I just received the one I ordered and overall I was happy with the fit and finish, tone, etc. , especially for the price. However the G strings seemed difficult to get in tune … in my research before buying I had read that changing strings on these is crazy hard… with only 6 slots for 12 strings, each pair of strings having to share one hole in the tailpiece …. so I also bought a WD 12 string trapeze tailpiece with 12 slots for less than $30, it cost$37.84 with shipping… The 12 slot tailpiece fit on the existing trapeze and I was able to restring the guitar with the original strings because I’m cheap lol…. it worked! Something about not having to share a hole solved the G string problem… so I highly recommend to all purchasers of this guitar, spend the extra 30 bucks and you won’t have restringing problems, and if you’re having tuning issues maybe that will help as well. GREAT review, great playing BTW… but there IS another review worth watching… on “Jon is just TOO loudD“ TH-cam channel.
Dude, this is probably the best review I've ever seen on a guitar. Funny unboxing, you hit all the main points, and then tell us exactly how you're getting the sounds...and a crap load of great riffs and a kick ass solo. Loved it!
That Harley Benton sounds super for what it is. Also, one of the best reviews ever. You packed all the information anybody would need to know in a single video.
I've had my HP for over a year now it stays in tune really well stands up to playing on on gigs and his real champ I love the cost or lack of it too it's really a nice guitar for the money❤
Hey billy it's a great guitar but without a doubt the most unbelievable thing about it is how well it stays in tune. Mine sits hanging on the wall in the basement sometimes through 2 seasons. Yet when I pick it back up I have to tweak it a little at the most. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and your comment. Please take care and be well. Mark
"this is the only review you need to watch" Now you tell me, after I already watched about 5 inferior videos! 😃 This was great! Man, I think I need one.
Hey man. Thanks so much. Are you new to the channel? If so, I have a ton of cool 12 string videos. I just did 25 FAMOUS 12 STRING RIFFS th-cam.com/video/8Eteg4fqQ-E/w-d-xo.html. I also have a ton of songs that I cover on the 12. Here's one with a pretty cool video too LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS COVER AND LESSON th-cam.com/video/vZdVOj1wSr8/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=8MinuteAxe. I'm really pleased with the Harley Benton so far. It's easy to play, I personally like the body better than the Ric, and it's a fraction of the cost. FYI, I also give away a brand new 12 string every month on the channel. I appreciate your support in watching this one. Take care and have a great evening. -Mark
I bought a black paisley version of this that was marked down to clear I think. I needed to change the bridge to get it to play in tune with itself, a genuine 12 saddle Rickenbacher part that cost almost as much as the guitar but MAN! A COLOSSAL difference. I also got a bone nut with the low strings on each pair reversed so the get hit with the pick first like the real Rickenbackers do and it is now about twice the instrument it was. It is a nice extra secret studio weapon to have .
That opening riff is totally unmistakable. One of the best unboxing videos that I have seen. Certainly the most informative. This guitar sounds great and I really enjoyed your solo at the end. It is amazing that really good guitars are being made at such affordable prices. Thanks for keeping me informed.
I've been curious about getting a 12 string ever since I saw Stu from King Gizzard played one but they've always seemed expensive for something I don't yet know if I can even play. Might have to order one of these now, especially as it holds up way above the price.
Hey Supafrogg. For sure. It stays in tune incredibly well too. I dont know how HB does it. I just got a solid wood acoustic for $240! I mean solid mahogany, top, back, and sides. 15 years ago you couldnt get a solid wood guitar for less than $1000. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and comment. Take care. Mark
Just got mine yesterday. After a minor setup, (lower the bridge), it is way more than I thought. I especially like the smaller body. Dust in the wind is Heavenly!
I own several acoustic 12 strings and one day I decided that i wanted a Rickenbacker 12 sting electric. I found one at a local music store in Houston and went down to try it out. I own a lot of great 6 and 7 string electrics, so I was really looking forward to adding a 12 string to my collection. I sat down to play it and it was awful! The feel was very cheap, the balance was neck heavy, the pickups were weak, the control knobs basically didn't change anything and the tuning keys looked like stamped parts. I was severely disappointed and for the price they were asking, there was no way I was buying this guitar. I know that all manufactures have some bad days, but if they would let something like the piece of junk I tried out be released I wanted no part of it. I own a 1966 Rick bass which is incredible, so I began to wonder if what I played was a counterfeit, but to this day, I have never picked one up again. I am totally interested in the Harley Benton, so I appreciate your honest review. Thanks.
Hey Magic G. Yeah, the guy who let me borrow the one hanging in the background in my video says that it's the only guitar he's ever purchased that he has buyer's remorse from. I really appreciate the thoughtful and thorough comment. It would be great if you have time to check out another video on the channel. Here's a cover of Ventura Highway th-cam.com/video/amdfN3p_P4Y/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=8MinuteAxe. I also give away a brand new 12 string every month on the channel. Either way, thanks for your time on this one. Have a great weekend and take care. -mark
Kind of odd to have a neck heavy Rickenbacker as small as the necks usually are. Usually it’s vastly in the other direction, With bodies being too heavy. Almost makes me wonder if you were playing a fake one or one that somebody added balancing weights to.
LOVE this video. I received mine and its perfect! It stays in tune so well for a 12 string that is really amazing. When looking at other reviews of this guitar, your review is the best.
For cheap 12-string, not too bad, perhaps something toy around with at the house, or use for an occasional song, if playing out. Unfortunately with electric guitars, there are many sacrifices made at lower price points. All around I think Reverend does the best job at the electric 12-string. Not the most expensive, not the cheapest, but checks nearly every box, stays in tune and sounds.
Hey brother. I'm not sure if you're referring to my multiple videos on the Reverend airwave 12 or this is just pure coincidence that you're mentioning the Reverend. The Reverend airwave 12 is my favorite of my thirteen 12 string guitars. It may be my favorite guitar of all time. I did a video on it called one guitar to rule them all. I've never had a guitar that had more of a wide sound pallet just by using the knobs and selector switch and Ive owned quite a few guitars. LOL. Regarding Harley Benton, my RB 612 stays in tune phenomenally well. I think it's a great option for people on a limited budget. and I think it looks pretty kick ass to. A couple other excellent 12 string guitars are the Rivolta and the Schecter. The Eastwood classic 12 is a great mid priced 12 string. Much better than the Dano in my opinion. These are all just one man's opinion though and worth exactly that. If you're interested ONE GUITAR TO RULE THEM ALL th-cam.com/video/5xuEkOUta4M/w-d-xo.html. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I sincerely appreciate your time and comment. Have a great weekend and take care. Mark
Yes,.. this was a really good review! Loved the unboxing part but,.. the playing,.. was fantastic! The range of songs and sounds you pulled from that guitar was very impressive. Since the uploading of this video, the price of this guitar has gone up a bit to $225 but still,.. a seriously great price! Nice!
I always look forward to Friday afternoon and a new video from you. A new guitar is always exciting. Can't wait to hear what this electric 12 string sounds like.
Hey Michael. This may be the hardest I worked on any single video. I feel like a ton of people are looking for an electric 12 on the cheap and I tried to make the 'perfect' review video. Obviously, it's far from that but I think I did a pretty good job. Hopefully you can make the chat at 1:45. Take care and be well. -Mark
I've been wondering about this brand for a while Mark, thanks for reviewing one of their models. I'm sold after seeing how effortless you did that jam at the end. The action must be spot on to play a 12-string like that. Great job and add me to the HB waiting list.
