Swap
Swap
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
VS
Playability
72
Sound
80
Build
75
Value
81
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Thomann logoSweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Playability
70
Sound
79
Build
74
Value
69
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Add to Compare
Add to Compare
Add more to comparison
The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster was discontinued. It was replaced by the American Ultra II Stratocaster. Check out our comparison.
Show Full Spec Comparison
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT vs Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Specs Comparison
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
General
Brand: Harley Benton Fender
Year: 2024 2019
Configuration: HH SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: Signature American Ultra
Colors: Purple White, Sunburst, Black, Blue, Brown Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Alder
Bridge: Wsc Tune-O-Matic 2-Point Deluxe Synchronized Tremolo with Pop-In Arm
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Jinho HB JN-03L locking machine heads Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking
Fretboard: Macassar Maple
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Maple
Decoration: None Black Pearloid Dots
Scale Size: 28.031" 25.5"
Shape: Smooth U Ultra Modern D
Frets: 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 10" to 14"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Bone
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Roswell "Seraphim" (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Alnico Ceramic Flanker (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Speed Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split S-1 Switch
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: Yes No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT's switch options
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT over Fender American Ultra Stratocaster

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Decorative Top
Ash vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2024 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Smooth U vs Ultra Modern D
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs S-1 Switch
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs SSS
High output without hum
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
28.031'' (712mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
81 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster over Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
10" to 14" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Ultra Modern D vs Smooth U
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs Coil Split
Modifies the pickups
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs HH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 28.031'' (712mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT vs Fender American Ultra Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Roswell "Seraphim" vs Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Alnico Ceramic Flanker vs Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Macassar vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT vs Fender American Ultra Stratocaster

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Fender American Ultra Stratocaster 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.

    Hand Size Comfortability

    And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT favors large hands more than the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster.

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands

    Beginner Friendliness

    The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT meets only 5. 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

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT
    • Comfortable shape
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Locking tuners
    • Tall frets
    • Comfortable neck
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Narrow nut
    • Short scale

    New Player Friendliness

    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
    • Comfortable shape
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Locking tuners
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Tall frets
    • Narrow nut
    • Comfortable neck
    • Short scale

    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 Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT

    Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
    Roasted Maple
    Macassar wood pattern used for guitar building
    Macassar
    Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
    Okoume

    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.

    It's prized in guitar building for its striking visual appeal and tonal properties. This exotic hardwood, native to Southeast Asia, displays a distinctive striped pattern with deep, contrasting bands of dark brown to black against lighter brown or golden hues. Known for its density and durability, Macassar Ebony is commonly used for fretboards, back and sides of acoustic guitars, and high-end electric guitar tops. Its density contributes to a brighter, more articulate tone with a quick response and clear note separation. The wood’s natural oils also give it a smooth, glass-like feel, making it a preferred choice for fretboards where a sleek, effortless playing experience is desired. Over time, Macassar Ebony ages gracefully, becoming smoother and richer in appearance, adding both aesthetic and tonal depth to the instrument.

    Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

    Woods Used in the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster

    Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
    Maple
    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.

    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: Tie.

    Pickup Configuration

    The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT has an HH configuration while the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster has SSS pickups.

    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.

    On the other hand, SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

    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.

    However, the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

    We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's online:

    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 American Ultra Stratocaster.

    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

    The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster gives you 5 switch options while the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT gives you 3. This means that the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

    Both give you different pickup mod options.

    The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT offers 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.

    On the other hand, the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster comes with the following: S-1 Switch.

    An S-1 switch can do a lot of different pickup combinations. It can split them, connect them in series, parallel, add more pickups to each position, and more. Check out the diagram to know how it affects this model.

    When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

    Winner: Fender American Ultra Stratocaster.

    Final Sound Quality Scores

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT
    Pickups 90
    Sustain 85
    Versatility 63
    Tuning Stability 80
    Sound 80
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
    Pickups 100
    Sustain 60
    Versatility 82
    Tuning Stability 75
    Sound 79

    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 Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT compares to the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster.

    Country of Origin

    The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT is built in Indonesia while the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is made in United States.

    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.

    The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

    Winner: Fender American Ultra Stratocaster

    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 Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT has 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.

    On the other hand, the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster comes with 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.

    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 Agufish Custom Signature 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 Agufish Custom Signature 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 Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT's brige 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.

    On the other hand, the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's is a 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

    They both have 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: 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.

    The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT 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 Fender American Ultra Stratocaster 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: Fender American Ultra Stratocaster.

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

    Strengths & Weaknesses
    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT
    • Stainless Steel Frets
    • Locking Tuners
    • Ivory Tusq Nut
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • Coil Split Pickups
    • Weight Relief
    • Luminescent Inlay
    • Strap Lock
    • Made in Indonesia
    • No Expensive Woods
    • No Neck-Through Build
    • No Tremolo
    • No Compound Radius Fretboard
    • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
    Strengths & Weaknesses
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
    • Locking Tuners
    • Made in United States
    • Bone Nut
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • S-1 Switch Pickups
    • Tremolo
    • Compound Radius Fretboard
    • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
    • No Expensive Woods
    • No Neck-Through Build
    • No Weight Relief
    • No Luminescent Inlay
    • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
    • No Strap Lock

    Final Build Quality Scores

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT
    Quality of materials 75
    Features 80
    Quality Control 70
    Build Quality 75
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
    Quality of materials 51
    Features 80
    Quality Control 90
    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

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT Nut Width
    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT Nut Width
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Nut Width
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Nut Width

    The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.8mm (1.685''). This is a 0.2mm (0.008'') difference

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

    Scale Length

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT's Scale Length
    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT's Scale Length
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's Scale Length
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster'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 Agufish Custom Signature BT has the longest scale: 28.031". The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is only 25.5" long. This is a 2.531'' (64.3mm) 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

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT Neck Profile
    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT's neck profile
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Neck Profile
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster'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 Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT has a U type of neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

    The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster, 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

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT Fingerboard Radius
    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT's Fingerboard radius
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Fretboard Compound Radius
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's Compound 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 Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

    Fret Size

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT Frets Size
    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT's Frets Size
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Frets Size
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's Frets Size

    The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster'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

    Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature BT
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
    Chord Playability 60
    Solo Playability 70
    Playability 72
    Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
    Chord Playability 80
    Solo Playability 70
    Playability 70