Epiphone Les Paul Standard Pro vs Harley Benton SC-450 Plus 

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The Epiphone did sound better, but considering you could buy the Harley Benton SC-450 Plus in 3 different colors shipped for less than the cost of one Epiphone, it's hard to beat their value.

I've had my HB-450 Plus VB for about a month and have absolutely no urge to change anything about it after tweeking the bridge height and pickups. Intonation was very close to perfect right out of the box. The pickups are the best you can get in this price range, but then over half the EPI owners usually "upgrade" their pickups and tuners. I kinda like having a guitar for less than $200 that plays and sounds incredible. I also bought the HB-35 Plus VB, it's yet another great guitar. I will be getting more of these before they go up and I doubt if I'll ever sell them.

Awesome playing as always. Love this channel.

Nice work Rich! Thanks!

Thanks man my bday is coming up and I was thinking which one to get prob going to get the Harley Benton though Thanks!

Damn man, your vibrato and bends are killer.

Great playing, Rich!

Very smooth! im sold on the Benton!

Great review and nice playing. I have my fair share of low budget lp's, grote..badcat. Decent guitars after some upgrades and tweaking, but then your into it for the price of a used epi pro. You hit it on the head, the epiphone feels and plays better.

Its very difficult to choose. I like them both.

I've got both .On the HB changed tuners and did fretwork.The Epi had to put flatwounds on bottom E and A strings due to strange resonances.On both placed Lestrem tremolo system.They now play beautifully.

Great playing! I need to pick up one of these Harley Benton guitars someday. They sound great!

Never bonded with plus top pro,gave it away,love the hb

They both sound awesome

Totally agree. Got an Epi and a Benton guitar though different model shapes.. The Benton is amazing for the price but needed work to get it to play well. the Epi just feels overall better but was just over twice the price of the Benton. Great playing as usual Rich. Thanks

That epiphone rips as well Rich.. The pickups on the Phone are stronger it seemed, Both get it done fo sho..Going over here>

I have a 450 plus cherry burst. I swapped out the machine heads and the cheap hollow plastic nut with a bone one. I've also changed all the ivory coloured plastic for black and now it looks and plays well.

I don't know if it is because of RU-vid's compression or there's really not much of a difference between the two sound wise. BTW, I own an epi standard, the one with no coil tapping.

No doubt, epiphone sounds better... but the HB is a great value... i prefer epiphone👍

I have the same HB 450 and the fret ends are very well dressed, only thing I did was adjust the action a little, put new strings on and this guitar is amazing I could have bought a Gibson or Epiphone but took a chance with the HB I would not trade even up for the Ep. it is a fantastic guitar for the price...............

Man both are killer ...I've get to get a cheap or any LP or Tele. Both needed for their tonal differences. I am strat proffered but...lol.

I got a Harley Benton SC-Custom Vintage Black (Matte black finish with gold hardware) about 3 weeks ago. I'm new to guitar so it has to be taken into account when I say I love it...I did tho do research for a long time on these guitars, I remember among other videos one you did with one of their tele style guitars a few months back. Well I don't regret pulling the trigger on it one bit. Got it as B stock on top and the only isues are some really tiny cracks in the finish along the volute edges.

I think you can get new tuning pegs and better pickups...if you want...and still spend a lot less on the Harley Benton, and have a guitar that sounds every bit as good as any Epiphone.

New to your channel. Nice work! Aren’t all the options great? So someone can’t afford the Gibson and get the Epi... the next guy can’t afford the Epi and vi-oh-la... the HB! Each is what it is of course.......

Wicked playing... I think I was too busy watching the speed of fingers to decide which guitar I'd have.... 😊

The Epiphone has a better Bridge pickup .it rocks.at what point in the video do you show the harley benton bridge pickup? Didn't hear you say.great vid

You are an AWESOME guitar player!

That HB sounds like a Les Paul should sound. Seriously considering one of these since I don’t own a Les Paul style axe.

Is that epiphone color called wine red? What a beautiful guitar. It sounds amazing!

The HB pickups are brighter than the Epiphone's, but sound remarkably good. Seeing as the Epiphone is four times the price, I think the HB with EMG pickups and pots would sound awesome and still be substantially cheaper.

