I’ve had the same guitar for about 18 months. It’s one of my favourite guitars to play from my large collection. I put in Wilkinson Tuners and Vanson AlNiCo II pick ups in mine. Oiled the fretboard, polished frets with a combination of wire wool and metal polish. Like yours out of the box about 8/10. It’s now with my mods and maintenance a 10/10. I prefer a chunkier neck, so the feel to me is perfect. My upgrades cost me about £50.00, could have got away with replacing the tuners, but the Wilkinson’s are such great value for Money. I play mostly Jazz and Blues, the Vanson AlNiCo Il pick ups are are a match to Gibson Classic 57’s for a lot lot less and you can split coil them too. The sustain is incredible, better then any of my other electric guitars. I may change out the bridge if it starts to deteriorate. They look better in the flesh, so vibrant. I’ve not had to do anything to the guitar since I got it other then the aforementioned. My only gripe with HB is they only do a selection of lefties, there are some new ones in their range I would love to buy that don’t come left handed, thankfully the HB 35 plus does. It’s great to see people like you and many others reviewing these guitars too, praising the guitar. I suspect a few here and there may have flaws in production, but Thomann have great customer service to resolve any issues. Great review, well done!
Thanks for your comment. Interesting to hear that the Vanson pups are a worthwhile upgrade. The stock pups in this HB35 Plus are honestly some of the most open that I've ever heard, and I've had lots of American Fenders and Gibson Les Paul Standards. Equally as good as any of them. With a little careful tweaking this HB guitar can certainly hold its own. Glad you enjoyed.
I have a lefty HB35 Plus as well. This is my second HB. I still can't believe how well made it is and how good it sounds. My only criticism would be the weight. Mine is close to 9.5lbs/4.3kg. Otherwise, an amazing instrument.
HI there! Can I please ask you to clarify this a bit: "chunkier neck". I'm thinking of buying this and it would scare me a bit if the neck was chunkier. If I look at the specs, I see: Scale: 628 mm Nut width: 42 mm So the neck doesn't look chunky there. I suppose 43 mm would be chunky. Is the neck thick maybe? Thank you.
@@RBadding It's chunkier in terms of overall diameter, not significantly so it's over the top sort of the thing. the width of the fretboard is sort average, similar to a Les Paul, Strat even, it's not like a classical guitar where they are significantly wider fretboards. Hope that helps.
@@DenisAhmet Thanks! I'm using this neck profile as a guide now, and with that I ended to Harley Benton R-446. It has a "slim neck profile". So this was definitely helpful, thanks again.
I’m late to this review Pete but it’s fantastic as I’m looking into the hb 35…Refreshing some would say. A guitar player that isn’t about the ego BS and delivers clearly, concise with some bloody lovely playing that we all can relate to. Top man keep it up lad! 🎉
Flat out beautiful. The tones you were getting and blending single and humbucker was fantastic. This is going to be my next guitar. Thank you for making this.
Bought this guitar also worth every penny great quality , have 6 Harley Benton Guitars and 3 kits to practice some mods on highly recommend . Thomann have now sorted shipping store to door they have put everything up by about £16.00 what you see on website is the price you pay before this was sorted I paid £77.00 IMPORT Tax if you're looking for a 335 style Guitar get one you won't regret it.
Great stuff. And great to hear about the shipping being sorted. I avoided the import tax on this HB35, but got stung With import fees on the Tube 15 amp (in my other review). Still way worth it though
Love this review. The calm honesty that comes across is very very welcome and has already persuaded me to buy one of these awesome sounding and looking guitars. Thanks Pete for your brilliant review. :)
Thank you for this video man, so helpful seeing such an honest review, that guitar sound and looks sick, really help me decide on getting it, I don’t have the money now but soon I will bring it home!
Great review. I bought the Vintage Burst version of this guitar last year and can concur with everything in this review, the finish is immaculate, if I look very hard I can spot one or two very minor flaws but unless you get a magnifying glass out they are not easily visible. The sounds out of the stock pups are excellent with great tones in all variations. I also agree that the magic combination of single coil on the neck and humbucker on the bridge is sweet as and is my favourite combination. The guitar is amazing to play, very well balanced and the neck feels great and plays good straight out of the box. I did change the strings and this made the guitar sound and play even better. As someone said in another review, when you pick it up and start playing it's very hard to put it down it feels so good to play. When I was looking to buy a new guitar I was torn between this model and the Harley Benton Big Tone, which is very much a Gretsch copy of a large hollow bodied guitar. I'm glad I went for the 35 plus, it's just so good in every department. Thanks for a great review.
My first visit to your channel , caught this as I have been scouring HB35+ reviews. I have an old acoustic , Ibanez electro acoustic and 4 strat type solids. Got the urge for a 335 type or maybe 339 but has to be within a budget catagory. I don't play live anymore so it's a home player for songwriting and keeping my hands in , a guitar is the perfect tool when stuck at home bored ( or annoy the neighbours. ) . I'm convinced now that the HB35+ has to be it , tending towards the lemon one and at that price ( £211 or £269 with hardcase , free shipping to the UK ) is a steal and no-brainer in my book. I was looking at the Vintage VSA500 ( had an SG of theirs a while back and was excellent ) but we are looking at £350 - £400 so I think the Harley wins hands down and looks like Thomann will be getting my money. Liked the review , keeping it simple unlike some out there proving how great their playing is rather than just running through the basics of sound and tone. On a side note Vintage model apparently sports Wilkinson hardware but on an in depth review from a luthier he thought the hardware although Wilkinson is not their usual quality product perhaps licsensed out from another factory. This doesn't bother me but price is the winner here , so defo Harley.
Hi Pete, Happy First of May. The company Thomann seems to listen to it's customers. The quality has increased as well as the features and hardware. Something about the factory strings. Those are in most cases undigestable for a guitarists fingers and ears. I recommend to open the box, tune it and is necessary - set up bridge. Than play until your fingers are black. Leave the instrument for a week at your studio/bedroom. Next ist to remove strings - check frets in detail and fix them. Oil your fingerboard! New strings and intonation/setup. All of this procedure needs to be done to all guitars/basses out of a box ! I forgot : check all screws and fixtures. This very nice guitar cost less than a original case from the big F or G. Nice review ! Thanx
@@GCKelloch some useful info there. Awesome. Mine sounds thick and woody, not metallic, but I'm still looking forward to wearing these strings out and putting some fresh ones on. The stock strings are still going strong. Still playing them regularly and writing some inspired guitar stuff.
I just got one and I was amazed at the quality, i agree with the sound as well, Again i was surprised. The main things i am doing to mine is to polish the frets, replace the tuners for locking Hi gear ratio grovers, and restringing.
