Got a JJ 4 string. Before running off to do expensive improvements I recommend a change to an set of good strings (I put on D’addario nickel wound) and slightly raised both pickups. A world of improvement in minutes and without big bucks. Big improvement in tone and output. You might want to try it. I own a few more Harley Benton basses and the string changes on all had spectacular results.
Gosh my first ever bass, bought from the Flying Pig advert in a guitar magazine back in the early 1990s, was a pink Aria Pro II with the pointed headstock. I wanted it in black but black was out of stock so they sent me the pink one to try even though I hate pink, promising to take it back if I didn't like it. The colour when it was new was actually really nice, but over the years it has oxidized to a horrendous orange/pink colour. When I bought my Jackson bass off eBay 4 or 5 years ago, I realised when I stood them next to each other that shape wise they were identical, so I had essentially bought the exact bass I wanted to buy in the 1990s! It's actually nice to see Aria getting some love from HB. I keep being so tempted by many of their basses. My guitar player recently bought a Les Paul copy from HB and it's stunning!
nothin better than a five string demo where you actually hear the B string. I must say the blue one really melts my heart as far as looks, but I am not super impressed with what I have been seeing in the demos. Would rather spring the 430 euros for the aria, assuming the quality was there
I just got a blue one yesterday. Wicked impressed for 250 bucks in total! Only thing is, the strings suck bad. Ordered a new set right away. Other than that I love it. Really comfortable to play, and looks great too!
Good honest review Jonny. I was looking forward to this one and you didn’t disappoint. My concern with these basses is how sustainable is this pricing? Great value for money undoubtedly but margins must be really thin so how long can a business continue to make single digit percentages? Clearly there have been compromises on the pickups but at this price point it’s hardly surprising. I’m tempted to say if you need to spend money upgrading pickups and tuners then just buy something else. Just my opinion. Great video Jonny, looking forward to the next one.
But then if you upgrade those parts, combined with the features of this bass, you'll potentially have a better bass than the stock alternative! All depends on what you want I think 😊 Cheers!
I think they should have kept it passive with the Roswell pups. For €200 having an active circuit stretched the scope a bit too far. But maybe with a decent set of strings and pick up height adjustment it might improve things a fair bit.
The review we all have been waiting for - finally here! Thanks fot that! Wasn't shure about these HBs and there was not much out there...... Now there is one on my list! Love this 80s kitchen style wood finish - brings back some youth feelings 👶..... Maybe we will also see a fretless version soon.
You're so right! A 5-string bass in general just looks so much better than a 4-string! The neck thickness of a 5-string has the perfect proportions as opposed to the 4-string neck, which looks somewhat too thin and anaemic as compared to the body. Most of my basses are therefore 5-strings 😂!
Decent set of passive pick ups would see it good. Aguillar with a dark glass pre amp and I reckon this bass would be competing with basses 5 to 10 times it's price.
The problem with HB sending him this bass is that they most likely made sure that they got a well built and set up model and not just a random one from the shelf…
We'll never know, but this is pretty on par with my experience with lots of other HB basses. That being said, nature of mass production does mean more potential for lemons to slip through the cracks!
I bought 2 HBs recently and both came in really good shape, intonation and setup pretty much spot on. Sure, bringing it to a luthier for fine tuning is even better
I recon that M/B are aiming these bass's at beginner or intermediate players, with the premise of up grading the pick-ups/strings/tuners! As they improve, they can do with as they need and end up with a very solid £300-350 beast...
Pretty cool bass for the money. Its definitely easier to have affordable instrument these days. One thing about your demo - sound is very much scooped. There isn’t much bass in it. Maybe when you do review demo just use what’s coming out of instrument without any amp / cab sims ? Just a suggestion of course
I need to remember to do always do the DI sound too to be fair! I don't think JUST the DI is too much use to most people though, gotta hear what it would sound like in an amp setup too. Cheers mate! 😊
I have a HB bz7000nt bass and have absolutely no f*cking clue how they made such worthy quality bass for the ludicrously cheap price. Unplugged, the natural tone has a sweetness to it that I haven’t heard in basses 4x it’s price, and plugged in it’s lavish, and the fit and finish quality was a mile beyond my expectations. It was one of their “premium hi-end models” At a whopping 375 USD and the quality is just boggling for that.
Might take away from some of the editing style? (Which is sort of my thing) I try and put clips where I can based on what I'm saying but I guess it doesn't always show off the bass? Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have a think about how to implement!
Same story as with other HB basses. At this budget it seems to be impossible to integrate a adequate preamp that does not suck. Same with the "Enhanced" series. Super awesome basses and build quality, but the preamp sucks. In this price range it is obviously much better to build passive basses. For example, the MB-4 StingRay clones are passive basses and really awesome.
Normally prefer 4 strings and P's over J's and 5 strings but I like the sound (via my PC speakers anyway), especially at the fat string end for a relatively cheap bass. Not sure about the looks but it' probably be a grower.
Whats the weight on these? I've heard Harleys can be extremely heavy. Not a 5 string player but I'm tempted to get one just to have a cheap 5 string in the collection
@@JonnyDibble thanks for the reply Jonny, will peruse the V5 range a bit longer. HB are knocking it outta the park for quality these days... I have a PB-20, Matt black that I put a fender high mass bridge on and mirror pickguard, bit of a baseball bat neck (it's a P) but it less than £100 bass and sounds well decent.
. Hopefully this will send a message to the "big boys" that making quality, affordable instruments ordinary musicians can afford may not make you a billionaire ...but it will make you a legend.
@@JonnyDibble I would build a tax free Museum of Bass. Including all amps, basses & kit throughout history. I may even allow a Rickenbacker to be displayed (in the toilet of course).
@@TenFalconsMusic Rickenbacker in the toilet 🤣 I used to love their guitars, because that's what Paul well used in the Jam, but I've never been into the basses, never really did anything for me.
@@dm4728 I suppose Rick basses aren't horrible if you don't mind: Their extortionate price Massive 60 cycle hum A neck that turns into a pretzel Frets made of warm butter Low output Numerous quality control issues Cheap as chips wiring & plastics The worst bridge in bass history and it's bloody uncomfortable... Disclaimer: Like you, I do like their guitars. They must make those on Tuesday mornings.
Ouch!!! Ok…. Liking ✅ Commenting ✅ Subcr…. ??? (Hmmm???? hang on…i can do this…… Unsubscribe…..) Subscribe ✅ Ok, John! I have pulled my weight. Thank you for noticing the Tom’s, and reminding them to “do their part” You are the bees knees! Cheers
@@JonnyDibble …thank you for not being offended by my attempts at humor. Btw…You are doing it awesomely. Just keep being the best Jonny you can be. Cheers
Harley Benton can produce cheap instruments because they don’t spent money on research and development. The copy and produce in big numbers. If all people would buy HB other companies that do development will die. And then there’s is no more innovation and no more development. Consider this before you buy HB to often.
Biggest savings are from cutting out the middle man too though as they're distributed directly through Thomann! But yeah no hiding from the fact all their instruments are affordable versions of existing designs
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