And here are those timestamps again: 00:00 Hello! 00:29 Introduction and what we’re doing today 01:37 JA-60CC specs and info 03:41 MS-60 specs and info 05:59 Today’s rig and plan Clean Sounds 06:59 Clean tone reference chords on all pickup settings 07:39 Ringing open indie pop chords 08:05 Country strummed chords 08:25 Poppy barre chords 08:41 Folk pop chords 08:58 Blues progression 09:21 Country ballad arpeggios 09:34 Ascending indie open chords Clean Sounds with extra reverb/tremolo 10:01 Indie pop picked arpeggios 10:25 Atmospheric indie arpeggios 10:50 Atmospheric droning indie chords 11:12 Poppy soundscapes Overdriven Sounds 12:01 Indie rock rhythm sound 12:30 Droning open string riff 12:43 Garage rock riff 12:58 Indie rock octave chords 13:23 Upbeat indie rock barre chords 13:46 Edgy indie barre chords 14:00 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff 14:15 Hendrix inspired classic rock riff 14:31 Groovy classic rock riff 14:56 More classic rock sounds Higher gain drive sounds 15:31 Classic hard rock riff 15:48 Hard rock riff 16:05 Glam rock riff 16:23 Hard rock melodic lead 16:47 Alt rock riff 17:12 Foo Fighters inspired modern rock riff 17:29 Pop punk riff 17:55 Pop punk melodic lead riff 18:11 Green Day inspired punk rock riff 18:38 Punk rock power chords 18:51 Progressive rock riff (Drop D tuning) 19:07 Modern rock palm-muted chords (Drop D) 19:31 Rage Against The Machine inspired groovy riff (Drop D) Heavy Distortion sounds (all in Drop D) 20:04 Metal chugging riff 20:37 Hardcore punk riff 20:53 Classic metal melodic lead sound 21:10 Rammstein inspired industrial metal riff 21:23 Classic heavy metal/sludge riff 21:59 My thoughts and comparing the guitars 22:54 Looks 23:57 Build quality and hardware 25:25 Playability and neck 27:37 Weight 28:14 Sounds and pickups discussion 31:12 What other cheap offset guitars should you consider? 32:56 My conclusions and which one would I buy (again)? 34:10 Thanks and goodbye
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for showing the capabilities of these guitars for EACH genre! As someone who loves indie, alternative, and emo, it's so frustrating only seeing guitar reviewers do twangy country tones or heavy metal.
Thanks a lot! That's exactly why I make my videos like this... I might not be the best player at all genres, but I like playing a variety of music and want to showcase that - and it's useful for others too. I got sick of the endless blues-rock noodling reviews a long time ago ;) Cheers!
Recently got this ja60, it's lovely, great neck, great tuners, great feel and great sounds... My mate thought it cost mega money after a play, then I told him!... Blown away... Fantastic guitar
Happy new guitar day! I feel exactly the same way about the JA-60CC - it's always a risk buying a guitar unseen, but this one is exactly as you describe. The neck's great, it sounds fantastic, looks cool, holds tune really well... what more can you ask for for €179? I look forward to tricking a few of my guitar playing friends with this one in the near future as well ;) Enjoy yours!
Excellent video. It perfectly shows the differences. The majority prefers the thicker sound of the JA, but in a song and mix context, the mustang is great option to have!
Hello! I really enjoyed the overview. The JA sounds smooth, warm and articulate. Loved how it sounds with the Greer LightSpeed (also have the pedal, it’s great!). It’s now even more tempting to look further! Cheers!
Thanks Glenn, glad you enjoyed it! Yep, the pairing of the Lightspeed and the JA-60CC is very addictive... it just works. The Lightspeed always makes everything sound better, though, as I'm sure you know. Hope you get the chance to try a JA-60CC soon!
@@RichWordsMusic Out of stock...so went with the shell pink, which was my 1st option...only because i think the pickups and knobs go better with it (although your video changed my mind completely!)
@@rafzputin The Shell Pink was in my basket before I chose the Seafoam Green, I have to admit! Let me know how it is when you receive it :) I could totally imagine having a Shell Pink one in future, and a Lake Placid Blue as well!
Helped me choose between these two! Was having a hard time choosing between them both looked amazing but hearing this review I’m committed to the JA-60 for my first guitar. Thanks for making an awesome review
@@Brennanrr Nice choice. That's the one where I'm actually really intrigued to see it in person... it has a sort of mystical quality to it from the pictures online, and I wonder just how sparkly it'll be. Let me know how it is in person!
