JUST TO GIVE THE LOBSTER CREDIT.. He was the reason I decided to try out ordering from a music store across the ocean in Europe :) Send him a free guitar or something because I am sure he is making you guys money here LOL.. seriously though, he is a great brand ambassador.
@@countzero1972 i agree with you. The lobster is one of my favorite bass reviewers out there. Beside that i have the luck to live about 50km (31 miles) away from the thomann store 😂
My JB40-FL arrived yesterday and I was impressed. This afternoon I installed a set of LaBella tape wound 50-105 and now I'm super impressed! Quite sure I'll be keeping this. Thanks for the review LEL.
Man you deserve a big kompliment. You can play, you present the stuff in a great way and the dose of humor is cool, too. Keep the groove and take care.
Hi, I wonder what your advice would be... I want to try a fretless. Love the playability of my p5 Sire. I also have the HB JB 75, and yes it's heavy. So this HB or maybe the Sire you also reviewed or even the Sire u5 FL?
Conversation with my wife this morning: Ima order this fretless You have enough basses 159 You really need to stop buying things 159 What’s so special about it 159 You already ordered it didn’t you 159….
Got it used (but new) for 80€ at a yard sale, love it, I play it every day. Waxed the fingerboard and use Rotosound 88 nylon taped, more than a keeper, an inspiration !!!!
Well... After another very thorough review and your praise.. I'm going to need one of these ASAP. I've always wanted a fretless and this looks like a fantastic option. I normally play a Peavey T-40, so I've been trained to handle the weight lol. Thanks man! Truly enjoy your channel through and through!
Hey Lobster, I've had this bass for a little over a year. I love it. Well...other than the weight. I was going to swap the body for something lighter but after watching your review, I don't think I will. The tones that come out of this, I'm afraid the tonal range may be affected if I change the body. Great review!!!
I can assure you that replacing the body or even just drilling holes into it (sort of semi-hollow style) *will definitely change* the tone (and probably sustain too).
What a deal! You can’t beat it with a stick in both hands! It sound beautiful and looks like you had a total blast playing it. An excellent mod platform but it sounds pretty damn good right out of the box. Ooooo, 5 claws! Nice!
Haha Lobster!! Your video convinced me to go for this fretless. I love the bass! Looks great. Sounds great. The quality is way above what you'd expect for $159! Thanks Lobster!! Looking forward to the mods you're going to do although the bass is nice stock.
Hi from Canada 🙂 Just got my Harley Benton JB-40FL in today. Holy jeez, I get what all the fuss is about and why Lobster bestowed a 5-claw rating on this bass. Incredible build quality, sound, feel, at a ridiculously low price. Put a Gotoh 203B-4 bridge on her and some low-tension flats and it's the actual sound of butter 😛. Thanks LowEnd for this video, and all your videos for that matter. Money VERY well spent.
Nice bass all around especially for the price.Harley Benton makes some serious stuff.The only flaw with this one is the weight of the bass, but the woods used in this one may contribute to the great sound.If I were to mod this,I would use Fender Gen 4 noiseless pickups and a Fender Hi Mass Bridge.But using that bridge adds weight.oh well you can’t have everything.Great playing Lobster
I've been thinking of getting one of these, routing the pickup slots, and putting in Nordstrand big singles. Make it the frankenstein's monster little brother to McGrowly, by Fender fretless jazz.
@@lukehunnable Hi I know your comment is 1 month old but, Ive owned this bass for about a year (since I wanted to get back into bass and wanted to try fretless) im a guitar player and im used to semi light electric guitars. Yes this bass is quite darn heavy, but "too heavy"? No I dont feel like it is. With a good set of a heavy duty strap it should be fine, sitting down it does not crush you, but you might "feel" it a little bit atleast against your leg! Hope this helps. Im very happy with the bass for the most part!
@@lukehunnable oh cool :D im havin some tuning issues that ive begun to notice since ive begun using it more, Im thinkin of replacing the nut with a bone or graphtech one soon, since I believe that is the culprit, but I might also change the tuners just for the sake of it, also gettin mighty interested in the EMG J pickups.. its soon christmas after all 👀
Hi Lobster, after I watched this video few days ago, I decided to buy this bass. I received it 3 days ago and I love it! Fun to play, great tone and very well made! Like you said, for this price you can't go wrong. Plus, living in Italy, the cost was 169 Euro shipping included. It arrived in three days. Thank you for the nice video!
Just picked up my first Harley Benton, a PB-50. Got it for a modding platform, but not sure now because it is so fun to play. I was gonna get a Squier Bronco but after your review decided I two go a different route. Glad I did, how can Harley Benton make so many quality instruments while costing so little. Never played a fretless, always too scared to shell out the bucks for a bass I would have difficulty to play, but this might be the one to gamble on. Thank you as always Lobster for the review and content! Have a great morning and keep playing!
Thanks Lobster I love HB basses and l have the PJ and JB 75 Both sound n play great I get so many comps especially on my JB 75 and it looks Killa too Also dealing w the HB thomann company is great , very professional people friendly
Bought one of these recently Lobster,and youre right about the weight.Its heavy all right.I think a good wide strap would be needed for gigging purposes.I could listen to you playing all night BTW.Good review.
I love your reviews Lobster! My fav youtube bass channel! Would you reccomend this Harley Benton over the Squier classic vibe fretless or the Sire V5/V7?
