Swap
Swap
Cort X300
Harley Benton Amarok-BT
VS
Playability
70
Sound
77
Build
57
Value
78
Score
68
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
82
Sound
76
Build
76
Value
83
Score
78
FIND IT ON:
Thomann logo
Add more to comparison

Cort X300 vs Harley Benton Amarok-BT

Reasons to Get
Cort X300 over Harley Benton Amarok-BT

Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
D vs Harley Benton Slim Modern C
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Amarok-BT over Cort X300

Decorative Top
Flamed maple veneer vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Harley Benton Slim Modern C vs D
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
83 vs 78
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Cort X300 vs Harley Benton Amarok-BT

Body Wood
Basswood vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Cort X300 vs Harley Benton Amarok-BT

Bridge Pickup
EMG Retro Active Hot 70
Same Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
EMG Retro Active Hot 70
Same Neck Pickup
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Active
More output

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Harley Benton Amarok-BT Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the Cort X300's 68 score, which is a significant difference.

The Harley Benton Amarok-BT wins when it comes to playability, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Cort X300 has the upper hand when it comes to sound.

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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT is the better choice.

The Harley Benton Amarok-BT meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Cort X300 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

Cort X300
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton Amarok-BT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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.

Cort X300 Overview

  • From Cort's 2019 X series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Hard Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • FloydRose Special Tremolo bridge
  • D Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium frets
  • Die-Cast tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton Amarok-BT Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2020 Progressive series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed maple veneer top
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple, Mahogany, Maple, Mahogany, Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • WSC HPS-6 Custom hardtail bridge
  • Harley Benton Slim Modern C Neck-Through neck
  • 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover Locking 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 the Cort X300

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

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.

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.

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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

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: Harley Benton Amarok-BT.

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.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Cort X300's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Harley Benton Amarok-BT's online:

Both use Active pickups. These pickups use an additional 9v battery to be able to increase their output for high gain tones. This is why they're popular among heavy metal guitarists. Their disadvantage is that you need batteries for the pickups, so you'll need to spend money on batteries and time swapping them. Also, the clean tones aren't as clean as other pickups because they'll have really hot output.

Winner: Tie.

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:

Cort X300 and Harley Benton Amarok-BT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Cort X300 and Harley Benton Amarok-BT'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: Cort X300.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Cort X300
Pickups 85
Sustain 75
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 77
Harley Benton Amarok-BT
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 49
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 76

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 Cort X300 compares to the Harley Benton Amarok-BT.

Country of Origin

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

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.

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 Cort X300 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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT comes with 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.

Winner: Tie.

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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT 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: Harley Benton Amarok-BT.

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 Cort X300'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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT'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: Cort X300.

Tuners

The Harley Benton Amarok-BT 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 Cort X300 has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Harley Benton Amarok-BT.

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 Cort X300 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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT comes with Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

Winner: Harley Benton Amarok-BT.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Cort X300
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton Amarok-BT
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Cort X300
Quality of materials 41
Features 65
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 57
Harley Benton Amarok-BT
Quality of materials 83
Features 75
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 76

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

Cort X300 Nut Width
Cort X300 Nut Width
Harley Benton Amarok-BT Nut Width
Harley Benton Amarok-BT Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Cort X300 has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.9mm (0.034'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Cort X300, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Cort X300's Scale Length
Cort X300's Scale Length
Harley Benton Amarok-BT's Scale Length
Harley Benton Amarok-BT'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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT has the longest scale: 27". The Cort X300 is only 25.5" long. This is a 1.5'' (38.1mm) 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

Cort X300 Neck Profile
Cort X300's neck profile
Harley Benton Amarok-BT Neck Profile
Harley Benton Amarok-BT'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 Cort X300 has a D type of 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.

The Harley Benton Amarok-BT, on the other hand, has a C 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

Cort X300 Fingerboard Radius
Cort X300's Fingerboard radius
Harley Benton Amarok-BT Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton Amarok-BT'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 Harley Benton Amarok-BT's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Cort X300'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 Cort X300.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

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 favor small hands .

Cort X300:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton Amarok-BT:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Cort X300 Frets Size
Cort X300's Frets Size
Harley Benton Amarok-BT Frets Size
Harley Benton Amarok-BT's Frets Size

The Harley Benton Amarok-BT has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Cort X300's Medium 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

Cort X300
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70
Harley Benton Amarok-BT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 100
Playability 82

Specs Side-by-Side

Cort X300 vs Harley Benton Amarok-BT
General Cort X300 Harley Benton Amarok-BT
Brand: Cort Harley Benton
Year: 2019 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: X Progressive
Colors: Blue, Purple Black, Blue, Green, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Basswood Mahogany
Bridge: FloydRose Special Tremolo WSC HPS-6 Custom hardtail
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Neck-Through
Tuners: Die-Cast Grover Locking Machine Heads
Fretboard: Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Hard Maple Maple, Mahogany, Maple, Mahogany, Maple
Decoration: White Dots White offset pearloid dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 27"
Shape: D Harley Benton Slim Modern C
Frets: 24 Medium Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 14"
Nut: Locking Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active) EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active) EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1