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Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR
Gibson 70s Explorer
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Playability
73
Sound
79
Build
67
Value
83
Score
73
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Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
67
Value
61
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR vs Gibson 70s Explorer Specs Comparison
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR Gibson 70s Explorer
General
Brand: Harley Benton Gibson
Year: 2024 2019
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: Custom Line Original Collection
Colors: Black White
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Meranti Mahogany
Bridge: Floyd Rose Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Machine Heads Regular Tuners
Fretboard: Jatoba Rosewood
Neck Material: Meranti Mahogany
Decoration: White pearloid crown Acrylic Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: Harley Benton Modern C Slim Taper
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.807'' (20.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.92'' (23.4mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 12"
Nut: Locking Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 41mm (1.614'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Tesla TM VR-Nitro Alnico-5 (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson 70s Tribute (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Tesla TM VR-Nitro Alnico-5 (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson 70s Tribute (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Gold Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR's switch options
Gibson 70s Explorer pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson 70s Explorer's switch options

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR over Gibson 70s Explorer

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2024 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.807'' (20.5mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.886'' (22.5mm) vs 0.92'' (23.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.614'' (41mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
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
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
83 vs 61
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gibson 70s Explorer over Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.807'' (20.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.92'' (23.4mm) vs 0.886'' (22.5mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) 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
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR vs Gibson 70s Explorer

Bridge Pickup
Tesla TM VR-Nitro Alnico-5 vs Gibson 70s Tribute
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Tesla TM VR-Nitro Alnico-5 vs Gibson 70s Tribute
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Meranti vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Meranti vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR vs Gibson 70s Explorer

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
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR Prices

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson 70s Explorer favors large hands more than the Harley Benton SC-Custom III 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 III FR:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gibson 70s Explorer:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 4 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 SC-Custom III FR
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Gibson 70s Explorer
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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 FR

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 Gibson 70s Explorer

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

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.

Winner: Gibson 70s Explorer.

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

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Gibson 70s Explorer has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: Gibson 70s Explorer.

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 FR 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 FR.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR
Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 76
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 79
Gibson 70s Explorer
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 51
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72

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 FR compares to the Gibson 70s Explorer.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR is built in Indonesia while the Gibson 70s Explorer is made in United States.

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.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Gibson 70s Explorer

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 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 Gibson 70s Explorer comes with 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.

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 SC-Custom III FR 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 FR.

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 III 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 Gibson 70s Explorer'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 III FR.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR's are Grover Machine Heads while the Gibson 70s Explorer's are Regular Tuners

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 III FR
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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
Gibson 70s Explorer
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR
Quality of materials 71
Features 65
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 67
Gibson 70s Explorer
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 67

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 FR Nut Width
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR Nut Width
Gibson 70s Explorer Nut Width
Gibson 70s Explorer Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson 70s Explorer has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 41mm (1.614''). This is a 2mm (0.079'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gibson 70s Explorer, 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 FR's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR's Scale Length
Gibson 70s Explorer's Scale Length
Gibson 70s Explorer'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 III FR has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson 70s Explorer 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 III FR Neck Profile
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR's neck profile
Gibson 70s Explorer Neck Profile
Gibson 70s Explorer'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 SC-Custom III FR and the Gibson 70s Explorer 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 SC-Custom III FR Fingerboard Radius
Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR's Fingerboard radius
Gibson 70s Explorer Fingerboard Radius
Gibson 70s Explorer'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 Gibson 70s Explorer's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR'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 SC-Custom III FR.

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''.

Fret Size

Harley Benton SC-Custom III FR and Gibson 70s Explorer 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 SC-Custom III FR
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Gibson 70s Explorer
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73