First! And here's the timestamps for you people on phones: 00:00 Hello! 00:39 Intro and what we’re doing today 01:19 Price difference and guitar specs and features 02:46 Pickups - P90 vs stacked P90! 03:50 Today’s rig Clean Channel 04:13 Strummed G chords 04:31 Indie pop barre chords 05:18 Singer songwriter cowboy chords 06:00 Poppy droning chords and arpeggios 06:41 Country picking riff 07:03 Atmospheric indie chords 07:58 Ascending indie chords with open strings Clean Channel with Wampler Pantheon 08:38 Southern rock picked arpeggios 09:10 Choppy indie barre chords 09:38 Indie droning rock riff 10:16 Indie chords 11:46 Upbeat indie rhythm progression 12:36 Indie art pop arpeggios 13:32 Indie art pop stabbed chords 14:16 Indie rock barre chords Crunch Channel 15:34 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff 16:19 Classic rock rhythm sounds 17:07 Airbourne inspired classic rock riff 17:47 Catchy classic rock riff 18:36 Alternative rock riff Lead Channel 19:58 Hard rock riff 20:45 Classic hard rock riff 21:35 Glam rock riff 22:17 Pop punk riff 22:56 Punk rock riff 23:37 Punk rock rhythms 24:21 Green Day inspired punk rock riff 25:01 Melodic punk rock lead sounds 25:48 Progressive rock palm-muted riff (Drop D tuning) 26:31 Alternative rock rhythm sounds (Drop D tuning) Clean Channel with Revv G3 distortion pedal (Drop D tuning) 27:42 Chugging hardcore punk riff 28:30 Mastodon inspired modern metal riff 29:02 Hardcore punk riff 29:47 Hardcore rhythm riff 30:19 Ascending lead melodic riff 30:57 Old school heavy metal riff 32:26 My thoughts - and your opinions wanted! 32:41 Playability and build quality 34:01 Differences between the necks 35:03 Sound and pickup differences 37:34 Value for money and which guitar I prefer (38:02) 38:31 Thanks and goodbye Enjoy :)
@@seerattan No, in this video both guitars were on 10 for volume and tone the whole time! But it kind of almost does sound like it's rolled off here in places, I agree. I tested the controls on the FAT Junior in the dedicated video I did for it, so you can really hear the difference there: th-cam.com/video/VtrUHN_-eqg/w-d-xo.html
Sounds great - I'd like to try one of the non-FAT ones too, as they should have the 'real' P90s in them. The humbucking one in the FAT versions just don't have the same clarity and bite!
Pretty sure that you got the single vs humbucker mode the other way around. I have a FAT that I've now wired permanently as single and removed the tone pot, doesn't lack sparkle at all. Fantastic guitar.
Thanks a lot for this one, Rich! There must have been quite a lot of work behind it. I appreciate your attention to detail, which can be seen everywhere. Cool that you put each riff back to back so that we can hear the actual differences. Maybe you could just keep the overall length under 20 minutes and save yourself some effort as most people won't keep up all the time IMO and it would be more than sufficient. Great to hear your honest opinion in the end, I tended to prefer the SC's pickup sound almost all the time with its chime and dynamics, too. Wonder how it would compare to the HB P90 GT from the previous clips. The DC's split coil surprisingly sounded a little dull and lifeless in comparison. Keep up the good work, you got a new subscriber.
No problem, it was a lot of fun to shoot and edit together! I realize I could probably keep the overall video length down a bit and it wouldn't hurt. Really doesn't make too much of a time difference for me though, maybe half an hour or so. I agree completely - I actually really think the SC Junior pickup won on almost every setting and playing style. Could it be that you lose some of the magic with a stacked P90? I think so. Kind of in the same way people say that Fender Noiseless Strat and Tele pickups don't have the same vibe as the real thing, perhaps. Oh, and I definitely need to borrow the SC-450 Goldtop to try against the SC Junior! Hopefully that can happen soon. Thanks for subbing, glad to have you on board :)
@@RichWordsMusic my pleasure. Yeah I think so, too, with the stacked and noiseless versions. Nothing is for free I guess. Wonder if there is a difference in tone because of the thicker body of the SC as well. The HB vid from Benedict th-cam.com/video/4mq61iq7S3A/w-d-xo.html suggested that with the same PUs.
@@alanst.4417 Hmm, I reckon the thicker body certainly makes a difference, both in terms of tone and sustain. There's so many factors that influence the sounds though, in the end all we can do is say which one we prefer. And we prefer the SC Junior ;) I will watch that HB vid though and see what Bene has to say on it!
@@RichWordsMusic sure, reminds me of wine or coffee tasting, in the end it's always a question if we like it or not... You're a true enthusiast, Rich ;-)
@@alanst.4417 Exactly! Enthusiast is the word I like to use too ;) It's certainly a positive addiction! I do enjoy a good coffee and/or wine too though...
SC vs GT P90 would be interesting, Rich. I have the HB GT and also an Artist Gold top with the stacked P90s, totally different beasts. I was hoping the Artist would sound similar to the HB, alas it was not to be. Good stuff, keep at it mate.
Those Artists look great! Shame about the stacked P90. What I'm learning here is that the stacked models seem to lack some of the vibrancy of the real P90... kind of like Fender Noiseless Strat and Tele pickups don't seem to have the real mojo of the noisy originals. I'm definitely going to ask my friend if I can borrow the GT P90 for another comparison! So hopefully that'll happen soon :) Thanks for watching!
