Harley Benton is, quite simply, doing incredible things. I could not tell the difference in that sound test and would prefer the $850 in my pocket to buy another 4 Harley Bentons.
@@marblemolly2454 uhh sounds good. I bought them time after time. A Tele Copy, A Jazzmaster Copy a Les Paul Copy and a this Strat Copy. It’s stunning how good they look and Sound
I'm sixty, I've been a working live and studio musician for many years, I did always love and play Fender Strats and I still do. Well, now my comment is that, for the money, HB is a stunning winner. I bet that on a blindfold test most of us would have very tender moments trying to guess it right... Is a real Strat better? Yes, of course, but... what about the money's difference? And I'm sure that adding just 80/90 bucks, you can put on a Seymour Duncan SSL5 in bridge position and get rid of that stinging tone, if you don't like it. Best regards. 👋🏼
That has become my opinion too. The Fender is nicer all-around, but the HB is actually close, and it feels great to play. And yes, drop in your favorite Strat pickups and you're good to go! Thanks for watching and for your comment!
@@MarkZabel I found a white one with gold hardware (thats the deluxe version of the 62) with Fender Vintage Noisless for 140 EUR used but like in mint condition. The guy even gave me the orignal rosewell pickups too. What a steal. I did a nice setup with proper neck adjustment and put 0.10s on it. Great axe.
The sound difference is basically just the difference between pickups, where the HB pickups sound hotter and with a bit more bottom end. So it then really just comes down to what you prefer and can afford, and whether the HB is playable enough to be considered. And let's not forget that in a live situation, nobody outside of the guitarist playing would be able to reliably tell the difference in sound.
"And let's not forget that in a live situation, nobody outside of the guitarist playing would be able to reliably tell the difference in sound" SO F***ING TRUE. It's all about playing with what you have and love.
@@arikiatan508 i agree, the only one who can tell the difference is you, and the only valuable difference different instruments have is their feel and build quality. And i can say, the build quality of these harley bentons is phenomenal. I would be as happy to play a gig with one of these as to play it with my 1200€ schecter hellraiser.
Best Harley Benton comparison that I’ve seen so far. To my ears, I swear the HB has more sustain. (And that’s coming from someone that owns a Fender American Standard anniversary!). Excellent job!
From quite a few websites reviews I found that some HBs' are noticeable heavier, maybe this increases sustain due to a denser body wood. Also the 6 screws vintage bridge has some more contact with the body if set the traditional way so there's some noticeable increase in resonance and sustain.
Great comparison, the way it should be done - clear, concise, truthful! Been living in Germany since 2008 and have had many HBs pass through my hands and they have really improved through the years (though they were, never awful) - early ones needed a good weekends work to set up, but the recents a Sunday morning at best (sometimes nothing needed at all). Best part, for the money I have great playing/sounding HBs that I can cart around to jams/friends houses/uncontrolled music nights without worrying about my precious stuff! And still getting a damned good sound/feel for the thing that's in my head....
Thanks Colin! That's a great point about having a decent (perhaps more than decent) guitar to cart to gigs/practice without worry! Thanks for your comment!
I have an American Stratocaster and I admit the Harley Benton sounds great. In the 90' cheap gear used to be very bad, but nowadays you can get very good gear for very cheap.
Yes, and if you think the 90s were bad for inexpensive gear, the 80s were worse ... and if you think the 80s were bad, the 70s were worse. Seriously, the inexpensive guitars and amps are amazing for the $$$ today. (Not all of them of course.)
That’s really true! Nowadays the inexpensive guitars are generally good. I bought an Epiphone les Paul special last year. It was $400, and pretty much specked out like the Gibson, and the most surprising thing is that the quality of the build is almost as good as the “real” thing. Well, it’s good enough for me at least.
@@MarkZabel Totally agree, had a Wilson in 1972 that I think was a bad copy of a Burns, it was terrible! By 1974 after working the whole summer break I was able to buy a used 1967 Gibson SG standard with the long Maestro, a beautiful guitar that I really wish I’d kept as worth a fortune now and what a difference! Today I have in my collection an Epiphone 1961 Les Paul Custom (SG shape) that is fitted with DiMarzio PAF’s, plays and sounds every bit as good! It’s just the “Snobs” that would never admit it!
I bought a '73 strat brand new in 1974, I think I paid a little more than $600.00 with a case, extra strings, and picks, now the most expensive Harley Benton costs about that.
Great comparison. Your fairness and objectivity and great playing skills are very good. You also have a wonderful calm presenting style which is really appealing. The Harley Benton guitars are a terrific combination of quality and value for money. Thanks for posting.
i have heard a lot of persons that have a original fender strat and they bought for testing a HB. they are so impressed from the HB. for the price difference you can buy a lot more things like a bicycle
Fantastic comparison video!! I've been playing Strats for 45 years, and honestly prefer the Harley Benton sound in every clip! Amazing value for money. Not owned or played one yet, but who knows...
