Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS - Overview and Best Prices

Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS Review
Add to Compare
FIND IT ON:
Thomann logoSweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
  • 1 Prices - New from €399 >
  • From Harley Benton's 2024 Pro series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Caramelised Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Tesla VR-Nitro Alnico 5 Humbuckers (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 Single Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 Single Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Tremolo bridge
  • Harley Benton D Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Sung-Il ML-55 locking machine heads with HB logo tuners
  • Side-By-Side Comparison
Show Specs
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS Specifications
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS
General
Brand: Harley Benton
Year: 2024
Configuration: HSS
Strings: 6
Made in: Indonesia
Series: Pro
Colors: White, Pink, Burst
Left-Handed Version: Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body
Body Material: Alder
Bridge: Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On
Tuners: Sung-Il ML-55 locking machine heads with HB logo
Fretboard: Maple
Neck Material: Caramelised Maple
Decoration: Dot
Scale Size: 25.5"
Shape: Harley Benton D
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16"
Nut: Graphite
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Tesla VR-Nitro Alnico 5 Humbuckers (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5
Knobs: Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1
Tone Controls: 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No
Hardware Color: Chrome
Show Diagram
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's switch options

Our Scores and Tone Evaluation

Playability 70
Sound 78
Build quality 70
Value for money 83
Overall Score 73
Tone Evaluation
  • Heavy Metal
  • Hard Rock
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Funk
  • Country
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Price Overview

Its average competitor's price is $750, which means that the Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS is around 51% cheaper than the competition. This takes into account all instruments of the same category in our database with 6 strings and Tremolo bridge that are made in Indonesia.

SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

User Reviews & Feedback

Not all instruments are created equally. That's why it's important to have different opinions. Here's what our users who have played this instrument say. If you've played it before, help others by voting below!

Weight

Vote

Tuning stability

Vote

Neck speed (thickness)

Vote

Neck access to high frets

Vote

Neck profile shape

Vote

Fret edges

Vote

Pickups noise

Vote

Pickups power

Vote
No Reviews Yet

Often Compared With

Explore All From Harley Benton >

Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the neck profile, scale size, fretboard radius, and nut width, we can conclude that the Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's construction favors people with relatively small hands.

Nevertheless, this comes down in the end to personal preference. Make sure you test this guitar—or another one with similar characteristics—before buying.

Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, which means that it's a good guitar to start with as a complete beginner. 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 to get used to.

New Player Friendliness

Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale

Videos

Harley Benton - ST-Modern Plus - HSS
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS (FBB & SP) - Sound Demo
Ultimate Affordable Guitar For Pros? | New Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus
| Harley Benton | ST-Modern Plus MN HSS FBB | Demo |
Harley Benton ST Modern Plus - Review and demonstration
Before You Buy The ST Modern Plus | Harley Benton
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus (What's Wrong With It?)
Harley Benton - No Talking - ST-Modern Plus - HSS SP - Just Playing
HARLEY BENTON FINALLY DID IT - ST Modern Plus
Can the new flagship Harley Benton ST Modern Plus compete against a Fender American Standard?

Playability

Scale Length

Scale length is the distance the strings will span between the bridge and the nut. It can tell you a lot about the overall playability and tone of the instrument. A longer scale length means longer distance between frets, brighter tone and more string tension—which means lower action, but more difficult bending of the strings.

Here's the Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's 25.5" scale length compared to other common sizes:

Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS Scale Length Comparison
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's scale length (at the top) compared to other popular sizes

This is the same scale length used in Stratocaster guitars, and it's one of the main reasons they have such a bright sound. It's considered a long scale when compared to most non-baritone guitars.

Since the distance between bridge and nut is relatively long, you'll need to give the strings more tension to get them in tune. This higher tension will allow for a couple of things. First, you can get a lower action (get the strings closer to the fretboard) because the strings won't 'wiggle' too much when pluck and won't cause fret buzz. This can allow you to use lower tunings without increasing your string gauge, and it will make it easier to press down the strings fast.