Nice job judging these two guitars I think you got it right on the money

Back in Black bell.. nice 👌🏼

In the end, it might just boil down to the neck/fingerboard = your preference. With the difference in price one could substantially "Trick Out" the HB? But like ALL guitars mass produced; not all are created equal. You don't really have the opportunity to "play a few" with the HB. (sending it back isn't something we guitarists have the patience for?) The 450 HB has a substantial Maple Cap, the Epi...not so much. Indeed for $400, the Epi would be a no brainer. But at those higher prices, what have you got to lose? As a rule; right out of the box, the epi will do the job. You may have some tiny adjustments with the HB. With over 45 years of....I like the have fun tweaking. great comparison vid

Is that the Cherry Red, Wine Red, or Blood Orange Epiphone? What a guitar!

Hello ! How do you think the Harley Benton will sound through a Fender Champion 20? Will there be a much worse tone, or no huge difference at all? Thank you !

HB everyday, just because they've managed a better neck access that many others somehow don't while also retain classic looks

That Epiphone sounds really nice but as a complete novice that's never played a guitar in my life and someone who can't really afford an epiphone I think seeing and hearing both these guitars I'm probably going to be pretty happy with the Harley Benton for my first guitar. Glad I watched this video. Might take me a decade or two to play like this dude though 😂👍

What is that color of the Epi? Wine red or black cherry? Looks awesome!

I own the exact same HB model, I replaced the pickups and all electronics. I put in Probuckers and it made a huge difference in sound, the Roswell pickups were just ok but I think what was holding it back were the cheap electronic pots.

I just got a HB SC junior P90 silver sparkle and it had some minor flaws fretboard was filthy but it felt great! Couple small round dents at the 8 th fret! But I love it , this guitar has better fret work and overall playability than my Ibanez AZ prestige 2204 KB Koa brown LTD Edition that guitar was a pain in the Arss. No fret buzz at all on the HB. I can’t believe it! $280 shipped to the US total! If I was blindfolded I would not know it wasn’t a Gibson! I might sell the $3500 Piece of sheet Ibanez and Buy a bunch of HBs. Epiphones just feel crappy and cheep in your hands. I should say my HB was made in Indonesia! 2020

The Epiphone sounded bassy to me. The Harley Benton sounded great! And for the money, you might have to do a little bit of work but it's a better guitar in my opinion. Now this is just my opinion! I am not saying that the Epiphone isn't a good guitar. I own 2 and they play & sound great! I also own 2 Harley Benton guitars and they're great playing, great sounding too. I didn't need to do ANY setup or additional work to them either! They came playable right out of the box. Sometimes you hit a home run!

Rich, GREAT video and playing, as always! Really glad I found your channel. Tone aside, here's my main issue: I've been playing 40 years, and I've owned and played dozens of guitars, full range of price and quality. Time after time I sense less difference in *sound,* per se, but a lot of difference in *FEEL.* Now that's SO subjective and of course isn't communicated to the listener, but to me it's the most important thing. I often can't even put it into words. When you play the HB, does it *feel* like a professional level instrument? Is the action good?..the way the strings bend?...consistency up and down the neck?...what about the frets? If you closed your eyes and played the HB acoustically, would you think you were holding a quality instrument? Finally, does it stack up reasonably well against a Les Paul Standard in FEEL? Thanks!

Both guitars sound great. Richard's playing and amp made a $150 guitar sound like a $1000 guitar

i'm going for the hb... whether i had watched the video or not. i can only afford it, so there's my reason. i really don't have much against the way it sounds. considering how it sounds, i could draw comparisons to all the gibson original late 50s bursts- described to have a stratty, tele-on-steroids feel. besides, even if i wasn't happy with them, i could always upgrade my pickups. the only difference that i could hear between the two was that-like i said- the hb unsplit still had single coilish tones (for a humbucker) and the epi sounded like it was set to slash tone- an extremely high output humbucker. on the other hand, thomann claims that the hb is loaded with alnico 5s, so i don't really know what magnets that epi is loaded with. anyhow, i go for the harley benton, because it's all i can afford and my current guitar is beaten to crap. so for the price, i'm really happy that the hb offers what it does. peace.

Given that you can get 2 HB for one Epi or 8 HB for 1 Gibson I’d probably go HB upgrade electronics, buy a case and a pedal over the Epi or even get a BlackStar Core10 and a HB etc if I were just starting out (and I own both Epi and Gib). Nice playing by the way.

