I got my FIRST Harley Benton a few weeks ago, and I'm beyond impressed for a guitar at that price. There's ZERO tuner squeak, it stays in tune ridiculously well, the action and intonation stay perfect, the pickups sound so damn good, and just the overall quality is pristine. Those guitars are some serious guitars.
The HB sounds much warmer, richer and has more feel to it than the PRS. The PRS just sounds like a flat skinned sound with no meat or backbone to it. At least through this setup via the internet. One would have to hear it irl to make a proper opinion of course, but we have to make do. But for the price and the value of money in either case, it's obviously clear that the days of having to pay 2000+ Dollar/Euro for a "good guitar" are over. Thanks for sharing! Cudos!
I like them both. Personally, I have the H.B. CST24-T in Paradise Flame (I got mine as a "B" stock guitar for even more savings...and no blemishes on it at all!) and I own a PRS SE Paul's guitar that I found "used" (very slightly...may have been a demo...again, no blemishes on this one either). Both of mine have the flamed maple veneers, so they both look fantastic. They both play beautifully. I see no reason to "upgrade" my H.B. to a PRS SE. A little amp tweaking takes care of my tones with either guitar. The Paul's guitar is a wrap-tail instead of the trem...and 22 frets versus 24 frets. I've got two winning guitars!
Bought 2 years back exactly the same HB, replaced the tuners with locking ones and I think I even dare to bring it on a live gig 😅. Plays as good as my Luke, Godin or Ibanez. Incredible for the price.👍. Again great vid Elmo, thanks👍
Both fantastic guitars for the money, with the PRS giving a bit more in terms of raw performance and the HB presenting great value. Swap the pickups on the CST24 to something better (if you can't afford a new set just replace one now then the other one later) and there isn't too much in it. I'd still probably go with the PRS because everything sounds so good right out of the box.
You use your pinky very well, I appreciate good guitar players that use all for fingers and not tuck the pinky. I have relearned my playing technique to have that pinky working constantly and never tuck it away.
PRS SE had more cutting detail but I still liked the HB sound, and for the money it is great value no doubt. That colour/finish of the HB is gorgeous too, and I normally go for blue or green guitars. Good demo - thanks, Elmo.
Another great comparison, thank you. Playing and building strats for fifty years, I bought the PRS SE 24 a few months ago and love it. I already had an HB tele and vintage 62 strat which are great for the price, so I also HAD to get the CST Deluxe to compare. The CST finish is fab, it is about 1 kg heavier than the PRS, it arrived quite well set up and intonated, the trem is screwed down like a hardtail ready to set up. I polish frets with ultra fine wire wool as standard on all new guitars, the CST had two frets with tiny hairline marks on the very top end that polished out, the fretboard needed lemon oil, the top three saddles needed lining up with the fretboard radius. The frets are excellent quality and it plays great. Pushed to choose, the PRS has the edge on cleaner 85/15 pickup tone and sustain - before effects - and also when splitting the humbuckers to singles (as Elmo and others have mentioned). If I was twenty (I'm aged 68 and proper 'old school') I'd go HB CST every time. It. Is. Brilliant. For. The. Money. Will stick with the CST 'as is' for a while, as a hardtail, then might swap the nut for a metal split roller and the not-sure-yet pickups, perhaps the bridge, just to see how near the PRS I can get it. Just for the fun of it! As for Thomann, China builders and HB guitars... :-)
Harley Benton edging up in price and features, without a brand that needs to keep it's allure or protect an existing factory and staff. IMO, HB will rise to Ibanez levels of capability if they continue: design in hours, contract all manufacturing. Well known and understood playbook, just needs the required attention to detail. I kinda hope one day they start experimenting more with their own shapes, styles, combinations to grow. The Aeolus is pretty rad.
I own a couple PRSs and have played many HBs, and while there are certainly small differences, the biggest difference is in split coil mode. The PRS split coil is very usable, and gives a quality tone that's all its own. The HB split coil is low output, very thin, and really rather unusable. But for the money, you can't go wrong with the HB.
I heard this in earphones, I think the HB sounds better. It sounds warmer and a more vintage tone with a nicer breakup. That is my honest opinion. Thank for your work Elmo.
I heard it without earphones. But surprisingly I also find the sound of HB warmer like a Les Paul. Whereas PRS has it’s own quality of sound which different from either a Les Paul or a Strat.
Well in the looks department, the HB has already beaten that PRS SE. Sound is similar imo. I'd buy the HB and spend the extra 200 bucks on a pedal(s) Great stuff, Elmo. You deserve many more views, the damn algorithm hasn't caught up yet.
I actually ended up with a pair of identical CST-24T Paradise Flame guitars and I think they're fantastic. Outstanding fretwork, great playability and outstanding looks. I will openly admit that the PRS SE pickups sound a lot better, mainly because they're brighter, but also because PRS splits aren't a true 100% split... they use a resistor to keep a little bit of the 2nd pickup in there, and that keeps them from sounding too thin. That PRS split on the neck was the most convincing strat tone I've heard out of a split humbucker guitar.
Thanks for the information. This is very interesting that it is not a 100% split. That's "smart" to stand out from the competition in this way. Greetings Robby
Elmo, I had the PRS sold it, and kept my CST, which I changed the pickups and played it at a lot of gigs. Also have a HB SC550 II and and a Fusion III on the way. Rock on!
