Audio & Hi-Fi · Head-to-head
Yamaha Pacifica 112V vs Harley Benton ST-20 CA
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Beginner Electric Guitars: 6 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Pacifica 112V gives a beginner the widest range of sounds on a standard-dimension neck, with a coil split that lets one pickup act as a humbucker or a single coil. The ST-20 CA matches the basic dimensions at the lowest tier if you can live with single-coil hum and no bag.
Yamaha Pacifica 112V
Buy itThe Pacifica 112V pairs a slim, standard-scale neck with a humbucker, two single coils and a coil split, so one guitar covers most beginner styles.
- Yamaha lists a 25.5 in scale, a 13-3/4 in radius and medium frets, which are the dimensions most lessons and tab assume.
- The HSS Alnico V pickups plus a push-pull coil split on the tone knob give clean, crunchy and single-coil sounds from one instrument.
- The vintage-style tremolo has block saddles, and Yamaha publishes a full spec sheet, so you know exactly what you are buying.
- Yamaha's spec table lists no case or gig bag for this model, so budget for one.
- The vintage tremolo can drift out of tune with heavy arm use, and a beginner may never need the arm.
- Weight is not published on the Yamaha spec page.
Harley Benton ST-20 CA
Buy itA Strat-shaped starter from Thomann's house brand with standard dimensions, three single coils and a lowest-tier price.
- Thomann lists a Modern C neck profile, 648 mm scale, 42 mm nut and a 305 mm (12 in) radius, so it feels like a standard bolt-on guitar.
- The factory strings are listed as .009 to .042, light enough for easy bending, and the neck has a double-action truss rod for adjustment.
- It carries a 3-year Thomann warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee per the product page.
- The base listing says no bag is included (a separate listing sells it with a bag).
- Three single coils buzz more than humbuckers and give less crunch with high gain.
- The listing text and spec table disagree on small details such as fretboard wood and tremolo wording, so confirm the exact variant before ordering.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Yamaha Pacifica 112V Our pick | Harley Benton ST-20 CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | A first guitar for someone who has not settled on a style yet. | A buyer who wants the lowest outlay and plans to upgrade or mod later. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Body wood | Alder | Poplar |
| Scale length | 25.5 in (648 mm) | 648 mm |
| Neck | Bolt-on maple, 20.9 mm thick at 1st fret | Bolt-on maple, Modern C |
| Fretboard radius | 13-3/4 in (350 mm) | 305 mm (12 in) |
| Pickups | HSS Alnico V, coil split | 3 single coils (SSS) |
| Bridge | Vintage tremolo, block saddles | Tremolo (vintage per spec, synchronised per text) |
| Frets | 22 medium | 22 |
| Gig bag in the box | None listed | No (separate bag listing exists) |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Yamaha Pacifica 112V if
a first guitar for someone who has not settled on a style yet.
Know before buying: yamaha's spec table lists no case or gig bag for this model, so budget for one.
Pick the Harley Benton ST-20 CA if
a buyer who wants the lowest outlay and plans to upgrade or mod later.
Know before buying: the base listing says no bag is included (a separate listing sells it with a bag).
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Yamaha Pacifica 112V - The Pacifica 112V pairs a slim, standard-scale neck with a humbucker, two single coils and a coil split, so one guitar covers most beginner styles. Choose the Harley Benton ST-20 CA instead if a buyer who wants the lowest outlay and plans to upgrade or mod later.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Beginner Electric Guitars: 6 Compared (and One to Skip).