Head to head
ESP PHOENIX-200DX Black Burst vs Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS LH SBK
The verdict
The ESP PHOENIX-200DX Black Burst comes out ahead overall — 81 to 64 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
ESP PHOENIX-200DX Black Burst wins on
- Better build (87 vs 58)
- Better playability (78 vs 70)
- Better sound (74 vs 63)
- Better value (84 vs 68)
Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus MN HSS LH SBK wins on
- Lower price ($370 vs $499)
Scorecard
| Metric | PHOENIX-200DX Black Burst | ST-Modern Plus MN HSS LH SBK |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 81 | 64 |
| Build | 87 | 58 |
| Playability | 78 | 70 |
| Sound | 74 | 63 |
| Value | 84 | 68 |
Full specifications
| Spec | PHOENIX-200DX Black Burst | ST-Modern Plus MN HSS LH SBK |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | ESP | Harley Benton |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | — |
| Body wood | Poplar | American alder |
| Neck wood | Roasted Maple | Roasted Canadian flamed maple |
| Fretboard | Rosewood | Laurel with rounded edges |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | — |
| Scale | 25.5" | 25.5" |
| Pickups | ESP LH-150N / ESP LH-150B | 1 Tesla VR-Nitro Alnico 5 Open Humbucker (bridge), Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 (middle) and Tesla TV-S1N Alnico 5 Single Coils (neck) |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $499 | $370 |
| Bridge | TOM & Tailpiece | — |
| Bridge pickup | ESP LH-150B | — |
| Case | PHOENIX GUITAR FORM FIT CASE | — |
| Case Included | N | — |
| Construction | Bolt-On | — |
| Controls | Volume/Tone(Push/Pull)/Toggle Switch | — |
| Finish | Black Burst | Matt black |
| Fretboard radius | 350mm | 305 mm - 406 mm (12" - 16") |
| Hardware | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | ESP LH-150N | — |
| Neck profile | Thin U | Smooth "D" - thickness at 1st fret: 20.5 mm, at 12th fret: 22.5 mm |
| Nut | Molded | — |
| Nut width | 42mm | 42 mm (1.65") |
| Scale length | 25.5" | 648 mm (25.5") |
| Strap Button | Standard | — |
| Top wood | Flamed Maple | — |
| Tuners | LTD | — |
| Tuning | — | E-A-D-G-B-E standard |