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EVH Striped Series Shark
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard
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Playability
77
Sound
72
Build
64
Value
66
Score
71
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Playability
73
Sound
80
Build
68
Value
74
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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EVH Striped Series Shark vs Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard

Reasons to Get
EVH Striped Series Shark over Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard

Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.81'' (20.6mm) vs 0.88'' (22.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Reasons to Get
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard over Striped Series Shark

Decorative Top
Quilt Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2021 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Nut Material
Locking vs Brass
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.88'' (22.4mm) vs 0.81'' (20.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
74 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
EVH Striped Series Shark vs Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard

Bridge Pickup
EVH Wolfgang Shark Humbucking vs Direct Mount EVH Wolfgang Humbucking
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
EVH Wolfgang Shark Humbucking vs Direct Mount EVH Wolfgang Humbucking
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Ash vs Basswood
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Pau Ferro vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Brass vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
EVH Striped Series Shark vs Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Compound Radius
12" to 16"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the EVH Striped Series Shark's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the EVH Striped Series Shark has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 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 Shark
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • 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.

EVH Striped Series Shark Overview

  • From EVH's 2019 Striped series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Ash body
  • Maple neck
  • Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EVH Wolfgang Shark Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: EVH Wolfgang Shark Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • EVH Chrome-Plated Solid-Brass Harmonica bridge
  • EVH Modified C Backshape Set neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • EVH-Branded Custom Gotoh SG381 (Chrome & Gold) tuners
  • Weight between 7.15lbs (3.2kgs) and 8.35lbs (3.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard Overview

  • From EVH's 2021 Wolfgang Special series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilt Maple top
  • Basswood body
  • Quartersawn Baked Maple neck
  • Baked Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Direct Mount EVH Wolfgang Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Direct Mount EVH Wolfgang Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • EVH-Branded Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo with EVH D-Tuna bridge
  • Wolfgang Backshape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • EVH-Branded 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 the EVH Striped Series Shark

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro
Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

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.

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

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.

Woods Used in the EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard

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

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

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.

Winner: EVH Striped Series Shark.

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.

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.

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

They both share the following switching options:

EVH Striped Series Shark and EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard pickups switch and push knobs diagram
EVH Striped Series Shark and EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard'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: EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard.

Final Sound Quality Scores

EVH Striped Series Shark
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 49
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 80

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 Shark compares to the EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard.

Country of Origin

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

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.

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 EVH Striped Series Shark 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 EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard 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: EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard.

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.

The EVH Striped Series Shark'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 EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard'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: EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The EVH Striped Series Shark's are EVH-Branded Custom Gotoh SG381 (Chrome & Gold) while the EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard's are EVH-Branded Gotoh

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 EVH Striped Series Shark 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 EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard comes with 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: EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
EVH Striped Series Shark
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

EVH Striped Series Shark
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 64
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard
Quality of materials 55
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 68

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 Shark Nut Width
EVH Striped Series Shark Nut Width
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard Nut Width
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the EVH Striped Series Shark 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 Shark, 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 Shark's Scale Length
EVH Striped Series Shark's Scale Length
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard's Scale Length
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard'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 EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard has the longest scale: 25.5". The EVH Striped Series Shark is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) 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

EVH Striped Series Shark Neck Profile
EVH Striped Series Shark's neck profile
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard Neck Profile
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard'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 Shark and the EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard 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 Shark Fretboard Compound Radius
EVH Striped Series Shark'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.

Both have a compound radius. This means both offer you the best craftsmanship when it comes to fretboard design. You'll have an arc to help you play chords close to the nut, while also having a flat design at the higher frets for faster soloing and easier bends.

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 Shark favors large hands more than the EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

EVH Striped Series Shark:
Big Hands
Small Hands
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

EVH Striped Series Shark and EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard Frets Size
Both have a similar Jumbo fret size

Both have a Jumbo fret size. This is one of the tallest frets you can get. You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. It will give you the best sustain and all types of chords will be easier to play. However, you can end up changing the pitch of your notes if you press too hard, which is something people used to feeling the fretboard do when trying Jumbo frets for the first time.

Final Playability Scores

EVH Striped Series Shark
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77
EVH Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

EVH Striped Series Shark vs Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard
General EVH Striped Series Shark Wolfgang Special QM Baked Maple Fingerboard
Brand: EVH EVH
Year: 2019 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico Mexico
Series: Striped Wolfgang Special
Colors: Gray Black Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Ash Basswood
Bridge: EVH Chrome-Plated Solid-Brass Harmonica EVH-Branded Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo with EVH D-Tuna
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: EVH-Branded Custom Gotoh SG381 (Chrome & Gold) EVH-Branded Gotoh
Fretboard: Pau Ferro Baked Maple
Neck Material: Maple Quartersawn Baked Maple
Decoration: White Dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: EVH Modified C Backshape Wolfgang Backshape
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.81'' (20.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.88'' (22.4mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 12" to 16"
Nut: Brass Locking
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EVH Wolfgang Shark Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Direct Mount EVH Wolfgang Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EVH Wolfgang Shark Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Direct Mount EVH Wolfgang Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1