Thanks! I like the Strat tone better, but actually prefer playing the HB. And pickups aren't that expensive, so I may do that. Having said that, the HB does sound good IMHO.
Great review, thank you. I live about 40 minutes from Thomann and it's a huge store for all and every musicians needs. I can remember the times, when the founder Hans Thomann was walking through his store and greeting every customer by hand. Since they built the monstrous warehouse and shipping center it's even more impressive and worth a visit. It's a kind of sad the Harley Benton guitar line does only "copies" of guitars these days. Some years ago they did very own HB models and even higher class guitars than today. What i love about Thomann is their "No Question" politics, if you don't like an instrument or gear, just send it back without discussing why. And let's all be thankful we live in a time of affordable and playable instruments. My first guitars in the 70s didn't play 1/2 as good and i thought it has to be that painful. And no, i couldn't afford a Fender they were around 1200 Deutsch Marks wich equaled to 2600$ in the 70s. I think that's 2-3 times the wage my father's monthly income.
Hey Elrondo! I would love to visit Thomann some day. Glad to hear of their storied history. I actually have 2 of their "Fusion" models. They are excellent for about $400 US. Honestly, with upgraded pickups they would be as good as anything. Really well built and beautiful. I think I paid $750 or so for my 335 back in 1981. (I can't remember, because I financed it from my Dad and paid him $50/month for quite a while - also a good lesson!) Today's guitars are fantastic for the money. I also think some of the higher-end ones are worth the money, but I'm not willing to spend it, because my interests vary so much.
@@MarkZabel Well Mark, my house is your house. If you ever come over feel free to stay at my place 🙂 It's a good starting point to lot's of visiting points in Germany.
@@TheElrondo That is very generous my friend! The best part about RU-vid for me is making friends from all over. I'm so glad you're part of the group here!
I´m living in Nürnberg about 40 minutes away also. I sang at one of Thomann´s xmas parties a few years ago together with an American guy named Greg McCoy who ran the studio room for many years. Han´s is a nice guy. He gave Greg a lifetime contract. Love the store. Amazing how it has grown over the years.
I looooooovvvvveeee cheap guitars. Consider what a guitar is. It's a chunk of wood with some electronics stuck on it. That's it. Cheap guitars can be modified very easily. What makes them cheaper is a combination of cheap pickups and lack of refinement. Fret edges can be polished if they are sharp. Pickups can be upgraded MUCH cheaper than buying an expensive guitar with the pickups you want. Tone knobs, switches..... swap em. Action can be adjusted, higher quality strings strung up, etc... when you're done you'll have a highly refined guitar for cheaper than that Gibson hung near the ceiling out of reach at Guitar Center. LOL. Plus, with a cheap guitar you avoid what I call "premium paranoia". We've all had it with our expensive Fenders or Gibsons. A friend invites you over to jam, but you know he has young kids so you either don't bring that prized Gibson, or you are so damn paranoid it'll get bumped, scraped, knocked over that you just don't enjoy your time all that much. Buy a cheap Harley Benton or Squier and you'll slam that neck in a car door and not even think twice about it. I LOVE cheap guitars.
Thank you for comparison! To be honest, difference in sound is so small that it will not exist in mix at all. Slightly better harware ($100-200) and you have the same stuff as "premium" strat. HBs really make other guitar brands look waaaaay overpriced (which they are really).
You're welcome. You'll have the same "stuff", but it will not be the same guitar. Very different neck carve (not necessarily worse, but very different), different level of tolerances/quality on the build and finish. Whether one wants to pay for that quality is another story. The HB is a $150 guitar that's pretty good!
@@MarkZabel If the neck carve is bothersome, it's bolt on. it'll swap out in a matter of minutes and necks are completely affordable. That's what I love about cheap guitars. Plenty of wiggle room for upgrades. Of course, for me, finish has never been a concern. I'll play an absolutely fugly guitar without thinking twice, so long as it sounds pleasant. I play to entertain the ears, not the eyes. But that's just my theory on it.... to each their own, of course. I'm not saying your wrong by any means. Not at all. Just sharing my perspective on cheapies. Respect.
@@facepalmdaily4404 totally agree here any tonal differences can be easily sorted out and HB don't make that guitar in just that colour so if you don't like it there are plenty of other choices , with £350 max outlay you can turn that HB into a fantastic guitar that would be worth playing on any stage and you've still got a pocket full of cash
The devil is in the detail in music. Of course you have massive diminishing returns. I would take the strat any day if i can afford it. Harley Benton? Not so much, but i would recommend it to any beginner, intermediate and even high level player as a practice tool. I probably will get one too to use and abuse.
