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Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR
ESP LTD EC-256
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Playability
73
Sound
79
Build
58
Value
80
Score
70
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Playability
80
Sound
67
Build
54
Value
77
Score
67
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Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR vs LTD EC-256

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR over LTD EC-256

Decorative Top
Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2020 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Harley Benton Modern C vs Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
Roswell vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.807'' (20.5mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.886'' (22.5mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.614'' (41mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
80 vs 77
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD EC-256 over Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs Vietnam
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Harley Benton Modern C
Comfortable neck with more grip
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.807'' (20.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 0.886'' (22.5mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.614'' (41mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR vs LTD EC-256

Bridge Pickup
Roswell LAF Alnico-5 vs ESP Designed LH-150B
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Roswell LAF Alnico-5 vs ESP Designed LH-150N
Different Neck Pickup
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR vs LTD EC-256

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba
Same Fretboard 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
2
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • 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

Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR is probably the better product overall with its final score of 70 compared to the ESP LTD EC-256's 67 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the ESP LTD EC-256 has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the ESP LTD EC-256 is the better choice.

The ESP LTD EC-256 meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR 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 SC-Custom II FR
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD EC-256
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 SC-Custom II FR Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2020 Custom Line series
  • Made in Vietnam
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • FR-Style bridge
  • Harley Benton Modern C Set neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD EC-256 Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2017 EC series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Roasted Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: ESP Designed LH-150B (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: ESP Designed LH-150N (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • TOM & Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • LTD tuners
  • Weight between 6.65lbs (3kgs) and 8lbs (3.6kgs)
  • 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
Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

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.

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.

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 SC-Custom II FR has pickups from a more specialized brand than the ESP LTD EC-256. 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 SC-Custom II FR.

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.

Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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.

They both share the following switching options:

Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR and ESP LTD EC-256 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR and ESP LTD EC-256'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 SC-Custom II FR.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR
Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 76
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 79
ESP LTD EC-256
Pickups 60
Sustain 80
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 67

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 SC-Custom II FR compares to the ESP LTD EC-256.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR is built in Vietnam while the ESP LTD EC-256 is made in Indonesia.

Vietnam is, together with China, a popular country for mass-producing guitars for a low price. Some people think guitars made in these countries are low quality, but that is not true as long as you're buying from a trustworthy brand. Just don't expect the same level of attention to detail as a guitar made in a country like Japan.

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: ESP LTD EC-256

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 SC-Custom II FR 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 ESP LTD EC-256 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 SC-Custom II FR.

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 SC-Custom II FR'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 ESP LTD EC-256's 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.

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: Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR's are Grover while the ESP LTD EC-256's are LTD

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 SC-Custom II FR
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Vietnam
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD EC-256
  • Expensive Wood
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • 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 SC-Custom II FR
Quality of materials 55
Features 65
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 58
ESP LTD EC-256
Quality of materials 41
Features 55
Quality Control 65
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 SC-Custom II FR Nut Width
Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR Nut Width
ESP LTD EC-256 Nut Width
ESP LTD EC-256 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP LTD EC-256 has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41mm (1.614''). This is a 1mm (0.04'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP LTD EC-256, 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 SC-Custom II FR's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR's Scale Length
ESP LTD EC-256's Scale Length
ESP LTD EC-256'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 SC-Custom II FR has the longest scale: 25.5". The ESP LTD EC-256 is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) 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 SC-Custom II FR Neck Profile
Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR's neck profile
ESP LTD EC-256 Neck Profile
ESP LTD EC-256'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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR has a C type of 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.

The ESP LTD EC-256, on the other hand, has a U neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR 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 SC-Custom II FR and the ESP LTD EC-256 have the same fretboard radius of 13.78". It's closer to the 12'' that most Les Paul guitars have, but it's a bit flatter. It'll make it easier to play single notes than chords, but it's still relatively comfortable for chords.

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 ESP LTD EC-256 favors large hands more than the Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD EC-256:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR Frets Size
Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR's Frets Size
ESP LTD EC-256 Frets Size
ESP LTD EC-256's Frets Size

The ESP LTD EC-256 has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
ESP LTD EC-256
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 80

Specs Side-by-Side

Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR vs LTD EC-256
General Harley Benton SC-Custom II FR LTD EC-256
Brand: Harley Benton ESP LTD
Year: 2020 2017
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Vietnam Indonesia
Series: Custom Line EC
Colors: Black White, Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: FR-Style TOM & Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover LTD
Fretboard: Jatoba Roasted Jatoba
Neck Material: Mahogany 3Pc Mahogany
Decoration: White pearloid crowns Flag
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: Harley Benton Modern C Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.807'' (20.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 13.78"
Nut: Locking Plastic
Nut Width: 41mm (1.614'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker / Passive) ESP Designed LH-150B (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Roswell LAF Alnico-5 (Humbucker / Passive) ESP Designed LH-150N (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 1 1