The biggest problem for gibson and fender is that progress is always met with opposition. That and ridiculous prices. Everyone hated the 70s gibsons and fenders. Gibson gave us multi piece maple necks with a volute to remedy the headstock break issue and Everyone gave them crap over it. We can't fault these old companies for being stagnant when the majority of players want 65+ year old specs.
Ya got a good point there! A good idea is a good idea though. Gibson should have just kept the volute and let people scream until they accepted it. They sure as hell don't respond to the screaming over their prices! LOL ...selective hearing.
I want a new design, im so tired of seeing s, t, Lp, offsets and v’s. Just visually, im so tired of the same OLD crap. It would be one thing if these companies kept making the same guitars, but every year they say “wait NOW we’ve recreated a faithful reproduction of said guitar”
It is odd thinking the history of Gibson LP. It was once deemed to be more like Victorian era piece of furniture rather than a guitar. It was the British bluesrockers who saved it. Even Gibson themselves created the new LP which then transmogrified to SG, both of them still not able to save their necks. I can't help wondering how long Gibson will be resell the idea of more Les Paul than a Les Paul. But then, there seems to be no reason to hold breath on when Fender is going to add a circuit that will filter out the 50 / 60 Hz hum. It would do no harm as the lowest E note on standard tuned guitar is 82 Hz and even drop D 73 Hz.
I have owned a Gibson Les Paul deluxe and an original 63 Firebird. They were affordable then. 45 years later I can't imagine spending the money they want now. I have 2 Harley Benton guitars and love them both.
People will pay for a name instead of a bargain. I picked up a $5600 Custom Shop LP last year. I could see the glue joint at the set neck. Completely unacceptable and proof the good luthiers no longer work for name brands.
There really aren't many genuine luthiers in the game, occasional small custom shop aside. These days it's all CNC with some hand labour to do things like lay up the wood for glueing, set inlays and sand down any tooling marks. Guitars are built on factory production lines, not by skilled craftsmen.
The only nice thing that Gibson has done to us loving customers is raise raise n raise prices since the beginning or their some where. But help has been on the way ROCKERS!! 😂😂😂
@@mikeg6666 there is nothing new or innovative about this guitar it is just a cheap les Paul copy/ripoff made with questionable woods so whats your point.........you people talk about Fender and Gibson being outdated and ''just relying on their names'' but companies like these are just ripping of their designs instead of coming up with their own...........
Great looking guitar.The sound is sharp and crisp, not muddy. I've been watching the videos for several years now, even purchased a reviewed guitar and it was everything he said it was. This guy knows his stuff!!
I just recently got a Lefty Harley Benton Fusion 3. I can't believe how nice and well made it is. I did buy it used from someone. Only seeing pictures on a website. Then , now in person , I'm just really impressed...
My SC II 550 Plus is my main player. I will say, it needed a bit of work. Fret ends were a little jagged, the wiring to/from the toggle switch and output jack was unshielded, it had the dime-size pots. I knew I was going to put some work into it so I didn't mind. I put a pair of 57 Classics in it, replaced the, "vintage" tuners with Grover vintage-style tuners, replaced all the wiring with shielded wire, CTS pots, black pickup rings and leveled the frets. My action at the 12th fret is around 4/64ths on the low E string with no buzzing anywhere. On the upside, the switch was a genuine Switch Craft so I was impressed with that. These are all small things that I didn't mind doing. As it sits now, I'd put it against any LP I've ever seen.
"Rich Corinthian leather . . ." Holy cow, Chrysler Cordoba commercial with Ricardo Montalban! Too funny. I just bought my second HB - the Strat ST-20 (white) this past week. Early days, but Thomann is such a good resource for po' folks like me. It was $168 all told to my door. I love the neck pickup playing on your samples - Maxxx, you are so talented, knowledgeable and you seem like a genuinely good person. Well done!
I live an hour from Thomann and visit their store every once in a while. But so often I don't buy anything because my own guitars are so good! My favorite one is a Cort X-250 which I got for 240€, put Tonerider pickups in it, put a veneer on the body and headplate and because it plays and sounds so incredible good I got it "pleked" at Thomann. Now it is unbeatable!
That looks awesome. Companies like that and Cort that make great guitars at affordable prices are just what is needed. people just need to get past the headstock snobbery.
US guitar manufactures shot themselves in the foot decades ago by outsourcing. Thirty five years ago I would have called most guitars manufactured in Asia or Mexico junk or at least lacking in QC. In thirty five years these foreign manufactures have had generations of employees produce guitars with every generation passing down it's knowledge to the next. Technology has improved dramatically when it comes to manufacturing through the use of things like C&C machines. This has all led to some really well made guitars. I remember when you would be laughed at by other guitarists if you weren't playing an American made. Now it's different. Some of the guitars I've played that came from Asia or Mexico are stage and studio quality. I really don't like supporting China but owning Chinese products are inevitable. I recently played Epi Les Paul and Jackson dinky and was shocked at the quality of the LP and was impressed with neck on the Jackson. I think think this is why you such a huge divide between American made prices; people are recognizing the quality of these foreign made guitars. I mean I remember when you could by a US made Jackson for under 1000$.
I really hate that you're right because when America had better jobs we could afford American prices. But companies moved those jobs to get a better margin, so now we're too broke to afford American products.
@@jeffoefelein2812I have a Korean-made PRS Bernie Marsden SE….i put in 50’s wiring w/CTS pots and Duncan 59’s front and back. And with the smoothness of the overall construction of the guitar, I play it twice as much as my collectible Gibson, Les, Paul, which cost three times the price.
The time of the legacy guitars (Fender and Gibson) are over. Sure, when they were made by artisans (hand made) the instruments contained the DNA of the builders who put them together in hot factories, sweat dripping from their noses and oils from the hot wings they had off the roach coach all over everything, that's when they had character. Everything nowadays is made on CNC machines. Even the so-called "budget" guitars. I have a Harley Benton SC500 White (Les Paul Custom) that I would put up against any $5000 Gibson any day. $148 to my door. All you're paying for now is the name.
Over? The market has room for all of the options and while Gibson may have to stretch outside their comfort zone to stay relevant Fender is doing just fine
Not over by a long shot. Gibson holds 34% of the market followed by Fender at 30%, Ibanez at 12%, Yamaha at 7% and Epiphone at 4%. Companies like Harley Benton fall into the 'other' category which lumps all cheap brands together at around 9% of the market for 2024.
@@Shredder-240 I am with you until that last stat it may be 'accurate' but anyone paying attention understands PRS who would also be in the 'other' has significantly established the brand in ways that Gibson and Fender are very unhappy with. Also good to remember the multiple brands contained within Gibson and Fender so if the reason they are holding some market share is aggressive efforts with cheaper Squier and Epiphone guitars while other smaller brands gobble up more and more of the premium side it isn't nearly as dominant as it seems. Fender is a big time bass company Gibson and PRS not really so if that segment split off it might put Fender closer to Ibanez but for sure the talk of the Coke/Pepsi of guitars being OVER in any way is simply not true
@@I.am_GrootWondered when I’d see a PRS comment. Just got a SE custom 24 new for $579. The attention to details & playability are easily worth double or more. The trem system smokes a strat. Imo it’s the perfect medium between an LP & strat
Something I never hear about these HB LP style guitars is how thick the body is. I have 2 ESP LTD ECs, one a EC 256 and the other an EC 1000. Both have a body thinner than a Gibson LP, and both quite a bit lighter than a GLP. Having smaller hands and shorter fingers, these guitars are a heaven send to me, and typically the most played. My GLPs are rarely ever even taken out of their cases, and will most likely be sold. I would love to know the weight, and body thickness at the boot (body back to fretboard) of the HB LPs, as this has become a critical facter to me.