@@facepalmdaily4404 Even a relatively inexpensive replacement neck isn't exactly cheap and if you buy a guitar that has a "bothersome" neck carve, you got the wrong guitar to begin with. Getting a HB up to the level of something much more expensive is going to cost enough money to seriously call into question why someone didn't just get that more expensive guitar to begin with and be done with it.
I used to be a guitar snob but the imports have gotten sooooo much better in the past 10 years or so my attitude has radically changed. Part of my guitar family includes 3 USA Strats (64, 84, 98) and 2 USA Teles (96, 03). After hearing all the hype about the Harley Bentons my severe GAS disorder forced me to purchase a Harley Benton TE-90QM. I was blown away by what $205.00 (plus $68.00 2 day shipping from Germany) could buy. It looks and sounds great. However, the neck did require a fret level, crown, and polish before it played properly to my standards. Fortunately, this was something I was quite capable of doing myself so it was not a deal breaker for me, and I actually anticipated that this would be necessary. Now I have no issues what so ever with this guitar and I really enjoy playing it. The P-90's sound pretty nice. Another example of good quality imports is the PRS SE guitars. I have an SE and a core and sometimes I find I enjoy playing the SE more than the Core. Core is a P-22 and SE is a Custom 22 Hollowbody. 90%-95% of the quality for 33% of the price. Can't beat that! Also, let's not forget Mexican Fenders.
I’m a big fan of Harley Benton guitars, they’re great value for money! I have 4 now and apart from setting them up to my preferences had nothing much to change. The Roswell pickups are pretty good, the only thing that occasionally needs replacing is string trees and just once the tuners (there was 1/4 turn slop in them!).
I bought the ST-90sa and I'm changing the string trees (one is just not even close) and the output jack was cutting out constantly. But after that, with a little set up, changing the nut is all that it really needed. It's so well built. Definitely built better than a Squier. The neck joint is so precise.
Through the years of playing with low-budget guitars to expensive models I found that it is not the sound of the guitar that is the difference between them more so the playability!!!
@@MarkZabel I really like the SX necks. I am interested in a CAR Strat with maple fingerboard. SX make one but not available in UK. Will check out the HB. I have one of their basses and it is one of my favourites - I have a few basses too.
I would have agreed with you back in the day but today with computer controlled CNC machines the difference between budget and premium guitars is far smaller and can mostly be corrected by a decent “set-up”! I genuinely have Epiphone’s, Harley Benton’s and Artist Guitars that play every bit as well as their genuine counterparts! I will admit most of them have been upgraded to some extent but even if those costs are taken into account they are still many times cheaper than the originals!
@@ces69 a decent custom shop / hand carved might know more about grain and optimal way to use it. Likely (i hope) reject certain specimens where as factory with CNC without some AI will feed all pieces in. I think this makes much more difference on hollow body. For solid body - how rigid the bridge anchor and bolts on neck is likely the dominate factor. I mean if we take brisket - there is definitely a way to carve the cooked product - if you don't want it to be tough. So all processes need some care when dealing with anisotropic materials. Having said that - I have no problem taking the risk. I watch Tim Sway build guitars out of reclaimed wood - sure he selects the pieces but they all seem to sound just great.
Good video, result for me ? I could not hear sufficient difference in the sould to justify 6 times the price. Maybe in construction, components etc maybe the Fender will outlast the HB after many years, but for pure value for money the HB wins hands down as a functional , very playable and great sounding tool. I'm over in Europe and have experience of HB, bought 3 so far from Thomann and used as guitars to upgrade and mod. perfectly playable tools.
The Benton lacked the overtone in the midrange that gives a more modern pickup its "thickness". The HB is scooped even for a scooped design. Nice chimes and quack, but it does break down at higher gain. But if this is just a pickup issue, there are plenty of options out there. Truth be told, if you were just doing some clean stuff, you wouldn't be able to realistically tell between the two on the blind test. The standard is a much better balanced guitar. But if the playability speaks to you... Well... It IS only a buck fifty.
@John Sparks I totally agree with you. The strat does sound more stratty imho but I think the HB would be a bit more versatile for different genres. But pickups are an easy swap, if the thing plays good then 150 bucks all day.. I have the HB les Paul Junior and it's in my top 3 of the guitars that I own (12). Very nice axe that is
The Fender will sound better than HB anytime, UNLESS, you replace the crappy pickups on the HB. This HB is not as good as their more expensive options, like the SC-Custom plus that comes with EMG pickups, locking tuners, stainless steel jumbo frets, etc…
Both sound great. Really wanted to justify a Fender USA but it was really hard especially with all the price increases lately. Bentons sound great. Guitars and basses too. Great for trying a new instrument or experimenting/moding.