Hi Lobster. Awesome review as always. It seems you're enthousiastic on this one as on the Sire V5 fretless. I am now trying to decide between this exact HB JB40 and the Sire V5 alder fretless. Looking for a bit more mwaah compared to my Ibz SR705FL. What's your take on this?
I tested one like that on my channel some time ago, but the pickups had already been upgraded with Polish-made Merlin single coils. Really lovely budget bass! If I weren't planning to look for a cheap fretless PJ sometime soon (2nd hand Yamaha BB, anyone?) I'd have already snagged one of those myself.
I bought one, just the model with the black scratch plate. It's fabulous. It would be great to have a playlist of all your 5 claw reviews....lots of 4's I see but a list of 5's would be great....sort of the lobster thermidor special
Glad you gave it a great review, as I bought one in the Lockdown. I think it is great for the money, as it is my first Fretless. The shipping costs for us here in the U.K are much better, and orders over I think £100 are free!
OK. You got me VERY interested in this instrument, put it on my Thomann wishlist. What a revelation it is to know that the tone knob results in such a warm sound.....will check it out on my present HB bass.
Wow haven’t had a 5/5claw review in a while! Great job HB!!! What a killer bass!! I’d totally own one of them! That headstock looks great too!! The tone is great! Also like how they give you the 5 screw bridge for modding great review brother!!! 🦞
Thats an impressive bass for 159 dollars 'absolutely no complaint here'it sounds equal to some of those so called high end Carvin bases..great job low end lobster 🎇🙏....if you mid that bass..use bartolini pick ups and preamp
@@jeffjones1359 The mod went well, I'm very happy with the tones I am getting with the Audere pre. It's not and expensive pre for all that it offers. I wish I could send you photos, but I don't think I can through TH-cam.
I was lucky enough to snag a used 2012 Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass for $189 a few years back. It has Designed by Duncan pickups, weighs 9-1/2 lbs., and has great balance. It really sounds awesome and plays like butter. For sure the Harley Benton is a great buy for the price. Everyone needs a fretless to keep their chops sharp.
All prior reviews I have seen for this bass are just as full of praise. The same for the Harley Benton JB-75, which seems to be the same bass , just with frets. These Harley Benton Jazz Basses and the reviews I had seen are what got me interested in picking up a bass guitar again after many years.
Sooooo glad I picked one up earlier this year. Absolutely unbelievable value. No joke it is heavy, but the neck is fantastic and there’s a great bass attached to it lol
Hi lobster that thing sounds sick..wow! The only bass that can out play that is the sire V5 fretless.... Awesome sound, not only for the ridiculous price but overall that sounds Great ? Nice playing as usual bro 👍🏾
So I bought this 3 months ago based on Lobster review, and general consensus on the net. After 90 days I can report it is still an excellent value! I can also say I found a few minor flaws. The string height adjustment screws are seized on two of the saddles, the routing for the bridge pickup is a little uneven and the pickup is forced in too tight a pocket. The finish on the fingerboard could have used a little more finish sanding and some cleaning and sealer in one small area on lower neck. That is it so far after a close inspection as I upgrade the bass. I have changed the whole bridge to a gen 2 Babicz FCH-4 unit, added an inexpensive 2-band preamp by Guyker and put on some really nice D'Addario tape wound strings. I had to max out the height adjustment for the E string, but it all feels very nice so far. The Guyker pre-amp is not bad, but the concentric potentiometer that controls bass/treble boost is a little sloppy/cheap feeling. For $90CAD I expected at least decent pots. I can likely swap out the pot on the circuit board with better quality but it is not too bad and it works fine so far. www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08RZC14BC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
That one sounds so much better than the b450fl from your other video. I already have a mim fender jazz and love it. I think imma buy one of these, it sounds really really good. Thanks for the review and badass bass jams! 💚
Hi, I'm very interested in this bass, but what about its 12" fingerboard radius? Is it comfortable? It's commonly 9,5" on a JB and 7,25" on older versions. I'd like to know some experience about it.
Looks like I’ll be adding this to my collection. Always want to improve my Fretless chops. That bass sounds incredible for the price! I’ll get use to the weight. 😌🎶👍🏾
@@yeoldefoxeh254 LOL! Don’t make sense to. We have some “high end” basses that are a little heavy. For the price? Can’t be beat. I hope Harley Benton would make a “5 String Fretless Jazz Bass” and add some more color options to it. That’s just me tho. But man, I like that Fretless! Don’t even have to “upgrade” unless you WANT to.😌🎶👍🏾
Have the same bass and I love it. Sound and feel great for the price. I play a few gigs with him and do the job. The only issue I have with this bass is the weight. Besides that….great bass.
Lobster, you were having so much fun in this video, it was worth the price! I imagine you are playing the heck out of it off camera and having a blast. Do cheap but "effective mods" if you decide to play around with it. I suspect the heavy wood used is contributing to great acoustics. I'd like to see you can make it a memorable bass for less than $250 total. ENJOY!
How do you like it? I've loved mine for three years, only changes out of the box (and up to now) were on the truss rod and stringing it with some tape-wounds. Beautiful bass
@@randomserb761 I like it a lot. I did change the strings to flats and recently changed the pickups to Fender Noiseless, which definitely quieted the 60 cycle hum down.