I've really got into semi acoustics in the last year. I've got a 1972 Gibson 335 and also have an Epiphone Dot, Hofner Verythin and a Westone Rainbow. They are all nice in their own way, especially the 335 and the Rainbow which are both top class instruments. I like the coil splitting option of the HB35 Plus so I might have to get one for the collection. They look extremely well made.
Great review. Great guitar. I've ordered the Metalic Blue version but I'll need to wait a couple of months for it to arrive. The guitar looks like a great buy so it's no surprise HB must have sold out and commisioned a new production run. In the meantime I'll be playing my HB Custom-II P90
@@PetesGuitarUniverse as is the red. With the blue version I really like the contrast between the blue and the yellow of the maple rear and sides and gold hardware. Most important is the colours are traditional Leeds United colours ;-)
@@PetesGuitarUniverse Some people might consider the gold hardware to be a bit "bling" but I think it looks really good on my Custom II P90 which is a guitar I think you should consider lookig at also. However, the lead time on new orders for this guitar is long also - probably because it is also such a great guitar.
This guy is not bssssing anyone I just got one and this thing is the best feeling guitar I've ever had and looks awesome and and sounds awesome and versatile with the pull pots option❤
I got the tobacco burst finish. Love the guitar. When it arrived I took it to my luthier to have him check it out (as I do with all new purchases). His comment when I went back to pick it up was, "Oh, man. $250 dollars. Really? This thing is easily worth twice that." My only complaint is that they advertise AAAA flame tops and mine certainly is not (might be an AA at best). But I couldn't care less. Still looks amazing and sounds even better.
This was very helpful Pete. Beautiful looking guitar and shows how so much is 'in the fingers' - but you still need a great sounding guitar to enhance it all - and at a bargain price to! Jules
At that price it's worth buying it to hang on a wall and just keep looking at it! 😂 Pity I'm skint after just buying a pedalboard, but it's next on the list mate. J
Bought one, put on locking tuners(simply also from Harley Benton btw). Plays excellent. I will replace the pickups next year because preferences. Very good buy for the money. Very good buy.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse My custom built Tele has Seymour Duncans, so that is a contender. But I first check out all kinds of pickups. Might go for PAF style, might go for P90s. For this guitar I am searching for the most jazzy yet clear sound. And I will let my Tele do the rock... Sort of... ;) They will be humbuckers with push pull pots though. I have those on my Tele as well and that works great every now and then.
I grabbed one in metallic blue, love it. Just wanted to comment on the great finish and how it plays and sounds. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I would recommend anyone to a Harley Benton. Looks great in red ! 👍
Petey, it's been a year since this video was done. Good overall review I'd say. I have one of the newer metallic plum colors on its way to me in Canada. Seems there is a deal on price for that color as it's probably not as popular as some of the others that are at a much higher price for the exact same guitar. Luckily I also got a cut for b stock. I've had good results with B stock purchases up to this point. At some point in the future I'll be showing it on my channel. That likely won't happen until December this year as there are several guitars ahead of it scheduled to come out. I like that the output Jack is on the bottom side and not the front. I acquired a firefly about 4 years ago and kept the body and neck and changed everything else on it to get a reasonably good playing and sounding 335 copy. All the best
I concur, what a bargain 😀 I wanted to add a 335 style to my guitar collection. So I went for the lemon burst with a hard case (£228), and I love it. I changed the strings straight away, EB 11s, and oiled the fretboard and it was ready to go. My guitar playing mates always pick it up when they come up for a visit. A couple of them have now bought one. I'm now looking for my next HB guitar. Keep the great work Pete and HB 👍👏👏👏
I got the Lemon one. It’s the first one that had a flaw of 9 HBs. :(. The 12th fret high E is dead. A fret rocker tells me 11 is tall. This is a bit out of my comfort zone. I was worried about filing it but I saw a guy use sand paper and spot sand it. It’s just a small area. I’m gonna try it tonight after 3 or 4 more drinks. Wish me luck. All the rest of the thing is Devine.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse Not super pronounced, but it’s there. I knew that before I bought it from my research though. You can find RUclips reviews of the Lemon on here. It’s still a really stunning looking guitar and definitely plays good enough for me. I’m just a dude that plays for fun in my home office for my own pleasure, so my expectations are probably different than someone on a stage. To me, this thing is beautiful. It’s all I will ever need. I do have an expensive Takamine acoustic, but that was my gift to me. And that’s what I play 80% of the time.
Hi Pete, bought mine now on day 68. Received the guitar just after 3 days shipping from Germany to Saint Louis. Just started playing and this is an excellent instrument. The finish is a 9.9 out of 10. Not sure I'm qualified to rate the playing at this point. Only thing I will do to the OEM is new strings, may go with 9's so bends may be a bit easier on this beginner. Oh yes, I pulled the strings aside to polish the frets as they had some grit on them but are perfectly fine now. Thanks for your review. I don't see any need for modifications.
Hi Pete I bought a Harley Benton big tone with Bigsby trem thoroughly enjoying her. No horror stories on the quality delivery was great, pricing very keen. if like me you are a new player it's not a huge investment.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse hi Pete not sure what you mean there if you mean does it pull her out of tune I haven't used the term much but she does need a light tune compared to my strat a like.
That "magic" position is magic as you say. I have same guitar and found the same. My only regret in buying it was that I went for the cherry flame as you have, but wish I had waited a while for the lemon drop which looks gorgeous.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse I just wish they'd do a black Lucille-like version. I saw another manufacturer do similar with gold pickups and bridge etc, and a massively lovely tangerine binding. It looked exquisite.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse I bought mine a year ago, but the only black finish I could find was the HB35, i.e. without the push/pull pots. If you know different I will consider buying one, although it may be a new finish. Black 335s are the signature finish I believe.
Gotta say Pete, I've read many reviews of this guitar and your review is one of the most straightforward, yet detailed one yet. I've been thinking about getting one and the only thing that has been holding me back is that I'm staunch beginner and I don't know if buying a guitar will move me forward. Once again great review!
Thanks so much. Appreciate your comment so much. This would be an ideal purchase for a beginner through to advanced professional level. No need to upgrade anything. It will grow with you over time.
Purchasing that HB guitar will move you forward ... and seek a nice combo, its not the same to playing a guitar through plugins/computer/headphones than playing through an amp in a room. ...
