Head to head
ESP CS-II Vintage Natural vs Harley Benton ST-70 RW
The verdict
The ESP CS-II Vintage Natural comes out ahead overall — 81 to 65 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP CS-II Vintage Natural wins on
- Better build (97 vs 58)
- Better playability (78 vs 72)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
Harley Benton ST-70 RW wins on
- Lower price ($195 vs $1,799)
Scorecard
| Metric | CS-II Vintage Natural | ST-70 RW |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 81 | 65 |
| Build | 97 | 58 |
| Playability | 78 | 72 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 78 | 75 |
Full specifications
| Spec | CS-II Vintage Natural | ST-70 RW |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Harley Benton |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | — |
| Body wood | Mahogany | Basswood |
| Neck wood | 3Pc Mahogany | Maple |
| Fretboard | Macassar Ebony | Amaranth |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | — |
| Scale | 25.5" | 25.51" |
| Pickups | Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound / Seymour Duncan Custom 14 Gold (ESP Exclusive) *(Pull Volume for Split) | 3 Roswell STA Alnico-5 Vintage ST-Style Single Coils |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,799 | $195 |
| Bridge | Gotoh TOM & Tailpiece | — |
| Bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan Custom 14 Gold (ESP Exclusive) *(Pull Volume for Split) | — |
| Case | Phoenix Guitar Form Fit Case | — |
| Case Included | Y | — |
| Construction | Neck-Thru | — |
| Controls | Passive | — |
| Finish | Vintage Natural | Natural High Gloss |
| Fretboard radius | 350mm | 305 mm |
| Hardware | Gold | — |
| Neck pickup | Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound | — |
| Neck profile | Thin U | C |
| Nut | Black Bone | — |
| Nut width | 43mm | 42 mm |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 648 mm |
| Strap Button | Standard | — |
| Top wood | Quilted Maple | Imitation rosewood veneer |
| Tuners | LTD Locking | — |
| Ex Factory Stringing | — | D'Addario .010 - .046 (Article no. #104555#) |