I bought a JB 20 for 90 euros and its awesome too...... Harley benton are doing some really good quality basses and guitars ..... especially for the price
This sounds great - would you consider doing a review on the Harley Benton HB-60 WB? It looks like a really cool semihollow, especially for the price. Great playing!
I've got the fretted version with the maple board. Yes, it is heavy. Mine is over 11 lbs. It sounds good enough that I haven't changed anything on it, and that's strange for me. I can never leave things alone. I just picked up a Sire V7 from Thomann and had them throw in one of those cheap 4 string Harley Benton Stingray clones on my order just for the Hell of it. That HB sounds and plays way better than it has any right to. I was very surprised at how good the pickup sounds compared to the stock stuff that comes in the Sterling SUB basses. I really like the Sterlings as mod platforms, but stock, I think the HB sounds far better. As far as cheap basses go, I think I'd go with HB over my Squiers, Glarry's, and SX's.
That bass does sound really good! And not just really good for $159 but really good period! If I were to get it it would be a sit down bass only as my aging back wouldn't get on with the weight, but as your said.. "$159!" If I were modding it I would probably look at replacing the tuners with Hipshot Ultra Lights if they fit without too much effort, a Kickass bridge (athough I may rethink that considering the added weight) and maybe Delano pickups. Thanks for the awesome review!
Hello Mister! I consider your reviews the best ever seen on YT! this is another great masterpiece and I agree this bass sounds incredible. BUT ... there is a but .. I just would like give a little contribution to your great job : one you review a fretless bass will be very very nice to play just a long time note in a simple drum+keyboard in order to show even the “mwhaaa” natural taste of the bass. Only for fretless. Just an hint! Thanks for your great contribution
On my HB JB40 FL I have swapped the stock PUs with DiMarzios Js. It sounds great, plays great and the only downside is, as mentioned before, the weight. An absolute steal for this price. love it.
Yeah but people keep complaining about the weight of the bass. Well, certain timber has higher weight. If it would be pine then that would be the problem... 🤭
Cannot beat that price for an entry level fretless bass! That was very hard to find 20ish years ago when I started playing fretless basses unless you did your own fretless conversion.
You are so right about ordering more than one bass. It’s crazy to have to pay $80 shipping on a $159 bass. More than half is not even worth buying the bass. It use to be only $33. Thanks COVID! 😂😂
Yes, shipping used to actually be something like $35.00 for up to TWO instruments, based on weight. I knew I should have ordered something from them a year or so ago.🤷♂️
@@justinstratford Me too, I really want to try the JB-75 and throw in an Audere pre-amp I have sitting around but I just can’t pull the trigger because of the shipping cost. I guess I am just cheap. 😂😂
Nice review Lobster!!! Keep 'em coming!!! A few qestions... Is lemon oil suitable for conditioning this fretboard? Perhaps any other option available out there? Anyone having wear issues since the fretboard is not lacquered?
Thanks man! Just pulled the trigger on one of these. Should arrive next week, my first ever fretless!!! Any advice on how to start out on the fretless? Grtz, Kris
I use a Ray Ross bridge on all of my Fender style basses. Thank you for talking about the traditional fender 5 hole bridge. It's always an issue I have to look into!
I have parts for a four string w/a Mighty Mite fretless neck that I PAID MORE FOR than this bass. I should just get this instead as it sounds fantastic for the money! My Douglas(from Rondo)6 string fretless is a neck heavy beast that I had to balance w/wheel weights just to play it without killing my left thumb. It sounds pretty good but this is much better in tone quality and when you have this much fun playing it, it has to be good. You haven't been wrong yet. Even the Jacksonbacker sounded great. Thanks Lobster for another great choice and video. I haven't seen too many 5 claws!
Hello! I've had this bass for quite a while. However, in 2 colors Sunburst. It looks beautiful and is very playable! I love him! But it's incredibly heavy! Mine weighs 5.1 kg! the original bridge was replaced with a fender bridge, so I call him "Harley Fender" now. I have another Fretless Bass from Harley Benton PB 20 FL, unfortunately it is no longer manufactured! It only weighs 2.4 kg and sounds pretty good too. however, it cannot quite keep up with the HB JB-40FL. Nevertheless, I am considering selling the JB-40FL because it is really heavy and also quite large Thank you for the nice video! Happy Easter 🐰🦞🎸
I put fender flats on mine, never had a fretless before, or played flats (I am just a part timer not very good) But this bass has really got me going again. Contemplating putting some EMG's in it.
Have had this bass for almost a year, can't say I like flats. It's my first bass as well. I'd put EMGs as well but I'm too greedy. I'd rather spend money on fretboard sanding, can't get it too low because of some high spots
Thanks Mike! I like the Sire better, but the Sire is also $600 (and I put like $300 of mods in it). I think the value of this Harley Benton is pretty much unbeatable, but it doesn't mean that a higher end instrument won't be better quality. Your money with this HB goes a LONG way.
I have been looking for a cheap fretless that isn't terribly made, to learn on and see if I want to invest more time/money in a fretless. I think I found the one! Thanks.