The guitar is as others have said great for a beginner, although I would perhaps invest in getting it set up by a professional or you can try it yourself. In doing so it will be easier to play and play in tune better. Even really expensive guitars need setting up out of the box. If you are practical you can set it up your self, which I have done on all my guitars. There are loads of RUclips videos that can teach you all there is to know and more.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse I really liked it but i cant compare to others. this is the most expensive guitar i`ve ever bought. But so far so good. Anyway, keep going with the good work. i dont usually watch review videos till the end but somehow this one was easy to watch. Maybe a bit better lighting and microphone and you will go very far. Gonna keep supporting you. All the best!
thanks for this great review, not playing complicated solos and so on (don't like it in guitar reviews ...) facts and competence, for me a perfect review (i got one 😁) thanks again, ...
Hi Pete, Sounds great, nice review, I'm waiting for mine to arrive any day. Took loads of research to find something budget friendly with decent quality. Hope I can make the switch from acoustic.
I have the same guitar in Lemon Burst and I totally Agree with your assesment of the instrument. It punches way above its weightclass in playability, finish and tone. The pickups are exellent both in singlecoil and humbucker mode. The neck is a full beautiful C and feels fantastic in my hands since I love a full neck. The only "fault" I could find is that the polishing on the frets is not 100% . This was easily fixed with fine steel wool when I changed the strings. This has become my go to guitar and I sometimes just sit and stare at its beauty😄 I have one more HB and that one is at the same level of tone, playability and quality of construction. There will be more HBs in my feature🥳
I put a Bigsby B7 on mine. It sounds even better, more crisp. Shockingly, it has no tuning issues at all with the Bigsby. And it looks fantastic. For $179 plus $50 to install the Bigsby (more than the guitar), I must say, it was worth it. I have a black "Custom Made" plate coming to stick on over the tailpiece holes, just like a Gibson.
Got this a while ago. It is, as you say, an unbelievable bargain. Just a couple of things. On mine the nut isn't flush with the neck at the treble e string end and can be uncomfortable using certain chords. Only needs to be filed back I suppose. Only a minor inconvenience. The other point is the thickness of the paint job. It's really very thick, which is fine, but the finish on the neck might not be to everyone's taste. Some prefer a more satin style finish on the neck. This is very glossy. The Roswell pick ups made me jump when I first played it. Is that really me playing that! I also have a HB 450 with P90's and that I can really recommend and it's only £133!!
The only thing stops me to buying that marvellous beauty is the position of the toggle switch, the thinking of change that thing, is hell! And yeah, all HB guitars I have (and I have a few) excels in the look and finish department.
Many thanks for your reply and appreciate it. Yep looks like Harley will be my choice , new for less than a second hand Epi 335 which your not sure on condition age etc. One other thought sprung to mind amongst reviews was swopping out pick-ups tuners etc , playing at home this is really not really relevent , more powerful pick ups , er no. Tone , sorry can be set with an amp to more a degree , a lesser quality guitar can sound great through a decent amp , a great guitar can sound crap through a lousy amp. I think a home set up can be decent if the balance is right , reasonable amp , reasonable guitar , just get the balance right. Too many armchair players out there spouting nonsense.
I bought one and it is stunning to be honest. I bought it expecting an upgrade project. It’s that good I don’t want to mess with it. So I bought a second to customise (I can’t say upgrade)
@@PetesGuitarUniverse Cherry red bothy times. Both excellent instruments all 'round. One to keep as standard, one to take the gloss back and age check the finish with new tuners (the only weak point on the guitars in my view.... very usable but could be better). Might try to ebonise the fingerboard too.
Waiting on my HB 35+ Lemon Drop. Driving me crazy to get it here. I've been wanting a Harley B for a couple of years and just got my CST 24T Emerald today! I've got Epiphone LP with coil splitters. Squier and Fender MIJ Strats, Tele's. a couple of Gretsh's etc. If this CST is any indication I may never play another brand again! I've been consumed with this HB35+ since I first saw it with the block inlays (the original was dots). Chomping at the bit!!!!! Great review, I'm clicking like and subscribing now. Please get better lighting though. Let the music set you free. James Hayes
Great review! I've been playing a lot of Oasis recently and reckon it would good for that. The thing is I generally play lying back in an armchair, might it be too cumbersome for that?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse lemon 🍋 drop. It doesn't have any blemishes and appears perfectly made except for the fact you can see the wood join on the neck up close to the tuning head. With a small amount of setup, same as pretty much all of my guitars, it plays very smoothly and even sounds pretty good unplugged.
They are able to offer such inexpensive guitars because they have no distributor which usually is 30-40% of the price and then the retailer adds their markup, HB guitars are straight to Thomann from the factory and they are set up and checked by Thomann
I had an old Framus slim hollow body that was so far gone from decades of abuse and neglect by the time I got it. I have a couple HBs and like them. The HB35 plus may just replace the poor old Framus.
I've got the ST62 version. It plays and sounds good. I was expecting the pickups not to be stellar, but they're fine. I've managed to get the best action out of any Strat copy I've ever had.
Hi Peter , great honest review ty ,I've always wanted to play the guitar , I was wondering would this guitar be good for neo soul and R&B , that's the music I love , or would you recommend another harley benton , ty once again , kind regards jules 👍
Thanks. And yes, this is good for rock, pop, blues, jazz, R&B. But If you're looking for more of a jangle tone then a strat or similar single coil pickup guitar would be a good shout. Can't go wrong with a Harley Benton at the current time. Great quality / value balance.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse thank you so much for taking the time out to Answer Peter , I must admit I've fe in love with the harley benton sc 550ii bcf but I didn't think it would be right for the genre I would love to play , but I would love your opinion if that isn't to much trouble , kind regards jules
@@Jules551 nice guitar. Any electric can be made to sound however you like, but generally Les Paul tones are dark, thick and for heavier styles. But there's no rules really. Enjoy experimenting
The look of the guitar isn't 'spoiled'. I actually prefer it, compared to the big 'ol droopy looking traditional style. We all have different preferences I guess
@@PetesGuitarUniverse totally true the gibson had serious fret issues, the neck angle was wrong meaning bridge was as low as it would go on treble side and action was still high on GBE strings. Pickups were microphonic and had finish issues
@@savedandblessed79 I can totally believe it. I've had some very expensive guitars over the years with some serious 'issues'. Sometimes the name does not equate to high quality, just image.
Did you pay for it? I bought one based on youtube reviews. Mine is the worst guitar I've ever purchased. It needs a lot fretwork, pickups, wiring, properly cut nut and I might as well replace the stopbar, bridge and tuners while I'm at it. Which leaves me with a $155 chunk of wood.