I purchased the Harley Benton CST 24 Deluxe hollow body Guitar in 2020. My guitar is perfect in everyway. No imperfections and playable right out of the box. I have owned other PRS guitars and the problem with them is you pay a fortune for them; then try and sell it. My PRS S1 was $1500.00 new at Guitar Center and when I sold it $700.00 when I resold it on Ebay; so a loss of more than half. This guitar cost about $200.00 and I cherish it! It plays exceedingly well. It also has the vine inlays on the frets that is unbelievably beautiful. I love my 5 Harley Benton's!
Hi Elmo, thanks for this one, it's really interesting. As much as I'm not a fan of PRS guitars, the SE really seems to do it all pretty well. I'd like to give nod to the HB because of their policy and accessibility for players on a budget, but sonically I clearly prefer the better defined SE, while the HB would need some upgrading to get there as you say with less sure outcomes.
I recently sold a 245 which was great in the main but the wiring was terrible and the switch stopped working after 2 months! I’ve had 17 Harley Bentons, they not perfect but nor are expensive guitars! Love the finish in that HB, I’ll be buying one
I have them both and can tell that if you put some effort into upgrading the HB it will be even more amazing. The best thing is to put a pair of plastic washers between the body and tremolo to keep it level. I also put on a brass block and brass saddles as well as locking tuners on the HB. Now I cannot say that the PRS is better apart from better looking head stock.
I have a PRS Santana SE, and the marvellous thing about it is the neck - very flat, very well-finished and true. My friend just bought this same Harley Benton (different colour) and I'm waiting impatiently to see how it plays. In this demo, I prefer the sound of the HB over the PRS. And the price? Whew!
Great comparison as always! A factor with HB could be consistency, where how good of a guitar you get is possibly more hit or miss. Every PRS SE, at least ones sold in the US, are setup and inspected by PRS at their US factory. Not sure how they handle that in other countries though. Resale value could be another factor to consider, which is generally not great on the HB stuff.
PRS "SE" guitars are made in Indonesia by Cort. It's well known and proved that their quality control is impeccable, and I'm sure Paul Reed Smith doesn't want sign guitars that are not flawless. 😎
I had a PRS SE Hollowbody delivered to me (UK) with a raised fret. It was sorted immediately by the retailer without any fuss, but it shows that mistakes can still be made.
Love your T -shirt , its class, great playing and a good review , i have two Harley Benton guitars, i really like them, always well set up and play great
Hee,hee - I love that T shirt, Elmo! I have a Harley Benson 335 type semi hollow - ( I forget the model number). It's quite nice. Thank you for all your reviews. Cheers from NYC.
You mentioned setup. Have you done a video on setting up an electric guitar? I'm interested in your preferences: relief, action, pickup height, et cetera. I know these vary from instrument to instrument, player to player, but I'd be interested to hear what you like. Thanks!
Got he PRS SE 24-08 I have the HB CST 24 as well, It's a stepping stone, I love the HB but it just don't have the same quality of sound as the PRS or usability. I wouldn't hesitate to tell a new guitarist to buy the HB, but I am an intermediate player and can say I prefer my PRS that being said the only thing I don't like is the PRS has nickel frets, I would rather they were stainless steel that would be my biggest gripe. Once I wear them out I will have them replaced with Stainless. If you need a Gig guitar and you are in a place you don't trust people take the HB, I do. If it is upscale I take my PRS.
I've actually been looking for a review like this. I have an older Standard 24 and have been looking into getting a CST-24 in emerald burst. Now that I hear it against my guitar, I think I'm ready to pull the trigger.
I’m yet to play the CST24, but it’s on the list. I have a HBT52v and SC Custom Active and apart from a grounding problem on the heavily painted bridge on the active and the Tele tuners being too small for my giant hands, I absolutely love them.
Cool vid ! I'm a huge Fan of the Harley Bentons. For context, I have had 2 of the PRS SE guitars. One was the Custom 24 in Zebrawood. Gorgeous. And the second one was the Tremonti single-cut model. The pickups on the Tremonti I got were pathetic. Neck and action were solid but not great. The Custom 24 was pretty much perfect, except once again.... the pickups were very uninspiring. The sound was weak. I got rid of both of those guitars. For a fraction of the cost of both of them... I also picked up 2 of these Harley Benton CST-24s. One with the Rosewell buckers.... and the second with Roswell P-90s. I'm going to just say this - the Harley Bentons are a LOT more fun to play. Killer guitars - both of the ones I got, anyway. Beautiful finishes, and the Roswells SMOKE. That's how I feel about it. The P-90 version that I got is just insane. I can't believe what I got... for that amount of cash. AWESOME guitar. I doubt I ever buy another PRS. Over-priced, and over-rated. But I will be picking up more Harley Bentons. You just can't beat what you get with them - for the price-tag, and they've got a ton of cool offerings. All sorts of stuff.
I have one of these HBs. Actually 2. One exactly like this and a semi hollow. I love the one like this and the hollow not as much. Mine stays in tune great but I never go the pickguard ever with it. I’ve had a Tremonti and a Custom 24 and although I could not find anything wrong with either, and the 24 was gorgeous…. I got rid of both. The only 2 out of 26 guitars I’ve sold in years. They were just….. you ever taste distilled water? They were like that. They just had no mojo at all. Oh they were both SEs not super US models. I’m just not convinced with PRS. People love them though.
@@beastlybeast2716 i've bought in Dec. '23 a HB CST 24 T and it's a flawless guitar, i looove it! Same manufacturing level as my 500-700 € Fender Player or Ibanez Artist plus stainless steel frets!
