Sc 550 2 for me... It has so many cool added extras, it is the perfect project guitar... By the time I'm done with it Gibson will be paying me to help them build good Les Paul (like they used to make) 😂😂😂
Got mine today, its such a nice guitar. It easily compares with a tokai love rock I have, it's tons of fun to play and I just couldn't let it go. Very satisfied, thank you for your review, keep up the good work!
@@maxmustardman298 i'm pretty sure my 550 plus has the same cause when I took the pups out to look, it looked like a maple cap with a flamed veneer on it, which I'm perfectly fine with.
Fair enough comparison, but what you don't mention and no other reviewers ever mention is the nut size. It maybe only one mm but might affect some players.
Thanks ! I didn't mention the nut size cos' it's not something that stroke me when I read the specs, and when I have played these 2, well it didn't strike me either :)
I have chosen the SC 550 Plus and I think it was the right choice for me. Those EMG fat 55 have bite, precision and enough fat for my taste. I don't think none of these 2 guitars is a bad choice, it's just a matter of taste for th sound of the pickups.
Hey man, I watched your SC-500 II / SC-550 Plus / SC-Custom Plus videos and I want to say thanks for all the work you put into this. Indeed the active pickups sound brighter with clean / crunch tones, but I think you can darken them a little with the tone knobs, right? I still have no idea which one to buy, but I am I'm pretty sure that either one of them would be just fine for me, as a bedroom player.
Thanks ! Yes if roll the tone off a little bit you will lose a bit of brightness but still your EMG active won't sound like some passive. These 3 guitars are very good so there's no bad choice :)
For Megadath I would definitely go for the SC 550 Plus. For Judas Priest, I think would do the job, maybe the 550 II more for the 70's classic Preist album but I wanna play Ram It Down or Painkiller you'll probably sound better with a set of EMG. If you have major hesitation and you live in Europe, you can order them both, take 30 days to chose the one you will keep and return the second one :)
@@ToroKchannel Thanks, I figured as much. Je suis en France alors je tenterai surement le 550 plus, puis je verrai ce que ça donne ( au pire je basculerai sur un amarok )! De toute façon dès que je suis prêt à passer commande, j’utiliserai le lien sur vos vidéos - ils sont supers.
Absolutely not ! If you hear a small difference between the lest and the right side in the mix, it's just because I'm using 2 different IRs - and that's only in the mix.
Great video 👏👏👏👍😄 i like them both too but i have the agufish sig and it's perfekt. "really hard to beat"🤷♂️ Keep up the good work, have a good one👍 🐈
Nice video. Everything on it draws me to the 550 deluxe. Apparently from the humbuckers, which I prefer the plus. Simple fix , replace the deluxe humbuckers . Thank you
@@wm1573 really? Well I got it in my hand right now, looking at the back label. I can see the rohs ce label, it's serial number, made in Indonesia. Oh yes, I can also see the big writing saying sc-550 deluxe
Jesus, they sound similar, its just a guitar people, enjoy the fact that for 300 euros you can get a nice looking and playing guitar, everything else is in your fingers and talent and few have that, especialy when you consider most of people play this guitar in a bedroom
Very interesting comparison, thanks! I liked the EMG sound better. But in crunch, which I like to play most of the time, both guitars sound very good, and I can't say that EMG sounds better - just a slightly different sound. But my question is not about sound. The older 550 had a real thick maple top with a distinctive overhang like the classic LP. The 550 plus does not have this top and it makes the guitar feel smoother. Does the 550 II have a raised top or is this guitar as flat as the 550 plus?
Thanks for your appreciations :) The 550 II has an arched top that the 550 plus does not have, buy I can't tell you if this arched top is as thick as on the previous SC-550.
I have both. I like the tone of the 550 more than of the 550 Plus. The EMG-s sound great but the Roswells have a more vintage/classic sound which I prefer, and you can always throw in different pick ups without messing with the active electronics if you want to change the tone. The locking tuners are nice on the Plus. To me, that's the biggest difference between the two guitars but I can live with the traditional tuners. They work just fine. Also, the top veneer is much nicer on the 550. But again, it's all subjective. They're both fantastic guitars and absolute winners in this price range. I'm keeping both.
Sc 550 2 for me...
It has so many cool added extras, it is the perfect project guitar...
By the time I'm done with it Gibson will be paying me to help them build good Les Paul (like they used to make) 😂😂😂
Sc 550 11 is not a veneer it's a top 6mm,even thomman say that. Just letting you know👍
Got mine today, its such a nice guitar. It easily compares with a tokai love rock I have, it's tons of fun to play and I just couldn't let it go. Very satisfied, thank you for your review, keep up the good work!
SC 550 II all day long for me. sounds more complete in its tonal range, poss pickups?.
Nice Tremonti chords!!
Thanks !
Great video, helped me choose a guitar, I chose the SC-550 II, more reasonable price and more suitable.
I'm happy that my video has helped you !
The 550 II apparently has a fully carved maple cap, not a veneer.
I think they all have a maple cap, just a plain one and a flame veneer on top
@@maxmustardman298 i'm pretty sure my 550 plus has the same cause when I took the pups out to look, it looked like a maple cap with a flamed veneer on it, which I'm perfectly fine with.
Excellent comparison! You hit all the key points that I'm interested in. I bought the 550 Plus and love the tone!
Thanks !
Distortion sounds better on plus, i prefer PAF
EMGs are brighter on clean sounds.
Thanks for the review. I prefer the sound of the HB SC-550 ll.
Fair enough comparison, but what you don't mention and no other reviewers ever mention is the nut size. It maybe only one mm but might affect some players.