Amazing how close those guitars are in quality and sound. Leo Fender designed his guitars to be mass produced quite efficiently, so it's no surprise that roughly 70 years later, with modern means of production, they can be produced in this quality for this price. Of course, there are still differences and I would much prefer to have a USA strat over a harley benton
Great observation! Yes, the sound is one thing. Quality ... not so sure they are really that close. Certainly the electronics, tuners, nut, hardware and finish are superior on the Fender. Most of that is simple and inexpensive to upgrade. But I wonder about the durability a bit. You know the neck wood didn't get the same treatment and that might tell over time. But yes, absolutely. The design lends itself to good, inexpensive production.
@@MarkZabel Yes definitely true. In terms of quality I meant that given that the US strat is like 10 times more expensive, the quality of the Harley Benton is relatively good. What you mentioned in terms of parts used is definitely true, but these parts still work fine and will do so for years. I've owned a HB strat for 5 years now and so far I experienced no issues in either the parts or the wood itself. But still, the USA strat is definitely better, as is should be :)
Oh wow! HB neck+middle dirty is THE sound for me! That is the only clip from either guitar that made me go back for a second listen. Great video and comparison! Thank you!
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Damn ! I own more than a handful of guitars now from Jackson,Fender,ESP,LTD and a couple handmade ones..........now I'm ordering a Harley Benton strat just because I honestly think it sounds better than the fender ! The fact that it's a fair bit under $200 is too good a deal to pass up !
I've never played actual Fender Stratocaster but played tons of horrible Chinese and Korean copies of Strats. Enough to absolutely hate all Stratocasters :) At the same time I absolutely in love with Fender Telecasters.
LOL! Play a real one. If you like the Fender neck you might like the Fender Strat. I personally dislike Fender necks - Strats and Teles. But that's my personal taste. Teles are great guitars!
Thats an excellent point! You watch guitarmax? Dude usually specializes in cheap gear like that. He can make one of those sub-100$ glarrys sound like a million bucks...
I'm a classical payer. I have little use for electric but damn, what the heck, I'll play them. For the price, I just may buy a couple of HB's just for heck of it---a 62 and a SC550!
HB... a pleasent surprice. In a blind test I might choose the HB....and I have had a couple of good Fender AM strats. I am thinking of buying the HB strat DIY kit and have it heavy relicted in white and mint pickguard:).
I have a mexican Strat and it's hard to imagine an American one could be better. Bought a Harley Benton hollowbody for 199 euros and that one is great too.Sorry Gibson but my next double cut will be a Harley Benton as well. Price difference 2000 euros between a Gibson and the Harley. easy choice
I bought a Harley Benton just to see if they could really as good as people say on RU-vid reviews. Then I bought another! They are really good, very playable guitars and amazing for the price.
Bought an mini solid top HB acoustic. Excellent travel guitar and easy to break out for practice. Love the neck. I will have to try their strat copy. Great review.
The HB sounds better. Both sound great but the HB sounds better. And I'll take that blue over that dark burst any day. Plus HB sells them in burst too. I honestly don't know why he even harped on the color style since that's just a personal design preference. Example: I don't like the look of that dark burst at all. Never have. So I just wouldn't buy one in that color. Easy as that. A lot of what you get with a Fender, and I like Fender guitars, is the name as far as resale goes.
One of the best comparisons I’ve seen. Thank you sir. To me, the options we have today at the beginner level and the quality that’s out there is outstanding. When I was a kid, guitars like these Harley Benton was non existent. We are very lucky that no matter what your budget is, you can find a very good guitar quite easily.
@@MarkZabel totally agree. I bought a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster a few years ago and I couldn’t believe how high end it felt and played. Just gave it to my nephew a few weeks ago but I may start looking for another one.
The comparison aint really fair. The fender standard is really fenders best guitar. It has the tele twang a bit snd the benton dont. But the benton sounds better than some fenders like the special or the highway 1 usa. I got the highway 1 and sounds like trash . my 92 mexican way better . any way the fender standard american is very hard to beat. You would have to use a les paul standard to do it. But the benton sound is amazing i never seen any thing that cheap be that good. Sounds very nice . under 200 and its a great sounding giging guitar thats amazing. I listened to a few others also. I am going to buy one i think. I think the fair comparison would be the benton and a fender strat special or a highway 1 both american and are to be in a vintage fender design. Benton has vintage fender design more so compare it with like high way 1 .
