Head to head
Epiphone J-45 Express, Vintage Sunburst vs Harley Benton CLF-50E Purple Metallic
The verdict
The Harley Benton CLF-50E Purple Metallic comes out ahead overall — 72 to 67 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Epiphone J-45 Express, Vintage Sunburst wins on
No standout advantage.
Harley Benton CLF-50E Purple Metallic wins on
- Better build (66 vs 61)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Better value (82 vs 76)
- Lower price ($217 vs $299)
Scorecard
| Metric | J-45 Express, Vintage Sunburst | CLF-50E Purple Metallic |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 67 | 72 |
| Build | 61 | 66 |
| Playability | 72 | 75 |
| Sound | 60 | 68 |
| Value | 76 | 82 |
Full specifications
| Spec | J-45 Express, Vintage Sunburst | CLF-50E Purple Metallic |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | Harley Benton |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | — |
| Body wood | Layered Mahogany | — |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Laurel | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 19 | — |
| Scale | 22.68" | 24.8" |
| Pickups | — | — |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $299 | $217 |
| Accessories | Three Guitar Picks | — |
| Back | Layered Mahogany | — |
| Binding | 4-ply Top, Single-ply Back | — |
| Body Finish | Gloss | — |
| Body shape | J-45 | — |
| Body Styles | Small Body | — |
| Bridge | Reverse Belly; Laurel | Sonokeling rosewood |
| Bridge Pins | White Plastic with Black Dot | — |
| Case | Gig Bag | — |
| Finish | Nickel | Natural high-gloss with violet top |
| Fretboard inlay | Pearloid Dot | — |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | 380 mm |
| Fret Count | 19 | — |
| Headstock | 7/8 Scale Kalamazoo | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Epiphone Logo in Silver Silkscreen | — |
| Joint | Glued In, Set Neck | — |
| Model | ES1PPJ45VSNH1 | — |
| Nut | Molded White | — |
| Nut width | 43.0mm / 1.69in | 43 mm |
| Pickguard | Tear Drop; Tortoise | — |
| Profile | C | — |
| Saddle Material | Compensated White | — |
| Scale length | 576.0mm / 22.68in | 630 mm |
| Side | Layered Mahogany | — |
| Strap Buttons | 2 - Bottom and Side of Heel | — |
| String gauges | .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053 | — |
| Top wood | Layered Spruce | Solid selected Canadian sitka spruce |
| Truss rod | Dual Action | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | 3-ply Bell | — |
| Tuners | Mini Die-Cast | — |
| Back And Sides | — | Selected Sonokeling mahogany |
| Neck profile | — | D |
| Open Chrome Machine Heads With 18 | — | 1 gear ratio |
| Style | — | Parlor |