Harley Benton is, quite simply, doing incredible things. I could not tell the difference in that sound test and would prefer the $850 in my pocket to buy another 4 Harley Bentons.
@@marblemolly2454 uhh sounds good. I bought them time after time. A Tele Copy, A Jazzmaster Copy a Les Paul Copy and a this Strat Copy. It’s stunning how good they look and Sound
I'm sixty, I've been a working live and studio musician for many years, I did always love and play Fender Strats and I still do. Well, now my comment is that, for the money, HB is a stunning winner. I bet that on a blindfold test most of us would have very tender moments trying to guess it right... Is a real Strat better? Yes, of course, but... what about the money's difference? And I'm sure that adding just 80/90 bucks, you can put on a Seymour Duncan SSL5 in bridge position and get rid of that stinging tone, if you don't like it. Best regards. 👋🏼
That has become my opinion too. The Fender is nicer all-around, but the HB is actually close, and it feels great to play. And yes, drop in your favorite Strat pickups and you're good to go! Thanks for watching and for your comment!
@@MarkZabel I found a white one with gold hardware (thats the deluxe version of the 62) with Fender Vintage Noisless for 140 EUR used but like in mint condition. The guy even gave me the orignal rosewell pickups too. What a steal. I did a nice setup with proper neck adjustment and put 0.10s on it. Great axe.
The sound difference is basically just the difference between pickups, where the HB pickups sound hotter and with a bit more bottom end. So it then really just comes down to what you prefer and can afford, and whether the HB is playable enough to be considered. And let's not forget that in a live situation, nobody outside of the guitarist playing would be able to reliably tell the difference in sound.
"And let's not forget that in a live situation, nobody outside of the guitarist playing would be able to reliably tell the difference in sound" SO F***ING TRUE. It's all about playing with what you have and love.
@@arikiatan508 i agree, the only one who can tell the difference is you, and the only valuable difference different instruments have is their feel and build quality. And i can say, the build quality of these harley bentons is phenomenal. I would be as happy to play a gig with one of these as to play it with my 1200€ schecter hellraiser.
*Live Stream returns next Sunday, Feb 7, 2021* Harley Benton HB ST62-CC: www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_st_62cc_rw_lake_placid_blue.htm Get TABs here: tinyurl.com/ybpzjuwm Please help support the channel by donating here: www.paypal.com/paypalme/MZabel335
Great comparison, the way it should be done - clear, concise, truthful! Been living in Germany since 2008 and have had many HBs pass through my hands and they have really improved through the years (though they were, never awful) - early ones needed a good weekends work to set up, but the recents a Sunday morning at best (sometimes nothing needed at all). Best part, for the money I have great playing/sounding HBs that I can cart around to jams/friends houses/uncontrolled music nights without worrying about my precious stuff! And still getting a damned good sound/feel for the thing that's in my head....
Thanks Colin! That's a great point about having a decent (perhaps more than decent) guitar to cart to gigs/practice without worry! Thanks for your comment!
Best Harley Benton comparison that I’ve seen so far. To my ears, I swear the HB has more sustain. (And that’s coming from someone that owns a Fender American Standard anniversary!). Excellent job!
From quite a few websites reviews I found that some HBs' are noticeable heavier, maybe this increases sustain due to a denser body wood. Also the 6 screws vintage bridge has some more contact with the body if set the traditional way so there's some noticeable increase in resonance and sustain.
Great comparison. Your fairness and objectivity and great playing skills are very good. You also have a wonderful calm presenting style which is really appealing. The Harley Benton guitars are a terrific combination of quality and value for money. Thanks for posting.
i have heard a lot of persons that have a original fender strat and they bought for testing a HB. they are so impressed from the HB. for the price difference you can buy a lot more things like a bicycle
Oh wow! HB neck+middle dirty is THE sound for me! That is the only clip from either guitar that made me go back for a second listen. Great video and comparison! Thank you!
One of the best comparisons I’ve seen. Thank you sir. To me, the options we have today at the beginner level and the quality that’s out there is outstanding. When I was a kid, guitars like these Harley Benton was non existent. We are very lucky that no matter what your budget is, you can find a very good guitar quite easily.
@@MarkZabel totally agree. I bought a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster a few years ago and I couldn’t believe how high end it felt and played. Just gave it to my nephew a few weeks ago but I may start looking for another one.
Very fair and balanced review on decent but affordable equipment, and lots of clean samples. Nicely done, subscribed! BTW I listened without watching the video and I couldn't tell which was which. I'd have been over the moon with either if I'd had them when I started out, as others have noted.
Thanks for the sub! Yes, I shudder to think of what I played when I was 16. No wonder my fingers bled! Just the playability of cheap guitars these days has seen vast improvement!
I have an American Stratocaster and I admit the Harley Benton sounds great. In the 90' cheap gear used to be very bad, but nowadays you can get very good gear for very cheap.
Yes, and if you think the 90s were bad for inexpensive gear, the 80s were worse ... and if you think the 80s were bad, the 70s were worse. Seriously, the inexpensive guitars and amps are amazing for the $$$ today. (Not all of them of course.)
That’s really true! Nowadays the inexpensive guitars are generally good. I bought an Epiphone les Paul special last year. It was $400, and pretty much specked out like the Gibson, and the most surprising thing is that the quality of the build is almost as good as the “real” thing. Well, it’s good enough for me at least.
@@MarkZabel Totally agree, had a Wilson in 1972 that I think was a bad copy of a Burns, it was terrible! By 1974 after working the whole summer break I was able to buy a used 1967 Gibson SG standard with the long Maestro, a beautiful guitar that I really wish I’d kept as worth a fortune now and what a difference! Today I have in my collection an Epiphone 1961 Les Paul Custom (SG shape) that is fitted with DiMarzio PAF’s, plays and sounds every bit as good! It’s just the “Snobs” that would never admit it!
I bought a '73 strat brand new in 1974, I think I paid a little more than $600.00 with a case, extra strings, and picks, now the most expensive Harley Benton costs about that.
Fantastic comparison video!! I've been playing Strats for 45 years, and honestly prefer the Harley Benton sound in every clip! Amazing value for money. Not owned or played one yet, but who knows...
Thanks! I like the Strat tone better, but actually prefer playing the HB. And pickups aren't that expensive, so I may do that. Having said that, the HB does sound good IMHO.
I’m a big fan of Harley Benton guitars, they’re great value for money! I have 4 now and apart from setting them up to my preferences had nothing much to change. The Roswell pickups are pretty good, the only thing that occasionally needs replacing is string trees and just once the tuners (there was 1/4 turn slop in them!).
I bought the ST-90sa and I'm changing the string trees (one is just not even close) and the output jack was cutting out constantly. But after that, with a little set up, changing the nut is all that it really needed. It's so well built. Definitely built better than a Squier. The neck joint is so precise.
Both sound great. Really wanted to justify a Fender USA but it was really hard especially with all the price increases lately. Bentons sound great. Guitars and basses too. Great for trying a new instrument or experimenting/moding.
I bought a top of the line fusio. Tele,cost with case n shipping around $700,then ordered a cheaper strat,and cheaper shipping,DSL,said would arrive in 10 days, cool,not so.Months went by,argued endlessly with thomann,after 3and a half months I finally got my money back.At close to almost 4 months,got a call my guitar was ready for me to pick up,miles away during lockdown,and I had to promise THOMANN I would refuse,I did,same thing happened to an amp I ordered the same time,about another month later.So if you buy from THOMANN,buy the most expensive Fed ex,and cross your fingers,and expect it to be much later than promised,and a refund is not available for 3-4 months.
Great review, thank you. I live about 40 minutes from Thomann and it's a huge store for all and every musicians needs. I can remember the times, when the founder Hans Thomann was walking through his store and greeting every customer by hand. Since they built the monstrous warehouse and shipping center it's even more impressive and worth a visit. It's a kind of sad the Harley Benton guitar line does only "copies" of guitars these days. Some years ago they did very own HB models and even higher class guitars than today. What i love about Thomann is their "No Question" politics, if you don't like an instrument or gear, just send it back without discussing why. And let's all be thankful we live in a time of affordable and playable instruments. My first guitars in the 70s didn't play 1/2 as good and i thought it has to be that painful. And no, i couldn't afford a Fender they were around 1200 Deutsch Marks wich equaled to 2600$ in the 70s. I think that's 2-3 times the wage my father's monthly income.
Hey Elrondo! I would love to visit Thomann some day. Glad to hear of their storied history. I actually have 2 of their "Fusion" models. They are excellent for about $400 US. Honestly, with upgraded pickups they would be as good as anything. Really well built and beautiful. I think I paid $750 or so for my 335 back in 1981. (I can't remember, because I financed it from my Dad and paid him $50/month for quite a while - also a good lesson!) Today's guitars are fantastic for the money. I also think some of the higher-end ones are worth the money, but I'm not willing to spend it, because my interests vary so much.
@@MarkZabel Well Mark, my house is your house. If you ever come over feel free to stay at my place 🙂 It's a good starting point to lot's of visiting points in Germany.
@@TheElrondo That is very generous my friend! The best part about RUclips for me is making friends from all over. I'm so glad you're part of the group here!
I´m living in Nürnberg about 40 minutes away also. I sang at one of Thomann´s xmas parties a few years ago together with an American guy named Greg McCoy who ran the studio room for many years. Han´s is a nice guy. He gave Greg a lifetime contract. Love the store. Amazing how it has grown over the years.
I like your review style, this was really useful. Interestingly, a lot of the stuff you point out on the HB, you would also find on a MIM Strat: the tuners, 6-point trem, vintage saddles.
My Fender Player Srat MIM has 2 point tremolo and the Fender tuners as here in this video the american Strat has. I looove my Player Strat! Great guitar, comes with a perfect setup out of the box. Once i had a Squier classic vibe 60, but the Fender Player has better materials, particularly the metal parts are obviously better.
I bought a Harley Benton just to see if they could really as good as people say on RUclips reviews. Then I bought another! They are really good, very playable guitars and amazing for the price.
Bought an mini solid top HB acoustic. Excellent travel guitar and easy to break out for practice. Love the neck. I will have to try their strat copy. Great review.
Amazing how close those guitars are in quality and sound. Leo Fender designed his guitars to be mass produced quite efficiently, so it's no surprise that roughly 70 years later, with modern means of production, they can be produced in this quality for this price. Of course, there are still differences and I would much prefer to have a USA strat over a harley benton
Great observation! Yes, the sound is one thing. Quality ... not so sure they are really that close. Certainly the electronics, tuners, nut, hardware and finish are superior on the Fender. Most of that is simple and inexpensive to upgrade. But I wonder about the durability a bit. You know the neck wood didn't get the same treatment and that might tell over time. But yes, absolutely. The design lends itself to good, inexpensive production.
