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Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR
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Playability
77
Sound
72
Build
59
Value
79
Score
69
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Playability
73
Sound
77
Build
60
Value
75
Score
70
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Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG vs SC-Custom Plus EMG FR

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG over SC-Custom Plus EMG FR

Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
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
Value Score
79 vs 75
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR over SC-Custom Plus EMG

Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
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

Other Key Differences
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG vs SC-Custom Plus EMG FR

Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG vs SC-Custom Plus EMG FR

Bridge Pickup
EMG Retro Active Hot 70
Same Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
EMG Retro Active Hot 70
Same Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Nyatoh
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
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.807'' (20.5mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.886'' (22.5mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Active
More output
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

  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG 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 Plus EMG FR is probably the better product overall with its final score of 70 compared to the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG is the better choice.

The Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG 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 Plus EMG
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 SC-Custom Plus EMG Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2021 Deluxe series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Okoume body
  • Nyatoh neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Harley Benton bridge
  • Harley Benton Modern C Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • WSC Schaller Style J07Lkf Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR Overview

  • From Harley Benton's 2021 Deluxe series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Okoume body
  • Nyatoh neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • FR-Style bridge
  • Harley Benton Modern C Set neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Machine Heads: Wsc Schaller Style J07 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

Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh
Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.

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.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

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

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 Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR's online:

Both use Active pickups. These pickups use an additional 9v battery to be able to increase their output for high gain tones. This is why they're popular among heavy metal guitarists. Their disadvantage is that you need batteries for the pickups, so you'll need to spend money on batteries and time swapping them. Also, the clean tones aren't as clean as other pickups because they'll have really hot output.

Winner: Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG.

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 SC-Custom Plus EMG and Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG and Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR'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 Plus EMG FR.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 46
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 72
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR
Pickups 85
Sustain 75
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 77

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 Plus EMG compares to the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR.

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 Plus EMG has 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.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR comes with 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.

Winner: Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG 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 Plus EMG's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR's 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.

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 Plus EMG FR.

Tuners

The Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG has the best tuners of the two because they are 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.

Nevertheless, the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG.

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 Plus EMG
  • Locking Tuners
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 59
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 60

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 Plus EMG Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR's Scale Length
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR'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 Plus EMG FR has the longest scale: 25.5". The Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG 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 Plus EMG Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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 Plus EMG and the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR 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 Plus EMG 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 Plus EMG and the Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR 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.

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

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG and Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR 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 Plus EMG
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77
Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG FR
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG vs SC-Custom Plus EMG FR
General Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG SC-Custom Plus EMG FR
Brand: Harley Benton Harley Benton
Year: 2021 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Deluxe Deluxe
Colors: Black, Blue, Orange, Red Black, Blue, Orange, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Okoume
Bridge: Harley Benton FR-Style
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: WSC Schaller Style J07Lkf Locking Machine Heads: Wsc Schaller Style J07
Fretboard: Jatoba Jatoba
Neck Material: Nyatoh Nyatoh
Decoration: White Pearloid Trapezoids White Pearloid Trapezoids
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: Harley Benton Modern C Harley Benton Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.807'' (20.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm) 1st Fret: 0.807'' (20.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 13.78" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active) EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active) EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 1 1