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Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
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Playability
75
Sound
80
Build
75
Value
82
Score
77
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Playability
68
Sound
65
Build
54
Value
72
Score
62
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Show Full Spec Comparison
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature vs Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Specs Comparison
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
General
Brand: Harley Benton Fender Squier
Year: 2024 2019
Configuration: HH SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia China
Series: Signature Affinity Series
Colors: Purple White, Black, Green, Orange, Red, Yellow, Gray, 2-Color Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Poplar
Bridge: Wsc Tune-O-Matic 6-Saddle Hardtail with Cast Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Jinho HB JN-03L locking machine heads Standard Die-Cast
Fretboard: Macassar Maple
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Maple
Decoration: None Black 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" 9.5"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Roswell "Seraphim" (Humbucker / Passive) Standard Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Alnico Ceramic Flanker (Humbucker / Passive) Standard Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1
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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature over Squier Affinity Series Telecaster

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
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 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 Modern C
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickups Brand
Roswell vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs SS
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
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
82 vs 72
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster 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
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature vs Squier Affinity Series Telecaster

Bridge Pickup
Roswell "Seraphim" vs Standard Single-Coil Tele
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Alnico Ceramic Flanker vs Standard Single-Coil Tele
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume vs Poplar
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 Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature vs Squier Affinity Series Telecaster

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
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

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Prices

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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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster.

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature 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
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

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.

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature has an HH configuration while the Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster has SS 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, 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.

Pickups Quality

The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal and similar genres.

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: Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Only the 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: Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 80
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
Pickups 70
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
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 Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature compares to the Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster.

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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster is made in China.

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.

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: Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature

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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster 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.

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

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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster 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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster.

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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature
Quality of materials 75
Features 80
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 75
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
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

Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Nut Width
Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature Nut Width
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Nut Width
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster 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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster's Scale Length
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster'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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster 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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster'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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster, 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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster'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 Affinity Series Telecaster'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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Frets Size
Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster's Frets Size

The Harley Benton Agufish Custom Signature has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Squier Affinity Series Telecaster'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 Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 68