In my experience the best guitars out there (not just for the money but in general) are Aria Pro II. A lot of people in the US don’t even know they are still in business! Having said that their PE series guitars start at around $499. The fit and finish are pretty amazing and their pickups are made by Gotoh of Japan. Their upper end guitars (which are manufactured in Japan) are considerably more money- those guitars are absolutely out of this world..
So right you are, I have a PE350PG, TA Classic , GH615 and a 1980 LP MIJ. They're great guitars, good value for money, etc . MIJ stuff is upper next level, everything made in Matsumoko, Nagano is worldclass, Fujigen, Bacchus, Moridaira/Morris, AP2 and the list goes on.
@@PulauSwan I would love to try the AP2 custom shop guitars. I have a Japanese made PE-Lux and the new PE-F80. The PE-F80 plays, feels and sounds just as good as its Japanese counterparts. I was so impressed with the guitar when I saw it at the NAMM Show this past year that I ordered one for myself!
I have got 3 Harley Bentons: St-62 Dakota red, SC500 white and 450 GT P90. Love them all. This brand has really shown you can have awesome guitars at a very affordable price. I have Fenders, Tokais and played loads of Gibsons and still love Harley Bentons and played them live and to record. When people complain about the asian crafted origin... nobody complains about iphones being made in china!
I bumped into Harley Benton last fall. To date I own a TE-52VT and a TE-20. They are incredible. I'm glad to hear you get behind HB. No one is talking about the fact that Fender and Gibson no longer cater to a demographic that is not likely to be able to afford a guitar that has a base price of $750.00. keep it up brother. Oh yeah. Every time I hear you play I am just am dumbfounded.
My thoughts exactly. On a whim bought a 256 (faded cherry burst) for $250 (made in Indonesia) and was surprised at the quality. Different from HB not having the swooping heel carve but a nice Rosewood fretboard. Guitar manufacturers moved from Japan and Korea to Indonesia and now Vietnam, the workers trained in Japan. PRS and others utilize Indonesian factories and supply chains. Instead of Mahogany, the wood is Agathis . . . same as described on the HB. Thinner body than a LP, but weighs only 7 lbs.
@@bertalanduka I had one of the Vietnam made ones, when they still had the name on the inlay at the 12th fret. It was a pretty good quality guitar. I've not played any of the Indonesian made ones.
I highly doubt Fender and Gibson are shaking in their boots because guitar players are often fools who will pay through the nose for a guitar by Fender and Gibson because of rock god nostalgia and 100% wrong beliefs about guitar tone. In a rational world, Fender and Gibson would be shaking in their boots, but human beings are often not very rational.
Gibson and Fender are basing their future on brand loyalty. Unfortunately, that may not last as long as they want. Granted, I love my Les Paul, but I have many Chinese made Hagstroms that can stand up to, or even beat, the quality and sound of any Gibson. I do love Gibson and Fenders, but I also love guitars made in other countries. The big thing for me is if it plays well and sounds great......who the F cares. JS
@@frankcarter6427exactly, the biggest audience in the guitar market is young people looking to get into guitar playing, affordable but high quality brands like Harley Benton and firefly really are the future for guitar playing
It’s not a crazy shipping charge though. Try ordering any guitar or anything the size of one from overseas and see what the shipping cost is. They’re prob lower than most companies shipping an axe to USA.
Man that guitar looks amazing, Harley Benton has never disappointed me, I have 5 and the Max signature series is my go to guitar when I want to really shred hard, hats off to HB.
I bought this exact guitar a few years ago and I still have it because it is awesome. The only change I made was to convert it to nine-gauge strings. Free delivery to the UK
1. Is it capable of getting great sounds? Good tones? 2. Is it wonderfully playable? 3. Are the cosmetics and aesthetics to your liking? 4. Do you like the price? Answer those and select your guitar. Sound and playability are the most important, regardless of its price. This is a really good guitar channel. The presenter is fair (and that's more important than being objective). Add in that he has integrity, i.e., he isn't trying to mislead, misrepresent, or deceive. Oh, I almost forgot, add in that he usually covers most bases and he knows on which he opines. Kudos.
I have my affordable HB multiscale it is very good. Especially made in Indonesia is great guitar. Meranti is very durable strong wood, expensive and good texture, beautiful natural color. nowadays mostly indonesian's boat and home doors, made of meranti and jati/tectona. good job harley benton
Ive had over 20 Harley Bentons by now, and loved most of them. They are so easy to buy here in the U.K. Just order it from Thomann...and it turns up on my doorstep 4 days later. Also... Im absolutely SURE that they are made in the Cort Indonesia and IYV Vietnam factories.
I'm a huge fan of the Harley Benton HBO-600 "Fauxvation" instruments. I have four of them and they all took THREE DAYS to get to me here in fly-over country, U.S.A., so I'm surprised that you've got an extra day of shipping there in the U.K. Mine would have been worth the wait even if they took twice as long to get to me.
about the Factories. -- Did you dig around to figure this out or is it that We get B+. or Very Good Quality for Cheap. Prices? I Want to Buy 2 More LP's from them -This one Max has here and a Nicer Goldtop. The First GT. I got from them. was 120 USD and I want an Upgrade on that -- The 400GT Humbuckers w/ is a Copper / Gold Saten with a Flat black headstock .. just not into it.
I bought a Harley Benton TV series telecaster at guitar Center for $75. My best friend has been playing in bands for a long time just loves this guitar. He took it out in a couple gigs and he said it was so smooth and so clean I think I’m gonna give it to him because he likes it so much and he’s such a good guy Way to go Harley Benton
I got a B-stock P90 model. Black like a LP Custom. Flawless construction , binding etc and it plays and sounds fantastic. Liked it so much I got the Humbucker model. Both are great guitars. I only got them out of curiosity as I have a Gibson Les Paul and 3 Epiphone Les Pauls. (I'm daft.) The Harley Bentons are not 2nd rate copies. I'm as happy playing them as I am with my more expensive guitars.
Hey Guitar Max, I have an idea, play the guitars through a cheap amp with no computer effects just to hear how it sounds for people who can't afford high end equipment. Not at all saying it will sound bad but it will give people a chance to hear these guitars through amps they can afford. Since some may not want to spend a lot on a good guitar it stands to reason that they would most likely not want to spend a lot on amplification as well. I realize people can plug into computers now but some of us older cats still plug into amps. I dig these reviews keep up the great work!
No guitar sounds good through a cheap amp. Nice amp with cheap guitars. Pick up a funder mustang they are like $400 gets you every sound you could need sounds great
Beautiful LP. --- email them and ask for a reduced shipping code for repete USA. Customers . They will say 'No' at first But the Message about a 45%. Shipping Charge on a 200. guitar should get accross. What HB should do is Spread the Cost of USA Shipping to All Customers - So. UK. gets to pay 35. Europe pays 25. then USA might Pay 45.( in stead of 90 ). Spread the pain around to open the USA market more. I got 2 Guitars for $250 Plus $60 Shipping a Year ago or so. $310 Delivered. LP Gold top and a Black Strat w/ Roasted maple neck and a generic hotrail in the bridge. It was a Good deal.
I have a total of 8 electrics from various brands that were manufactured in Indonesia. They have all been great. The quality is second to none. I don't have any HBs yet but, I am sure they are fantastic also. Great review! Awesome playing! And thank you!
The guitar player in my band recently had a guitar custom build and he specified meranti wood. Spent quite a few dollars more than this guitar, but speaking to the wood and its tone? Outstanding.
I have a couple HBs, thanks to Max and the Pandemic.I play them more than any of my other guitars. I usually pick up the TE 70 to practice on, three years on, it's a solid machine, and sounds as good as any Tele I've ever heard.
@GuitarMax 1st off, I really dig/love your content although I havent heard you talk about the band Loudness in a long time. Lol. Anyway, I have a question for you. Have you ever done a review of rhe best off brand pickups? Single, p90 type, humbucker, hotrail types etc? I recently bought some Tesla Humbucker neck and bridge pickups and found them to be amazing for the price point. Around $35 - $50 a piece. Anyway, I was thinking that could be a great informative show. Keep rocking and showing us these great deals!!
