Head to head
ESP EXL-200 Black vs Harley Benton ST-Modern Carlos Asensio IBM
The verdict
The ESP EXL-200 Black comes out ahead overall — 82 to 66 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP EXL-200 Black wins on
- Better build (87 vs 62)
- Better playability (81 vs 70)
- Better sound (74 vs 63)
- Better value (85 vs 69)
Harley Benton ST-Modern Carlos Asensio IBM wins on
- Lower price ($653 vs $699)
Scorecard
| Metric | EXL-200 Black | ST-Modern Carlos Asensio IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 82 | 66 |
| Build | 87 | 62 |
| Playability | 81 | 70 |
| Sound | 74 | 63 |
| Value | 85 | 69 |
Full specifications
| Spec | EXL-200 Black | ST-Modern Carlos Asensio IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Harley Benton |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | — |
| Body wood | Mahogany | American alder |
| Neck wood | 3Pc Maple | Roasted Canadian maple |
| Fretboard | Rosewood | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | — |
| Scale | 24.75" | 25.5" |
| Pickups | ESP LH-301N / ESP LH-301B | 1 Tesla OPUS-X humbucker with black cover (bridge) and 2 Tesla Time Machine 57's single coils (middle and neck) |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $699 | $653 |
| Bridge | TOM & Tailpiece | — |
| Bridge pickup | ESP LH-301B | — |
| Case | EXL GUITAR FORM FIT CASE | — |
| Case Included | N | — |
| Construction | Set-Neck | — |
| Controls | Volume/Tone(Push/Pull)/Toggle Switch | — |
| Finish | Black | Ice Blue Metallic Gloss |
| Fretboard radius | 350mm | 305 mm - 406 mm (12" - 16") |
| Hardware | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | ESP LH-301N | — |
| Neck profile | Thin U | smooth D - Thickness at 1st fret: 20.5 mm, at 12th fret: 22.5 mm |
| Nut | Molded | Graphite |
| Nut width | 42mm | 42 mm (1.65") |
| Scale length | 24.75" | 648 mm (25.5") |
| Strap Button | Standard | — |
| Tuners | LTD | — |
| Fretboard inlay | — | Dots and Glow-in-dark side markers |