Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Have you...compared em?

Btw, forget Premium, even the reissue RG550's from the same Japanese plant are a pretty sad sight vs. Old 80s and 90s examples.

Tell me exactly in what ways the 90s RGs are far more superior than the new ones (Japanese or Premiums). Give me like a list of strengths and weaknesses or something.

[Adieu]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Just curious, what exactly is your ratio of Japenese to non-Japanese guitars? You seem to like them a lot.

All but 1 or 2 japanese, depending on how you count mixed partscasters and one guitar of unclear origin

Oh and the 1 clearly non-japanese is a fretless bass I don't use (yet?), which was bought more or less out of curiosity / just to have one on hand, on a whim simply because it cost 90 bucks and that doesn't happen very often

[Adieu]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Tell me exactly in what ways the 90s RGs are far more superior than the new ones (Japanese or Premiums). Give me like a list of strengths and weaknesses or something.

Neck build, feel, and yes profile is radically different...although I don't actually like gloss necks per se, I strongly prefer the old laminated maple gloss necks, vs the current bubinga striped and and thin finished ones.There was a specific point they switched at, it was well-documented by the metalheads on sevenstring

They also had much better wood on the old laminated maple designs, and that's even before we get into the "glorious old rosewood is dark and glorious" debate.

Fretwork was also superior. Far superior.

And the old Edge / LoPro Edge trems were the penultimate Floyds, period. The "updated" versions, not so much.

As to Koreans and Indos, they also suffer from a whole lot of tonally dead wood cobbled together any old way. The old Japs are hella resonant, meanwhile.

[Lovegun]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I meant that the examples provided had different specs, so they weren't straight up rebadges like the japanese factories did with their no-headstock "Ibanez" (order a minimum # and they'll write whatever name you ask for) catalogs of the 1970s

Straight up rebadges they aren't. Maybe in this time of possible lawsuits the guitars have to be just a bit different so they can claim to be their own model, but close enough to look like the real thing. So these are targeted to someone who does not have or want to spend too much money on them or wants to own a large collection of guitars. Like these ones.



The end of the headstock almost reverse and a different horn.

[Lovegun]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I wonder what they uptick in price would be if they got an American distributor. I need to put my hands on one before spending any money. Especially if it's a PITA to send it back as I'm reading it is.

Thomann is a one large store and they don't have distributors. They do online sales to other parts of Europe and possibly overseas. I've bought three guitars (2 Epis and a Vintage) from them and pedals (just online photos) and didn't have any problems with them.

[Old Guy]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

David Wallimann on YouTube just did a blues vid with a LP copy by HB. It sounded AMAZING. Looked great, too. May have to pull the trigger just to see what they are about...

[Cynical]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Neck build, feel, and yes profile is radically different...although I don't actually like gloss necks per se, I strongly prefer the old laminated maple gloss necks, vs the current bubinga striped and and thin finished ones.There was a specific point they switched at, it was well-documented by the metalheads on sevenstring

They also had much better wood on the old laminated maple designs, and that's even before we get into the "glorious old rosewood is dark and glorious" debate.

Fretwork was also superior. Far superior.

And the old Edge / LoPro Edge trems were the penultimate Floyds, period. The "updated" versions, not so much.

As to Koreans and Indos, they also suffer from a whole lot of tonally dead wood cobbled together any old way. The old Japs are hella resonant, meanwhile.

In what universe were the old necks better?!?! Those things had a horrible tendency to warp, it's why they changed the profile to be thicker on the "Prestige Wizard" profile, and then added the titanium rods in the first RG550 reissue, and then went to maple/bubinga necks on the most recent "thinner" Wizards.

Fretwork on an old guitar is irrelevant; either the guitar wasn't played much because it was a POS overall, or it was played a lot and the frets are either worn to nothing or have long since been replaced.

I don't follow Ibby much (I don't like the Wizard profile), and I favor fixed bridges anyways, but I thought that Ibby had gone back to the original Edge in the last few years? Also, "penultimate" doesn't mean what you think it does.