I've caught a couple of your reviews so far and I have to say, if I'm producing in a big studio, you'd likely be the guitar player I'd want cuttin' the tracks. The precision and consistency are astounding. This review told me a lot. I've played HB DC-Juniors with the regular P90 and have been looking at the HB DC-Fat Juniors with the stacked P90. I knew within the first few riffs you went through that you'd like the SC Junior's regular P90 sound over the Fat. I agree 100%. Wow, I could hardly believe the difference. The SC Junior sounded open and sparkly, the FAT in single-coil mode sounded like it was muffled in comparison. I also appreciate very much how you play barre chord stuff all over the neck when you review. Other reviewers like to shred or fly fast and it doesn't help define sounds as much as your style. Your review style, and opinion afterwards, are highly beneficial. Keep it up!
Thanks so much! It really makes my day to receive such a kind comment about my playing too. It's always different when the red light comes on to signify "recording in process", of course ;) It is really interesting how much extra liveliness the genuine P90 has over the stacked one in some contexts, I totally agree. Not that the stacked one sound bad, but as you rightly say, it loses that sparkle and magic that just makes a P90 such fun to play! And yes, I'm a rhythm man through and through, and I do like to showcase as much as I can within that context... I can leave the blues noodling and shredding to the others who do it way better than I can! Thanks again for the kind words - I'm really happy you found my little channel and enjoy the videos :)
In Short I reckon that whatever the Double Cut can do (if hum/noise isn’t an issue)the single cut can do with a twist of the tone knob BUT the double cut can’t sound as clear & punchy as the single cut IMO YMMV
Effectively, yes! I think the SC Junior might not have quite the low end punch the DC has for some things... but that's not something I'm personally after as much anyway! YMMV and all that but the SC wins this one for me too.
SC Junior sounds absolutely stonking...I love the sound of a p90...Yet another guitar to go on the list of must haves...Many thanks for sharing your fabulous musical talents....
Yep, there's some magic in those P90s alright! They're just so in your face and alive sounding, and they work perfectly with the no-nonsense SC Junior. And thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Pretty different Rich! The blue model even on single coil mode sounded thicker & duller than the 'proper' P90! The difference between sc & dc mode was minimal! In fact, seeing you said it was more noisy in hb mode instead of sc mode leads me to believe, that pick up is either faulty, (or t he more likely) incorrectly wired! Have seen it my self in the past! I have an old Pre Gibbo Kramer super Strat I rebuilt in the late 90s, with 2 Duncan SH3s in it. Supposed to sound like Stratocaster on 'roids in hb mode and classic Strat in sc! (NOT made like a trad PAF style pick up, but made from 2 Strat style singles wired into hum bucking! (Still has that 'plasticky' tonality to it!) It was shrill and buzzy and sounded like arse! In 'hb' mode it buzzed, in sc mode it buzzed and sounded even more shrill! Then I pulled it out of moth balls about 2 years back and had a play & an bit of an investigation, cos I got the hunch it had been wired incorrectly the whole time! Sure enough, when I started fiddling, my hunch proved correct! I had surmised that in 'hb' mode both coils were on, but output was PARALLEL, not series as it did not sound 'hbish'! (+ noisy!) in 'split/sc' mode, I surmised the opposite:both coils working, parallel output but OUT of phase! Sure enough, that's WHAT it was! For over 20 years I had a hot rod guitar with the best pick ups sound like crap! Took it to my repairer, he listened, then pulled the front plate off, and yup, wired all wrong, PLUS both pick ups were wired to 250K vol/tone pots as well! Now this guitar was done up for my by 1 of Australia's PREMIER guitar repairers and builders to whom I had been going to for years! Totally wired incorrectly with incorrect parts! In his defense, most likely, he palmed the job out to 1 of his lackeys that didn't know how to wire up pick ups properly anyway! Still, he was ultimately responsible for the QC of his subbies, and he didn't do it! I no longer go to this builder/repairer! He just buggered too many of my, (& other people's guitars!) Any Aussies in Vic, will know WHOM I am talking about! So I had this guitar totally rewired, correctly, to a properly loaded vol pot by my current repairer and it sounds amazing! (And NO buzz!) The moral of the story? If your guitar is doing something 'funny/unexpected' with its sound, GET the wiring checked out! (It might have been done wrong in the 1st place!) Cheers Richie!
There you go with the fascinating info again! Very interesting… I do wonder inf there's something in that. Maybe it is wired up wrong. But if mine is, I believe they all must be - all the others on TH-cam seem to sound the same (the Andy Ferris-owned ones too!). And if they're all like that and none of us know... The next time I give that guitar to a tech I will ask about that, as it's certainly worth finding out if there's something in that. I mean, the difference really is minimal. I had imagined the humbucker setting being noisier because it just raised the entire noise floor. But now you've got me thinking ;) I'll just make sure not to visit a tech in Victoria to get it done ;) And that all aside, 100% yes to your last line for anyone reading this who might be wondering about their own guitar(s)!
@@RichWordsMusic My ears DON'T lie mate! To any Vics reading, It is only 1 repairer that was stuffing it up! There are many other brilliant small guitar builders/repairers here besides our antagonist of the tale! I know some good pick up makers too! But I would DEFINITELY encourage you to get that Andy Ferris 'models'' wiring looked at, because a hum bucker is NOT supposed to buzz! (Defeats the entire purpose!) It's easy enough to fix, prob only need 1 wire swapped to make it right!
@@DMSProduktions Yep, I will have to get it checked out. You've convinced me! And if I ever find myself on your side of the planet and needing a guitar seeing to, I shall be sure to call you first before I end up at the wrong place ;)
Good tip. I might actually try something like that as the sounds were the main difference here... everything else about the DC is great! Thanks for watching :)
@@RichWordsMusic I also like that Indie rock riffs you were playing, My son and I play pop punk, skate punk, and emo stuff all in the 90's Era style. I found your video because I'm thinking of getting a Harley DC 👍
@@1thess523 Well it seems we have similar reference points! That's the stuff I grew up on. For that kind of music you can't go far wrong with the DC - it's just a pure rock and roll guitar and it's very versatile considering how simple it is. I'd have no hesitation in recommending it for the kinds of music you and your son would be playing on it!
