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Harley Benton S-620
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem
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Playability
73
Sound
70
Build
53
Value
80
Score
65
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Playability
67
Sound
61
Build
54
Value
71
Score
61
FIND IT ON:
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Harley Benton S-620 vs Big Tone Trem

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton S-620 over Big Tone Trem

Decorative Top
Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2017 vs 2015
From a more recent year
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Body Type
Solid Body vs Hollowbody
Feedback free
Number of Frets
24 vs 20
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.807'' (20.5mm) vs 0.898'' (22.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.886'' (22.5mm) vs 0.931'' (23.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Bigsby Tremolo
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
80 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem over S-620

Number of Frets
20 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Body Type
Hollowbody vs Solid Body
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Volume Knobs
3 vs 1
More volume control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.898'' (22.8mm) vs 0.807'' (20.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.931'' (23.6mm) vs 0.886'' (22.5mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Floyd Rose
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton S-620 vs Big Tone Trem

Body Wood
Basswood vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Roseacer vs Purpleheart
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton S-620 vs Big Tone Trem

Bridge Pickup
HB Humbucker
Same Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
HB Humbucker
Same Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
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
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Harley Benton Big Tone Trem Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Harley Benton S-620 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 65 compared to the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem's 61 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton S-620 wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Harley Benton S-620.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Harley Benton S-620 is the better choice.

The Harley Benton S-620 meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem meets only 3. 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 S-620
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

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

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 S-620 Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2017 Rock series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Basswood body
  • Maple neck
  • Roseacer fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: HB Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: HB Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • FR-Style bridge
  • Harley Benton Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Die-Cast Machine Heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton Big Tone Trem Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2015 Vintage series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Purpleheart fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: HB Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: HB Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 3 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tune-O-Matic Roller Bridge With A Floating Ovangkol Base bridge
  • Harley Benton C Set neck
  • 20 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Deluxe Diecast Imperial-Style 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

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 S-620

Roseacer wood pattern used for guitar building
Roseacer
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

It's also known as roasted maple, which is regular maple that has been treated with heat to remove humidity. It makes it more resistant to temperature changes and also darkens its color.

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 Big Tone Trem

Purpleheart wood pattern used for guitar building
Purpleheart

Purpleheart (also known as Amaranth) is a hard, dense wood with a brilliant tone. As its name suggests, the purple color makes this wood look exotic.

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 Big Tone Trem pickups from a more specialized brand than the Harley Benton S-620. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Jazz 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 Big Tone Trem.

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.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

They both share the following switching options:

Harley Benton S-620 and Harley Benton Big Tone Trem pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton S-620 and Harley Benton Big Tone Trem'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 S-620.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton S-620
Pickups 55
Sustain 70
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 70
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem
Pickups 60
Sustain 65
Versatility 58
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 61

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 S-620 compares to the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in China.

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 S-620 has a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem 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 S-620.

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.

The Harley Benton S-620's brige is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem's is a Bigsby Tremolo. Bigsby tremolos are built differently than regular tremolos. They have a stiffer arm, which is something a lot of people like because the arm won't wiggle around a lot. On the other hand, this type of tremolo is more complicated to restring and it might not be as newbie-friendly as other simpler tremolos.

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 S-620's are Die-Cast Machine Heads while the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem's are Deluxe Diecast Imperial-Style 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.

The Harley Benton S-620 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 Harley Benton Big Tone Trem comes with 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: Harley Benton S-620.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton S-620
  • Locking Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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 Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Harley Benton S-620
Quality of materials 45
Features 60
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 53
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem
Quality of materials 46
Features 60
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54

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 S-620 Nut Width
Harley Benton S-620 Nut Width
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem Nut Width
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem 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 Big Tone Trem, 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 S-620 and Harley Benton Big Tone Trem'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 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

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 S-620 Neck Profile
Harley Benton S-620's neck profile
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem Neck Profile
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem'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 S-620 and the Harley Benton Big Tone Trem 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 S-620 Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton S-620's Fingerboard radius
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem'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 Big Tone Trem's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Harley Benton S-620'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 S-620.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

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 Big Tone Trem favors large hands more than the Harley Benton S-620.

Harley Benton S-620:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Harley Benton S-620 and Harley Benton Big Tone Trem 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 S-620
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Harley Benton Big Tone Trem
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 70
Playability 67

Specs Side-by-Side

Harley Benton S-620 vs Big Tone Trem
General Harley Benton S-620 Big Tone Trem
Brand: Harley Benton Harley Benton
Year: 2017 2015
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: Rock Vintage
Colors: Blue, Red White, Orange
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Hollowbody
Body Material: Basswood Maple
Bridge: FR-Style Tune-O-Matic Roller Bridge With A Floating Ovangkol Base
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Die-Cast Machine Heads Deluxe Diecast Imperial-Style Machine Heads
Fretboard: Roseacer Purpleheart
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Dot Inlays Blocks Fretboard Inlays
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Harley Benton Modern C Harley Benton C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.807'' (20.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm) 1st Fret: 0.898'' (22.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.931'' (23.6mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 12"
Nut: Locking Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: HB Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) HB Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: HB Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) HB Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 3
Tone Controls: 1 1