Eddie Van Halen wrote some of his best music and toured the world and made an ass ton of money on a guitar he built from a $50 body and a $75 neck. Food for thought.
@@PeterLichOfficial keep in mind though, a fender strat was 300 or more 70's dollars edit: that would equate to close to 2000 in today's money. You can get a mitchell from guitar center for 300 in todays money that will stand up to most guitars twice its price or more.
@@ethanbilby9173 I never made any kind of argument to say that cheap guitars are good or bad, I was just pointing out that $50 + $75 is not the same as it was in the 1970s. Also while those guitars hold up from a construction perspective for their money, a decent set of pickups and a OFR will set you back at least $300. So hardware is definitely an issue on those cheap guitars.
Michael P. is awesome and down to earth as always. I love that he pulls up the "well not everyone can afford $3500" point. The PRS is not worth it unless $3000 difference is pocket change for you. Fret edges and nuts can be smoothed out. Pickups can be replaced. You can tell he's a teacher and thinking of new players.
You know I agree to a point, and years ago I would of agreed even more. Maybe it is now that I have been able to afford and own a custom 24 both US and Korean that my agreement shrinks a little. You certianly aren't wrong ,fret edges can be filed, frets can be leveled and polished, pickups can be changed, a good setup can be done. All that is true. I learned to do my own fret work as I had swveral old used guitars that needed it and it costs a lot to have them sent out to somebody. I didn't grow up having the ability to afford nice things, so I've always had the mindset of making do with what you can afford and learning how to improve things to make them better than they originally were. Fast forward to now and I'm almost 40. When I got my PRS SECU24 it was an eye opening experience. It played so well, the frets were level and polished, the action was amazing, ect ect. Now even the Korean SE was not a "cheap guitar", at least not by my standards. It is currently setup to the same specs as my US CU 24. As amazing as it os, and despite being setup as similar as possible... there is still something about the US PRS that is just... well nicer. The feel, the tone, the way my hand interacts with the fretboard... and several other small things add up to a better more enjoyable playing experience. I'm not saying everyone should go buy, or needs a $3500-$6500 guitar. But if you can reasonably and responsibly afford one... I dont think you'll regret it, and if you're a seasoned player you will notice a difference. Is it a 4-8xs better difference... well no. There is a difference though, and I'm glad I spent the money on an used US Custom 24. No refrets.
This had the potential to be pretty awkward but the two reps were honest and respectful and it was a fun conversation. In the end, they are both right: you buy the guitar that feels and sounds the best for you and that fits your circumstances best. I spent half of my playing years on a Gibson SG, and the other half on a Strat (I sold my SG). I now am thinking of getting and S style guitar as a secondary one because I miss that sound but will probably not buy a Gibson again, just a lower end version because that's good enough for the sound I want. I can afford a Gibson or PRS or whatever really but why bother, I just play in my living room.
Dillion and Epiphone make fabulous SG style guitars for not much Money. A Dillion is my #1. Slapped some Duncans in it and it's way more guitar than I need.
Good points but you're missing one. Harleys are really good to mod the heck out of them to the point that there will be no difference. You just have to buy some stuff like pickups, keys (although they're pretty good already) then go to a luthier to make it feel better with frets for example and you are done. For MUCH less than you would spend on an original guitar and also you can make it something that is truly yours. Of course at the end of the day PRS is PRS but you get the point :)
Harley Benton guitars are soooo good and cheap out of the box, that I had zero hesitations to try work with the frets by myself. I bought stainless steel frets and suitable tools from Aliexpress for like 20USD, refretted my SC-1000, leveled frets and it plays even better than before.
I think I'd be much less upset if my $200 guitar were stolen or damaged, and the fret ends can be files, nuts can be shaped. I'd rather have several different mid priced guitars over one $3000 guitar, but that's just me
A good argument I agree but when you own a guitar like that you just can’t live without it , No other guitar will give you that feeling of experience I don’t think it’s easy to put into words why
@@kevinowen9317 I've seen that too. I saw a guy who plays nice Strats in the studio and in videos. He takes a Squire to gigs. Better to have that stolen than a $5000 or more vintage guitar!👍😎🎸🎶
Fret edges and capo stuffs are just as easy to fix as any experienced guitarist can do it by himself. If are THESE the only differences you find, maybe it's time to reconsider the whole guitar market. Harley Benton's are good by their own and the perfect starting point for any customizations. I'd go for them in any way! Spend your money in guitar lessons, be a better guitarist.