@@MarkZabel Yes definitely true. In terms of quality I meant that given that the US strat is like 10 times more expensive, the quality of the Harley Benton is relatively good. What you mentioned in terms of parts used is definitely true, but these parts still work fine and will do so for years. I've owned a HB strat for 5 years now and so far I experienced no issues in either the parts or the wood itself. But still, the USA strat is definitely better, as is should be :)
The quality you get today is so amazing. I remember my first guitar was a Squire. It was very cheaply made. The electronics crapped out. It cracked at the nut. I had to tune it all the time. The plastic on it was so cheap. These Harley Benton guitars are miles better
I just got my very first Harley Benton- 25th Anniversary Strat in Firemist (gold/copper). It’s a game changer for me. Unreal for the money. I just gigged her tonight and I’m honestly taken aback. It’s the cheapest guitar I own (by a country mile) but it doesn’t feel it, look it or sound like it. And for the price (€298) it punches WAYYYYYY above its weight. The specs are ridiculous. I want another already ha. I really hoping they release them in more finishes/colours.
Thank you for comparison! To be honest, difference in sound is so small that it will not exist in mix at all. Slightly better harware ($100-200) and you have the same stuff as "premium" strat. HBs really make other guitar brands look waaaaay overpriced (which they are really).
You're welcome. You'll have the same "stuff", but it will not be the same guitar. Very different neck carve (not necessarily worse, but very different), different level of tolerances/quality on the build and finish. Whether one wants to pay for that quality is another story. The HB is a $150 guitar that's pretty good!
@@MarkZabel If the neck carve is bothersome, it's bolt on. it'll swap out in a matter of minutes and necks are completely affordable. That's what I love about cheap guitars. Plenty of wiggle room for upgrades. Of course, for me, finish has never been a concern. I'll play an absolutely fugly guitar without thinking twice, so long as it sounds pleasant. I play to entertain the ears, not the eyes. But that's just my theory on it.... to each their own, of course. I'm not saying your wrong by any means. Not at all. Just sharing my perspective on cheapies. Respect.
@@facepalmdaily4404 totally agree here any tonal differences can be easily sorted out and HB don't make that guitar in just that colour so if you don't like it there are plenty of other choices , with £350 max outlay you can turn that HB into a fantastic guitar that would be worth playing on any stage and you've still got a pocket full of cash
The devil is in the detail in music. Of course you have massive diminishing returns. I would take the strat any day if i can afford it. Harley Benton? Not so much, but i would recommend it to any beginner, intermediate and even high level player as a practice tool. I probably will get one too to use and abuse.
@@facepalmdaily4404 Even a relatively inexpensive replacement neck isn't exactly cheap and if you buy a guitar that has a "bothersome" neck carve, you got the wrong guitar to begin with. Getting a HB up to the level of something much more expensive is going to cost enough money to seriously call into question why someone didn't just get that more expensive guitar to begin with and be done with it.
Superb and enjoyable comparison, i enjoyed the sound check and must say that there is going to be a difference in sound and feel but for me the price difference and tone would turn me towards the HB. I have 4 ST's, a Jimi Vaughn MIM, a fender and 2 from the 80's, a Franconia and a Squire HSS, all feel, weigh and sound different and there is certainly a quality difference but i tend to play the cheaper ones most just because i like them, but there is nothing wrong with any of them so to me price and where they are made is not so much a selling point and does not make that much difference, its how much you personally like them and how much you are prepared to pay and there is a lot of quality guitars out there now.
You can definitely hear the difference. Fender sounds brighter. However, I think it's just a matter of upgrading the pickups on the HB. If I was a working pro musician, I would go with the Fender. As a hobbyist on a budget, HB with a couple of upgrades would more than suffice.
Through the years of playing with low-budget guitars to expensive models I found that it is not the sound of the guitar that is the difference between them more so the playability!!!
@@MarkZabel I really like the SX necks. I am interested in a CAR Strat with maple fingerboard. SX make one but not available in UK. Will check out the HB. I have one of their basses and it is one of my favourites - I have a few basses too.
I would have agreed with you back in the day but today with computer controlled CNC machines the difference between budget and premium guitars is far smaller and can mostly be corrected by a decent “set-up”! I genuinely have Epiphone’s, Harley Benton’s and Artist Guitars that play every bit as well as their genuine counterparts! I will admit most of them have been upgraded to some extent but even if those costs are taken into account they are still many times cheaper than the originals!
@@ces69 a decent custom shop / hand carved might know more about grain and optimal way to use it. Likely (i hope) reject certain specimens where as factory with CNC without some AI will feed all pieces in. I think this makes much more difference on hollow body. For solid body - how rigid the bridge anchor and bolts on neck is likely the dominate factor. I mean if we take brisket - there is definitely a way to carve the cooked product - if you don't want it to be tough. So all processes need some care when dealing with anisotropic materials. Having said that - I have no problem taking the risk. I watch Tim Sway build guitars out of reclaimed wood - sure he selects the pieces but they all seem to sound just great.
Damn ! I own more than a handful of guitars now from Jackson,Fender,ESP,LTD and a couple handmade ones..........now I'm ordering a Harley Benton strat just because I honestly think it sounds better than the fender ! The fact that it's a fair bit under $200 is too good a deal to pass up !
Thank you for this video. I've had a HB SC450 Plus Vintage for over a year now. Admittedly, I prefer to fish over playing my guitar these days, so I have not really abused it like most people would in a year, but I am so impressed with the build on that one. It was barely over $200 shipped and plays as well as almost any guitar I have owned and I have had some expensive gear. The Roswell PUPs are awesome. I am looking into getting their Strat copy with the Roswell Hot Rail in it. At $122 it seems like an absolute steal. Shipping has climbed heavily, so a friend and I have decided to make an order together and split the shipping cost HAHA.
I used to be a guitar snob but the imports have gotten sooooo much better in the past 10 years or so my attitude has radically changed. Part of my guitar family includes 3 USA Strats (64, 84, 98) and 2 USA Teles (96, 03). After hearing all the hype about the Harley Bentons my severe GAS disorder forced me to purchase a Harley Benton TE-90QM. I was blown away by what $205.00 (plus $68.00 2 day shipping from Germany) could buy. It looks and sounds great. However, the neck did require a fret level, crown, and polish before it played properly to my standards. Fortunately, this was something I was quite capable of doing myself so it was not a deal breaker for me, and I actually anticipated that this would be necessary. Now I have no issues what so ever with this guitar and I really enjoy playing it. The P-90's sound pretty nice. Another example of good quality imports is the PRS SE guitars. I have an SE and a core and sometimes I find I enjoy playing the SE more than the Core. Core is a P-22 and SE is a Custom 22 Hollowbody. 90%-95% of the quality for 33% of the price. Can't beat that! Also, let's not forget Mexican Fenders.
The Benton lacked the overtone in the midrange that gives a more modern pickup its "thickness". The HB is scooped even for a scooped design. Nice chimes and quack, but it does break down at higher gain. But if this is just a pickup issue, there are plenty of options out there. Truth be told, if you were just doing some clean stuff, you wouldn't be able to realistically tell between the two on the blind test. The standard is a much better balanced guitar. But if the playability speaks to you... Well... It IS only a buck fifty.
@John Sparks I totally agree with you. The strat does sound more stratty imho but I think the HB would be a bit more versatile for different genres. But pickups are an easy swap, if the thing plays good then 150 bucks all day.. I have the HB les Paul Junior and it's in my top 3 of the guitars that I own (12). Very nice axe that is
The Fender will sound better than HB anytime, UNLESS, you replace the crappy pickups on the HB. This HB is not as good as their more expensive options, like the SC-Custom plus that comes with EMG pickups, locking tuners, stainless steel jumbo frets, etc…
I didn’t really believe the HB hype but I rolled the dice on a Fusion-T because the features and my past experience at a custom shop. It did blow me away because it is sold for what it is. Needed some work like a setup and the neck needed some back tilt but shims and a some time made it a damn good show guitar.
I had a Fusion-T. Loved it. Rock-solid and didn't need anything special done to it other than adjusting the neck relief. Great fretwork on that thing. Sold it to a friend who really wanted it. Easily better than some of my $1,000 guitars. I never really felt bonded to it, but it was a great guitar. I've played a few others that were good, but not *that* good.
@@MarkZabel yeah it shoots way above its price tag. I can easily compare it to my custom shop (which I really shouldn’t be able to say). The finish on mine came flawless but the action was atrocious. Nothing a setup couldn’t fix though.
I was trying to look for a s significant difference in sound in proportion to the difference in price but I think I failed miserably. Very nice review.
Hey Mark, nice video. I have two USA Strats but I've never tried a Harley Benton. I did buy a Harley Benton Single Cut but the neck was so thin I sold it. BTW Pau Ferro is Portuguese for Iron Wood. I guess they named it that because it's a strong type of wood. Pau is pronounced just like POW as if you're punching something POW. Thats the exact pronunciation. Cheers. Mike from Portugal.
Thanks Mike! I have a different HB (SC-550) that's a Les Paul copy. The neck is similar in profile to a 60s Les Paul. Thanks for the pronunciation tip!
Cheers, Mark another excellent video. I preferred the sound of the Harley, considerably so. Looks fab and a fraction of the cost? I'd roll with a few of these quality super affordable guitars rather than one mid range prestige brand guitar.
Glad you enjoyed it! I generally think the HB is a good sounding guitar. The key is whether you enjoy playing it. The 13.7" radius neck might be an issue for some people. Personally, I think the Fender is good too, and worth the price. But certainly you can get close for far less. The Fender will hold re-sale value better if that's important. Thanks for watching and for your comments!!
I would find the price difference very hard to justify, the sounds are to good to be picky. The only draw to spend so much more money in my honest opinion is if your a headstock snob. PS I’d rather get the HB bashed or nicked when out playing than the fender, which is more likely to be nicked
With how much brighter and crisper the fender sounds - I think the HB would shine a lot in a lower tuning. It definitely has a rock solid lower end tonality.
Awesome! It's well over a year and I'm still playing mine. Still stock. Here's a 1-minute video I did with it from last week: ruclips.net/video/z10mwAXOoFQ/видео.html
Good review, and yes, those sharp grub screws are a pain on all the 'affordable guitars' especially after a setup. Just a small thing though when you consider the overall value quality.
Cut a piece of Alien Tape to fit precisely over the protruding screws. Leave the protective clear sheet on the outside of the tape so that it doesn't stick to your hand. The tape will cling nicely but may be removed as needed. The fix is almost invisible and is very comfortable to the hand. It also protects the screws and hardware from hand moisture and corrosives.