Thank you for doing a thorough job with the clean tones. So often on these reviews you're hearing someone pedals or amp and it's hard to get a handle on the actual sound of the guitar. I know what my rig does to the sound of various guitars. How would you compare the Roswell pickup to high end P90s? I'm tempted to get a regular DCjr and put a Lollar into it. Even if that cost's as much as the guitar.
No problem! I used to often have the same problem, and that kind of inspired me to do videos like this where you could really hear the guitar for what it is. Simple production, simple playing. I'm glad it was of use to you! The pickups do make a difference, although they're just one part of the overall tone. I've recently had the Roswells, a stacked Wilkinson P90 in a Vintage V120 guitar (which is great), a stacked and humbucking P90 in the Harley Benton DC Junior FAT model (versatile, but isn't a P90 and sounds way flatter than the others) and a Kloppmann SB62 - which costs the same as this guitar, pretty much. The Kloppmann is more aggressive and has a lovely bite to it. It's clearly superior, but then it was also in a guitar that costs €1700, so every single thing was better. I also have plans to get an awesome P90 to put in the DC Junior FAT model, and I'm convinced it would improve the guitar no end and be a lot more fun to play. (By the way, I haven't tried Lollar P90s yet, but they're on my list, and the mini humbuckers I tried from them were sublime!).
@@roddiculousguitar I'm still not sure, that's the thing! It would need to be a 'real' P90 (nothing stacked), so I've been wondering about the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Dog Ear and also the Mojo Dog Ear. What would be amazing would be the chance to try a few out first :) Do you have any other recommendations for me?
I have the HB DC Junior non FAT and I think the P90 in it is great although I raised the pickup by 3mm with a spacer under the pickup cover for more output. In this demo I much prefer the sound on the standard P90 over the stacked one - it has more sparkle when clean but can still growl when driven. The stacked P90 in single coil mode sounded compressed and thin to me and was very average sounding in humbucking mode. Thanks for a good demo.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video! Yep, I agree completely about the sounds - the stacked P90 has had some of its vitality and bite taken away, somehow, and it's not completely noise-free either. The standard P90 wins the day by far. I would actually love to try one of the HB DC non FAT models too - that might be the best of all worlds!
Can I use the dog ear cover, and substitute a standard P-90 in the FAT guitar? I ordered a Benton Blue Fat DC because it was beautiful, but I like the standard P-90 sound better.
I think you'd be best off finding another P90 dogear pickup if you can, although this could be done, I'm sure. It's also something I'd like to do, as I love pretty much everything about the DC Junior FAT except the tones - I want a 'real' P90 in there, like you! My advice would be to drop Harley Benton themselves a line and ask how they'd recommend you go about making the change, just to be sure...
@@JamieToddBand No problem, glad you enjoyed it! I do find the stacked P90 does a decent job, yes. And it's definitely quieter. There's another pickup I find does that job even better though: the semi-stacked Wilkinson P90 in the Vintage V120! I did a video with that too, and it wins easily for me: th-cam.com/video/ckzLNIAoUX0/w-d-xo.html (I also have one comparing the Vintage to the HB SC Junior if that helps...)
@@RichWordsMusic I had the Fret-King with the Wilkinson P-90, a very good pickup. My tech thinks it's an easy switch to put a standard P-90 in ther FAT Jr.
@@JamieToddBand I love Wilkinson pickups - they're amazing, especially for the prices they go for. I've played a few Fret-Kings with P90s too, and they've all been lovely. I think any dog-ear P90 would slot right in, and a standard soapbar P90 would need a bit of tech work. But your tech being a tech that'll be no problem! Let me know if you do do it how much difference it makes (and how much extra work it is, if any!) :)
@@BeesWaxMinder It's possible. I mean, lots of ebony wood (and there's lots of different types of wood that actually come under the umbrella term 'ebony') is actually not that dark at all, and it can be quite a streaky/patterned wood. Taylor guitars specifically use a lot of ebony that has patterns in it like that. Get some lemon oil on yours and it'll darken up nicely.
The dc junior has a more usable variety of tones, making it more versatile, but there's nothing to stop you from purchasing a stacked p90 for the sc as an upgrade if you wanted fatter sounds
Yes, that's a good point. I've been wondering about dropping another pickup into the SC Junior, but the more I play it, the more I seem to love that vintage P90 snarl!
Hello!! I really love this review, it's so illustrating! I'm about to buy a DC junior (non fat) to a friend of mine. Does anyone knows if the SC on the video is like the DC non fat? I got in love of that sparkle sound and i don't want to not get it on the DC
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed my video! I'd also be interested to hear the thoughts of anyone else on this who has tried both models (I haven't tried the non-FAT DC!). I reckon the necks are going to be similar, and the pickups are the same, so the tones should also be extremely close!
They only made 250 of them and they sold out pretty fast (it was a half signature model for Andy Ferris, The Guitar Geek, and he helped sell them really fast!). They do make a Pelham Blue DC Junior which is similar, but it's not the FAT model so the neck profile is slimmer, the board is amaranth and it doesn't have the stacked P90... This one: redir.love/thoprod/480984?partner_id=54744
@@explorervango880 If you like that neck profile, then do try and get a FAT Harley Benton model then... the neck on the SC Junior and the standard DC Junior would probably be a little skinny for your tastes!