My son has an Epiphone Les Paul Custom that has been upgraded with better pots and wiring, pickups and hardware than the current Gibson Les Paul Custom and blows them away and has just about $1000 in it and any musician we know would tell you it's better than a Gibson costing four times as much.
Too many players today get wrapped up in buying a name instead of a guitar. They want to satisfy their ego and brag about owning an expensive guitar. However there are plenty of cheaper guitars out there that are just as good for a lot less
I know some one who can afford expensive amps and expensive guitars...he buys them of giging musicians around town makes him feel like he is part of the music scenery even though he can only strum an open c in a very bad clumsy way...
To be honest, one of my favorite guitars that I own is my Squire Strat that I bought in the 90s for about $180. I added a new hum bucker to it, but other that that it's all stock still, and it's awesome.
@@metalhead4282 Yeah, I might have exaggerated a bit. They definitely can't smoke the PRSs, but they can definitely make the PRSs look bad for the price. They're basically 80-85% the same guitar for like 1/4th the price.
I did a refret job on an old Harley Benton strat, changed the nut and hardware, a full setup. Now it plays and sounds better that a lot of USA Fender that i had in my hands. The guitar cost 80€, now with the new stuff it slike 250€.
I’m a gigging musician brought a Fender, Danelectro and Harley Benton last night, played all three , the Harley Benton HB 35 ended up being in my hand over 70 % of the time .
The prs just has that snap , but the HB isn’t really in the same target market. The HB is a great mod platform for someone learning. Maybe even gigable for most working musicians. At the end of the day it’s all just wood and magnets, and tone and talent really comes from the user talent and the amp. Amp is way more important than guitar in the mix in a band setting.
I select guitars for the wood, neck and playability. After throw out electronics, change the nut, the pickups. Do fretwork, take a decent tremblock and you can have a great guitar for 600 euros and its on par with the expensive brands.
I bought a Harley Benton for $154, paid my Luthier $140 to make a bone nut and make the frets perfect, and then added locking tuners for $100. Now I have a killer guitar for less than $400. Couldn’t be happier!
Benton could play like a $3000 guitar, or PRS like a $200. Sometime at the end of the day you end up learning that the tone is not in the brand of your gear, it is in the practice and in your hands, no more no less.
It's awesome seeing guys just be real instead of trying to figure out how to shoehorn their company's marketing jargon or selling points into a conversation. Damn refreshing.
Excellent presentation TK. “I can’t believe this is 200”, kinda says it all. If you can afford a PRS, you will not be disappointed. However, the HB provides a quality low budget guitar.
I love Harley Benton. I've got one of there 2x12 cabs. I just loaded it with two Celestion v type.. honestly, the best sounding cab I've ever had. It'll keep up with any of the big boy brands, easily!
I've played a prs and a harley benton, yes the feel of the prs is a lot better, but comparing a 200 dollar guitar to a 3k dollar guitar, the little things wrong with the harley benton guitar would only cost a couple hundred bucks to fix and you still have a great guitar and you can upgrade to how you like it and still have 4 guitars to one prs guitar so i think the harley benton is well worth the price. i have around 450 in my harley benton prs style and a lot of people love the feel and sound this guitar produces. So if you guys want a great guitar to fix the way you like it then go harley benton, you can put whatever kind of pickups you want, tuners, nut and etc and have a great guitar under 700 bucks that will sound just like a multi thousand dollar guitar.
I would like to know how the Harley benton CST 24 stands up against the Korean PRS SC custom 24, which is the closest in terms of price. That would be more interesting!
I have Gibsons and Fenders but my go to is a Harley Benton! Admittedly Ive upgraded a few things but it sounds and feels nice to me and its very adaptable
This was a refreshingly honest take, and in line with what I'd expect. There's diminishing returns when the price goes up, but the best is still the best. So it's great for those who can afford it. I've got all my instruments in storage abroad and a Harley Benton Fusion with splittable pickups seems like a good replacement for all round use that could be upgraded in the future.