Thanks again for a great review.! You made up my mind for me. I ordered one today to Canada.. $197 CAD plus 5% import tax (or maybe 6.. not sure) and 8% provincial tax. It is $69 CAD for UPS express 5 day delivery estimate (but Thomann website says more like 8-9). So for around $290 CAD this is still a good deal based on the wood materials alone. The pickups sound ok even on my crummy laptop audio, and tone is subjective anyway. I would play around with different value tone capacitors and better quality pots before I would start dropping money on expensive, possibly grossly over priced name brand pickups. I have a nice Babicz bridge in my parts bin, along with some new tuners from a MIM Fender neck. Pickups maybe later if something comes my way used or cheap.. If you wait long enough a deal will pop up somewhere. Some EMG's would probably make this thing sing like a bird... the active ones I mean. The ONLY thing I would ask HB to do differently in future would be to drill it and install ferrules for a string through body option. Even if it added a few dollars to the cost.
Really enjoyed your review. I bought one last year and am thinking of DiMarzio DP123 pickups and Thomastik Flat Wounds,and now maybe Ray Ross bridge as good mods?
I just got my JB40FL in and I love it. It sounds and plays excellent. The only thing is it's weight. It makes my 9.8lb P Bass feel light. I'm assuming mine is around 12lbs. Other than that it's a great buy! So happy I have a fretless in my arsenal.
Bought the JB40FL before Xmas. Can't find a thing wrong with it other than the weight (significant for a gigging bassist). The finsih and fit is better than my Portamento which new is x5 the price! Shame they don't do an unlined but I checked and Thomann came back thumbs down. Think I'd try Tone Rider pups for a swop out.
It would be fun to hear this bass with a little Jaco like chorus added. So fun to see a bargain basement bass getting such high reviews. It makes me think twice before I spend $2,000 + for a bass. I'd just have to cover up the name on the headstock. Shipping is $89 to my area plus $159. Still a bargain. Thanks for this great video
I can't remember the last time I had that much fun playing a bass. Guess I'll have to get one. I'd put some hipshot tuners....Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounders and a Hipshot D style bridge.
Thanks for reviewing this. Looking to pick one up. Just curious, do the PUPs give out any noise or or hum when soloed individually? Any humming at all in any configuration? Thanks mate.😊
Thanks so much :) Glad you dig it!
:O oh snap! Hi!
JUST TO GIVE THE LOBSTER CREDIT.. He was the reason I decided to try out ordering from a music store across the ocean in Europe :) Send him a free guitar or something because I am sure he is making you guys money here LOL.. seriously though, he is a great brand ambassador.
@@countzero1972 i agree with you. The lobster is one of my favorite bass reviewers out there. Beside that i have the luck to live about 50km (31 miles) away from the thomann store 😂
@@countzero1972 how long did the shipping took? I have been waiting over two weeks for mine to fly out of Germany.
I just bought the left handed version today from Thomann. I can't wait to play it!
1:46 mic picked up the cats purr and its the best thing!
My JB40-FL arrived yesterday and I was impressed. This afternoon I installed a set of LaBella tape wound 50-105 and now I'm super impressed! Quite sure I'll be keeping this. Thanks for the review LEL.
Man you deserve a big kompliment.
You can play, you present the stuff in a great way and the dose of humor is cool, too.
Keep the groove and take care.
Thank you!
Hi, I wonder what your advice would be... I want to try a fretless. Love the playability of my p5 Sire. I also have the HB JB 75, and yes it's heavy. So this HB or maybe the Sire you also reviewed or even the Sire u5 FL?
Conversation with my wife this morning:
Ima order this fretless
You have enough basses
159
You really need to stop buying things
159
What’s so special about it
159
You already ordered it didn’t you
159….
Got it used (but new) for 80€ at a yard sale, love it, I play it every day. Waxed the fingerboard and use Rotosound 88 nylon taped, more than a keeper, an inspiration !!!!
And , hey, wired the 1 st volume knob as a pushpull allowing to wire the 2 pickups in series, great FAT tone.
Nice! My FGN Neo Classic has a push pull tone knob that does the same. Epic!
Nice man!! And you got a nice little mod to go with it!! Can’t beat that!! Didn’t even pay shipping! Lol
I love how excited you are in this one! Five claw reviews are so rare. This sounds better than my similar Squier VM Fretless Jazz
Well... After another very thorough review and your praise.. I'm going to need one of these ASAP. I've always wanted a fretless and this looks like a fantastic option. I normally play a Peavey T-40, so I've been trained to handle the weight lol. Thanks man! Truly enjoy your channel through and through!
Thank you Guillermo!
Hey Lobster, I've had this bass for a little over a year. I love it. Well...other than the weight. I was going to swap the body for something lighter but after watching your review, I don't think I will. The tones that come out of this, I'm afraid the tonal range may be affected if I change the body. Great review!!!
I can assure you that replacing the body or even just drilling holes into it (sort of semi-hollow style) *will definitely change* the tone (and probably sustain too).
Trigger has been pulled. I await the arrival of this wooden Excalibur.
Thank you for a jolly pleasant review Mr Lobsters, you’re shrimply the best.
What a deal! You can’t beat it with a stick in both hands! It sound beautiful and looks like you had a total blast playing it. An excellent mod platform but it sounds pretty damn good right out of the box. Ooooo, 5 claws! Nice!
Haha Lobster!! Your video convinced me to go for this fretless. I love the bass! Looks great. Sounds great. The quality is way above what you'd expect for $159! Thanks Lobster!! Looking forward to the mods you're going to do although the bass is nice stock.
