Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M vs Harley Benton MB-20 BK
Reasons to Get
Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M over Harley Benton MB-20 BK
Reasons to Get
Harley Benton MB-20 BK over Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M
Other Key Differences
Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M vs Harley Benton MB-20 BK
Shared Features
Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M vs Harley Benton MB-20 BK
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Strap Lock
- Expensive Wood
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Table of Contents
Price History Comparison
These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.
Which One is Better Overall?
After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M is probably the better product overall with its final score of 72 compared to the Harley Benton MB-20 BK's 61 score, which is a significant difference.
The Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Harley Benton MB-20 BK has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.
If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M is the better choice.
The Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton MB-20 BK 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
Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Harley Benton MB-20 BK- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
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.
Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M Overview
- From Charvel's 2022 Artist Signature series
- Sean Long Signature
- Made in Mexico
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
- Alder body
- Maple neck
- Maple fretboard
- Bridge pickup: EMG 57 (Humbucker/Active)
- Neck pickup: EMG 66 (Humbucker/Active)
- 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Charvel HT6 String-Through-Body Hardtail bridge
- Charvel Speed Bolt-On neck
- 22 Jumbo frets
- Charvel-Branded Die-Cast Locking tuners
- Weight between 7.5lbs (3.4kgs) and 8.35lbs (3.8kgs)
- Compare Specs >
Harley Benton MB-20 BK Overview
- From Harley Benton's 2018 Rock series
- Made in China
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 13.78" Fretboard Radius
- Basswood body
- Maple neck
- Roseacer fretboard
- Bridge pickup: HB Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: HB Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Harley Benton bridge
- Harley Benton C Bolt-On neck
- 24 Medium Jumbo frets
- Diecast Machine Heads 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.
Woods Used in the Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M
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.
Woods Used in the Harley Benton MB-20 BK
It's also known as roasted maple, which is regular maple that has been treated with heat to remove humidity. It makes it more resistant to temperature changes and also darkens its color.
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: 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
The Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Harley Benton MB-20 BK. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal and similar genres.
You can purchase similar pickups to the Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M's and use them on any guitar:
The Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M's pickups are Active while the Harley Benton MB-20 BK's are Passive.
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: Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M.
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:
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Harley Benton MB-20 BK.
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 Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M compares to the Harley Benton MB-20 BK.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M is built in Mexico while the Harley Benton MB-20 BK is made in China.
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.
China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.
Winner: Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M
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 Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.
On the other hand, the Harley Benton MB-20 BK 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: Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M.
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.
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 Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M 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.
Winner: Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M.
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:
Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M
- Locking Tuners
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in Mexico
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Harley Benton MB-20 BK
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Expensive Woods
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- 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
- No Strap Lock
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 Harley Benton MB-20 BK has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Harley Benton MB-20 BK, 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.
Both the Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M and the Harley Benton MB-20 BK 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
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 Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M 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.
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Harley Benton MB-20 BK favors large hands more than the Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M.
Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M:
Harley Benton MB-20 BK:
Fret Size
The Charvel Sean Long Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT M has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Harley Benton MB-20 BK'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.