@@RichWordsMusic yeah I’m really excited to see it if you have any socials I’ll gladly send some pictures when it arrives. However, I’m having some trouble getting it shipped
@@Brennanrr Awesome, I have an Insta here: instagram.com/richwordsmusic - you can share pics there. That's a shame about shipping problems... normally Thomann are really good at that. Hope you get it sorted soon!
Just ordered 3 of the JA60CC in different colors to check out. Love how chunky and articulate they sound. Harley Benton really has a couple of surprisingly good standouts for the money. In time, I think we'll look back and give them credit for starting the movement of creating apples-to-apples guitars that compete directly with the big name $600-$1000 models we all have a hard time justifying purchasing.
Yes, I'm with you there! Out of interest, how similar were the three in terms of QC, weight, etc.? That's something that would really interest me, because it's consistency that can often be the thorn in the side of 'cheap' brands and guitars. And yes, I think we can already see some brands starting to take notice. Ibanez, for example, have recently come out with the AZES range and the GIO GRG121SP Super Strats which are all around the €300 mark (and all I've tried have been excellent). Still not quite HB prices, but I think they're among the first to realize that the pure pull of a brand name is no longer enough to get players shelling out over the odds for average guitars these days!
@@RichWordsMusic Definitely, that $300ish range is going to be huge for the next few years for major brands. For the 3 JA60CC's I bought, I picked up two shell pinks (planned on reselling one) and one Seafoam green. Quality control was flawless top to bottom on all 3 and I still can't believe how nice the frets are. The main difference was the weights of these, as the Seafoam Green one weighed 6 lbs 6 oz, one shell pink weighed 6 lbs 12 oz, and the final pink one weighed 7 lbs 6 oz. So all feel great, but the green one feels particularly light and still but sounds just about as full and articulate as the 7 lb 6 oz guitar. I decided to resell the 6 lb 11 oz pink one, mainly due to the neck not being quite as dark and pretty as the other two.
You have a point there...I am also grateful to this company because they provide good instruments at such low prices. Hope they keep that path and sorry they didn't exist back in the 80s and 90s.
At about 950 to 10 minutes that’s where you can really hear a distinct difference between these two kinds of pick ups, and that’s the way you want each of them to sound… Mustangs single coils have a very high tone And it’s as if you can hear each string more distinctly When playing chords, the jazz master pick ups tend to blend the sound of the strings together bit more when playing Chords… Really good demo. I bought a Harley Benton Rickenbacker clone base and the Rick clone 12 string…. On the 12 string I just received …. 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 …. 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.
Great comment! Glad you enjoyed my video too, so thanks for that :) I totally agree about these two guitars and their tones. The Mustang pickups can be very brittle sounding, but they are perfect for certain things! And the Jazzmaster ones are just beautifully rounded and much warmer. Also, I actually have one of those HB 12-strings you mention! I bought it used recently for next to nothing, and haven't got into it at all yet... I really need to. Do you have a link for the replacement tailpiece? I have a feeling I might need it in future ;) Cheers!
I was thinking about getting them both and left-handed because I’ve got a bunch of Harley Benton and I’m satisfied or sometimes I make changes like the tuners on both of those would have to go bye-bye and I might buy a Goldo whammy bar that you can add to the Jazzmastereven though I don’t really like whammy bars
Yeah, HB are rather good when it comes to the amount of left-handed models they offer! I actually think the tuners on the JA-60 are really good, but I have thought about putting a Duesenberg Les Trem on mine... maybe one day 😉 I'm also not a massive Whammy user but it kind of feels like the right thing to do!
Waiting till Henning puts his video out so he won’t use your tests? Yass master . HP using your footage seems like a high complement where I’m from 🤘🏽. Bravo mr b roll 🤘🏽
I just received a MS-60 and it is a fun guitar. The JA-60CC is on my next order and I think I like the tone of it a touch better in general but HB guitars are just fun to play with! Nice video sir! Thank you!
Cheers Steven, and happy new guitar day with your MS-60! They are loads of fun, as is the JA-60CC… something very much different compared to the average Les Paul/Strat/Tele, that’s for sure 😊
The G&L Fallout is as well an offset Guitar, that is in the Mustang style corner. The video of your secondhand MS 60 inspired me to go in the hunt for an second hand one myself. The MS60 is a good guitar, but the pickups sound is not top my taste (your demo with the Roswell MS60 is very close tot my experience with an Wilkinson pickup equipped MS 60). But the MS60 lead me to built a HBJA DIY Kit and as u liked the MS 60 trem, i integrated a similar Trem tot my JA Kit. If anybody wants to add a Trem-System to the JA 60 without, any woodworking, Ryan of 60CycleHum recently tried a GFS Trem System. Another option is the Duesenberg/Göldo Les Trem system.