I saw this video and fell in love with this guitar. I have one on order and hope to get it by oct. I must have watched this video 30 times. you make that guitar really sound great. Not only will i be getting a great guitar but i found a new channel to watch.
Great review! I just received this exact guitar 2 weeks ago after a 6 week wait so we probably got the same batch. I love it so far. My only complaint is the neck dive, which is probably difficult to avoid with all the tuner hardware. Gonna pick up a nice wide leather strap to see if that helps. I'm in Canada and the shipment came thru the US so I had to pay customs as well. Was about $475 (CAD) all in.
Hey brother. I'm so sorry for the delayed response here. YT just dumped 200 unanswered comments in my lap. The neck dive is a bit of an issue but typically practice with a strap. I'm taking Jazz Improv lessons so I'm used to my seated and standing positions being the same so I can keep up with chord changes. Thanks for the info. Also, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
A year later, I ended up with two - a black one and 'your' sunburst and I'm happy enough. The Black one is re-stringed/formatted for the Rick string formation (bass string on top) while the Sunburst is HB's standard Treble-On-Top. I guess these for stage work where they fulfill my needs, using The Other One when I break a string here or there. For composing and recording, I use the expensive brands and/or Guild F512 acoustic, as it's the most inspirational of my 12-strings - often a much-needed factor in compositions! I'm just no longer interested in risking $3000 or $5000 stage guitars when amps and pedals can supply the important tones to audiences. Thanks for the succinct unboxing as well as the 'I guess it's a plastic nut' (it is).
After a few hours of playing on both (purchased about 4 months apart), I did the string-height measurements, neck-relief considerations, etc, then tossed out the orig strings and did fret-polishing and 'finishing'. Nothing was too terrible - and while this is always a boring segment of my introduction to each guitar, there is no better way to see workmanship and quality of materials. These two HB's - my only HB's - were good for me. I did knock out/dig out the nut and replaced it with the Tusq's - which I do on so many. The tuners are adequate - I have a demand for "same feel" tuners - if one feels unlike others, I splurge and get a whole new set - I want every tuner to 'feel' the same. (I can break my own strings, thank you - I do not need balky or loose-feeling tuners to help me.)
Hey brother. I read your comment and you crack me up. I spent all this time looking at a Santa Cruz and then I realized about two days before I was ready to pull the trigger that I perform 100 or so shows a year and that I would never dare take that guitar to a show. When I get to the point that my guitars are no longer tools and become conversation pieces and luxury items also down with a custom shop Taylor I Santa Cruz or a real Alverez. As far as recording goes for my videos what do you have a little bit of a following and you're in the rat race he just get everything recorded as quickly as possible and move onto the next video but when I'm recording original music and I decide I'd like a 12 string on it I typically use my Takamine. It's a jumbo and sounds very balanced especially at the price point. If I'm recording a tricky part i'll always use Taylor 150. I absolutely love the Reverend airwave 12. It may be my favorite guitar of all time six or 12 string included. Anyway I'm rambling. One of the downsides of talk to text. I sincerely appreciate you checking out the video. Please take care and be well. Mark
Hey again, I'm not sure if you seen my performance of Leo Kottkes Vaseline machine gun but I could've used something with a higher action for that one. Although I'm a fairly advanced finger style player, I haven't done a lot of traditional chat Atkins finger style on the 12 string and I'm not an experience slide player at least when it comes the only fronting the slide over a couple strings and having to continue to Travis pick out a pretty good pace on top of it. Leo Kottke was a master for sure. I was lucky enough to see him in Atlanta last year. Thanks again for your time. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Mark
They are a great guitar until you have to change the strings. Then you need a wizard like Gandalf the White and a mechanical engineer and they will be frustrated. The problem is, the six string and first string sets have to go in right where the two arms of the tail piece meet the bar the strings go through. Both strings through the same hole. I ended up installing Les Paul 12 string stop tail piece. I also flipped the bridge pieces so I could string it like a Rickenbacker. All that done, it is a great guitar, stays in tune week in and week out which in itself is quite amazing. I have bought 3 lower end Gretsch guitars in the last year and a half for more money and this HB blows all 3 of them out the door. This HB is a tremendous value at the price point for sure but it also a very good instrument. Enjoyed your review. I was fortunate , I had mine within a week of ordering it.
I bought a Dean 12 String - Cherry Burst from Thomann in 2008 for £484 and it plays fantastic with a small body and it is easy to play. Thomann no longer sell it and I think that's because they want you to buy a Harley Benton version instead.
Thanks for the review! Your playing is incredible and spot-on for the epoch! I ordered mine today and will get it next week... UPDATE. I got mine and it sounds incredible!
Thank you for this Mark. I like the fact that the Harley Benton has a wider nut. I have a Rickenbacker 330-12 (It was a retirement gift) and my left hand can feel a little cramped at times but the sound is well worth having to deal with it.
Harley Benton? - Never heard of them - until this video! And I think I will be playing one in my near future! Thanks, Mark for another incredible video chock full of information for the buying public and at the same time great entertainment. Now there are more songs that I want to conquer... I need more hands and more guitars! 🙂
I visit Germany often and Thomann just so happens be on my working tour route. I’ve stopped there 5 times so far, purchased 2 Harley Benton’s so far. A nice £100 Delta Blues acoustic electric and just got a Gilmour style Black Strat €189. both play great I will change out the tuners on the strat. It’s a great playground for Guitar players. For most of the cheaper guitars you are free to roam plug in and play what ever is hanging out. I did play the HB 12 string electric and that will probably be my next purchase.
Hey Ken. I sincerely apologize for the gross delay in responding to you. I respond to 100% of all comments (they said it couldn't be done once you hit 1000 subs but I'm still doing it as I near 20k). Anyway, I really appreciate the comment. FYI, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
Hey Mark I see you actually got one of these Harley Benton knockoffs. I just received my HB after a four month wait . I got a copy of Sister Lorretta Thorpe's style SG with triple pickups. For 250 dollars including shipping from Europe I am quite amazed at how well this plays. My Epiphone SG-400 for twice the price isn't much better at all. Only thing was I needed to change the strings . Looking forward to your review of the 12 string.
Hey Randy. You may not have bell notifications turned on. Also, I think the way it works is the premiere will show up in your feed but the actual notification reminder for the video doesnt happen until 30 minutes before the video premieres and then again when it does. Have a great weekend and thanks again for your support.
Brilliant and thank you. Having been brought up on Byrds and Beatles music, a 12 string electric has been a longtime desire. I came across your demo by chance, thanks tou you my order is going in right now ;-)
As soon as I heard you doing a Tesla song I was in, but man you sold it with the solo at the end. Awesome. This guitar looks and sounds great. I've never even thought about owning a 12 string electric because I'm not in the Byrds or a Tom Petty cover band but now my interest is piqued. Great playing and great video.
The rickenbacker 12 string is the guitar of my dreams, the harley benton 12 string is the guitar I could realistically afford lol. But seriously the harley benton to my ears sounds very close to the rickenbacker. Amazing playing by the way!!!! Keep up the good work.
I actually originally overdid it with this video. I think I played 17 riffs to begin with and had to trim it down. The video is full of classic ELECTRIC 12 string riffs. I hope you can join the chat at 1:45. Either way, the video will be available anytime after 2. Have a great day!