Thanks TTK. What I got out of this was we as consumers may be loosing sight in the value of hearing our favorite musicians live. You REALLY enjoyed the luve play which i am sure was 100 percent better than what I heard via you tube compression and headphones. Two great questions addressing both ends of the spectrum and well answered by your guest's.
Thats one of the strongest arguments for cheap guitars: you don't have to be afraid to really go into it and learn all that stuff. Just try out to do a fretjob, fine-tune a nut, change pickups, maybe even sand down the neck. It's not rocket science. Make it your own.
I bought a few $50-100 guitars to practice fret work on.... I can now sufficiently level, crown and polish frets... I gotta tell you I am blown away by how effective it is! I have a tiesco style 60’s cheap beginner guitar, and I got the action just as low as my Gibson sg standard. Main thing for playability is 100% the neck!
PRS has always been one of my fav brands. I’ve only owned SE’s, though. I have one now - one of the new PRS Paul’s Guitars SE version. I really like the guitar and it is beautiful. Recently, I purchased a HB SE40 Telecaster-like guitar with humbucker pu’s. I have to say the HB is one outstanding value. It has awesome tone and excellent intonation.
Are you sure it's not a TE40 ??. I am still not sure which to buy the Harley Benton TE40 or the TE52. Hopefully I can decide and order one very soon.😉😊
Without even being partisan, it’s a pretty easy question: it’s all related to the law of diminished return. The more yo will spend, the last drastic the change will appear, it will only be in the very last percents, sometimes it’s more about the overall balance and feel, all that kind of stuff you can only get by having a larger amount attention to details in material selection, production and mostly Quality Assurance. So in the end, you get what you pay for. Is, having said that, we also have to notice that today, low cost production made a HUGE improvement of the years, mainly because of CNC, and we can get great instruments at low price, mainly when they’re built overseas (cheap labor) and sold directly (no middle man margin). In the case of Harley Benton, by the only fact of their production and distribution model, they can cut the price by 60 to 70%. So a 200 bucks Harley Benton would normally cost between 600 to 700 bucks if they would be produce and distributed in store like other brands such Squier/Fender, or Epiphone/Gibson, or even PRS SEs, etc... Having a while distribution network will have an impact on the final price. Now, you might think “yeah but it still different from a 600 bucks guitar and a 3,500 bucks one”. And then as said, it’s all about very tiny little details. For instance, you will virtually never find a Maryland PRS that would be sold and have some kind of imperfection. You might not like the guitar, the tone, the shape, whatever, but the final quality will always be impeccable. Why? Simply because PRS put a lot into the look and it has to be perfect. If a guitar has a slightly small imperfection the wood, paint, whatever), the guitar will be fixed, and if it can’t be fixed, the whole guitar will be destroyed, because Paul doesn’t want an imperfect guitar with his name on it. However, all guitars that got destroyed in the production process is an additional cost a company has to add to the one that will leave the building and get sold. So, the great PRS need a higher price to cover the cost of the loss. And that’s exactly where a company needs to draw the line: how much imperfection are you ready to accept? For instance, when you will buy a 200 to 500 bucks guitar (such the Harley Benton), it could be a hit or miss. You might get one with a slightly paint stain here, a weird wood texture, maybe a tiny little scratch there, or a cracked lacquer, etc... but you will think: “I don’t care, it was cheap and I will use it and will wear it anyway”. Some companies even found a solution for that issue, they just add more scratches and call it relic, and they even sold them at higher cost when it would have been a production loss before (but that’s another story). So when you buy a Harley Benton (or other cheap guitar) you might except to have tiny imperfection. It might bother some payers out there, it might not bother others. That’s why we all have a different opinion on this kind of guitar. But it’s all about details, looks, finishing,and it will rarely be about the overall tone. And that’s why you can get a cheap guitar that will sound just as great as a very expensive one, not only from Harley Benton. And that’s a great thing, because it means beginners, student and player in a tight budget can still get great sounding guitar without spending a fortune. And if they try enough model, they might also avoid the lemon and bad one and will found a real gem that might cost 1/10th of a very expensive guitar from a Private stock or Custom Shop. Because at some price point, a manufacturer can also make sure a guitar will sound good and no lemon will leave the building,p. That’s also why, today, if you spend between $1,500 and $2,500 in a guitar from pretty much any major brand, it will be a safe bet that the guitar