I've read about the Fallout a lot, and would love to try one in person, but have never yet found one. It's looks like a really cool and different option, with pickups that'll work for everything (whereas something like the MS-60, as you say, is perhaps not perfect for all styles, too thin and shrill). Again, very interesting to hear about your build projects, and I would love to see some pictures (or videos!) if you have any. I watched the video by Ryan, and I feel like the conclusion was that the Les Trem would be the better option. I am very tempted to get one and see what it brings to the JA-60CC!
Thank you so much Rich, great video, very detailed and very informative. And yeah the JA-60CC sounds much better/thicker for my taste and I will choose that one too. BTW, love the seafoam color.
No problem, I'm happy you enjoyed the video and found it useful :) And I totally agree - for those thicker tones, the JA-60CC is the right choice! The Seafoam Green too, although I must admit I did wonder about the Lake Placid Blue and the Shell Pink as well! Harley Benton really made some nice choices with this model.
I don't think I'm alone is saying... I came to see the guitars and got completely lost in the show! Great stuff and Harley Bentons really are decent guitars. I own several.
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed the show! Harley Bentons are fantastic guitars, particularly when you factor in the prices too. I also own several, and there will be more to come, I am sure of that :) Enjoy yours!
The JA sounded great! The MS, on the bridge at least, sounded PI$$ weak, and tinny! The neck pick up sounded good actually. NOT as chunky as the JA's neck pick up, but not bad! Are you SURE something ISN'T wrong with that MS bridge pick up? There seems a BIG disparity between N & B! Rockin'!
Agree with all of that... and no, I'm not sure! ;) I think it's just the big distance discrepancy. I am tempted to lower the neck pickup to make them more similar in terms of output, but I actually love the tones from it, so that makes no sense really! Seems like I need a shim.
Great video, thank you. I liked the MS-60, sounds pretty much like a Mustang to me, although I was surprised that it has a Jazz/Jag vibrato rather than the usual Mustang one with the bar. I bought a JA-60 CC this week and although the scale length is 25.5, because of the smaller body and placement of the bridge it actually plays and feels a lot more like a 24" scale guitar, which I actually prefer. I have a Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster and seeing them side by side you can easily see the difference in size. It's a fabulous guitar, especially for the cost, apart from not having a vibrato unit. I added a Les Trem II , put some cheap witch hat knobs on it and it's my new favourite guitar. The only other things I might do in the future is perhaps upgrade the tuners and pickups.
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it! That's interesting to know about the MS-60's bridge - I didn't know it was more of a Jazz/Jag one! (I am not the world's biggest offset expert!) Got any pics of your modded JA-60CC anywhere? That sounds great! I've also thought about the Les Trem, and the witch hat knobs might be the icing on the cake. If I ever change the pickups, I think I'll also get the pots changed as well - there's a cool video by Ryan at 60 Cycle Hum where he does that, and it does make a difference (and in fact, he doesn't even change the pickups - just 'upgrades' the pots themselves).
I think the MS60 would benefit from heavier strings, being shorter scale, as it sounds a bit like they are too slack on heavier strumming. Two interesting options also for all us lefties out there.
That's a good tip and something I need to try soon! And yes, I'm always happy to find that HB has such a wide variety of its models in left-handed versions... more brands should take note!
Hello, I would like you to make the video with the comparison of Squier Sonic Mustang vs. Harley Benton JA-60. That would be great. Thank you very much!
I have to say the JA60 sounds fuller. Perhaps the amp settings are more suited to the JA60 than the MS60. I think the MS60 will sound better with amp settings more to suit. I love both guitars, I have the JA60 but the MS60 may be my next choice. 🙂🙂🎸🎸
Yes, the JA-60 is definitely that bit warmer and fuller. I always try and keep my amp settings kind of neutral, so it plays well with all my gear, but you’re right - you could definitely tweak it to better suit the MS-60 if it was your main guitar. I’m really loving the offset experience, and may also have to get more!
@@RichWordsMusic Yeah me too!! I'm toying between the MS60 and Bullet Mustang. The mustang has humbuckers, which I'm not into and someone said a really thin neck which I wouldn't prefer either. But it has more colour options than the MS60. The MS60 has the tremelo and single coils. Desicions desicions!!
@@JBM_71 Ha ha, yep, it's tricky to find cheaper offsets that combine all the features we seem to want - plus a nice finish (which IS important!). There are some older MS-60 models out there with racing stripes in blue and red, and they look great in photos, but I have never seen one in person. The Bullet Mustangs are also really cool looking, but I agree - the humbuckers on them are built for heavier music than most people would buy offsets for. You could swap them out for humbucker-sized P90s, I suppose, but that's going to be costly. And the necks on the ones I've tried have been pretty slim. Not super skinny, but possibly thinner than you'd like. I actually have high hopes that HB will revamp the MS-60 soon, too. Even if it's just a few new colors, like the JA-60CC ones, and possibly a caramelized maple neck, that'd make them extremely desirable in my book ;) I have no insider info about that, by the way... I just think it would make sense, and HB are revamping other lines a lot at the moment. So you never know!