I have a fender mexican strat and a U.S.A. les paul, recently I picked up from Thomann a H.B. telecaster, a B stock for just 126 Euro, she has Rosewell alnicoV, medium jumbo frets, sound and plays very good and I' extremely happy with that. A Squier with similar specs is the classic vibe, 450 euro on Thomann website. Great job, Harley Benton, you gave me the guitar I wanted for 126 euro only.
Glad to See Your Show Again, I Set a Reminder,I don't have any Harley-Benton's in My Collection,It Sounds Fat on Your Demo. You have have Excellent Chops Max!
Another great video Max. This one in the video is already Up to $233 plus shipping. Still a great value. I own a HB SC Custom Plus and It is on my "not for sale" list.
Indeed Harley Benton are great guitars! Myself I own several guitars : the Harley Benton SC-25TH Firemist, Harley Benton DC-60 Junior Faded Cherry, Benton TE-70 Black Paisley, Harley Benton DC-Junior TV Yellow, and many more... sometimes I swap pickups, and I use them all for my gigs!
I have 3, The custom SC active £230, SC 450 classic £120 and SC vintage B stock £145. I couldn't be happier, the pickups on the classic are very good, i was going to swap them out before i heard them and decided to keep them, i bought it to upgrade all the hardware, the switch came damaged in transit but i had a spare so replaced it, low E tuning key slipped a little so replaced the set with wilkinsons at £20. they are far better than i thought, everything was under guarantee on the classic but the Guitar felt so good in my hands i was loathe to send it back. Under £500 for 3 guitars that i practice and gig with, is incredible. BTW if you check the HB SC custom serial against an LTD you can see they come from the same factory and many parts and materials are identical and the HB is less than a quarter of the price, and it comes with Grovers as standard.
We are a status country, we feel good about ourselves to play A Gibson and a Fender . Harley Benton have their budget players and buyers . Gibson and fender have their status , and sometimes increased resale value. They are an investment.
I build guitars, not professionally but I’ve made them for others and they’ve been used on stage and in studios. When people ask me to build them something, if it’s a Gibson or fender type thing, I tell them to buy a HB because I can’t build anything better, they are that good. If someone wants something a bit weird or unusual then I’m up for that.
Have 2 HB's and love them! The only reason to have a Gibson or Fender is if it's a dream guitar and you get a great price on a MINT used one and someone offered to pay half of the price as a gift.There are Epiphanies and Japanese made Fenders that are much cheaper and as good as U.S. made to average ears.
Does come stock with locking tunes, badassed looks, body neck & headstock binding? PRO BUCKER PICK-UPS? AN EBONY fingerboard w/super400 mother of pearl inlays + gold hardware? Nope that's just me describing my new Gibson Les Paul Supreme!
@@vincentrandles8105 Locking tuners? Yes. Badass look (Flame maple AAA top)? Yes. Body neck & headstock binding? Yes. Ebony and mother pearl? No, pearloid. Gold hardware? Yes. Better set neck and fret access than your Gibson? YES. Better ergonomics? YES. EMG pickups? YES. That's just me describing a 400 euro Harley Benton guitar. Or 200 if you chose the one with Roswell's. Enjoy your supreme waste of money.
I have three Harley Bentons. Two of them are flawless: CST-24 (PRS copy) and TE-62 (Tele copy). The third needs a little tweaking: HBO-850 (Ovation Roundback copy). They can be hit or miss, but I think most of them are very good.
I bought my SC550 with EMG active pickups and it was recieved in 4 days with a soft case - $425 - not kidding. Other than lowering action a bit. It is an awesome Guitar. DON'T SELL HARLEY BENTON SHORT - Great stuff.
I was going to say , during the low gain section, it was Stratty. I got a SC 550 II. I'm just checking out this video to hear what the Custom 2 sounds like. Plus it's such a great looking guitar.
Why did you not mention the Strat style “Beer Belly cut on the back. That is a great feature on a Les Paul. I have 4 Gibson LPs 2 with the BB cut and I most always reach for one of those or my Strat for that reason. So much more comfortable to play. I’ve been watching a long time and I love your videos. Thx!
Fender aren't 'shaking'c they're INNOVATING. I just got an 'Offset Telecaster' for damn near nothing, and it may be one of the finest guitars I've ever owned.
Sounds nice. Try a tune we all would know instead of just noodling and going straight into the amp without the stomp box. That would give a better idea of whether we would by it.
Don't get confused over Roswell. They use Roswell pups in many of their Harley-Benton-guitars, but the brand is not related to Thomann. In fact, Thomann doesn't sell Roswell pups separately, but Thomann's biggest competitor, Music Store Professional does. Thomann only has more expensive pups to buy separately. On my SC-Custom II, I didn't like the sound of the Roswell pups at all, so I replaced them with a nice set of Tonerider Generator. Now the guitar is killer, too good for a guy who can't play the guitar like me.
If you live as a European(Dutchie) in Guadeloupe you pay standard 60€ at Thomann, but it takes a very long time by the postal service, what I do is to let it ship to Paris(Colis Expat) and you can choose the shipment, I did choose DHL Express that cost some 100 € but its shipped fast. and the comes the CUSTOMS !!!
Harley Benton make good guitars. I bought a HB big tone jazz guitar. It was beautifully made my only problem was that I didn’t realise how heavy the guitar was. So I swapped it for a decent acoustic guitar. But bang for buck wise you won’t do better, whatever style of guitar you’re looking for. Many thanks for the video . Great review 🇬🇧🇬🇧👍
IT sounds like a wonderful guitar - and it looks even better ... I have bought 4 HB guitars 3 teletype and a gorgeous Acoustic parlor - walnut back and sides - that I love and a very good Spruce deck .... The only complaint I have - more or less for all 4 - are the tuners ... When the time comes (and money) I will definitely switch tuners to something better .... But that's no big deal ... I had my first guitar in 1964 and played ever since
I bought my last Harley Benton a few months ago, I got a B-stock fusion HH strat with stainless steel frets and locking tuners, and I couldn't even tell you what would have classified it as B-stock, but it was about 220$ here shipped to hungary for free, and now I'm about to sell my 1000$ Solar, cause my benton just plays better. I love how my Solar looks but it had a lot of QC issues, and my biggest problem is that the strings fly off the edge of the fretboard with very little movement, which is a problem because I use extremely thin strings. Great to see you're showing so much love to benton, but I've gotta say, I hate poop brown fretboards with a burning passion, sometimes it can work but most of the time it just sticks out like a sore thumb, and makes me not want to buy the guitar, and for the people looking into bentons I really can recommend the one with stainless steel frets over the others, the frets still may be a bit scratchy on arrival but they wear in much quicker though.
I love Harley Benton. I have quite a few, including a SC Custom II in ocean blue. The color on screen is different than in person, but no big deal. It's a beautiful guitar. No problems out of the box. I did put some Dimarzios in it. HB's higher level line of guitars are super nice. Yes, I've had a Gibson Les Paul, and would never buy another - especially with as nice as the higher line SCs are. I bought a Harley Benton solid wood parlor guitar last year. I wasn't impressed, at first. But, giving it some time and trying different strings on it a few times, it's a great guitar. I've left comments about Harley Benton on a number of channels, and always include: if you're comfortable modifying guitars, or even learning to modify guitars - this is the perfect brand. My first 2 HBs were B-Stocks, and the ONLY thing wrong with either was the intonation.
I have now played several of the HB models, and neither Fender or Gibson has anything to worry about. Squire maybe, but that's where the comparison ends. Even Epiphone's cheapest models out-perform the HB line.