Hallo mein amerikanischer 12-string Freund...Glückwunsch zu Deiner Harley Benton von Thomann aus Deutschland...Hoffe, Du hast Spaß damit...ich habe auch schon 2 Harley Benton E-Gitarren...tolle Instrumente zu einem unschlagbaren Preis...happy rockin' easter🤘🏻
As of 10/08/2023 Reverb has one Ric 660/12 … for about $3,000 used…. The 660/12 is the body style this HB pays homage to… I am still enjoying my HB 11 months later… the G strings are still the quirky ones… I need to work on the intonation… I worked on the fret ends, they are improved but not where I want them yet… overall, it’s still a good deal for the money… I am going to try restringing it with the lightest strings I can…
Hey Kenny. Thanks so much. It's doing pretty well too but a couple more views wouldn't hurt if you have the time. I actually have my next two videos already completed so you may not have to wait until next Friday. Again, I really appreciate your encouragement and support. Take care and be well. -Mark
Hey Randy. I hope you're well. It's getting near impossible to keep up with the comments. I now devote almost 15 hours a week to it and I continue to fall more and more behind. Anyway, I really appreciate the comment. FYI, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
What I like about the Harley Benton, is that the neck is wide enough to actually play it. Rickenbacker necks, unless it's a 660/12, are way too thin. Nice review and playing..!
I had seen the HB brand on Ebay, and I thought it was for very poorly made guitars with a very unimaginative name by some biker guitar fan. Your video has definitely impressed me, and I have always been a fan of the music of The Byrds, and play and sing several of their songs, albeit with acoustic 12 string guitars, which fascinate me. I did an Ebay search just today to see what's available for Rick 12s, and some are even listed for 5 figures! At those eye gouging prices, I almost expected the standard b.s. words like "rare", "lawsuit model", etc., which are only used to justify moronic price inflation. Thanks for your video.
5 string prices are only on vintage and collectible models which is true of any name brand guitar…6 or 12 string. You can get brand new 330 and 620 models in the $1500-2000 range all day.
You had me at "Thank You" by Zep. I've been waiting for this model to come back in stock, still 4-6 weeks out. I had a Ric once, neck was too narrow for 12 strings. Great demo!
Man, what a great video Mark ! The flexibility from pick to fingers really accentuated the rhythm melody and harmony in that solo. Some really good playing, if I do say so myself !! Nice guitars as well, worth the money from what I can see and hear !!
Hey, Mark! Great job... again!! :-))) This is so very useful. I for one have not heard of this guitar so far. And it's really a big bang for the buck, as I hear (and see) it!
Hey Jason. Great to hear from you. I'm so darn behind with comments. It's getting to the point where it's almost impossible to keep up. I really do appreciate the amazing support. I have another new one coming out tomorrow at 2. Have a great evening and take care. -Mark
Mark, I think you just sold me on the HB electric 12 😁! I had heard of HBs, but had no idea that they were that inexpensive 🙂. Naturally, I lust after a Ric 370/12, but I’m not a pro, so I think this one will do nicely for me (especially since I’ve got a very good effects suite (Zoom 606) to tweak the sound further). Going to go check out the HB vs. Ric comparison now! Thanks again! 🎸😎😁
I avoided watching this episode because I knew as soon as I saw it, I would be tuning up the credit card. And that's exactly what happened. There I was, minding my own business, and Boom...out of nowhere the vortex struck. Dammit. I love the Rick vibe of this guitar, and the range and resonance of the clean tones. I'd love a Rick but can't really justify the $3000 tag at my level of playing, and use. This will make a good complimentary instrument for my funeral gigs, offering a 60s tone I can't quite reach with the D'Angelico or the Martin. Small snag that it will cost almost the purchase price in shipping and Customs.
Hey Orville. That's so funny. I was just talking to my wife about another HB today. They have a premium line of electrics now with roasted maple necks and higher end pickups and electronics. They sell them for around $415 US. As far as the Ric goes, I don't think it's worth it unless you literally have money to burn. I'm working on a head to head comparison right now and while there certainly is a difference I'll say what I said in the video. Unless you're in a byrds or Tom Petty tribute band, you'll never need one. I love my American made PRS but I spent $2400 on it and I can tell you, everyday I think, I could have purchased four $600 guitars. LOL. Talk soon. Please take care and be well. -Mark
@@8MinuteAxe You have a PRS. Oh geez...I wish you hadn't told me that...I don't have a PRS, and I'm a HUGE Carlos Santana fan. The self titled 'Lion's Head' album was a treasured gift from the grandfolks for my 15th birthday, though Carlos recorded that using an SG, long before he scored the deal with PRS. He also played a 68 LP for 7 years before Paul built him a Golden Eagle sometime in the late 70's. Carlos is a very 'low tech' guitarist, eschewing pedals, preferring fingers-to-amp. He likes the PRS because the sound is squarely between a Strat and a LP. Dammit. Now I'm gonna have to buy one...
@@8MinuteAxe I don't know how good they'd be, but a Chinese company is building Rick Clones for about $400USD. A purist may spot the differences, but I'm only concerned with tone. Even is the PUPS were made of flypaper and chewing gum, they could be replaced with a set of vintage Toasters and should be tonally acceptable. I have a wiring diagram, a blurry Xerox of a blurry Xerox from the early 60's that shows the secrets of the Rick 'jangle', and Toasters were a big component of that sound. The finish on the 'Chickenbacker' clone is high quality so it may be a cheaper way into to something that sounds Rick-like and also looks the goods. It even has patented 'R' trapeze tailpiece.
Hey Orville. I've always stayed away from PRS guitars because I like a wafer thin neck and most of their guitars have baseball bat necks in my opinion. When I found out the American made CE24 Semi Hollow came with a crazy thin neck I jumped on it. I broke my rule which is to never spend more than $800 on an electric. It's just not worth it. They're made too well these days. You dont need to spend a lot of money to get a great guitar. Anyway, I have one. 😃 I hope you're having a great day!! Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Hi fellow PRS owner. I couldn't resist the draw of the vortex, and went to a luthier across town who had an SE24 in mint condition for sale. I'm actually pleased with the purchase. The chunkier neck is perfect for me, as arthritis has begun creeping into my fingers, and I can get a little more leverage on this neck and I think this will quickly become my go to axe. A deep blue with gold bling, it won't be overstated if I'm doing a kid's memorial. A good purchase. The HB is still in transit, so I now have something new to fiddle with until it arrives.
I agree with you on the unboxing videos lol. On my other channel (The Guitar Rabbi) I was gonna do an unboxing of my Harley Benton HB-35 and I thought of doing a 20 minute unboxing video where as I open a little of the box I would go off into an unrelated story that has nothing to do with the guitar just to annoy the heck out of people and then after 20 minutes I don’t even take it out of the box lol. That was my plan. But with only a little over 100 subscribers I decided that would get me too much hate lol
Hey James. Yeah, I'm typically not a middle pickup guy but it works really well on this one. Thanks for checking it out. Take care and Happy Easter! -Mark
I'm not much of an electric player, but if I ever go in that direction this guitar will receive serious consideration. As always, I enjoyed your playing.