The PRS Standard sounds and looks very great and sounds noticeable thicker and meatier than the HB. I have the 245 Standard and due to its full Mahogany Body it has a very fat dark full sound. My otherwise nearly identical SE Bernie Marsden LTD is way way more on the brighter side of life with its Maple Cap.
I'll be the party pooper you've all been waiting for. They sound as good and is just the psychology factor. Just upgrade some pickups to your taste on the Benton and you are set. If you don't care on the looks and aesthetic blemishes all good.
Kind of depends how the string was put on a bit too since only that one was off. Great video. Can't argue with a guy that really knows how to play even though it is very bizarre (esp with the trem) but I have seen a few videos on HB's and they are quite remarkable value !
"PRS is slightly too bright," pretty well sums up all PRS SE pups, I swapped mine to something darker. Still I love my Korean SE, but I wouldn't recommend an SE now, they are too pricey. Here in Canada SEs are over $1000 compared with good quality mid range Epiphones, Ibanez and Squiers at $500-700. Not to mention lower price models at half that (with none of the Harley Benton quality control issues).
There is no such thing as "too bright" since it can easily be toned down to taste while the opposite is not fully possible. It's been over 70 years and electric guitar players still behave as if they don't understand knobs.
Damn I only paid like 550 USD for mine. I love it though. Plays just as good as a high end USA made PRS. Probably one of the best electrics I’ve ever owned.
Both these guitars are probably made at the same guitar factory in Indonesia, the Cort guitar factory. Which means that the guy who does the frets or the guy who did the finish on both might be the same. Even the guy who does the body i.e. might not know in which guitar it might end up, since the Indonesia factory makes guitars ordered by the big corporations and puts their brand on them. So the difference in price is due to the pickups (PRS use these pickups even in USA entry level models) and the PRS brand which gives the guitar more value, plus the inspection they actually do on all their import guitars. Nice playing btw!!
Great video...I bought the CST 24 and the CST Hollowbody and based on 40 years of playing really expensive guitars...owning many...I can't say any are better sounding than the Harley Bentons lol! Wow...I'm going to buy more...tell me you own a les paul or prs that sounds better...these things are bizarre
Hi! I want to buy this guitar or a Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern, which one should I buy? I'm using an sss fender and I want a stronger sound, my infrastructure is ready for use with pedals. Which should I get?
Staying in tune is huge. Nothing is more frustrating than having to retune regularly. The HB would not be a good guitar for a beginner for this reason. You need something not only reasonably priced but no or very few issues as it’s frustrating enough to learn to play without having to deal with tuning. I know when I was first learning that was true. My guitar was not expensive but it held tune. Yes you can replace pickups to correct warmth or brightness but it doesn’t address the tuning issue.
Elmo put a level of abuse on this HB guitar with the whammy bar that not many players will ever duplicate, so the tuning issue is a minor one, IMO. For an under-$300 guitar to perform as well as this one does, speaks volumes about HB's build quality.
Great comparison demo. The PRS has more sophisticated tones to my ears. I'd swap out the Harley Benton p'ups. That being said, PRS do not hold their value (not even the American ones) and used they can cost less than the cost of the Harley and upgrades.
Although I love the CST, I had one myself, I had the pleasure of testing a Standard and it is superior in tone and sustain, at least to my experience, but then again, each guitar is a guitar
I only found out about HB guitars today and as a lefty they offer a huge arrange of lefty guitars, I saw their explorer model is $399 and comes with EMGs. Can’t really beat that since the cheapest decent explorer is the epiphone Korina models for $1299
HB is great alternative, especially for a newbie - i want the PRS but in the cherry finish; it just looks right. The thing is, the PRS holds it's value in the long term, so if one can save up €250, be patient and double that...
I like your 8:47 Harley Benton into Plexi sound the best of any of the sounds in the video. That surprises me. I need to get one of these. If I was playing that PRS SE I would avoid it's coil split feature, and I'd be dialing back the tone a bit as the sound is too harsh with the tone all the way up. I do think the HB seems like a great platform for your own custom pickups. I may grab one and put some gretsch filtertron type pickups in it. The whammy abuse test is awesome. ALways do that.
If you get one.... I doubt you will regret it. And the funny thing.... You may be surprised when you get it - and you may not end up changing out thee pick-ups. IMHO, the Roswells they are putting in these guitars are fantastic. Also - they have a P-90 version - and I think that one even sounds incredible. I LOVE these guitars.
Nice and honest comparison. I owned the harley benton and played the prs (in different colors) and really liked them too. Because of your prs video i went to musicstore professional in cologne last weekend and tried some prs SE 24 customs. Man, the colors were worth the 400 euros more. The sound was absolutely shocking brutal good. As a looong time ibanez and fender fan i hate that i haven't tried out these guitars before, especially the santana model with the shorter scale. You should absolutely try out one of these. Keep up the good work. Love your music and share your yngwie-affinity :-)
The CST-24 is my first electric guitar and had it for over 2 years and I love that instrument. I have 4 other and one electric base also. But I’m a learner and don’t want to spend to much on one guitar. HB allows you to try out other type of guitarmodels…okey they aren’t as good maybe like the real stuff but with reviews on RUclips you can make a choice and select out a little bit more and have fun with many different guitars with a low cost. That’s my thoughts about these affordable guitars from HB. Have you consider to review the Ibanez SA260FM-VLS? Thank you Elmo. I like your reviews, they are fun to watch. Have a great day. Greetings from Göteborg 🇸🇪
Tjena! Jag har ett par Ibanez gitarrer. En har jag redan recenserat, fast videon inte är publicerad ännu och en som väntar på att testas. Ibanez har så konstiga namn på sina modeller att jag inte kommer ihåg vilka de är, men SA260FM-VLS var de inte.
