Head to head
Harley Benton MV-5PJ Black vs Ibanez SR505N
The verdict
The Harley Benton MV-5PJ Black and Ibanez SR505N are closely matched overall — 67 to 65 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Harley Benton MV-5PJ Black wins on
- Better playability (72 vs 67)
- Better value (76 vs 65)
Ibanez SR505N wins on
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
Scorecard
| Metric | MV-5PJ Black | SR505N |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 67 | 65 |
| Build | 61 | 61 |
| Playability | 72 | 67 |
| Sound | 60 | 68 |
| Value | 76 | 65 |
Full specifications
| Spec | MV-5PJ Black | SR505N |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Harley Benton | Ibanez |
| Type | Bass | Bass |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | — |
| Body wood | Alder | Okoume |
| Neck wood | Caramelised Canadian maple with roseacer skunk stripe | Roasted Maple |
| Fretboard | Laurel | Rosewood |
| Strings | 4 | 5 |
| Frets | 20 | 24 |
| Scale | 34" | 34" |
| Pickups | 1 HBZ-custom Wound VJB-B Alnico 5 single coil (bridge) and 1 HBZ-custom Wound VPB-N Alnico 5 single coil (middle) | Nordstrand™ Big Break / Nordstrand™ Big Break |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $250 | — |
| 22 | 1 Gear ratio | — |
| Bridge | Sung Il WB401CR with brass saddles and 20 mm string spacing | MR5S bridge |
| Finish | Black | — |
| Fretboard radius | 305 mm (12") | — |
| Neck Binding | Cream | — |
| Neck profile | Soft D | — |
| Nut width | 43 mm (1.69") | — |
| Scale length | 864 mm (34") | 864mm/34" |
| Truss rod | double action adjustment wheel | — |
| A Width | — | 45mm at NUT |
| Bridge pickup | — | Nordstrand™ Big Break bridge pickupPassive |
| B Width | — | 68mm at 24F |
| C Thickness | — | 19.5mm at 1F |
| D Thickness | — | 21.5mm at 12F |
| Equalizer | — | Ibanez Custom Electronics 3-band EQ w/EQ bypass switch (passive tone control on treble pot), 3-way Mid frequency switch |
| Factory Tuning | — | 1G,2D,3A,4E,5B |
| Fret | — | Medium frets |
| Hardware | — | Black |
| Neck pickup | — | Nordstrand™ Big Break neck pickupPassive |
| Neck Type | — | SR55pc Roasted Maple/Walnut neck |
| Radius | — | 305mmR |
| Recommended Bag | — | IBB540-BK |
| Recommended Case | — | MB300C |
| String Gauge | — | .045/.065/.085/.105/.130 |
| String Space | — | 16.5mm |
| Top Back Body | — | Okoume body |