Hi from Canada 🙂 Just got my Harley Benton JB-40FL in today. Holy jeez, I get what all the fuss is about and why Lobster bestowed a 5-claw rating on this bass. Incredible build quality, sound, feel, at a ridiculously low price. Put a Gotoh 203B-4 bridge on her and some low-tension flats and it's the actual sound of butter 😛. Thanks LowEnd for this video, and all your videos for that matter. Money VERY well spent.
Enjoy!
YOOOOO' I want to order it to (shipping to Canada). How did it goes? Did you pay a lot for import?
@@Profdesoussol It was at my doorstep literally 3 business days after ordering it. Import fees were approximately $65 Cdn. I believe
@@jasongraveley1621 🙏 thx
Nice bass all around especially for the price.Harley Benton makes some serious stuff.The only flaw with this one is the weight of the bass, but the woods used in this one may contribute to the great sound.If I were to mod this,I would use Fender Gen 4 noiseless pickups and a Fender Hi Mass Bridge.But using that bridge adds weight.oh well you can’t have everything.Great playing Lobster
I've been thinking of getting one of these, routing the pickup slots, and putting in Nordstrand big singles. Make it the frankenstein's monster little brother to McGrowly, by Fender fretless jazz.
Is it too heavy?
@@lukehunnable Hi I know your comment is 1 month old but, Ive owned this bass for about a year (since I wanted to get back into bass and wanted to try fretless) im a guitar player and im used to semi light electric guitars. Yes this bass is quite darn heavy, but "too heavy"? No I dont feel like it is. With a good set of a heavy duty strap it should be fine, sitting down it does not crush you, but you might "feel" it a little bit atleast against your leg! Hope this helps. Im very happy with the bass for the most part!
@@armorgiraffe Thanks for your reply mate. I've actually already bought it and am quite happy with it! :)
@@lukehunnable oh cool :D im havin some tuning issues that ive begun to notice since ive begun using it more, Im thinkin of replacing the nut with a bone or graphtech one soon, since I believe that is the culprit, but I might also change the tuners just for the sake of it, also gettin mighty interested in the EMG J pickups.. its soon christmas after all 👀
Hi Lobster, after I watched this video few days ago, I decided to buy this bass. I received it 3 days ago and I love it! Fun to play, great tone and very well made! Like you said, for this price you can't go wrong. Plus, living in Italy, the cost was 169 Euro shipping included. It arrived in three days.
Thank you for the nice video!
Congrats! So glad you're enjoying it
Hey there, is it noisy? I'm gonna get mine in a week and was wondering.
@@yeoldefoxeh254it is a little noisy when you use one pickup at the time like a typical jazz bass. But not much.
@@giannispezza strange, mine is noisy any time I let go of Strings/bridge even with both pups.
Just picked up my first Harley Benton, a PB-50. Got it for a modding platform, but not sure now because it is so fun to play. I was gonna get a Squier Bronco but after your review decided I two go a different route. Glad I did, how can Harley Benton make so many quality instruments while costing so little. Never played a fretless, always too scared to shell out the bucks for a bass I would have difficulty to play, but this might be the one to gamble on. Thank you as always Lobster for the review and content! Have a great morning and keep playing!
I had one, it was great, especially with flatwounds! Slap some D'Addario Chromes on it, you'll be surprised how great a match they are for that bass.
bought one after all, got this nutty idea of adding Bartolini BA 9J1 Set to get it somewhat close to a Wal bass sound hehe
Nice! Those Bart J's are killer pickups
Thanks Lobster
I love HB basses and l have the PJ and JB 75
Both sound n play great
I get so many comps especially on my JB 75 and it looks Killa too
Also dealing w the HB thomann company is great , very professional people friendly
This bass has such a lovely choral growl to it! I LOVE it!
Bought one of these recently Lobster,and youre right about the weight.Its heavy all right.I think a good wide strap would be needed for gigging purposes.I could listen to you playing all night BTW.Good review.
I am so glad you reviewed this, Lobster. I am very interested in picking one of these up.
I love your reviews Lobster! My fav youtube bass channel! Would you reccomend this Harley Benton over the Squier classic vibe fretless or the Sire V5/V7?
Hi Lobster. Awesome review as always. It seems you're enthousiastic on this one as on the Sire V5 fretless.
I am now trying to decide between this exact HB JB40 and the Sire V5 alder fretless.
Looking for a bit more mwaah compared to my Ibz SR705FL.
What's your take on this?
The reviews on their site are insanely positive too. Definitely on the list.
I tested one like that on my channel some time ago, but the pickups had already been upgraded with Polish-made Merlin single coils. Really lovely budget bass! If I weren't planning to look for a cheap fretless PJ sometime soon (2nd hand Yamaha BB, anyone?) I'd have already snagged one of those myself.
You could chuck some dimazio ultra jazz pick ups in. They're j shape but a split coil like a P. I put them in my FL40 and they sound great
I bought one, just the model with the black scratch plate. It's fabulous.
It would be great to have a playlist of all your 5 claw reviews....lots of 4's I see but a list of 5's would be great....sort of the lobster thermidor special
Glad you gave it a great review, as I bought one in the Lockdown. I think it is great for the money, as it is my first Fretless. The shipping costs for us here in the U.K are much better, and orders over I think £100 are free!
You're correct. £8 shipping under, free over.