I was not expecting the HB to be so chimy! I recently got back into playing and bought a Les Paul special tribute, a 1988 Charvel model 3 and a Harley Benton semi hollow. The HB feels so good that 8 times out if ten that's the one i pick up and play
I didn’t really believe the HB hype but I rolled the dice on a Fusion-T because the features and my past experience at a custom shop. It did blow me away because it is sold for what it is. Needed some work like a setup and the neck needed some back tilt but shims and a some time made it a damn good show guitar.
I had a Fusion-T. Loved it. Rock-solid and didn't need anything special done to it other than adjusting the neck relief. Great fretwork on that thing. Sold it to a friend who really wanted it. Easily better than some of my $1,000 guitars. I never really felt bonded to it, but it was a great guitar. I've played a few others that were good, but not *that* good.
@@MarkZabel yeah it shoots way above its price tag. I can easily compare it to my custom shop (which I really shouldn’t be able to say). The finish on mine came flawless but the action was atrocious. Nothing a setup couldn’t fix though.
I think most non enthusiasts would be hard pressed to tell the difference. Of course the Fender name adds mucho prestige, but for a tenth of the cost, the Harley definitely delivers.
Right on! I actually prefer playing the HB, but I never liked Fender necks. But if I wanted to sell either, it's pretty clear what I could sell more easily! Thanks for watching!
This Guitars are amazing for the money...and a good Base for modding. For example : I installed a 1980s Rockinger Tru Tune Tremolo, I love that stuff, with locking nut on my ST-62...so i have 80s vibes and 60s Vintage Strat vibes in one guitar..plays absolutely great. ✌️🎸
Very fair and balanced review on decent but affordable equipment, and lots of clean samples. Nicely done, subscribed! BTW I listened without watching the video and I couldn't tell which was which. I'd have been over the moon with either if I'd had them when I started out, as others have noted.
Thanks for the sub! Yes, I shudder to think of what I played when I was 16. No wonder my fingers bled! Just the playability of cheap guitars these days has seen vast improvement!
On clean tones, I take the HB. With that price difference....I take the HB. Amazing how they can produce that quality and tone for that money. Sad these good affordable guitars didn't exist in the 80s and 90s 😢 The Fender US Strat most affordable models cost a bit more than 2000 dollars (Sweden, 2024). Thanks for the video 😊
Superb and enjoyable comparison, i enjoyed the sound check and must say that there is going to be a difference in sound and feel but for me the price difference and tone would turn me towards the HB. I have 4 ST's, a Jimi Vaughn MIM, a fender and 2 from the 80's, a Franconia and a Squire HSS, all feel, weigh and sound different and there is certainly a quality difference but i tend to play the cheaper ones most just because i like them, but there is nothing wrong with any of them so to me price and where they are made is not so much a selling point and does not make that much difference, its how much you personally like them and how much you are prepared to pay and there is a lot of quality guitars out there now.
Actually the American professional series replaced the American standard strats but if you’re going buy actual prices than yeah the performers are close to what they sold the standards for but if you look at the old musician friends magazine where I bought my American standard than you would see that the actual retail price was 1,450 dollars but they sold them for $999.
Hence the $1000 estimate. Yeah, the American Professional replaced the American Standard, but they added a feature or two and jacked the price up. On Reverb one can find American Standards for about $1000 still.
I have a Fender vintage series 62 reissue from 1984 and the ST62. I paid almost $1100 at the time for the Fender. I will say, the pups on my Fender are more clean, BUT...my ST62 is built almost as nice. If I had to do it now, I would go HB all the way. I would never ever spend that kind of money on a guitar ever again.
Of course you can't compare a 1000 dollar to a 150 dollar one. But is de difference between them REALLY wortrh 850 dollar?? I would say not. You could do some modifications to the HB and I bet it is really the great winner in this comparision! I think the Fender is really over priced.
I'm not sure the Fender is over-priced. I think of it more that the HB is low priced for the money. The Fender still has better hardware, electronics, the wood is cured better, better finish, and more. And then there's re-sale value. I'm not much of a Fender fan, but those things matter. Not every company can have the Harley Benton business model (one retailer only, no advertising or product development, very limited production runs).
Perfect guitars for casual players of ppl on a budget. I still think u should buy a gibson/fender/PRS if u can afford it and are passionate about guitars and if u can afford it. I know they are more then 10x the price but you also need to keep the second hand value in mind. Buying a used high end guitar will pretty much guarantee that u get ur money back later on if u decide to sell. Guitars r no different from a wrist watch or cars, some like to just be able to go from point A to point B and some like to do it in style, all clocks tell time but some is fancier ;)
Sounds are very close. Strat has more zing to it. Is most noticeable on the slides. I have the CTS 24 coming in the mail. Really thinking of picking up one of these as well. They’re so cheap you can’t really go wrong.
