Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler vs Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret
Reasons to Get
Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler over Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret
Reasons to Get
Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret over Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler
Other Key Differences
Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler vs Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret
Shared Features
Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler vs Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Table of Contents
Price History Comparison
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Which One is Better Overall?
After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret's 65 score, which is a significant difference.
The Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret 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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret is the better choice.
The Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler 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
Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
New Player Friendliness
Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- 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.
Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler Overview
- From Dean's 2021 Select series
- Made in South Korea
- 6 strings
- 27" to 25.5"'' scale
- 16" Fretboard Radius
- Burled Maple top
- Alder body
- 3 Piece Maple neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Sentient (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Nazgul (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Kahler Multiscale Trem bridge
- D Bolt-On neck
- 24 Jumbo frets
- Grover 18:1 tuners
- Compare Specs >
Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret Overview
- From Harley Benton's 2018 Progressive series
- Made in China
- 8 strings
- 27" to 25.5"'' scale
- 13.78" Fretboard Radius
- Basswood body
- Maple neck
- Purpleheart 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 Speed D Bolt-On neck
- 24 Medium Jumbo frets
- Machine heads: Deluxe diecast 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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler
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.
Woods Used in the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret
Purpleheart (also known as Amaranth) is a hard, dense wood with a brilliant tone. As its name suggests, the purple color makes this wood look exotic.
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: Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler.
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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret. 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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler's and use them on any guitar:
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: Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler.
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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split.
Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler.
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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler compares to the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler is built in South Korea while the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret is made in China.
South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.
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: Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler
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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler 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 R-458BK FanFret comes with a NuBone nut. It's made by the same company that makes TUSQ nuts. It's slightly softer but hard enough to give you a brighter sound when playing open strings. It's also self-lubricating, so it's good for tuning stability.
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.
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.
The Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler's brige is a Kahler. It's a floating tremolo very similar to Floyd Rose but less popular. The main difference is that you can lock it to the body, which essentially turns it into a fixed bridge. Some heavy metal players prefer this bridge over Floyd Rose because it won't move and get out of pitch when they palm mute.
On the other hand, the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret'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: Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler.
Tuners
Both come with regular tuners. The Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler's are Grover 18:1 while the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret's are Machine heads: Deluxe diecast
Winner: Tie.
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:
Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in South Korea
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret
- NuBone Nut
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Expensive Woods
- 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 R-458BK FanFret has the wider nut with 54mm (2.126'') vs 43mm (1.693''). This is a 11mm (0.433'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret, 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 27" to 25.5".
These are multi-scale fingerboards, which means that they incorporate 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.
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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler and the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret have a D-shaped 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.
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 Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler'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 Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler.
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.
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret favors large hands more than the Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler.
Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler:
Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret:
Fret Size
The Dean Exile Select Multiscale Kahler has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Harley Benton R-458BK FanFret'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.