For me, Jazzmaster... more flexible tonally, awesome color options, the lovely roasted maple neck, and (in my experience of these two guitars) has a better build. I would say only go for the Mustang if you really want to use the trem and if you dig the pickups/switching options!
You mean the JA-60? I actually really like the tuners on mine... nice and firm. Hold tune well. But this can differ between guitars for sure. Will check out your videos too 😎
I had 3 of the HB Mustangs and they were all sent back due to bridge placement which made them impossible to intonate. (3 years ago, hopefully the present batch have been rectified?)
Oh, that sucks. Once is bad enough, but three times is unforgivable at any price. I actually don't know how old mine is: I got in used for €70 in early 2021. So it could well be a newer batch than the ones you tried previously. But mine was modded by a previous owner, at least with the Kluson tuners, and it must've been set up a few times before I had it. It intonates well enough, but needs another setup soon. I would hope the issues you suffered were rectified for all future batches. On another note, seeing as HB are updating lots of their models at the moment, I have high hopes that they might revamp the MS-60 too. More cool colors would be a great addition, as well as subtly improved specs.
Rich ... Is there be an aftermarket tremolo you suggest adding to the JA-60, maybe something like a Duesenberg? And how do you think the guitar would respond to it? TIA
Sorry Floyd, I missed this comment before! I have heard the Duesenberg Les Trem is the best option - seems to be easy to fit with no drilling required, it's solid and stays in tune (according to people I know who've used one! I personally haven't) and it's fairly affordable too. So that's the one I'd go for. Ryan from 60 Cycle Hum has done a video where he fits a different one, but from his response to it I sense he'd have rather put a Les Trem on instead ;)
Do any of you guys that has any of these models think they could work in a professional / live environment ? I'm moving to Europe and unfortunately I'm not able to bring my guitars with my (Actually, i already sold all of them) so I'm looking for an alternative so I can start playing as soon as possible without stop eating bc I just bought a new instrument 😂.
Yes, absolutely! Get them a decent setup and of course they'll be fine for live stuff. I'd probably pick the JA-60CC for live hear, because it has the more stable bridge/tuning setup, but you could even pop on some locking tuners on the MS-60 and it'd be great.
I guess they did this for (a) cost and (b) tuning stability purposes, but I do agree! Perhaps there'll be a vibrato model coming later? I'm sure they'd sell bucketloads. I'm still thinking about adding a Les Trem to mine...
And here are those timestamps again:
00:00 Hello!
00:29 Introduction and what we’re doing today
01:37 JA-60CC specs and info
03:41 MS-60 specs and info
05:59 Today’s rig and plan
Clean Sounds
06:59 Clean tone reference chords on all pickup settings
07:39 Ringing open indie pop chords
08:05 Country strummed chords
08:25 Poppy barre chords
08:41 Folk pop chords
08:58 Blues progression
09:21 Country ballad arpeggios
09:34 Ascending indie open chords
Clean Sounds with extra reverb/tremolo
10:01 Indie pop picked arpeggios
10:25 Atmospheric indie arpeggios
10:50 Atmospheric droning indie chords
11:12 Poppy soundscapes
Overdriven Sounds
12:01 Indie rock rhythm sound
12:30 Droning open string riff
12:43 Garage rock riff
12:58 Indie rock octave chords
13:23 Upbeat indie rock barre chords
13:46 Edgy indie barre chords
14:00 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff
14:15 Hendrix inspired classic rock riff
14:31 Groovy classic rock riff
14:56 More classic rock sounds
Higher gain drive sounds
15:31 Classic hard rock riff
15:48 Hard rock riff
16:05 Glam rock riff
16:23 Hard rock melodic lead
16:47 Alt rock riff
17:12 Foo Fighters inspired modern rock riff
17:29 Pop punk riff
17:55 Pop punk melodic lead riff
18:11 Green Day inspired punk rock riff
18:38 Punk rock power chords
18:51 Progressive rock riff (Drop D tuning)
19:07 Modern rock palm-muted chords (Drop D)
19:31 Rage Against The Machine inspired groovy riff (Drop D)
Heavy Distortion sounds (all in Drop D)
20:04 Metal chugging riff
20:37 Hardcore punk riff
20:53 Classic metal melodic lead sound
21:10 Rammstein inspired industrial metal riff
21:23 Classic heavy metal/sludge riff
21:59 My thoughts and comparing the guitars
22:54 Looks
23:57 Build quality and hardware
25:25 Playability and neck
27:37 Weight
28:14 Sounds and pickups discussion
31:12 What other cheap offset guitars should you consider?
