Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

O

Old Guy

New member
Since Guitcon 2018, it seems that the internet has exploded with praise for Harley Benton guitars.

Yes, they're stupid cheap, and are basically rip offs of other more expensive brands and models, but digging deep into it, there are many mixed reviews and other issues as well.

The #1 issue being that there are no retailers in the USA. Which some say is a big problem with shipping, guitars arriving broken, or if they need to be returned, it becomes a headache. Thommann makes good on the returns, but many say it's a much bigger PITA than it needs to be.

The other thing that gets thrown around a lot is that they have some serious QC issues and you never really know what to expect when you order one. The word "Lemon" gets thrown around a lot. Some say as many as half the guitars they've received have to be returned because of a whole myriad of build and QC problems.

Does anyone here have any experience with these guitars or know anyone who got one? I'm seriously starting to consider getting one, just to see what the fuss is about, and for the price, it may even worth the effort just for an experiment.

Ant thought, advice, words of wisdom?
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I've read about them in British guitar magazines. No doubt within a few years they will make it to the US market- I am sure they are trying.
 
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.
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Old Guy said:
Since Guitcon 2018, it seems that the internet has exploded with praise for Harley Benton guitars.

Yes, they're stupid cheap, and are basically rip offs of other more expensive brands and models, but digging deep into it, there are many mixed reviews and other issues as well.

The #1 issue being that there are no retailers in the USA. Which some say is a big problem with shipping, guitars arriving broken, or if they need to be returned, it becomes a headache. Thommann makes good on the returns, but many say it's a much bigger PITA than it needs to be.

The other thing that gets thrown around a lot is that they have some serious QC issues and you never really know what to expect when you order one. The word "Lemon" gets thrown around a lot. Some say as many as half the guitars they've received have to be returned because of a whole myriad of build and QC problems.

Does anyone here have any experience with these guitars or know anyone who got one? I'm seriously starting to consider getting one, just to see what the fuss is about, and for the price, it may even worth the effort just for an experiment.

Ant thought, advice, words of wisdom?
Click to expand...

Used gear prices are far too good in USA to bother with budget copies
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Adieu said:
Used gear prices are far too good in USA to bother with budget copies
Click to expand...

Except new Harley Benton are even cheaper than most used budget guitars.

My only experience with HB guitars was old strat that was garbage. Their guitar cabs are great though. And many HB pedals are just rebranded Joyos, so not bad. Uglier though.
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Jacew said:
Except new Harley Benton are even cheaper than most used budget guitars.

My only experience with HB guitars was old strat that was garbage. Their guitar cabs are great though. And many HB pedals are just rebranded Joyos, so not bad. Uglier though.
Click to expand...

How much cheaper than $120 - 200 japanese guitars did you want to get??? The only type you'll have to cough up 300+ for is LP copies, or uncommon shapes (explorers, for example), and really only if in a hurry and unwilling to wait and search
 
Last edited:
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Adieu said:
How much cheaper than $120 - 200 japanese guitars did you want to get??? The only type you'll have to cough up 300+ for is LP copies, or uncommon shapes (explorers, for example), and really only if in a hurry and unwilling to wait and search
Click to expand...

HB are in 100-200€ range. Their LP costs 160€

Only seen other chinese guitars with that price in used market here. Not cheaper. But maybe it's different in US.

There are no japanese guitars under 300€ on sale here. Never. They generally go for around 500 €
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Jacew said:
HB are in 100-200€ range. Their LP costs 160€

Only seen other chinese guitars with that price in used market here. Not cheaper. But maybe it's different in US.

There are no japanese guitars under 300€ on sale here. Never. They generally go for around 500 €
Click to expand...

Order it from abroad. It'll cost maybe 40€ more in shipping
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I seriously doubt the QC issues, even though I never touch that sucker. I suspect it is the stereoptypical, ultranationalists, opinionated Americans who believes everything Asian must suck. Meanwhile they continue purchasing iPhones and Nikes.

Europeans and Japs are more open minded to imports, apparently. There is a reason Ibanez Premiums and LTDs and some Japan-only models like Grassroots are widely popular over there.
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Obsessive Compulsive said:
I seriously doubt the QC issues, even though I never touch that sucker. I suspect it is the stereoptypical, ultranationalists, opinionated Americans who believes everything Asian must suck. Meanwhile they continue purchasing iPhones and Nikes.

Europeans and Japs are more open minded to imports, apparently. There is a reason Ibanez Premiums and LTDs and some Japan-only models like Grassroots are widely popular over there.
Click to expand...

Europe and Japan are A LOT richer than America.... not in a meaningless average distorted by a few trillion net worth residing within a mere several square miles of SF Bay Area and NYC, but in the much more meaningful median. Average folk with money to burn.

That means more uninformed amateurs who walk into a chain store and drop $600 - 1000ish on a prospective new hobby, purely following the "helpful" salesperson's recommendation

No serious gearhead would ever recommend Ibby Premium over an 80s RG or a Jcraft with a few battlescars, or a new Grassroots over a 90s ESP
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Not-richer-than-the-uninformed-american-amateur European here.

Harley Bentons are pretty common here, and they're as uninspiring as you'd expect. I would suggest them to a person that was looking for their first guitar AND was on a seriously tight budget, but not anyone else.

Up close, they look, feel, play and sound as cheap as you'd expect based on their price.

There are MUCH better Asian-made guitars I would go to before them that, admittedly, cost twice as much, but when "twice-as-much" is 150-200€, I would say it'd be worth it. Maybe throw another 200-ish € down the road in upgrades and you'd have an axe for life.