I initially tried their Les Paul, half expecting to have to send it back as i didn't believe all the hype. It's a fine guitar, albeit a bit heavy. The control cavity routing should have been a couple of mill deeper was the only issue. When I needed a backup Strat I went for another HB, also a really decent guitar, although it's using RH taper pots in a lefty (Fender do this as well). So both had minor issues but nothing to get worked up about. An HB 35+ came up locally, so i bought that too. The HB35 feels another step up in a way i can't quite put my finger on. My initial doubts about the brand have been proved unfounded. I have a lovely Epiphone DOT, which they've stopped making in a lefty, so I'm loathe to gig with it, hence jumping on the HB35 when it came up locally. You can't tell which is the more expensive guitar in looks, sound or playability. Amazing. I'll probably sell the LP, just because of the weight and having to watch my back, but in fairness i think I'd find any LP on the heavy side. It's a shame as it has a nice vibe. They're all pleasing just in different ways, with different characters.
@@DirkGentley42 sounds like a good plan. The most important thing is that we enjoy playing our guitars. Those Les Paul's do look very nice. Been tempted myself, but I like quirky guitars that are a bit more left field. The HB35+ is a superb guitar. And the low cost makes it a must have. Keep rockin'!
Could it be your setup? Do you have another electric guitar you could try A/B testing against it? Are the tone dials fully open - not bleeding the treble off? There a push/pull switch.
I put the HB through my normal set-up and, as a check, directly into the amp (without the various pedals. My other guitar is a Fender Strat so it is not really a fair comparison of the sound because the Strat has a much wider range of possible sounds than I expect from the HB. For the HB I have tried every possible combination of buttons up, buttons down, pick-p switch position etc and none really give me a sound approaching that of Chuck Berry or B B King. Some are so muddy that I can't imagine ever needing such a sound. I bought a Behringer EQ pedal to lighten up the sound (big mistake, it has a buzz whatever I put though it) and that helped. The pedal would have hekped except I couldn't get rid of the buzz. Another EQ pedal? I'm not going to throw more good money after bad. Then, as an alternative kept my normal settings with reverb and delay but increased the EQ through a zoom multi-effects pedal which has been is part of my simple rig for many years. The effect was an artificial sound. I've even considered having it rewired with simple single-coil pick-ups until I realised that selling it off for half- price would be more sensible. And on that subject I've had it for sale for a week or two and not an inquiry in sight. If there's anyone out there who wants to take it off my hands half-price then you are welcome
@@mikejones8198 sounds like you got one with a wiring issue. Have it looked at, or rewire it yourself. Should be bell-like clean and clear, with nice jangle from the single coil setting. They're beautiful when working properly. Good luck and let us know!
I have an identical guitar, and I agree with everything you've said.
If anyone's reading this thinking about pulling the trigger on one, DO IT.
Yep. A sound investment in your tone.
I’ve had the same guitar for about 18 months. It’s one of my favourite guitars to play from my large collection. I put in Wilkinson Tuners and Vanson AlNiCo II pick ups in mine. Oiled the fretboard, polished frets with a combination of wire wool and metal polish. Like yours out of the box about 8/10. It’s now with my mods and maintenance a 10/10. I prefer a chunkier neck, so the feel to me is perfect. My upgrades cost me about £50.00, could have got away with replacing the tuners, but the Wilkinson’s are such great value for Money. I play mostly Jazz and Blues, the Vanson AlNiCo Il pick ups are are a match to Gibson Classic 57’s for a lot lot less and you can split coil them too. The sustain is incredible, better then any of my other electric guitars. I may change out the bridge if it starts to deteriorate. They look better in the flesh, so vibrant. I’ve not had to do anything to the guitar since I got it other then the aforementioned. My only gripe with HB is they only do a selection of lefties, there are some new ones in their range I would love to buy that don’t come left handed, thankfully the HB 35 plus does. It’s great to see people like you and many others reviewing these guitars too, praising the guitar. I suspect a few here and there may have flaws in production, but Thomann have great customer service to resolve any issues. Great review, well done!
Thanks for your comment. Interesting to hear that the Vanson pups are a worthwhile upgrade. The stock pups in this HB35 Plus are honestly some of the most open that I've ever heard, and I've had lots of American Fenders and Gibson Les Paul Standards. Equally as good as any of them. With a little careful tweaking this HB guitar can certainly hold its own. Glad you enjoyed.
I have a lefty HB35 Plus as well. This is my second HB. I still can't believe how well made it is and how good it sounds. My only criticism would be the weight. Mine is close to 9.5lbs/4.3kg. Otherwise, an amazing instrument.
HI there! Can I please ask you to clarify this a bit: "chunkier neck".
I'm thinking of buying this and it would scare me a bit if the neck was chunkier. If I look at the specs, I see:
Scale: 628 mm
Nut width: 42 mm
So the neck doesn't look chunky there. I suppose 43 mm would be chunky.
Is the neck thick maybe?
Thank you.
@@RBadding It's chunkier in terms of overall diameter, not significantly so it's over the top sort of the thing. the width of the fretboard is sort average, similar to a Les Paul, Strat even, it's not like a classical guitar where they are significantly wider fretboards. Hope that helps.
@@DenisAhmet Thanks! I'm using this neck profile as a guide now, and with that I ended to Harley Benton R-446. It has a "slim neck profile".
So this was definitely helpful, thanks again.
Just ordered one blue metalic with golden hardware, expecting to be delivered in the next week, very excited to play this guitar!
Very nice colourway. So so tempted myself. Is it wrong to have 2 of the same guitars??
Just bought an HB 35 plus absolutely love it fantastic guitar
Amazing instrument for sure
I’m late to this review Pete but it’s fantastic as I’m looking into the hb 35…Refreshing some would say. A guitar player that isn’t about the ego BS and delivers clearly, concise with some bloody lovely playing that we all can relate to. Top man keep it up lad! 🎉
@@jeffdillon6348 thanks so much. And great guitar. Well worth adding to your setup
Flat out beautiful. The tones you were getting and blending single and humbucker was fantastic. This is going to be my next guitar. Thank you for making this.
Most welcome. It's a real beaut of a guitar. You'll love it
My next guitar for sure
Greetings from Chile
Hi! I got exactly the same guitar as yours three weeks ago... Just like you have said, it's an amazing guitar!!!
Impressive guitar for sure
Loved the review. Thank you. Just ordered one, same colour. Hopefully will be with me this week. Can't wait!
Great move. Let us know what you think when it arrives
Bought this guitar also worth every penny great quality , have 6 Harley Benton Guitars and 3 kits to practice some mods on highly recommend . Thomann have now sorted shipping store to door they have put everything up by about £16.00 what you see on website is the price you pay before this was sorted I paid £77.00 IMPORT Tax if you're looking for a 335 style Guitar get one you won't regret it.