I gotta go with the Epiphone pro but i’m prejudice,i own one.

have you tried the sc550 2?

well I now know why I don't like Epiphone theHB sounded twice as good to me ! You actually played it better. I have owned many Epi's and never bonded with them. Gibson have a real problem with Thomann their HB guitars are great!

This is just what the doctor ordered. Because...well...speaking of ordering...I ordered that exact guitar, same color, last night. Now, along with all the other more serious issues, I was really hating on that pick guard. I almost got the HB SC Custom PRS clone because it had no pick guard, but cost almost $100 more. When I saw that the Epi had basically the same pick guard, for some reason, I didn't mind the HB as much. Go figure. Bottom line: I've never owned an electric guitar -- only acoustics. And I decided it was time. So at least for me, listening to the comparison, I'm satisfied with the HB, especially since you said the tuners were good enough to keep the guitar in tune. And to replace tuners and have some fret work, on a guitar that costs so little to own, is a relatively easy low-ish cost fix. So for a first electric guitar, considering what $150 used to get you -- total unplayable garbage -- I think I could have done worse. Thanks for the video. A+

epipjone i like it but i hate their guitar headstock! very beuty both! but epi good sound!

HB sounds better to me. Epi looks stunning. Can't judge playability and feel, of course, from here. Epi fretboard looks dry and neglected.

Nice Demo and Review! The HB should also have a 14” Radius compared to the Epi at 12”. I’ve never played. 14” Neck before due to having rather short, skinny Fingers. I’ll have to try one soon as HB makes a T-Style with Filter-Tron type Pickups I like and a 3/4 T-Style Semi Hollow I also like. Nice Job man, please keep up the Good Work! Love your Channel!!!

I ordered SC500, in white color, 170$ shipped, new, not B-stock.

Now imagine if this were a blind test with no input from the RU-vidr as to preferences. Nearly ALL of these commenters who are choosing the Epiphone wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Don't get me wrong, I love my Epiphones (and my Harley Benton). But, Rich didn't point out that you have to do a bit of work to the Epiphones when they show up as well (I know I did!). Even the actual Gibsons need work when you get them. So, this isn't really a fair comparison.

I have the hb te-50, i tot they were indonesia made?

I bought a Lemondrop Benton off eBay , put Sperzel locking tuners , Gotoh bridge , Faber tailpiece , swapped magnets to Alnico 2 , rewired it to 50s wiring with Mojotone Vit Q caps and 500k pots , it is now and absolute beast for around £250 all in .

A bit unfair comparison , The Harley Benton sc Custom 550 ( Maple cap) would have been much better match . I wouldnt wonder if these guitars were made in the same Factory .

It’s tough for me. I have a Gibson/ Epiphone bias that I can’t shake. I have an HB-35 from Harley Benton. Can with a terribly cut nut. I own in the neighborhood of seven epiphone. So I pick the Epi

I have never yet Came across a complaint about Harley Benton, but I’ve came across plenty of complaints about epiphone guitars

The Harley Benton is "warmer" with more harmonics. (Okay okay at least through my speakers). There is only so much more you can push out of anything of the same design. A USA Gibson included. The Epiphone is tighter with strong fundamental, but nothing complex. I find that unlike various Fenders, any Gibson's consistently (jeez I can't believe these words in the same sentence) out do the Epiphone. Based on my preferences here, the Harley Benton seem to slot in between the two tonally for (a lot) less money than an Epiphone. Hard to believe and an incredible feat. I am sure the HB needs some work done to play well. The Epis I tried were all great playing, better than 3 of the 5 Gibson's that I have. The Epis always play very easy for some reason, not that Ive tried too many.

The €pi sounds better however at 1/3 the price the Hb is the clear winner and for $ 253 you can the upgraded Hb 550 deluxe and be laughing all the way to the bank.

Like the Harley B best, but then, I never really liked the Gibson les paul so...

Coiled tapped bridge - ❤️ Epiphone

I own the Harley Benton and think it's great. Maybe I'm lucky but my guitar had good fretwork and the tuners work fine. Not quite sure how you can pick up one for $150. My cost in 2021 was around 3 bills with shipping and duties. The Epiphone probably sounds better, but just slightly. Compared to a Gibson they're both steals.

They sound very similar

Clean?

It feels better, or, knowing it's the Epi, you are inclined to say that?

Is this a good case of you get what you pay for.🤔🤘🏼

where is clean in gluing?

Not enough to fully justify the difference in price, but that Epiphone blew the back doors off the Harley in all positions.