I got my first Harley Benton 25th anniversary SC25 Gold top. I like it, but I cannot get the buzz out of the lower frets. I have adjusted every which way, polished the frets and checked fret height. It has been frustrating. I suspect it will have to go to a luthier for it. The construction is first rate and I love the mat finish.
I got lucky with HB. I bought a 2x12 Horizontal cab-this was when shipping was 35.00. I think it cost 260.00 all in. I think shipping is 70.00 now???-It would be great if we could have a USA outlet. Maybe some day.
i just got my son a fusion 3 cus they never have your guitar in sock lol. when we opened it it was perfect. great action, intonations were on, i would buy thier guitars any day !!
l've several,like Brian May,Mosrite,Ricken.12strings,Strat,LP,SG PB53bass;they all look,feel,and sound great.There's no more need to spend thousands of £to get good instruments.
Today in Europe this guitar cost 259 €. That are like 281 dollars. But we don't pay any shipping. I had yet a similar one ( a SC 450 vintage model Lemon Drop - a greeny-moore replica- with 2 roswell pickup ). I buy in 2018 and with some normal and minor adjustemnt play better year after year ❤🎸. So I don't need another.
I was hoping that Reverci would make this more affordable. But the shipping cost are steep IMO. Bur that guitar has a ton of best buy ratings. Cheers 🍻 🥃🥃 🎸 🎵🎶🎶🎶
Another major company that likely hates HB is PRS... :;) A fortnight ago I purchased a CST 24, and it turned out to be my favourite (I have 5 other guitars). It's also made of meranti, with stainless steel fret wire and a pair of Roswell HAF humbuckers. Sounds great and plays like a dream...
Right. So, as a revered guitar repair service I have to give my two cents here. The problem with HB is that they can keep the price low due to the asian market being pushed to the rest of the world. Low wages there. Conditions are okay, but not suitable for 30+ years of healthy working (think risperators, eye protection etc. Dust is not healthy). The guitars I recieve on my bench are a lot of HB's! And I mean A LOT. This means that there are many out there, not that they are particularly good. Sometimes you find a good HB, but most of them lack finesse. I do think the paint job is good estheticly, but anyone spraying almost 2mm of thick coat can make a finish look absolutely wild. Take a PRS(US) for example with a finish less than a hair thickness, now that's craftsmanship. Indonesian, Chinese and Taiwanese made guitars are a lottery. Sometimes they are good out of the box. Never excellent. Most are really bad. Almost all of them have sharp fret ends. This really is season-bound due to the wood shrinking in dry seasons. The pickups sound not okay. Clean is just not up to spec with the standard like cheaper models from SD of DM. Once you put distortion and all kinds of effects on it who cares what pickups or guitar it is because you're modulating the hell out of it. Losing the actual character of the guitar. This goes for all guitars btw. If you don't have a lot of money to spend on a guitar, support sustainability and buy second hand. Second hand guitars are mostly way better maintained. And don't order via the internet, go to a local guitar shop. I think all of them sell second hand guitars. Try Epiphones, Yamaha Pacifica's, LTD's, squier classic vibes, etc. Within these brands there must be a model that suits your preference. Pick it up, play it. Does it inspire, motivate and feel well? That's a good guitar for YOU. Not specifically everyone. Does it feel cumbersome or uninspiring? Leave it for someone else. Buying a guitar online is bad practise, unless you are an investor/collector.
I picked one of these up about 2 years ago when I first saw it, my first HB and I am not disappointed. This is easily one of my most comfortable guitars to play and really my only two complaints would have been the satin finish kinda dulled the flame maple veneer and the roasted Jatoba board was a little light and reflective. After playing it a while the Jatoba fingerboard has darkened nicely and since I don't have quite the picking technique Max does I wore a shiny spot in the finish. I just hand polished the top with Virtuoso polish and the flame top veneer really pops now with a nice vintage semi gloss look. I keep trying to convince myself to sell it but honestly it just plays too good to get rid of it. Now I just need to find one of the Max SIgnature models!
I have 3 Fenders, a Squier , a Gibson, a Rickenbacker. I'm perfectly happy with them all. I own one Harley Benton and it's rubbish. It's not even a "guitar company" , it's just a brand name used by Thomann.
Hey Max. I have a 1977 ARIA PRO 2 prototype Les Paul style guitar. It's a similar shape but only has a volume & tone knob with the selector switch between them. I love the layout of this guitar. I've played a few Gibson Les Pauls but never liked the volume / tone setup or the switch up the top. I guess it's what you're used to. Mine was customised before I got it. It has some nice T Top pickups. I added a tailpiece later. The original one piece bridge was pulling out & losing tune. I'm thinking of putting a Floyd Rose FRX on it. I can always take it off later. This guitar has the most Insane Sustain I've ever heard in any guitar. I'll try to find a way to send you some pics. It's very rough looking & has had a hard life. Both before Me & since I've had it. I like You're guitar. It reminds Me of mine to a point. I love You're channel Max. Cheers from down under Brother.
I highly doubt that Gibson or fender are worried about Harley benton because they have no resale value , I just bought a Gibson explorer yesterday for 2200 dollars and it will keep its value
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As an unknown player, you are answering all my prayers! 68 yrs, around the sun,still learning, still playing in my family band! Thank you!
The biggest problem for gibson and fender is that progress is always met with opposition. That and ridiculous prices. Everyone hated the 70s gibsons and fenders. Gibson gave us multi piece maple necks with a volute to remedy the headstock break issue and Everyone gave them crap over it. We can't fault these old companies for being stagnant when the majority of players want 65+ year old specs.
Ya got a good point there! A good idea is a good idea though. Gibson should have just kept the volute and let people scream until they accepted it. They sure as hell don't respond to the screaming over their prices! LOL ...selective hearing.
I want a new design, im so tired of seeing s, t, Lp, offsets and v’s. Just visually, im so tired of the same OLD crap. It would be one thing if these companies kept making the same guitars, but every year they say “wait NOW we’ve recreated a faithful reproduction of said guitar”
true but then they capitalize on "being the original" or "traditional" option.
It is odd thinking the history of Gibson LP. It was once deemed to be more like Victorian era piece of furniture rather than a guitar. It was the British bluesrockers who saved it. Even Gibson themselves created the new LP which then transmogrified to SG, both of them still not able to save their necks. I can't help wondering how long Gibson will be resell the idea of more Les Paul than a Les Paul. But then, there seems to be no reason to hold breath on when Fender is going to add a circuit that will filter out the 50 / 60 Hz hum. It would do no harm as the lowest E note on standard tuned guitar is 82 Hz and even drop D 73 Hz.
Reminds me of Harley Davidson.
Got my first HB because of Guitar Max 3 years and it is still rocking.
Big Same: SC Custom FR EMG.
Yep, me too! DC-600 VI Vintage. Love it!!
Me three, I got the fusion II at that time, a beautiful instrument.
@@nocheckmarkgames I got the same gold hardware,24 frets and the Floyd we are lucky it has been discontinued.🤘🏼😊
cool , can we see how ?
I have owned a Gibson Les Paul deluxe and an original 63 Firebird. They were affordable then. 45 years later I can't imagine spending the money they want now. I have 2 Harley Benton guitars and love them both.
People will pay for a name instead of a bargain. I picked up a $5600 Custom Shop LP last year. I could see the glue joint at the set neck. Completely unacceptable and proof the good luthiers no longer work for name brands.
That would be unacceptable at $1,500 let alone $5,600. And a custom job, no less. Shameful.
Gibson continues to charge the price of the logo.
It's a shame and oh so true.
There really aren't many genuine luthiers in the game, occasional small custom shop aside.
These days it's all CNC with some hand labour to do things like lay up the wood for glueing, set inlays and sand down any tooling marks.
Guitars are built on factory production lines, not by skilled craftsmen.
Assembly line wages nowadays. They can make more on their own I suspect.