Great stuff. And great to hear about the shipping being sorted. I avoided the import tax on this HB35, but got stung With import fees on the Tube 15 amp (in my other review). Still way worth it though
Love this review. The calm honesty that comes across is very very welcome and has already persuaded me to buy one of these awesome sounding and looking guitars. Thanks Pete for your brilliant review. :)
Glad to help. Glad to be of service
I got mine today and I love it. Would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a 335 style. What super value for the money.
Excellent. I've e been look at the new blue steel colour. Long wait for it though. Tempting.
Thank you for this video man, so helpful seeing such an honest review, that guitar sound and looks sick, really help me decide on getting it, I don’t have the money now but soon I will bring it home!
Thanks. Great choice
Excellent review my man. Excellent. Thank you.
@@Αδιάφθορος you're welcome.
Great review. I bought the Vintage Burst version of this guitar last year and can concur with everything in this review, the finish is immaculate, if I look very hard I can spot one or two very minor flaws but unless you get a magnifying glass out they are not easily visible. The sounds out of the stock pups are excellent with great tones in all variations. I also agree that the magic combination of single coil on the neck and humbucker on the bridge is sweet as and is my favourite combination.
The guitar is amazing to play, very well balanced and the neck feels great and plays good straight out of the box. I did change the strings and this made the guitar sound and play even better. As someone said in another review, when you pick it up and start playing it's very hard to put it down it feels so good to play.
When I was looking to buy a new guitar I was torn between this model and the Harley Benton Big Tone, which is very much a Gretsch copy of a large hollow bodied guitar. I'm glad I went for the 35 plus, it's just so good in every department.
Thanks for a great review.
Thanks. And hope your guitar purchase worked out. These guitars are very well made and sound epic.
My first visit to your channel , caught this as I have been scouring HB35+ reviews. I have an old acoustic , Ibanez electro acoustic and 4 strat type solids. Got the urge for a 335 type or maybe 339 but has to be within a budget catagory. I don't play live anymore so it's a home player for songwriting and keeping my hands in , a guitar is the perfect tool when stuck at home bored ( or annoy the neighbours. ) . I'm convinced now that the HB35+ has to be it , tending towards the lemon one and at that price ( £211 or £269 with hardcase , free shipping to the UK ) is a steal and no-brainer in my book. I was looking at the Vintage VSA500 ( had an SG of theirs a while back and was excellent ) but we are looking at £350 - £400 so I think the Harley wins hands down and looks like Thomann will be getting my money. Liked the review , keeping it simple unlike some out there proving how great their playing is rather than just running through the basics of sound and tone. On a side note Vintage model apparently sports Wilkinson hardware but on an in depth review from a luthier he thought the hardware although Wilkinson is not their usual quality product perhaps licsensed out from another factory. This doesn't bother me but price is the winner here , so defo Harley.
Good luck with the purchase. It's a great instrument for sure
Great review! Really liked commentary about build, quality and playing while using different pups and splits.
Thanks. You're welcome
Hi Pete, Happy First of May. The company Thomann seems to listen to it's customers. The quality has increased as well as the features and hardware. Something about the factory strings. Those are in most cases undigestable for a guitarists fingers and ears. I recommend to open the box, tune it and is necessary - set up bridge. Than play until your fingers are black. Leave the instrument for a week at your studio/bedroom. Next ist to remove strings - check frets in detail and fix them. Oil your fingerboard! New strings and intonation/setup. All of this procedure needs to be done to all guitars/basses out of a box ! I forgot : check all screws and fixtures. This very nice guitar cost less than a original case from the big F or G. Nice review ! Thanx
Thanks. Yes, those strings should be replaced. But only after playing them to death!
@@GCKelloch some useful info there. Awesome. Mine sounds thick and woody, not metallic, but I'm still looking forward to wearing these strings out and putting some fresh ones on. The stock strings are still going strong. Still playing them regularly and writing some inspired guitar stuff.
I just got one and I was amazed at the quality, i agree with the sound as well, Again i was surprised. The main things i am doing to mine is to polish the frets, replace the tuners for locking Hi gear ratio grovers, and restringing.
Great idea. It will mate the guitar that bit more playable. Top stuff!
I've really got into semi acoustics in the last year. I've got a 1972 Gibson 335 and also have an Epiphone Dot, Hofner Verythin and a Westone Rainbow. They are all nice in their own way, especially the 335 and the Rainbow which are both top class instruments. I like the coil splitting option of the HB35 Plus so I might have to get one for the collection. They look extremely well made.
They really are. Let us know how the HB35 Plus compares to the others
You've convinced me to get one of these while I save up for an Eastman. Thanks and great playing👍🏾
I'm confident this will blow your mind
Great review! Helped me to set on a present for christmas xD
Great review. Great guitar. I've ordered the Metalic Blue version but I'll need to wait a couple of months for it to arrive. The guitar looks like a great buy so it's no surprise HB must have sold out and commisioned a new production run. In the meantime I'll be playing my HB Custom-II P90
Thanks. The blue one is nice. Very nice. Very tempting.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse as is the red. With the blue version I really like the contrast between the blue and the yellow of the maple rear and sides and gold hardware. Most important is the colours are traditional Leeds United colours ;-)
The contrast and gold hardware is special for sure
@@PetesGuitarUniverse Some people might consider the gold hardware to be a bit "bling" but I think it looks really good on my Custom II P90 which is a guitar I think you should consider lookig at also. However, the lead time on new orders for this guitar is long also - probably because it is also such a great guitar.
This guy is not bssssing anyone I just got one and this thing is the best feeling guitar I've ever had and looks awesome and and sounds awesome and versatile with the pull pots option❤
Thanks friend. And great choice. Top guitar!
I got the tobacco burst finish. Love the guitar. When it arrived I took it to my luthier to have him check it out (as I do with all new purchases). His comment when I went back to pick it up was, "Oh, man. $250 dollars. Really? This thing is easily worth twice that." My only complaint is that they advertise AAAA flame tops and mine certainly is not (might be an AA at best). But I couldn't care less. Still looks amazing and sounds even better.
Insane value. Such a nice guitar.
The Luthiers' work on the HB was more expensive than the guitar itself.
Just bought it. What a great review, most detailed, honest straight up review I have seen. Feels like speaking to a friend. All the best mate
Thanks so much. Really appreciate that. Sure you'll love it. I've had loads of top end guitars that I consider to be less desirable than this HB-35.
Hi Pete
Can only agree with you. The HB35+ is an excellent guitar. I got it myself last month and I'm very happy. (in black.. B.B. King's ghost).
I was looking at the black one first. Amazing. The only problem with this guitar is that it comes in too many delicious colours!
Great review! Amazing guitar and playing!