Hei. Just changed the trem screws. Now with anotched ones like on the PRS the tuning stability is AMAZING.....just need to use the wammy bar after a bending on the G string.... as i have to do on all my other gutars...😊
HB sounds great to be honest just as good, it’s more of a psychological issue I think … paying more is not often the case of getting best .. I’ve bought HB before and I recommend change out the strings tweak it a little and your good to go and as for price HB are great value as long as they keep underselling the big boys who have become like the motor industry more trash for more crash Lexus or Mercedes….
I bought mine cst24 for 100e, and the neck felt so good from the start. Changed pots, both are push/pull now, put seymour duncans jazz sh-2, and its a killer guitar, still amazed how good action is and neck jazz sh-2 sounds so straty on split! I bought it out of boredom to experiment, spent roughly 350e on it, and now i wouldnt sell it never :)
Man, I put a set of Guitar Fetish Mean 90s humbucker size P90s in my HB CST-24t. And Boom. It is a new guitar. Fantastic bite. I like the tone better than my PRS SE custom 24 with Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded Humbuckers (JB/Jazz).
Last time I was looking at guitars I almost bought one of these, what stopped me was a post accedent medical issue which now means I cannot stand while playing, guitar I love, violin my first, not being able to stand is massive loss, I'm not sure if in time I will overcome this issue?
The tone difference can be handled in EQ I personally couldn’t purchase a Harley Benton over the PRS because of ordering them online as you need to by the time you add shipping the cost changes and the price doubled and it still isn’t a PRS 🍻 the level of consistency from PRS even their Korean or Indonesian guitars is shockingly good and if it comes down to money I just purchased a PRS SE 24 Standard that is amazing at a significant reduction in price 😎
I am just wondering. Is this HB CST24 the same as the one they are offering in the HB CST 24 DIY kit? If yes than I will be damned if I won't buy that.
Please review jackson js32 dinky or jackson soloist. I trust your review the most in the entire youtube guitar reviewer. Because of that, I want that prs now. Maybe that guitar will be my next purchase.
There's no one at Thoman who is going to be as anal about every aspect of the guitar design, build, etc. like Paul Reed Smith is. That's why PRS are so expensive. They obsess over their quality. I have the CST-24 semi hollow and I love it, but I know that the attention to every detail isn't there like it would be with a PRS. That being said, my axe was sub $300 US and I can't complain about the guitar at that price. I could easily mod the guitar and get close to a PRS sound and still come out under a PRS cost (maybe not an SE model, but a full spec PRS). It's kind of a pick your poison.
Check out some guitar reviews: ruclips.net/p/PLNaLwTdlpQNGXHK9wPm1kYNDwFvMLQ7ES
Or some of my music: ruclips.net/p/PLNaLwTdlpQNHKlg8ALZfM3AINC20WMp8s
I got my FIRST Harley Benton a few weeks ago, and I'm beyond impressed for a guitar at that price. There's ZERO tuner squeak, it stays in tune ridiculously well, the action and intonation stay perfect, the pickups sound so damn good, and just the overall quality is pristine. Those guitars are some serious guitars.
I have too many guitars already. Please stop.
:D
🤣
He made me buy 3 already lol
Yes I know, just ask my wife. 😇 Q. How many guitars do you need? A. One more than you already have.
😂
The HB sounds much warmer, richer and has more feel to it than the PRS. The PRS just sounds like a flat skinned sound with no meat or backbone to it. At least through this setup via the internet. One would have to hear it irl to make a proper opinion of course, but we have to make do.
But for the price and the value of money in either case, it's obviously clear that the days of having to pay 2000+ Dollar/Euro for a "good guitar" are over.
Thanks for sharing! Cudos!
The whammy-bar torture test made me laugh. I felt a little sorry for the HB.
:D
Tried both, bought the HB. Incredibly happy with it.
Thank you so much Elmo! I've been waiting for this exact comparison for a very long time and this one was very helpful!
I’m really enjoying your channel! Great content! This was an interesting comparison!
Thanks!
I like them both. Personally, I have the H.B. CST24-T in Paradise Flame (I got mine as a "B" stock guitar for even more savings...and no blemishes on it at all!) and I own a PRS SE Paul's guitar that I found "used" (very slightly...may have been a demo...again, no blemishes on this one either). Both of mine have the flamed maple veneers, so they both look fantastic. They both play beautifully. I see no reason to "upgrade" my H.B. to a PRS SE. A little amp tweaking takes care of my tones with either guitar. The Paul's guitar is a wrap-tail instead of the trem...and 22 frets versus 24 frets. I've got two winning guitars!
Bought 2 years back exactly the same HB, replaced the tuners with locking ones and I think I even dare to bring it on a live gig 😅. Plays as good as my Luke, Godin or Ibanez. Incredible for the price.👍. Again great vid Elmo, thanks👍
Awesome review comparison. I like them and would love to try this type. One day!!!
Great playing !!! I have both guitars. I bypassed the electronics on the HB since the
pots are not very good, and the guitar sounds great.
Both fantastic guitars for the money, with the PRS giving a bit more in terms of raw performance and the HB presenting great value. Swap the pickups on the CST24 to something better (if you can't afford a new set just replace one now then the other one later) and there isn't too much in it.
I'd still probably go with the PRS because everything sounds so good right out of the box.
Good point about it sounding good out of the box.