Hey M O. I sincerely apologize for the gross delay in responding to you. I respond to 100% of all comments (they said it couldn't be done once you hit 1000 subs but I'm still doing it as I near 20k). Anyway, I really appreciate the comment. FYI, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
Nice review. It was cool to hear so many classic 12 string riffs, so thanks for that. How wide is the nut? I find Rickenbacker 12 string guitar necks very narrow, and difficult to play. Are the string pairs with the octave physically above, or below the main pitch string?
Good review. I just found one of those on the used market here at my place. Trying to lay my hands on it. Will see how it goes. Your review gave me the impression I should do so.
This is the video I needed. I have to buy one like these in the nearby future . It costs just a little more then the digitech mosaic pedal, but its real. I am curious now about the comparison video with the Rickenbacker.
Hey Mark, I really enjoy your channel. This video is now about 2 years old, can you give a quick update how the guitar held up during this time? Does it provide long time value and quality? I‘m pretty interested in it. Thanks, Christoph
Hey Christoph. that's a really good question. Guitar is still sitting on my rack back then I think I had 212 string electric's now I have about seven. But I still use it. It has an uncanny ability to stay in tune even across seasons. I'm not a huge fan of the Dan electro or the guild or really the Ibanez. They're all reasonably well built but I don't really like the pick ups that much the Eastwoods an improvement but it's also more than double the price I feel like you can't go wrong. Now if you're planning on playing the guitar in a Tom Petty cover band it'll do the job but not perfectly. A very long winded answer to your question. Not only has it held up but all of my Harley Bentons are doing just fine. I have two acoustics, the ric knock off and the double neck. They all get time in rotation. If you decide to pull the trigger let me know what you think of it. If you ever look at the doubleneck, do not believe those wait times. They've had a rolling 8 to 10 week backorder for almost two years. I nabbed a b stock the day it came back. As a matter of fact, all4 of my HBs are b stocks. I can't locate a blemish on any of them. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I really appreciate your time and comment. I hope you have a great weekend. Take care and be well. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Hey Mark, thanks so much for taking the time to provide such an detailed answer, I really appriciate it! :) It‘s quite remarkable that the HB, the cheapest 12-string electric you own, stays in tune so well. Quiet a proof of how well these guitars are built. I have a Harley Benton Jazz Bass and the built quality is actually better then my CIJ Fenders, so I‘m not to concerned there anyway. I‘m not playing in a Tom Petty cover band (although I absolutely love Tom Petty and Mike Campbell), it‘s for recording at home. As you said in the video, it‘s a niché instrument but pretty cool to pull out from time to time. I might even go for a B-stock, as I live about 90 minutes away from Thomann, so returning stuff is not an issue. I will have to wait a little before I buy it (running out of guitar space in my current flat), but I will keep you updated as soon as I‘ve pulked the trigger :) Thanks again, Christoph
Hey Christoph. I think the difficulty in returning stuff from the united states is the biggest hurdle for HBs here. Again I really appreciate the support have a great weekend mark
I can't justify buying a 12-string electric, mainly cause i have no idea on how to actually use it. I mostly do Rock 'n Roll, Grunge, Punk style stuff. But with something like this, i'm not losing out on a ton of money.
Very thorough overview. I would like to know whats going on in that truss rod cavity. I bought a budget unique Tele 12 string I ran across on Facebook market, it was $210 But the truss rod is not aligned in the hole very well, you can barely get the wrench in. I'm afraid after a few adjustments it will be out of reach and it's needed a couple in about 8 months.
Great review! Thanks for posting this, I've been thinking about getting one. I bought their HB35 ES335 copy and love it...I'm telling my wife it's your fault I bought another guitar 👍
Hey Pearl. Sorry for the delayed response. I've been innunated with comments. I answer 100% but it's been taking me a while. FYI, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
I’ve learned something new today! Thank you for showing the pickup and tone settings while you played. That really sounded great. Now, give me a good story to tell my wife why I need this guitar? 😂
Hey Andy. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I really appreciate your time and comment. For something completely different, here's a pretty cool cover of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds on the 12 string if you're interested. Either way, enjoy the rest of your weekend and take care. -Mark
That sounds awesome, I’ve often waited for DVDs from Germany when I’d be shopping on eBay but it is worth the wait. Though totally unrelated to guitars, I’ve been working on learning a song in German.
Joe. I have to say that I'm so impressed with you. For a young guy you don't make compromises. I think that's really admirable. I always wish you the most success. I can't wait until you land that Al Stewart interview. You deserve it. I'm still down for the Year of the Cat collab for sure. Also, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
I just received the one I ordered and overall I was happy with the fit and finish, tone, etc. , especially for the price. However the G strings seemed difficult to get in tune … in my research before buying I had read that changing strings on these is crazy hard… with only 6 slots for 12 strings, each pair of strings having to share one hole in the tailpiece …. so I also bought a WD 12 string trapeze tailpiece with 12 slots for less than $30, it cost$37.84 with shipping… The 12 slot tailpiece fit on the existing trapeze and I was able to restring the guitar with the original strings because I’m cheap lol…. it worked! Something about not having to share a hole solved the G string problem… so I highly recommend to all purchasers of this guitar, spend the extra 30 bucks and you won’t have restringing problems, and if you’re having tuning issues maybe that will help as well. GREAT review, great playing BTW… but there IS another review worth watching… on “Jon is just TOO loudD“ TH-cam channel.
Just commenting to save this as I'm picking one of these up in a couple of days 🙂
Pics please
Thank you for the advice. I have ordered one from USA shipping to UK. As you say, hope it solves the G string tuning.
That solo was not just tasty...it was DAMNED TASTY!
Dude, this is probably the best review I've ever seen on a guitar. Funny unboxing, you hit all the main points, and then tell us exactly how you're getting the sounds...and a crap load of great riffs and a kick ass solo. Loved it!
That Harley Benton sounds super for what it is. Also, one of the best reviews ever. You packed all the information anybody would need to know in a single video.
I've had my HP for over a year now it stays in tune really well stands up to playing on on gigs and his real champ I love the cost or lack of it too it's really a nice guitar for the money❤
Hey billy it's a great guitar but without a doubt the most unbelievable thing about it is how well it stays in tune. Mine sits hanging on the wall in the basement sometimes through 2 seasons. Yet when I pick it back up I have to tweak it a little at the most. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and your comment. Please take care and be well. Mark
"this is the only review you need to watch"
Now you tell me, after I already watched about 5 inferior videos! 😃
This was great! Man, I think I need one.
Hey man. Thanks so much. Are you new to the channel? If so, I have a ton of cool 12 string videos. I just did 25 FAMOUS 12 STRING RIFFS th-cam.com/video/8Eteg4fqQ-E/w-d-xo.html. I also have a ton of songs that I cover on the 12. Here's one with a pretty cool video too LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS COVER AND LESSON th-cam.com/video/vZdVOj1wSr8/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=8MinuteAxe. I'm really pleased with the Harley Benton so far. It's easy to play, I personally like the body better than the Ric, and it's a fraction of the cost. FYI, I also give away a brand new 12 string every month on the channel. I appreciate your support in watching this one. Take care and have a great evening. -Mark
@@8MinuteAxe I 100% agree. great video, and the only one I have found that worth watching. cheers man.
Wow! Opening up with the Byrds intro riff, classic!
My dad is Left-Handed player and he has a Rickenbacker 380 /12 that he bought in the 70s the Harley Benton sounds just about the same as his...
Roger McGuinn would be proud.
