Head to head
Epiphone J-45 EC, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss vs Harley Benton BJ-74Pro 4 String Banjo
The verdict
The Epiphone J-45 EC, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss comes out ahead overall — 72 to 63 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Epiphone J-45 EC, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss wins on
- Better build (70 vs 61)
- Better playability (75 vs 64)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Better value (75 vs 66)
Harley Benton BJ-74Pro 4 String Banjo wins on
- Lower price ($598 vs $799)
Scorecard
| Metric | J-45 EC, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss | BJ-74Pro 4 String Banjo |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 72 | 63 |
| Build | 70 | 61 |
| Playability | 75 | 64 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 75 | 66 |
Full specifications
| Spec | J-45 EC, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss | BJ-74Pro 4 String Banjo |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | Harley Benton |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | — |
| Body wood | Mahogany | Flamed maple |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Flamed maple |
| Fretboard | Laurel | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | — |
| Scale | 24.72" | 22.99" |
| Pickups | Fishman Sonicore | — |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $799 | $598 |
| Back | Solid Mahogany | — |
| Binding | Top - 4-ply Ivory and Black; Back - 1-ply Ivory | — |
| Body Finish | Aged Gloss | — |
| Body shape | J-45 | — |
| Body Styles | Round Shoulder | — |
| Bracing | Quarter Sawn Spruce | — |
| Bridge | Reverse Belly, Laurel | Maple / ebony |
| Bridge Pins | Ivory | — |
| Case | Optional | — |
| Controls | Fishman Presys II with Volume, Bass and Treble controls, Phase Switch, and a built-in tuner with LED display | — |
| Finish | Nickel | Brown Burst |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother of Pearl Dots | — |
| Fretboard radius | 305.0mm / 12.01in | — |
| Fret Count | 20 | — |
| Headstock | 60s Kalamazoo with Silkscreen Epiphone Modern Script Logo in Gold | — |
| Joint | Tapered Dovetail | — |
| Model | IGMTJ45CAVSNH1 | — |
| Nut | Bone | — |
| Nut width | 43.0mm / 1.69in | 31 mm |
| Output Jack | End pin Jack | — |
| Pickguard | Tortoise Shell Tear Drop, Epoxy Style | — |
| Preamp | Fishman Presys II | — |
| Profile | Rounded C | — |
| Saddle Material | Bone | — |
| Scale length | 628.0mm / 24.72in | 584 mm |
| Side | Solid Mahogany | — |
| Strap Buttons | 2 - end pin jack and back of heel | — |
| String gauges | Gibson Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings .012, .016, .024w, .032, .042, .053 | — |
| Top wood | Solid Sitka Spruce | — |
| Truss rod | Dual Action | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | 2-ply Bell | — |
| Tuner Plating | Nickel | — |
| Tuners | 3 on a plate: Ivory buttons, press in bushings | — |
| Under Saddle Pickup | Fishman Sonicore | — |
| Drumhead | — | Remo BJ-1100-H1 |
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