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Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone
Harley Benton MR-Modern
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Playability
72
Sound
71
Build
57
Value
77
Score
67
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Playability
70
Sound
77
Build
74
Value
84
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone vs MR-Modern

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone over MR-Modern

Pickups
P90P90 vs HH
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton MR-Modern over MR-Classic Baritone

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Nut Material
Black Tusq XL vs Graphite
Good tuning stability with rich tone
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Pickups
HH vs P90P90
High output without hum
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
84 vs 77
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone vs MR-Modern

Bridge Pickup
Artec P-90 vs Artec AHC-90 Soapbar
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Artec P-90 vs Artec AHC-90 Soapbar
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Basswood vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Graphite vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone vs MR-Modern

Neck Wood
Maple
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
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.898'' (22.8mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.931'' (23.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Harley Benton MR-Modern is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone's 67 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton MR-Modern wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

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 MR-Modern is the better choice.

The Harley Benton MR-Modern meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone meets only 5. 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 MR-Classic Baritone
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton MR-Modern
  • 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 MR-Classic Baritone Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2022 Vintage series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Maple neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Artec P-90 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Fixed bridge
  • Harley Benton C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • Kluson-style Wilkinson tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton MR-Modern Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2022 Vintage series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Wilkinson VS-50 II Precision Tremolo bridge
  • Harley Benton C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Stainless Steel frets
  • Kluson-style Wilkinson 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 Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

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 MR-Classic Baritone

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

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.

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Woods Used in the Harley Benton MR-Modern

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

Winner: Harley Benton MR-Modern.

Pickup Configuration

The Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone has an P90P90 configuration while the Harley Benton MR-Modern has HH pickups.

P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

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

Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.

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: Tie.

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 MR-Modern comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Tap.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil sound.

Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone's switch options
Harley Benton MR-Modern pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton MR-Modern'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 MR-Modern.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 71
Harley Benton MR-Modern
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 77

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 MR-Classic Baritone compares to the Harley Benton MR-Modern.

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 MR-Classic Baritone 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 MR-Modern comes with 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).

Winner: Harley Benton MR-Modern.

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 MR-Modern 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 MR-Modern.

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 MR-Classic Baritone'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 MR-Modern's is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

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

The Harley Benton MR-Modern 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.

Winner: Harley Benton MR-Modern.

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 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: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton MR-Modern
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 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

Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 57
Harley Benton MR-Modern
Quality of materials 86
Features 70
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 74

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 MR-Classic Baritone 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 MR-Classic Baritone's Scale Length
Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone's Scale Length
Harley Benton MR-Modern's Scale Length
Harley Benton MR-Modern'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 MR-Classic Baritone has the longest scale: 27". The Harley Benton MR-Modern is only 25.5" long. This is a 1.5'' (38.1mm) 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 MR-Classic Baritone 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 MR-Classic Baritone and the Harley Benton MR-Modern 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 MR-Classic Baritone 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 MR-Classic Baritone and the Harley Benton MR-Modern 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.

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 MR-Classic Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton MR-Modern:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone and Harley Benton MR-Modern Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium 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.

Final Playability Scores

Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Harley Benton MR-Modern
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone vs MR-Modern
General Harley Benton MR-Classic Baritone MR-Modern
Brand: Harley Benton Harley Benton
Year: 2022 2022
Configuration: P90P90 HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Vintage Vintage
Colors: Sunburst White, Sunburst, Black, Blue, Red
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Basswood Alder
Bridge: Fixed Wilkinson VS-50 II Precision Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Kluson-style Wilkinson Kluson-style Wilkinson locking
Fretboard: Jatoba Ebony
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Dots White Dots
Scale Size: 27" 25.5"
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: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 22 Medium Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Graphite Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Artec P-90 (Single Coil / Passive) Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Artec P-90 (Single Coil / Passive) Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Tap
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1