I used to try and get all my guitars action as low as possible, it took me years to realise that super low action sucks. Higher action makes vibrato easier, bends easier to get under. I find it also helps with muting unwanted strings with the left hand. The tone of the guitar is also better with higher action, with less string buzzing. There's no benefits to super low action, unless you are a serious shred machine.
For me it's a tension thing. If the action is higher, even light strings feel like they have a load of tension in them and it gives me problems with my tendons, making it so I can't play as long and sometimes have to have time away from playing to allow the swelling to subside. With a low action, I can use the string gauge I want to and also have the feel of a much slinkier guitar.
@@BudgetPedalChap That's a good point. I can't deal with really high action, it's just not fun to wrestle the guitar. It also depends on the guitar type and scale length. Strat style I like around 1.5 to 1.6mm at the 12th fret. A tad lower on LP style. Some guitars just feel terrible at any setup!?
Great video! I wonder how the neck compares to the Charvel necks. I agree about radius. 12" is ideal for me. Almost all of my guitars are 12" radius, even the strats.
I tried a pro mod DK24 some time ago and remember it being comfortable but can't remember much else. I'd be very open to Charvel sending me one to demo, just in case any one from Charvel is watching. 🤣🤣
Great review BPC 👍 I've never owned an HB but was impressed by your review & the price point. The P90 pick-up swap is a genius idea, thought the roswell had an alien thinness to them. Ageed on the neck radius & I actually like the higher action, it suits how I play.
Cheers 👍 thanks for your contribution too . The Harley Benton "crowd pleaser" set up might suit you then. It is a comfortable set up, just not quite low enough for my tastes. With my usual set up, the Roswells sound really spongy, so I might have compensated with the EQ a bit much. They are better than cheap ceramic pickups, but definitely the weakest link on the guitar. They'll definitely be coming out sooner rather than later 👍
@@BudgetPedalChap sorry I didn't catch the live showing, the broadband was down. Look forward to hearing those P90's & next pedal review. The modern Tele with the offset rail pick-up got my interest & a review would be welcome. Keep on keeping on BPC 👍
@@jamessilver2748 not too worry gent 👍 rest assured there will be more from this one in the coming months. Now, let's take another look at those Squier contemporary teles... 😂😂
@@ZombieLincoln666 yeah, sometimes they can be kept in warehouses for a while before being sold and so they can build up a bit of grime. After a bit of playing, it should sort that. I haven't personally experienced any uneven frets, but that's an issue that will take a bit more effort to sort out, for sure.
Did you stick some P90s in it? I was thinking of doing the same, but P90s don't always bring as much brightness as one might expect, so interested in the outcome....
Listening back, I may have been a bit harsh on the pickups 😂😂 I'm still changing them though. 12" radius is a real winner for me too, it's a great middle ground.
Nice one mate! Absolutely Love the colour! 😎👌 Get the Squier Contemporary! 👹... and the Sire! 👹 I have a Sire Bass - It's awesome 👌 Side Note : your resemblance to Walter Becker on the thumbnail is uncanny!