Yes! More P90s! I need more cowbell! (hope you know that joke). Man you really like that JR, 3 videos already, interesting you like it more than the FAT. Is the double cut JR (the non-FAT) same pickup as this single cut? I know it is a classic joke, but I could not focus in your final thoughts with the horn sound, I laughed so much I had to see the part thing 3 times to get what you was saying. Did you see the new Jr. FAT Benton Blue? Interesting thing really, but I think is just Ferris Blue with all the plastics white.
More cowbell! Yes, I know it, I love that sketch ;) Yeah, the SC Junior has more magic than the FAT somehow... it's easier to play, lighter, and sounds better to me too. You know, the SC Junior has a P90D, but the one with two pickups has 2 x P90S... so they're different somehow! I guess I need to try both models together now ;) Sorry to put you off, ha ha! I realized I kept touching the neck so I thought I would put in the sound :) And yes, I saw the Benton Blue! I think it's the same, but not certain... HB might send me one to test, so if so I will compare the two! But I agree with you, I think it's the same specs with a different color scheme. I like the white hardware/scratchplate in the pictures a lot!
@@RichWordsMusic You definitely have to try both head to head. Interesting insight, I was expecting you to like better the FAT. And yeah, the sound thing was so funny, cool that you try unexpected things :) Oh yes, I like that white pickguard and pickup, I need to keep myself off Thomann webpage, she is already on my wish list, from there to jump to the cart is not far away, I know it may happen hahahaha I have a fever and the only prescription is more benton blue cowbell!
@@marcomostroso Ha ha! More Benton Blue cowbell is the only way you will recover! I will do a comparison as soon as I can... maybe I can make the Benton Blue sound worse so you don't need it ;) I do really like the FAT, but yes... on that day the SC Junior was better! Let's see how the Benton Blue stacks up...
What can you say, that man only puts his name to 100% quality products! Caught the end of his livestream with Leigh last night and was thinking he could go more in the JoBo merch direction too...
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks Rich. Since I'm an older geezer, l try to find lighter guitars these days. Also, I like the idea of the C shape neck so maybe after the DC in TV. Seems many people change the bridge, something I may look into. Do like the blue though. Thanks to you and Andy for your great reviews. TBL
I hope Glogle Translate gave me the right meaning... and I have to respectfully disagree. Having played both these guitars and owned quite a few instruments built in China (and elsewhere) over many years, you can no longer simply say that everything built in China is bad quality. I've played great, good and bad guitars from China - but the same is true for Indonesia, Korea, Japan, and even the USA. A good guitar is a good guitar, no matter where it's built. That's my opinion anyway, thanks for watching.
First! And here's the timestamps for you people on phones:
00:00 Hello!
00:39 Intro and what we’re doing today
01:19 Price difference and guitar specs and features
02:46 Pickups - P90 vs stacked P90!
03:50 Today’s rig
Clean Channel
04:13 Strummed G chords
04:31 Indie pop barre chords
05:18 Singer songwriter cowboy chords
06:00 Poppy droning chords and arpeggios
06:41 Country picking riff
07:03 Atmospheric indie chords
07:58 Ascending indie chords with open strings
Clean Channel with Wampler Pantheon
08:38 Southern rock picked arpeggios
09:10 Choppy indie barre chords
09:38 Indie droning rock riff
10:16 Indie chords
11:46 Upbeat indie rhythm progression
12:36 Indie art pop arpeggios
13:32 Indie art pop stabbed chords
14:16 Indie rock barre chords
Crunch Channel
15:34 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff
16:19 Classic rock rhythm sounds
17:07 Airbourne inspired classic rock riff
17:47 Catchy classic rock riff
18:36 Alternative rock riff
Lead Channel
19:58 Hard rock riff
20:45 Classic hard rock riff
21:35 Glam rock riff
22:17 Pop punk riff
22:56 Punk rock riff
23:37 Punk rock rhythms
24:21 Green Day inspired punk rock riff
25:01 Melodic punk rock lead sounds
25:48 Progressive rock palm-muted riff (Drop D tuning)
26:31 Alternative rock rhythm sounds (Drop D tuning)
Clean Channel with Revv G3 distortion pedal (Drop D tuning)
27:42 Chugging hardcore punk riff
28:30 Mastodon inspired modern metal riff
29:02 Hardcore punk riff
29:47 Hardcore rhythm riff
30:19 Ascending lead melodic riff
30:57 Old school heavy metal riff
32:26 My thoughts - and your opinions wanted!
32:41 Playability and build quality
34:01 Differences between the necks
35:03 Sound and pickup differences
37:34 Value for money and which guitar I prefer (38:02)
38:31 Thanks and goodbye
Enjoy :)
I agree the sc jr sounded better to me a little punchier and clear. Great review 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸
Thanks Donald, glad you enjoyed it! Yes, there's just some special character to the SC Junior's P90 that the DC Junior FAT can't match...
Did you roll of the tone knob on the fat junior? It seems so.
@@seerattan No, in this video both guitars were on 10 for volume and tone the whole time! But it kind of almost does sound like it's rolled off here in places, I agree. I tested the controls on the FAT Junior in the dedicated video I did for it, so you can really hear the difference there: th-cam.com/video/VtrUHN_-eqg/w-d-xo.html
I have a DC non fat and I love that Roswell pickup. It sounds just like the SC Junior. Bright and chimy cleans I love the way it overdrives too.
Sounds great - I'd like to try one of the non-FAT ones too, as they should have the 'real' P90s in them. The humbucking one in the FAT versions just don't have the same clarity and bite!
you're a great player. Props for playing all of those styles so well
Thanks a lot, I’m really happy you enjoyed it all 😊
Thanks Rich - I really enjoy your video!
I'm happy to hear that, and thank you for watching Jussi :)
Thank you for such a great review and generous selection of sounds.
