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Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
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Playability
80
Sound
73
Build
64
Value
82
Score
72
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Playability
85
Sound
64
Build
63
Value
76
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active vs Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS Specs Comparison
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
General
Brand: Harley Benton Jackson
Year: 2024 2018
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Custom Line X
Colors: White, Black Blue Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Meranti Poplar
Bridge: Wsc Tune-O-Matic Staggered Individual Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Neck-Through
Tuners: Grover Machine Heads Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
Fretboard: Jatoba Laurel
Neck Material: Meranti Maple
Decoration: White pearloid crown Offset Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 24.75" 27" to 25.5"
Shape: Harley Benton Modern C Jackson Standard
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.807'' (20.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 12" to 16"
Nut: Graphite Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Tesla TM AH-5 Active Humbuckers (Humbucker / Active) Jackson Uncovered 7-String Blade Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Tesla TM AH-5 Active Humbuckers (Humbucker / Active) Jackson Uncovered 7-String Blade Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Gold Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active's switch options
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS's switch options

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active over Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2024 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
24.75" vs 27" to 25.5"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
Harley Benton Modern C vs Jackson Standard
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
Tesla vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Graphite vs Plastic
Self-Lubricating nut for good tuning stability
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.807'' (20.5mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.886'' (22.5mm) vs 0.85'' (21.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.75'' (44.5mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
82 vs 76
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS over Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active

Decorative Top
Quilt Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
27" to 25.5" vs 24.75"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 13.78"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Jackson Standard vs Harley Benton Modern C
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Set
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.807'' (20.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.85'' (21.6mm) vs 0.886'' (22.5mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active vs Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS

Bridge Pickup
Tesla TM AH-5 Active Humbuckers vs Jackson Uncovered 7-String Blade Humbucking
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Tesla TM AH-5 Active Humbuckers vs Jackson Uncovered 7-String Blade Humbucking
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Meranti vs Poplar
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Meranti vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba vs Laurel
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 4-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Graphite vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active vs Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS

Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active Prices

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active 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 SC-Custom III Active
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 SC-Custom III Active

Meranti wood pattern used for guitar building
Meranti
Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

Meranti is an affordable wood used mainly for affordable electric guitars. It's generally lighter and softer than Mahogany. Find out more about Meranti.

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.

Woods Used in the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

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.

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

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 SC-Custom III Active has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS. 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 Heavy Metal and similar genres.

The Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active's pickups are Active while the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS's are Passive.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active.

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 SC-Custom III Active 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 SC-Custom III Active.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active
Pickups 85
Sustain 75
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 73
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
Pickups 55
Sustain 80
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 64

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 III Active compares to the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS.

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 SC-Custom III Active 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 Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS 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 III Active.

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 SC-Custom III Active 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 SC-Custom III Active.

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: 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: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active's are Grover Machine Heads while the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS's are Jackson Sealed Die-Cast

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 SC-Custom III Active has 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.

On the other hand, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS 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: Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active
Quality of materials 71
Features 55
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 64
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
Quality of materials 45
Features 75
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 63

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 III Active Nut Width
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active Nut Width
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS Nut Width
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS has the wider nut with 44.5mm (1.75'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 2.5mm (0.096'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS, 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 III Active's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active's Scale Length
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS's Scale Length
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS'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.

In this case, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS features a multi-scale of 27" to 25.5" while the Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active has a regular scale of 24.75".

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 SC-Custom III Active's 24.75" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

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 III Active Neck Profile
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active's neck profile
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS Neck Profile
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS'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 III Active 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 Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS, on the other hand, has a D neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active's Fingerboard radius
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS Fretboard Compound Radius
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS's Compound 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.

In this case, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Fret Size

Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active Frets Size
Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active's Frets Size
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS Frets Size
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS's Frets Size

The Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Harley Benton SC-Custom III Active'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 III Active
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 80
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 100
Playability 85