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Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
ESP Eclipse Custom
VS
Playability
78
Sound
82
Build
72
Value
67
Score
77
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Playability
80
Sound
78
Build
72
Value
62
Score
77
FIND IT ON:
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Show Full Spec Comparison
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black vs ESP Eclipse Custom Specs Comparison
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black ESP Eclipse Custom
General
Brand: Strandberg ESP
Year: 2023 2017
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Japan
Series: Sälen Eclipse
Colors: Black, Red, Natural Purple, Blue Patterns, Purple Patterns, Gray Patterns Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Chambered Mahogany Mahogany w/ Maple Cap
Bridge: Strandberg EGS Series 7 fixed & string locks Tonepros Locking TOM & Gotoh Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: At bridge Gotoh Locking
Fretboard: Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany Honduras Mahogany
Decoration: Illuminlay dots Flags
Scale Size: 25.5" to 25" 24.75"
Shape: EndurNeck Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 20" 12"
Nut: Locking Graphite
Nut Width: 36mm (1.417'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Strandberg Classic Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) EMG JH James Hetfield (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Strandberg Classic Neck (Humbucker / Passive) EMG JH James Hetfield (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Series Split None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No Yes
Hardware Color: Black Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
ESP Eclipse Custom pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP Eclipse Custom's switch options

Reasons to Get
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black over ESP Eclipse Custom

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2023 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
25.5" to 25" vs 24.75"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
EndurNeck vs Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Locking vs Graphite
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickup Mods
Series Split vs None
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
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
1.2'' (30.5mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
1.1'' (27.9mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.417'' (36mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Fretboard Radius
20'' (508mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
67 vs 62
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP Eclipse Custom over Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
24.75" vs 25.5" to 25"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
Thin U vs EndurNeck
Comfortable neck with more grip
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 1.2'' (30.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 1.1'' (27.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.417'' (36mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 20'' (508mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output

Other Key Differences
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black vs ESP Eclipse Custom

Bridge Pickup
Strandberg Classic Bridge vs EMG JH James Hetfield
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Strandberg Classic Neck vs EMG JH James Hetfield
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
Headless vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Graphite
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black vs ESP Eclipse Custom

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

ESP Eclipse Custom Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP Eclipse Custom:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The ESP Eclipse Custom meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black meets only 5. 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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

ESP Eclipse Custom
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

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

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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 ESP Eclipse Custom

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

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 ESP Eclipse Custom 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 ESP Eclipse Custom's online:

The Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's pickups are Passive while the ESP Eclipse Custom's are Active.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: ESP Eclipse Custom.

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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black gives you 5 switch options while the ESP Eclipse Custom gives you 3. This means that the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
Pickups 85
Sustain 75
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82
ESP Eclipse Custom
Pickups 100
Sustain 85
Versatility 46
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 78

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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black compares to the ESP Eclipse Custom.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black is built in Indonesia while the ESP Eclipse Custom is made in Japan.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

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: ESP Eclipse Custom

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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black 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 ESP Eclipse Custom comes with a Graphite nut. It's a self-lubricating material that will allow the strings to slide over the nut without a lot of friction. It's a good type of nut if you want to have better tuning stability than with plastic, although it's not as resistant as Bone or Tusq.

Winner: Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black 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: Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

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: 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

The ESP Eclipse Custom 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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: ESP Eclipse Custom.

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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black 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 ESP Eclipse Custom 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: Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Series Split Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP Eclipse Custom
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • 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 Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Final Build Quality Scores

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
Quality of materials 61
Features 70
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 72
ESP Eclipse Custom
Quality of materials 51
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 72

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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Nut Width
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Nut Width
ESP Eclipse Custom Nut Width
ESP Eclipse Custom Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP Eclipse Custom has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 36mm (1.417''). This is a 6mm (0.237'') difference

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

Scale Length

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's Scale Length
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's Scale Length
ESP Eclipse Custom's Scale Length
ESP Eclipse Custom'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.

In this case, the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black features a multi-scale of 25.5" to 25" while the ESP Eclipse Custom has a regular scale of 24.75".

A multi-scale fingerboard incorporates two scale lengths at the same time. This is present in some instruments with long scale to give a different tension to the lower strings than the higher strings. The thickest strings need more tension to avoid fret buzz (especially when tuned low), so the scale is longer for these strings, while the thinnest strings will need less tension (because they have a lower gauge), so they have a shorter scale to reduce stiffness for bends.

It can feel awkward if you've never played a multi-scale because the frets will have more separation for the higher strings, but a lot of people love their versatility.

On the other hand, the ESP Eclipse Custom's 24.75" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Neck Profile
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's neck profile
ESP Eclipse Custom Neck Profile
ESP Eclipse Custom'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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black 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 ESP Eclipse Custom, on the other hand, has a U 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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Fingerboard Radius
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's Fingerboard radius
ESP Eclipse Custom Fingerboard Radius
ESP Eclipse Custom'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 ESP Eclipse Custom's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

Fret Size

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Frets Size
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's Frets Size
ESP Eclipse Custom Frets Size
ESP Eclipse Custom's Frets Size

The ESP Eclipse Custom has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black'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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78
ESP Eclipse Custom
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 80