@@MrPolevaulter good notice was to said that it was a good point about it sounding good out of the box
@@anton5442good observation about the notice about the point about it sounding good out the box.
"raw performance" what does that even mean
Now I want that HB great vid!
You use your pinky very well, I appreciate good guitar players that use all for fingers and not tuck the pinky. I have relearned my playing technique to have that pinky working constantly and never tuck it away.
Cheers!
Great review as always. 👍🏼
I appreciate that :)
Excelent demos of both guitars.i have the HB and happy with it
PRS SE had more cutting detail but I still liked the HB sound, and for the money it is great value no doubt. That colour/finish of the HB is gorgeous too, and I normally go for blue or green guitars. Good demo - thanks, Elmo.
Cheers!
Another great comparison, thank you. Playing and building strats for fifty years, I bought the PRS SE 24 a few months ago and love it. I already had an HB tele and vintage 62 strat which are great for the price, so I also HAD to get the CST Deluxe to compare. The CST finish is fab, it is about 1 kg heavier than the PRS, it arrived quite well set up and intonated, the trem is screwed down like a hardtail ready to set up. I polish frets with ultra fine wire wool as standard on all new guitars, the CST had two frets with tiny hairline marks on the very top end that polished out, the fretboard needed lemon oil, the top three saddles needed lining up with the fretboard radius. The frets are excellent quality and it plays great. Pushed to choose, the PRS has the edge on cleaner 85/15 pickup tone and sustain - before effects - and also when splitting the humbuckers to singles (as Elmo and others have mentioned). If I was twenty (I'm aged 68 and proper 'old school') I'd go HB CST every time. It. Is. Brilliant. For. The. Money. Will stick with the CST 'as is' for a while, as a hardtail, then might swap the nut for a metal split roller and the not-sure-yet pickups, perhaps the bridge, just to see how near the PRS I can get it. Just for the fun of it! As for Thomann, China builders and HB guitars... :-)
Harley Benton edging up in price and features, without a brand that needs to keep it's allure or protect an existing factory and staff. IMO, HB will rise to Ibanez levels of capability if they continue: design in hours, contract all manufacturing. Well known and understood playbook, just needs the required attention to detail.
I kinda hope one day they start experimenting more with their own shapes, styles, combinations to grow. The Aeolus is pretty rad.
Great video. The HB looks gorgeous. But I'd have to go with the PRS. Thanks for the honest review, we all love that.
Cheers!
I own a couple PRSs and have played many HBs, and while there are certainly small differences, the biggest difference is in split coil mode. The PRS split coil is very usable, and gives a quality tone that's all its own. The HB split coil is low output, very thin, and really rather unusable. But for the money, you can't go wrong with the HB.
Hey Elmo thanks for another great video! This is truly helpful! Can you do another one comparing semi hollow guitars?
I only have one semi hollow guitar :(
Ive ordered exactly the same colour one on Monday. Cant wait. You are a really good player.
Thanks!
Great video. I know for fact that the HB frets better at the upper frets than the PRS, sold my PRS ce, no regrets.
I heard this in earphones, I think the HB sounds better. It sounds warmer and a more vintage tone with a nicer breakup. That is my honest opinion. Thank for your work Elmo.
And thank you :)
I heard it without earphones. But surprisingly I also find the sound of HB warmer like a Les Paul. Whereas PRS has it’s own quality of sound which different from either a Les Paul or a Strat.
Well in the looks department, the HB has already beaten that PRS SE. Sound is similar imo. I'd buy the HB and spend the extra 200 bucks on a pedal(s)
Great stuff, Elmo. You deserve many more views, the damn algorithm hasn't caught up yet.
Thanks :)
I actually ended up with a pair of identical CST-24T Paradise Flame guitars and I think they're fantastic. Outstanding fretwork, great playability and outstanding looks. I will openly admit that the PRS SE pickups sound a lot better, mainly because they're brighter, but also because PRS splits aren't a true 100% split... they use a resistor to keep a little bit of the 2nd pickup in there, and that keeps them from sounding too thin. That PRS split on the neck was the most convincing strat tone I've heard out of a split humbucker guitar.
Thanks for the information.
This is very interesting that it is not a 100% split.
That's "smart" to stand out from the competition in this way.
Greetings Robby
Thanks for this video. I've been thinking about getting a PRS SE guitar.
I have a PRS SE (which I love btw) and I want a Harley Benton anyway.
I appreciate your reviews
Thank you 🌞🏴
Thanks!
Elmo, I had the PRS sold it, and kept my CST, which I changed the pickups and played it at a lot of gigs. Also have a HB SC550 II and and a Fusion III on the way. Rock on!
Thank you Elmo, you rule as usual👍
I purchased the Harley Benton CST 24 Deluxe hollow body Guitar in 2020. My guitar is perfect in everyway. No imperfections and playable right out of the box. I have owned other PRS guitars and the problem with them is you pay a fortune for them; then try and sell it. My PRS S1 was $1500.00 new at Guitar Center and when I sold it $700.00 when I resold it on Ebay; so a loss of more than half. This guitar cost about $200.00 and I cherish it! It plays exceedingly well. It also has the vine inlays on the frets that is unbelievably beautiful. I love my 5 Harley Benton's!
Cool bananas :)
Once again, Most Excellent Video!
Cheers!
Hi Elmo, thanks for this one, it's really interesting. As much as I'm not a fan of PRS guitars, the SE really seems to do it all pretty well. I'd like to give nod to the HB because of their policy and accessibility for players on a budget, but sonically I clearly prefer the better defined SE, while the HB would need some upgrading to get there as you say with less sure outcomes.