32:56 My conclusions and which one would I buy (again)?
34:10 Thanks and goodbye
Thanks for the timestamps!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for showing the capabilities of these guitars for EACH genre! As someone who loves indie, alternative, and emo, it's so frustrating only seeing guitar reviewers do twangy country tones or heavy metal.
Thanks a lot! That's exactly why I make my videos like this... I might not be the best player at all genres, but I like playing a variety of music and want to showcase that - and it's useful for others too. I got sick of the endless blues-rock noodling reviews a long time ago ;) Cheers!
@@RichWordsMusic if you ever did a guitar roundup video (especially budget like Harley Benton) for those indie/alt tones, I’d watch in a heartbeat 🙏🏼
As someone that does play metal, but it sick of those two types of boring reviews, I agree.
Amen brother. Picked up a ja-60 awhile ago. This review helped tremendously.
Recently got this ja60, it's lovely, great neck, great tuners, great feel and great sounds... My mate thought it cost mega money after a play, then I told him!... Blown away... Fantastic guitar
Happy new guitar day! I feel exactly the same way about the JA-60CC - it's always a risk buying a guitar unseen, but this one is exactly as you describe. The neck's great, it sounds fantastic, looks cool, holds tune really well... what more can you ask for for €179? I look forward to tricking a few of my guitar playing friends with this one in the near future as well ;) Enjoy yours!
Excellent video. It perfectly shows the differences. The majority prefers the thicker sound of the JA, but in a song and mix context, the mustang is great option to have!
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it! And I think you're spot on... there is no way anyone is missing the MS-60 in a mix ;) It cuts through anything!
I’ve been modding that JA60 and it’s easy to mod with a trem and new pots and treble bleed circuit and new copper foil and it’s very lovely.
Nice! I've heard it's a great platform for mods. Any vids or pics of yours to share? Cheers :)
What a brilliant thorough and professional comparison! Thank you.
My JA60 is somewhere in a box on its way to me …
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoyed the video, and I hope you end up loving your JA-60CC too!
Hello! I really enjoyed the overview. The JA sounds smooth, warm and articulate. Loved how it sounds with the Greer LightSpeed (also have the pedal, it’s great!).
It’s now even more tempting to look further! Cheers!
Thanks Glenn, glad you enjoyed it! Yep, the pairing of the Lightspeed and the JA-60CC is very addictive... it just works. The Lightspeed always makes everything sound better, though, as I'm sure you know. Hope you get the chance to try a JA-60CC soon!
so tempted to get the JA60...and in thia seafoam green too
Go for it! I couldn't resist the Seafoam Green either, and I am very happy I went for it - this guitar is loads of fun :)
@@RichWordsMusic Out of stock...so went with the shell pink, which was my 1st option...only because i think the pickups and knobs go better with it (although your video changed my mind completely!)
@@rafzputin The Shell Pink was in my basket before I chose the Seafoam Green, I have to admit! Let me know how it is when you receive it :) I could totally imagine having a Shell Pink one in future, and a Lake Placid Blue as well!
Helped me choose between these two! Was having a hard time choosing between them both looked amazing but hearing this review I’m committed to the JA-60 for my first guitar. Thanks for making an awesome review
Glad my video helped, and I think the JA-60 is going to be an incredible first guitar for you! I really love mine. Which color are you going for?
@@RichWordsMusic I think I’m going with the Inca silver, I think it’s the sleekest one they sell
@@Brennanrr Nice choice. That's the one where I'm actually really intrigued to see it in person... it has a sort of mystical quality to it from the pictures online, and I wonder just how sparkly it'll be. Let me know how it is in person!
@@RichWordsMusic yeah I’m really excited to see it if you have any socials I’ll gladly send some pictures when it arrives. However, I’m having some trouble getting it shipped
@@Brennanrr Awesome, I have an Insta here: instagram.com/richwordsmusic - you can share pics there. That's a shame about shipping problems... normally Thomann are really good at that. Hope you get it sorted soon!
Just ordered 3 of the JA60CC in different colors to check out. Love how chunky and articulate they sound. Harley Benton really has a couple of surprisingly good standouts for the money. In time, I think we'll look back and give them credit for starting the movement of creating apples-to-apples guitars that compete directly with the big name $600-$1000 models we all have a hard time justifying purchasing.
Yes, I'm with you there! Out of interest, how similar were the three in terms of QC, weight, etc.? That's something that would really interest me, because it's consistency that can often be the thorn in the side of 'cheap' brands and guitars.
