Swap
Swap
Harley Benton CST-24HB
Harley Benton SC-550
VS
Playability
78
Sound
71
Build
53
Value
77
Score
67
FIND IT ON:
Thomann logo
Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
53
Value
76
Score
66
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Harley Benton CST-24HB vs SC-550

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton CST-24HB over SC-550

Neck Profile
Harley Benton C vs Harley Benton '60s
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.898'' (22.8mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.931'' (23.6mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
77 vs 76
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton SC-550 over CST-24HB

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Harley Benton '60s vs Harley Benton C
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Body Type
Solid Body vs Semi-Hollow
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.898'' (22.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 0.931'' (23.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton CST-24HB vs SC-550

Nut Material
Plastic vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton CST-24HB vs SC-550

Bridge Pickup
Roswell LAF Alnico-5
Same Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Roswell LAF Alnico-5
Same Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Medium vs Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp
The Harley Benton SC-550 was discontinued. It was replaced by the SC-550 II. Check out our comparison.

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton CST-24HB Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Harley Benton CST-24HB is probably the better product overall with its final score of 67 compared to the Harley Benton SC-550's 66 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton CST-24HB wins when it comes to playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Harley Benton SC-550 has the upper hand when it comes to sound.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Harley Benton CST-24HB is the better choice.

The Harley Benton CST-24HB meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton SC-550 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 CST-24HB
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton SC-550
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 CST-24HB Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2015 Deluxe series
  • Made in Vietnam
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Harley Benton bridge
  • Harley Benton C Set neck
  • 24 Medium frets
  • Deluxe Diecast tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton SC-550 Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2015 Vintage series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Dlx Tune-O-Matic Bridge bridge
  • Harley Benton '60s Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Dlx Wilkinson Machine Heads 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 Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

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.

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.

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 SC-550 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 SC-550.

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 CST-24HB 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.

Harley Benton CST-24HB pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton CST-24HB's switch options
Harley Benton SC-550 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton SC-550'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 CST-24HB.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton CST-24HB
Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 71
Harley Benton SC-550
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
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 CST-24HB compares to the Harley Benton SC-550.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Harley Benton CST-24HB is built in Vietnam while the Harley Benton SC-550 is made in China.

Vietnam is, together with China, a popular country for mass-producing guitars for a low price. Some people think guitars made in these countries are low quality, but that is not true as long as you're buying from a trustworthy brand. Just don't expect the same level of attention to detail as a guitar made in a country like Japan.

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: 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 CST-24HB has 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.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton SC-550 comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Winner: Harley Benton SC-550.

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.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

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.

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

Both come with regular tuners. The Harley Benton CST-24HB's are Deluxe Diecast while the Harley Benton SC-550's are Dlx Wilkinson Machine Heads

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.

Both have 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.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton CST-24HB
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Vietnam
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton SC-550
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • 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 CST-24HB
Quality of materials 45
Features 60
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 53
Harley Benton SC-550
Quality of materials 55
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 53

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 CST-24HB Nut Width
Harley Benton CST-24HB Nut Width
Harley Benton SC-550 Nut Width
Harley Benton SC-550 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton SC-550 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 SC-550, 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 CST-24HB's Scale Length
Harley Benton CST-24HB's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-550's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-550'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 CST-24HB has the longest scale: 25". The Harley Benton SC-550 is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.25'' (6.4mm) 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 CST-24HB Neck Profile
Harley Benton CST-24HB's neck profile
Harley Benton SC-550 Neck Profile
Harley Benton SC-550'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 CST-24HB has a C type of 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.

The Harley Benton SC-550, on the other hand, has a D neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Harley Benton CST-24HB Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same 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 CST-24HB and the Harley Benton SC-550 have the same fretboard radius of 13.78". It's closer to the 12'' that most Les Paul guitars have, but it's a bit flatter. It'll make it easier to play single notes than chords, but it's still relatively comfortable for chords.

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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Harley Benton CST-24HB:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton SC-550:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Harley Benton CST-24HB Frets Size
Harley Benton CST-24HB's Frets Size
Harley Benton SC-550 Frets Size
Harley Benton SC-550's Frets Size

The Harley Benton SC-550 has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Harley Benton CST-24HB's Medium 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 CST-24HB
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78
Harley Benton SC-550
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Harley Benton CST-24HB vs SC-550
General Harley Benton CST-24HB SC-550
Brand: Harley Benton Harley Benton
Year: 2015 2015
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Vietnam China
Series: Deluxe Vintage
Colors: Black Burst, Brown Brown Burst, Red, Yellow, Gray Burst
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Harley Benton Dlx Tune-O-Matic Bridge
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Deluxe Diecast Dlx Wilkinson Machine Heads
Fretboard: Jatoba Jatoba
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Tree-Of-Life Design, Mother-Of-Pearl Pearloid Trapezoids
Scale Size: 25" 24.75"
Shape: Harley Benton C Harley Benton '60s
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.898'' (22.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.931'' (23.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker / Passive) Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker / Passive) Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2