You're welcome. (And thanks)
This was very helpful Pete. Beautiful looking guitar and shows how so much is 'in the fingers' - but you still need a great sounding guitar to enhance it all - and at a bargain price to! Jules
Yes, most definitely. But the main thing is a beautiful guitar inspires us to play, which adds magic to those fingers!
At that price it's worth buying it to hang on a wall and just keep looking at it! 😂
Pity I'm skint after just buying a pedalboard, but it's next on the list mate. J
@@julianwilsonutube yep, but you'd SOOOO play it if you had it just hanging there. It's mega
Bought one, put on locking tuners(simply also from Harley Benton btw). Plays excellent. I will replace the pickups next year because preferences.
Very good buy for the money. Very good buy.
Sounds great. What pickups will you install?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse My custom built Tele has Seymour Duncans, so that is a contender. But I first check out all kinds of pickups. Might go for PAF style, might go for P90s. For this guitar I am searching for the most jazzy yet clear sound. And I will let my Tele do the rock... Sort of... ;)
They will be humbuckers with push pull pots though. I have those on my Tele as well and that works great every now and then.
@@RobBaartwijk good idea on the P90's.
I grabbed one in metallic blue, love it. Just wanted to comment on the great finish and how it plays and sounds. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I would recommend anyone to a Harley Benton. Looks great in red ! 👍
Great stuff. The blue looks very tasty
@@GCKelloch it's hard to believe the value for money on these guitars isn't it?! We're lucky to live in a time when these beasts are available
I have the plus version in the lemon drop color. The finish was perfect. The intonation was perfect. For the price, you couldn't beat this guitar
Lovely. I'm going to get the blueish steel colour of it ever arrives in stock
I agree
Same lemon drop I have Awesome love ,,,it little on the orange side but nice!!
@@cooltunesmadeeasy mine is definitely yellow.
@@kevinkennett7474 just the outer fade inside is yellow
Hi
I just got the SC 550 mk2 Tesla pickups
Its spotless Really nice guitar
@@Dodzee.44 ahhh really nice
Petey, it's been a year since this video was done. Good overall review I'd say. I have one of the newer metallic plum colors on its way to me in Canada. Seems there is a deal on price for that color as it's probably not as popular as some of the others that are at a much higher price for the exact same guitar. Luckily I also got a cut for b stock. I've had good results with B stock purchases up to this point. At some point in the future I'll be showing it on my channel. That likely won't happen until December this year as there are several guitars ahead of it scheduled to come out. I like that the output Jack is on the bottom side and not the front. I acquired a firefly about 4 years ago and kept the body and neck and changed everything else on it to get a reasonably good playing and sounding 335 copy. All the best
It's a nice colour, that plum. I think it's a great base for upgrading, but also totally wonderful in factory finish and fittings.
I concur, what a bargain 😀 I wanted to add a 335 style to my guitar collection. So I went for the lemon burst with a hard case (£228), and I love it. I changed the strings straight away, EB 11s, and oiled the fretboard and it was ready to go. My guitar playing mates always pick it up when they come up for a visit. A couple of them have now bought one. I'm now looking for my next HB guitar. Keep the great work Pete and HB 👍👏👏👏
Good shout on the new strings and lemon oil. Makes all the difference
what size strings does the lemon one come with I have just ordered one
@@deniseshaw3871 I'm sure the strings were D'addario 9s. I've had it for over a year now and I still love it. Enjoy Denise.
@@1320alibaba are the 9s better for a beginner like myself ??
I got the Lemon one. It’s the first one that had a flaw of 9 HBs. :(. The 12th fret high E is dead. A fret rocker tells me 11 is tall. This is a bit out of my comfort zone. I was worried about filing it but I saw a guy use sand paper and spot sand it. It’s just a small area. I’m gonna try it tonight after 3 or 4 more drinks. Wish me luck. All the rest of the thing is Devine.
Ah, good luck. Fret profiling seems daunting, but go slowly and keep checking and it'll work out fine.
I have the lemon. It’s amazing. No complaints.
Is the flame visible?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse Not super pronounced, but it’s there. I knew that before I bought it from my research though. You can find RUclips reviews of the Lemon on here. It’s still a really stunning looking guitar and definitely plays good enough for me. I’m just a dude that plays for fun in my home office for my own pleasure, so my expectations are probably different than someone on a stage. To me, this thing is beautiful. It’s all I will ever need. I do have an expensive Takamine acoustic, but that was my gift to me. And that’s what I play 80% of the time.
Hi Pete, bought mine now on day 68. Received the guitar just after 3 days shipping from Germany to Saint Louis. Just started playing and this is an excellent instrument. The finish is a 9.9 out of 10. Not sure I'm qualified to rate the playing at this point. Only thing I will do to the OEM is new strings, may go with 9's so bends may be a bit easier on this beginner. Oh yes, I pulled the strings aside to polish the frets as they had some grit on them but are perfectly fine now. Thanks for your review. I don't see any need for modifications.
Great choice. A fret polish does smooth them out nicely. Sound excellent as standard!
Hi Pete I bought a Harley Benton big tone with Bigsby trem thoroughly enjoying her. No horror stories on the quality delivery was great, pricing very keen. if like me you are a new player it's not a huge investment.
That's a really nice guitar you got. Is the bigsby stable?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse hi Pete not sure what you mean there if you mean does it pull her out of tune I haven't used the term much but she does need a light tune compared to my strat a like.
I have the same unit and I am totally pleased with the piece. As you stated unbelievable for the money spent.
A few years ago this would have been five time the price!
Mine was perfect out of the box, a year ago.
I changed the tuners but that's it.
It's a super guitar.
Great stuff. What colour?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse cherry flame
@@austinpowers8089 nice. Much of a flame?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse not a lot
That "magic" position is magic as you say. I have same guitar and found the same. My only regret in buying it was that I went for the cherry flame as you have, but wish I had waited a while for the lemon drop which looks gorgeous.
I'm still trying to talk myself out of the blue one!
@@PetesGuitarUniverse I just wish they'd do a black Lucille-like version. I saw another manufacturer do similar with gold pickups and bridge etc, and a massively lovely tangerine binding. It looked exquisite.
@@brusselssprouts560 they do a black with gold hardware (last time I checked). A real beauty. Have they stopped doing that colourway?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse I bought mine a year ago, but the only black finish I could find was the HB35, i.e. without the push/pull pots. If you know different I will consider buying one, although it may be a new finish. Black 335s are the signature finish I believe.
Gotta say Pete, I've read many reviews of this guitar and your review is one of the most straightforward, yet detailed one yet. I've been thinking about getting one and the only thing that has been holding me back is that I'm staunch beginner and I don't know if buying a guitar will move me forward. Once again great review!
Thanks so much. Appreciate your comment so much. This would be an ideal purchase for a beginner through to advanced professional level. No need to upgrade anything. It will grow with you over time.