Sorry but it looks fine but definately lacks the presence sound of a Ric. Close but no cigar.
I bought a black paisley version of this that was marked down to clear I think. I needed to change the bridge to get it to play in tune with itself, a genuine 12 saddle Rickenbacher part that cost almost as much as the guitar but MAN! A COLOSSAL difference. I also got a bone nut with the low strings on each pair reversed so the get hit with the pick first like the real Rickenbackers do and it is now about twice the instrument it was. It is a nice extra secret studio weapon to have .
That opening riff is totally unmistakable. One of the best unboxing videos that I have seen. Certainly the most informative. This guitar sounds great and I really enjoyed your solo at the end. It is amazing that really good guitars are being made at such affordable prices. Thanks for keeping me informed.
I've been curious about getting a 12 string ever since I saw Stu from King Gizzard played one but they've always seemed expensive for something I don't yet know if I can even play. Might have to order one of these now, especially as it holds up way above the price.
Any guitarist can play a 12 string with time
Dude same
Gosh! I'm surprised! That has a really nice 12-string sound, and it has a smart stylish look too!
Hey Supafrogg. For sure. It stays in tune incredibly well too. I dont know how HB does it. I just got a solid wood acoustic for $240! I mean solid mahogany, top, back, and sides. 15 years ago you couldnt get a solid wood guitar for less than $1000. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and comment. Take care. Mark
Just got mine yesterday. After a minor setup, (lower the bridge), it is way more than I thought. I especially like the smaller body. Dust in the wind is Heavenly!
I own several acoustic 12 strings and one day I decided that i wanted a Rickenbacker 12 sting electric. I found one at a local music store in Houston and went down to try it out. I own a lot of great 6 and 7 string electrics, so I was really looking forward to adding a 12 string to my collection. I sat down to play it and it was awful! The feel was very cheap, the balance was neck heavy, the pickups were weak, the control knobs basically didn't change anything and the tuning keys looked like stamped parts. I was severely disappointed and for the price they were asking, there was no way I was buying this guitar. I know that all manufactures have some bad days, but if they would let something like the piece of junk I tried out be released I wanted no part of it. I own a 1966 Rick bass which is incredible, so I began to wonder if what I played was a counterfeit, but to this day, I have never picked one up again. I am totally interested in the Harley Benton, so I appreciate your honest review. Thanks.
Hey Magic G. Yeah, the guy who let me borrow the one hanging in the background in my video says that it's the only guitar he's ever purchased that he has buyer's remorse from. I really appreciate the thoughtful and thorough comment. It would be great if you have time to check out another video on the channel. Here's a cover of Ventura Highway th-cam.com/video/amdfN3p_P4Y/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=8MinuteAxe. I also give away a brand new 12 string every month on the channel. Either way, thanks for your time on this one. Have a great weekend and take care. -mark
Kind of odd to have a neck heavy Rickenbacker as small as the necks usually are. Usually it’s vastly in the other direction, With bodies being too heavy. Almost makes me wonder if you were playing a fake one or one that somebody added balancing weights to.
LOVE this video. I received mine and its perfect! It stays in tune so well for a 12 string that is really amazing. When looking at other reviews of this guitar, your review is the best.
For cheap 12-string, not too bad, perhaps something toy around with at the house, or use for an occasional song, if playing out. Unfortunately with electric guitars, there are many sacrifices made at lower price points.
All around I think Reverend does the best job at the electric 12-string. Not the most expensive, not the cheapest, but checks nearly every box, stays in tune and sounds.
Hey brother. I'm not sure if you're referring to my multiple videos on the Reverend airwave 12 or this is just pure coincidence that you're mentioning the Reverend. The Reverend airwave 12 is my favorite of my thirteen 12 string guitars. It may be my favorite guitar of all time. I did a video on it called one guitar to rule them all. I've never had a guitar that had more of a wide sound pallet just by using the knobs and selector switch and Ive owned quite a few guitars. LOL. Regarding Harley Benton, my RB 612 stays in tune phenomenally well. I think it's a great option for people on a limited budget. and I think it looks pretty kick ass to. A couple other excellent 12 string guitars are the Rivolta and the Schecter. The Eastwood classic 12 is a great mid priced 12 string. Much better than the Dano in my opinion. These are all just one man's opinion though and worth exactly that. If you're interested ONE GUITAR TO RULE THEM ALL th-cam.com/video/5xuEkOUta4M/w-d-xo.html. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I sincerely appreciate your time and comment. Have a great weekend and take care. Mark
Yes,.. this was a really good review! Loved the unboxing part but,.. the playing,.. was fantastic! The range of songs and sounds you pulled from that guitar was very impressive. Since the uploading of this video, the price of this guitar has gone up a bit to $225 but still,.. a seriously great price! Nice!
This is the way to present an unboxing. I got my RB 612CS last week and haven't put it down yet. Great playing too!
I always look forward to Friday afternoon and a new video from you. A new guitar is always exciting. Can't wait to hear what this electric 12 string sounds like.
Hey Michael. This may be the hardest I worked on any single video. I feel like a ton of people are looking for an electric 12 on the cheap and I tried to make the 'perfect' review video. Obviously, it's far from that but I think I did a pretty good job. Hopefully you can make the chat at 1:45. Take care and be well. -Mark
I've been wondering about this brand for a while Mark, thanks for reviewing one of their models. I'm sold after seeing how effortless you did that jam at the end. The action must be spot on to play a 12-string like that. Great job and add me to the HB waiting list.
I saw this video and fell in love with this guitar. I have one on order and hope to get it by oct. I must have watched this video 30 times. you make that guitar really sound great. Not only will i be getting a great guitar but i found a new channel to watch.
Great review! I just received this exact guitar 2 weeks ago after a 6 week wait so we probably got the same batch. I love it so far. My only complaint is the neck dive, which is probably difficult to avoid with all the tuner hardware. Gonna pick up a nice wide leather strap to see if that helps. I'm in Canada and the shipment came thru the US so I had to pay customs as well. Was about $475 (CAD) all in.
Hey brother. I'm so sorry for the delayed response here. YT just dumped 200 unanswered comments in my lap. The neck dive is a bit of an issue but typically practice with a strap. I'm taking Jazz Improv lessons so I'm used to my seated and standing positions being the same so I can keep up with chord changes. Thanks for the info. Also, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
A year later, I ended up with two - a black one and 'your' sunburst and I'm happy enough. The Black one is re-stringed/formatted for the Rick string formation (bass string on top) while the Sunburst is HB's standard Treble-On-Top. I guess these for stage work where they fulfill my needs, using The Other One when I break a string here or there. For composing and recording, I use the expensive brands and/or Guild F512 acoustic, as it's the most inspirational of my 12-strings - often a much-needed factor in compositions! I'm just no longer interested in risking $3000 or $5000 stage guitars when amps and pedals can supply the important tones to audiences. Thanks for the succinct unboxing as well as the 'I guess it's a plastic nut' (it is).
After a few hours of playing on both (purchased about 4 months apart), I did the string-height measurements, neck-relief considerations, etc, then tossed out the orig strings and did fret-polishing and 'finishing'. Nothing was too terrible - and while this is always a boring segment of my introduction to each guitar, there is no better way to see workmanship and quality of materials. These two HB's - my only HB's - were good for me. I did knock out/dig out the nut and replaced it with the Tusq's - which I do on so many. The tuners are adequate - I have a demand for "same feel" tuners - if one feels unlike others, I splurge and get a whole new set - I want every tuner to 'feel' the same. (I can break my own strings, thank you - I do not need balky or loose-feeling tuners to help me.)