I recently sold a 245 which was great in the main but the wiring was terrible and the switch stopped working after 2 months! I’ve had 17 Harley Bentons, they not perfect but nor are expensive guitars! Love the finish in that HB, I’ll be buying one
I have them both and can tell that if you put some effort into upgrading the HB it will be even more amazing. The best thing is to put a pair of plastic washers between the body and tremolo to keep it level. I also put on a brass block and brass saddles as well as locking tuners on the HB. Now I cannot say that the PRS is better apart from better looking head stock.
Honestly if you want a cheap alternative to the PRS SE look for the Cort m200 and m600
I have a PRS Santana SE, and the marvellous thing about it is the neck - very flat, very well-finished and true. My friend just bought this same Harley Benton (different colour) and I'm waiting impatiently to see how it plays. In this demo, I prefer the sound of the HB over the PRS. And the price? Whew!
Awesome whammy bar mayhem! My favorite part. My PRS Paul Allender refuses to hold tune with much less abuse. Thanks for the video!
Great comparison as always! A factor with HB could be consistency, where how good of a guitar you get is possibly more hit or miss. Every PRS SE, at least ones sold in the US, are setup and inspected by PRS at their US factory. Not sure how they handle that in other countries though. Resale value could be another factor to consider, which is generally not great on the HB stuff.
Cheers!
PRS "SE" guitars are made in Indonesia by Cort. It's well known and proved that their quality control is impeccable, and I'm sure Paul Reed Smith doesn't want sign guitars that are not flawless. 😎
I had a PRS SE Hollowbody delivered to me (UK) with a raised fret. It was sorted immediately by the retailer without any fuss, but it shows that mistakes can still be made.
Great Comparison. Like your shirt also :)
:)
Nice comparison. And I love my CST-24t more.
Love your T -shirt , its class, great playing and a good review , i have two Harley Benton guitars, i really like them, always well set up and play great
Cool, thanks!
Love the T shirt dude :)
Hee,hee - I love that T shirt, Elmo! I have a Harley Benson 335 type semi hollow - ( I forget the model number). It's quite nice. Thank you for all your reviews. Cheers from NYC.
Thanks!
You mentioned setup. Have you done a video on setting up an electric guitar? I'm interested in your preferences: relief, action, pickup height, et cetera. I know these vary from instrument to instrument, player to player, but I'd be interested to hear what you like.
Thanks!
Thanks! I haven't, no. I might at some point.
Got he PRS SE 24-08 I have the HB CST 24 as well, It's a stepping stone, I love the HB but it just don't have the same quality of sound as the PRS or usability. I wouldn't hesitate to tell a new guitarist to buy the HB, but I am an intermediate player and can say I prefer my PRS that being said the only thing I don't like is the PRS has nickel frets, I would rather they were stainless steel that would be my biggest gripe. Once I wear them out I will have them replaced with Stainless. If you need a Gig guitar and you are in a place you don't trust people take the HB, I do. If it is upscale I take my PRS.
I got the CST 24, because I figured I would never be able to spend the $$$ on a PRS. I am well satisfied with my choice.
Awesome video!
Thanks!
I've actually been looking for a review like this. I have an older Standard 24 and have been looking into getting a CST-24 in emerald burst. Now that I hear it against my guitar, I think I'm ready to pull the trigger.
I’m yet to play the CST24, but it’s on the list. I have a HBT52v and SC Custom Active and apart from a grounding problem on the heavily painted bridge on the active and the Tele tuners being too small for my giant hands, I absolutely love them.
Nice Mr Elmo!
Cool vid ! I'm a huge Fan of the Harley Bentons. For context, I have had 2 of the PRS SE guitars. One was the Custom 24 in Zebrawood. Gorgeous. And the second one was the Tremonti single-cut model. The pickups on the Tremonti I got were pathetic. Neck and action were solid but not great. The Custom 24 was pretty much perfect, except once again.... the pickups were very uninspiring. The sound was weak. I got rid of both of those guitars. For a fraction of the cost of both of them... I also picked up 2 of these Harley Benton CST-24s. One with the Rosewell buckers.... and the second with Roswell P-90s. I'm going to just say this - the Harley Bentons are a LOT more fun to play. Killer guitars - both of the ones I got, anyway. Beautiful finishes, and the Roswells SMOKE. That's how I feel about it. The P-90 version that I got is just insane. I can't believe what I got... for that amount of cash. AWESOME guitar. I doubt I ever buy another PRS. Over-priced, and over-rated. But I will be picking up more Harley Bentons. You just can't beat what you get with them - for the price-tag, and they've got a ton of cool offerings. All sorts of stuff.
Which one you prefer - with buckers or with P-90
I have one of these HBs. Actually 2. One exactly like this and a semi hollow. I love the one like this and the hollow not as much. Mine stays in tune great but I never go the pickguard ever with it. I’ve had a Tremonti and a Custom 24 and although I could not find anything wrong with either, and the 24 was gorgeous…. I got rid of both. The only 2 out of 26 guitars I’ve sold in years. They were just….. you ever taste distilled water? They were like that. They just had no mojo at all. Oh they were both SEs not super US models. I’m just not convinced with PRS. People love them though.
Your saying use the links and get both, then decide for your self. I like that idea!
Have both and the PRS is miles ahead of the Hatley Benton!
nope
@@erkjan
Yes… it is. There’s no comparison. The QC on Harley Benton’s are ridiculously bad.
