Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 12 Oct 18 - 09:55 AM

Al - if your Sheraton was made in Korea - chances are it's better quality control than USA Gibson...

If it's Indonesian, or Chinese - it might be as good as, if not better than USA Gibson...

Obviously Gibson Custom Shop is an entirely higher level of craftmanship;
but bog standard Gibsons are mass produced in a USA factory
employing very similar automated machining procedures as the Far East...

There's a bit more to it than that - 'premium' woods and 'pro' electonic components
as opposed to good enough wood and components,
but in the real world
it's what a guitar feels, plays and sounds like that matters to me/us...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 12 Oct 18 - 08:06 AM

Its an odd thing. Clever people probably always go for the cheaper al ternative. I remember years ago, I bought this Ford Escort just after they'd redesigned it, and it turned out to be a load of crap.

The week before I'd been offered a Vauxhall Chevette that was being phased out. I came acoss this Vauxhall dealer with a showroom full of them covered in dust that he couldn't shift. Both cars were probably iffy. But if I'd got the Vauxhall I would have saved a couple of grand.

Having said that the Sheraton seems fine, at the moment. Did an open mic with it last night, and tore up the place.

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 12 Oct 18 - 07:32 AM

Matt - that's the view I take with music gear threads...

Provide sufficient info & prices for anyone who might be interested...

Including lurkers who don't post to the threads...

I've already treated myself to my soon to be 60th birthday guitar..
Trouble is the 2018 Gibsons are being discounted for clear-out this time of year,
and my credit card is already buggered...

If I'm still playing for my 65th I want a Gretsch and a Tele..

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 12 Oct 18 - 06:23 AM

ah, missed that you'd already splurged on an Epiphone. Still, maybe the info above will be of interest to someone...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 12 Oct 18 - 06:21 AM

There is a forum dedicated to Harley Benton guitars, where a lot of the posters get absurdly geeky about the pickups, headstocks and all the details. Post your question there and I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice and opinions:
http://theharleybentonclub.proboards.com

I've had my eye on the Harley Benton 12-fret-to-body, 45mm nut width mahogany-top parlour guitar for a while - keep meaning to give it a go. It's only about £150. They do quite a few acoustics with wide nut-widths, which is a big plus for me.

The nice thing about Thomann is they do a no-quibbles 30-day money-back guarantee.
So if you don't like the guitar you buy, you can return it. Sadly you do have to pay return postage, which to Germany is presumably something like £20–£30 if you include insurance. Still, it's a lot less risk than buying any other guitar blind.

Thomann's own-brand cheap mics are very good value. I bought the T.bone EM800 and it is a very good instrument microphone for the money (£30). Good on acoustic guitars and stringed instruments in general. I also have the t.bone SC400 which is an acceptable vocal condenser mic (£40).

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 11 Oct 18 - 06:33 AM

My usual 'go to' generic case is spider.

However the customer reviews of their 335 case said the Epiphone Sheraton didn't fit. So reluctantly I sent for the Epiphone, which seems alright, but as you say, twice the price of the Thomann. the sheraton is about half an inch longer than most 335's.

Pushing 60! I'm 70 in January.BB King was in his 80's. If you got the bug...enjoy it. The important thing is not to lose the love of it. So many of my friends have.

I think a lot of the shit and nastiness you encounter are just people who are jealous of what you've got in your life. They dress it up with saying they have different opinions of what is folk, country, bluegrass or whatever. And they hate the fact that you entertain.

I love a bass guitar accompaniment - don't give up!

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 10 Oct 18 - 10:26 PM

.. and my shopping around a couple of years ago
established that one Chinese factory makes OEM cases for lots of different brands...

Possibly including Stagg & Harley Benton,
undercutting the price of basically the same case rebranded for big name guitar companies...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 10 Oct 18 - 10:16 PM

btw.. I prefer the idea of Epiphone's own 'unique' designs over their budget price Gibson copies...

Sheraton, Casino, Riviera... they have their own place in rock history...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 10 Oct 18 - 10:12 PM

It's always worth waiting and shopping around for sales and discounts...

If you are looking for a new fitted hard case,
you need to know that although the pricey Epiphone branded cases are very nice,
the locks and hinges are notorioiusly flimsy and unreliable...

I've had two in recent years - one was delivered brand new with a hinge hanging off,
and the other had a hinge fall off completely after a few months...

Rather than send them back for replacement,
I decided it was less aggro to negotiate a substantial refund
and just use them as sturdy dust covers at home.

There are cheaper and better quality cases available if you read around the forums...

I seem to have retired from gigging, our band has been dormant for so long now we are knocking on 60...

But If I did venture out,
I wouldn't trust using any traditional hard case without binding around it tight and securely
with military grade webbing straps...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Oct 18 - 06:39 PM

In the event I went with Epiphone. I got an Epiphone Sheraton. There was aspecial offer day on Ebay with 10% off everything - so I pushed the boat out.

I haven't done a gig with it yet.

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 06:34 PM

no ones that special

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 05:51 PM

I'm no one special...

last thing I bought from Thomann was a Hofner violin bass - the cheap chinese one,

[but the early 60s version - the cavern bass..]


at the lowest price I coold find anywhere else..


sod the beatles, im gonna use it for dub reggae bass lines...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 04:20 PM

Last thing I got was beat buddy drum machine - lots of fun!!


https://soundcloud.com/denise_whittle/midnight-hip-hop-special

and


https://soundcloud.com/denise_whittle/black-is-the-hip-hop

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 04:12 PM

Who are you in real life?

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 09:20 AM

Al - if you do decide to take a chance on one...

On my 2 most recent Thomman purchases I discovered it works out cheaper
to pay from the option linking to your amazon acount
instead of paypal...

Paypal tried it on sneaking a hefty hidden currency conversion fee [or something like that]

Luckily I found out in time.

Amazon only charged exactly the price on Thomann website...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 09:11 AM

Thankyou Punkfolkrocker!!

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 07:22 AM

reviews

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=harley+benton+335




This review is probably a good starting point...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6T5bOHL0ac

He's German [English Language] and has some links to Thomann,
and he's a bit of a knobhead,
but he has some independent integrity as a reviewer...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 07:04 AM

Also the Chinese entry level Gretch semi acoustics have a good reputation...

Subject: RE: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 07:02 AM

I don't own any, but I've watched enough enthusiastic youtube reviews over the last few years...

They are Thomanns own brand guitars.

Current 2017/2018 range Harley Bentons have a reputation for being as good as far more expensive guitars
because Thomann insist they cut out all the middle men and exercise rigid quality control..

Also Thomann have excellent customer care and replacement policies...

20 years ago I bought Tanglewood 335 copies because they were cheaper and 'better' than epiphones..

But Epis can be found lower priced in sales occasionally..

UK JHS Vintage Brand guitars are also fairly reliable affordable copies...
I own a few 2nd hand and B stock off ebay.
So mine are basically good guitars, but a bit hit and miss in terms of finer quality control.


Now I think I would have a go on Harley Bentons..
Their Telecasters and Les Pauls are supposed to be quite good...

Subject: Anyone know Harley Benton Guitars?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 06:43 AM

Has anyone any experience of Harley Benson guitars?

They are marketed by Thomann - a German company, I've bought a lot of stuff from in the past, and its always been excelent quality.

However I'm looking for a 335 type guitar at the moment, and the top end Epiphones like the Sheraton are a bit of a stretch financially.

the spec on the Harley Bensons seems very good, but strangely they are about a third the price of Epiphones????!!!!

Too good to be right....? I'd value anyone with pwrsonal knowledge of the brand.