Great video appreciated respect your opinion. The coolest thing about this video was that Beatles hendrix mash up. I couldn't tell much of a difference on the clean but you're right on the lead tones the strat sounded clean and the notes bloomed even with the gain.
Cool, thanks! Glad you enjoyed that. I'm in the middle of putting together a "Non-Hendrix played in Hendrix Style" video. I'll take suggestions! I'm trying to use some really non-Hendrix stuff, so hopefully it'll be humorous as well as fun and maybe even informative! :) Thanks for your comment.
I play a ‘95 American standard, and perhaps I’m biased, but I think the Fender sounds better than the HB. However, the HB doesn’t sound bad at all. If I was in the market for a Strat style guitar, I think I would get the Harley Benton. The tall bridge screws are minor. I have seen a lot of HB reviews and they seem to be very good value for the price. I couldn’t afford a grand for an American Fender these days. Nice playing btw, I liked that “don’t let me down” piece. It really showcased the necks and pickups of these instruments.
Thanks Jonathan. Yes, I thought the HB was very good for the price with issues that are extremely minor and the pickups sounded quite decent. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thank you for the information about the HB. I think I'm gonna grab my self one. Hopefully it's as good sounding as yours. I appreciate you playing the same licks for comparison.👍👍
You're welcome, and thanks for watching. I like to point out things that people sometimes overlook - like fretboard radius, neck shape and width and other things like weight. It's often those sorts of things that make the difference between not liking or loving a guitar! Good luck! (P.S. I'm 4 for 4 with Harley Benton now, so I'm getting more comfortable reviewing their products.)
@@MarkZabel I think I'm going to get white or yellow one. If you don't mind, may I ask, I have kinda short fingers and palm, would that fretboard be ok for me?
@@roberta.6399 Hi Robert. It should be fine. It's about the same as a Fender neck, but the fretboard is a bit flatter is all. Having said that, you may find a shorter scale guitar more comfortable. (Strats have 25.5" scale, while Gibson-style guitars generally have 24.75" scale.) You probably already know this, but just in case you don't ... the shorter scale means that the frets are slightly closer together and therefore a tiny bit easier to stretch between them. I have relatively short fingers and have no issues with either scale, so you may not notice.
Fender does have a little pit brighter sound and Harley sounds just a little pit "sharper"/dry to my ear, but difference is so minimal considering the price difference, that I think I'm gonna get one of these Bentons. Chancing pickups at some point might fix those small details quite well, so I think it's worth the money just to get my first somewhat decent Strat for a small price. I have one scalloped neck I want to test out on it too. 😎👌 Thanks for the review. Reviews like this are really useful these days, since buing stuff online is so much easier but you can't really test this stuff out before buying so. Much appreciated.👍
HB... a pleasent surprice. In a blind test I might choose the HB....and I have had a couple of good Fender AM strats. I am thinking of buying the HB strat DIY kit and have it heavy relicted in white and mint pickguard:).
Last week picked a HB as a second guitar. While it’s certainly not like my USA Pro 2, (tone or playability) it’s ridiculously excellent for the price. Daft short frets though. Never seen such small frets.
Great video Mark. I preferred the sound of the Fender a bit more but the HB is not bad. I like a little chunkier neck. Looks like the HB would be a good purchase.
Thanks! It may be a good purchase. The main thing is the neck. You have to like the flat radius. It's also possible that I got lucky. (Although so far I'm 4 for 4 with Harley Benton guitars.)
I thought the HB had a great 4th pickup position tone,Very vibrant. Aside from that no other tones stood out to me except the HB was a bit too thin/bright with the overdriven tone from the middle to the bridge pos. 1,2,3 but to me the HB pos. 4 was the best tone of all positions on both guitars
I was not expecting the HB to be so chimy! I recently got back into playing and bought a Les Paul special tribute, a 1988 Charvel model 3 and a Harley Benton semi hollow. The HB feels so good that 8 times out if ten that's the one i pick up and play
My humble opinion on this video is that the basic difference between both, putting out the price gap, is some level output and EQ difference, that I may think that with processing you can emulate each one from their other counterpart. Another thing that is very hard to assess is how those guitars will stand the action of time. But anyhow an excellent review, powered by excellent guitar skills, nice storyboard and nice quality video , great shots from different angles and in overall a well-done presentation!
i recently bought a HB mid range strat for about 180$...best value for money guitar i have ever bought. Amazing quality control for the price. I also bought a HB short scale precision bass for my 12 year old son...about 100 bucks...amazing value and quality for the money.
Great playing - that Beatles song is one of my favourites, I would love to play that the way you can. The interesting thing is, I think if Harley Benton made a strat model for 500 quid, it would probably be as good as the fender at half price
Thanks! You know, HB does actually make some guitars around $400. I have one that's clearly supposed to be of the "super strat" variety. The Fusion II. Great features and playability. Here's a link for you to check it out. So far Harley Benton are 4 out of 4 for me. ruclips.net/video/rzDnezQZlxY/видео.html
mmm, that og strat definitely sounds warmer and more forgiving, but still very impressed by the ST-62. Thank you for this great side by side. I'm an experienced bass player looking to buy an electric guitar for myself but I'm stuck on a shoestring, these benton's seem to be the way to go.
Hi Mark, I think your review is quite objective with regards to the HB stressing its real qualities. I am playing a Jazzmaster for 169,- Euros being very satisfied. In the beginning of April Thomann will be able to sell the 62 sunburst maple neck strat again. I would be glad if you test it too. By the way your are doing a great job as guitar instructor. What about your German roots and ancestors? You have a typical German name. Greetings from Germany, Gerald
Hi Gerald! Thank you so much. I'll look for that Strat from Thomann. Yes, I have German, English, Irish, Canada, and a number of other ancestors from around the world. I'm pretty typical in that. Try to celebrate as many holidays as possible, because ... more parties, right?? I will say, my uncle used to get me to recite the whole "Mein Hut der hat drei Ecken", but I can remember it now. My Swedish is much better nowadays. But always great to hear from my guitar friends everywhere - Germany for sure! Greetings from NY, USA!
Maybe a concern for some is about how well a cheap guitar like this, though with good quality overall in a first impression, will hold up thru the years against rust and wear of bridge and tuners, electronics and finish. I would go for the higher end HBs' with Wilkinson tremolos, stainless steel frets, or Gotoh hardware as can be found on the Harley Benton or Thomann website. It might be true the low cost could be justified due to a massive production contract with Asian guitar manufacturers in various countries, which by the way also make a huge number for other major brands, and also selling directly from the company without middlemen and retailers.
Hi Lou! I think the long-term quality of a guitar like the HB is a concern, as it is for high-priced instruments as well. Electronics are often very cheap but are at least inexpensive and easy to replace when they go bad. Issues with finish, the neck, and frets are more difficult. No doubt the finish is cheaper, as is the neck wood and fret material. To me, the question is, "does it matter"? The answer will differ. My experience is that though I've re-fretted many guitars, only 2 of them really needed it done because of wear. And guitars with finish damage - pretty rare for me. However, if the initial fretwork is bad OR if the neck warps easily that's an issue. I've heard stories both ways. Again, my experience with necks is that inexpensive guitars can have issues ... expensive guitars can have issues. Initial fretwork is more likely good on an expensive guitar, serious neck problems seem equally likely. (That's my experience.) Maybe I should do an anniversary video!
Great comparison Mark! Was looking around to see if there were other people doing the Big F VS Harley Benton than me, and i gotta say, you had me staying for your video even though i made one as well! Wonderful personality! I'll defo stick around! :D
I agree with you Mark. I felt the HB was somewhat "muffled", not as bright as the Strat, in all test modes. I happen to own an HB T-70 Black Paisley Telecaster and it is similar in it's differences from a Fender Tele. The bridge pickup/s seem to be the main cause of the differences. But, for $152 bucks, you can't go wrong. It puts my Fender Squire to shame in terms of playability and sound/tone.
Great comparison, thank you. To my old ears and through my crap laptop speakers the Fender sounds darker. I have to say the H-B impresses-even moreso considering the almost giveaway price!
Thanks! The only issue now is the shipping cost (to the USA) is half the price of the guitar. I like the sound of the HB pickups, but even so, for $200 or less you can get the sounds you want from the pickups of your choice. And it has now been 1.5 years and the guitar still holds up playing-wise. Feels and plays as well as the Fender (for me it's better because I like the flatter neck radius as well). No brainer for me.
This is THE comparison i wanted to see.. Thank you so much! A and a very good one, I must definitely add. I've been contemplating a couple of Harley Benton Fender copies. I am thinking of getting the Fender official pick ups and changing them myself..along with a couple of other things.. After watching this...I'm thinking I wouldn't need to "rush" into the Fender PUs because the Harley Benton ones can manage . Since the guitars i need are mostly gonna be used for recording I'm still gonna get those PUs...but..if I was playing gigs...I mean.....I would hold on the Roswell PUs for a while i think.
Glad you found the video. I think the HB Roswells are quite serviceable. The ST-62 I received was quite well built and I actually prefer the neck to a Fender neck. 4 for 4 for Harley Benton for me now!
I have the Harley Benton TE 80 which is the Prince Telecaster. They have Strat type pickups so I replaced them with some Seymour Duncan’s (Twangbanger in the bridge), put CTS pots in and real stainless steel bridge saddles to replace the cheap “Pot Metal” ones, made a massive difference!
The neck pickup with crunch on the Harley Benton sounds actually better I think. You just have to be happy with your guitar, no matter what brand it is.
I agree with the first observation. While the 2nd sentiment is great if you have a good guitar (brand doesn't matter, which I think is what you're getting at) ... there's no reason to be happy with a poor guitar nowadays, because there are so many great options for very little money. If you have a horrible guitar (both in this video are good IMHO), by all means find something else to love! So many choices today!
Hey Mark, I have a 80s Schecter Stratocaster as electric guitar and for acoustic a Lakewood Dreadnought. Both high end guitars you can say. Last year I needed an acoustic guitar for a gig, because the Lakewood was broken. 😰 I'm here in Germany, so I was able to order a 200€ Harley Benton Dreadnought from Thomann just for this gig, and wanted to send it back afterwards. But I never did! 😅 I was shocked how good this instrument sounds, at a price... More than 10 times less than my Lakewood. So I totally agree with you, and now I ordered a Harley Benton Stratocaster.I want to use the Harleys as life guitars, so that my expensive guitars can stay home. But the problem is: most accidents occur at home! 😂😂😂 Many greetings, Rob 🙋
@@robertoeser Hi! Greetings from NY USA! That's a great story. I feel the same way. I ordered this Harley Benton as a 2nd Strat - but I play it all the time. It's great to play and I think it sounds great too. I just did another video (going live in 10 minutes from now!) where I use the HB Strat and it works great! Thanks for your comments!