And yes, I think we can already see some brands starting to take notice. Ibanez, for example, have recently come out with the AZES range and the GIO GRG121SP Super Strats which are all around the €300 mark (and all I've tried have been excellent). Still not quite HB prices, but I think they're among the first to realize that the pure pull of a brand name is no longer enough to get players shelling out over the odds for average guitars these days!
@@RichWordsMusic Definitely, that $300ish range is going to be huge for the next few years for major brands. For the 3 JA60CC's I bought, I picked up two shell pinks (planned on reselling one) and one Seafoam green. Quality control was flawless top to bottom on all 3 and I still can't believe how nice the frets are. The main difference was the weights of these, as the Seafoam Green one weighed 6 lbs 6 oz, one shell pink weighed 6 lbs 12 oz, and the final pink one weighed 7 lbs 6 oz. So all feel great, but the green one feels particularly light and still but sounds just about as full and articulate as the 7 lb 6 oz guitar. I decided to resell the 6 lb 11 oz pink one, mainly due to the neck not being quite as dark and pretty as the other two.
You have a point there...I am also grateful to this company because they provide good instruments at such low prices. Hope they keep that path and sorry they didn't exist back in the 80s and 90s.
At about 950 to 10 minutes that’s where you can really hear a distinct difference between these two kinds of pick ups, and that’s the way you want each of them to sound… Mustangs single coils have a very high tone And it’s as if you can hear each string more distinctly When playing chords, the jazz master pick ups tend to blend the sound of the strings together bit more when playing Chords… Really good demo. I bought a Harley Benton Rickenbacker clone base and the Rick clone 12 string…. On the 12 string I just received …. 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 …. 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.
Great comment! Glad you enjoyed my video too, so thanks for that :) I totally agree about these two guitars and their tones. The Mustang pickups can be very brittle sounding, but they are perfect for certain things! And the Jazzmaster ones are just beautifully rounded and much warmer.
Also, I actually have one of those HB 12-strings you mention! I bought it used recently for next to nothing, and haven't got into it at all yet... I really need to. Do you have a link for the replacement tailpiece? I have a feeling I might need it in future ;) Cheers!
I was thinking about getting them both and left-handed because I’ve got a bunch of Harley Benton and I’m satisfied or sometimes I make changes like the tuners on both of those would have to go bye-bye and I might buy a Goldo whammy bar that you can add to the Jazzmastereven though I don’t really like whammy bars
Yeah, HB are rather good when it comes to the amount of left-handed models they offer! I actually think the tuners on the JA-60 are really good, but I have thought about putting a Duesenberg Les Trem on mine... maybe one day 😉 I'm also not a massive Whammy user but it kind of feels like the right thing to do!
Waiting till Henning puts his video out so he won’t use your tests? Yass master .
HP using your footage seems like a high complement where I’m from 🤘🏽. Bravo mr b roll 🤘🏽
Ha ha, no, I loved that he did that! It's a win-win for me ;)
And yes, look at me go with the b-roll. Next stop, furniture and a non-white background!
@@RichWordsMusic don’t mess with a winning formula!! Look what happened with Coca Cola when they tried to “update “ I’ll stick with the RWM classic.
@@PooNinja As I sip upon a New Coke contemplating my next move, I'm inclined to agree...
@@RichWordsMusic I’m a Sunkist fan myself.
@@PooNinja My juice jam as a kid was Five Alive! Not sure you can get that any more either.
I just received a MS-60 and it is a fun guitar. The JA-60CC is on my next order and I think I like the tone of it a touch better in general but HB guitars are just fun to play with! Nice video sir! Thank you!
Cheers Steven, and happy new guitar day with your MS-60! They are loads of fun, as is the JA-60CC… something very much different compared to the average Les Paul/Strat/Tele, that’s for sure 😊
This was an very, very nice review of these 2 HB offset guitars and shows the difference between these 2 guitars.
Thanks so much Kimme, I’m really happy you enjoyed the video and found it useful!
The G&L Fallout is as well an offset Guitar, that is in the Mustang style corner.
The video of your secondhand MS 60 inspired me to go in the hunt for an second hand one myself. The MS60 is a good guitar, but the pickups sound is not top my taste (your demo with the Roswell MS60 is very close tot my experience with an Wilkinson pickup equipped MS 60).
But the MS60 lead me to built a HBJA DIY Kit and as u liked the MS 60 trem, i integrated a similar Trem tot my JA Kit.
If anybody wants to add a Trem-System to the JA 60 without, any woodworking, Ryan of 60CycleHum recently tried a GFS Trem System.
Another option is the Duesenberg/Göldo Les Trem system.