Gibson & Fender have been living in the past WAY TOO LONG!! Neither has done ANYTHING that impresses me anymore
The only nice thing that Gibson has done to us loving customers is raise raise n raise prices since the beginning or their some where. But help has been on the way ROCKERS!! 😂😂😂
100% right , they've done nothing innovative in years and just rely on their name...
I think Fender & Squire still make some decent guitars at a reasonable price, but Gibsons are just wall-hangers for blues-lawyers now.
@@mikeg6666 there is nothing new or innovative about this guitar it is just a cheap les Paul copy/ripoff made with questionable woods so whats your point.........you people talk about Fender and Gibson being outdated and ''just relying on their names'' but companies like these are just ripping of their designs instead of coming up with their own...........
@Lordbaccus.......so your impressed with a cheap Les Paul knockoff made out of questionable woods?
Great looking guitar.The sound is sharp and crisp, not muddy. I've been watching the videos for several years now, even purchased a reviewed guitar and it was everything he said it was. This guy knows his stuff!!
I just recently got a Lefty Harley Benton Fusion 3. I can't believe how nice and well made it is. I did buy it used from someone. Only seeing pictures on a website. Then , now in person , I'm just really impressed...
My SC II 550 Plus is my main player. I will say, it needed a bit of work. Fret ends were a little jagged, the wiring to/from the toggle switch and output jack was unshielded, it had the dime-size pots. I knew I was going to put some work into it so I didn't mind. I put a pair of 57 Classics in it, replaced the, "vintage" tuners with Grover vintage-style tuners, replaced all the wiring with shielded wire, CTS pots, black pickup rings and leveled the frets. My action at the 12th fret is around 4/64ths on the low E string with no buzzing anywhere. On the upside, the switch was a genuine Switch Craft so I was impressed with that. These are all small things that I didn't mind doing. As it sits now, I'd put it against any LP I've ever seen.
"Rich Corinthian leather . . ." Holy cow, Chrysler Cordoba commercial with Ricardo Montalban! Too funny. I just bought my second HB - the Strat ST-20 (white) this past week. Early days, but Thomann is such a good resource for po' folks like me. It was $168 all told to my door. I love the neck pickup playing on your samples - Maxxx, you are so talented, knowledgeable and you seem like a genuinely good person. Well done!
Thank you!
Remember SNL's I am Ricardo Montalban no I am Ricardo Montalban no I am
Those were the days
I live an hour from Thomann and visit their store every once in a while. But so often I don't buy anything because my own guitars are so good!
My favorite one is a Cort X-250 which I got for 240€, put Tonerider pickups in it, put a veneer on the body and headplate and because it plays and sounds so incredible good I got it "pleked" at Thomann. Now it is unbeatable!
That looks awesome.
Companies like that and Cort that make great guitars at affordable prices are just what is needed.
people just need to get past the headstock snobbery.
Unless you have played one, and compared it to a Gibson or Fender in real time, then you have zero basis to make any judgement on how it stacks up.
US guitar manufactures shot themselves in the foot decades ago by outsourcing. Thirty five years ago I would have called most guitars manufactured in Asia or Mexico junk or at least lacking in QC. In thirty five years these foreign manufactures have had generations of employees produce guitars with every generation passing down it's knowledge to the next. Technology has improved dramatically when it comes to manufacturing through the use of things like C&C machines. This has all led to some really well made guitars. I remember when you would be laughed at by other guitarists if you weren't playing an American made. Now it's different. Some of the guitars I've played that came from Asia or Mexico are stage and studio quality. I really don't like supporting China but owning Chinese products are inevitable. I recently played Epi Les Paul and Jackson dinky and was shocked at the quality of the LP and was impressed with neck on the Jackson. I think think this is why you such a huge divide between American made prices; people are recognizing the quality of these foreign made guitars. I mean I remember when you could by a US made Jackson for under 1000$.
You are 100% correct. Guitars made in Indonesia, Korea, and China have, overall, amazing quality and can stand toe to toe to American made guitars.
I really hate that you're right because when America had better jobs we could afford American prices. But companies moved those jobs to get a better margin, so now we're too broke to afford American products.
@@jeffoefelein2812I have a Korean-made PRS Bernie Marsden SE….i put in 50’s wiring w/CTS pots and Duncan 59’s front and back. And with the smoothness of the overall construction of the guitar, I play it twice as much as my collectible Gibson, Les, Paul, which cost three times the price.
Owning a Gibson or Fender comes down to "look at what I can afford" i.e. Panache!
Decades ago the same was thought about Japanese guitars, now they build guitars as good and even better than those made in the United States.
The time of the legacy guitars (Fender and Gibson) are over. Sure, when they were made by artisans (hand made) the instruments contained the DNA of the builders who put them together in hot factories, sweat dripping from their noses and oils from the hot wings they had off the roach coach all over everything, that's when they had character.
Everything nowadays is made on CNC machines. Even the so-called "budget" guitars. I have a Harley Benton SC500 White (Les Paul Custom) that I would put up against any $5000 Gibson any day. $148 to my door.
All you're paying for now is the name.
Over? The market has room for all of the options and while Gibson may have to stretch outside their comfort zone to stay relevant Fender is doing just fine
Not over by a long shot. Gibson holds 34% of the market followed by Fender at 30%, Ibanez at 12%, Yamaha at 7% and Epiphone at 4%. Companies like Harley Benton fall into the 'other' category which lumps all cheap brands together at around 9% of the market for 2024.
@@Shredder-240 I am with you until that last stat it may be 'accurate' but anyone paying attention understands PRS who would also be in the 'other' has significantly established the brand in ways that Gibson and Fender are very unhappy with. Also good to remember the multiple brands contained within Gibson and Fender so if the reason they are holding some market share is aggressive efforts with cheaper Squier and Epiphone guitars while other smaller brands gobble up more and more of the premium side it isn't nearly as dominant as it seems. Fender is a big time bass company Gibson and PRS not really so if that segment split off it might put Fender closer to Ibanez but for sure the talk of the Coke/Pepsi of guitars being OVER in any way is simply not true
@@I.am_GrootWondered when I’d see a PRS comment. Just got a SE custom 24 new for $579. The attention to details & playability are easily worth double or more. The trem system smokes a strat. Imo it’s the perfect medium between an LP & strat
Great playing and tones as always Max!
Many thanks!!
Hi HB, are you planning to release an original body shape any time soon?
Something I never hear about these HB LP style guitars is how thick the body is. I have 2 ESP LTD ECs, one a EC 256 and the other an EC 1000. Both have a body thinner than a Gibson LP, and both quite a bit lighter than a GLP. Having smaller hands and shorter fingers, these guitars are a heaven send to me, and typically the most played.
My GLPs are rarely ever even taken out of their cases, and will most likely be sold. I would love to know the weight, and body thickness at the boot (body back to fretboard) of the HB LPs, as this has become a critical facter to me.
The EC400 is thicker and heavier.
In my experience the best guitars out there (not just for the money but in general) are Aria Pro II. A lot of people in the US don’t even know they are still in business! Having said that their PE series guitars start at around $499. The fit and finish are pretty amazing and their pickups are made by Gotoh of Japan. Their upper end guitars (which are manufactured in Japan) are considerably more money- those guitars are absolutely out of this world..
So right you are, I have a PE350PG, TA Classic , GH615 and a 1980 LP MIJ. They're great guitars, good value for money, etc . MIJ stuff is upper next level, everything made in Matsumoko, Nagano is worldclass, Fujigen, Bacchus, Moridaira/Morris, AP2 and the list goes on.
@@PulauSwan I would love to try the AP2 custom shop guitars. I have a Japanese made PE-Lux and the new PE-F80. The PE-F80 plays, feels and sounds just as good as its Japanese counterparts. I was so impressed with the guitar when I saw it at the NAMM Show this past year that I ordered one for myself!