won’t be a lemon. It’s true for American Fenders, Gibson Standard, PRS Core, etc... of course, it doesn’t mean you will clic with the guitar, fall in love and like it... And that’s why it’s always better to spend time to try as much guitar as you can to find THE one that will speak to you. Even a great guitar that is perfect for someone might not be great for you. We are all different. And in that regard, price is not a guarantee of anything. Price will only guarantee some quality to avoid some lemons we might find in lower price range where a company can’t afford to reject as much guitars and will put on the market modes with small imperfections. So in the end, we get what we pay for, but it doesn’t mean we can’t get great guitars at low price, nor that the high price guitars aren’t worth their price tag. Both statement could perfectly be true. Try as much guitars as you can, in a price range you can afford, and you will for sure find the one that will fit you entirely. My 2¢
"So a 200 bucks Harley Benton would normally cost between 600 to 700 bucks if they would be produce and distributed in store like other brands ..." This pretty much echoes my thoughts on Harley Benton. Mine comes in at under $200 USD, but if I had to guess the price I would easily guess double that (which still puts it in the "inexpensive/value" range of pricing, but perhaps more on the upper side of that range).
trushack yeah, it’s just a guesstination but once we count the different margins and costs for being built and distributed the way other brands such Squier or Epiphone do, we could easily double up the price tag of the Harley Benton. It’s the benefits of all in-house brands, not just HB.
Phil Smith Right, though I’m just thinking purely in terms of materials and build quality. I will say this with the HB I have. If I did pay 350-450 for it (roughly double what it cost, with and without shipping), I’d probably be put off enough by some of the flaws in it that I might return it and go a different route. But with a sub-$200 USD price tag, I can still have fun with it 😊
trushack I agree... that’s also why I believe HB are not the only “good value/cheap” guitars out there. They’re mainly cheap and that’s why we might not look too much to some of the flaws. But from a pure Quality/price ratio, we can’t ignore that the big brands such Squier, Epiphone, PRS SE, etc... are proposing very great guitars. They might not cost 200 bucks, but you might not find as much flaws too as the HB. As said, we get what we pay for, we can’t expect to get an instrument with a intense labor to get perfect finishing and get it for cheap. There’s many things that could be done by CNC, but the whole finish, quality inspections, etc... are not done by robots and therefore will have a cost impact, even in cheap labor countries. Personally, I still think it’s great that we have so much choices these days, for absolutely everyone, every style, every price point... cheap models are also a good thing for people that want a base to start some mods, maybe practice some repairs, etc... if you screw it, it won’t be a big loss and you would be happy you didn’t try it first on your 4 grand guitar (and ruined it). And lastly, I remember when I was young, when we were seeing someone playing with an Epiphone, we were thinking “oh, he doesn’t have the money to get a real Gibson”. It was this fixation on the brands. I don’t know if it’s just me getting older or if time changed, but it seems like. Nobody cares about brands anymore. With the internet and the explosion of the market with so much more choices in products, brands but also music, bands, etc... we can now discover stuff from everywhere, including some very rare ones that are located thousands miles away from our location. So we discover some local bands, sometimes using some local brands. And of course, since the musician is someone that likes to be unique and loves what is rare, we dig into it and it’s now perfectly accepted to not just play one of the three big guitar brands on one of the two big amp brands... We also saw great products coming from “alternative brands” when nothing was coming from the “main brands”, so it seems like it created a market where we didn’t really care about brands anymore and seeing someone paying an Epiphone is not a synonym anymore of someone that doesn’t have the money to buy a Gibson.... mainly when the product line at Epiphone often looks more attractive than the one from Gibson (but that’s just my personal opinion, one might beg different... and guess what? That would be perfectly fine, just use what you like better). So, in the end, that’s why I think it’s great to see brands like HB, even if I don’t think they are the Revolution of the market, and there’s plenty of other choices to pick from too. It’s great we have choices and product for everyone and it made the music accessible to virtually anyone. And THAT, is a good thing... because music is the only real universal language where the receptor will fully understand the emitter meaning even if they are from two complete different background and don’t share anything else in common. So let’s just enjoy it and have fun because life is too short to not have fun!
