GW2 vs. GW2TP-SE: What’s the Difference?
When choosing a headless electric guitar, you may come across specifications like roasted wood, multi-piece necks, compound radius, stainless steel frets, and different pickup types.
But what do these specifications actually mean?
And more importantly, how do they affect your playing experience?
Let's take a closer look at the differences between the EART GW2 and GW2TP-SE.
Different Body Materials, Different Character
The body is one of the most visible parts of a guitar, but it also plays an important role in its overall character.
The EART GW2 features a roasted burl-topped body, giving the guitar a distinctive, premium appearance. The natural grain of the burl top also makes each instrument visually unique.
The GW2TP-SE uses a roasted Mahogany body and a more T-style-inspired body design.
In simple terms:
GW2: Modern, premium and performance-focused.
GW2TP-SE: Familiar, distinctive and T-style inspired.
What Is a Roasted Neck?
Both guitars use roasted wood in their construction.
Roasting is a controlled heat-treatment process that reduces moisture in the wood and can help improve dimensional stability.
This is particularly useful for guitar necks, which are constantly affected by string tension, temperature and humidity.
The GW2TP-SE uses a roasted Canadian Maple neck.
The GW2 goes a step further with a 5-piece Roasted Maple & Padauk neck.
A multi-piece neck combines different pieces of wood into one structure, providing a distinctive construction that is well suited to modern electric guitars.
Why Does a Compound Radius Matter?
Both models use a 9.5"–14" compound radius.
But what does that mean?
Instead of having exactly the same curvature across the entire fingerboard, the radius gradually changes.
The lower frets have a rounder feel, which works well for chords and rhythm playing.
As you move toward the higher frets, the fingerboard becomes flatter, making bending and lead playing more comfortable.
So a compound radius is designed to give you:
Comfortable chords + smoother lead playing.
Why Stainless Steel Frets?
Both the GW2 and GW2TP-SE feature 24 stainless steel frets.
Stainless steel is highly resistant to wear, making it a practical choice for players who practice frequently, perform regularly, or use a lot of bending and vibrato.
The 24-fret layout also provides an extended playing range for modern lead guitar and soloing.
The Pickups Are Different
One of the biggest differences between the two guitars is the pickup system.
GW2: Classic 57 Alnico V
The GW2 uses EART Classic 57 Alnico V pickups.
This configuration is designed around a familiar and dynamic electric guitar character, making it suitable for styles such as:
- Rock
- Blues
- Classic Rock
- Pop
- Fusion
- Lead playing
GW2TP-SE: Artones-TSE
The GW2TP-SE uses EART Custom Artones-TSE pickups.
These pickups give the GW2TP-SE its own tonal character and make it a different option rather than simply a lower-spec version of the GW2.
Different pickups don't necessarily mean better or worse—they simply offer different tonal choices.
What Do They Have in Common?
Despite their differences, both guitars share several important features:
- 25.5" / 648mm scale length
- 24 stainless steel frets
- 9.5"–14" compound radius
- 42mm oiled bone nut
- U-C hybrid neck profile
- Headless bridge system
These shared specifications give both models a familiar foundation for modern electric guitar playing.
GW2 or GW2TP-SE?
So which one should you choose?
Choose GW2 if you want:
Premium construction and a modern aesthetic.
The roasted burl-topped body, 5-piece Roasted Maple & Padauk neck and Classic 57 Alnico V pickups make the GW2 a strong choice for players looking for a more premium headless guitar.
Choose GW2TP-SE if you want:
A different visual style and strong versatility.
The roasted Mahogany body, roasted Canadian Maple neck and Artones-TSE pickups offer a distinctive alternative for players who like the T-style-inspired design.
The Bottom Line
The GW2 and GW2TP-SE are not simply better-versus-worse versions of the same guitar.
They share the same core headless philosophy, but take different approaches to body construction, neck design, pickups and aesthetics.
Understanding these differences helps you choose a guitar based on what actually matters to you—not just the numbers on a specification sheet.
GW2 is built around premium modern headless performance.
GW2TP-SE combines headless innovation with a more familiar T-style-inspired character.
Different designs. Different voices. One goal: helping you play the music you love.