I have got 3 Harley Bentons: St-62 Dakota red, SC500 white and 450 GT P90. Love them all. This brand has really shown you can have awesome guitars at a very affordable price. I have Fenders, Tokais and played loads of Gibsons and still love Harley Bentons and played them live and to record. When people complain about the asian crafted origin... nobody complains about iphones being made in china!
I bumped into Harley Benton last fall. To date I own a TE-52VT and a TE-20. They are incredible. I'm glad to hear you get behind HB. No one is talking about the fact that Fender and Gibson no longer cater to a demographic that is not likely to be able to afford a guitar that has a base price of $750.00. keep it up brother. Oh yeah. Every time I hear you play I am just am dumbfounded.
That is an LTD EC-256. Looks really good and sounds good.
I have the custom active in white, i checked my serial number against an LTD, both made at the same plant but half the price.
My thoughts exactly. On a whim bought a 256 (faded cherry burst) for $250 (made in Indonesia) and was surprised at the quality. Different from HB not having the swooping heel carve but a nice Rosewood fretboard. Guitar manufacturers moved from Japan and Korea to Indonesia and now Vietnam, the workers trained in Japan. PRS and others utilize Indonesian factories and supply chains.
Instead of Mahogany, the wood is Agathis . . . same as described on the HB. Thinner body than a LP, but weighs only 7 lbs.
The ltd ec 256 guitar is much better than the harley benton guitar.
@@bertalanduka I had one of the Vietnam made ones, when they still had the name on the inlay at the 12th fret. It was a pretty good quality guitar. I've not played any of the Indonesian made ones.
@@bertalanduka $700 better?
I highly doubt Fender and Gibson are shaking in their boots because guitar players are often fools who will pay through the nose for a guitar by Fender and Gibson because of rock god nostalgia and 100% wrong beliefs about guitar tone.
In a rational world, Fender and Gibson would be shaking in their boots, but human beings are often not very rational.
Gibson and Fender are basing their future on brand loyalty. Unfortunately, that may not last as long as they want. Granted, I love my Les Paul, but I have many Chinese made Hagstroms that can stand up to, or even beat, the quality and sound of any Gibson. I do love Gibson and Fenders, but I also love guitars made in other countries. The big thing for me is if it plays well and sounds great......who the F cares. JS
the young ones aren't
@@frankcarter6427exactly, the biggest audience in the guitar market is young people looking to get into guitar playing, affordable but high quality brands like Harley Benton and firefly really are the future for guitar playing
Gibson and Guitar Center will go the way of Sam Ash if they don't wake up and smell the coffee soon.
If it wasn't for the crazy shipping charge I'd buy me a HB
It’s not a crazy shipping charge though. Try ordering any guitar or anything the size of one from overseas and see what the shipping cost is. They’re prob lower than most companies shipping an axe to USA.
Don't they have a US distributor now?
Check reverb dude...
right, thats what I thought too, but they're so cheap I always buy like 2, just to try and make the shipping even out.
Still well worth the money, I have 4
Man that guitar looks amazing, Harley Benton has never disappointed me, I have 5 and the Max signature series is my go to guitar when I want to really shred hard, hats off to HB.
I bought this exact guitar a few years ago and I still have it because it is awesome. The only change I made was to convert it to nine-gauge strings. Free delivery to the UK
1. Is it capable of getting great sounds? Good tones?
2. Is it wonderfully playable?
3. Are the cosmetics and aesthetics to your liking?
4. Do you like the price?
Answer those and select your guitar. Sound and playability are the most important, regardless of its price.
This is a really good guitar channel. The presenter is fair (and that's more important than being objective). Add in that he has integrity, i.e., he isn't trying to mislead, misrepresent, or deceive. Oh, I almost forgot, add in that he usually covers most bases and he knows on which he opines. Kudos.
Great video. Don't forget that there is Harley Benton shop on reverb. The prices are a bit higher than Thomann, but they offer free shipping.
I have my affordable HB multiscale it is very good. Especially made in Indonesia is great guitar. Meranti is very durable strong wood, expensive and good texture, beautiful natural color. nowadays mostly indonesian's boat and home doors, made of meranti and jati/tectona. good job harley benton
💯% Guitars are meant to be played not hung on a wall or put away in a vault. RnR 🎸forever⚡️!
"Corinthian Leather", love it! R.I.P. Ricardo Montalban!
Ive had over 20 Harley Bentons by now, and loved most of them.
They are so easy to buy here in the U.K.
Just order it from Thomann...and it turns up on my doorstep 4 days later.
Also...
Im absolutely SURE that they are made in the Cort Indonesia and IYV Vietnam factories.
I'm a huge fan of the Harley Benton HBO-600 "Fauxvation" instruments. I have four of them and they all took THREE DAYS to get to me here in fly-over country, U.S.A., so I'm surprised that you've got an extra day of shipping there in the U.K. Mine would have been worth the wait even if they took twice as long to get to me.
about the Factories. -- Did you dig around to figure this out or is it that We get B+. or Very Good Quality for Cheap. Prices? I Want to Buy 2 More LP's from them -This one Max has here and a Nicer Goldtop. The First GT. I got from them. was 120 USD and I want an Upgrade on that -- The 400GT Humbuckers w/ is a Copper / Gold Saten with a Flat black headstock .. just not into it.
Absolutely love my HB TE-62. The neck is a dream. All I had to do was adjust the string height.
I bought a Harley Benton TV series telecaster at guitar Center for $75. My best friend has been playing in bands for a long time just loves this guitar. He took it out in a couple gigs and he said it was so smooth and so clean I think I’m gonna give it to him because he likes it so much and he’s such a good guy Way to go Harley Benton
I got a B-stock P90 model. Black like a LP Custom. Flawless construction , binding etc and it plays and sounds fantastic.
Liked it so much I got the Humbucker model. Both are great guitars.
I only got them out of curiosity as I have a Gibson Les Paul and 3 Epiphone Les Pauls. (I'm daft.)
The Harley Bentons are not 2nd rate copies. I'm as happy playing them as I am with my more expensive guitars.
Hey Guitar Max, I have an idea, play the guitars through a cheap amp with no computer effects just to hear how it sounds for people who can't afford high end equipment. Not at all saying it will sound bad but it will give people a chance to hear these guitars through amps they can afford. Since some may not want to spend a lot on a good guitar it stands to reason that they would most likely not want to spend a lot on amplification as well. I realize people can plug into computers now but some of us older cats still plug into amps. I dig these reviews keep up the great work!
Wow, good idea!
No guitar sounds good through a cheap amp. Nice amp with cheap guitars. Pick up a funder mustang they are like $400 gets you every sound you could need sounds great
Beautiful LP. --- email them and ask for a reduced shipping code for repete USA. Customers . They will say 'No' at first But the Message about a 45%. Shipping Charge on a 200. guitar should get accross. What HB should do is Spread the Cost of USA Shipping to All Customers - So. UK. gets to pay 35. Europe pays 25. then USA might Pay 45.( in stead of 90 ). Spread the pain around to open the USA market more. I got 2 Guitars for $250 Plus $60 Shipping a Year ago or so. $310 Delivered. LP Gold top and a Black Strat w/ Roasted maple neck and a generic hotrail in the bridge. It was a Good deal.
I have a total of 8 electrics from various brands that were manufactured in Indonesia. They have all been great. The quality is second to none. I don't have any HBs yet but, I am sure they are fantastic also. Great review! Awesome playing! And thank you!
Love my HBs and Fireflys 🎸
The guitar player in my band recently had a guitar custom build and he specified meranti wood.
Spent quite a few dollars more than this guitar, but speaking to the wood and its tone?
Outstanding.
I have a couple HBs, thanks to Max and the Pandemic.I play them more than any of my other guitars. I usually pick up the TE 70 to practice on, three years on, it's a solid machine, and sounds as good as any Tele I've ever heard.
@GuitarMax 1st off, I really dig/love your content although I havent heard you talk about the band Loudness in a long time. Lol.
