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EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
VS
Playability
70
Sound
71
Build
65
Value
69
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
68
Sound
75
Build
82
Value
60
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
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EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption vs Music Man St. Vincent Goldie

Reasons to Get
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption over Music Man St. Vincent Goldie

Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 10"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Pickups
H vs HHH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Relic vs Poly
Looks like an old and slightly beaten up instrument
Value Score
69 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie over EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Nut Material
Compensated vs Brass
Fixes intonation issues
Switch Positions
5 vs 0
More tone options
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HHH vs H
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Poly vs Relic
Resistant paint that ages well

Other Key Differences
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption vs Music Man St. Vincent Goldie

Bridge Pickup
EVH Wolfgang Humbucking vs Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker
Different Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Basswood vs Okoume
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Figured Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 2-4
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Brass vs Compensated
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption vs Music Man St. Vincent Goldie

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
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
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Music Man St. Vincent Goldie wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

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

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • 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.

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption Overview

  • From EVH's 2022 Striped series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Quartersawn Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EVH Wolfgang Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Bell knobs
  • 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Fender Strat Synchronized Tremolo with 43mm Brass Block bridge
  • EVH Modified C Backshape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • EVH-Branded Gotoh tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Overview

  • From Music Man's 2021 St. Vincent series
  • St. Vincent Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Okoume body
  • Figured roasted maple neck neck
  • Ebony (Cashmere & Silk Charmeuse) fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Custom chrome plated Music Man St. Vincent Modern tremolo with solid brass saddles bridge
  • St. Vincent Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6-IND locking with pearl buttons 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 the EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

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.

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Woods Used in the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie

Figured Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Figured Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of 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.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

Winner: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

Pickup Configuration

The EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption has an H configuration while the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie has HHH pickups.

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.

On the other hand, A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in 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.

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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie gives you 5 switch options while the EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption gives you 0. This means that the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

The EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption doesn't come with pickup switching options.

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie'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: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 52
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 71
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 75

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 EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption compares to the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption is built in Mexico while the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie is made in United States.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie

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 EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption has a Brass nut. Guitarists used to love brass nuts due to the bright tone and good sustain they help achieve. However, now they use Bone more often since it can also produce a bright tone and longer sustain, but it's also oily, which helps to keep the guitar in tune.

On the other hand, the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie comes with a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

Winner: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie 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: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

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

The Music Man St. Vincent Goldie 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: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

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
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption
Quality of materials 56
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 65
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
Quality of materials 81
Features 65
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

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption Nut Width
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption Nut Width
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Nut Width
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 1.6mm (0.063'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption and Music Man St. Vincent Goldie'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

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption Neck Profile
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption's neck profile
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Neck Profile
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's 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 EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption and the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption Fretboard Compound Radius
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption's Compound Fretboard Radius
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Fingerboard Radius
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's Fingerboard 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 EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption 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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption favors large hands more than the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption Frets Size
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption's Frets Size
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Frets Size
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's Frets Size

The EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's Medium 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

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 65
Playability 68

Specs Side-by-Side

EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption vs Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
General EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
Brand: EVH Music Man
Year: 2022 2021
Configuration: H HHH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico United States
Series: Striped St. Vincent
Colors: Black Gold, Black, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Basswood Okoume
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Fender Strat Synchronized Tremolo with 43mm Brass Block Custom chrome plated Music Man St. Vincent Modern tremolo with solid brass saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: EVH-Branded Gotoh Schaller M6-IND locking with pearl buttons
Fretboard: Maple Ebony (Cashmere & Silk Charmeuse)
Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple Figured roasted maple neck
Decoration: Black Dot Custom St. Vincent Inlay
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: EVH Modified C Backshape St. Vincent
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.81'' (20.6mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 10"
Nut: Brass Compensated
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EVH Wolfgang Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 0 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 0 1