Great review. The Fender sound is a little more High Fidelity, I think. But the Benton sounded fine. It took me 30 years to learn how NOT to rest my palm in the saddles...New subscriber.
That's exactly how I heard it too. It's interesting that there's so many different opinions - some even saying they preferred the HB. Interesting. Hey, thanks for your comment!
Thats an excellent point! You watch guitarmax? Dude usually specializes in cheap gear like that. He can make one of those sub-100$ glarrys sound like a million bucks...
Good video, result for me ? I could not hear sufficient difference in the sould to justify 6 times the price. Maybe in construction, components etc maybe the Fender will outlast the HB after many years, but for pure value for money the HB wins hands down as a functional , very playable and great sounding tool. I'm over in Europe and have experience of HB, bought 3 so far from Thomann and used as guitars to upgrade and mod. perfectly playable tools.
Great great comparison without the boring bits. I was just wondering as i admired the wonderful progress Thomann has made, do you get the strat vibe with the HB? I think this is important for the strat players.
Man, I actually think I prefer the sound of the Harley. Wow. Great video. 🏴 Clean sound HB takes it, slight gain sound the Fender JUST takes it but only in some of the switcher settings.
I have both guitars and the American Professional is better made and sounding but the Harley isn't a joke and the difference in price $1,599 to $147. 😨 Thanks for the comparison brother. 🎶🎸🎶👍
The Harley Benton sounds great, you do a marvellous job of showing what it can go. I also like the peghead shape which is quite good for a budget guitar, some of them are awful. I think fenders do feel nice, the fit and finish is generally better but the Harley Benton telecaster I had was exceptionally good, the neck joint was flawless. I suppose their CNC equipment is as good if not better then any other factory.
I think the fender sounded like the intonation might have been better and the pickups just a bit smoother sounding but at the price point the Harley Benton sounded really good and I’m sure the intonation is an easy fix.
Interesting. Definitely the pickups on the Fender are harmonically richer. The intonation is quite good on both guitars. Pickups are easily changed and you can get amazingly good stuff for $200-$300. IMHO on a solid-body guitar that's what 99% of the sound is - for any of them. The main difference is definitely in the quality of the build and parts (electronics, nut, tuners, other hardware).
I think most non enthusiasts would be hard pressed to tell the difference. Of course the Fender name adds mucho prestige, but for a tenth of the cost, the Harley definitely delivers.
Right on! I actually prefer playing the HB, but I never liked Fender necks. But if I wanted to sell either, it's pretty clear what I could sell more easily! Thanks for watching!
I'm in my early 50's. Started doing punk and garage rock in the 80's. Man, the junk we had to play with! And the guitars, worn, torn and beaten up, did cost more back then than a new HB does now. Those high end guitars are totally fine for us seniors with big egos and wallets. We can pamper ourselves with collectables like the snobs we are. What a time to be 16, starting your own band with your mates, huh? Quality instruments achievable for everyone. HB offers practically any type of guitar you desire. Solid, strat, tele, LP, hollowbody, single cut, double cut, jazz, heavy, 12-string and a stunning variety of acoustic and folk instruments. If you need it, they have it. And by the way, awesome presentation of the two guitars in the video! There are solid arguments for both guitars, but in the end, the possibility to buy a whole arsenal of very good guitars from HB for the same price as one Fender or Gibson seals the deal for me. That's just me. Others may disagree.
Thanks for your commentary! I'll point out that amps, especially solid state amps, are incredible now comparatively. You can put together a darn good rig for under $1,000 today. Easily gig-able.
Interesting review. My recent financial situation forced me to sell my Fender Player Series Strat, something that I really regret (but you know, ...priorities.) I do plan on buying another one but I'm seriously considering buying a HB vintage 1962 series Strat for the time being and upgrading the pickups. I always find the basic woodworking and fretwork of HBs to be pretty solid work and the pickups quite more than decent. So much so that I would consider them above purchasing a Squier Strat. Definitely, the Fender sounded better on your review, -showcasing the classic inimitable 'Fender sound'. But I do think that in a pinch with a few mods one can achieve something near and even gig-worthy of a sound from these. Thank you though for giving me some food for thought with your excellent review.
I think the HB does a great job here. It brings the typical Stratty sound. But the Fender has a bit more that jangle, crisp high end. Therefore the HB is a great instrument especially for beginners.
I agree with your opinion. Basically the Fender is more scooped, less midrange so suits the distortion. Clean, the Harley Benton sounds fuller. A bit of EQ however and they’d be more or less comparable. The Fender is nearly 10x the price.
Yes the price..I was just thinking. I could get a a strat, tele and P90 gold top fromHB and probably an amp with the change. I think it’s a great time to learn guitar, the golden age of gear.
@@mdp303 Buy a good amp - it makes bad guitars sound good and good guitars sound great. Prices are good on those too today. Might I suggest ... 1. For home/recording/practice: imp.i114863.net/74yZO 2. For gigging: imp.i114863.net/mDKx1
Great video!!! I have to say though, listening on headphones the Harley Benton sounded by far the best on every pickup selection in clean tones. In fact by comparisson the Fender sounded really flat and uninteresting. On driven tones it was a closer run game except I did think the Strat bridge pickup was slightly better, but Hey tone is so subjective. Sure the Strat in sunburst finish was bound to be more impressive so it wasn't really a fair comparisson. HB do have a sunburst in the range which is still not as good as Fender but, and its a big but - with the other $800 you could buy a really sweet valve amp so I think I would choose the HB every time as I believe the amp is the most important thing in the chain for good tone. Really nice playing by the way , you reviewed them really well.
Thanks! My comments about the finish being better on the Fender are not about the color. It's a much more thorough finishing job. The HB's finish is okay, but not great - something I care very little about, but many buy guitars for such things. Plywood is fine for me. For tone, yes, the amp and pickups are all that matters. *At most* one should pay $300 more for better sound on a solid body guitar. Any solid body guitar can be made to sound fantastic (whatever your definition is of that) by spending $300 or less. Wood, brass saddles, bone nut, ... whatever - doesn't really matter. The pickups do it. And they don't cost much. AND, as you say, the amp matters more too. Buy a solid-body guitar for how much you love the feel of it and for the build quality ... and for how much you generally dig it. For many, that means it has the Fender sticker. (Not for me!) Thanks again for your comments!
I’m impressed with the HB even though you can clearly tell how superior the fenders pickups are that’s to be expected for that price. But the HB don’t sound bad at all. I didn’t hear much buzzing and that’s a good sign.
1: Love that you didn't go crazy on the overdrive. You retained the tone of the guitar this way. 2: I think the HB has a better "quack" tone on position 2 & 4. 3: I own this Harley Benton Strat in vintage white and it plays like a dream. The neck is a little thicker than your average Strat, but not Les Paul/acoustic guitar thick. I love this HB, and hope to buy the double bound Tele 62 soon.
Tone wise I think the HB has an edge on the Fender. The Fender is bright but the HB is warmer sounding and has more spank. Great review by the way. Thanks 🎸
Harley Benton is, quite simply, doing incredible things. I could not tell the difference in that sound test and would prefer the $850 in my pocket to buy another 4 Harley Bentons.
I did that 😜👍🏼
@@felixgrf2885 Nice work! What did you get? I am waiting for next pay day so I can get the 335 copy with the push pull pick ups.
@@marblemolly2454 uhh sounds good. I bought them time after time. A Tele Copy, A Jazzmaster Copy a Les Paul Copy and a this Strat Copy. It’s stunning how good they look and Sound
@@felixgrf2885 Ah yes, you have the holy trinity covered. This 62 Strat is on my list then something unusual, like a baritone acoustic.
In my opinion the HB sounds BETTER than the Fender
I'm sixty, I've been a working live and studio musician for many years, I did always love and play Fender Strats and I still do. Well, now my comment is that, for the money, HB is a stunning winner. I bet that on a blindfold test most of us would have very tender moments trying to guess it right... Is a real Strat better? Yes, of course, but... what about the money's difference? And I'm sure that adding just 80/90 bucks, you can put on a Seymour Duncan SSL5 in bridge position and get rid of that stinging tone, if you don't like it. Best regards. 👋🏼
That has become my opinion too. The Fender is nicer all-around, but the HB is actually close, and it feels great to play. And yes, drop in your favorite Strat pickups and you're good to go! Thanks for watching and for your comment!
@@MarkZabel I found a white one with gold hardware (thats the deluxe version of the 62) with Fender Vintage Noisless for 140 EUR used but like in mint condition.
The guy even gave me the orignal rosewell pickups too. What a steal.
I did a nice setup with proper neck adjustment and put 0.10s on it. Great axe.
@@countblue that's fantastic!
For me IS the Fender Stratocaster USA better ?
The Fender is only better for resale. As you said, most would have difficulty picking one while blindfolded.
I would have KILLED to have the HB when I was just starting out.
Exactly so. The knock off stuff we had we pretty bad back then. And comparatively expensive too!
Same here. My first electric was a Teisco tulip shaped.
@@TheQakman
Yep, the strings were half an inch away from the fretboard
Then playing jailhouse rock for the rest of your days if you got convicted... is that an electric guitar? Sure ... chair is too :-)
@@stephenhookings1985 LOL!
The sound difference is basically just the difference between pickups, where the HB pickups sound hotter and with a bit more bottom end. So it then really just comes down to what you prefer and can afford, and whether the HB is playable enough to be considered. And let's not forget that in a live situation, nobody outside of the guitarist playing would be able to reliably tell the difference in sound.
"And let's not forget that in a live situation, nobody outside of the guitarist playing would be able to reliably tell the difference in sound" SO F***ING TRUE.
It's all about playing with what you have and love.
@@arikiatan508 i agree, the only one who can tell the difference is you, and the only valuable difference different instruments have is their feel and build quality. And i can say, the build quality of these harley bentons is phenomenal. I would be as happy to play a gig with one of these as to play it with my 1200€ schecter hellraiser.
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This is such an awesome demo! Thanks for making it! I love my Fenders, but that HB is very impressive. Great playing, and tone. Thanks!!
Thanks so much!
Great comparison, the way it should be done - clear, concise, truthful!
Been living in Germany since 2008 and have had many HBs pass through my hands and they have really improved through the years (though they were, never awful) - early ones needed a good weekends work to set up, but the recents a Sunday morning at best (sometimes nothing needed at all). Best part, for the money I have great playing/sounding HBs that I can cart around to jams/friends houses/uncontrolled music nights without worrying about my precious stuff! And still getting a damned good sound/feel for the thing that's in my head....
Thanks Colin! That's a great point about having a decent (perhaps more than decent) guitar to cart to gigs/practice without worry! Thanks for your comment!
