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Harley Benton Amarok-6
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG
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Playability
82
Sound
76
Build
76
Value
83
Score
78
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Playability
77
Sound
72
Build
59
Value
79
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Harley Benton Amarok-6 vs SC-Custom Plus EMG

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Amarok-6 over SC-Custom Plus EMG

Decorative Top
Flamed maple veneer vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Plastic
Resistant, good tuning stability and rich tone
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Set
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.827'' (21mm) vs 0.807'' (20.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.906'' (23mm) vs 0.886'' (22.5mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
83 vs 79
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG over Amarok-6

Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.807'' (20.5mm) vs 0.827'' (21mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.886'' (22.5mm) vs 0.906'' (23mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton Amarok-6 vs SC-Custom Plus EMG

Body Wood
Mahogany vs Okoume
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Nyatoh
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Jatoba
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
R6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton Amarok-6 vs SC-Custom Plus EMG

Bridge Pickup
EMG Retro Active Hot 70
Same Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
EMG Retro Active Hot 70
Same Neck Pickup
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Active
More output
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton Amarok-6 Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Harley Benton Amarok-6 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton Amarok-6 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG in every aspect.

However, there's still a reason to choose the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG instead. If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 6 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 Amarok-6
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

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

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Harley Benton Amarok-6 Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2020 Progressive series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed maple veneer top
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple, Mahogany, Maple, Mahogany, Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • WSC HPS-6 Custom hardtail bridge
  • Harley Benton Slim Modern C Neck-Through neck
  • 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover Locking Machine Heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2021 Deluxe series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Okoume body
  • Nyatoh neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Harley Benton bridge
  • Harley Benton Modern C Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • WSC Schaller Style J07Lkf Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in the Harley Benton Amarok-6

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Woods Used in the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG

Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh
Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.

Jatoba is a hard and dense wood that emphasizes the mid-lows, giving a fuller, more round sound than, for example, Mahogany. However, it also has a lot of clarity in the top end. Find out more about Jatoba.

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.

Winner: Harley Benton Amarok-6.

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 SC-Custom Plus EMG has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Harley Benton Amarok-6's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's online:

Both use Active pickups. These pickups use an additional 9v battery to be able to increase their output for high gain tones. This is why they're popular among heavy metal guitarists. Their disadvantage is that you need batteries for the pickups, so you'll need to spend money on batteries and time swapping them. Also, the clean tones aren't as clean as other pickups because they'll have really hot output.

Winner: Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG.

Versatility Comparison

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

Switch Options

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

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

They both share the following switching options:

Harley Benton Amarok-6 and Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton Amarok-6 and Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's switch options

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

Winner: Harley Benton Amarok-6.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton Amarok-6
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 49
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 76
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 46
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 72

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 Amarok-6 compares to the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG.

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 Amarok-6 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 SC-Custom Plus EMG comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Winner: Harley Benton Amarok-6.

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 Amarok-6 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 Amarok-6.

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

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 Amarok-6 has a Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG comes with 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.

Winner: Harley Benton Amarok-6.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton Amarok-6
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG
  • Locking Tuners
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • 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 Amarok-6
Quality of materials 83
Features 75
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 76
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 59

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 Amarok-6 Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Harley Benton Amarok-6's Scale Length
Harley Benton Amarok-6's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG'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 Amarok-6 has the longest scale: 25.5". The Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Harley Benton Amarok-6 Neck Profile
Harley Benton Amarok-6's neck profile
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG Neck Profile
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Harley Benton Amarok-6 and the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Harley Benton Amarok-6 Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton Amarok-6's Fingerboard radius
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG'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 Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Harley Benton Amarok-6'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 Amarok-6.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Harley Benton Amarok-6 favors large hands more than the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Harley Benton Amarok-6:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Harley Benton Amarok-6 Frets Size
Harley Benton Amarok-6's Frets Size
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG Frets Size
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's Frets Size

The Harley Benton Amarok-6 has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG'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 Amarok-6
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 100
Playability 82
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Harley Benton Amarok-6 vs SC-Custom Plus EMG
General Harley Benton Amarok-6 SC-Custom Plus EMG
Brand: Harley Benton Harley Benton
Year: 2020 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Progressive Deluxe
Colors: Black, Blue, Green, Red Black, Blue, Orange, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Okoume
Bridge: WSC HPS-6 Custom hardtail Harley Benton
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Set
Tuners: Grover Locking Machine Heads WSC Schaller Style J07Lkf Locking
Fretboard: Ebony Jatoba
Neck Material: Maple, Mahogany, Maple, Mahogany, Maple Nyatoh
Decoration: White offset pearloid dots White Pearloid Trapezoids
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: Harley Benton Slim Modern C Harley Benton Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.827'' (21mm) - 12th Fret: 0.906'' (23mm) 1st Fret: 0.807'' (20.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 14" 13.78"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active) EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active) EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 1