ESP Snapper CTM Fretboard Compound Radius
ESP Snapper CTM's Compound 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.

In this case, the ESP Snapper CTM is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

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 Snapper 7:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP Snapper CTM:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

ESP Snapper 7 Frets Size
ESP Snapper 7's Frets Size
ESP Snapper CTM Frets Size
ESP Snapper CTM's Frets Size

The ESP Snapper CTM has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the ESP Snapper 7's 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 Snapper 7
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
ESP Snapper CTM
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

ESP Snapper 7 vs Snapper CTM
General ESP Snapper 7 Snapper CTM
Brand: ESP ESP
Year: 2022 2020
Configuration: HSS HSS
Strings: 7 6
Made in: Japan Japan
Series: Snapper Snapper
Colors: Black, Green, Brown, Red Blue Burst, Black Burst, Natural, Pink and Purple Burst, Blue Patterns, Brown Batterns, Purple Patterns
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Swamp Ash
Bridge: ESP Flicker-III ESP Flicker-III
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Gotoh Locking Gotoh Locking
Fretboard: Honduras Rosewood Maple
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Dots Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
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 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 9.5" to 12"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 46mm (1.811'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan SH-14-7 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Seymour Duncan SSL-5-7 (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan SSL-5-7 (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split, Capacitance Selector Coil Split, Capacitance Selector
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1