No problem, and thank you for watching - I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I always try and get at least one riff in for every taste I can :)
Pretty sure that you got the single vs humbucker mode the other way around. I have a FAT that I've now wired permanently as single and removed the tone pot, doesn't lack sparkle at all. Fantastic guitar.
Thanks a lot for this one, Rich! There must have been quite a lot of work behind it. I appreciate your attention to detail, which can be seen everywhere. Cool that you put each riff back to back so that we can hear the actual differences. Maybe you could just keep the overall length under 20 minutes and save yourself some effort as most people won't keep up all the time IMO and it would be more than sufficient. Great to hear your honest opinion in the end, I tended to prefer the SC's pickup sound almost all the time with its chime and dynamics, too. Wonder how it would compare to the HB P90 GT from the previous clips. The DC's split coil surprisingly sounded a little dull and lifeless in comparison. Keep up the good work, you got a new subscriber.
No problem, it was a lot of fun to shoot and edit together! I realize I could probably keep the overall video length down a bit and it wouldn't hurt. Really doesn't make too much of a time difference for me though, maybe half an hour or so. I agree completely - I actually really think the SC Junior pickup won on almost every setting and playing style. Could it be that you lose some of the magic with a stacked P90? I think so. Kind of in the same way people say that Fender Noiseless Strat and Tele pickups don't have the same vibe as the real thing, perhaps. Oh, and I definitely need to borrow the SC-450 Goldtop to try against the SC Junior! Hopefully that can happen soon. Thanks for subbing, glad to have you on board :)
@@RichWordsMusic my pleasure. Yeah I think so, too, with the stacked and noiseless versions. Nothing is for free I guess. Wonder if there is a difference in tone because of the thicker body of the SC as well. The HB vid from Benedict th-cam.com/video/4mq61iq7S3A/w-d-xo.html suggested that with the same PUs.
@@alanst.4417 Hmm, I reckon the thicker body certainly makes a difference, both in terms of tone and sustain. There's so many factors that influence the sounds though, in the end all we can do is say which one we prefer. And we prefer the SC Junior ;) I will watch that HB vid though and see what Bene has to say on it!
@@RichWordsMusic sure, reminds me of wine or coffee tasting, in the end it's always a question if we like it or not... You're a true enthusiast, Rich ;-)
@@alanst.4417 Exactly! Enthusiast is the word I like to use too ;) It's certainly a positive addiction! I do enjoy a good coffee and/or wine too though...
I prefer the SC Junior's sound but the DC in humbucker mode sounds REALLY good! Both really awesome choices, can't go wrong either way.
SC vs GT P90 would be interesting, Rich. I have the HB GT and also an Artist Gold top with the stacked P90s, totally different beasts. I was hoping the Artist would sound similar to the HB, alas it was not to be. Good stuff, keep at it mate.
Those Artists look great! Shame about the stacked P90. What I'm learning here is that the stacked models seem to lack some of the vibrancy of the real P90... kind of like Fender Noiseless Strat and Tele pickups don't seem to have the real mojo of the noisy originals. I'm definitely going to ask my friend if I can borrow the GT P90 for another comparison! So hopefully that'll happen soon :) Thanks for watching!
I've caught a couple of your reviews so far and I have to say, if I'm producing in a big studio, you'd likely be the guitar player I'd want cuttin' the tracks. The precision and consistency are astounding. This review told me a lot. I've played HB DC-Juniors with the regular P90 and have been looking at the HB DC-Fat Juniors with the stacked P90. I knew within the first few riffs you went through that you'd like the SC Junior's regular P90 sound over the Fat. I agree 100%. Wow, I could hardly believe the difference. The SC Junior sounded open and sparkly, the FAT in single-coil mode sounded like it was muffled in comparison. I also appreciate very much how you play barre chord stuff all over the neck when you review. Other reviewers like to shred or fly fast and it doesn't help define sounds as much as your style. Your review style, and opinion afterwards, are highly beneficial. Keep it up!
Thanks so much! It really makes my day to receive such a kind comment about my playing too. It's always different when the red light comes on to signify "recording in process", of course ;) It is really interesting how much extra liveliness the genuine P90 has over the stacked one in some contexts, I totally agree. Not that the stacked one sound bad, but as you rightly say, it loses that sparkle and magic that just makes a P90 such fun to play!
And yes, I'm a rhythm man through and through, and I do like to showcase as much as I can within that context... I can leave the blues noodling and shredding to the others who do it way better than I can! Thanks again for the kind words - I'm really happy you found my little channel and enjoy the videos :)
In Short I reckon that whatever the Double Cut can do (if hum/noise isn’t an issue)the single cut can do with a twist of the tone knob BUT the double cut can’t sound as clear & punchy as the single cut IMO YMMV
Effectively, yes! I think the SC Junior might not have quite the low end punch the DC has for some things... but that's not something I'm personally after as much anyway! YMMV and all that but the SC wins this one for me too.
I love the goofy honk toward the end
Ha ha, gotta throw in the occasional thing to make sure everyone's awake ;)
I heard the same Thomann's demo riff here! Does it come from a song?
Ha ha, yeah... I think I copied it by mistake 😅 It doesn't come from any song I know.
Have you considered putting brass saddles on the bridge, you can get them from stewmac. It makes a big difference in tone sustain.
Yes, I have! I've done that to a Tele in the past and it did really help, so it's a route I might go down with this one too.
SC Junior sounds absolutely stonking...I love the sound of a p90...Yet another guitar to go on the list of must haves...Many thanks for sharing your fabulous musical talents....