I have been considering a third one with a higher nut-cut and bridge action for better glass-slide work (instead of lighter-weight steel).
Hey brother. I read your comment and you crack me up. I spent all this time looking at a Santa Cruz and then I realized about two days before I was ready to pull the trigger that I perform 100 or so shows a year and that I would never dare take that guitar to a show. When I get to the point that my guitars are no longer tools and become conversation pieces and luxury items also down with a custom shop Taylor I Santa Cruz or a real Alverez. As far as recording goes for my videos what do you have a little bit of a following and you're in the rat race he just get everything recorded as quickly as possible and move onto the next video but when I'm recording original music and I decide I'd like a 12 string on it I typically use my Takamine. It's a jumbo and sounds very balanced especially at the price point. If I'm recording a tricky part i'll always use Taylor 150. I absolutely love the Reverend airwave 12. It may be my favorite guitar of all time six or 12 string included. Anyway I'm rambling. One of the downsides of talk to text. I sincerely appreciate you checking out the video. Please take care and be well. Mark
Hey again, I'm not sure if you seen my performance of Leo Kottkes Vaseline machine gun but I could've used something with a higher action for that one. Although I'm a fairly advanced finger style player, I haven't done a lot of traditional chat Atkins finger style on the 12 string and I'm not an experience slide player at least when it comes the only fronting the slide over a couple strings and having to continue to Travis pick out a pretty good pace on top of it. Leo Kottke was a master for sure. I was lucky enough to see him in Atlanta last year. Thanks again for your time. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Mark
What a great demo and review Mark!
That 12 string solo at 10:12 is sooo sweet!
Rock on 🤘
I appreciate the support Andy! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
They are a great guitar until you have to change the strings. Then you need a wizard like Gandalf the White and a mechanical engineer and they will be frustrated. The problem is, the six string and first string sets have to go in right where the two arms of the tail piece meet the bar the strings go through. Both strings through the same hole. I ended up installing Les Paul 12 string stop tail piece. I also flipped the bridge pieces so I could string it like a Rickenbacker. All that done, it is a great guitar, stays in tune week in and week out which in itself is quite amazing. I have bought 3 lower end Gretsch guitars in the last year and a half for more money and this HB blows all 3 of them out the door. This HB is a tremendous value at the price point for sure but it also a very good instrument. Enjoyed your review. I was fortunate , I had mine within a week of ordering it.
I bought a Dean 12 String - Cherry Burst from Thomann in 2008 for £484 and it plays fantastic with a small body and it is easy to play. Thomann no longer sell it and I think that's because they want you to buy a Harley Benton version instead.
Thanks for the review! Your playing is incredible and spot-on for the epoch! I ordered mine today and will get it next week... UPDATE. I got mine and it sounds incredible!
Mark, when you cut into “love song”, I took that as an invitation
Thank you for this Mark. I like the fact that the Harley Benton has a wider nut. I have a Rickenbacker 330-12 (It was a retirement gift) and my left hand can feel a little cramped at times but the sound is well worth having to deal with it.
Harley Benton? - Never heard of them - until this video! And I think I will be playing one in my near future! Thanks, Mark for another incredible video chock full of information for the buying public and at the same time great entertainment. Now there are more songs that I want to conquer... I need more hands and more guitars! 🙂
Loved the solo, Mark! Well done, sir.
I visit Germany often and Thomann just so happens be on my working tour route. I’ve stopped there 5 times so far, purchased 2 Harley Benton’s so far. A nice £100 Delta Blues acoustic electric and just got a Gilmour style Black Strat €189. both play great I will change out the tuners on the strat. It’s a great playground for Guitar players. For most of the cheaper guitars you are free to roam plug in and play what ever is hanging out. I did play the HB 12 string electric and that will probably be my next purchase.
You are maybe the best player of all the You Tube guitar reviewers. Bravo! I liked the guitar and your review too. Subscribed!
this guitar was a no brainer for me. one of my favorite guitars now.
Hey Ken. I sincerely apologize for the gross delay in responding to you. I respond to 100% of all comments (they said it couldn't be done once you hit 1000 subs but I'm still doing it as I near 20k). Anyway, I really appreciate the comment. FYI, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
I just ordered one of these in black. It's been about 7 weeks. It should be here soon I'm told. can't wait.
Thanks for the "More than a Feeling" ear worm. Lovely playing.
Hey Mark I see you actually got one of these Harley Benton knockoffs. I just received my HB after a four month wait . I got a copy of Sister Lorretta Thorpe's style SG with triple pickups. For 250 dollars including shipping from Europe I am quite amazed at how well this plays. My Epiphone SG-400 for twice the price isn't much better at all. Only thing was I needed to change the strings . Looking forward to your review of the 12 string.
I’m not sure the reminders are working for me.
Hey Randy. You may not have bell notifications turned on. Also, I think the way it works is the premiere will show up in your feed but the actual notification reminder for the video doesnt happen until 30 minutes before the video premieres and then again when it does. Have a great weekend and thanks again for your support.
Been waiting for this video. Thanks for your unbiased take on H. B. great riffs!
Brilliant and thank you. Having been brought up on Byrds and Beatles music, a 12 string electric has been a longtime desire. I came across your demo by chance, thanks tou you my order is going in right now ;-)
Can’t wait for this!
Thanks Martha. I worked really hard on this one. Join us for the chat at 1:45 if you're around. Have a great weekend. -Mark
Damn.....now I’ve got to find someone who hasn’t seen this video and wants to buy my Rick....
Great riff choices, and another fine video! Thanks!!
So far, this is the best review yet. Awesome for the price.
As soon as I heard you doing a Tesla song I was in, but man you sold it with the solo at the end. Awesome. This guitar looks and sounds great. I've never even thought about owning a 12 string electric because I'm not in the Byrds or a Tom Petty cover band but now my interest is piqued. Great playing and great video.
The rickenbacker 12 string is the guitar of my dreams, the harley benton 12 string is the guitar I could realistically afford lol. But seriously the harley benton to my ears sounds very close to the rickenbacker. Amazing playing by the way!!!! Keep up the good work.
Got me sold...looks classic and sounds classic...open G would sound amazing with that tone...thv..im on the hunt for one
So looking forward to this had a RB12 for about a year and never really bonded with it so Hoping for some inspiration
I actually originally overdid it with this video. I think I played 17 riffs to begin with and had to trim it down. The video is full of classic ELECTRIC 12 string riffs. I hope you can join the chat at 1:45. Either way, the video will be available anytime after 2. Have a great day!
Hallo mein amerikanischer 12-string Freund...Glückwunsch zu Deiner Harley Benton von Thomann aus Deutschland...Hoffe, Du hast Spaß damit...ich habe auch schon 2 Harley Benton E-Gitarren...tolle Instrumente zu einem unschlagbaren Preis...happy rockin' easter🤘🏻
As of 10/08/2023 Reverb has one Ric 660/12 … for about $3,000 used…. The 660/12 is the body style this HB pays homage to… I am still enjoying my HB 11 months later… the G strings are still the quirky ones… I need to work on the intonation… I worked on the fret ends, they are improved but not where I want them yet… overall, it’s still a good deal for the money… I am going to try restringing it with the lightest strings I can…
Hey Mark! Sorry I joined a little late today - had a meeting for work. Great video as always!