AC/D...no. ZZ To...no. Copyright crap drives me crazy. Nice reviews. Thanks for all you do and an honest opinion. Great playing as always. 🤘

The two are pretty comparable but here's what's not: Epiphone Les Paul Pro costs $600 new. The Harley Benton SC-450 Plus is $160. Even if you like the tone of the Epiphone better, is it really $440 better?

You gotta have 2 of them in your hands to drop the HB. HB IS GREAT !!! BUT EPI QUALITY is another world. Parts are like a tank, last forever. You feel that you will have an instrument forever.

epiphone all the day

why compare a 699 guitar with a 150 bucks one?

For that particular finish alone, I'd go with the Epi then save a little more money and put some Bare Knuckles in it.

I have a Harley Benton SC Custom and I love it, mine has the old font on the headstock the Fender type font, the new font from a distance I could swear looks like Harry Potter!

Can we hear the tone?

Need to do a meaningful comparison playing the same parts edited to A vs B, sequentially with all equal. Epiphone prices outside the parochiality of the USA are just stupid. Harley Benton for me. I could fit a pair of Seymours into my HB and still have change vs the price of that Epiphone. Alternatively throw in a set of Wilkinsons of choice for $50, and I can buy and upgrade three HBs which'll blow the Epiphone all day and night long. Can play with pot and capacitor values as well for next to nothing. Those alnico V LAF Roswells in the HB always sound a bit dark, and muddy to my ear. They're kinda' OK, but not my preferred pickups either. I know because I own and play one. HB should have stuck with Wilkinson by OEM ARM and bumped the price up to cover it. Instead they went with Roswells and still bumped the price up to bump up their margin. Mine's been refitted and currently has Wilkinsons, but a pair of Seymour Duncans are planned for Christmas for my next HB, all for less than the absurd price of a single Epiphone.

The epi sounds better but and it's a big BUT when it comes to budget guitars and first time guitars the HB is amazing value and playability! Throw in some iron gear pickups and cts pots and paper in oil capacitors and it will kick the ass of the epi all day long and still be half the price of the epi... the epi does look better also.. but something people like brands

Epi looks horrible with that anemic fretboard and to be honest, considering the price difference, isn't worth the extra, if your'e looking for a decent LP style guitar then I'd recommend the Vintage brand reissue Lemondrop, beats both these guitars by a country mile and looks stunning and is still cheaper than the Epi....jobs a good un'

Coil spit i think not much of change from the humbucker in tone wise

Epiphone sounds better, but minimally. If you swapped out the Roswell pickups in the HB for £75 ($95) worth of Irongear Blues Engine pickups (www.irongear.co.uk/irongear_pickups_006.htm) the HB would sound better than the Epi, so I know where my cash would go. On the finish - I expect a cheap guitar to need a little work, but the HB guitars I've had needed less work than most Fenders and Gibsons I see - usually they are at least near intonation. It might have been nice to see an SC-550 as a comparison - in terms of appointments, it's a little closer to the Epiphone, and very much nicer to look at.

Even though harley benton guitars are good value, the shape is off. I preferred the epiphone overall. The pickups sound nicer.

Epiphone sounds a lot better!

the Epiphone sounded better.

The benton is good for kids.in garages.

Are you related to Eric Bischoff.

Epiphone probably comes with a case .

Why do all reviewers insist on playing with fuzz tone? I'm interested in how the guitar sounds playing Jazz, Blues and Dance Band music. Your video does not cover these at all.

The Epiphone sounded more like a les paul with the fat humbucker sound

The epiphone Qualität is terabel for this preys. I tastid is last week.

I jave an Epi Les Paul 100 but I have to say that the Harley Benton sounds better to me in this video. The Epiphone is too bassy whereas the HB has more mids and punch to its sound...

Epiphone les paul standard pro has better tone!

Epiphone, of course!

The Epiphone blows the HB away, no comparison. Epi pro is equivalent to a low end Gibson.

The ephiphone is better sounding ☝️🎸🎼👍🙄🤘

Sounds like a guitar to me.(The Harley Benton I mean...) Although the Epiphone head stock allows for less break angle over the nut I think the top of the head stock is hideous looking. I never did like it. It looks like pussy lips to me.

Cartón prensado con plástico y una lamina de símil madera para la vista. Puras apariencia guitarras chinas son todas iguales placebo para los cerebros.