Best Harley Benton comparison that I’ve seen so far. To my ears, I swear the HB has more sustain. (And that’s coming from someone that owns a Fender American Standard anniversary!). Excellent job!
Thanks!! Much appreciated and I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
We have a HB ST-58(?), and when I saw the super small tremlo block, I thought it would kill any sustain but it's got sustain for days
@@kct9967 that's such a myth. And if it does, will it sustain for 4 seconds? Probably! That's all you need imho
From quite a few websites reviews I found that some HBs' are noticeable heavier, maybe this increases sustain due to a denser body wood. Also the 6 screws vintage bridge has some more contact with the body if set the traditional way so there's some noticeable increase in resonance and sustain.
I agree with you completely!
Great comparison.
Your fairness and objectivity and great playing skills are very good.
You also have a wonderful calm presenting style which is really appealing.
The Harley Benton guitars are a terrific combination of quality and value for money.
Thanks for posting.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the kind words!
i have heard a lot of persons that have a original fender strat and they bought for testing a HB. they are so impressed from the HB. for the price difference you can buy a lot more things like a bicycle
Oh wow! HB neck+middle dirty is THE sound for me! That is the only clip from either guitar that made me go back for a second listen. Great video and comparison! Thank you!
Thank you! And ... very interesting opinion. I'm still on a kick playing the HB these days!
One of the best comparisons I’ve seen. Thank you sir. To me, the options we have today at the beginner level and the quality that’s out there is outstanding. When I was a kid, guitars like these Harley Benton was non existent. We are very lucky that no matter what your budget is, you can find a very good guitar quite easily.
Thanks! Totally agree on options today.much better! Especially in terms of playability.
@@MarkZabel totally agree. I bought a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster a few years ago and I couldn’t believe how high end it felt and played. Just gave it to my nephew a few weeks ago but I may start looking for another one.
Very fair and balanced review on decent but affordable equipment, and lots of clean samples. Nicely done, subscribed! BTW I listened without watching the video and I couldn't tell which was which. I'd have been over the moon with either if I'd had them when I started out, as others have noted.
Thanks for the sub! Yes, I shudder to think of what I played when I was 16. No wonder my fingers bled! Just the playability of cheap guitars these days has seen vast improvement!
I have an American Stratocaster and I admit the Harley Benton sounds great.
In the 90' cheap gear used to be very bad, but nowadays you can get very good gear for very cheap.
Yes, and if you think the 90s were bad for inexpensive gear, the 80s were worse ... and if you think the 80s were bad, the 70s were worse. Seriously, the inexpensive guitars and amps are amazing for the $$$ today. (Not all of them of course.)
That’s really true! Nowadays the inexpensive guitars are generally good. I bought an Epiphone les Paul special last year. It was $400, and pretty much specked out like the Gibson, and the most surprising thing is that the quality of the build is almost as good as the “real” thing. Well, it’s good enough for me at least.
@@MarkZabel Totally agree, had a Wilson in 1972 that I think was a bad copy of a Burns, it was terrible!
By 1974 after working the whole summer break I was able to buy a used 1967 Gibson SG standard with the long Maestro, a beautiful guitar that I really wish I’d kept as worth a fortune now and what a difference!
Today I have in my collection an Epiphone 1961 Les Paul Custom (SG shape) that is fitted with DiMarzio PAF’s, plays and sounds every bit as good!
It’s just the “Snobs” that would never admit it!
@@ces69 @Jonathan Hands Yes, some Epis are absolutely fantastic.
I bought a '73 strat brand new in 1974, I think I paid a little more than $600.00 with a case, extra strings, and picks, now the most expensive Harley Benton costs about that.
Fantastic comparison video!! I've been playing Strats for 45 years, and honestly prefer the Harley Benton sound in every clip! Amazing value for money. Not owned or played one yet, but who knows...
Thanks! I like the Strat tone better, but actually prefer playing the HB. And pickups aren't that expensive, so I may do that. Having said that, the HB does sound good IMHO.
I tend to agree, it seems to cut through with greater definition and sustain.
I’m a big fan of Harley Benton guitars, they’re great value for money! I have 4 now and apart from setting them up to my preferences had nothing much to change. The Roswell pickups are pretty good, the only thing that occasionally needs replacing is string trees and just once the tuners (there was 1/4 turn slop in them!).
Rock on! I've had the same experience so far. All good. Even B-stock orders.
I bought the ST-90sa and I'm changing the string trees (one is just not even close) and the output jack was cutting out constantly. But after that, with a little set up, changing the nut is all that it really needed. It's so well built. Definitely built better than a Squier. The neck joint is so precise.
Wow, really great comparison, going through all the tones using a song I love is a great touch too :-D Great playing!!
Glad you enjoyed it
Both sound great. Really wanted to justify a Fender USA but it was really hard especially with all the price increases lately. Bentons sound great. Guitars and basses too. Great for trying a new instrument or experimenting/moding.
My HB just arrived. It's the ST-62 MN VW
Looks great! Thanks again for the review! Gonna tune it up now..
Enjoy it!
I bought a top of the line fusio. Tele,cost with case n shipping around $700,then ordered a cheaper strat,and cheaper shipping,DSL,said would arrive in 10 days, cool,not so.Months went by,argued endlessly with thomann,after 3and a half months I finally got my money back.At close to almost 4 months,got a call my guitar was ready for me to pick up,miles away during lockdown,and I had to promise THOMANN I would refuse,I did,same thing happened to an amp I ordered the same time,about another month later.So if you buy from THOMANN,buy the most expensive Fed ex,and cross your fingers,and expect it to be much later than promised,and a refund is not available for 3-4 months.
Great review, thank you.
I live about 40 minutes from Thomann and it's a huge store for all and every musicians needs. I can remember the times, when the founder Hans Thomann was walking through his store and greeting every customer by hand.
Since they built the monstrous warehouse and shipping center it's even more impressive and worth a visit.
It's a kind of sad the Harley Benton guitar line does only "copies" of guitars these days. Some years ago they did very own HB models and even higher class guitars than today. What i love about Thomann is their "No Question" politics, if you don't like an instrument or gear, just send it back without discussing why.
And let's all be thankful we live in a time of affordable and playable instruments. My first guitars in the 70s didn't play 1/2 as good and i thought it has to be that painful.
And no, i couldn't afford a Fender they were around 1200 Deutsch Marks wich equaled to 2600$ in the 70s. I think that's 2-3 times the wage my father's monthly income.
Hey Elrondo! I would love to visit Thomann some day. Glad to hear of their storied history. I actually have 2 of their "Fusion" models. They are excellent for about $400 US. Honestly, with upgraded pickups they would be as good as anything. Really well built and beautiful.
I think I paid $750 or so for my 335 back in 1981. (I can't remember, because I financed it from my Dad and paid him $50/month for quite a while - also a good lesson!) Today's guitars are fantastic for the money. I also think some of the higher-end ones are worth the money, but I'm not willing to spend it, because my interests vary so much.
@@MarkZabel
Well Mark, my house is your house.
If you ever come over feel free to stay at my place 🙂
It's a good starting point to lot's of visiting points in Germany.
@@TheElrondo That is very generous my friend!
The best part about RUclips for me is making friends from all over. I'm so glad you're part of the group here!
@@TheElrondo - My father was born in Mosel, Germany and I would love to visit his home of origin. Can I come too...lol.
I´m living in Nürnberg about 40 minutes away also. I sang at one of Thomann´s xmas parties a few years ago together with an American guy named Greg McCoy who ran the studio room for many years. Han´s is a nice guy. He gave Greg a lifetime contract. Love the store. Amazing how it has grown over the years.
I like your review style, this was really useful. Interestingly, a lot of the stuff you point out on the HB, you would also find on a MIM Strat: the tuners, 6-point trem, vintage saddles.
Thanks! Yes, the MIM Strat has those features too. Thanks for watching!
My Fender Player Srat MIM has 2 point tremolo and the Fender tuners as here in this video the american Strat has. I looove my Player Strat! Great guitar, comes with a perfect setup out of the box. Once i had a Squier classic vibe 60, but the Fender Player has better materials, particularly the metal parts are obviously better.
I bought a Harley Benton just to see if they could really as good as people say on RUclips reviews. Then I bought another! They are really good, very playable guitars and amazing for the price.
Thanks for sharing! That's more or less what happened to me too.
I'm waiting for my fourth HB. Most HBs are like a sore dick - Can't beat it.
Bought an mini solid top HB acoustic. Excellent travel guitar and easy to break out for practice. Love the neck. I will have to try their strat copy. Great review.
Amazing how close those guitars are in quality and sound. Leo Fender designed his guitars to be mass produced quite efficiently, so it's no surprise that roughly 70 years later, with modern means of production, they can be produced in this quality for this price. Of course, there are still differences and I would much prefer to have a USA strat over a harley benton
Great observation! Yes, the sound is one thing. Quality ... not so sure they are really that close. Certainly the electronics, tuners, nut, hardware and finish are superior on the Fender. Most of that is simple and inexpensive to upgrade. But I wonder about the durability a bit. You know the neck wood didn't get the same treatment and that might tell over time.
But yes, absolutely. The design lends itself to good, inexpensive production.
@@MarkZabel Yes definitely true. In terms of quality I meant that given that the US strat is like 10 times more expensive, the quality of the Harley Benton is relatively good. What you mentioned in terms of parts used is definitely true, but these parts still work fine and will do so for years. I've owned a HB strat for 5 years now and so far I experienced no issues in either the parts or the wood itself. But still, the USA strat is definitely better, as is should be :)
@@mauricerrr Yes, I think that's 100% right!
The quality you get today is so amazing. I remember my first guitar was a Squire. It was very cheaply made. The electronics crapped out. It cracked at the nut. I had to tune it all the time. The plastic on it was so cheap. These Harley Benton guitars are miles better
I just got my very first Harley Benton- 25th Anniversary Strat in Firemist (gold/copper). It’s a game changer for me. Unreal for the money. I just gigged her tonight and I’m honestly taken aback. It’s the cheapest guitar I own (by a country mile) but it doesn’t feel it, look it or sound like it. And for the price (€298) it punches WAYYYYYY above its weight. The specs are ridiculous. I want another already ha. I really hoping they release them in more finishes/colours.
Great playing, great tone, great little bargain Strat and most importantly , great effing hair brother. Peace and Happy Holidays.
LOL!! ha ha. Thanks brother! Happy Holidays to you too!
Thank you for comparison! To be honest, difference in sound is so small that it will not exist in mix at all. Slightly better harware ($100-200) and you have the same stuff as "premium" strat. HBs really make other guitar brands look waaaaay overpriced (which they are really).
You're welcome. You'll have the same "stuff", but it will not be the same guitar. Very different neck carve (not necessarily worse, but very different), different level of tolerances/quality on the build and finish. Whether one wants to pay for that quality is another story. The HB is a $150 guitar that's pretty good!