Love the video, Mark, and your playing is great! Can’t wait to see your next video!
Hey Kenny. Thanks so much. It's doing pretty well too but a couple more views wouldn't hurt if you have the time. I actually have my next two videos already completed so you may not have to wait until next Friday. Again, I really appreciate your encouragement and support. Take care and be well. -Mark
Great jazz playing Mark!
Hey Randy. I hope you're well. It's getting near impossible to keep up with the comments. I now devote almost 15 hours a week to it and I continue to fall more and more behind. Anyway, I really appreciate the comment. FYI, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
Nice review & an excellent ending solo. Thank you for sharing. Have a blessed day.
Watching this again as it’s such a great sounding guitar for the money.
What I like about the Harley Benton, is that the neck is wide enough to actually play it. Rickenbacker necks, unless it's a 660/12, are way too thin. Nice review and playing..!
Glad to know that John Lennon is still alive. I wish you a long life
I had seen the HB brand on Ebay, and I thought it was for very poorly made guitars with a very unimaginative name by some biker guitar fan. Your video has definitely impressed me, and I have always been a fan of the music of The Byrds, and play and sing several of their songs, albeit with acoustic 12 string guitars, which fascinate me. I did an Ebay search just today to see what's available for Rick 12s, and some are even listed for 5 figures! At those eye gouging prices, I almost expected the standard b.s. words like "rare", "lawsuit model", etc., which are only used to justify moronic price inflation.
Thanks for your video.
5 string prices are only on vintage and collectible models which is true of any name brand guitar…6 or 12 string. You can get brand new 330 and 620 models in the $1500-2000 range all day.
You had me at "Thank You" by Zep. I've been waiting for this model to come back in stock, still 4-6 weeks out. I had a Ric once, neck was too narrow for 12 strings. Great demo!
Rickenbacker has 2 models with wider necks. The 660/12 and 1993 Plus.
Very nice playing…and more in tune than a lot of 6-string guitar demos on the Tube
I must confess that I thought it wasn't proper for soloing but it is great and diferent.👏👏
If you unbolt the Casino tailpiece and flip it over, it makes it so much easier to string.
Great review and example songs.
Love that solo towards the end!!
Man, what a great video Mark ! The flexibility from pick to fingers really accentuated the rhythm melody and harmony in that solo. Some really good playing, if I do say so myself !! Nice guitars as well, worth the money from what I can see and hear !!
The Gen x in me adores the fact that you totally Meh-d all over unboxing videos. 5 stars, will watch again. -edit spelling
Hey, Mark! Great job... again!! :-))) This is so very useful. I for one have not heard of this guitar so far. And it's really a big bang for the buck, as I hear (and see) it!
Hey Jason. Great to hear from you. I'm so darn behind with comments. It's getting to the point where it's almost impossible to keep up. I really do appreciate the amazing support. I have another new one coming out tomorrow at 2. Have a great evening and take care. -Mark
@@8MinuteAxe We are thousands, now, Man!!! No wonder is difficult to keep up. rsrs Take care!
Hey Mark, I have to agree that the HB shape looks better than the Rick, more modern maybe.
Well played sir.
Mark, I think you just sold me on the HB electric 12 😁! I had heard of HBs, but had no idea that they were that inexpensive 🙂. Naturally, I lust after a Ric 370/12, but I’m not a pro, so I think this one will do nicely for me (especially since I’ve got a very good effects suite (Zoom 606) to tweak the sound further). Going to go check out the HB vs. Ric comparison now! Thanks again! 🎸😎😁
I avoided watching this episode because I knew as soon as I saw it, I would be tuning up the credit card. And that's exactly what happened. There I was, minding my own business, and Boom...out of nowhere the vortex struck. Dammit. I love the Rick vibe of this guitar, and the range and resonance of the clean tones. I'd love a Rick but can't really justify the $3000 tag at my level of playing, and use. This will make a good complimentary instrument for my funeral gigs, offering a 60s tone I can't quite reach with the D'Angelico or the Martin. Small snag that it will cost almost the purchase price in shipping and Customs.
Hey Orville. That's so funny. I was just talking to my wife about another HB today. They have a premium line of electrics now with roasted maple necks and higher end pickups and electronics. They sell them for around $415 US. As far as the Ric goes, I don't think it's worth it unless you literally have money to burn. I'm working on a head to head comparison right now and while there certainly is a difference I'll say what I said in the video. Unless you're in a byrds or Tom Petty tribute band, you'll never need one. I love my American made PRS but I spent $2400 on it and I can tell you, everyday I think, I could have purchased four $600 guitars. LOL. Talk soon. Please take care and be well. -Mark
@@8MinuteAxe You have a PRS. Oh geez...I wish you hadn't told me that...I don't have a PRS, and I'm a HUGE Carlos Santana fan. The self titled 'Lion's Head' album was a treasured gift from the grandfolks for my 15th birthday, though Carlos recorded that using an SG, long before he scored the deal with PRS. He also played a 68 LP for 7 years before Paul built him a Golden Eagle sometime in the late 70's. Carlos is a very 'low tech' guitarist, eschewing pedals, preferring fingers-to-amp. He likes the PRS because the sound is squarely between a Strat and a LP. Dammit. Now I'm gonna have to buy one...
@@8MinuteAxe I don't know how good they'd be, but a Chinese company is building Rick Clones for about $400USD. A purist may spot the differences, but I'm only concerned with tone. Even is the PUPS were made of flypaper and chewing gum, they could be replaced with a set of vintage Toasters and should be tonally acceptable. I have a wiring diagram, a blurry Xerox of a blurry Xerox from the early 60's that shows the secrets of the Rick 'jangle', and Toasters were a big component of that sound. The finish on the 'Chickenbacker' clone is high quality so it may be a cheaper way into to something that sounds Rick-like and also looks the goods. It even has patented 'R' trapeze tailpiece.
Hey Orville. I've always stayed away from PRS guitars because I like a wafer thin neck and most of their guitars have baseball bat necks in my opinion. When I found out the American made CE24 Semi Hollow came with a crazy thin neck I jumped on it. I broke my rule which is to never spend more than $800 on an electric. It's just not worth it. They're made too well these days. You dont need to spend a lot of money to get a great guitar. Anyway, I have one. 😃 I hope you're having a great day!! Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Hi fellow PRS owner. I couldn't resist the draw of the vortex, and went to a luthier across town who had an SE24 in mint condition for sale. I'm actually pleased with the purchase. The chunkier neck is perfect for me, as arthritis has begun creeping into my fingers, and I can get a little more leverage on this neck and I think this will quickly become my go to axe. A deep blue with gold bling, it won't be overstated if I'm doing a kid's memorial. A good purchase. The HB is still in transit, so I now have something new to fiddle with until it arrives.
Eagerly waiting for this!
I agree with you on the unboxing videos lol. On my other channel (The Guitar Rabbi) I was gonna do an unboxing of my Harley Benton HB-35 and I thought of doing a 20 minute unboxing video where as I open a little of the box I would go off into an unrelated story that has nothing to do with the guitar just to annoy the heck out of people and then after 20 minutes I don’t even take it out of the box lol. That was my plan. But with only a little over 100 subscribers I decided that would get me too much hate lol
Awesome review!! Very nice sounding guitar! I especially like the neck pickup clean!! Middle pickup is smooth too!!!