You can definitely hear the difference. Fender sounds brighter. However, I think it's just a matter of upgrading the pickups on the HB. If I was a working pro musician, I would go with the Fender. As a hobbyist on a budget, HB with a couple of upgrades would more than suffice.
I HB. I have 4 of their guitars and they are my main players. My only complaint was the S-copy. The tremolo was absolutely useless. I adjusted it and did all the things you're supposed to do but to no avail. Even a minor dive-bomb would throw it way out of tune. That being said, all of my SC and DC style HB's are phenomenal. I'm going to glue a block in the back of the S-copy and install a hard-tail bridge. Hopefully then, it will be playable. In the meantime, I'm using a Yamaha Pacifica 012, which is AMAZING! It's a HSS guitar and sounds and plays great. No need to dress the frets or polish anything. Just adjusted the action and intonation and it's good to go.
The trems on the 62 S-style copies are not good. But the Fusion models use a Wilkinson trem and graphite nut with locking tuners. They stay in tune pretty darn well.
Thank U for the reviews. Had the admit that Harley Benton sounds more warmer and crounchy in my ears. Just humble opinion cause I don' t own either Fender or Harley Benton. Cherios from Latvia!
The neck pickup with crunch on the Harley Benton sounds actually better I think. You just have to be happy with your guitar, no matter what brand it is.
I agree with the first observation. While the 2nd sentiment is great if you have a good guitar (brand doesn't matter, which I think is what you're getting at) ... there's no reason to be happy with a poor guitar nowadays, because there are so many great options for very little money. If you have a horrible guitar (both in this video are good IMHO), by all means find something else to love! So many choices today!
Hey Mark, I have a 80s Schecter Stratocaster as electric guitar and for acoustic a Lakewood Dreadnought. Both high end guitars you can say. Last year I needed an acoustic guitar for a gig, because the Lakewood was broken. 😰 I'm here in Germany, so I was able to order a 200€ Harley Benton Dreadnought from Thomann just for this gig, and wanted to send it back afterwards. But I never did! 😅 I was shocked how good this instrument sounds, at a price... More than 10 times less than my Lakewood. So I totally agree with you, and now I ordered a Harley Benton Stratocaster.I want to use the Harleys as life guitars, so that my expensive guitars can stay home. But the problem is: most accidents occur at home! 😂😂😂 Many greetings, Rob 🙋
@@robertoeser Hi! Greetings from NY USA! That's a great story. I feel the same way. I ordered this Harley Benton as a 2nd Strat - but I play it all the time. It's great to play and I think it sounds great too. I just did another video (going live in 10 minutes from now!) where I use the HB Strat and it works great! Thanks for your comments!
That's exactly how I heard it too. It's interesting that there's so many different opinions - some even saying they preferred the HB. Interesting. Hey, thanks for your comment!
Well, I’m sold on the Harley Benton. To my ears, neither sounded better than the other, just a little different - and with the huge price difference, that makes HB a winner
Great playing - that Beatles song is one of my favourites, I would love to play that the way you can. The interesting thing is, I think if Harley Benton made a strat model for 500 quid, it would probably be as good as the fender at half price
Thanks! You know, HB does actually make some guitars around $400. I have one that's clearly supposed to be of the "super strat" variety. The Fusion II. Great features and playability. Here's a link for you to check it out. So far Harley Benton are 4 out of 4 for me. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rzDnezQZlxY.html
Bridge pu was the most noticable difference. There was definitely differences on all pickups, but most notably with the bridge. The Roswell bridge pu wasn't hangin with the Fender bpu at all. I feel that, and esp for the price, that the HB did very well against the Fender as far as neck and mid pickups were concerned, but fell flat on its face when it came to straight up bridge pu sound. I get that sound is subjective, but, to my ears, that's how I heard it. Perhaps a pu height adjustment, different strings, or EQ would really make a difference. I like that you kept all settings equal, but would love to hear this again with each set up to it's optimal, to you, sound for each and see how they compare that way also.
Hi Buddy. Thanks for your great comment! I agree with your assessment. I no longer have the Fender, but still regularly play the HB, as I favored the feel of the HB neck. I almost never use the bridge PU, but I find I need to roll off the tone quite a bit on the HB or else it's just too harsh. I'll probably replace the pups some day, but for now I've left it stock.
I thought the HB had a great 4th pickup position tone,Very vibrant. Aside from that no other tones stood out to me except the HB was a bit too thin/bright with the overdriven tone from the middle to the bridge pos. 1,2,3 but to me the HB pos. 4 was the best tone of all positions on both guitars
The Harley Benton wins. The over priced Fender is a good guitar but the price isn't close to the sound difference. No guitar is worth a thousand dollars. Ever. With technology, you can buy guitars for $200 that would have sold for $600 in the 90's. Price does not dictate sound or quality.
