Show Full Spec Comparison
| Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB | Ibanez BTB806MS | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Harley Benton | Ibanez |
| Year: | 2022 | 2021 |
| Configuration: | PH | HH |
| Strings: | 5 | 6 |
| Made in: | Indonesia | Indonesia |
| Series: | Pro | BTB |
| Colors: | Yellow | Brown |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | Alder | Okoume/Ash wing |
| Bridge: | WSC SK5 | MR5S |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Neck-Through |
| Tuners: | WSC JB45 machine heads | Ibanez |
| Fretboard: | Ebony | Bound Panga Panga |
| Neck Material: | Maple | Maple/Walnut w/Graphite reinforcement rods |
| Decoration: | White block fretboard | Abalone dot inlay |
| Scale Size: | 34" | 32" to 31" |
| Shape: | Bass Modern "C" | Bass BTB6 for Multi Scale |
| Frets: | 22 Medium Stainless Steel | 24 Medium Stainless Steel |
| Fretboard Radius: | 13.78" | 37.402" |
| Nut: | Black Tusq XL | Plastic |
| Nut Width: | 46mm (1.811'') | 54mm (2.126'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Roswell MFR5-B Ferrite-5 (Humbucker / Passive) | T1 (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | Roswell PMA5-N Ferrite-5 (Single Coil / Passive) | |
| Neck Pickup: | T1 (Humbucker / Passive) | |
| Switch: | 0 Way | 3 Way |
| Knobs: | Dome | Dome |
| Pickup Mods: | Coil Split | None |
| Volume Controls: | 2 | 1 |
| Tone Controls: | 2 | 0 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | No |
| Hardware Color: | Chrome | Black |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB over Ibanez BTB806MS
Reasons to Get
Ibanez BTB806MS over Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB
Other Key Differences
Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB vs Ibanez BTB806MS
Shared Features
Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB vs Ibanez BTB806MS
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Frets
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Weight Relief
- Retainer Bar
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
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 Enhanced MP-5EB favors large hands more than the Ibanez BTB806MS.
Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB:
Ibanez BTB806MS:
Beginner Friendliness
Both meet 3 out of our 6 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 bass to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.
New Player Friendliness
Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Ibanez BTB806MS- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
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
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.
Woods Used in the Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB
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.
Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.
Woods Used in the Ibanez BTB806MS
Panga Panga is an African wood very similar to Wenge. It comes in a very dark color with tight grain. Its tonality favors the low-to-mid frequencies.
Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.
Winner: Tie.
Pickup Configuration
The Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB has an PH configuration while the Ibanez BTB806MS has HH pickups.
A PH configuration offers the classic, full-bodied sound that's loved for its deep, smooth, and rounded lows, making it ideal for groove-driven bass lines and genres that require a solid foundation. The humbucker at the bridge adds a brighter, more aggressive edge, delivering tight mids and high-end definition that cuts through mixes with precision. This configuration allows players to switch between, or blend, the pickups to achieve anything from vintage-style warmth to modern, punchy tones. Dialing in the P pickup alone yields that iconic, warm, bass-heavy sound, while engaging the humbucker brings in a more focused attack and presence. The result is an incredibly versatile setup that can handle a range of styles from jazz and funk to rock and metal, making the PH configuration a go-to choice for bassists seeking adaptability without sacrificing depth or clarity.
On the other hand, 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
The Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez BTB806MS. 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 Hard Rock 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.
Preamp Circuit
A preamp in an electric bass functions as an electronic circuit that acts as an interface between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its main purpose is to amplify and customize the bass's initial signal before it reaches the amplifier, offering enhanced control over factors like tone, volume, and sound attributes. Preamps typically come equipped with tone adjustments, equalization options, and sometimes built-in effects, empowering bass players to fine-tune their sound to suit their personal preferences and the musical environment.
The Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB's preamp is Active/Passive while the Ibanez BTB806MS's is Active.
Active: Unlike passive basses, which rely solely on passive pickups and tone controls, active preamps require a power source, typically a 9-volt battery, to operate. The active preamp offers several advantages, including the ability to boost or cut specific frequencies, resulting in a more versatile and customizable tonal palette. Active basses are favored in genres where precise tonal sculpting and extended tonal options are essential, such as jazz fusion or progressive rock. However, they do require occasional battery replacement or recharging to ensure optimal performance.
Active/Passive: This type of circuit combines both passive and active electronics in one instrument. This versatile setup allows the player to switch between passive and active modes, providing a wide range of tonal options. In passive mode, the bass relies on traditional passive pickups and tone controls for a warm and organic sound. In active mode, the onboard preamp circuit is engaged, offering enhanced EQ shaping capabilities and sometimes a signal boost. This flexibility caters to a broader spectrum of musical styles and playing preferences, as it allows the bassist to switch between the classic, vintage tone of passive operation and the more versatile and finely tuned active mode, all within the same instrument.
Winner: Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB.
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
The Ibanez BTB806MS gives you 3 switch options while the Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB gives you 0. This means that the Ibanez BTB806MS gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Only the Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB 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 Enhanced MP-5EB.
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 Enhanced MP-5EB compares to the Ibanez BTB806MS.
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 bass 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 Enhanced MP-5EB has a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).
On the other hand, the Ibanez BTB806MS 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 Enhanced MP-5EB.
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 bass. 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.
Tuners
Both come with regular tuners. The Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB's are WSC JB45 machine heads while the Ibanez BTB806MS's are Ibanez
Winner: Tie.
Neck Joint
Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a bass is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.
The Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB has a 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.
On the other hand, the Ibanez BTB806MS comes with 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.
Winner: Ibanez BTB806MS.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Active/Passive Preamp
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
Ibanez BTB806MS
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Expensive Wood
- Neck-Through Build
- Active Preamp
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- 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 bass 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 bass feels in your hands.
Nut Width
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez BTB806MS has the wider nut with 54mm (2.126'') vs 46mm (1.811''). This is a 8mm (0.315'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez BTB806MS, 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.
In this case, the Ibanez BTB806MS features a multi-scale of 32" to 31" while the Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB has a regular scale of 34".
A multi-scale fingerboard incorporates two scale lengths at the same time. This is present in some instruments with long scale to give a different tension to the lower strings than the higher strings. The thickest strings need more tension to avoid fret buzz (especially when tuned low), so the scale is longer for these strings, while the thinnest strings will need less tension (because they have a lower gauge), so they have a shorter scale to reduce stiffness for bends.
It can feel awkward if you've never played a multi-scale because the frets will have more separation for the higher strings, but a lot of people love their versatility.
On the other hand, the Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB's 34" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.
This is a scale used for baritones and guitars with more than 6 strings. Since the scale is so long, the tension of the strings will be higher. This means that bending will require a lot more strength than with a shorter scale. However, it also allows you to use really low tunings without causing fret buzz and without needing to increase your string gauge too much.
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.
Both the Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB and the Ibanez BTB806MS 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
Most bass 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 Enhanced MP-5EB's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez BTB806MS'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 Ibanez BTB806MS.
Fret Size
Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.
