Head to head
Gibson 1959 ES-355 Reissue, Light Aged, Watermelon Red vs Harley Benton ST-70 RW
The verdict
The Gibson 1959 ES-355 Reissue, Light Aged, Watermelon Red comes out ahead overall — 77 to 65 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Gibson 1959 ES-355 Reissue, Light Aged, Watermelon Red wins on
- Better build (87 vs 58)
- Better sound (74 vs 60)
Harley Benton ST-70 RW wins on
- Better value (75 vs 67)
- Lower price ($195 vs $8,699)
Scorecard
| Metric | 1959 ES-355 Reissue, Light Aged, Watermelon Red | ST-70 RW |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 77 | 65 |
| Build | 87 | 58 |
| Playability | 75 | 72 |
| Sound | 74 | 60 |
| Value | 67 | 75 |
Full specifications
| Spec | 1959 ES-355 Reissue, Light Aged, Watermelon Red | ST-70 RW |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Gibson | Harley Benton |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | US | — |
| Body wood | 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple | Basswood |
| Neck wood | Solid Mahogany | Maple |
| Fretboard | Ebony | Amaranth |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | — |
| Scale | 24.75" | 25.51" |
| Pickups | Custombucker Alnico 3 / Custombucker Alnico 3 | 3 Roswell STA Alnico-5 Vintage ST-Style Single Coils |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $8,699 | $195 |
| Accessories | Certificate of Authenticity | — |
| Binding | Multi-ply | — |
| Body Finish | Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer | — |
| Body shape | ES-335 | — |
| Body Styles | ES | — |
| Bridge | ABR-1 | — |
| Bridge pickup | Custombucker Alnico 3 | — |
| Case | Brown/Pink Lifton Reissue 5-Latch Case | — |
| Centerblock | Solid Maple | — |
| Control Knobs | Black Butyrate Top Hats with Dial Pointers | — |
| Controls | 2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-in-Oil Capacitors | — |
| Finish | Gold; Murphy Lab Light Aged | Natural High Gloss |
| Fretboard inlay | 1950s Pattern Mother of Pearl | — |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | 305 mm |
| Fret Count | 22 | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Gibson logo and Split Diamond inlay in Mother of Pearl | — |
| Joint | Long Tenon, Hide Glue Fit | — |
| Model | 59ES355LAWMGH1 | — |
| Mounting Rings | Black M69 Medium & Tall | — |
| Neck pickup | Custombucker Alnico 3 | — |
| Nut | Nylon | — |
| Nut width | 42.85mm / 1.69in | 42 mm |
| Output Jack | 1/4" Switchcraft | — |
| Pickguard | Multi-Ply Bound Celluloid | — |
| Pickup Covers | Authentic Profile Gold-plated Nickel Silver | — |
| Pickup Selector | 3-Way Switchcraft | — |
| Profile | Medium C | — |
| Saddle Material | Nickel-plated Brass | — |
| Scale length | 628.65mm / 24.75in | 648 mm |
| Strap Buttons | 2 - Brass | — |
| String gauges | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 | — |
| Switch Tip | Amber Catalin | — |
| Tailpiece | Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar | — |
| Truss rod | Authentic 1950s No-Tube | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | Authentic Stepped 2-Ply | — |
| Tuner Plating | Gold | — |
| Tuners | Kluson Waffleback with Pearloid Tips | — |
| Weight Relief | None | — |
| Ex Factory Stringing | — | D'Addario .010 - .046 (Article no. #104555#) |
| Neck profile | — | C |
| Top wood | — | Imitation rosewood veneer |
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