Yep, there's some magic in those P90s alright! They're just so in your face and alive sounding, and they work perfectly with the no-nonsense SC Junior. And thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Pretty different Rich! The blue model even on single coil mode sounded thicker & duller than the 'proper' P90! The difference between sc & dc mode was minimal! In fact, seeing you said it was more noisy in hb mode instead of sc mode leads me to believe, that pick up is either faulty, (or t he more likely) incorrectly wired! Have seen it my self in the past!
I have an old Pre Gibbo Kramer super Strat I rebuilt in the late 90s, with 2 Duncan SH3s in it. Supposed to sound like Stratocaster on 'roids in hb mode and classic Strat in sc! (NOT made like a trad PAF style pick up, but made from 2 Strat style singles wired into hum bucking! (Still has that 'plasticky' tonality to it!)
It was shrill and buzzy and sounded like arse! In 'hb' mode it buzzed, in sc mode it buzzed and sounded even more shrill! Then I pulled it out of moth balls about 2 years back and had a play & an bit of an investigation, cos I got the hunch it had been wired incorrectly the whole time!
Sure enough, when I started fiddling, my hunch proved correct! I had surmised that in 'hb' mode both coils were on, but output was PARALLEL, not series as it did not sound 'hbish'! (+ noisy!) in 'split/sc' mode, I surmised the opposite:both coils working, parallel output but OUT of phase! Sure enough, that's WHAT it was! For over 20 years I had a hot rod guitar with the best pick ups sound like crap!
Took it to my repairer, he listened, then pulled the front plate off, and yup, wired all wrong, PLUS both pick ups were wired to 250K vol/tone pots as well! Now this guitar was done up for my by 1 of Australia's PREMIER guitar repairers and builders to whom I had been going to for years! Totally wired incorrectly with incorrect parts!
In his defense, most likely, he palmed the job out to 1 of his lackeys that didn't know how to wire up pick ups properly anyway! Still, he was ultimately responsible for the QC of his subbies, and he didn't do it!
I no longer go to this builder/repairer! He just buggered too many of my, (& other people's guitars!) Any Aussies in Vic, will know WHOM I am talking about!
So I had this guitar totally rewired, correctly, to a properly loaded vol pot by my current repairer and it sounds amazing! (And NO buzz!)
The moral of the story? If your guitar is doing something 'funny/unexpected' with its sound, GET the wiring checked out! (It might have been done wrong in the 1st place!)
Cheers Richie!
There you go with the fascinating info again! Very interesting… I do wonder inf there's something in that. Maybe it is wired up wrong. But if mine is, I believe they all must be - all the others on TH-cam seem to sound the same (the Andy Ferris-owned ones too!). And if they're all like that and none of us know...
The next time I give that guitar to a tech I will ask about that, as it's certainly worth finding out if there's something in that. I mean, the difference really is minimal. I had imagined the humbucker setting being noisier because it just raised the entire noise floor. But now you've got me thinking ;) I'll just make sure not to visit a tech in Victoria to get it done ;)
And that all aside, 100% yes to your last line for anyone reading this who might be wondering about their own guitar(s)!
@@RichWordsMusic My ears DON'T lie mate!
To any Vics reading, It is only 1 repairer that was stuffing it up!
There are many other brilliant small guitar builders/repairers here besides our antagonist of the tale!
I know some good pick up makers too!
But I would DEFINITELY encourage you to get that Andy Ferris 'models'' wiring looked at, because a hum bucker is NOT supposed to buzz! (Defeats the entire purpose!) It's easy enough to fix, prob only need 1 wire swapped to make it right!
@@DMSProduktions Yep, I will have to get it checked out. You've convinced me! And if I ever find myself on your side of the planet and needing a guitar seeing to, I shall be sure to call you first before I end up at the wrong place ;)
@@RichWordsMusic GLAD to hear it Rich! Hey it doesn't hurt to get all the wiring checked!
@@DMSProduktions It's times like this I wish I could do it myself though! Need to learn to become my own tech!
This lad should get knighted for services to equipment reviews...; Just brilliant!
Ha ha, cheers Nick! I wouldn't say no if it means more people watch these things ;)
I would prefer the black model was also double cutaway.
Yep, I would love a DC version too!
Great comparison thanks
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
I would lit the SC pick up in the DC 👍, I enjoyed this video 👍
Good tip. I might actually try something like that as the sounds were the main difference here... everything else about the DC is great! Thanks for watching :)
@@RichWordsMusic I also like that Indie rock riffs you were playing, My son and I play pop punk, skate punk, and emo stuff all in the 90's Era style. I found your video because I'm thinking of getting a Harley DC 👍
@@1thess523 Well it seems we have similar reference points! That's the stuff I grew up on. For that kind of music you can't go far wrong with the DC - it's just a pure rock and roll guitar and it's very versatile considering how simple it is. I'd have no hesitation in recommending it for the kinds of music you and your son would be playing on it!
Hi! Thanks for the video? Isnt there any ebony double cut without stacked pickup?
Glad you enjoyed it! All the ebony fingerboard DC Juniors have the stacked pickup... hopefully they make us some different options soon!
Thank you for doing a thorough job with the clean tones. So often on these reviews you're hearing someone pedals or amp and it's hard to get a handle on the actual sound of the guitar. I know what my rig does to the sound of various guitars. How would you compare the Roswell pickup to high end P90s? I'm tempted to get a regular DCjr and put a Lollar into it. Even if that cost's as much as the guitar.
No problem! I used to often have the same problem, and that kind of inspired me to do videos like this where you could really hear the guitar for what it is. Simple production, simple playing. I'm glad it was of use to you!