I just got my Harley Benton CST-24 deluxe series last week. This video was 3 years ago, so maybe improvements were made. But, I can't find anything wrong with this guitar. The frets are very smooth - that was the first thing I looked for. The neck is a little fatter than my PRS, but it's still nice. I sat for a while when I first took it out of the box and closely inspected it. The nut is perfect. The action was a little low, but I fixed that in 2 minutes. Intonation was WAY off, but I fixed that within a couple minutes. Nothing else against expectation. The Roswell pickups are better than I expect. I even have a set of pickups I intended on putting in this and I'm not sure I'm going to need to do that. Put new strings on and played for a while. Stays in tune. Right now, the price of these guitars makes them worth the chance. I got a B-Stock because it's still fully guaranteed and a bit cheaper. I have a few high end guitars that were b-stock and had zero issues with them, so I know it's usually worth it. I've also bought totally brand new and found defects and had to get the guitars replaced. So, it doesn't really matter. I think word of mouth and a lot of youtube reviews are making this brand very popular. So many of their models are out of stock. I wanted a single cut with p90s, but it's many months backorder for it. I'm still gonna get it when it's available.
Harley-Benton has come a really long way in the past years. I remember back in the early 2000's when they were a still somewhat of a new company, their guitars were really f'n cheap and really f'n awful as well. It was like they came directly from the factory to your mailbox and nothing had been checked or tuned on them at all. I'm from Europe and a jam-buddie of mine back then, owned three of them including a bass. Back then they were in the price range of 70 to 150 Euros. They were basically bs guitars. But they worked and for a garage jamming band at that time with no money... It was a steal. I since have owned Strats and Les Pauls, Epiphones etc... Recently i picked up the Harley Benton CST-24T. Cheap and looked nice, whatever i could use it as a modding guitar project. And with the experience i had with HB's in the past, i thought that: "yeah ok, it looks good but we all know its bs, right". Boy was i wrong. It only cost 250 Euros but it plays and feels like a 800 Euro guitar from back in the day. I was completely shocked. Straight out of the box it was phenomenal. As they guy in the video said... What are you paying 2500 extra for?... Nuts and bolts which can easily be replaced for 50 bucks? So yeah.. I think the day of paying 2000 dollars/Euros for a "good" guitar is over.
Added a new (LP type) guitar to my existing guitars last week... Searched for Dual Humbuckers for all 2022... (No hurry)... and when made final decision, based on 3x Tones... The 3rd fret was snagging finger ? No problem ! Manager / Owner of shop got the file out and fixed in seconds... Of Five guitars ????? Three acoustics/electric and two electrics... only ONE guitar I can say was without ANY blemish on day of purchase and another two had tiny blemishes in the 'paint' / 'varnish'... I still bought them !! Gotta live in the real world. Luv all my guitars. Each has a purpose. Same my three AMPs... Thanks to the "Team" for presentation... Two NICE guitars !! ... Really enjoyed... 🤠...
I had a prs se custom 24 and then bought a harley Benton cst24, and ended up keeping the harley Benton and selling the prs se. They both sounded pretty much identical,and felt awesome to play. The harley Benton had a way nicer looking top compared to the prs se. I have the cst24 to this day and it is the best sounding guitar I have ever owned and played. Now I'm sure an American prs is probably better than a harley Benton though.
That was perfect. Split a box of guitars from harley benton with my brother about a month ago. We were both suprised by the guality they really are a fantastic value. I would love to own a Prs but i don't have an extra 3500 laying around
Honestly as long as the guitar is setup well any guitar would be good enough. Once you take care of all the problems that would make an objectively bad guitar like setup, the frets and the hardware, the rest is all personal preference.
The fret ends and rounded fret boards are actually very simple and easy for the common blue collar player to fix in a hour or two with tools and things around the house. Just saying you can work on your own to make a better player.
What these guys are saying about “the feel” of the guitar “in your hands” is what counts is very real. We all would like to get the expensive guitar, but it might not be the one we enjoy playing the most.