However, the frets will also have a wider separation between each other, which can make it harder to play, especially if you got small hands. The higher tension will also make the strings feel stiffer, so bending will require more strength.

More with the same scale length:

Neck Profile

Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS Neck Profile
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's neck profile

The neck profile tells you the thickness (neck depth) and shape in cross section. Every difference will completely change the feeling and comfortability of the neck. This is a highly subjective thing, but most players indeed prefer certain types of necks (like Cs and Ds) because they feel nice in most hands.

It has a D type neck. It's similar to a C shape, and it's one of the most common shapes right now. It's a bit flatter and thinner, even though sometimes it has a bit more shoulders. It's a fast type of neck that is comfortable, and shredders love it.

Fretboard Radius

When it comes to fingerboard radius, personal preference will dictate which one is better for you. However, most people seem to agree that a more curved (lower) radius will make it easier to play chords while a less curved (higher) radius is better for soloing and bending.

Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS Fretboard Compound Radius
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's Compound Fretboard Radius

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS has a compound fingerboard radius of 12" to 16".

A compound radius is the best you can get because you'll get the best of both worlds. It starts curved at the nut, but it flattens as you get closer to the body. This means that you'll get great comfortability for chords on the first few frets, but also a flatter fretboard for playing solos without problems on the higher frets.

More with the same fretboard radius:

Playability compared to main competitors

25.5'' Scale Length
D Neck Profile
1.654'' Nut Width
Compound Fretboard Radius
25.5'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.654'' Nut Width
14'' Fretboard Radius
25.5'' Scale Length
D Neck Profile
1.654'' Nut Width
Compound Fretboard Radius
25.5'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.654'' Nut Width
14'' Fretboard Radius
25.5'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.654'' Nut Width
14'' Fretboard Radius

Nut Width

Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS Nut Width
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS Nut Width

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS has 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.

Frets

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS has 22 frets. Even though 24 frets has become really popular, there's still a good reason to get fewer frets; the pickup at the neck position will be further away from the bridge. This makes the neck pickup achieve a warmer tone. You might want this if you're playing Jazz or similar genres.

However, if you don't care about the warmer neck pickup, more frets will always be better. It's always nice to have the option to play higher notes if you want to.

Finally, these are stainless steel frets. They're the best fretwire available. This means you won't need to change your frets since they should last as long as your guitar. Some people also feel easier bendings after swapping to stainless steel.

More with stainless steel frets:

Fret Size

Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS Fret Size Comparison
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's fret size (in orange) compared to other popular sizes

Finally, let's talk about fret size. Some people prefer tall frets because it's easier to press the strings and perform bends since there's less friction against the fretboard. On the other hand, some people like shorter frets because they like to touch the fretboard when playing, or because they got heavy hands and tend to press too much on the string and alter the of the note pitch accidently.

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's frets are Medium Jumbo size. These sit somewhere between a Jumbo and a Medium fret. They're not quite as tall as a full Jumbo, so you'll still feel the fretboard, but you won't feel it as much as with medium frets. This is a good size if you want to make it easy to press the strings but would also like a little bit of ''feedback'' to know when to stop pressing so the notes don't go out of pitch.

More with the same type of frets:

Playability Score

Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Tone

Wood will have little influence in the final tone of an electric guitar or bass. Instead, the hardware, especially the pickups, will be the most important thing to look at. Bur first, let's see the quality of the wood.

Wood

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder Body
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple Neck, Fretboard

Alder Body: This is a lightweight type of wood that was popularized by Fender. According to them, it's a wood that offers a balanced tone but that favors the upper midrange slightly.

Maple Neck and Fretboard: This is one of the most popular types of wood used in all kinds of guitars. It's heavy, strong and compact, which makes it great for necks. However, it's also used for fretboards, bodies and tops due to its light color, resistance and beautiful patterns. When it comes to tone, it highlights the mid and high frequencies.

More made with the same wood:

Pickups

This guitar comes with pickups from one of the top brands: Tesla. So you can expect well built pickups with great sound that shouldn't need an upgrade anytime soon.