You've got the contemporary starcaster right? Or should I say bar caster? 😂😂 Does that have the roasted neck and how does it compare to the HB stuff? My guitar room overflows currently, so I'm going to have to move something on if I do get one, but it is tempting. Maybe I should change the title to "Walter Becker reviews..." to pull in the crowds 😂😂 he wishes his beard was quite as thick though 😉
@@BudgetPedalChap Yes it has the roasted neck, nah the quality isn't near as good as the HB Fusion stuff. Cheap feeling hardware and quite poor fretwork. My SQ Starcaster was 3rd time lucky. Had to send the first 2 back 😬
@@stevecassidyguitar aha, so find one in a local music shop to try out rather than an internet purchase, I hear ya. It's a shame too, their contemporary series is an amazing concept 👍
@@BudgetPedalChap Yeah mate - that's probs the smart way to do it 👍 To be fair to SQ I got all of em during lockdown, so probably not the best time or examples 🙈 Also wasn't possible for me to try out then, but still usually just buy em online sight unseen anyway 😂 Also like to buy used, there's a good chance whatever initial issues have already been dealt with 😁👍
Are you a 7.25" player? Hats off to you, that takes a much sturdier grip than my own. A lot of the Fender Jap stuff still runs with that radius, but they are a wee bit more pricey than these Harley Bentons 🤣🤣
@@joshshannon yeah, the American and Mexican made stuff is. The Japanese market tend to prefer the 7.25, so a lot of the guitars made there have that radius. I think they also opt for vintage narrow, tall frets too 👍
@BudgetPedalChap that's the one thing that has held me back from buying a jagstang. That and the price being more used than some American models but the early 1st series from Japan will probably stay st 1000 or higher. 7.25 isn't so bad with chords but it does prevent low action and with the mustang bridge also I've just been hesitant. Although it is fender I guess I could get a mighty mite neck and bolt that on but that and all the parts changes might as well buy a body neck and parts and make my own but you know how that goes. I bought a Jackson x series Kelly and have spent almost 400 to get it up to par where I could have just saved money and bought an American or Japanese model and been straight from the get go. The crap we go thru for our dreams passions etc.
I used to try and get all my guitars action as low as possible, it took me years to realise that super low action sucks. Higher action makes vibrato easier, bends easier to get under. I find it also helps with muting unwanted strings with the left hand. The tone of the guitar is also better with higher action, with less string buzzing. There's no benefits to super low action, unless you are a serious shred machine.
For me it's a tension thing. If the action is higher, even light strings feel like they have a load of tension in them and it gives me problems with my tendons, making it so I can't play as long and sometimes have to have time away from playing to allow the swelling to subside. With a low action, I can use the string gauge I want to and also have the feel of a much slinkier guitar.
@@BudgetPedalChap That's a good point. I can't deal with really high action, it's just not fun to wrestle the guitar. It also depends on the guitar type and scale length. Strat style I like around 1.5 to 1.6mm at the 12th fret. A tad lower on LP style. Some guitars just feel terrible at any setup!?
Great video! I wonder how the neck compares to the Charvel necks. I agree about radius. 12" is ideal for me. Almost all of my guitars are 12" radius, even the strats.
I tried a pro mod DK24 some time ago and remember it being comfortable but can't remember much else. I'd be very open to Charvel sending me one to demo, just in case any one from Charvel is watching. 🤣🤣
Great review BPC 👍
I've never owned an HB but was impressed by your review & the price point.
The P90 pick-up swap is a genius idea, thought the roswell had an alien thinness to them.
Ageed on the neck radius & I actually like the higher action, it suits how I play.
Cheers 👍 thanks for your contribution too .
The Harley Benton "crowd pleaser" set up might suit you then. It is a comfortable set up, just not quite low enough for my tastes.
With my usual set up, the Roswells sound really spongy, so I might have compensated with the EQ a bit much. They are better than cheap ceramic pickups, but definitely the weakest link on the guitar. They'll definitely be coming out sooner rather than later 👍
@@BudgetPedalChap sorry I didn't catch the live showing, the broadband was down. Look forward to hearing those P90's & next pedal review. The modern Tele with the offset rail pick-up got my interest & a review would be welcome. Keep on keeping on BPC 👍
@@jamessilver2748 not too worry gent 👍 rest assured there will be more from this one in the coming months. Now, let's take another look at those Squier contemporary teles... 😂😂
Is it me or does it sound decent as standard? I'm not hating those pickups
Yeah, listening back they seem to hold their own. I'm still replacing them but they're not bad at all
Solid review brother
Thanks so much for making the premier 👍 it's a decent bit of kit tbf, so much guitar for the money
Got the matte black version of this (fortunatley before they stopped selling it in black). Planning on getting some tripleshot p rails in them
That'd be ace. Ultimate versatility. I ended up getting some humbuckers for it, I've not installed em yet though.