@@DrTomoculus Well I never. Still a lot better than our American friends. Canada and the U.S pay terrific prices for shipping, it seams.
@@davelock3166 *seems* :P
@@yeoldefoxeh254 Wot u an engrish teecher or summut?
LOL
I was looking forward to this video , thank you Lobster.
Your smile says it all. I had this bass and really love it, maybe the best Harley benton bass.
4:06 The cat approves of the Harley Benton too! its a winner 🏆!
OK. You got me VERY interested in this instrument, put it on my Thomann wishlist. What a revelation it is to know that the tone knob results in such a warm sound.....will check it out on my present HB bass.
Wow haven’t had a 5/5claw review in a while! Great job HB!!! What a killer bass!! I’d totally own one of them! That headstock looks great too!! The tone is great! Also like how they give you the 5 screw bridge for modding great review brother!!! 🦞
Aww, your bass came complete with a floof! 💕
Executive producer floof haha
Thats an impressive bass for 159 dollars 'absolutely no complaint here'it sounds equal to some of those so called high end Carvin bases..great job low end lobster 🎇🙏....if you mid that bass..use bartolini pick ups and preamp
Hi, Great review! I picked up that bass about a month ago and I love it. I aready put a Audere pre in it and I love!
Thanks for your reviews.
Did your preamp mod go well? Did you have to do any routing? I’m interested in getting one of these to mod and I like that preamp. Thanks!
@@jeffjones1359 The mod went well, I'm very happy with the tones I am getting with the Audere pre. It's not and expensive pre for all that it offers. I wish I could send you photos, but I don't think I can through TH-cam.
I was lucky enough to snag a used 2012 Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass for $189 a few years back. It has Designed by Duncan pickups, weighs 9-1/2 lbs., and has great balance. It really sounds awesome and plays like butter. For sure the Harley Benton is a great buy for the price. Everyone needs a fretless to keep their chops sharp.
All prior reviews I have seen for this bass are just as full of praise. The same for the Harley Benton JB-75, which seems to be the same bass , just with frets. These Harley Benton Jazz Basses and the reviews I had seen are what got me interested in picking up a bass guitar again after many years.
Sooooo glad I picked one up earlier this year. Absolutely unbelievable value. No joke it is heavy, but the neck is fantastic and there’s a great bass attached to it lol
Awesome! Enjoy it!
Noting what previous Wizards have done as upgrades, really looking forward to your upgrade vid.
I have one of these as a Bday present since 2018 and I love it.
Hi lobster that thing sounds sick..wow! The only bass that can out play that is the sire V5 fretless.... Awesome sound, not only for the ridiculous price but overall that sounds Great ? Nice playing as usual bro 👍🏾
So I bought this 3 months ago based on Lobster review, and general consensus on the net. After 90 days I can report it is still an excellent value! I can also say I found a few minor flaws. The string height adjustment screws are seized on two of the saddles, the routing for the bridge pickup is a little uneven and the pickup is forced in too tight a pocket. The finish on the fingerboard could have used a little more finish sanding and some cleaning and sealer in one small area on lower neck. That is it so far after a close inspection as I upgrade the bass. I have changed the whole bridge to a gen 2 Babicz FCH-4 unit, added an inexpensive 2-band preamp by Guyker and put on some really nice D'Addario tape wound strings. I had to max out the height adjustment for the E string, but it all feels very nice so far. The Guyker pre-amp is not bad, but the concentric potentiometer that controls bass/treble boost is a little sloppy/cheap feeling. For $90CAD I expected at least decent pots. I can likely swap out the pot on the circuit board with better quality but it is not too bad and it works fine so far. www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08RZC14BC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Have had one a little over a year, love it! 😊👍
You Sir, are a Lobster Legend! Great reviews! Be well!
Thank you!
That one sounds so much better than the b450fl from your other video. I already have a mim fender jazz and love it. I think imma buy one of these, it sounds really really good. Thanks for the review and badass bass jams! 💚
Thanks for reviewing... I've had my eye on this one for a while.
Hi, I'm very interested in this bass, but what about its 12" fingerboard radius? Is it comfortable? It's commonly 9,5" on a JB and 7,25" on older versions. I'd like to know some experience about it.
Looks like I’ll be adding this to my collection. Always want to improve my Fretless chops. That bass sounds incredible for the price! I’ll get use to the weight. 😌🎶👍🏾
Finally someone who doesn't whine about the weight.... 💪
@@yeoldefoxeh254 LOL! Don’t make sense to. We have some “high end” basses that are a little heavy. For the price? Can’t be beat. I hope Harley Benton would make a “5 String Fretless Jazz Bass” and add some more color options to it. That’s just me tho. But man, I like that Fretless! Don’t even have to “upgrade” unless you WANT to.😌🎶👍🏾
Have the same bass and I love it. Sound and feel great for the price. I play a few gigs with him and do the job. The only issue I have with this bass is the weight. Besides that….great bass.
Keep that heavy ash body because it is the Jazz Bass’ secret sauce for tone.
@@Below-Average_Joe *YES*
Lobster, you were having so much fun in this video, it was worth the price! I imagine you are playing the heck out of it off camera and having a blast. Do cheap but "effective mods" if you decide to play around with it. I suspect the heavy wood used is contributing to great acoustics. I'd like to see you can make it a memorable bass for less than $250 total. ENJOY!