Anyway, I have a question for you. Have you ever done a review of rhe best off brand pickups? Single, p90 type, humbucker, hotrail types etc? I recently bought some Tesla Humbucker neck and bridge pickups and found them to be amazing for the price point. Around $35 - $50 a piece.
Anyway, I was thinking that could be a great informative show.
Keep rocking and showing us these great deals!!
I'll try to work in some more Loudness content for you!! Akira forever!
I have a fender mexican strat and a U.S.A. les paul, recently I picked up from Thomann a H.B. telecaster, a B stock for just 126 Euro, she has Rosewell alnicoV, medium jumbo frets, sound and plays very good and I' extremely happy with that.
A Squier with similar specs is the classic vibe, 450 euro on Thomann website. Great job, Harley Benton, you gave me the guitar I wanted for 126 euro only.
Glad to See Your Show Again, I Set a Reminder,I don't have any Harley-Benton's in My Collection,It Sounds Fat on Your Demo. You have have Excellent Chops Max!
Another great video Max. This one in the video is already Up to $233 plus shipping. Still a great value. I own a HB SC Custom Plus and It is on my "not for sale" list.
Indeed Harley Benton are great guitars! Myself I own several guitars : the Harley Benton SC-25TH Firemist, Harley Benton DC-60 Junior Faded Cherry, Benton TE-70 Black Paisley, Harley Benton DC-Junior TV Yellow, and many more... sometimes I swap pickups, and I use them all for my gigs!
I have 3, The custom SC active £230, SC 450 classic £120 and SC vintage B stock £145. I couldn't be happier, the pickups on the classic are very good, i was going to swap them out before i heard them and decided to keep them, i bought it to upgrade all the hardware, the switch came damaged in transit but i had a spare so replaced it, low E tuning key slipped a little so replaced the set with wilkinsons at £20. they are far better than i thought, everything was under guarantee on the classic but the Guitar felt so good in my hands i was loathe to send it back. Under £500 for 3 guitars that i practice and gig with, is incredible. BTW if you check the HB SC custom serial against an LTD you can see they come from the same factory and many parts and materials are identical and the HB is less than a quarter of the price, and it comes with Grovers as standard.
Man I so enjoyed listening to you’re playing , what a beautiful guitar
I just bought a Harley Benton CST-24 with the stop tail piece guitar on Reverb for days ago I should be getting it in by Monday or Tuesday.
I have a Harley Benton Flame Koa exotic acoustic and it is absolutely beautiful.
We are a status country, we feel good about ourselves to play A Gibson and a Fender . Harley Benton have their budget players and buyers . Gibson and fender have their status , and sometimes increased resale value. They are an investment.
dude, using the play authentic guy for the thumbnail is such a savage move, I dig it
I build guitars, not professionally but I’ve made them for others and they’ve been used on stage and in studios. When people ask me to build them something, if it’s a Gibson or fender type thing, I tell them to buy a HB because I can’t build anything better, they are that good. If someone wants something a bit weird or unusual then I’m up for that.
Have 2 HB's and love them! The only reason to have a Gibson or Fender is if it's a dream guitar and you get a great price on a MINT used one and someone offered to pay half of the price as a gift.There are Epiphanies and Japanese made Fenders that are much cheaper and as good as U.S. made to average ears.
I got the sc custom plus with the active emg humbuckers.and wow this guitar kills lots of gibsons and esp .👍👍👍👍👍🎸🎸🎸🌹🌹🌹🎸
Does come stock with locking tunes, badassed looks, body neck & headstock binding? PRO BUCKER PICK-UPS? AN EBONY fingerboard w/super400 mother of pearl inlays + gold hardware?
Nope that's just me describing my new Gibson Les Paul Supreme!
@@vincentrandles8105good for you bet you love your expensive wall hanger lol
@@vincentrandles8105Typical LP elitist comment
@@vincentrandles8105 just sad
@@vincentrandles8105 Locking tuners? Yes. Badass look (Flame maple AAA top)? Yes. Body neck & headstock binding? Yes. Ebony and mother pearl? No, pearloid. Gold hardware? Yes. Better set neck and fret access than your Gibson? YES. Better ergonomics? YES.
EMG pickups? YES.
That's just me describing a 400 euro Harley Benton guitar. Or 200 if you chose the one with Roswell's.
Enjoy your supreme waste of money.
I have an SC Custom, and the body and neck are outstanding. It might be kind of thin for LP folks. It feels great.
Good to hear!
The DC Custom also is a great guitar from HB
I have three Harley Bentons. Two of them are flawless: CST-24 (PRS copy) and TE-62 (Tele copy). The third needs a little tweaking: HBO-850 (Ovation Roundback copy). They can be hit or miss, but I think most of them are very good.
Wow, I love the color and binding. I’m guessing some small modification’s it’ll be a beautiful guitar
I bought my SC550 with EMG active pickups and it was recieved in 4 days with a soft case - $425 - not kidding. Other than lowering action a bit. It is an awesome Guitar.
DON'T SELL HARLEY BENTON SHORT - Great stuff.
I have one! It' s a killer, fantastic, machine!😊
Very nice looking guitar and the price is definitely right.
I was going to say , during the low gain section, it was Stratty. I got a SC 550 II. I'm just checking out this video to hear what the Custom 2 sounds like. Plus it's such a great looking guitar.
Why did you not mention the Strat style “Beer Belly cut on the back. That is a great feature on a Les Paul. I have 4 Gibson LPs 2 with the BB cut and I most always reach for one of those or my Strat for that reason. So much more comfortable to play. I’ve been watching a long time and I love your videos. Thx!
Fender aren't 'shaking'c they're INNOVATING. I just got an 'Offset Telecaster' for damn near nothing, and it may be one of the finest guitars I've ever owned.
Sounds nice. Try a tune we all would know instead of just noodling and going straight into the amp without the stomp box. That would give a better idea of whether we would by it.
Don't get confused over Roswell. They use Roswell pups in many of their Harley-Benton-guitars, but the brand is not related to Thomann.
In fact, Thomann doesn't sell Roswell pups separately, but Thomann's biggest competitor, Music Store Professional does. Thomann only has more expensive pups to buy separately.
On my SC-Custom II, I didn't like the sound of the Roswell pups at all, so I replaced them with a nice set of Tonerider Generator. Now the guitar is killer, too good for a guy who can't play the guitar like me.
I love a nice satin finish like this. Feels like a high end piece of furniture or something. Very class.
Totally!
They need to do their prs copy in the black/grey finish with the wrap tail
If you live as a European(Dutchie) in Guadeloupe you pay standard 60€ at Thomann, but it takes a very long time by the postal service, what I do is to let it ship to Paris(Colis Expat) and you can choose the shipment, I did choose DHL Express that cost some 100 € but its shipped fast. and the comes the CUSTOMS !!!
Harley Benton make good guitars. I bought a HB big tone jazz guitar. It was beautifully made my only problem was that I didn’t realise how heavy the guitar was. So I swapped it for a decent acoustic guitar. But bang for buck wise you won’t do better, whatever style of guitar you’re looking for. Many thanks for the video . Great review 🇬🇧🇬🇧👍
IT sounds like a wonderful guitar - and it looks even better ... I have bought 4 HB guitars 3 teletype and a gorgeous Acoustic parlor - walnut back and sides - that I love and a very good Spruce deck .... The only complaint I have - more or less for all 4 - are the tuners ... When the time comes (and money) I will definitely switch tuners to something better .... But that's no big deal ... I had my first guitar in 1964 and played ever since
I bought my last Harley Benton a few months ago, I got a B-stock fusion HH strat with stainless steel frets and locking tuners, and I couldn't even tell you what would have classified it as B-stock, but it was about 220$ here shipped to hungary for free, and now I'm about to sell my 1000$ Solar, cause my benton just plays better. I love how my Solar looks but it had a lot of QC issues, and my biggest problem is that the strings fly off the edge of the fretboard with very little movement, which is a problem because I use extremely thin strings.
