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Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret
VS
Playability
72
Sound
72
Build
64
Value
69
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
75
Sound
65
Build
54
Value
75
Score
65
FIND IT ON:
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Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster vs Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret

Reasons to Get
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster over Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret

Country of Manufacturing
Mexico vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Scale Length
25.5" vs 27" to 25.5"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
'60s C vs Harley Benton Speed D
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
Fender vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Heavy Relic vs Poly
Looks like an old and heavily beaten up instrument
Fretboard Radius
7.25'' (184.2mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret over Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster

Release Year
2023 vs 2022
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Scale Length
27" to 25.5" vs 25.5"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
Harley Benton Speed D vs '60s C
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Heavy Relic
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 7.25'' (184.2mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
75 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster vs Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele vs Hi-Gain Humbucker
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele vs Hi-Gain Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Basswood
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 4-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs NuBone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster vs Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret

Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Vintage vs Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • 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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Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster is probably the better product overall with its final score of 69 compared to the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret's 65 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted 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.

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2022 Artist series
  • Joe Strummer Signature
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 7.25" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Slab Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body Tele bridge
  • '60s C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Vintage frets
  • Fender Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.3lbs (3.3kgs) and 7.55lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2023 Progressive series
  • Made in China
  • 7 strings
  • 27" to 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Roasted Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Hi-Gain Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Hi-Gain Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Fixed bridge
  • Harley Benton Speed D Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • deluxe die-cast 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 Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster

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

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.

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-457FFB Roasted FanFret

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

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

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: Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster has an SS configuration while the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret has HH pickups.

SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

On the other hand, 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 Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted 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 Country 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: Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster.

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.

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's switch options
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret'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 R-457FFB Roasted FanFret.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret
Pickups 55
Sustain 75
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 65

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 Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster compares to the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster is built in Mexico while the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret 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: Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster

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 Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted 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.

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

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's are Fender Vintage-Style while the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret's are deluxe die-cast

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:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted 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

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
Quality of materials 66
Features 50
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 64
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret
Quality of materials 51
Features 55
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54

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

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Nut Width
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Nut Width
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret Nut Width
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 6.1mm (0.24'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted 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

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Scale Length
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Scale Length
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret's Scale Length
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret'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.

In this case, the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret features a multi-scale of 27" to 25.5" while the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster has a regular scale of 25.5".

A multi-scale fingerboard incorporates 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.

On the other hand, the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's 25.5" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.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

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's neck profile
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret Neck Profile
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret'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 Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster has a C type of 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.

The Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret, on the other hand, has a D 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

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Fingerboard radius
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret'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 Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret'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 Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret.

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-457FFB Roasted FanFret favors large hands more than the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster.

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Frets Size
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Frets Size
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret Frets Size
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret's Frets Size

The Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Vintage 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

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 72
Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster vs Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret
General Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Harley Benton R-457FFB Roasted FanFret
Brand: Fender Harley Benton
Year: 2022 2023
Configuration: SS HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: Mexico China
Series: Artist Progressive
Colors: Black Green
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Basswood
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body Tele Fixed
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Fender Vintage-Style deluxe die-cast
Fretboard: Slab Rosewood Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: White Pearloid Dot offset dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 27" to 25.5"
Shape: '60s C Harley Benton Speed D
Frets: 21 Vintage Nickel Silver 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 7.25" 13.78"
Nut: Bone NuBone
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil / Passive) Hi-Gain Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil / Passive) Hi-Gain Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1