These are passive pickups, so you can expect a rounder sound and a moderade level of output.

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS's configuration is HSS. If you play a lot with humbuckers in the bridge position, but would also love to have pristine cleans, this is a great configuration to have. The bridge humbucker will give you tons of output for playing distorted rhythm parts, while the single coils will give you a lot of tone options.

More with the same pickups

22 Frets
Tremolo Bridge
Tesla VR-Nitro Alnico 5 Humbuckers Bridge Pickup
Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 Single Coil Middle Pickup
Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 Single Coil Neck Pickup
22 Frets
Tremolo Bridge
Tesla VR-Nitro Alnico 5 Humbuckers Bridge Pickup
Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 Single Coil Middle Pickup
Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 Single Coil Neck Pickup

Versatility

It gives you a good amount of tone options with its 5-way switch. You can use it to choose at least 5 different pickup combinations.

It has a Coil Split option. It allows you to 'split' or turn off pickup coils to get even more tones in combination with the pickup selector. When used with humbucker pickups, it'll reduce the output and increase their clarity, turning them essentially into single-coil pickups.

What music genre is it good for?

As a 6 strings, Solid Body guitar with HSS configuration and Passive pickups, we'd recommend it for genres like Hard Rock or similar. However, you can use almost any guitar for any genre. This is just the typical type of music for this particular one.

Sound Score

Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 78

Build Quality

Country of Origin

Knowing where the instrument is produced is a good way to know how well it's built. Some manufacturing countries are known for having higher quality standards. For example, most expensive instruments are made in the US or Japan, but there are some exceptionally great countries—like South Korea—that are building a good reputation.

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS is made in Indonesia. Many people prefer the quality of an Indonesian guitar over a Chinese. Respectable brands like Epiphone, Ibanez and Schecter are building in this country because of the great quality and lower price. Some people like to compare them to the ones built in Japan during the 80s, when Japanese guitar makers made a name for themselves.

Still, remember that we're taking about Harley Benton here, which is a brand with good renown. They know how to use cheap labor in this country without sacrificing too much quality. So you shouldn't end up receiving a useless or ugly instrument.

Bridge

Tremolo: This type of bridge allows you to change the pitch of the notes by pulling the bridge with the attached bar, which gives you better versatility. Also, since the bridge is not fixed to the guitar body, the bridge will move as you bend the strings. So you'll have to increase the distance of your bends to reach the same tension (note) compared to a fixed bridge. This allows you to perform smoother bends but will also make you slower. Finally, remember that this type of bridge requires a bit more maintenance than fixed ones, especially when changing strings.

More with the same type of bridge:

Tuners

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS comes with locking tuners, which helps with tuning stability and makes changing strings a lot faster and easier. As long as they're high quality, these are the best tuning machines you can have. The only disadvantage is that they are a bit heavier than normal tuners.

Nut Material

Another important thing to analyze is the nut material, as it's one of the most important aspects that can affect the sound and playability of your guitar. A well-cut nut will make sure it stays in tune and will make it more comfortable to play.

In this case, the Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS has a Graphite nut. This material is self-lubricating, which allows the strings to slide over the nut without too much friction. This helps to keep the guitar in tune when bending and using the tremolo. It's not as resistant and it doesn't sound as good as bone, but it is much better than a plastic nut.

More with the same nut material:

Neck Joint

The neck joint is the part where the neck of the guitar meets the body. There are three main techniques to attach both parts together: Set-In, Bolt-On and Neck-Through. The latter two provide different advantages, although neck-throughs are the most expensive.

This guitar has a Bolt-On neck joint. Even though this type of neck was looked down upon for a long time, nowadays bolt-on necks are well built and provide just as much sustain as any other join method. First of all, it's cheap to make because it consists of simply 4 bolts that attach the neck to the body. And you can travel with the guitar more easily, swap out the neck if you damage it, or upgrade to a more comfortable neck later on.

More with the same build:

Build Quality Score

Quality of materials 66
Features 80
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 70