Head to head
ESP M-200DX Purple Burst vs Harley Benton CST-24 Black Cherry Flame
The verdict
The ESP M-200DX Purple Burst comes out ahead overall — 80 to 67 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP M-200DX Purple Burst wins on
- Better build (87 vs 58)
- Better playability (81 vs 75)
- Better sound (68 vs 63)
- Better value (83 vs 77)
Harley Benton CST-24 Black Cherry Flame wins on
- Lower price ($282 vs $399)
Scorecard
| Metric | M-200DX Purple Burst | CST-24 Black Cherry Flame |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 80 | 67 |
| Build | 87 | 58 |
| Playability | 81 | 75 |
| Sound | 68 | 63 |
| Value | 83 | 77 |
Full specifications
| Spec | M-200DX Purple Burst | CST-24 Black Cherry Flame |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Harley Benton |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | — |
| Body wood | Poplar | Meranti |
| Neck wood | Roasted Maple | Meranti |
| Fretboard | Rosewood | roasted jatoba |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 24 | — |
| Scale | 25.5" | 25" |
| Pickups | ESP LH-150N *(Pull Tone for Split) / ESP LH-150B *(Pull Tone for Split) | 2 Roswell HAF AlNiCo-5 open coil humbuckers |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $399 | $282 |
| Bridge | TOM w/ String Thru | — |
| Bridge pickup | ESP LH-150B *(Pull Tone for Split) | — |
| Case | MH Guitar Form Fit Case | — |
| Case Included | N | — |
| Construction | Bolt-On | — |
| Controls | Passive | — |
| Finish | Purple Burst | Black Cherry Flame |
| Fretboard radius | 350mm | 350 mm |
| Hardware | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | ESP LH-150N *(Pull Tone for Split) | — |
| Neck profile | Thin U | C |
| Nut | Molded | — |
| Nut width | 43mm | 42 mm |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 635 mm |
| Strap Button | Standard | — |
| Top wood | Poplar Burl | — |
| Tuners | LTD | — |
| Archtop | — | flamed maple |