@@beastlybeast2716 i've bought in Dec. '23 a HB CST 24 T and it's a flawless guitar, i looove it! Same manufacturing level as my 500-700 € Fender Player or Ibanez Artist plus stainless steel frets!
Thank you! That settles my questions…. HB is the one
I like how Elmo isn't a guitar snob
Cheers!
Hope you can review the jackson Js32 DKA or jackson sl4dx soloist
The PRS Standard sounds and looks very great and sounds noticeable thicker and meatier than the HB. I have the 245 Standard and due to its full Mahogany Body it has a very fat dark full sound. My otherwise nearly identical SE Bernie Marsden LTD is way way more on the brighter side of life with its Maple Cap.
I'll be the party pooper you've all been waiting for. They sound as good and is just the psychology factor. Just upgrade some pickups to your taste on the Benton and you are set. If you don't care on the looks and aesthetic blemishes all good.
Kind of depends how the string was put on a bit too since only that one was off. Great video. Can't argue with a guy that really knows how to play even though it is very bizarre (esp with the trem) but I have seen a few videos on HB's and they are quite remarkable value !
"PRS is slightly too bright," pretty well sums up all PRS SE pups, I swapped mine to something darker. Still I love my Korean SE, but I wouldn't recommend an SE now, they are too pricey. Here in Canada SEs are over $1000 compared with good quality mid range Epiphones, Ibanez and Squiers at $500-700. Not to mention lower price models at half that (with none of the Harley Benton quality control issues).
There is no such thing as "too bright" since it can easily be toned down to taste while the opposite is not fully possible. It's been over 70 years and electric guitar players still behave as if they don't understand knobs.
Damn I only paid like 550 USD for mine. I love it though. Plays just as good as a high end USA made PRS. Probably one of the best electrics I’ve ever owned.
I think you are absolutely astonishing!
Thank you very much Mikael!
Both these guitars are probably made at the same guitar factory in Indonesia, the Cort guitar factory.
Which means that the guy who does the frets or the guy who did the finish on both might be the same.
Even the guy who does the body i.e. might not know in which guitar it might end up, since the Indonesia factory makes guitars ordered by the big corporations and puts their brand on them.
So the difference in price is due to the pickups (PRS use these pickups even in USA entry level models) and the PRS brand which gives the guitar more value, plus the inspection they actually do on all their import guitars.
Nice playing btw!!
Great video...I bought the CST 24 and the CST Hollowbody and based on 40 years of playing really expensive guitars...owning many...I can't say any are better sounding than the Harley Bentons lol! Wow...I'm going to buy more...tell me you own a les paul or prs that sounds better...these things are bizarre
I wonder if the electronics are different. I know HB has the usual primitive circuitry but would PRS have a treble bleed or anything additional?
Not sure.
Hi! I want to buy this guitar or a Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern, which one should I buy? I'm using an sss fender and I want a stronger sound, my infrastructure is ready for use with pedals. Which should I get?
I've started playing guitra and I want a new guitar under £300 I am probably going to get this HB but anyone have any other guitars
PRS all the way!! 🤘🏻
Staying in tune is huge. Nothing is more frustrating than having to retune regularly. The HB would not be a good guitar for a beginner for this reason. You need something not only reasonably priced but no or very few issues as it’s frustrating enough to learn to play without having to deal with tuning. I know when I was first learning that was true. My guitar was not expensive but it held tune. Yes you can replace pickups to correct warmth or brightness but it doesn’t address the tuning issue.
Elmo put a level of abuse on this HB guitar with the whammy bar that not many players will ever duplicate, so the tuning issue is a minor one, IMO. For an under-$300 guitar to perform as well as this one does, speaks volumes about HB's build quality.
@UCsj_E-wGifX5WXE8dkakhmA actually it’s called nut sauce
Great comparison demo. The PRS has more sophisticated tones to my ears. I'd swap out the Harley Benton p'ups.
That being said, PRS do not hold their value (not even the American ones) and used they can cost less than the cost of the Harley and upgrades.
Although I love the CST, I had one myself, I had the pleasure of testing a Standard and it is superior in tone and sustain, at least to my experience, but then again, each guitar is a guitar
I was confused as CST-24 is also a semi hollow with F holes I think this is a CST-24T and CST-24HB the semi hollow.
I only found out about HB guitars today and as a lefty they offer a huge arrange of lefty guitars, I saw their explorer model is $399 and comes with EMGs. Can’t really beat that since the cheapest decent explorer is the epiphone Korina models for $1299
HB is great alternative, especially for a newbie - i want the PRS but in the cherry finish; it just looks right. The thing is, the PRS holds it's value in the long term, so if one can save up €250, be patient and double that...
Here in Canada SEs are all over the used market but never sell. Only Core retain their value.
@@jimmyjames2022 but they won't make them forever, and 30 years from now...
@@niallio77 why would you sell a guitar you had for 30 years ?
@@GsNoBs In my case, as one real example, unnecessary luxury, no sentimental value (impulse Ebay purchase 20yrs ago, never really played it)
Good review. I think perhaps a more moderate whammy bar test , would have done. (Hendrix had to tuned after each song as well)
I was hoping the graphite nut would keep it in tune
I like your 8:47 Harley Benton into Plexi sound the best of any of the sounds in the video. That surprises me. I need to get one of these. If I was playing that PRS SE I would avoid it's coil split feature, and I'd be dialing back the tone a bit as the sound is too harsh with the tone all the way up. I do think the HB seems like a great platform for your own custom pickups. I may grab one and put some gretsch filtertron type pickups in it. The whammy abuse test is awesome. ALways do that.
