Head to head
Gibson J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst vs Harley Benton CLA-15MCE
The verdict
The Gibson J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst comes out ahead overall — 74 to 70 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Gibson J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst wins on
- Better build (91 vs 70)
- Better playability (75 vs 64)
Harley Benton CLA-15MCE wins on
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Better value (79 vs 63)
- Lower price ($271 vs $3,199)
Scorecard
| Metric | J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst | CLA-15MCE |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 74 | 70 |
| Build | 91 | 70 |
| Playability | 75 | 64 |
| Sound | 60 | 68 |
| Value | 63 | 79 |
Full specifications
| Spec | J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst | CLA-15MCE |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Gibson | Harley Benton |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | US | — |
| Body wood | Mahogany | Okoume |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Okoume |
| Fretboard | Rosewood | Pau Ferro |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Scale | 24.75" | 25.31" |
| Pickups | LR Baggs VTC | Fishman Presys-II preamp system with built-in tuner |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $3,199 | $271 |
| Accessories | Includes Gibson Accessory Kit | — |
| Back | Mahogany | — |
| Binding | Multi-ply top, single-ply back | — |
| Body Finish | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer | — |
| Body shape | J-45 | — |
| Body Styles | Round Shoulder | — |
| Bracing | Traditional hand scalloped X-bracing | — |
| Bridge | Traditional belly up | Pau Ferro |
| Bridge Pins | Tusq | — |
| Case | Hardshell Case | — |
| Controls | Volume and Tone Controls | — |
| Finish | Nickel | Natural, matte |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother-of-pearl dots | — |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | — |
| Fret Count | 20 | — |
| Joint | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body | — |
| Model | OCRS4550VS | — |
| Nut | Bone | Bone |
| Nut width | 43.81mm / 1.72in | 43 mm |
| Pickguard | 50's, Tortoise | — |
| Profile | Rounded | — |
| Saddle Material | Bone | — |
| Scale length | 628.65mm / 24.75in | 643 mm |
| Side | Mahogany | — |
| String gauges | 0.053, 0.042, 0.032, 0.024, 0.016, 0.012 | D'Addarío XTAPB Light .012 - .053 (Art. #471307#) |
| Top wood | Sitka Spruce | Solid okoume |
| Truss Rod Cover | Black | — |
| Tuner Plating | Nickel | — |
| Tuners | Grover Strap Cream Button | — |
| Under Saddle Pickup | LR Baggs VTC | — |
| Neck profile | — | Modified Oval C |
| Style | — | Auditorium 000-14 with cutaway |
| Suitable Case | — | Art. #208576# (not included) |
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