Hey James. Yeah, I'm typically not a middle pickup guy but it works really well on this one. Thanks for checking it out. Take care and Happy Easter! -Mark
I had plans to listen to this live, but got tied up with work. Dang work anyway. This guitar sounds surprisingly well.
I'm not much of an electric player, but if I ever go in that direction this guitar will receive serious consideration. As always, I enjoyed your playing.
I bet this would be a tool of heaven for ambient experimental. Nice.
Awesome video Mark! Very nice solo and that guitar looks great!
Best unboxing ever. Intelligent and thoughtful review and you can definitely play. Love to jam with you!
Great reveal for sure. This is a great guitar that I would consider getting.
Great job,so informative...I always worry when something sounds good to be true...you have put those fears out of my mind.
Hey M O. I sincerely apologize for the gross delay in responding to you. I respond to 100% of all comments (they said it couldn't be done once you hit 1000 subs but I'm still doing it as I near 20k). Anyway, I really appreciate the comment. FYI, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
Nice review. It was cool to hear so many classic 12 string riffs, so thanks for that.
How wide is the nut? I find Rickenbacker 12 string guitar necks very narrow, and difficult to play.
Are the string pairs with the octave physically above, or below the main pitch string?
You where funny with the unboxing. you have some good opinions! I subscribed.
I'd love to feed audio this and the Rick to a spectrum analyzer because I swear there's a low mid you could remove and simulate the Rick.
A Great Video and great Sound ! Thank you for your work to show us this cool guitar
Hey brother. Thank you for taking the time to watch the video and for your kind words. I appreciate your time. Have a great day and take care. Mark
Good review. I just found one of those on the used market here at my place.
Trying to lay my hands on it. Will see how it goes.
Your review gave me the impression I should do so.
Can't wait for the head to head against a Rick. Thanks for the video Mark.
If HB can go toe to toe with the all time heavy hitter of the electric 12, that is amazing on its own given the price difference!
This is the video I needed. I have to buy one like these in the nearby future . It costs just a little more then the digitech mosaic pedal, but its real. I am curious now about the comparison video with the Rickenbacker.
Hey Mark, I really enjoy your channel. This video is now about 2 years old, can you give a quick update how the guitar held up during this time? Does it provide long time value and quality? I‘m pretty interested in it. Thanks, Christoph
Hey Christoph. that's a really good question. Guitar is still sitting on my rack back then I think I had 212 string electric's now I have about seven. But I still use it. It has an uncanny ability to stay in tune even across seasons. I'm not a huge fan of the Dan electro or the guild or really the Ibanez. They're all reasonably well built but I don't really like the pick ups that much the Eastwoods an improvement but it's also more than double the price I feel like you can't go wrong. Now if you're planning on playing the guitar in a Tom Petty cover band it'll do the job but not perfectly. A very long winded answer to your question. Not only has it held up but all of my Harley Bentons are doing just fine. I have two acoustics, the ric knock off and the double neck. They all get time in rotation. If you decide to pull the trigger let me know what you think of it. If you ever look at the doubleneck, do not believe those wait times. They've had a rolling 8 to 10 week backorder for almost two years. I nabbed a b stock the day it came back. As a matter of fact, all4 of my HBs are b stocks. I can't locate a blemish on any of them. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I really appreciate your time and comment. I hope you have a great weekend. Take care and be well. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe I appreciate you taking time to answer comments on older videos mark.
@@8MinuteAxe Hey Mark, thanks so much for taking the time to provide such an detailed answer, I really appriciate it! :)
It‘s quite remarkable that the HB, the cheapest 12-string electric you own, stays in tune so well. Quiet a proof of how well these guitars are built. I have a Harley Benton Jazz Bass and the built quality is actually better then my CIJ Fenders, so I‘m not to concerned there anyway. I‘m not playing in a Tom Petty cover band (although I absolutely love Tom Petty and Mike Campbell), it‘s for recording at home. As you said in the video, it‘s a niché instrument but pretty cool to pull out from time to time. I might even go for a B-stock, as I live about 90 minutes away from Thomann, so returning stuff is not an issue.
I will have to wait a little before I buy it (running out of guitar space in my current flat), but I will keep you updated as soon as I‘ve pulked the trigger :)
Thanks again, Christoph
Hey Christoph. I think the difficulty in returning stuff from the united states is the biggest hurdle for HBs here. Again I really appreciate the support have a great weekend mark
I can't justify buying a 12-string electric, mainly cause i have no idea on how to actually use it.
I mostly do Rock 'n Roll, Grunge, Punk style stuff.
But with something like this, i'm not losing out on a ton of money.
I see an Epiphone Pelham blue 339 with P90s… in the background? I have the same one! I love it, I added a Deusenberg trem.
Mark, thanks for the awesome review. It looks like it may be neck heavy. Does the guitar have "neck dive?"
Very thorough overview. I would like to know whats going on in that truss rod cavity. I bought a budget unique Tele 12 string I ran across on Facebook market, it was $210
But the truss rod is not aligned in the hole very well, you can barely get the wrench in. I'm afraid after a few adjustments it will be out of reach and it's needed a couple in about 8 months.
Not a bad sound for a cheapo Ricko copy, tuning stability can be hard with these, but they do jangle well
Great review! Thanks for posting this, I've been thinking about getting one. I bought their HB35 ES335 copy and love it...I'm telling my wife it's your fault I bought another guitar 👍
I also have the Harley Benton 12 string. Love it!
That solo was sooooooo smooth!
Hey Pearl. Sorry for the delayed response. I've been innunated with comments. I answer 100% but it's been taking me a while. FYI, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
Great cheap Guitar, very pretty, high quality, looks great
I’ve learned something new today! Thank you for showing the pickup and tone settings while you played. That really sounded great. Now, give me a good story to tell my wife why I need this guitar? 😂
Thoroughly enjoyable video. Love the sound of the guitar.
Hey Andy. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I really appreciate your time and comment. For something completely different, here's a pretty cool cover of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds on the 12 string if you're interested. Either way, enjoy the rest of your weekend and take care. -Mark
Now that you've had this guitar for a year how would you review it? Particularly the tuning stability and intonation? TIA
That sounds awesome,
I’ve often waited for DVDs from Germany when I’d be shopping on eBay but it is worth the wait.
Though totally unrelated to guitars, I’ve been working on learning a song in German.
Joe. I have to say that I'm so impressed with you. For a young guy you don't make compromises. I think that's really admirable. I always wish you the most success. I can't wait until you land that Al Stewart interview. You deserve it. I'm still down for the Year of the Cat collab for sure. Also, I just uploaded a new one. It's slow out of the gate and could use some love if you have a few minutes 5 CLASSIC 12 STRING RIFFS AND HOW TO PLAY THEM! th-cam.com/video/-MCIWxjVYUk/w-d-xo.html. I really appreciate the support. I hope you have a great weekend. -Mark
As I said before, Great video Mark !
Cool I have one to I changed to brass nut and tune all my strings in unison then they stay better in tune and tune down to Eb
please do review distorted sound on this guitar !!
i really wanna know how it sounds like !!
@8 Minute Axe You sure KNOW your stuff! Also that guitar sounds AMAZING! But its YOU that makes it sound that way!