Great sound review. A few more close ups of its bits and Bob's would be lovely. Ta ta mate.
Interesting that you're going over this one...I ordered the lefty version...due here Wednesday!
How do you like it? I've loved mine for three years, only changes out of the box (and up to now) were on the truss rod and stringing it with some tape-wounds. Beautiful bass
@@randomserb761 I like it a lot. I did change the strings to flats and recently changed the pickups to Fender Noiseless, which definitely quieted the 60 cycle hum down.
Picked one up. You're so right! What a steal!!!
i just ordered one on this review thank you so much
Harley Benton seems like it's a brand that people love or people hate. They definitely interest me!! Sick video
I bought a JB 20 for 90 euros and its awesome too...... Harley benton are doing some really good quality basses and guitars ..... especially for the price
Exactly what I was looking for. Just ordered mine. Thanks for the good review. I was temped to get the 5 or even the six string lol
Me encanta cómo toca este crustáceo, cualquier bajo suena excelente !!!
thanks for the review. I'll pick one up.
5 claws out of 5 👌brother that was very amazing bass guitar 22:33
Lobby great review,,thank you very much,,if I keep watching you,,death by suffocation of Bass,,and what a way too die,,love the channel!
This sounds great - would you consider doing a review on the Harley Benton HB-60 WB? It looks like a really cool semihollow, especially for the price. Great playing!
Wow that punches way of above its weight tone is killer
The best review ever💜
Thank you!
I've got the fretted version with the maple board. Yes, it is heavy. Mine is over 11 lbs. It sounds good enough that I haven't changed anything on it, and that's strange for me. I can never leave things alone.
I just picked up a Sire V7 from Thomann and had them throw in one of those cheap 4 string Harley Benton Stingray clones on my order just for the Hell of it. That HB sounds and plays way better than it has any right to. I was very surprised at how good the pickup sounds compared to the stock stuff that comes in the Sterling SUB basses. I really like the Sterlings as mod platforms, but stock, I think the HB sounds far better.
As far as cheap basses go, I think I'd go with HB over my Squiers, Glarry's, and SX's.
Great comment Bizi! I agree. The passive offerings of these budget Bentons are simply incredible instruments and values. I'm very impressed.
Bass and player sound awesome! :)
That bass does sound really good! And not just really good for $159 but really good period! If I were to get it it would be a sit down bass only as my aging back wouldn't get on with the weight, but as your said.. "$159!" If I were modding it I would probably look at replacing the tuners with Hipshot Ultra Lights if they fit without too much effort, a Kickass bridge (athough I may rethink that considering the added weight) and maybe Delano pickups. Thanks for the awesome review!
Hello Mister! I consider your reviews the best ever seen on YT! this is another great masterpiece and I agree this bass sounds incredible. BUT ... there is a but .. I just would like give a little contribution to your great job : one you review a fretless bass will be very very nice to play just a long time note in a simple drum+keyboard in order to show even the “mwhaaa” natural taste of the bass. Only for fretless. Just an hint! Thanks for your great contribution
On my HB JB40 FL I have swapped the stock PUs with DiMarzios Js. It sounds great, plays great and the only downside is, as mentioned before, the weight. An absolute steal for this price. love it.
It's just nice to see an all-around positive mood video once in a while.
Damn, those are quality woods at a cheap price. I'm impressed.
Yeah but people keep complaining about the weight of the bass. Well, certain timber has higher weight. If it would be pine then that would be the problem... 🤭
Cannot beat that price for an entry level fretless bass! That was very hard to find 20ish years ago when I started playing fretless basses unless you did your own fretless conversion.
Great review , at that price how can you go wrong ? looks like a good foundation as a mod project.
I would definitely mod this with nordstrand hum canceling pick ups
You are so right about ordering more than one bass. It’s crazy to have to pay $80 shipping on a $159 bass. More than half is not even worth buying the bass. It use to be only $33. Thanks COVID! 😂😂
Their shipping price has TRIPLED to Australia since COVID.
Yes, shipping used to actually be something like $35.00 for up to TWO instruments, based on weight. I knew I should have ordered something from them a year or so ago.🤷♂️
I know it's not the worst problem in the world, but yeah that $80 shipping price has stopped me from ordering from Thomann for almost 2 years now
@@justinstratford Me too, I really want to try the JB-75 and throw in an Audere pre-amp I have sitting around but I just can’t pull the trigger because of the shipping cost. I guess I am just cheap. 😂😂
@@Mike-li5uv You are. Also check the rules again - because at a certain price point it's FREE SHIPPING.
Nice review Lobster!!! Keep 'em coming!!!
A few qestions...
Is lemon oil suitable for conditioning this fretboard? Perhaps any other option available out there? Anyone having wear issues since the fretboard is not lacquered?
Hello! Lemon oil should be fine to condition the board. I haven't noticed much wear but I don't play it a lot.
best demo ever!
I would love to see you do the fender deluxe tuners on this bass and on others
Thanks man! Just pulled the trigger on one of these. Should arrive next week, my first ever fretless!!! Any advice on how to start out on the fretless? Grtz, Kris
I use a Ray Ross bridge on all of my Fender style basses. Thank you for talking about the traditional fender 5 hole bridge. It's always an issue I have to look into!
I bought one for a JB I'm building. And the research it seem like you would give a nice clean true tone
Its a gimmick.