[CrazeyDiamond67]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I ordered the HB TE90-QM. I paid $220. to my door with padded gig bag. It did get banged up in shipping. The neck came off (at the neck pocket) and yes as someone else had said...Thoman will replace the guitar. But, sending it back would have been a real pain. So, I repaired it myself...easy fix. Then I did some modifications. Hipshot locking ratio tuners, brass saddles, and Les Paul style knobs (cant stand the small chrome nobs). I like the guitar I would not have done any upgrades. The Roswell P90 PUs are not bad. The Pots are good...not the small ones you get on cheap guitars. However the cap on the tone pot needs to be replaced...get very dark and muddy. I think a different cap would help the pickups. They are quiet for P90s. Says they are ALNICO V...not sure cause I have not take them out of the guitar. The neck is Maple with Dark Maple fretboard. Frets were nice...But I still polished them while I was doing the upgrades. There were some complaints about the F holes not having black paint covering the entire cavity. Mine was well covered. The nut is some type of materiel. Looks like bone but not bone...works good and doesnt grab the strings. I would buy again...and do the upgrades allover again. Its not a high end guitar...but with lil TLC (Polish the frets, condition the fret board) it plays great. I have many guitars and I did this for fun. And it was fun.

[MoebiusAustria]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I purchased a HB CST-24 recently. Out of the box, it's a beautiful instrument in Ocean Blue, no flaws.
The first test showed that the pickups were not bad, but had too much weight on high frequencies, for my taste. I didn't mind, because I never had expected they would be perfect. Some time ago I had bought PRS-pickups for use in a HSH Stratocaster, and now I replaced the HB Pickups by the PRS (Vintage Bass - neck, HFS - bridge, as were mounted in older PRS guitars). Well, the HB is NOT a real PRS now, but the sound is very good, in my opinion.
I own a Gibson Midtown, too, and the HB offers little more treble and higher output with the 'new' pickups - just what I want, because no one needs two guitars sounding equal.
I think, there's no need for rather expensive PRS pickups to make the CST (or other models, like Les Paul or SG copies, which come with the same pickups) a really usable guitar with a well-playable neck and good sustain. Depending on your playing style, choose Seymour Duncan pickups and you won't be disappointed.
The other way to get rid of the high frequencies might be, to change the volume poti, but I didn't try that.
By the way: In split mode, both the original and the PRS pickups give a very thin sound, so I changed the wiring - with little success. I guess I would have to change the tone (split) poti and rewire completely, but there is no urgency.
I hope I could bring some news for you. Best wishes from Vienna, Austria.

[ehdwuld]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Welcome to the forum

We here have a custom of posting a picture of our new guitars
While this is not required, it would be much appreciated

I myself have a JB/JAZZ set in several guitars
A Basswood RG2
A Swamp Ash Gibson LP
Several custom made Ehdwuld branded mahogany works

I just think they sound great
And a few years ago there was a guy on the Trading Post board
Who's had like 4 or five Hotrodded Sets and made me a deal

I agree Duncan's do sound better

[Aceman]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I have a friend who just got one. I have played it. Very impressive. No doubt pickups etc. could be better....but it is a lot of guitar for the money.

Definitely upgrade worthy for an amazing guitar at a budget price.

He got some satin black dual humbucker tele...

[PAPADON]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

You get what you pay for.....

A saying well worth keeping in the forefront of your mind everytime a purchase is being considered.

Actually when it comes to expensive big brand name guitars it is more beneficial to keep in mind that you do not always get what you pay for.

[larryguitar]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

You get what you pay for.....

A saying well worth keeping in the forefront of your mind everytime a purchase is being considered.

So just buy the most expensive guitar, and it will be the best? That simplifies things...


Larry

[formula73]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

What’s with the snark in this thread?

[Mincer]

Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I think there is snark whenever brands known for being inexpensive are discussed.