I love the Harley Benton's, you can always take a file to the fret edges to roll them or even replace PU's and tuners... yet still not spend even $1,000. PRS makes beautiful guitars ( too flashy for my personal tastes) and when factoring in the labor in the states the price makes sense. I really like the SE range because generally they aren't as overdone finish wise.
The fretwire prs uses is far superior in terms of resilience/durability (barring stainless) and their fret work and finishing is far superior to Benton's, full stop. I have a well played 1989 CE24 that has not been re-fretted or even re-dressed before of since since I got it and right now the action is below .5mm with no relief. No buzz, no fretting out. That's off the factory fretwork. As with anything, something marketed towards professionals or serious hobbyists is going to have a disproportionate price hike relative to the increase in quality but these instruments are only aesthetically similar. To me, paying for the details of a suhr or TA or PRS, parker etc is like a necessary evil for quality and playability assurance. The guitar is a tool for the expression of musical ideas and to me I want it to facilitate the mind-body connection as efficiently as possible. Harley Benton represents the amazing value for dollar you can get today in a (relatively inexpensive) guitar. They look and sound good and generally play pretty well but they are in a different class to Paul Reed Smith in terms of playability, almost objectively.
NO WAY . There is so much more that goes into it then just "rounded frets, nut and slightly better pickups". Watch paul reed smith talk and you'll see how much passion goes into these works of art. A guitar made on an assembly line cannot compete. There is no attention to detail. When you been playing for 20 years like me you want the best playing instrument money can buy. If your happy playing a 150 dollar guitar thats fine but trust me.. Play an american prs made and you'll understand why.
just remember this. with PRS they find the rarest of rare tone wood, and then they pay attention to all those little details. all those details added up equal a big difference.
Plus wood, fretwire, paintjob, tuners, electronics, shaping the neck, a nice case... But yes, even the PRS guy did not deny that it might not be worth it for many people. Still, it is a little more than what you pointed out.
I have the HB CST-24T, and the PRS Custom 24-08, and there is a a huge difference in the quality and tonal sound. the pickups on the CST are quite hot, but in the mid range it can get a bit muddy. The PRS never has this issue, and the tone is more natural with good clarity. I have the Humbucker model and not the P-90. The wide thin neck is also a much different feel. If you are beginner you probably won't like it much, the CST-24 model has a thin neck profile more like a C shape, I recommend the C for beginners. If you are an experienced player you will prefer the either thicker or wide thin wizard neck. If you are taking a guitar somewhere you don't trust, bring the CST-24 it is still a good guitar to play on. You can always get a plek job done on the CST, clean it up roll the edges. If you are buying for a mod, then the CST will fit the bill. I upgrade the tuners, stings, plek, and put in new pickups, not that there is a major problem with them I just wanted less muddy tone, if you are playing in a Metal band don't change out the pickups they are perfect. I don't play metal so I need a lower tone with clarity. If I was starting out and didn't have any money the CST is the way to go. My first guitar was a 1987 Ibanez RG 550, because I was going to be a rocker, but after learning to play for a couple of years I found out I really liked Blues and Classic Rock so I really only played on a Gibson and Strat. I never played a PRS I couldn't afford it back then. After getting the HB CST-24T, I knew I loved the guitar, and I have the finances so I moved on to the PRS. I still play my HB from time to time and take it with me with concerts but I still love the PRS it is magical. Just my 2Cents worth which isn't much. You will be happy with the CST, but dream big and get the PRS down the road if you are serious.
Get a sand paper sponge, steel wool and you will get the softest, most perfectly rounded fret edges possible in this universe. Did it on literally all my guitar and it makes all the difference. When I walk in a guitar store and pick up the most expensive guitars they don't even feel as good
Great video. I bought a Gretsch Duo Jet a year ago. I could play a gig with an Electromatic or a MIM Fender and sound decent, but the difference in quality is really worth it.
I just bought a mint custom 24 se for $600. I do think it's unquestionably worth the extra $400 for the quality ,reliability and pickups of PRS. And the name on the headstock doesn't hurt either.
Totally agree. But I would like to see how a hb guitar holds up after ten years. If they hold up then anyone would be nuts not to be buying them up right now.
