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Harley Benton DC-Custom
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh
VS
Playability
80
Sound
70
Build
54
Value
78
Score
68
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Playability
72
Sound
74
Build
62
Value
79
Score
69
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Harley Benton DC-Custom vs DC-LTD Gotoh

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton DC-Custom over DC-LTD Gotoh

Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh over DC-Custom

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2021 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Graphite
Resistant, good tuning stability and rich tone
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
79 vs 78
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton DC-Custom vs DC-LTD Gotoh

Bridge Pickup
Roswell LAF Alnico-5 Vintage-Style vs Tesla VR-2 AlNiCo 5
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Roswell LAF Alnico-5 Vintage-Style vs Tesla VR-2 AlNiCo 5
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Nyatoh
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Graphite vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton DC-Custom vs DC-LTD Gotoh

Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.898'' (22.8mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.931'' (23.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh is probably the better product overall with its final score of 69 compared to the Harley Benton DC-Custom's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Harley Benton DC-Custom has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Harley Benton DC-Custom is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

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

The Harley Benton DC-Custom meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh 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 DC-Custom
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh
  • 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 DC-Custom Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2019 Custom Line series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 Vintage-Style (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 Vintage-Style (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • DLX Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • Harley Benton C Set neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2021 Deluxe series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Nyatoh body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Tesla VR-2 AlNiCo 5 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Tesla VR-2 AlNiCo 5 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Gotoh Tune-o-Matic bridge
  • Harley Benton C Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh Kluson tuners 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

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.

Woods Used in the Harley Benton DC-Custom

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

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.

Woods Used in the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh

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.

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

Winner: Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh.

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 DC-LTD Gotoh 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 DC-LTD Gotoh.

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 DC-LTD Gotoh 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 DC-Custom pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton DC-Custom's switch options
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh'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 DC-LTD Gotoh.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton DC-Custom
Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 70
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 70
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 DC-Custom compares to the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Harley Benton DC-Custom is built in China while the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh is made in Indonesia.

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.

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: Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh

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 DC-Custom has a Graphite nut. It's a self-lubricating material that will allow the strings to slide over the nut without a lot of friction. It's a good type of nut if you want to have better tuning stability than with plastic, although it's not as resistant as Bone or Tusq.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh comes with 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.

Winner: Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh.

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 DC-Custom's are Grover while the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh's are Gotoh Kluson tuners

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 DC-Custom
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • 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 DC-Custom
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh
Quality of materials 66
Features 55
Quality Control 65
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 DC-Custom Nut Width
Harley Benton DC-Custom Nut Width
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh Nut Width
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh 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 DC-LTD Gotoh, 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 DC-Custom and Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh's Scale Length
Both have the same 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.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

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 DC-Custom Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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 DC-Custom and the Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh 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 DC-Custom Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton DC-Custom's Fingerboard radius
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh'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 DC-LTD Gotoh's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Harley Benton DC-Custom'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 DC-Custom.

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 DC-LTD Gotoh favors large hands more than the Harley Benton DC-Custom.

Harley Benton DC-Custom:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Harley Benton DC-Custom and Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Harley Benton DC-Custom
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 80
Harley Benton DC-LTD Gotoh
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 65
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Harley Benton DC-Custom vs DC-LTD Gotoh
General Harley Benton DC-Custom DC-LTD Gotoh
Brand: Harley Benton Harley Benton
Year: 2019 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China Indonesia
Series: Custom Line Deluxe
Colors: White, Red Black, Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Nyatoh
Bridge: DLX Tune-O-Matic Gotoh Tune-o-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Gotoh Kluson tuners
Fretboard: Jatoba Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Split rhombus pearloid Pearloid Trapezoids
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: Harley Benton C Harley Benton C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.898'' (22.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.931'' (23.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.898'' (22.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.931'' (23.6mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 10"
Nut: Graphite Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 Vintage-Style (Humbucker / Passive) Tesla VR-2 AlNiCo 5 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 Vintage-Style (Humbucker / Passive) Tesla VR-2 AlNiCo 5 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1