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Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
Sterling StingRay SR50
VS
Playability
70
Sound
77
Build
74
Value
84
Score
74
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Playability
70
Sound
66
Build
62
Value
71
Score
66
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Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone vs Sterling StingRay SR50

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone over Sterling StingRay SR50

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2022 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
Artec vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
84 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Sterling StingRay SR50 over Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone

Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone vs Sterling StingRay SR50

Bridge Pickup
Artec AHC-90 Soapbar vs Sterling Humbucker
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Artec AHC-90 Soapbar vs Sterling Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Poplar
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 4-2
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Compensated
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone vs Sterling StingRay SR50

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
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
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

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

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-Modern 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 Baritone is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Sterling StingRay SR50's 66 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Sterling StingRay SR50 has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Sterling StingRay SR50 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 MR-Modern Baritone
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Sterling StingRay SR50
  • 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-Modern Baritone Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2022 Vintage series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' 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 >

Sterling StingRay SR50 Overview

  • From Sterling's 2017 StingRay series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Vintage Tremolo bridge
  • StingRay Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • 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 MR-Modern Baritone

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

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.

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 Sterling StingRay SR50

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

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.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

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

The Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sterling StingRay SR50. 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.

Winner: Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone.

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 Baritone 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-Modern Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone's switch options
Sterling StingRay SR50 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Sterling StingRay SR50'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 Baritone.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 77
Sterling StingRay SR50
Pickups 60
Sustain 65
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 66

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-Modern Baritone compares to the Sterling StingRay SR50.

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-Modern Baritone 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 Sterling StingRay SR50 comes with a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

Winner: Tie.

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 Baritone 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 Baritone.

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: 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

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.

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-Modern Baritone
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Sterling StingRay SR50
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • 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-Modern Baritone
Quality of materials 86
Features 70
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 74
Sterling StingRay SR50
Quality of materials 51
Features 65
Quality Control 70
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 MR-Modern Baritone Nut Width
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Nut Width
Sterling StingRay SR50 Nut Width
Sterling StingRay SR50 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 0.1mm (0.004'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone, 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 MR-Modern Baritone's Scale Length
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone's Scale Length
Sterling StingRay SR50's Scale Length
Sterling StingRay SR50'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-Modern Baritone has the longest scale: 27". The Sterling StingRay SR50 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-Modern Baritone Neck Profile
Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone's neck profile
Sterling StingRay SR50 Neck Profile
Sterling StingRay SR50'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 MR-Modern Baritone and the Sterling StingRay SR50 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-Modern 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-Modern Baritone and the Sterling StingRay SR50 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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone favors large hands more than the Sterling StingRay SR50. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Sterling StingRay SR50:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone and Sterling StingRay SR50 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-Modern Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Sterling StingRay SR50
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone vs Sterling StingRay SR50
General Harley Benton MR-Modern Baritone Sterling StingRay SR50
Brand: Harley Benton Sterling
Year: 2022 2017
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Vintage StingRay
Colors: Sunburst Yellow, Gray
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Poplar
Bridge: Wilkinson VS-50 II Precision Tremolo Vintage Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Kluson-style Wilkinson locking Locking
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: Dot Dot Markers
Scale Size: 27" 25.5"
Shape: Harley Benton C StingRay
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.898'' (22.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.931'' (23.6mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 22 Medium Stainless Steel 22 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Compensated
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 41.9mm (1.65'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil / Passive) Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Artec AHC-90 Soapbar (Single Coil / Passive) Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Tap None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1