Thanks ! I didn't mention the nut size cos' it's not something that stroke me when I read the specs, and when I have played these 2, well it didn't strike me either :)
The SC-550 II in DFB is great - here is a look at my copy of it: ruclips.net/video/ZutxulGwcEY/видео.html
Very nice indeed !
@ToroK Now that you have had them for a while, what one would you keep if only keep one?
I have chosen the SC 550 Plus and I think it was the right choice for me. Those EMG fat 55 have bite, precision and enough fat for my taste. I don't think none of these 2 guitars is a bad choice, it's just a matter of taste for th sound of the pickups.
@@ToroKchannel CHeers I've pulled the trigger on EMG version, arrives Tuesday
The truth is that the plus sound a lot better. The II is a little dark for me
Seems that Plus sounds better, especially in clean.
Sounds like you love bright clean tones :)
@@ToroKchannel
Definitely I'm a Fender guy 🙂
THE plus has more detail in the Bass and Mids..It seems much cleaner and not as muddy but they are EMGS
Agreed
GREAT JOB!
Thanks Oilid ! Nice to see you're back :)
Hey man, I watched your SC-500 II / SC-550 Plus / SC-Custom Plus videos and I want to say thanks for all the work you put into this. Indeed the active pickups sound brighter with clean / crunch tones, but I think you can darken them a little with the tone knobs, right?
I still have no idea which one to buy, but I am I'm pretty sure that either one of them would be just fine for me, as a bedroom player.
Thanks ! Yes if roll the tone off a little bit you will lose a bit of brightness but still your EMG active won't sound like some passive. These 3 guitars are very good so there's no bad choice :)
You forgot to mention the coil taps on the plus!
very good comparison as usual! I'm glad I waited for the updated 550 II with the passive PUs :-) right choice for me.
Thanks Maggie ! Well yes this guitar is a very good surprise, I guess it’s gonna be very succesful :)
@@ToroKchannel oh and you were absolutely right about the stainless steel frets! i totally underestimated them :-D they are niccccce
I knew you would enjoy these frets ;)
I can't choose :( Which do you think would be best for 70s-90s metal (judas priest, megadeth)?
For Megadath I would definitely go for the SC 550 Plus. For Judas Priest, I think would do the job, maybe the 550 II more for the 70's classic Preist album but I wanna play Ram It Down or Painkiller you'll probably sound better with a set of EMG. If you have major hesitation and you live in Europe, you can order them both, take 30 days to chose the one you will keep and return the second one :)
@@ToroKchannel Thanks, I figured as much. Je suis en France alors je tenterai surement le 550 plus, puis je verrai ce que ça donne ( au pire je basculerai sur un amarok )! De toute façon dès que je suis prêt à passer commande, j’utiliserai le lien sur vos vidéos - ils sont supers.
For a long time I thought you had mixed the two guitars up!
Absolutely not ! If you hear a small difference between the lest and the right side in the mix, it's just because I'm using 2 different IRs - and that's only in the mix.
After all SC 550 plus tests here on youtube, for me your thoughts at the end are a short and precise understandle conclusion. Thanks for it!
Thanks for appreciation !
Could you review the XT-22 ?
Worth thinking, I need to go for another Benton with Roswell LAF anyway so, well, it couls be the XT-22 :)
Vrry interesting reveyw,tanks
thanks to you :)
Great video 👏👏👏👍😄 i like them both too but i have the agufish sig and it's perfekt. "really hard to beat"🤷♂️
Keep up the good work, have a good one👍
🐈
Hello, do you know where I can buy it in the USA?
The only place to buy Harley Benton guitars is on Thomann.de They have no shop in the US.
hi, is it a disadvantage not having volute on 550 plus?
Not in my mind.
Nice video. Everything on it draws me to the 550 deluxe. Apparently from the humbuckers, which I prefer the plus. Simple fix , replace the deluxe humbuckers . Thank you
no such thing as a 550 deluxe
@@wm1573 really? Well I got it in my hand right now, looking at the back label. I can see the rohs ce label, it's serial number, made in Indonesia. Oh yes, I can also see the big writing saying sc-550 deluxe
Is that ll a desert flame?
Yes it is the Desert Flame Burst.
Jesus, they sound similar, its just a guitar people, enjoy the fact that for 300 euros you can get a nice looking and playing guitar, everything else is in your fingers and talent and few have that, especialy when you consider most of people play this guitar in a bedroom
they clearly sound very good, it's the kind of guitar you can start with, then develop your skills and make it sound better than better.
Lol. No. They sound quite different.
Very interesting comparison, thanks! I liked the EMG sound better. But in crunch, which I like to play most of the time, both guitars sound very good, and I can't say that EMG sounds better - just a slightly different sound. But my question is not about sound. The older 550 had a real thick maple top with a distinctive overhang like the classic LP. The 550 plus does not have this top and it makes the guitar feel smoother. Does the 550 II have a raised top or is this guitar as flat as the 550 plus?
Thanks for your appreciations :) The 550 II has an arched top that the 550 plus does not have, buy I can't tell you if this arched top is as thick as on the previous SC-550.
This guitars are supposed to have a maple veneer on top of a real maple cap, that's how they get those finishes cheaply
@@alvaroruizruiz7538 On the usual SC550 and 550 II it is, but the 550 plus version is just with veneer without a relief maple top.
I have both. I like the tone of the 550 more than of the 550 Plus. The EMG-s sound great but the Roswells have a more vintage/classic sound which I prefer, and you can always throw in different pick ups without messing with the active electronics if you want to change the tone. The locking tuners are nice on the Plus. To me, that's the biggest difference between the two guitars but I can live with the traditional tuners. They work just fine. Also, the top veneer is much nicer on the 550. But again, it's all subjective. They're both fantastic guitars and absolute winners in this price range. I'm keeping both.
What you heard in this demo, aren't Roswell pickups.