Great to see you're showing so much love to benton, but I've gotta say, I hate poop brown fretboards with a burning passion, sometimes it can work but most of the time it just sticks out like a sore thumb, and makes me not want to buy the guitar, and for the people looking into bentons I really can recommend the one with stainless steel frets over the others, the frets still may be a bit scratchy on arrival but they wear in much quicker though.
Gotta say. That guitar looks and sounds pretty tasty!
Very nice carvecut.
Sounds well for a $ 200 guitar.
Thanks for uploading.
.
Greetz from 🇳🇱
I bought a buncha value guitars because of the channel. Havent tried a HB but love the EART i own
I love Harley Benton. I have quite a few, including a SC Custom II in ocean blue. The color on screen is different than in person, but no big deal. It's a beautiful guitar. No problems out of the box. I did put some Dimarzios in it. HB's higher level line of guitars are super nice. Yes, I've had a Gibson Les Paul, and would never buy another - especially with as nice as the higher line SCs are.
I bought a Harley Benton solid wood parlor guitar last year. I wasn't impressed, at first. But, giving it some time and trying different strings on it a few times, it's a great guitar.
I've left comments about Harley Benton on a number of channels, and always include: if you're comfortable modifying guitars, or even learning to modify guitars - this is the perfect brand. My first 2 HBs were B-Stocks, and the ONLY thing wrong with either was the intonation.
I have now played several of the HB models, and neither Fender or Gibson has anything to worry about. Squire maybe, but that's where the comparison ends. Even Epiphone's cheapest models out-perform the HB line.
I got my first Harley Benton 25th anniversary SC25 Gold top. I like it, but I cannot get the buzz out of the lower frets. I have adjusted every which way, polished the frets and checked fret height. It has been frustrating. I suspect it will have to go to a luthier for it. The construction is first rate and I love the mat finish.
I got lucky with HB. I bought a 2x12 Horizontal cab-this was when shipping was 35.00. I think it cost 260.00 all in. I think shipping is 70.00 now???-It would be great if we could have a USA outlet. Maybe some day.
i just got my son a fusion 3 cus they never have your guitar in sock lol. when we opened it it was perfect. great action, intonations were on, i would buy thier guitars any day !!
l've several,like Brian May,Mosrite,Ricken.12strings,Strat,LP,SG
PB53bass;they all look,feel,and sound great.There's no more need to spend thousands of £to get good instruments.
Today in Europe this guitar cost 259 €. That are like 281 dollars.
But we don't pay any shipping.
I had yet a similar one ( a SC 450 vintage model Lemon Drop - a greeny-moore replica- with 2 roswell pickup ). I buy in 2018 and with some normal and minor adjustemnt play better year after year ❤🎸. So I don't need another.
looks a lot like my washburn parrallax 10 single cut. Love that guitar.
Looks and sounds Fine. I may have to try one myself.
Got a HB Les paul junior with the roswell pu. Plus coil split £160.00!!!! Outstanding. great Vid, cheers.
Great guitar playing, amp & pedal demo, but unless some of the demo isn’t as clean as possible we have no idea what the guitar sounds like.
I was hoping that Reverci would make this more affordable. But the shipping cost are steep IMO. Bur that guitar has a ton of best buy ratings. Cheers 🍻 🥃🥃 🎸 🎵🎶🎶🎶
That is gorgeous and sounds great! Thanks for the video.
I put Seymour Duncan's in mine, polished frets, fret ends, locking tuners and is fantastic!
Love it! Nice guitar and great chops as always 👏
Another major company that likely hates HB is PRS... :;) A fortnight ago I purchased a CST 24, and it turned out to be my favourite (I have 5 other guitars). It's also made of meranti, with stainless steel fret wire and a pair of Roswell HAF humbuckers. Sounds great and plays like a dream...
I'd love to get my hands on one like that to try out. Love your videos man. Keep kicking ass 🤘
I ordered that guitar a few days ago really looking forward to when it arrives, thanks for the great review 👌
Right. So, as a revered guitar repair service I have to give my two cents here. The problem with HB is that they can keep the price low due to the asian market being pushed to the rest of the world. Low wages there. Conditions are okay, but not suitable for 30+ years of healthy working (think risperators, eye protection etc. Dust is not healthy). The guitars I recieve on my bench are a lot of HB's! And I mean A LOT. This means that there are many out there, not that they are particularly good. Sometimes you find a good HB, but most of them lack finesse. I do think the paint job is good estheticly, but anyone spraying almost 2mm of thick coat can make a finish look absolutely wild. Take a PRS(US) for example with a finish less than a hair thickness, now that's craftsmanship.
Indonesian, Chinese and Taiwanese made guitars are a lottery. Sometimes they are good out of the box. Never excellent. Most are really bad. Almost all of them have sharp fret ends. This really is season-bound due to the wood shrinking in dry seasons. The pickups sound not okay. Clean is just not up to spec with the standard like cheaper models from SD of DM. Once you put distortion and all kinds of effects on it who cares what pickups or guitar it is because you're modulating the hell out of it. Losing the actual character of the guitar. This goes for all guitars btw.
If you don't have a lot of money to spend on a guitar, support sustainability and buy second hand. Second hand guitars are mostly way better maintained. And don't order via the internet, go to a local guitar shop. I think all of them sell second hand guitars. Try Epiphones, Yamaha Pacifica's, LTD's, squier classic vibes, etc. Within these brands there must be a model that suits your preference. Pick it up, play it. Does it inspire, motivate and feel well? That's a good guitar for YOU. Not specifically everyone. Does it feel cumbersome or uninspiring? Leave it for someone else. Buying a guitar online is bad practise, unless you are an investor/collector.
I got my Harley Benton during covid lock down and love it
I picked one of these up about 2 years ago when I first saw it, my first HB and I am not disappointed. This is easily one of my most comfortable guitars to play and really my only two complaints would have been the satin finish kinda dulled the flame maple veneer and the roasted Jatoba board was a little light and reflective. After playing it a while the Jatoba fingerboard has darkened nicely and since I don't have quite the picking technique Max does I wore a shiny spot in the finish. I just hand polished the top with Virtuoso polish and the flame top veneer really pops now with a nice vintage semi gloss look. I keep trying to convince myself to sell it but honestly it just plays too good to get rid of it. Now I just need to find one of the Max SIgnature models!
Schecter and Harley Benton are the go to right now.
I can’t believe how great my Harley Benton’s are . Little heavy telecaster but good quality
I have 3 Fenders, a Squier , a Gibson, a Rickenbacker. I'm perfectly happy with them all. I own one Harley Benton and it's rubbish. It's not even a "guitar company" , it's just a brand name used by Thomann.
If I could pay cash for a guitar, I would get one... It looks amazing.
Hey Max. I have a 1977 ARIA PRO 2 prototype Les Paul style guitar. It's a similar shape but only has a volume & tone knob with the selector switch between them. I love the layout of this guitar. I've played a few Gibson Les Pauls but never liked the volume / tone setup or the switch up the top. I guess it's what you're used to. Mine was customised before I got it. It has some nice T Top pickups. I added a tailpiece later. The original one piece bridge was pulling out & losing tune. I'm thinking of putting a Floyd Rose FRX on it. I can always take it off later. This guitar has the most Insane Sustain I've ever heard in any guitar. I'll try to find a way to send you some pics. It's very rough looking & has had a hard life. Both before Me & since I've had it. I like You're guitar. It reminds Me of mine to a point. I love You're channel Max. Cheers from down under Brother.
I highly doubt that Gibson or fender are worried about Harley benton because they have no resale value , I just bought a Gibson explorer yesterday for 2200 dollars and it will keep its value
I keep hearing more and more good things about HB. I think i'll give these guys a look for getting my first 7 string guitar.