The pickups do make a difference, although they're just one part of the overall tone. I've recently had the Roswells, a stacked Wilkinson P90 in a Vintage V120 guitar (which is great), a stacked and humbucking P90 in the Harley Benton DC Junior FAT model (versatile, but isn't a P90 and sounds way flatter than the others) and a Kloppmann SB62 - which costs the same as this guitar, pretty much. The Kloppmann is more aggressive and has a lovely bite to it. It's clearly superior, but then it was also in a guitar that costs €1700, so every single thing was better. I also have plans to get an awesome P90 to put in the DC Junior FAT model, and I'm convinced it would improve the guitar no end and be a lot more fun to play. (By the way, I haven't tried Lollar P90s yet, but they're on my list, and the mini humbuckers I tried from them were sublime!).
@@RichWordsMusic did you ever change the P90 in the DC Junior FAT?
@@roddiculousguitar No, I still haven't! It's still on my wishlist though :)
@@RichWordsMusic what would you put in there?
@@roddiculousguitar I'm still not sure, that's the thing! It would need to be a 'real' P90 (nothing stacked), so I've been wondering about the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Dog Ear and also the Mojo Dog Ear. What would be amazing would be the chance to try a few out first :) Do you have any other recommendations for me?
I have the HB DC Junior non FAT and I think the P90 in it is great although I raised the pickup by 3mm with a spacer under the pickup cover for more output.
In this demo I much prefer the sound on the standard P90 over the stacked one - it has more sparkle when clean but can still growl when driven. The stacked P90 in single coil mode sounded compressed and thin to me and was very average sounding in humbucking mode.
Thanks for a good demo.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video! Yep, I agree completely about the sounds - the stacked P90 has had some of its vitality and bite taken away, somehow, and it's not completely noise-free either. The standard P90 wins the day by far. I would actually love to try one of the HB DC non FAT models too - that might be the best of all worlds!
So in acoustic mode the Black one is more dreamyer. but when playing metal the blue is more tight.
Yep, I find the humbucking pickup works better for heavier stuff, but there's some special magic in the SC Junior for everything else :)
Can I use the dog ear cover, and substitute a standard P-90 in the FAT guitar? I ordered a Benton Blue Fat DC because it was beautiful, but I like the standard P-90 sound better.
I think you'd be best off finding another P90 dogear pickup if you can, although this could be done, I'm sure. It's also something I'd like to do, as I love pretty much everything about the DC Junior FAT except the tones - I want a 'real' P90 in there, like you! My advice would be to drop Harley Benton themselves a line and ask how they'd recommend you go about making the change, just to be sure...
@@RichWordsMusic Thank you again for the great video. The single coil mode is actually a pretty good approximation of a P-90, and quieter too!
@@JamieToddBand No problem, glad you enjoyed it! I do find the stacked P90 does a decent job, yes. And it's definitely quieter. There's another pickup I find does that job even better though: the semi-stacked Wilkinson P90 in the Vintage V120! I did a video with that too, and it wins easily for me: th-cam.com/video/ckzLNIAoUX0/w-d-xo.html (I also have one comparing the Vintage to the HB SC Junior if that helps...)
@@RichWordsMusic I had the Fret-King with the Wilkinson P-90, a very good pickup. My tech thinks it's an easy switch to put a standard P-90 in ther FAT Jr.
@@JamieToddBand I love Wilkinson pickups - they're amazing, especially for the prices they go for. I've played a few Fret-Kings with P90s too, and they've all been lovely.
I think any dog-ear P90 would slot right in, and a standard soapbar P90 would need a bit of tech work. But your tech being a tech that'll be no problem! Let me know if you do do it how much difference it makes (and how much extra work it is, if any!) :)
Thank you for this thorough review!
No worries, glad you enjoyed it!
I still lovin’ my BabyBlue JNR👍!
(although the ‘board AIN’T ebony)
Pretty sweet, aren't they! Not ebony, you reckon? I believe it is, but the cheapest possible ebony you can buy, and dyed too.
@@RichWordsMusic
Ah right... maybe they didn’t dye my one and left it streaky looking🤔?
@@BeesWaxMinder It's possible. I mean, lots of ebony wood (and there's lots of different types of wood that actually come under the umbrella term 'ebony') is actually not that dark at all, and it can be quite a streaky/patterned wood. Taylor guitars specifically use a lot of ebony that has patterns in it like that. Get some lemon oil on yours and it'll darken up nicely.
@@RichWordsMusic thanks 👍
@@BeesWaxMinder No worries!
I think the DC Junior Black sounded much more crisp and clear. The fat neck was a bit muffled. Great video.
Yes, I agree - you get lots more extra crispness and clarity out of the genuine P90 in the SC Junior!
The dc junior has a more usable variety of tones, making it more versatile, but there's nothing to stop you from purchasing a stacked p90 for the sc as an upgrade if you wanted fatter sounds
Yes, that's a good point. I've been wondering about dropping another pickup into the SC Junior, but the more I play it, the more I seem to love that vintage P90 snarl!
Hello!! I really love this review, it's so illustrating! I'm about to buy a DC junior (non fat) to a friend of mine. Does anyone knows if the SC on the video is like the DC non fat? I got in love of that sparkle sound and i don't want to not get it on the DC
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed my video! I'd also be interested to hear the thoughts of anyone else on this who has tried both models (I haven't tried the non-FAT DC!). I reckon the necks are going to be similar, and the pickups are the same, so the tones should also be extremely close!
@@RichWordsMusic I forgot to say it before, but those licks and riffs are killer, love your playing!!
@@nandoholgado3050 Hey, thanks so much! Always happy to hear someone enjoys the riffs! Cheers again :)
I want one of those blue ones. Are they still available or was it really limited?
They only made 250 of them and they sold out pretty fast (it was a half signature model for Andy Ferris, The Guitar Geek, and he helped sell them really fast!). They do make a Pelham Blue DC Junior which is similar, but it's not the FAT model so the neck profile is slimmer, the board is amaranth and it doesn't have the stacked P90... This one: redir.love/thoprod/480984?partner_id=54744
@@RichWordsMusic I like the 50s Gibson neck. My Harley Benton gold top and HB-35 have necks similar to my Slash LP 50s Standard.