@@MarkZabel If the neck carve is bothersome, it's bolt on. it'll swap out in a matter of minutes and necks are completely affordable. That's what I love about cheap guitars. Plenty of wiggle room for upgrades.
Of course, for me, finish has never been a concern. I'll play an absolutely fugly guitar without thinking twice, so long as it sounds pleasant. I play to entertain the ears, not the eyes. But that's just my theory on it.... to each their own, of course. I'm not saying your wrong by any means. Not at all. Just sharing my perspective on cheapies. Respect.
@@facepalmdaily4404 totally agree here any tonal differences can be easily sorted out and HB don't make that guitar in just that colour so if you don't like it there are plenty of other choices , with £350 max outlay you can turn that HB into a fantastic guitar that would be worth playing on any stage and you've still got a pocket full of cash
The devil is in the detail in music. Of course you have massive diminishing returns. I would take the strat any day if i can afford it. Harley Benton? Not so much, but i would recommend it to any beginner, intermediate and even high level player as a practice tool. I probably will get one too to use and abuse.
@@facepalmdaily4404 Even a relatively inexpensive replacement neck isn't exactly cheap and if you buy a guitar that has a "bothersome" neck carve, you got the wrong guitar to begin with. Getting a HB up to the level of something much more expensive is going to cost enough money to seriously call into question why someone didn't just get that more expensive guitar to begin with and be done with it.
Really great comparison vid, well done
Thanks! 👍 Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback!
Superb and enjoyable comparison, i enjoyed the sound check and must say that there is going to be a difference in sound and feel but for me the price difference and tone would turn me towards the HB. I have 4 ST's, a Jimi Vaughn MIM, a fender and 2 from the 80's, a Franconia and a Squire HSS, all feel, weigh and sound different and there is certainly a quality difference but i tend to play the cheaper ones most just because i like them, but there is nothing wrong with any of them so to me price and where they are made is not so much a selling point and does not make that much difference, its how much you personally like them and how much you are prepared to pay and there is a lot of quality guitars out there now.
Thanks!! I feel similarly ... although I'll admit I'm not a Strat player at heart. I'm a 335 guy. Thanks for watching and for the insightful comment!
You can definitely hear the difference. Fender sounds brighter. However, I think it's just a matter of upgrading the pickups on the HB. If I was a working pro musician, I would go with the Fender. As a hobbyist on a budget, HB with a couple of upgrades would more than suffice.
Harley Benton are sure great, already own 4 of them and each one impresses me!
Great demo Mark, thankyou!
Glad you liked it!
Very impressed with your playing! Wish I could do something like this...
Thanks so much. It takes time and patience. You can do it!
Through the years of playing with low-budget guitars to expensive models I found that it is not the sound of the guitar that is the difference between them more so the playability!!!
Yes, absolutely. And honestly, to me the HB plays much better. (Largely because I don't like Fender necks) Will it stay that way? Maybe, maybe not.
@@MarkZabel I really like the SX necks. I am interested in a CAR Strat with maple fingerboard. SX make one but not available in UK. Will check out the HB. I have one of their basses and it is one of my favourites - I have a few basses too.
@@stephenhookings1985 SX and Rondo Music in general is a class act. The issue right now is their inventory. Hope they bounce back after COVID-19.
I would have agreed with you back in the day but today with computer controlled CNC machines the difference between budget and premium guitars is far smaller and can mostly be corrected by a decent “set-up”!
I genuinely have Epiphone’s, Harley Benton’s and Artist Guitars that play every bit as well as their genuine counterparts!
I will admit most of them have been upgraded to some extent but even if those costs are taken into account they are still many times cheaper than the originals!
@@ces69 a decent custom shop / hand carved might know more about grain and optimal way to use it. Likely (i hope) reject certain specimens where as factory with CNC without some AI will feed all pieces in. I think this makes much more difference on hollow body. For solid body - how rigid the bridge anchor and bolts on neck is likely the dominate factor.
I mean if we take brisket - there is definitely a way to carve the cooked product - if you don't want it to be tough. So all processes need some care when dealing with anisotropic materials.
Having said that - I have no problem taking the risk. I watch Tim Sway build guitars out of reclaimed wood - sure he selects the pieces but they all seem to sound just great.
Damn ! I own more than a handful of guitars now from Jackson,Fender,ESP,LTD and a couple handmade ones..........now I'm ordering a Harley Benton strat just because I honestly think it sounds better than the fender ! The fact that it's a fair bit under $200 is too good a deal to pass up !
Yes, I was shocked actually even more by the feel of the guitar. Maybe I got lucky, but this plays and feels great too! (4 for 4 with HB so far.)
Thank you for this video. I've had a HB SC450 Plus Vintage for over a year now. Admittedly, I prefer to fish over playing my guitar these days, so I have not really abused it like most people would in a year, but I am so impressed with the build on that one. It was barely over $200 shipped and plays as well as almost any guitar I have owned and I have had some expensive gear. The Roswell PUPs are awesome.
I am looking into getting their Strat copy with the Roswell Hot Rail in it. At $122 it seems like an absolute steal. Shipping has climbed heavily, so a friend and I have decided to make an order together and split the shipping cost HAHA.
You're welcome. Splitting the shipping makes sense. Like car pooling.
@@MarkZabel He wants one, I want two LOL. I like their Jazzmaster copy as well.
I used to be a guitar snob but the imports have gotten sooooo much better in the past 10 years or so my attitude has radically changed. Part of my guitar family includes 3 USA Strats (64, 84, 98) and 2 USA Teles (96, 03). After hearing all the hype about the Harley Bentons my severe GAS disorder forced me to purchase a Harley Benton TE-90QM. I was blown away by what $205.00 (plus $68.00 2 day shipping from Germany) could buy. It looks and sounds great. However, the neck did require a fret level, crown, and polish before it played properly to my standards. Fortunately, this was something I was quite capable of doing myself so it was not a deal breaker for me, and I actually anticipated that this would be necessary. Now I have no issues what so ever with this guitar and I really enjoy playing it. The P-90's sound pretty nice. Another example of good quality imports is the PRS SE guitars. I have an SE and a core and sometimes I find I enjoy playing the SE more than the Core. Core is a P-22 and SE is a Custom 22 Hollowbody. 90%-95% of the quality for 33% of the price. Can't beat that! Also, let's not forget Mexican Fenders.
I hear you. I have a couple PRS SEs and think they're great.
Well said. I can't agree more.
I thought the Benton sounded better in every clip. Very close, but more sparkle and more grit in the lead
Thanks for your comment!
I thought the Benton sounded badly thin and brittle. Chords were muddled.Dirty the HB sounded horrible, adding a bad harshness at every position.
The Benton lacked the overtone in the midrange that gives a more modern pickup its "thickness". The HB is scooped even for a scooped design. Nice chimes and quack, but it does break down at higher gain. But if this is just a pickup issue, there are plenty of options out there. Truth be told, if you were just doing some clean stuff, you wouldn't be able to realistically tell between the two on the blind test. The standard is a much better balanced guitar. But if the playability speaks to you... Well... It IS only a buck fifty.
@John Sparks I totally agree with you. The strat does sound more stratty imho but I think the HB would be a bit more versatile for different genres. But pickups are an easy swap, if the thing plays good then 150 bucks all day..
I have the HB les Paul Junior and it's in my top 3 of the guitars that I own (12). Very nice axe that is
The Fender will sound better than HB anytime, UNLESS, you replace the crappy pickups on the HB. This HB is not as good as their more expensive options, like the SC-Custom plus that comes with EMG pickups, locking tuners, stainless steel jumbo frets, etc…
I didn’t really believe the HB hype but I rolled the dice on a Fusion-T because the features and my past experience at a custom shop. It did blow me away because it is sold for what it is. Needed some work like a setup and the neck needed some back tilt but shims and a some time made it a damn good show guitar.
I had a Fusion-T. Loved it. Rock-solid and didn't need anything special done to it other than adjusting the neck relief. Great fretwork on that thing. Sold it to a friend who really wanted it. Easily better than some of my $1,000 guitars. I never really felt bonded to it, but it was a great guitar. I've played a few others that were good, but not *that* good.
@@MarkZabel yeah it shoots way above its price tag. I can easily compare it to my custom shop (which I really shouldn’t be able to say). The finish on mine came flawless but the action was atrocious. Nothing a setup couldn’t fix though.
I was trying to look for a s significant difference in sound in proportion to the difference in price but I think I failed miserably. Very nice review.
Glad I could help!
Hey Mark, nice video. I have two USA Strats but I've never tried a Harley Benton. I did buy a Harley Benton Single Cut but the neck was so thin I sold it. BTW Pau Ferro is Portuguese for Iron Wood. I guess they named it that because it's a strong type of wood. Pau is pronounced just like POW as if you're punching something POW. Thats the exact pronunciation. Cheers. Mike from Portugal.
Thanks Mike! I have a different HB (SC-550) that's a Les Paul copy. The neck is similar in profile to a 60s Les Paul. Thanks for the pronunciation tip!
Cheers, Mark another excellent video. I preferred the sound of the Harley, considerably so. Looks fab and a fraction of the cost? I'd roll with a few of these quality super affordable guitars rather than one mid range prestige brand guitar.
Glad you enjoyed it! I generally think the HB is a good sounding guitar. The key is whether you enjoy playing it. The 13.7" radius neck might be an issue for some people.
Personally, I think the Fender is good too, and worth the price. But certainly you can get close for far less. The Fender will hold re-sale value better if that's important.
Thanks for watching and for your comments!!
I would find the price difference very hard to justify, the sounds are to good to be picky. The only draw to spend so much more money in my honest opinion is if your a headstock snob.
PS I’d rather get the HB bashed or nicked when out playing than the fender, which is more likely to be nicked
With how much brighter and crisper the fender sounds - I think the HB would shine a lot in a lower tuning. It definitely has a rock solid lower end tonality.
I think most of it is from the mapple fingerboard vs rosewood. At least in my experience but I can be wrong
Completely agree, should have used a maple HB
Fabulous playing. Im gonna jump on Thomann and order one right now
Awesome! It's well over a year and I'm still playing mine. Still stock. Here's a 1-minute video I did with it from last week: ruclips.net/video/z10mwAXOoFQ/видео.html
Both great guitars and a great comparison video !
Thanks!
Love your guitar playing..so smooth 👍🏻
Thanks a lot! Really appreciate it!
Good review, and yes, those sharp grub screws are a pain on all the 'affordable guitars' especially after a setup. Just a small thing though when you consider the overall value quality.
Thanks. And yes, absolutely a tiny issue and easily fixed.
