EVH Wolfgang USA vs Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster
Reasons to Get
EVH Wolfgang USA over Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster
Reasons to Get
Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster over EVH Wolfgang USA
Other Key Differences
EVH Wolfgang USA vs Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster
Shared Features
EVH Wolfgang USA vs Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster
Common Strengths
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Top Pickup Brand
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- 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 EVH Wolfgang USA is probably the better product overall with its final score of 77 compared to the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster's 76 score, although not by a lot.
The EVH Wolfgang USA wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster has the upper hand when it comes to playability.
If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the EVH Wolfgang USA.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster is the better choice.
The Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the EVH Wolfgang USA meets only 3. 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
EVH Wolfgang USA- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
New Player Friendliness
Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- 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.
EVH Wolfgang USA Overview
- From EVH's 2012 Wolfgang USA series
- Made in United States
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
- 5A Flame Maple Top top
- Basswood body
- Quartersawn Maple neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Direct Mount EVH Wolfgang USA Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Direct Mount EVH Wolfgang USA 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 Vintage Stainless Steel frets
- EVH-Branded Gotoh tuners
- Compare Specs >
Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster Overview
- From Jackson's 2020 Artist Signature series
- Rob Caggiano Signature
- Made in United States
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
- 1/8 Quilt Maple Top top
- Alder body
- Quartersawn Maple neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: DiMarzio Rob Caggiano Signature (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: DiMarzio Air Norton (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 5-way Switch
- TonePros TOM-Style Adjustable with Anchored Locking Tailpiece bridge
- Speed Bolt-On neck
- 24 Jumbo frets
- Sperzel Die-Cast 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 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 EVH Wolfgang USA
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 Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster
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.
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 EVH Wolfgang USA has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.
We found the same or similar pickups to the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster'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: EVH Wolfgang USA.
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 Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster gives you 5 switch options while the EVH Wolfgang USA gives you 3. This means that the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster 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.
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 USA.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Wolfgang USA compares to the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.
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: 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 Wolfgang USA has 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.
On the other hand, the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster comes with 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.
Winner: EVH Wolfgang USA.
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 EVH Wolfgang USA 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: EVH Wolfgang USA.
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 Wolfgang USA's brige 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.
On the other hand, the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster's 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.
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 USA.
Tuners
The Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster 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 EVH Wolfgang USA has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.
Winner: Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster.
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:
EVH Wolfgang USA
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Retainer Bar
- No Locking Tuners
- 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
Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster
- Locking Tuners
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster 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 Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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
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.
In this case, both have different neck shapes:
The EVH Wolfgang USA has a C type of 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.
The Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster, on the other hand, has a D neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.
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 Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster favors large hands more than the EVH Wolfgang USA. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.
EVH Wolfgang USA:
Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster:
Fret Size
The Jackson USA Signature Rob Caggiano Shadowcaster has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the EVH Wolfgang USA's Vintage 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.