As a bass player turned guitarist, my interest in guitars has gone through the roof. I own both guitars featured in the video, and my prognosis is simple. If you have the cash, a PRS is a quality investment, but the Harley Benton is a much needed quality instrument for those who cannot shell out the PRS price tag. I love them both, (particularly the CST 24 with P90s). The HBs would go on the road with me, the PRS's would stay at home. I will admit to being a HB fan though. Just sayin'. TB
I'm getting an HB now before they take off and prices go up. They are marketing these guitars to get the name on the market and to improve production, then they will raise the price!
One question for these gentlemen, if the nut and frets ( the little things) were a bit better on the HB, then what would be the answer? It seems to me, and this is just me, that the little things can be fixed or tweaked , and maybe a pup swap, and you would have a nice guitar at a price point well below MSRP of the PRS. For me the HB would be my choice. Great video comparison guys.
I've bought a Harley Benton Victory Flame (fly V type) from Thomann shop for my son and what I can tell? It is good enough instrument. May be some little imperfections like this PRS guy told in video. But you can't ask more for that money. This guitar is playable and fully adjustable for beginners. Sound is also very good on clean as well as on gain. Pickups also good enough. You don't really need to change them. So I'm not at all disappointed about this particular guitar.
For years, I don't care about PRS guitar. The body looks weird and the bird inlay doesn't look so interesting. Then one company brings PRS brand to my country and I start to notice it. But, I'm still not interested with it. Through youtube, I start learning about PRS sound and its factory. The philosophy behind its design etc. That gets me interested in PRS. Two years ago on a music expo, I got a chance to try one. It was CE24 model. The place was so noisy, but I could hears how beautiful its clean sound. The neck also felt nice in my hand. That day I knew I must have a PRS guitar. The USA core model is quite expansive so for my first PRS, CE24 will be a fine instrument.
Great video, you guys hit a lot of points others have missed. I watched the video shaking my head, like, finally someone made the point I was thinking about. Young players today are so lucky. When I was growing up we had really bad beginner and non-professional gear at really high prices. It is so much easier to get a good guitar at a great price nowadays. Thanks.
For people who know how to work on necks, the main thing is that the body is cut correctly. Things like the neck pocket. Things like that really matter many thinkg can be improved, nobody wants a bad neck pocket , improper pickup placement, poor bridge placement, inconvenient hole placement for pickup wire or ground wire, bad tremolo screws. Hardware and cut matter. The neck to me, is the least of my worries as far as frets and nut goes. The machine heads need to be in the right position
This video surprised me. I've been looking at both the PRS Mira and and Harley Benton 335. It grew into something I don't think was expected. It was great to watch the interaction and openness of it all. NIce work, gentlemen. Thank you. Oh, I've decided not to get either. Of course, I'll probably change my mind in a week. I enjoyed this. :)
It's worth noting that the closer you get to perfection the higher the cost gets to get there. It's definitely possible to improve upon the HB with little money, but to get it to the quality and feel of a PRS is not possible with like $100 more.
I bought the CST24 and I liked it a lot. The I bought the PRS SE24 and it was ok. Then I bought the PRS CE24, and it was night and day from either of them. I still use the Harley Benton for Little Fighter tuned way up. But for $160 the Harley Benton is a hell of a guitar. Butbyhe CE24/is an elite instrument.
Great vid. These 2 guys said it right. If you watch the PRS guy, he immediately checks the frets at 2:04 and really checks the frets and nut at 2:27. The PRS sounded best to me on lead through the Marshall. The HB was brighter through the Vox. That's probably mostly the amps and picking style. For most, the best answer would be the HB and a fret finishing file with a little nut dressing. Unless 3 grand is like a trip to McDonald's on your budget.
Excellent video! Thank you for your candid comments. My feeling is the same, with one addition. Try all of the guitars your LGS, including any of the pre-owned guitars and buy the best one to fit your needs and that your budget allows so that you don't have any "should of, would of, or could of" regrets. Hats off to the three of you!
I have HB Emerrald Flame. I love tthe guitar and the sound it makes.A beautiful guitar. Can't afford a PRS. Fret edges need attention, but once sorted it feels fine.