@@explorervango880 If you like that neck profile, then do try and get a FAT Harley Benton model then... the neck on the SC Junior and the standard DC Junior would probably be a little skinny for your tastes!
They're both great, however, the single cut sounds a bit more open to me.
sc with single p90 it is then. ordering one
Yes, great choice!
according to your great comparison I need Both 😅
Ha ha, that's always the best choice if possible ;)
I would like to add a bigsby to the SC Junior, do you think this is possible and interesting?
I think it would be possible sure, and loads of fun! Go for it!
Yes! More P90s! I need more cowbell! (hope you know that joke). Man you really like that JR, 3 videos already, interesting you like it more than the FAT. Is the double cut JR (the non-FAT) same pickup as this single cut? I know it is a classic joke, but I could not focus in your final thoughts with the horn sound, I laughed so much I had to see the part thing 3 times to get what you was saying. Did you see the new Jr. FAT Benton Blue? Interesting thing really, but I think is just Ferris Blue with all the plastics white.
More cowbell! Yes, I know it, I love that sketch ;) Yeah, the SC Junior has more magic than the FAT somehow... it's easier to play, lighter, and sounds better to me too. You know, the SC Junior has a P90D, but the one with two pickups has 2 x P90S... so they're different somehow! I guess I need to try both models together now ;) Sorry to put you off, ha ha! I realized I kept touching the neck so I thought I would put in the sound :) And yes, I saw the Benton Blue! I think it's the same, but not certain... HB might send me one to test, so if so I will compare the two! But I agree with you, I think it's the same specs with a different color scheme. I like the white hardware/scratchplate in the pictures a lot!
@@RichWordsMusic You definitely have to try both head to head. Interesting insight, I was expecting you to like better the FAT. And yeah, the sound thing was so funny, cool that you try unexpected things :) Oh yes, I like that white pickguard and pickup, I need to keep myself off Thomann webpage, she is already on my wish list, from there to jump to the cart is not far away, I know it may happen hahahaha I have a fever and the only prescription is more benton blue cowbell!
@@marcomostroso Ha ha! More Benton Blue cowbell is the only way you will recover! I will do a comparison as soon as I can... maybe I can make the Benton Blue sound worse so you don't need it ;) I do really like the FAT, but yes... on that day the SC Junior was better! Let's see how the Benton Blue stacks up...
@@RichWordsMusic hahaha maybe you can trick me to that... but I already know it sounds good. Great if you do that comparison :)
@@marcomostroso Let's see! Well the Benton Blue guitar arrived with me today so I'll get it out the box and shoot some videos very soon :)
brother thsnk you for great review
And thank you for watching! I'm happy you enjoyed it.
the DC sounds a little more muddy. The humbucker sounds good for certain styles
It’s definitely more muddy, yes - you’re right though, for certain things you want that extra thick dirt goodness!
I so wanted to make fun of Mr. Ferris but I preferred the blue beast can’t exactly explain why, I just liked the sound a bit better.
What can you say, that man only puts his name to 100% quality products! Caught the end of his livestream with Leigh last night and was thinking he could go more in the JoBo merch direction too...
Idk which to get.
Yeah, it's a tough choice! What kind of music do you mostly play?
the DC Junior FAT pickup is darker.
It is, for sure. Darker and less clear overall for me. Not necessarily a bad thing, but if you dig clarity and bite the SC Junior is the way to go!
I'm pretty sure that SC would look better blacked out...
That would certainly make it easier to film! It's a bit of a nightmare shooting a gloss black guitar. Or indeed a gloss black anything.
How much does a guitar have to drink before it blacks out. For me it’s 2 pints of 190 proof moonshine and several quarts of beer.
@@PooNinja I think these two guitars are pretty much lightweights. A Flying V could handle an awful lot more. Teles can probably take it, too.
Explorers soak it up like sponges
@@PooNinja I bet they do actually.
The dc junior sounded fatter even without the humbucking mode, honestly i barely heard a difference with the chance
Yep, I have to agree on both counts. It definitely sounds fatter at all times, and the split is way more subtle than you'd think it would be.
@@RichWordsMusic I might just go for thr fat model anyways xD a thicker version of a p90? Like hell yee
Weight please
Just weighed them for you! The SC Junior is: 3.15 kg / 6 lbs. 15. (just under 7 lbs.).
The DC Junior FAT is: 3.42 kg / 7 lbs. 8 and a bit :)
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks Rich. Since I'm an older geezer, l try to find lighter guitars these days. Also, I like the idea of the C shape neck so maybe after the DC in TV. Seems many people change the bridge, something I may look into. Do like the blue though. Thanks to you and Andy for your great reviews. TBL
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks, just taking a look at these again.
@@mctribble Enjoy, and maybe you’re able to treat yourself to one this time! These days I really prefer the SC Junior overall.
Is it me or the P90 in the SC sounds hotter than the humbucking mode of the DC-J?
Nevermind that... it reacts pretty different at the end, when overdriven.
все эти дешёвые гитары барахло у них только видимость а убери эту наклейку нарлей бентон и будет обыкновенное китайское барахло
I hope Glogle Translate gave me the right meaning... and I have to respectfully disagree. Having played both these guitars and owned quite a few instruments built in China (and elsewhere) over many years, you can no longer simply say that everything built in China is bad quality. I've played great, good and bad guitars from China - but the same is true for Indonesia, Korea, Japan, and even the USA. A good guitar is a good guitar, no matter where it's built. That's my opinion anyway, thanks for watching.