Review of the Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series Electric guitar. Where to buy it?

I’ll tell you how this post is built. First I list the features of the Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series guitar. Then you have a video or two, purchase links and useful comments from other users and then you have one of the most useful parts; comparison tables with similar items so you can compare.

  • Standard series
  • Body: Basswood
  • Neck: Maple
  • Neck profile: Modern C
  • Fretboard: Maple
  • DOT fretboard inlays
  • 22 Frets
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 42 mm
  • Double action truss rod
  • Pickup: 3 ST style single coils
  • 1 Volume control
  • 2 Tone control
  • 5-Way toggle
  • Chrome hardware
  • Synchronised tremolo
  • Closed machine heads
  • Colour: Candy Apple Red

review harley-benton-st-20mn-ca-standard-series

This guitar usually has a price around 66.00 €

Now that we’ve seen the features of this guitar Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series watch these related videos to learn more.

Harley Benton ST-20 - Sound Demo (no talking)

Post you may be interested in

Some comments from people who come to the forum about this model:

Comment:

So I bought this guitar just as a supplement for a set with HB Extreme-76, like if I have to pay quite a money for delivery, I want to order as much as I can in a single order, and I had just enough free money to get this one.

I have another guitar, a legendary beginner guitar, Her Majesty Squier Bullet Stratocaster (HSS version). I only play for almost 9 months, and it was bout time I get interested in new guitars. So this review will largely be based on a comparison between this and Squier.

Pros:
– beautiful af. Finish is just perfect, it looks more expensive than Squier (AWT color), despite actually costing me almost 3 times less (Fender production pricing in Russia is a little bit… insane, to say the least)
– has 22 frets
– gives you an idea of how SSS configuration works (that is a thing in my case)
– frets are very well leveled (contrary to Squier)
– arrived in perfect setting
– tremolo system allows you to achieve lower notes (goes down 3 half steps, while Squier only goes 2 half steps down)

Neutrals:
– neck is way thicker and feels completely different
– tuners aren’t as bad, nor are they any good
– pickups actually can deliver up to classic heavy metal (almost as good as Squier’s humbucker), and they aren’t bad, but they surely do suffer from their cost
– also B string saddle had one of the screws totally screwed up, I couldn’t turn it at all, so luckily I had some old Squier saddles to replace it with

Cons:
– rough fret ends (they probably won’t kill your hands, but they really needed work)
– nut is a joke (not even a funny one)
– mine’s contact would get lost from time to time (if I was moving the guitar while playing, and I was moving a lot) – an issue with screwing the hole where you connect the cable

So what i did to it was:
– changing the nut to GraphTec (the one that matches these dimensions is too low, so I didn’t make it go to the bottom of the slot and it’s stuck midway; still A LOT better than stock one)
– screwing the cable hole properly – now it has no connection issues
– sanded all the fret ends (unfortunately, this is the only type of work I’m not skilled at, so I only had a sand paper and a rough idea of how I want it to be)
– changed string trees to Gotoh (just for memes)
– immediate restringing (stock strings were even more of a joke than the nut)
– screwing properly everything there was

And I ended up having a guitar that rivals Squier, which is also modded by the time! I think if I change pickups to more serious ones, learn to solder and to shield, this will be a guitar that will last for decades!

Comment:

This guitar is not perfect. But it competes favorably with similarly imperfect (more expensive ‘name brand’) guitars.

With the swimming pool route underneath the pick guard (if you’re prepared to invalidate the warranty) there are many modification options (switching to HSS, HH, extra switches etc. or just because you like more room to work).

But if you’re a beginner and, like any guitar at this price point, are prepared to ask a tech or luthier to do a basic set up, you’re going to have a lot of fun and have a nice sounding guitar.

Pickups are respectable out of the box, tuning stability very acceptable and everything works fine. Managed to get the action pretty low. NB the chunky C profile more suitable to bigger hands.

Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series vs Harley Benton ST-20HSS SBK Standard Series

The guitar Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Seriesis usually 19 € cheaper than Harley Benton ST-20HSS SBK Standard Series, but the difference is so small that this can vary..

Below have a look to the video of this guitar

Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series

Harley Benton ST-20HSS SBK Standard Series
  • Standard series
  • Body: Basswood
  • Neck: Maple
  • Neck profile: Modern C
  • Fretboard: Maple
  • DOT fretboard inlays
  • 22 Frets
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 42 mm
  • Double action truss rod
  • Pickup: 3 ST style single coils
  • 1 Volume control
  • 2 Tone control
  • 5-Way toggle
  • Chrome hardware
  • Synchronised tremolo
  • Closed machine heads
  • Colour: Candy Apple Red
  • Body: Basswood
  • Bolt-on neck: Maple
  • Fretboard: Amaranth
  • Fretboard inlays: Dots
  • Neck profile: Modern C
  • Fretboard radius: 350 mm
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 42 mm
  • Double action truss rod
  • 22 Frets
  • Pickup: 1 Humbucker (bridge) and 2 single coils (middle and neck)
  • 1 Volume control and 2 tone controls
  • 5-Way pickup switch
  • Synchronised tremolo
  • Die-cast machine heads
  • Black hardware
  • Ex-factory stringing: .009″ – .042″
  • Colour: Black, matte

Below have a look to the video of this guitar Harley Benton ST-20HSS SBK Standard Series

Harley Benton ST 20HSS SBK Standard Series

If you want to know more about this option, click on the following link to see the Harley Benton ST-20HSS SBK Standard Series review

Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series vs Harley Benton Electric Guitar Kit ST-Style

The guitar Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Seriesis usually 0 € cheaper than Harley Benton Electric Guitar Kit ST-Style, but the difference is so small that this can vary..