I've read about the Fallout a lot, and would love to try one in person, but have never yet found one. It's looks like a really cool and different option, with pickups that'll work for everything (whereas something like the MS-60, as you say, is perhaps not perfect for all styles, too thin and shrill).
Again, very interesting to hear about your build projects, and I would love to see some pictures (or videos!) if you have any. I watched the video by Ryan, and I feel like the conclusion was that the Les Trem would be the better option. I am very tempted to get one and see what it brings to the JA-60CC!
Thank you so much Rich, great video, very detailed and very informative. And yeah the JA-60CC sounds much better/thicker for my taste and I will choose that one too. BTW, love the seafoam color.
No problem, I'm happy you enjoyed the video and found it useful :) And I totally agree - for those thicker tones, the JA-60CC is the right choice! The Seafoam Green too, although I must admit I did wonder about the Lake Placid Blue and the Shell Pink as well! Harley Benton really made some nice choices with this model.
Green one is deep and warm.White on is flat and shallow.
That's an interesting way to describe it ('flat'), and I totally agree. The JA-60CC just has more body to the sound, which I prefer 99% of the time!
@@RichWordsMusic I describe feelings not exactly sound when it comes to guitars.And this is what this sound is.No any '' Wow '' in me.
I don't think I'm alone is saying... I came to see the guitars and got completely lost in the show! Great stuff and Harley Bentons really are decent guitars. I own several.
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed the show! Harley Bentons are fantastic guitars, particularly when you factor in the prices too. I also own several, and there will be more to come, I am sure of that :) Enjoy yours!
Well done, didn't go nits and leave huge gaps between guitar tone changes.
Cheers, glad you enjoyed it!
These would work great together in a mix.
I totally agree - I will be trying that out in the not-too-distant future!
The JA sounded great! The MS, on the bridge at least, sounded PI$$ weak, and tinny! The neck pick up sounded good actually. NOT as chunky as the JA's neck pick up, but not bad! Are you SURE something ISN'T wrong with that MS bridge pick up? There seems a BIG disparity between N & B! Rockin'!
Agree with all of that... and no, I'm not sure! ;) I think it's just the big distance discrepancy. I am tempted to lower the neck pickup to make them more similar in terms of output, but I actually love the tones from it, so that makes no sense really! Seems like I need a shim.
@@RichWordsMusic Shimmy shimmy...
Great video, thank you. I liked the MS-60, sounds pretty much like a Mustang to me, although I was surprised that it has a Jazz/Jag vibrato rather than the usual Mustang one with the bar.
I bought a JA-60 CC this week and although the scale length is 25.5, because of the smaller body and placement of the bridge it actually plays and feels a lot more like a 24" scale guitar, which I actually prefer. I have a Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster and seeing them side by side you can easily see the difference in size.
It's a fabulous guitar, especially for the cost, apart from not having a vibrato unit. I added a Les Trem II , put some cheap witch hat knobs on it and it's my new favourite guitar. The only other things I might do in the future is perhaps upgrade the tuners and pickups.
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it! That's interesting to know about the MS-60's bridge - I didn't know it was more of a Jazz/Jag one! (I am not the world's biggest offset expert!)
Got any pics of your modded JA-60CC anywhere? That sounds great! I've also thought about the Les Trem, and the witch hat knobs might be the icing on the cake. If I ever change the pickups, I think I'll also get the pots changed as well - there's a cool video by Ryan at 60 Cycle Hum where he does that, and it does make a difference (and in fact, he doesn't even change the pickups - just 'upgrades' the pots themselves).
Thanks. 👍...the only problem with your reviews is that you make me buy so many guitars. 🤓
Ha ha, sorry! Glad you like the videos - just hide your wallet when you watch in future ;)
Great video.
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it!
I think the MS60 would benefit from heavier strings, being shorter scale, as it sounds a bit like they are too slack on heavier strumming. Two interesting options also for all us lefties out there.
That's a good tip and something I need to try soon! And yes, I'm always happy to find that HB has such a wide variety of its models in left-handed versions... more brands should take note!
Hello, I would like you to make the video with the comparison of Squier Sonic Mustang vs. Harley Benton JA-60. That would be great. Thank you very much!
Just saw this... will try and do it one day!
@@RichWordsMusic really thank you for your time and videos!!!
I have to say the JA60 sounds fuller. Perhaps the amp settings are more suited to the JA60 than the MS60. I think the MS60 will sound better with amp settings more to suit. I love both guitars, I have the JA60 but the MS60 may be my next choice. 🙂🙂🎸🎸
Yes, the JA-60 is definitely that bit warmer and fuller. I always try and keep my amp settings kind of neutral, so it plays well with all my gear, but you’re right - you could definitely tweak it to better suit the MS-60 if it was your main guitar. I’m really loving the offset experience, and may also have to get more!