Just remove some material from the bottomside of the screws and it's fixed.
Cut a piece of Alien Tape to fit precisely over the protruding screws. Leave the protective clear sheet on the outside of the tape so that it doesn't stick to your hand. The tape will cling nicely but may be removed as needed. The fix is almost invisible and is very comfortable to the hand. It also protects the screws and hardware from hand moisture and corrosives.
Great video appreciated respect your opinion. The coolest thing about this video was that Beatles hendrix mash up. I couldn't tell much of a difference on the clean but you're right on the lead tones the strat sounded clean and the notes bloomed even with the gain.
Cool, thanks! Glad you enjoyed that. I'm in the middle of putting together a "Non-Hendrix played in Hendrix Style" video. I'll take suggestions! I'm trying to use some really non-Hendrix stuff, so hopefully it'll be humorous as well as fun and maybe even informative! :) Thanks for your comment.
@@MarkZabel I'll check it out.
Thx for the review, very helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
Fender defo sounded brighter to me but crazy enough, I don't think it's "better" in a sense! Actually prefer the HB in some cases! Great review :)
Thanks for your comment!
I play a ‘95 American standard, and perhaps I’m biased, but I think the Fender sounds better than the HB. However, the HB doesn’t sound bad at all. If I was in the market for a Strat style guitar, I think I would get the Harley Benton. The tall bridge screws are minor. I have seen a lot of HB reviews and they seem to be very good value for the price. I couldn’t afford a grand for an American Fender these days. Nice playing btw, I liked that “don’t let me down” piece. It really showcased the necks and pickups of these instruments.
Thanks Jonathan. Yes, I thought the HB was very good for the price with issues that are extremely minor and the pickups sounded quite decent. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thank you for the information about the HB. I think I'm gonna grab my self one. Hopefully it's as good sounding as yours. I appreciate you playing the same licks for comparison.👍👍
You're welcome, and thanks for watching. I like to point out things that people sometimes overlook - like fretboard radius, neck shape and width and other things like weight. It's often those sorts of things that make the difference between not liking or loving a guitar! Good luck!
(P.S. I'm 4 for 4 with Harley Benton now, so I'm getting more comfortable reviewing their products.)
@@MarkZabel I think I'm going to get white or yellow one. If you don't mind, may I ask, I have kinda short fingers and palm, would that fretboard be ok for me?
@@roberta.6399 Hi Robert. It should be fine. It's about the same as a Fender neck, but the fretboard is a bit flatter is all. Having said that, you may find a shorter scale guitar more comfortable. (Strats have 25.5" scale, while Gibson-style guitars generally have 24.75" scale.)
You probably already know this, but just in case you don't ... the shorter scale means that the frets are slightly closer together and therefore a tiny bit easier to stretch between them. I have relatively short fingers and have no issues with either scale, so you may not notice.
@@MarkZabel Thank you Mark !. 🎶 🎸
Fender does have a little pit brighter sound and Harley sounds just a little pit "sharper"/dry to my ear, but difference is so minimal considering the price difference, that I think I'm gonna get one of these Bentons. Chancing pickups at some point might fix those small details quite well, so I think it's worth the money just to get my first somewhat decent Strat for a small price. I have one scalloped neck I want to test out on it too. 😎👌
Thanks for the review. Reviews like this are really useful these days, since buing stuff online is so much easier but you can't really test this stuff out before buying so. Much appreciated.👍
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Love the Harley over the Fender. The Harley sounded richer and more colourful in tone.
HB... a pleasent surprice. In a blind test I might choose the HB....and I have had a couple of good Fender AM strats. I am thinking of buying the HB strat DIY kit and have it heavy relicted in white and mint pickguard:).
Last week picked a HB as a second guitar. While it’s certainly not like my USA Pro 2, (tone or playability) it’s ridiculously excellent for the price. Daft short frets though. Never seen such small frets.
Great video Mark. I preferred the sound of the Fender a bit more but the HB is not bad.
I like a little chunkier neck. Looks like the HB would be a good purchase.
Thanks! It may be a good purchase. The main thing is the neck. You have to like the flat radius. It's also possible that I got lucky. (Although so far I'm 4 for 4 with Harley Benton guitars.)
I thought the HB had a great 4th pickup position tone,Very vibrant. Aside from that no other tones stood out to me except the HB was a bit too thin/bright with the overdriven tone from the middle to the bridge pos. 1,2,3 but to me the HB pos. 4 was the best tone of all positions on both guitars
I was not expecting the HB to be so chimy!
I recently got back into playing and bought a Les Paul special tribute, a 1988 Charvel model 3 and a Harley Benton semi hollow. The HB feels so good that 8 times out if ten that's the one i pick up and play
I keep getting surprised by HB. I have had 4 (sold one to a friend) and all were quite good. Surprisingly good, especially their playability.
@@MarkZabel well now thanks to your video i might get a second one 😂
Cheers
@@JJames666male cheers!
"Chimy" is a perfect way to describe the (clean) tone... beautifully rich & chimy.
My humble opinion on this video is that the basic difference between both, putting out the price gap, is some level output and EQ difference, that I may think that with processing you can emulate each one from their other counterpart. Another thing that is very hard to assess is how those guitars will stand the action of time. But anyhow an excellent review, powered by excellent guitar skills, nice storyboard and nice quality video , great shots from different angles and in overall a well-done presentation!
i recently bought a HB mid range strat for about 180$...best value for money guitar i have ever bought. Amazing quality control for the price. I also bought a HB short scale precision bass for my 12 year old son...about 100 bucks...amazing value and quality for the money.
I have two HB Strats. They are amazing for the price.
Absolutely!
Great playing - that Beatles song is one of my favourites, I would love to play that the way you can. The interesting thing is, I think if Harley Benton made a strat model for 500 quid, it would probably be as good as the fender at half price
Thanks! You know, HB does actually make some guitars around $400. I have one that's clearly supposed to be of the "super strat" variety. The Fusion II. Great features and playability. Here's a link for you to check it out. So far Harley Benton are 4 out of 4 for me. ruclips.net/video/rzDnezQZlxY/видео.html
mmm, that og strat definitely sounds warmer and more forgiving, but still very impressed by the ST-62. Thank you for this great side by side. I'm an experienced bass player looking to buy an electric guitar for myself but I'm stuck on a shoestring, these benton's seem to be the way to go.
My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Great demo!
Thanks!
Hi Mark, I think your review is quite objective with regards to the HB stressing its real qualities. I am playing a Jazzmaster for 169,- Euros being very satisfied. In the beginning of April Thomann will be able to sell the 62 sunburst maple neck strat again. I would be glad if you test it too. By the way your are doing a great job as guitar instructor. What about your German roots and ancestors? You have a typical German name. Greetings from Germany, Gerald
Hi Gerald! Thank you so much. I'll look for that Strat from Thomann. Yes, I have German, English, Irish, Canada, and a number of other ancestors from around the world. I'm pretty typical in that. Try to celebrate as many holidays as possible, because ... more parties, right?? I will say, my uncle used to get me to recite the whole "Mein Hut der hat drei Ecken", but I can remember it now. My Swedish is much better nowadays. But always great to hear from my guitar friends everywhere - Germany for sure! Greetings from NY, USA!
Maybe a concern for some is about how well a cheap guitar like this, though with good quality overall in a first impression, will hold up thru the years against rust and wear of bridge and tuners, electronics and finish. I would go for the higher end HBs' with Wilkinson tremolos, stainless steel frets, or Gotoh hardware as can be found on the Harley Benton or Thomann website. It might be true the low cost could be justified due to a massive production contract with Asian guitar manufacturers in various countries, which by the way also make a huge number for other major brands, and also selling directly from the company without middlemen and retailers.
Hi Lou! I think the long-term quality of a guitar like the HB is a concern, as it is for high-priced instruments as well. Electronics are often very cheap but are at least inexpensive and easy to replace when they go bad. Issues with finish, the neck, and frets are more difficult. No doubt the finish is cheaper, as is the neck wood and fret material. To me, the question is, "does it matter"? The answer will differ. My experience is that though I've re-fretted many guitars, only 2 of them really needed it done because of wear. And guitars with finish damage - pretty rare for me. However, if the initial fretwork is bad OR if the neck warps easily that's an issue. I've heard stories both ways. Again, my experience with necks is that inexpensive guitars can have issues ... expensive guitars can have issues. Initial fretwork is more likely good on an expensive guitar, serious neck problems seem equally likely. (That's my experience.)
Maybe I should do an anniversary video!
Great playing, and great guitars!
Thanks a lot!
Great comparison Mark! Was looking around to see if there were other people doing the Big F VS Harley Benton than me, and i gotta say, you had me staying for your video even though i made one as well! Wonderful personality! I'll defo stick around! :D
Wow man, thanks!! You've got a nice channel too. Subbed.
I agree with you Mark. I felt the HB was somewhat "muffled", not as bright as the Strat, in all test modes. I happen to own an HB T-70 Black Paisley Telecaster and it is similar in it's differences from a Fender Tele. The bridge pickup/s seem to be the main cause of the differences. But, for $152 bucks, you can't go wrong. It puts my Fender Squire to shame in terms of playability and sound/tone.
Thanks Bruce! Yes, I remember you have a Paisley Tele from HB. Great guitar for the $$!!
Great take on don’t let me down.
Thanks! I kind of liked that too with the octaves and Hendrix-ey chords.
Yes. Enjoyed the playing very much.
Great comparison, thank you. To my old ears and through my crap laptop speakers the Fender sounds darker. I have to say the H-B impresses-even moreso considering the almost giveaway price!
Thanks! The only issue now is the shipping cost (to the USA) is half the price of the guitar. I like the sound of the HB pickups, but even so, for $200 or less you can get the sounds you want from the pickups of your choice.
And it has now been 1.5 years and the guitar still holds up playing-wise. Feels and plays as well as the Fender (for me it's better because I like the flatter neck radius as well). No brainer for me.
This is THE comparison i wanted to see.. Thank you so much! A and a very good one, I must definitely add.
I've been contemplating a couple of Harley Benton Fender copies. I am thinking of getting the Fender official pick ups and changing them myself..along with a couple of other things..
After watching this...I'm thinking I wouldn't need to "rush" into the Fender PUs because the Harley Benton ones can manage .
Since the guitars i need are mostly gonna be used for recording I'm still gonna get those PUs...but..if I was playing gigs...I mean.....I would hold on the Roswell PUs for a while i think.
Glad you found the video. I think the HB Roswells are quite serviceable. The ST-62 I received was quite well built and I actually prefer the neck to a Fender neck. 4 for 4 for Harley Benton for me now!
I have the Harley Benton TE 80 which is the Prince Telecaster.