If you get one.... I doubt you will regret it. And the funny thing.... You may be surprised when you get it - and you may not end up changing out thee pick-ups. IMHO, the Roswells they are putting in these guitars are fantastic. Also - they have a P-90 version - and I think that one even sounds incredible. I LOVE these guitars.
Nice and honest comparison. I owned the harley benton and played the prs (in different colors) and really liked them too. Because of your prs video i went to musicstore professional in cologne last weekend and tried some prs SE 24 customs. Man, the colors were worth the 400 euros more. The sound was absolutely shocking brutal good. As a looong time ibanez and fender fan i hate that i haven't tried out these guitars before, especially the santana model with the shorter scale. You should absolutely try out one of these. Keep up the good work. Love your music and share your yngwie-affinity :-)
Thanks :)
the only thing that worth mention from this video is, guys you should practice more often, you too elmo 😉😉
😀
The CST-24 is my first electric guitar and had it for over 2 years and I love that instrument. I have 4 other and one electric base also. But I’m a learner and don’t want to spend to much on one guitar. HB allows you to try out other type of guitarmodels…okey they aren’t as good maybe like the real stuff but with reviews on RUclips you can make a choice and select out a little bit more and have fun with many different guitars with a low cost. That’s my thoughts about these affordable guitars from HB. Have you consider to review the Ibanez SA260FM-VLS? Thank you Elmo. I like your reviews, they are fun to watch. Have a great day. Greetings from Göteborg 🇸🇪
Tjena! Jag har ett par Ibanez gitarrer. En har jag redan recenserat, fast videon inte är publicerad ännu och en som väntar på att testas. Ibanez har så konstiga namn på sina modeller att jag inte kommer ihåg vilka de är, men SA260FM-VLS var de inte.
I'm in Alabama USA, and I'm mind fucked, I had know clue Harley's sounded that good, I'm sold,
Roll Tide!
Hei. Just changed the trem screws. Now with anotched ones like on the PRS the tuning stability is AMAZING.....just need to use the wammy bar after a bending on the G string.... as i have to do on all my other gutars...😊
HB sounds great to be honest just as good, it’s more of a psychological issue I think … paying more is not often the case of getting best .. I’ve bought HB before and I recommend change out the strings tweak it a little and your good to go and as for price HB are great value as long as they keep underselling the big boys who have become like the motor industry more trash for more crash Lexus or Mercedes….
I bought mine cst24 for 100e, and the neck felt so good from the start. Changed pots, both are push/pull now, put seymour duncans jazz sh-2, and its a killer guitar, still amazed how good action is and neck jazz sh-2 sounds so straty on split! I bought it out of boredom to experiment, spent roughly 350e on it, and now i wouldnt sell it never :)
How much does the cst24 weight? Is the neck/ fretboard satin or gloss?
@@MrMusicgenius 3.3 kg, fretboard is pau ferro, i sanded gloss neck to feel smoother
Man, I put a set of Guitar Fetish Mean 90s humbucker size P90s in my HB CST-24t. And Boom. It is a new guitar. Fantastic bite. I like the tone better than my PRS SE custom 24 with Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded Humbuckers (JB/Jazz).
What song is the riff in 10:07 from; I can't remember and it's driving me nuts.
Last time I was looking at guitars I almost bought one of these, what stopped me was a post accedent medical issue which now means I cannot stand while playing, guitar I love, violin my first, not being able to stand is massive loss, I'm not sure if in time I will overcome this issue?
Sorry to hear.
The tone difference can be handled in EQ I personally couldn’t purchase a Harley Benton over the PRS because of ordering them online as you need to by the time you add shipping the cost changes and the price doubled and it still isn’t a PRS 🍻 the level of consistency from PRS even their Korean or Indonesian guitars is shockingly good and if it comes down to money I just purchased a PRS SE 24 Standard that is amazing at a significant reduction in price 😎
I am just wondering. Is this HB CST24 the same as the one they are offering in the HB CST 24 DIY kit? If yes than I will be damned if I won't buy that.
Don't know.
10:00 reminds me of the song Give Me Your Helping Hand by Symphonity
That veneer bookmatch looks like the Chibsons, with the gap in-between. Seems to sound good tho and isn't $800
That little bit of Gary Moore I'm sure was chosen to check the sustain!
Love the T-shirt! And the guitars from one his fans from India 😍
Thanks!
The difference is one company skipped R&D costs, reverse engineered the other’s product, and then tried to copy it and sell it, lol.
That's not a huge saving, compared to what they save when leaving out the middle men, and just shipping it straight from the factory to Thomann.
I believe they're made in the same factory
I was so glad when you started Princess of the Dawn on 5:30 but what happens next to you? It broke my heart
Please review jackson js32 dinky or jackson soloist.
I trust your review the most in the entire youtube guitar reviewer.
Because of that, I want that prs now. Maybe that guitar will be my next purchase.
Thanks! I might at some point.
Wow, hit up that whammi bar. Some great sounds pouring out of the guitar.
There's no one at Thoman who is going to be as anal about every aspect of the guitar design, build, etc. like Paul Reed Smith is. That's why PRS are so expensive. They obsess over their quality. I have the CST-24 semi hollow and I love it, but I know that the attention to every detail isn't there like it would be with a PRS. That being said, my axe was sub $300 US and I can't complain about the guitar at that price. I could easily mod the guitar and get close to a PRS sound and still come out under a PRS cost (maybe not an SE model, but a full spec PRS). It's kind of a pick your poison.