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Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
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Playability
75
Sound
80
Build
75
Value
82
Score
77
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Playability
70
Sound
74
Build
62
Value
74
Score
69
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Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature vs Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Specs Comparison
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
General
Brand: Harley Benton Fender
Year: 2024 2018
Configuration: HH SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Mexico
Series: Signature Artist
Colors: Purple White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Alder
Bridge: Wsc Tune-O-Matic 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo Set Flat to Body
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Jinho HB JN-03L locking machine heads Fender Vintage F Stamped
Fretboard: Macassar Rosewood
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Maple
Decoration: None White Dot
Scale Size: 25" 25.5"
Shape: Smooth U Modern C
Frets: 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 7.25"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Roswell "Seraphim" (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Alnico Ceramic Flanker (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Speed Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
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 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature's switch options
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature over Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Decorative Top
AAA 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 2018
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 Modern C
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs SSS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
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
25'' (635mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 7.25'' (184.2mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
82 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster over Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Modern C vs Smooth U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
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
1.654'' (42mm) 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 25'' (635mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
7.25'' (184.2mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature vs Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Roswell "Seraphim" vs Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Alnico Ceramic Flanker vs Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Macassar vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature vs Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster

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

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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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 favors large hands more than the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster.

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 5 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

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

New Player Friendliness

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

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

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 Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster

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.

Winner: Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster.

Pickup Configuration

The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature has an HH configuration while the Fender Albert Hammond Jr 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 Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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

Only the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature 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: Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 80
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74

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 compares to the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature is built in Indonesia while the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster is made in Mexico.

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.

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.

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 Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature 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 Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster comes with 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.

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 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.

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'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 Albert Hammond Jr 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

The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature 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 Agufish Custom Signature.

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 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 Albert Hammond Jr 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 Albert Hammond Jr 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
  • 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 Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature
Quality of materials 75
Features 80
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 75
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
Quality of materials 61
Features 55
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 62

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 Nut Width
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Nut Width
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature, 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's Scale Length
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature's Scale Length
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's Scale Length
Fender Albert Hammond Jr 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 Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster has the longest scale: 25.5". The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature is only 25" long. This is a 0.5'' (12.7mm) 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 Neck Profile
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature's neck profile
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender Albert Hammond Jr 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 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 Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster, on the other hand, has a C 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

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature's Fingerboard radius
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster'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 Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature'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 Agufish Custom Signature.

Fret Size

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Frets Size
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature's Frets Size
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's Frets Size

The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Albert Hammond Jr 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
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 75
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70