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Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado
Harley Benton BS-20
VS
Playability
77
Sound
68
Build
54
Value
76
Score
66
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Playability
72
Sound
62
Build
49
Value
76
Score
61
FIND IT ON:
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Squier Paranormal Toronado vs Harley Benton BS-20

Reasons to Get
Squier Paranormal Toronado over Harley Benton BS-20

Release Year
2021 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.84'' (21.3mm) vs 0.898'' (22.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm) vs 0.931'' (23.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton BS-20 over Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.898'' (22.8mm) vs 0.84'' (21.3mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.931'' (23.6mm) vs 0.89'' (22.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Squier Paranormal Toronado vs Harley Benton BS-20

Bridge Pickup
Atomic Humbucking vs HB Humbucker
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Atomic Humbucking vs HB Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Poplar vs Basswood
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Roseacer
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Squier Paranormal Toronado vs Harley Benton BS-20

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado Prices

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Harley Benton BS-20 Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado is probably the better product overall with its final score of 66 compared to the Harley Benton BS-20's 61 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Harley Benton BS-20 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 Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado is the better choice.

The Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton BS-20 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

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton BS-20
  • 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.

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado Overview

  • From Fender Squier's 2021 Paranormal series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Maple neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Narrow Tall frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.2lbs (3.3kgs) and 7.5lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton BS-20 Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2019 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 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 Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Woods Used in the Harley Benton BS-20

Roseacer wood pattern used for guitar building
Roseacer
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

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 Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Harley Benton BS-20. 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 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: Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado.

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:

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado and Harley Benton BS-20 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado and Harley Benton BS-20'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 BS-20.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado
Pickups 60
Sustain 85
Versatility 58
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 68
Harley Benton BS-20
Pickups 55
Sustain 70
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 62

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 Squier Paranormal Toronado compares to the Harley Benton BS-20.

Country of Origin

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

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: 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 Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado has a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton BS-20 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: Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado.

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 Squier Paranormal Toronado's are Vintage-Style while the Harley Benton BS-20's are Diecast Machine Heads

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 Squier Paranormal Toronado
  • Synthetic Bone 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton BS-20
  • 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

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54
Harley Benton BS-20
Quality of materials 41
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 49

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 Squier Paranormal Toronado Nut Width
Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado Nut Width
Harley Benton BS-20 Nut Width
Harley Benton BS-20 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton BS-20 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 1.1mm (0.043'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Harley Benton BS-20, 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 Squier Paranormal Toronado's Scale Length
Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado's Scale Length
Harley Benton BS-20's Scale Length
Harley Benton BS-20'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 BS-20 has the longest scale: 25.5". The Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) 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

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado Neck Profile
Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado's neck profile
Harley Benton BS-20 Neck Profile
Harley Benton BS-20'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 Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado and the Harley Benton BS-20 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

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado Fingerboard Radius
Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado's Fingerboard radius
Harley Benton BS-20 Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton BS-20'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 Squier Paranormal Toronado's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Harley Benton BS-20'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 BS-20.

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 are balanced for most hand sizes.

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton BS-20:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado Frets Size
Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado's Frets Size
Harley Benton BS-20 Frets Size
Harley Benton BS-20's Frets Size

The Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Harley Benton BS-20'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.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77
Harley Benton BS-20
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Squier Paranormal Toronado vs Harley Benton BS-20
General Squier Paranormal Toronado Harley Benton BS-20
Brand: Fender Squier Harley Benton
Year: 2021 2019
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: Paranormal Rock
Colors: Sunburst, Green Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Basswood
Bridge: 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail Harley Benton
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Diecast Machine Heads
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Roseacer
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Dot Dot Fretboard Inlays
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: C Shape Harley Benton C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.898'' (22.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.931'' (23.6mm)
Frets: 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 13.78"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Plastic
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) HB Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) HB Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1