Show Full Spec Comparison
| Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature | Guitar MAX Fusion Signature | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Harley Benton | Harley Benton |
| Year: | 2024 | 2023 |
| Configuration: | HH | HH |
| Strings: | 6 | 6 |
| Made in: | Indonesia | Indonesia |
| Series: | Pro | Signature |
| Colors: | Black, Green | Green |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | Nyatoh | Nyatoh |
| Bridge: | Wsc Tune-O-Matic | Floyd Rose |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Set | Bolt-On |
| Tuners: | Jinho HB JN-03L locking machine heads | Gold-plated Jinho J03 Mini Rotomatic style |
| Fretboard: | Macassar | Roasted Maple |
| Neck Material: | Maple | Roasted Maple |
| Decoration: | ||
| Scale Size: | 25" | 25.5" |
| Shape: | Smooth U | Harley Benton Modern C |
| Frets: | 22 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel | 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel |
| Fretboard Radius: | 12" | 12" |
| Nut: | Ivory Tusq | Locking |
| Nut Width: | 43mm (1.693'') | 42mm (1.654'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Roswell "Seraphim" Custom Wound Alnico V (Humbucker / Passive) | Tesla Plasma-X1 (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | ||
| Neck Pickup: | Alnico Ceramic Flanker (Humbucker / Passive) | Tesla Plasma-RS2 (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Switch: | 3 Way | 3 Way |
| Knobs: | Speed | Dome |
| Pickup Mods: | Coil Split | Coil Split |
| Volume Controls: | 2 | 1 |
| Tone Controls: | 2 | 1 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | No |
| Hardware Color: | Black | Gold |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature over Guitar MAX Fusion Signature
Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature over Agufish STD Signature
Other Key Differences
Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature vs Guitar MAX Fusion Signature
Shared Features
Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature vs Guitar MAX Fusion Signature
Common Strengths
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- High-Quality Nut
- High-Quality Frets
- Top Pickup Brand
Common Weaknesses
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Strap Lock
- Expensive Wood
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
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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 STD Signature favors large hands more than the Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature.
Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature:
Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature:
Beginner Friendliness
The Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature meets only 4. 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 STD Signature- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
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
Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.
Woods Used in the Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature
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.
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.
Woods Used in the Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature
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.
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
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 Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature 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: Harley Benton Agufish STD 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.
Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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 Guitar MAX Fusion Signature.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 STD Signature compares to the Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.
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.
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 STD 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 Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature comes with a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.
Winner: Tie.
Fret Material
Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.
Both in this comparison come with 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: 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.
The Harley Benton Agufish STD 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 Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature's is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.
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: Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature.
Tuners
The Harley Benton Agufish STD 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.
Nevertheless, the Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.
Winner: Harley Benton Agufish STD 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 STD 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 Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature 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: Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Weight Relief
- Luminescent Inlay
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton Agufish STD 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 STD 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
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 Guitar MAX Fusion Signature has the longest scale: 25.5". The Harley Benton Agufish STD 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
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 STD 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 Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature, 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
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.
Both the Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature and the Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.
Fret Size
The Harley Benton Agufish STD Signature has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion Signature's 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.