Purchasing that HB guitar will move you forward ... and seek a nice combo, its not the same to playing a guitar through plugins/computer/headphones than playing through an amp in a room. ...
The guitar is as others have said great for a beginner, although I would perhaps invest in getting it set up by a professional or you can try it yourself. In doing so it will be easier to play and play in tune better. Even really expensive guitars need setting up out of the box. If you are practical you can set it up your self, which I have done on all my guitars. There are loads of RUclips videos that can teach you all there is to know and more.
excellent review pete...just ordered the lemon drop version
Oooh nice the lemon and the black are really tempting
hey man ! i`m about to buy this guitar. Excellent review! subscribed.
Thanks so much. Really appreciate it. Let us know how your guitar is.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse I really liked it but i cant compare to others. this is the most expensive guitar i`ve ever bought. But so far so good. Anyway, keep going with the good work. i dont usually watch review videos till the end but somehow this one was easy to watch. Maybe a bit better lighting and microphone and you will go very far. Gonna keep supporting you. All the best!
thanks for this great review, not playing complicated solos and so on (don't like it in guitar reviews ...) facts and competence, for me a perfect review (i got one 😁) thanks again, ...
You're welcome. Great purchase.
Hi Pete, Sounds great, nice review, I'm waiting for mine to arrive any day. Took loads of research to find something budget friendly with decent quality. Hope I can make the switch from acoustic.
These are so much easier to play than an acoustic. Best of both worlds. Good choice.
I have the same guitar in Lemon Burst and I totally Agree with your assesment of the instrument. It punches way above its weightclass in playability, finish and tone. The pickups are exellent both in singlecoil and humbucker mode. The neck is a full beautiful C and feels fantastic in my hands since I love a full neck. The only "fault" I could find is that the polishing on the frets is not 100% . This was easily fixed with fine steel wool when I changed the strings. This has become my go to guitar and I sometimes just sit and stare at its beauty😄 I have one more HB and that one is at the same level of tone, playability and quality of construction. There will be more HBs in my feature🥳
Sounds great. What's your other HB model?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse It's a TE 52. Also a great guitar but quite Heavy😅
I put a Bigsby B7 on mine. It sounds even better, more crisp. Shockingly, it has no tuning issues at all with the Bigsby. And it looks fantastic. For $179 plus $50 to install the Bigsby (more than the guitar), I must say, it was worth it. I have a black "Custom Made" plate coming to stick on over the tailpiece holes, just like a Gibson.
I also darkened the Pao Ferro fretboard with Montypresso relic wax (multiple coats). A nice improvement.
@@JamesPetroff Those are some tasty mods. Sounds like the ultimate
Got this a while ago. It is, as you say, an unbelievable bargain. Just a couple of things. On mine the nut isn't flush with the neck at the treble e string end and can be uncomfortable using certain chords. Only needs to be filed back I suppose. Only a minor inconvenience. The other point is the thickness of the paint job. It's really very thick, which is fine, but the finish on the neck might not be to everyone's taste. Some prefer a more satin style finish on the neck. This is very glossy. The Roswell pick ups made me jump when I first played it. Is that really me playing that!
I also have a HB 450 with P90's and that I can really recommend and it's only £133!!
Thanks for the tips. Will look at the HB 450.
Nice review thanks. 👍🏽
Thanks. Happy to oblige
The only thing stops me to buying that marvellous beauty is the position of the toggle switch, the thinking of change that thing, is hell! And yeah, all HB guitars I have (and I have a few) excels in the look and finish department.
Yeah, just leave the toggle switch where it is. Works well.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse I meant when it eventually breaks or loosen
@@Alfredo78666 feels good quality. Should be an easy swap if it needs to be replaced ever.
Many thanks for your reply and appreciate it. Yep looks like Harley will be my choice , new for less than a second hand Epi 335 which your not sure on condition age etc. One other thought sprung to mind amongst reviews was swopping out pick-ups tuners etc , playing at home this is really not really relevent , more powerful pick ups , er no. Tone , sorry can be set with an amp to more a degree , a lesser quality guitar can sound great through a decent amp , a great guitar can sound crap through a lousy amp. I think a home set up can be decent if the balance is right , reasonable amp , reasonable guitar , just get the balance right. Too many armchair players out there spouting nonsense.
Agree with everything you say here. The HB35 Plus really hits the sweet spot
I bought one and it is stunning to be honest. I bought it expecting an upgrade project. It’s that good I don’t want to mess with it. So I bought a second to customise (I can’t say upgrade)
What colours did you get?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse Cherry red bothy times. Both excellent instruments all 'round. One to keep as standard, one to take the gloss back and age check the finish with new tuners (the only weak point on the guitars in my view.... very usable but could be better). Might try to ebonise the fingerboard too.
@@iainlove2343 sounds like a great plan. Would LOVE to see the finished guitar
Nice playing ! It sounds great 👍
Thanks. It's a great guitar to play
Just ordered the lemon yellow version…and have to wait for about 7-9 weeks 😢
Nice. Try it in push/pull mode. Got some great clean / mild OD tones out of it
One of these is getting delivered to me next week. Can't wait. Love the open chord progression riff? What is it? Looks Am based?
Thanks. It's just an improvised riff I made up. Feel free to use it as your own
Great riffs!
Waiting on my HB 35+ Lemon Drop. Driving me crazy to get it here. I've been wanting a Harley B for a couple of years and just got my CST 24T Emerald today! I've got Epiphone LP with coil splitters. Squier and Fender MIJ Strats, Tele's. a couple of Gretsh's etc. If this CST is any indication I may never play another brand again! I've been consumed with this HB35+ since I first saw it with the block inlays (the original was dots). Chomping at the bit!!!!! Great review, I'm clicking like and subscribing now. Please get better lighting though.
Let the music set you free.
James Hayes
Great review! I've been playing a lot of Oasis recently and reckon it would good for that. The thing is I generally play lying back in an armchair, might it be too cumbersome for that?
Mine is also impeccable. Really nice guitar.
Excellent. What colour?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse lemon 🍋 drop. It doesn't have any blemishes and appears perfectly made except for the fact you can see the wood join on the neck up close to the tuning head. With a small amount of setup, same as pretty much all of my guitars, it plays very smoothly and even sounds pretty good unplugged.
@@0Oo..oO0 yes, the acoustic tone is nice too. The sign of a nice guitar!
Gorgeous guitar at any price! Full Stop!
Yes yes yes
How is the sound without an amp...Thanks...Was considering buying a Hagstrom Viking ii..But for can't justify price tag for just playing at home
Sounds great. Louder than an electric, not the same boom of a full electric. A very balanced tone.
