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D'Angelico Premier Mini DC
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
VS
Playability
70
Sound
62
Build
62
Value
70
Score
65
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Playability
70
Sound
77
Build
74
Value
84
Score
74
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D'Angelico Premier Mini DC vs Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone

Reasons to Get
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC over Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone

Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone over D'Angelico Premier Mini DC

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
Artec vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Plastic
Resistant, good tuning stability and rich tone
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Body Type
Solid Body vs Semi-Hollow
Feedback free
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
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
84 vs 70
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC vs Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Designed HB-101B Humbucker vs Artec AHC-90 Soapbar
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Designed HB-102N Humbucker vs Artec AHC-90 Soapbar
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Maple vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ovangkol vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC vs Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Frets

Common Weaknesses

  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • 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

Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the D'Angelico Premier Mini DC's 65 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the D'Angelico Premier Mini DC has the upper hand when it comes to.

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 MR-Modern Baritone is the better choice.

The Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the D'Angelico Premier Mini DC 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

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
  • 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.

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC Overview

  • From D'Angelico's 2021 Premier series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Ovangkol fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Designed HB-101B Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Designed HB-102N Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Chrome Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • C-Shape Set neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • Grover 109 Super Rotomatic tuners
  • Weight between 7lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.5lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2022 Vintage series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Wilkinson VS-50 II Precision Tremolo bridge
  • Harley Benton C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Stainless Steel frets
  • Kluson-style Wilkinson locking 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 wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

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 D'Angelico Premier Mini DC

Ovangkol wood pattern used for guitar building
Ovangkol

Ovangkol is a beautiful wood that's popular for acoustic guitars. Its tone sits somewhere between rosewood and mahogany, meaning it has a punchy low-end and nice mid-range. Find out more about Ovangkol.

Woods Used in the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

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.

Winner: Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone.

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 Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone pickups from a more specialized brand than the D'Angelico Premier Mini DC. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.

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: Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone.

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.

Only the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Tap.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil sound.

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC pickups switch and push knobs diagram
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC's switch options
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone'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: Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone.

Final Sound Quality Scores

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC
Pickups 60
Sustain 65
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 62
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 77

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 D'Angelico Premier Mini DC compares to the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone.

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 D'Angelico Premier Mini DC has 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.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone 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: Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone.

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 MR-Modern Baritone 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 MR-Modern Baritone.

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: 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.

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 Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone 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: Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone.

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 D'Angelico Premier Mini DC has a 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.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone comes with 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: Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC
Quality of materials 56
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 62
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
Quality of materials 86
Features 70
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 74

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

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC Nut Width
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC Nut Width
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Nut Width
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the D'Angelico Premier Mini DC 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 D'Angelico Premier Mini DC, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC's Scale Length
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC's Scale Length
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone's Scale Length
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone'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 MR-Modern Baritone has the longest scale: 27". The D'Angelico Premier Mini DC is only 25" long. This is a 2'' (50.8mm) 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

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC Neck Profile
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC's neck profile
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Neck Profile
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone'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.

Both the D'Angelico Premier Mini DC and the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone 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

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC Fingerboard Radius
D'Angelico Premier Mini DC's Fingerboard radius
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone'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 MR-Modern Baritone's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the D'Angelico Premier Mini DC'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 D'Angelico Premier Mini DC.

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 .

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC and Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

D'Angelico Premier Mini DC vs Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
General D'Angelico Premier Mini DC Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
Brand: D'Angelico Harley Benton
Year: 2021 2022
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Premier Vintage
Colors: Black Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Solid Body
Body Material: Laminated Maple Alder
Bridge: Chrome Tune-O-Matic Wilkinson VS-50 II Precision Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Grover 109 Super Rotomatic Kluson-style Wilkinson locking
Fretboard: Ovangkol Ebony
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: White Pearloid Block Dot
Scale Size: 25" 27"
Shape: C-Shape Harley Benton C
Frets: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 22 Medium Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 14" 12"
Nut: Plastic Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Designed HB-101B Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Designed HB-102N Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Tap
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1