As for the Ibby Premium / Grassroots comment, agreed, a seriously informed gearhead that KNOWS what to look for would most definitely prefer the 80's RG or the 90's ESP but don't forget there are at least three of four times as many guitar players with chops most of us couln't ever dream of having who know next to nothing about years or models and only know the guitars that hang on the wall of their closest guitar shop...

To put it another way: How many people drive cars? How many people are good drivers?
How many people would look at an AE85 and an AE86 with their hoods popped and wouldn't simply call them "a grampa-old Toyota", let alone be able to tell "the good" from "the bad" apart?
 
Last edited:
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Adieu said:
Used gear prices are far too good in USA to bother with budget copies
Click to expand...

I've been thinking a lot about this very thing.

The guitar that lights my fire the most is the 35HB which is a copy of a Gibson 335. I can get it shipped to my door for about $225USD. I have been searching for years for that style of guitar, and the used ones I've tried (even the Epiphone ones) were just not great.

That's exactly the trouble I'm having. If I could pick one up at a shop and feel and play it, I could tell instantly if it was worth the price of admission compared to other similar guitars I've tried. I wouldn't even mind paying more for a quality 335 copy from another company, but at that price point, my curiosity is piqued.
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I purchased an £80 Telecaster for prototyping pickups in. The [ceramic bar] pickups weren't potted, but as I had no intention of keeping them anyway, I just potted them, and put them on eBay for a fiver each.

I don't like the neck profile, but that has been the case with most Fenders I've tried, with the exception of the Japanese and Baja ones, otherwise I really enjoy it. It is a lot heavier than I'd expected, but not uncomfortable, and the tuners are better than most budget guitars.

I've a sample somewhere that I did for someone interested in the Tele pickups I was working on - I'll edit this post to include it if I've still got it somewhere :)

http://www.mediafire.com/file/sp1i36qwp5ne94u/MVS-2_Sequence.wav/file
 
Last edited:
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Davii said:
I purchased an £80 Telecaster for prototyping pickups in. The [ceramic bar] pickups weren't potted, but as I had no intention of keeping them anyway, I just potted them, and put them on eBay for a fiver each.

I don't like the neck profile, but that has been the case with most Fenders I've tried, with the exception of the Japanese and Baja ones, otherwise I really enjoy it. It is a lot heavier than I'd expected, but not uncomfortable, and the tuners are better than most budget guitars.

I've a sample somewhere that I did for someone interested in the Tele pickups I was working on - I'll edit this post to include it if I've still got it somewhere :)

http://www.mediafire.com/file/sp1i36qwp5ne94u/MVS-2_Sequence.wav/file
Click to expand...

Mexican SQUIER series (black bigger Fender logo, smaller Squier logo on headstock as well) had great necks... especially if you knock down the finish to a satin or remove it entirely from the back

Although admittedly reaming them for decent 10mm tuners is a royal PITA...
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Harley Bentons seems to be the hit in inexpensive guitars now. I've never had one, but the quality seems to have gone up based on YouTube reviews. I don't know what kind of a deal they have but a lot of the models seem similar to more expensive counterparts. Are Harley Bentons made in the same factory or what? So originators they're not but maybe a good deal if one upgrades it.

Eps ltd 256: 399 euros
https://www.thomann.de/fi/esp_ltd_ec_256fm_stdgb.htm
Harley Benton 199 euros
https://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton_sc_custom_lemon_flame.htm

Vintage v100 298 euros
https://www.gear4music.fi/fi/Kitarat-ja-bassot/Vintage-V100-sahkokitara-Cherry-Sunburst/74S
Harley Benton 159 euros
https://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton_sc_450plus_hb_vintage_series.htm
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Lovegun said:
Harley Bentons seems to be the hit in inexpensive guitars now. I've never had one, but the quality seems to have gone up based on YouTube reviews. I don't know what kind of a deal they have but a lot of the models seem similar to more expensive counterparts. Are Harley Bentons made in the same factory or what? So originators they're not but maybe a good deal if one upgrades it.

Eps ltd 256: 399 euros
https://www.thomann.de/fi/esp_ltd_ec_256fm_stdgb.htm
Harley Benton 199 euros
https://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton_sc_custom_lemon_flame.htm

Vintage v100 298 euros
https://www.gear4music.fi/fi/Kitarat-ja-bassot/Vintage-V100-sahkokitara-Cherry-Sunburst/74S
Harley Benton 159 euros
https://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton_sc_450plus_hb_vintage_series.htm
Click to expand...

Doubtful...what between the "thermally treated" (baked) maple fretboard and the "Roswell" pickups

Fun fact: if they didnt bake the maple, I mightve been tempted
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

I have looked at those and am also really curious

I had the same fascination with Xavier guitars from GFS
Till I played a used one in a store. And the neck just wasn't what I envisioned

Still curious about the Bentons though
 
Re: Tell me about Harley Benton Guitars

Anyone have an idea who Harley Benton *is*? It sounds like someone's name.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

marcello252
Strange Harley Benton tele neck poles
Replies
4
Views
77
jeremy
jeremy
C
NGD: US PRS
Replies
10
Views
88
GuitarStv
GuitarStv
marcello252
NGD : Harley Benton TE-52
Replies
17
Views
577
GuitarDoc
G
Gstring
MY LATEST .AMAZING QUAKITY BUDGET CHINESE STRAT TYPE.
Replies
8
Views
137
ehdwuld
ehdwuld
Mikelamury
NGD: Harley Benton fusion T HT HH
Replies
12
Views
313
jeremy
jeremy
Back
Top