They are able to offer such inexpensive guitars because they have no distributor which usually is 30-40% of the price and then the retailer adds their markup, HB guitars are straight to Thomann from the factory and they are set up and checked by Thomann
Thanks for the insight
I had an old Framus slim hollow body that was so far gone from decades of abuse and neglect by the time I got it. I have a couple HBs and like them. The HB35 plus may just replace the poor old Framus.
Good plan
i have a Harley Benton Strat and it is a great guitar.
Great. What model?
@@PetesGuitarUniverse its the off white with gold hardware.it sounds better than the Fender Squire by far
@@markmiller8137 good to know. Been looking at that model myself
I've got the ST62 version. It plays and sounds good. I was expecting the pickups not to be stellar, but they're fine. I've managed to get the best action out of any Strat copy I've ever had.
Hi Peter , great honest review ty ,I've always wanted to play the guitar , I was wondering would this guitar be good for neo soul and R&B , that's the music I love , or would you recommend another harley benton , ty once again , kind regards jules 👍
Thanks. And yes, this is good for rock, pop, blues, jazz, R&B. But If you're looking for more of a jangle tone then a strat or similar single coil pickup guitar would be a good shout. Can't go wrong with a Harley Benton at the current time. Great quality / value balance.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse thank you so much for taking the time out to Answer Peter , I must admit I've fe in love with the harley benton sc 550ii bcf but I didn't think it would be right for the genre I would love to play , but I would love your opinion if that isn't to much trouble , kind regards jules
@@Jules551 nice guitar. Any electric can be made to sound however you like, but generally Les Paul tones are dark, thick and for heavier styles. But there's no rules really. Enjoy experimenting
@@PetesGuitarUniverse Thank you Peter , I will let you know how I get on , keep up the great work ... jules 👍
Love this what chords please ?
The review is ok, and helpfull, the idea with the recording with a strong light in the background (window or what is it?) is .... strange. ;)
Still learning video production
Put the 💡 on , please
Still learning how to do all this presenting stuff. Comments appreciated
This guitar with amaranth fretboard version is better. Darker smoother. Better for jazz and blues
I really wanna know how the guitar sounds without an amp 😩
I'm about to make a follow up video with that included. Subscribe to the channel for instant notification when the video is uploaded. Thanks
@@PetesGuitarUniverse awesome! Thanks 🙏🏼
Очень хороший обзор. Редкий случай, когда человек понимает что делает (демонстрирует инструмент, а не себя).
Can't understand why they spoiled the look of this guitar with a les paul pickguard.
The look of the guitar isn't 'spoiled'. I actually prefer it, compared to the big 'ol droopy looking traditional style. We all have different preferences I guess
I read on the internet that a guy almost bled out from the sharp frets on a Harley Benton. Tell me ain't so!
Sounds like a rumour started by some other brand
Horse shit.
It plays better than the Gibson 335 I owned and since sold
@@savedandblessed79 well said.
@@PetesGuitarUniverse totally true the gibson had serious fret issues, the neck angle was wrong meaning bridge was as low as it would go on treble side and action was still high on GBE strings. Pickups were microphonic and had finish issues
@@savedandblessed79 I can totally believe it. I've had some very expensive guitars over the years with some serious 'issues'. Sometimes the name does not equate to high quality, just image.
Крутая палка!!! Можно брать за такія грошы
Did you pay for it? I bought one based on youtube reviews. Mine is the worst guitar I've ever purchased. It needs a lot fretwork, pickups, wiring, properly cut nut and I might as well replace the stopbar, bridge and tuners while I'm at it. Which leaves me with a $155 chunk of wood.
Yes, I bought it unseen from Thomann. Mine was perfect. Maybe the QC has become relaxed. Anyone else experienced a poor HB35??
I initially tried their Les Paul, half expecting to have to send it back as i didn't believe all the hype. It's a fine guitar, albeit a bit heavy. The control cavity routing should have been a couple of mill deeper was the only issue. When I needed a backup Strat I went for another HB, also a really decent guitar, although it's using RH taper pots in a lefty (Fender do this as well). So both had minor issues but nothing to get worked up about. An HB 35+ came up locally, so i bought that too. The HB35 feels another step up in a way i can't quite put my finger on. My initial doubts about the brand have been proved unfounded. I have a lovely Epiphone DOT, which they've stopped making in a lefty, so I'm loathe to gig with it, hence jumping on the HB35 when it came up locally. You can't tell which is the more expensive guitar in looks, sound or playability. Amazing. I'll probably sell the LP, just because of the weight and having to watch my back, but in fairness i think I'd find any LP on the heavy side. It's a shame as it has a nice vibe. They're all pleasing just in different ways, with different characters.
@@DirkGentley42 sounds like a good plan. The most important thing is that we enjoy playing our guitars. Those Les Paul's do look very nice. Been tempted myself, but I like quirky guitars that are a bit more left field. The HB35+ is a superb guitar. And the low cost makes it a must have. Keep rockin'!
Mine was flawless.
No No No, it looks good, plays good but sounds so so muddy - whatever I do. So so so disappointing
Could it be your setup? Do you have another electric guitar you could try A/B testing against it? Are the tone dials fully open - not bleeding the treble off? There a push/pull switch.
I put the HB through my normal set-up and, as a check, directly into the amp (without the various pedals. My other guitar is a Fender Strat so it is not really a fair comparison of the sound because the Strat has a much wider range of possible sounds than I expect from the HB. For the HB I have tried every possible combination of buttons up, buttons down, pick-p switch position etc and none really give me a sound approaching that of Chuck Berry or B B King. Some are so muddy that I can't imagine ever needing such a sound. I bought a Behringer EQ pedal to lighten up the sound (big mistake, it has a buzz whatever I put though it) and that helped. The pedal would have hekped except I couldn't get rid of the buzz. Another EQ pedal? I'm not going to throw more good money after bad. Then, as an alternative kept my normal settings with reverb and delay but increased the EQ through a zoom multi-effects pedal which has been is part of my simple rig for many years. The effect was an artificial sound. I've even considered having it rewired with simple single-coil pick-ups until I realised that selling it off for half- price would be more sensible. And on that subject I've had it for sale for a week or two and not an inquiry in sight. If there's anyone out there who wants to take it off my hands half-price then you are welcome
@@mikejones8198 sounds like you got one with a wiring issue. Have it looked at, or rewire it yourself. Should be bell-like clean and clear, with nice jangle from the single coil setting. They're beautiful when working properly. Good luck and let us know!
Thanks for the tip. i'll have a word with Thomann although they weren't much help last time I called them. Fingers Crossed!@@PetesGuitarUniverse