Below have a look to the video of this guitar

Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series

Harley Benton Electric Guitar Kit ST-Style
  • Standard series
  • Body: Basswood
  • Neck: Maple
  • Neck profile: Modern C
  • Fretboard: Maple
  • DOT fretboard inlays
  • 22 Frets
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 42 mm
  • Double action truss rod
  • Pickup: 3 ST style single coils
  • 1 Volume control
  • 2 Tone control
  • 5-Way toggle
  • Chrome hardware
  • Synchronised tremolo
  • Closed machine heads
  • Colour: Candy Apple Red
  • Complete DIY (do it yourself) kit
  • Bolt-on neck attachment
  • Rengas body (wood colour may vary)
  • Maple neck
  • Double action truss rod
  • Amaranth fretboard
  • Dots fretboard inlays
  • Radius: 350 mm
  • 22 Frets
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 42 mm
  • Truss rod
  • 3 Ceramic single coil pickups
  • Electronics: 1 Volume, 2 Tone, 5-Way switch
  • Chrome hardware
  • Diecast machine heads
  • Tremolo
  • .009 – .042 Strings
  • Colour: Natural

Note: The body and neck have been primed with pore filler, making them suitable for the direct application of lacquer finishes. Before the application of stains or other surface treatments, the primer must be first removed via sanding.

Note: A certain degree of skill in handiwork is required for successful assembly of the guitar.

Below have a look to the video of this guitar Harley Benton Electric Guitar Kit ST-Style

Harley Benton Electric Guitar Kit ST-Style - Unboxing, Assembling, and Sound Demo (no talking)

If you want to know more about this option, click on the following link to see the Harley Benton Electric Guitar Kit ST-Style review

Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series vs Harley Benton ST-70 Black Paisley

The guitar Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Seriesis usually 89 € cheaper than Harley Benton ST-70 Black Paisley.

Below have a look to the video of this guitar

Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series

Harley Benton ST-70 Black Paisley
  • Standard series
  • Body: Basswood
  • Neck: Maple
  • Neck profile: Modern C
  • Fretboard: Maple
  • DOT fretboard inlays
  • 22 Frets
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 42 mm
  • Double action truss rod
  • Pickup: 3 ST style single coils
  • 1 Volume control
  • 2 Tone control
  • 5-Way toggle
  • Chrome hardware
  • Synchronised tremolo
  • Closed machine heads
  • Colour: Candy Apple Red
  • Deluxe Series
  • Body: Basswood
  • Bolt-on neck: Maple
  • Fretboard: Amaranth
  • Neck profile: C
  • Fretboard radius: 350 mm
  • Fretboard inlays: Dots
  • 21 Medium jumbo frets
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 43 mm
  • Pickup: 2 Roswell STA Alnico-5 vintage ST-Style single coils and 1 Roswell HAF Alnico-5 humbucker
  • 2 Tone controls and 1 volume control with volume push/pull function coil split
  • 5-Way toggle switch
  • Hardware: Chrome
  • Wilkinson tremolo
  • Stringing: D’Addario EXL110 .010 – .046 (article no. 104555)
  • Colour: Black Paisley

Below have a look to the video of this guitar Harley Benton ST-70 Black Paisley

Harley Benton ST-70 Black Paisley Unboxing & Review

If you want to know more about this option, click on the following link to see the Harley Benton ST-70 Black Paisley review

Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series vs Harley Benton ST-57DG Black Tribute

The guitar Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Seriesis usually 93 € cheaper than Harley Benton ST-57DG Black Tribute.

Below have a look to the video of this guitar

Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series

Harley Benton ST-57DG Black Tribute
  • Standard series
  • Body: Basswood
  • Neck: Maple
  • Neck profile: Modern C
  • Fretboard: Maple
  • DOT fretboard inlays
  • 22 Frets
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 42 mm
  • Double action truss rod
  • Pickup: 3 ST style single coils
  • 1 Volume control
  • 2 Tone control
  • 5-Way toggle
  • Chrome hardware
  • Synchronised tremolo
  • Closed machine heads
  • Colour: Candy Apple Red
  • Body: Alder
  • Bolt-on neck: Canadian maple with stained nyatoh skunk stripe
  • Fretboard: Maple
  • Neck profile: C
  • Fretboard radius: 350 mm
  • Scale: 648 mm
  • Nut width: 42 mm (TUSQ XL)
  • 21 Frets
  • Pickups: 3 Roswell SK52 True Vintage Staggered Alnico 5 single coils
  • 1 Volume control and 2 tone controls
  • 5-Way toggle switch
  • Single-ply pickguard
  • Synchronised tremolo system
  • Kluson style machine heads
  • Chrome-plated hardware
  • Ex-factory stringing: D’Addario .010 – .046 (article no. 104555)
  • Colour: Black high gloss

Below have a look to the video of this guitar Harley Benton ST-57DG Black Tribute

If you want to know more about this option, click on the following link to see the Harley Benton ST-57DG Black Tribute review

Where to buy the guitar Harley Benton ST-20MN CA Standard Series

Thomann

  • Free Shipping.
  • Full warranty. If you have any problems, they take care of everything.
  • 100% reliable payment.
  • Leader in trouble-free shipping.
  • Usually Best price.
  • Best Reputation: They are the leading online store in Europe and have the best catalogue and information.

Amazon

  • Free Shipping and possibility of shipping in one day with Amazon Premium.
  • Full Guarantee but they are no experts in music equipment.
  • Sometimes better price.
  • He’s got worse stock than Thomann.

Also look at these models with a similar price and features:

Jaime Echagüe

Hi! I'm Jaime Echagüe, a musician and an authentic fan of musical instruments. With this blog I want to give general information about musical instruments in an easy, direct and honest way. I hope you enjoy my website and that you find it very useful.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below