@@RichWordsMusic Yeah me too!! I'm toying between the MS60 and Bullet Mustang. The mustang has humbuckers, which I'm not into and someone said a really thin neck which I wouldn't prefer either. But it has more colour options than the MS60. The MS60 has the tremelo and single coils. Desicions desicions!!
@@JBM_71 Ha ha, yep, it's tricky to find cheaper offsets that combine all the features we seem to want - plus a nice finish (which IS important!). There are some older MS-60 models out there with racing stripes in blue and red, and they look great in photos, but I have never seen one in person. The Bullet Mustangs are also really cool looking, but I agree - the humbuckers on them are built for heavier music than most people would buy offsets for. You could swap them out for humbucker-sized P90s, I suppose, but that's going to be costly. And the necks on the ones I've tried have been pretty slim. Not super skinny, but possibly thinner than you'd like.
I actually have high hopes that HB will revamp the MS-60 soon, too. Even if it's just a few new colors, like the JA-60CC ones, and possibly a caramelized maple neck, that'd make them extremely desirable in my book ;) I have no insider info about that, by the way... I just think it would make sense, and HB are revamping other lines a lot at the moment. So you never know!
@@RichWordsMusic I was wondering about new colours for the MS60. That would be great. Maybe wait and see! 🙂🙂🎸🎸
@@JBM_71 Yep, I'm crossing all my fingers that they'll do it!
Pls HB Mustang or HB Jazzmaster?
For me, Jazzmaster... more flexible tonally, awesome color options, the lovely roasted maple neck, and (in my experience of these two guitars) has a better build. I would say only go for the Mustang if you really want to use the trem and if you dig the pickups/switching options!
are these good for r&b?
Yes, definitely! They have great smooth clean tones, which I think would work great for R&B.
Pretty good guitar. Own it for a year and not disappointed. But tuners are not good for me. I Have some videos with this guitar on our channel.
You mean the JA-60? I actually really like the tuners on mine... nice and firm. Hold tune well. But this can differ between guitars for sure. Will check out your videos too 😎
I had 3 of the HB Mustangs and they were all sent back due to bridge placement which made them impossible to intonate. (3 years ago, hopefully the present batch have been rectified?)
Oh, that sucks. Once is bad enough, but three times is unforgivable at any price. I actually don't know how old mine is: I got in used for €70 in early 2021. So it could well be a newer batch than the ones you tried previously. But mine was modded by a previous owner, at least with the Kluson tuners, and it must've been set up a few times before I had it. It intonates well enough, but needs another setup soon. I would hope the issues you suffered were rectified for all future batches.
On another note, seeing as HB are updating lots of their models at the moment, I have high hopes that they might revamp the MS-60 too. More cool colors would be a great addition, as well as subtly improved specs.
Rich ... Is there be an aftermarket tremolo you suggest adding to the JA-60, maybe something like a Duesenberg? And how do you think the guitar would respond to it? TIA
Sorry Floyd, I missed this comment before! I have heard the Duesenberg Les Trem is the best option - seems to be easy to fit with no drilling required, it's solid and stays in tune (according to people I know who've used one! I personally haven't) and it's fairly affordable too. So that's the one I'd go for.
Ryan from 60 Cycle Hum has done a video where he fits a different one, but from his response to it I sense he'd have rather put a Les Trem on instead ;)
Do any of you guys that has any of these models think they could work in a professional / live environment ?
I'm moving to Europe and unfortunately I'm not able to bring my guitars with my (Actually, i already sold all of them) so I'm looking for an alternative so I can start playing as soon as possible without stop eating bc I just bought a new instrument 😂.
off course they can
Yes, absolutely! Get them a decent setup and of course they'll be fine for live stuff. I'd probably pick the JA-60CC for live hear, because it has the more stable bridge/tuning setup, but you could even pop on some locking tuners on the MS-60 and it'd be great.
Do you know the piano's on my foot?
I had to google that! I drink PG Tips, so I consider the comment a great compliment ;)
@@RichWordsMusic You hum it son, I'll play it..
Thanks for your riffs, I am bored of blues ones!!
Ha ha, thanks a lot! Me too - there are way too many on TH-cam already, so no need to add more ;) Cheers!
👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks for watching :)
You're a national treasure.
Ha ha, thanks ;)
The JA having no trem arm really puzzled me
I guess they did this for (a) cost and (b) tuning stability purposes, but I do agree! Perhaps there'll be a vibrato model coming later? I'm sure they'd sell bucketloads. I'm still thinking about adding a Les Trem to mine...