They have Strat type pickups so I replaced them with some Seymour Duncan’s (Twangbanger in the bridge), put CTS pots in and real stainless steel bridge saddles to replace the cheap “Pot Metal” ones, made a massive difference!
Oh and I appreciate the rendition of the Beatles classic, very nicely done.
Thank you!!
The neck pickup with crunch on the Harley Benton sounds actually better I think. You just have to be happy with your guitar, no matter what brand it is.
I agree with the first observation. While the 2nd sentiment is great if you have a good guitar (brand doesn't matter, which I think is what you're getting at) ... there's no reason to be happy with a poor guitar nowadays, because there are so many great options for very little money.
If you have a horrible guitar (both in this video are good IMHO), by all means find something else to love! So many choices today!
Hey Mark, I have a 80s Schecter Stratocaster as electric guitar and for acoustic a Lakewood Dreadnought. Both high end guitars you can say. Last year I needed an acoustic guitar for a gig, because the Lakewood was broken. 😰 I'm here in Germany, so I was able to order a 200€ Harley Benton Dreadnought from Thomann just for this gig, and wanted to send it back afterwards. But I never did! 😅 I was shocked how good this instrument sounds, at a price... More than 10 times less than my Lakewood. So I totally agree with you, and now I ordered a Harley Benton Stratocaster.I want to use the Harleys as life guitars, so that my expensive guitars can stay home. But the problem is: most accidents occur at home! 😂😂😂 Many greetings, Rob 🙋
@@robertoeser Hi! Greetings from NY USA!
That's a great story. I feel the same way. I ordered this Harley Benton as a 2nd Strat - but I play it all the time. It's great to play and I think it sounds great too. I just did another video (going live in 10 minutes from now!) where I use the HB Strat and it works great!
Thanks for your comments!
Great review. The Fender sound is a little more High Fidelity, I think. But the Benton sounded fine. It took me 30 years to learn how NOT to rest my palm in the saddles...New subscriber.
Thanks! i use the HB quite often. Plays great and sounds pretty good. Thanks for subbing too!
Palm muting is a regular everyday technique. Put some graphtec saddles on. Problem solved.
Thanks for the information, very useful, nice guitars!, both !
My pleasure!
The nearer you got to the bridge the more the fender stood out to my ears, HB done well though.
That's exactly how I heard it too. It's interesting that there's so many different opinions - some even saying they preferred the HB. Interesting.
Hey, thanks for your comment!
I think it is not fair. In his hands all guitar sounds cool.
LOL! Thanks!
Hahaha you're spot on with that comment.
@@matthewjdouglas6471 Thanks!
Thats an excellent point! You watch guitarmax? Dude usually specializes in cheap gear like that. He can make one of those sub-100$ glarrys sound like a million bucks...
Awesome review..!! Thank you so much..!!!
Glad you liked it!
It's amazing how close they sound some times.
Good video, result for me ? I could not hear sufficient difference in the sould to justify 6 times the price. Maybe in construction, components etc maybe the Fender will outlast the HB after many years, but for pure value for money the HB wins hands down as a functional , very playable and great sounding tool. I'm over in Europe and have experience of HB, bought 3 so far from Thomann and used as guitars to upgrade and mod. perfectly playable tools.
Yes, I still play my HB Strat quite a bit. Great tool and no worries about someone spilling beer at a gig!
Honestly, stick it in a mix and only a bonafide guitar expert ( authentic nerd ) is going to tell the difference! Thanks for the review.
Totally agree with your assessment. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this info/review.. Very interesting good review! . I'm a fan of Harley Benton Guitars. I have a Les Paul style
Thanks for watching!
Great great comparison without the boring bits. I was just wondering as i admired the wonderful progress Thomann has made, do you get the strat vibe with the HB? I think this is important for the strat players.
Thanks, and yes, absolutely the vibe is there IMHO.
Man, I actually think I prefer the sound of the Harley. Wow. Great video. 🏴 Clean sound HB takes it, slight gain sound the Fender JUST takes it but only in some of the switcher settings.
Right on!
I have both guitars and the American Professional is better made and sounding but the Harley isn't a joke and the difference in price $1,599 to $147. 😨 Thanks for the comparison brother. 🎶🎸🎶👍
Thanks! Glad to do it!
Investiment factor can't be overlooked for sure
very nice vid my man! i love my HB guitars
Same here!
The Harley Benton sounds great, you do a marvellous job of showing what it can go. I also like the peghead shape which is quite good for a budget guitar, some of them are awful. I think fenders do feel nice, the fit and finish is generally better but the Harley Benton telecaster I had was exceptionally good, the neck joint was flawless. I suppose their CNC equipment is as good if not better then any other factory.
Thanks! Yes, I think the HB is a pretty decent guitar.
I think the fender sounded like the intonation might have been better and the pickups just a bit smoother sounding but at the price point the Harley Benton sounded really good and I’m sure the intonation is an easy fix.
Interesting. Definitely the pickups on the Fender are harmonically richer. The intonation is quite good on both guitars. Pickups are easily changed and you can get amazingly good stuff for $200-$300. IMHO on a solid-body guitar that's what 99% of the sound is - for any of them.
The main difference is definitely in the quality of the build and parts (electronics, nut, tuners, other hardware).
I think most non enthusiasts would be hard pressed to tell the difference. Of course the Fender name adds mucho prestige, but for a tenth of the cost, the Harley definitely delivers.
Right on! I actually prefer playing the HB, but I never liked Fender necks. But if I wanted to sell either, it's pretty clear what I could sell more easily! Thanks for watching!
@@MarkZabel
Exactly, no resale but at that price you can hoard them
I'm in my early 50's. Started doing punk and garage rock in the 80's. Man, the junk we had to play with! And the guitars, worn, torn and beaten up, did cost more back then than a new HB does now. Those high end guitars are totally fine for us seniors with big egos and wallets. We can pamper ourselves with collectables like the snobs we are. What a time to be 16, starting your own band with your mates, huh? Quality instruments achievable for everyone. HB offers practically any type of guitar you desire. Solid, strat, tele, LP, hollowbody, single cut, double cut, jazz, heavy, 12-string and a stunning variety of acoustic and folk instruments. If you need it, they have it.
And by the way, awesome presentation of the two guitars in the video! There are solid arguments for both guitars, but in the end, the possibility to buy a whole arsenal of very good guitars from HB for the same price as one Fender or Gibson seals the deal for me. That's just me. Others may disagree.
Thanks for your commentary! I'll point out that amps, especially solid state amps, are incredible now comparatively. You can put together a darn good rig for under $1,000 today. Easily gig-able.
Interesting review. My recent financial situation forced me to sell my Fender Player Series Strat, something that I really regret (but you know, ...priorities.) I do plan on buying another one but I'm seriously considering buying a HB vintage 1962 series Strat for the time being and upgrading the pickups. I always find the basic woodworking and fretwork of HBs to be pretty solid work and the pickups quite more than decent. So much so that I would consider them above purchasing a Squier Strat. Definitely, the Fender sounded better on your review, -showcasing the classic inimitable 'Fender sound'. But I do think that in a pinch with a few mods one can achieve something near and even gig-worthy of a sound from these. Thank you though for giving me some food for thought with your excellent review.
Thanks so much! Yes, IMHO the HB is quite reasonable. And it plays great. Electronics, tuners, and pickups are easy enough to change.
I think the HB does a great job here. It brings the typical Stratty sound. But the Fender has a bit more that jangle, crisp high end.
Therefore the HB is a great instrument especially for beginners.
Thanks for the comment.
The Fender has a maple neck, so naturally it sounds brighter/crispier
I agree with your opinion. Basically the Fender is more scooped, less midrange so suits the distortion. Clean, the Harley Benton sounds fuller. A bit of EQ however and they’d be more or less comparable. The Fender is nearly 10x the price.
It's pretty darn good for the price. I deliberately left the EQ flat, so certainly it could be made to sound better with a little tweaking.
Yes the price..I was just thinking. I could get a a strat, tele and P90 gold top fromHB and probably an amp with the change. I think it’s a great time to learn guitar, the golden age of gear.
@@mdp303 Buy a good amp - it makes bad guitars sound good and good guitars sound great. Prices are good on those too today. Might I suggest ...
1. For home/recording/practice: imp.i114863.net/74yZO
2. For gigging: imp.i114863.net/mDKx1
Great video!!! I have to say though, listening on headphones the Harley Benton sounded by far the best on every pickup selection in clean tones. In fact by comparisson the Fender sounded really flat and uninteresting. On driven tones it was a closer run game except I did think the Strat bridge pickup was slightly better, but Hey tone is so subjective. Sure the Strat in sunburst finish was bound to be more impressive so it wasn't really a fair comparisson. HB do have a sunburst in the range which is still not as good as Fender but, and its a big but - with the other $800 you could buy a really sweet valve amp so I think I would choose the HB every time as I believe the amp is the most important thing in the chain for good tone. Really nice playing by the way , you reviewed them really well.
Thanks! My comments about the finish being better on the Fender are not about the color. It's a much more thorough finishing job. The HB's finish is okay, but not great - something I care very little about, but many buy guitars for such things. Plywood is fine for me.
For tone, yes, the amp and pickups are all that matters. *At most* one should pay $300 more for better sound on a solid body guitar. Any solid body guitar can be made to sound fantastic (whatever your definition is of that) by spending $300 or less. Wood, brass saddles, bone nut, ... whatever - doesn't really matter. The pickups do it. And they don't cost much. AND, as you say, the amp matters more too. Buy a solid-body guitar for how much you love the feel of it and for the build quality ... and for how much you generally dig it. For many, that means it has the Fender sticker. (Not for me!)
Thanks again for your comments!
I’m impressed with the HB even though you can clearly tell how superior the fenders pickups are that’s to be expected for that price. But the HB don’t sound bad at all. I didn’t hear much buzzing and that’s a good sign.
The $152 Harley Benton held its own based on its price. Definitely sounds decent.
I agree!
I have the hb st 20 ($80).
Its definitely not $2k prs or the like.....but for $80......I was amazed.
I wouldn't change the pickups, I would change the Prewired and capacitor for Emerson etc.
Clap!!!!Clap
Nice Job...
Congratulations Folks
Thanks
1: Love that you didn't go crazy on the overdrive. You retained the tone of the guitar this way.
2: I think the HB has a better "quack" tone on position 2 & 4.
3: I own this Harley Benton Strat in vintage white and it plays like a dream. The neck is a little thicker than your average Strat, but not Les Paul/acoustic guitar thick. I love this HB, and hope to buy the double bound Tele 62 soon.
Thanks ... and yes, it's a great little guitar.
Tone wise I think the HB has an edge on the Fender. The Fender is bright but the HB is warmer sounding and has more spank. Great review by the way. Thanks 🎸
Thanks!