Mine came with rather scratchy frets. The pots are also not very good quality (uneven feel).
But the neck and body are very nice.
@@ZombieLincoln666 yeah, sometimes they can be kept in warehouses for a while before being sold and so they can build up a bit of grime. After a bit of playing, it should sort that. I haven't personally experienced any uneven frets, but that's an issue that will take a bit more effort to sort out, for sure.
Did you stick some P90s in it? I was thinking of doing the same, but P90s don't always bring as much brightness as one might expect, so interested in the outcome....
I ended up getting a set of iron gear humbuckers, I've not installed them yet though. Will definitely be reporting back when they are installed 👍
You cook some pretty tones out of that thing chappie. Myself I prefer a 12-inch radius as well. Being primarily a Les Paul player it's just home.
Listening back, I may have been a bit harsh on the pickups 😂😂 I'm still changing them though. 12" radius is a real winner for me too, it's a great middle ground.
Nice one mate! Absolutely Love the colour! 😎👌
Get the Squier Contemporary! 👹... and the Sire! 👹
I have a Sire Bass - It's awesome 👌
Side Note : your resemblance to Walter Becker on the thumbnail is uncanny!
You've got the contemporary starcaster right? Or should I say bar caster? 😂😂 Does that have the roasted neck and how does it compare to the HB stuff? My guitar room overflows currently, so I'm going to have to move something on if I do get one, but it is tempting.
Maybe I should change the title to "Walter Becker reviews..." to pull in the crowds 😂😂 he wishes his beard was quite as thick though 😉
@@BudgetPedalChap Yes it has the roasted neck, nah the quality isn't near as good as the HB Fusion stuff.
Cheap feeling hardware and quite poor fretwork. My SQ Starcaster was 3rd time lucky. Had to send the first 2 back 😬
@@stevecassidyguitar aha, so find one in a local music shop to try out rather than an internet purchase, I hear ya. It's a shame too, their contemporary series is an amazing concept 👍
@@BudgetPedalChap Yeah mate - that's probs the smart way to do it 👍
To be fair to SQ I got all of em during lockdown, so probably not the best time or examples 🙈
Also wasn't possible for me to try out then, but still usually just buy em online sight unseen anyway 😂
Also like to buy used, there's a good chance whatever initial issues have already been dealt with 😁👍
@@stevecassidyguitar great tip, I'll get on the used market and see what's about 👍
This is really great, dipping the toes into the tonewood thing though, it threw me off.
Gotta include these things otherwise there'll be a bunch of people asking in the comments. I'm nothing if not thorough 🤣🤣
I am also a fan of cake 🎂
This may be the guitar for you! 🤣🤣
Me as an older guy who played the same strat since the seventies, can't play on those flat fretboards. There's hardly anything out there for me.
Are you a 7.25" player? Hats off to you, that takes a much sturdier grip than my own. A lot of the Fender Jap stuff still runs with that radius, but they are a wee bit more pricey than these Harley Bentons 🤣🤣
The new fender is 9.5 its not as flat as what you're thinking. It's still a little rounded.
@@joshshannon yeah, the American and Mexican made stuff is. The Japanese market tend to prefer the 7.25, so a lot of the guitars made there have that radius. I think they also opt for vintage narrow, tall frets too 👍
I do wish HB offered some stuff with a 9,5 radius at least
@BudgetPedalChap that's the one thing that has held me back from buying a jagstang. That and the price being more used than some American models but the early 1st series from Japan will probably stay st 1000 or higher. 7.25 isn't so bad with chords but it does prevent low action and with the mustang bridge also I've just been hesitant. Although it is fender I guess I could get a mighty mite neck and bolt that on but that and all the parts changes might as well buy a body neck and parts and make my own but you know how that goes. I bought a Jackson x series Kelly and have spent almost 400 to get it up to par where I could have just saved money and bought an American or Japanese model and been straight from the get go. The crap we go thru for our dreams passions etc.