It's funny how they say no need to mention who PRS are because everyone knows who they are.🤔 I remember 1st going to the PRS shop in Dale Street Liverpool back in 1970 to buy some electronic components to build a project that I saw in Practical Wireless. Sadly PRS recently closed down both of It's shops after trading for over 50 year's. 😭. So sad there closed down but the Store's are still there with empty windows.
Great video Lewis. It makes a great point. I own a '92 American Standard Tele with slightly overwound Fralins , a Squier Classic Vibe 60's Strat and an early 2000's Carvin D.C. 127. While my Tele is my #1, the other two do their jobs very well and I love playing them. I often hear "I've never heard a Carvin sound that good". Or, what are YOU doing playing a Squier"? I smile and ask "them do you like how it sounds "? I used the $800 dollars I saved over buying an American Strat to purchase 2 nice p.a. speakers. My next purchase will likely be a Harley Benton S.C. 550. I love Gibson and PRS guitars. But I have learned enough about working on them that I can make them very nice with a little work and minimal expense.
What a great video and conversation! The initial jamming was awesome too. Kris and Mike are some of my favorite RU-vid guitar players. And the Tone King is awesome too
This is a great video, unbiased approach from these guys. Absolutely amazing, we need more videos like this. Honesty is always best policy. I can only afford a harley benton and would still buy one even if I was a millionaire but, if I had the money, I wouldn't think twice about buying a prs custom shop either.
There can be a huge difference in the quality of Harley Bentons, it can be a bit of a lottery whether you get a good or a bad one. Plus I've noticed certain models are better than others. But if you get a good one with a couple of upgrades you can end up with an excellent instrument.
As a 40 year player, I"ve owned just about every guitar at one time or another including playing many prs. There was this one private reserve that was 7k that I truly had to just put it down and walk away as spending 7k on any guitar is something nobody should ever do but it was truly the best guitar I have ever heard and played. I won't soon forget.
I don't think its just fret ends and pick ups.When you buy a Prs you are buying a quality built instrument from craftsmen with years of experience engineering and design made with quality materials.Not only will the longevity be more but also will hold a better resale value.Quality isn't cheap i'd rather have one quality instrument than hundreds of cheap guitars that don't cut it.If you get real wth the situation try making your own guitar I did truned out better than expected for sure but you appreciate the attention payed to those little details.Each little detail together makes the guitar whole.
I have a Harley Benton. Got it for $283. It’s amazing. Plays like butter. Looks amazing. I got the Aqua HSH. Comes with single coil tap switch and locking tuners w/ ebony fretboard and Wilkinson bridge. Trust me, they are absolutely worth the price. It took 10 days from order to guitar showing up at my door. From Germany. On my Instagram page you can see it and hear it. Page is just my name. Hope that helps some folks. I love PRS as well. I just can’t spend $3500 on one guitar. I’d rather get 10 Harley’s honestly. But you see for yourself. Great video as always. True gentlemen. Oh and my guitar didn’t need fret job at all. Stainless steel and it was smooth as silk down top and bottom. I assume some get out a lil ruff. Any company let’s a few slip through.
Always said you should be blindfolded in a guitar store and try everything you can then decide, all about the feel man not the name on the headstock. Great video.....
I think buy cheap and upgrade is a better route for most people than to buy expensive. I bought a MiM Strat last year and upgraded all the hardware. The end result is equal or better than any American Series Strat and I saved several hundred bucks.
I have a Harley Benton CST-24, and I have just purchased a PRS Custom 24SE in Whale Blue. It is similar in appearance to the PRS in this video, but much less expensive. My PRS should arrive tomorrow and I can't wait to see what differences there are.
Big-time kudos to both of these guys for doing this! I doubt many reps would agree to an unfiltered, off-the-cuff shootout. This was a great conversation that ended up covering a whole bunch of interesting topics and ideas that went beyond simply which is better?" The PRS guy nails my experience with the Harley Benton: the fret and nut work is one area "where the savings are," if you get my drift ;).
Fret level re crown and polish would be my solution,easily done with fairly inexpensive tools,I do it to nearly every new guitar I get,expensive or not.
Used market my friends. I picked up a PRS Tremonti Signature USA for $1000 cdn......new ones are $5300 at schlong and McQuade. Best guitar I've ever played.