I have parts for a four string w/a Mighty Mite fretless neck that I PAID MORE FOR than this bass. I should just get this instead as it sounds fantastic for the money! My Douglas(from Rondo)6 string fretless is a neck heavy beast that I had to balance w/wheel weights just to play it without killing my left thumb. It sounds pretty good but this is much better in tone quality and when you have this much fun playing it, it has to be good. You haven't been wrong yet. Even the Jacksonbacker sounded great. Thanks Lobster for another great choice and video.
I haven't seen too many 5 claws!
hi i have this bass i have put tonerider jazz passive pick ups on and they are really great there also a lot cheaper than emg
5 claws... Impressive! I was really not expecting 5 claws for a budget instrument.
I've just picked up one of these specifically to superglue treat the fingerboard, I'll let you know what prevails 😊
I have a HB fretless 6 string that just rocks... can not beat the quality and price
Hello! I've had this bass for quite a while. However, in 2 colors Sunburst. It looks beautiful and is very playable!
I love him! But it's incredibly heavy! Mine weighs 5.1 kg!
the original bridge was replaced with a fender bridge, so I call him "Harley Fender" now.
I have another Fretless Bass from Harley Benton PB 20 FL, unfortunately it is no longer manufactured! It only weighs 2.4 kg and sounds pretty good too. however, it cannot quite keep up with the HB JB-40FL.
Nevertheless, I am considering selling the JB-40FL because it is really heavy and also quite large
Thank you for the nice video! Happy Easter 🐰🦞🎸
Hi Lobster, just started watching your channel and I'm loving it so much. Just a question: was there ever a bass that you rated one claw? Cheers
Yep! ;) there's even some 0's
@@LowEndLobster Thanks! Any specifics? Which ones were that?
I'm not gonna spoil the fun ;P (hardluck kings)
I put fender flats on mine, never had a fretless before, or played flats (I am just a part timer not very good) But this bass has really got me going again. Contemplating putting some EMG's in it.
Have had this bass for almost a year, can't say I like flats. It's my first bass as well. I'd put EMGs as well but I'm too greedy. I'd rather spend money on fretboard sanding, can't get it too low because of some high spots
Great review!
Which do you like better, the Sire V5 fretless or the Harley Benton?
Sound wise and playability?
Thanks Mike! I like the Sire better, but the Sire is also $600 (and I put like $300 of mods in it). I think the value of this Harley Benton is pretty much unbeatable, but it doesn't mean that a higher end instrument won't be better quality. Your money with this HB goes a LONG way.
Sounds and looks great!
I have been looking for a cheap fretless that isn't terribly made, to learn on and see if I want to invest more time/money in a fretless. I think I found the one! Thanks.
Thanks again for a great review.! You made up my mind for me. I ordered one today to Canada.. $197 CAD plus 5% import tax (or maybe 6.. not sure) and 8% provincial tax. It is $69 CAD for UPS express 5 day delivery estimate (but Thomann website says more like 8-9). So for around $290 CAD this is still a good deal based on the wood materials alone. The pickups sound ok even on my crummy laptop audio, and tone is subjective anyway. I would play around with different value tone capacitors and better quality pots before I would start dropping money on expensive, possibly grossly over priced name brand pickups. I have a nice Babicz bridge in my parts bin, along with some new tuners from a MIM Fender neck. Pickups maybe later if something comes my way used or cheap.. If you wait long enough a deal will pop up somewhere. Some EMG's would probably make this thing sing like a bird... the active ones I mean. The ONLY thing I would ask HB to do differently in future would be to drill it and install ferrules for a string through body option. Even if it added a few dollars to the cost.
Really enjoyed your review. I bought one last year and am thinking of DiMarzio DP123 pickups and Thomastik Flat Wounds,and now maybe Ray Ross bridge as good mods?
I just got my JB40FL in and I love it. It sounds and plays excellent. The only thing is it's weight. It makes my 9.8lb P Bass feel light. I'm assuming mine is around 12lbs. Other than that it's a great buy! So happy I have a fretless in my arsenal.
Great to hear! Enjoy :)
Btw they really paid attention when dial-ing in that bridge tone . Even for a low cost single coil J Bass magnet.
Bought the JB40FL before Xmas. Can't find a thing wrong with it other than the weight (significant for a gigging bassist). The finsih and fit is better than my Portamento which new is x5 the price! Shame they don't do an unlined but I checked and Thomann came back thumbs down. Think I'd try Tone Rider pups for a swop out.
You really *need* it to be unlined? I have the opposite issue - I have a hard time finding lined ones with higher-end features.
It would be fun to hear this bass with a little Jaco like chorus added. So fun to see a bargain basement bass getting such high reviews. It makes me think twice before I spend $2,000 + for a bass. I'd just have to cover up the name on the headstock. Shipping is $89 to my area plus $159. Still a bargain. Thanks for this great video
I can't remember the last time I had that much fun playing a bass. Guess I'll have to get one.
I'd put some hipshot tuners....Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounders and a Hipshot D style bridge.
Great video as usual. I've been eying this bass for a while. It looks amazing, it sounds really nice. I'm a really bad player 😁
Thanks for reviewing this. Looking to pick one up. Just curious, do the PUPs give out any noise or or hum when soloed individually?
Any humming at all in any configuration?
Thanks mate.😊