Fender sounds nicer to me but come on... for 150€, you can't beat the HB and the good overall quality; if you put great pickups, you get a killer strat for less than 400€. Another brand to check is Vintage, more around 300/400€ but great fender or gibson like guitars with wilkinson hardware, they're really good guitars (another battle match with a strat US standard will be fair...)
Oh yeah, that's right on! Vintage makes great guitars! I almost bought a Vintage Strat 5 or 6 years ago. It was lovely. Godin is another company that makes very high quality guitars. At the end of the day, if you're looking for a guitar that plays great and sounds great it's probably almost always less expensive to start with an inexpensive platform and put the best stuff into it. Not only pickups, but nut, trem, electronics, tuners if you need to. Maybe even have it pleked. Surely for $1,000 you'd have pretty much exactly what you want in terms of sound and playability. But, it would still be worth the $150 at most. If you're buying to play that doesn't matter. But if you're buying to collect it does. I've never bought to collect and never will, but I understand the dynamic.
@@MarkZabel Exactly, i'm buying only for playing too and only searching for playability and performance. Buy a great guitar at 1000€ (i'm french) is maybe the quickest way to have it, but i love built or upgrade guitars... another dynamic.
I agree. Fender sounds better. I have a Harley Benton Tele and the pups are very thin sounding compred to a fender. Also the HB have some quality control issues. Mine has an insane fret buzz on the low E and A strings. And a few dead frets. That can be sorted out with a good setup though, and pickups can be replaced.
Hi Joseph. Glad you enjoyed the review. And yes, more time playing and figuring out the gear you've got (as well as just playing) is usually better for your tone and everything else. I have a 1-pickup Melody Maker I used to take to gigs to prove to myself it can be done. Thanks for watching.
Cheers, Mark another excellent video. I preferred the sound of the Harley, considerably so. Looks fab and a fraction of the cost? I'd roll with a few of these quality super affordable guitars rather than one mid range prestige brand guitar.
Glad you enjoyed it! I generally think the HB is a good sounding guitar. The key is whether you enjoy playing it. The 13.7" radius neck might be an issue for some people. Personally, I think the Fender is good too, and worth the price. But certainly you can get close for far less. The Fender will hold re-sale value better if that's important. Thanks for watching and for your comments!!
I would find the price difference very hard to justify, the sounds are to good to be picky. The only draw to spend so much more money in my honest opinion is if your a headstock snob. PS I’d rather get the HB bashed or nicked when out playing than the fender, which is more likely to be nicked
I thought the Fender sounded better but not 7 times better. With a few mods, the Harley Benton could get extremely close to the Fender at considerably less money.
Agree! My opinion: It would be the same sound or better. Pickups and pickup height. Not much else matters for the sound of a solid body guitar. When you pay more, never pay more than $300 for sound. When you pay more of a difference it should always be for craftsmanship, quality, comfort, bling, and/or resale value. BTW, that's not a knock on Fender and it holds for any solid body guitar.
I like your review style, this was really useful. Interestingly, a lot of the stuff you point out on the HB, you would also find on a MIM Strat: the tuners, 6-point trem, vintage saddles.
My Fender Player Srat MIM has 2 point tremolo and the Fender tuners as here in this video the american Strat has. I looove my Player Strat! Great guitar, comes with a perfect setup out of the box. Once i had a Squier classic vibe 60, but the Fender Player has better materials, particularly the metal parts are obviously better.
Hey Mark, nice video. I have two USA Strats but I've never tried a Harley Benton. I did buy a Harley Benton Single Cut but the neck was so thin I sold it. BTW Pau Ferro is Portuguese for Iron Wood. I guess they named it that because it's a strong type of wood. Pau is pronounced just like POW as if you're punching something POW. Thats the exact pronunciation. Cheers. Mike from Portugal.
Thanks Mike! I have a different HB (SC-550) that's a Les Paul copy. The neck is similar in profile to a 60s Les Paul. Thanks for the pronunciation tip!
That's what I think too. Now, of course, they play differently. And the Fender definitely has better hardware and electronics and fit/finish. But the HB is basically sound and plays well. I would probably spent $200 on pickups (easy to spend less than that) and maybe another $100 on the rest. But still. I don't think the Fender is overpriced, as my time is valuable and the brand name is worth money in resale, but the HB is a deal IMHO.
With how much brighter and crisper the fender sounds - I think the HB would shine a lot in a lower tuning. It definitely has a rock solid lower end tonality.
Thanks for your opinion. Mine both play equally well, though I have the opposite feeling about the sound, especially on the bridge. I *prefer* a flatter radius fretboard, so I play the HB to play. But that will vary player to player.
