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Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature
VS
Playability
70
Sound
81
Build
72
Value
74
Score
74
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Playability
77
Sound
79
Build
64
Value
73
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S vs Shade Balderose Signature

Reasons to Get
Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S over Shade Balderose Signature

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Compound Radius
10" to 14" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Pickup Mods
Series Split vs Killswitch
Connects pickups in series to imitate a humbucker
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs HH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
74 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature over Pete Anderson Eastsider S

Pickup Mods
Killswitch vs Series Split
Cuts out the pickups instantly
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs SSS
High output without hum
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
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
Avg. Weight
7.45lbs (3.4kgs) vs 7.95lbs (3.6kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Other Key Differences
Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S vs Shade Balderose Signature

Bridge Pickup
Talnico Bridge vs Chisel Bridge
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Salnico Neck vs Hyper Vintage Neck
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Limba
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S vs Shade Balderose Signature

Body Wood
Limba
Same Body Wood
Nut Material
Boneite
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.85'' (21.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.9'' (22.9mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
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

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Reverend Shade Balderose Signature Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature's 73 score, although not by a lot.

The Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S is the better choice.

The Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature meets only 4. 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

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Reverend Shade Balderose Signature
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • 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.

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S Overview

  • From Reverend's 2021 Signature series
  • Pete Anderson Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" to 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Chambered Korina body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Talnico Bridge (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Salnico Middle (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Salnico Neck (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Wilkinson WVS50 IIK Tremolo bridge
  • Medium Oval Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Reverend Pin-Lock tuners
  • Weight between 7.9lbs (3.6kgs) and 8lbs (3.6kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Reverend Shade Balderose Signature Overview

  • From Reverend's 2021 Signature series
  • Shade Balderose Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Korina body
  • Three-Piece Korina neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Chisel Bridge (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Hyper Vintage Neck (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • TOM with Stop Tail bridge
  • Medium Oval Set neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Reverend Pin-Lock tuners
  • Weight around 7.45lbs (3.4kgs)
  • 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

Limba wood pattern used for guitar building
Limba

Limba is a relatively rare wood that shows exotic tight dark grain stripes. It comes in white or black. As a tonewood, it is comparable to Mahogany but with richer mids. Find out more about Limba.

Woods Used in the Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S

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

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.

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.

Woods Used in the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S has an SSS configuration while the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature has HH pickups.

SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

On the other hand, 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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S.

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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S gives you 5 switch options while the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature gives you 3. This means that the Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S offers Series Split.

The Series Split feature allows it to split and connect some of the pickups in series. When wired in series, the resulting tone is similar to a Humbucker's. The pickups will work together and produce a fuller tone with more output than single-coils, but less than Humbuckers.

On the other hand, the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature comes with the following: Killswitch.

A Killswitch lets you disengage the pickups instantly. It can be useful when playing live, and it allows you to create some cool sound effects by using the switch rapidly.

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S's switch options
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature'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: Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S
Pickups 100
Sustain 70
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 81
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 61
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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S compares to the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature.

Country of Origin

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

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

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 Boneite nuts. This is an artificial material made to imitate the favored type of nut: bone. This allows it to sound and feel pretty much like bone, but without the inconsistency of natural materials.

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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S's brige is a 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.

On the other hand, the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature'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: 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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S has 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.

On the other hand, the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature comes with 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.

Winner: Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Boneite Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Series Split Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Boneite Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Killswitch Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S
Quality of materials 56
Features 85
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 72
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature
Quality of materials 51
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 64

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

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 43mm (1.693'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S's Scale Length
Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S's Scale Length
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature's Scale Length
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature'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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S has the longest scale: 25.5". The Reverend Shade Balderose Signature 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

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S 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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S and the Reverend Shade Balderose Signature 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

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S Fretboard Compound Radius
Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S's Compound Fretboard Radius
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature Fingerboard Radius
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature'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 Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S 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 are balanced for most hand sizes.

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S and Reverend Shade Balderose Signature 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

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70
Reverend Shade Balderose Signature
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S vs Shade Balderose Signature
General Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S Shade Balderose Signature
Brand: Reverend Reverend
Year: 2021 2021
Configuration: SSS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Signature Signature
Colors: White, Black Satin, Brown Burst Satin, Blue Satin Green Satin
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Chambered Korina Korina
Bridge: Wilkinson WVS50 IIK Tremolo TOM with Stop Tail
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Reverend Pin-Lock Reverend Pin-Lock
Fretboard: Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Three-Piece Korina
Decoration: Dots Pearloid Blocks
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: Medium Oval Medium Oval
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" to 14" 12"
Nut: Boneite Boneite
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Talnico Bridge (Single Coil / Passive) Chisel Bridge (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Salnico Middle (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Salnico Neck (Single Coil / Passive) Hyper Vintage Neck (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Series Split Killswitch
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 2