Well, for me, looks do not matter. It's a sound instrument. Playability and sound are the only important details.The HB sounds every bit as good as the Fender. Slightly different in a good way. I like most fretboard radii and Pao Ferro FB is fine. Vintage split shaft tuners are also what I use in most all my guitars since 1958. I have found many years ago, that price won't buy me much. Replace a part, roll the neck, redo a nut all for pennies. Buy a solid guitar with the basic shape and dimensions for as little as possible and spend 30 minutes massaging it if needed. Next, wear it out!!! Thanks! Nice comparison....
Thanks for your comment John. I think the key is to know what you care about - which you do. Getting an actual Fender matters to some people. They should get a Fender for sure. But for those of us who only want sound and playability, it may not be best. Thanks for watching!
Maybe a concern for some is about how well a cheap guitar like this, though with good quality overall in a first impression, will hold up thru the years against rust and wear of bridge and tuners, electronics and finish. I would go for the higher end HBs' with Wilkinson tremolos, stainless steel frets, or Gotoh hardware as can be found on the Harley Benton or Thomann website. It might be true the low cost could be justified due to a massive production contract with Asian guitar manufacturers in various countries, which by the way also make a huge number for other major brands, and also selling directly from the company without middlemen and retailers.
Hi Lou! I think the long-term quality of a guitar like the HB is a concern, as it is for high-priced instruments as well. Electronics are often very cheap but are at least inexpensive and easy to replace when they go bad. Issues with finish, the neck, and frets are more difficult. No doubt the finish is cheaper, as is the neck wood and fret material. To me, the question is, "does it matter"? The answer will differ. My experience is that though I've re-fretted many guitars, only 2 of them really needed it done because of wear. And guitars with finish damage - pretty rare for me. However, if the initial fretwork is bad OR if the neck warps easily that's an issue. I've heard stories both ways. Again, my experience with necks is that inexpensive guitars can have issues ... expensive guitars can have issues. Initial fretwork is more likely good on an expensive guitar, serious neck problems seem equally likely. (That's my experience.) Maybe I should do an anniversary video!
Oh, that's awesome! I bet that would make for a funny video too. Maybe try to play them all at once like Nigel of Spinal Tap or something. Seriously though, that puts it into perspective.
Especially when you consider that the shipping costs are the same for four guitars, or one guitar. For American shipping, you can buy up to 31kg for one price. I just bought a new bass, and one of these Strats for the same shipping as one guitar.
Except for the bridge pickup IMHO the Benton kicks Fender butt! The Benton bridge pickup is harsh. I do how the glossy neck finish over a rosewood style plays. This was a perfect comparison video Mark👍👍👍
Man, I actually think I prefer the sound of the Harley. Wow. Great video. 🏴 Clean sound HB takes it, slight gain sound the Fender JUST takes it but only in some of the switcher settings.
Then again there was a significant difference in fingerboards. One having a darker sound than the other. Not a true like for like comparison. Maple will always sound brighter than Rosewood.
An excellent point. We do these sound comparisons with a neutral EQ on the amp, and that's fair enough as it provides a reference point. However few ever then think that maybe at least some of these differences can be EQ'd out.
I have both guitars and the American Professional is better made and sounding but the Harley isn't a joke and the difference in price $1,599 to $147. 😨 Thanks for the comparison brother. 🎶🎸🎶👍
Great review. The Fender sound is a little more High Fidelity, I think. But the Benton sounded fine. It took me 30 years to learn how NOT to rest my palm in the saddles...New subscriber.
Hi Mark, I think your review is quite objective with regards to the HB stressing its real qualities. I am playing a Jazzmaster for 169,- Euros being very satisfied. In the beginning of April Thomann will be able to sell the 62 sunburst maple neck strat again. I would be glad if you test it too. By the way your are doing a great job as guitar instructor. What about your German roots and ancestors? You have a typical German name. Greetings from Germany, Gerald
Hi Gerald! Thank you so much. I'll look for that Strat from Thomann. Yes, I have German, English, Irish, Canada, and a number of other ancestors from around the world. I'm pretty typical in that. Try to celebrate as many holidays as possible, because ... more parties, right?? I will say, my uncle used to get me to recite the whole "Mein Hut der hat drei Ecken", but I can remember it now. My Swedish is much better nowadays. But always great to hear from my guitar friends everywhere - Germany for sure! Greetings from NY, USA!
The Fender's bridge pickup is the difference maker here. That said, that HB middle pickup is the real deal. Brighter, and slightly more expressive. And the neck pickups are different but both good.
@@qcumber678 Most people say maple is brighter though and the Fender has the maple fretboard. Also, no rosewood fretboard guitars are used in this video. Personally, I don't think the fretboard material makes a difference in the sound. The feel? Yes.
