The Best Guitar Under £300 You Can Buy - Harley Benton SC-550 II Deluxe
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- Опубликовано: 9 окт 2024
- In today's video, I've been sent a Harley Benton SC-550 II. This cracking Les Paul style guitar punches well above its £270 price tag and in my opinion, is one of the best guitars in its price available today.
Please note these guitars sell out like hot cakes so if you are interested in one, reserve early.
Affiliate Link to Thomann to check these guitars out
thmn.to/thocf/...
Here is what Harley Benton says about the Harley Benton SC-550 II Deluxe
From hot, gutsy rock and blues tones to mellow, delicate jazz textures: The Harley Benton SC-550 II is an amazingly versatile guitar that feels at home in almost any genre. It’s packed with features that build on a classic shape introduced in the 1950s, updated to make the SC-550 II superbly playable for players in the 2020s. Check out the weight-relieved body and sumptuous AAA flamed maple arched top with its delicious Black Cherry Burst finish, then continue to the C-profile neck that feels like a million dollars, loaded with 22 stainless steel frets. Two fantastic-sounding Tesla OPUS-1 AlNiCo-5 pickups have loads of sweet humbucker tones on tap, with a rounded low end, a silky-smooth mid-range and crisp highs. Let’s cut to the chase: this is a beast of a guitar that you’ll find difficult to put down.
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.
I have the HB SC-450plus Lemon Drop...and it is simply awesome - quality, feel, tone....
What a demo! Super player - and what an accolade to Harley Benton!
It always amazes me when you review a guitar. No fancy speed licks but your phrasing and tasteful licks are awesome and it sounds phenomenal even on youtube. These days there's a lot to choose from for the working musician who has a family and doesn't have custom shop money. I was a decal snob myself in the oast but the excellent products that are made these days in the far east changed my mind completely. If it plays good, sounds good, feels good, looks good and you've become inspired to practice more then mission accomplished!
I bought an HB from Thomann and it made it to my home in California in 4 days for $70 shipping from Thomann. No complaints.
Love it. Nice comparison.
As far as shipping, any time I buy an HB, I find a friend who wants one too, and we get two for the shipping price of 1.
Absolutely amazing! Almost Sod all difference in the sound! I am gobsmacked. The silver burst looks ace on Thomanns website. Soo tempted by this now. Silly value!!!❤
Great playing and demo as always.
Great review. I've ordered the SC 550 ii using your affilliate link. Can't wait for it to arrive.
I have 1 Fender Strat and 1 Epiphone the rest are HB's and in a live mix.... you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference, and the wife dont get mad when i drop a couple hundred on a new guitar....ps love the channel!!
On stage you will never see a difference.Ever.
At home with a good amp yes.
From me...the difference is in the feel...
I have a Fender telecaster, my other six guitars are either Epiphone or Squire, I have a gold Squire Anniversary strat that I would put up against any other Strat.
It’s good of you to do this. I have three Harley Benton‘s. Also I have an American Les Paul which I love. Mine is almost 10 pounds about 25 years old. Do I love the way it sounds yes I do, I also have an American telecaster. Which is quite heavy also and I am 66 now so digging all night with a heavy Guitar can wear on my shoulder. I bought one of the Harley Benton T style guitars a couple years back and I love that thing I play it way more than my American telecaster. Just as you say, these are not going to replace our American guitars, but some can be just as much fun sound every bit as good, if not better than some very high priced Guitars out there. Always appreciate your videos
I love mine, cheapest guitar I've ever bought, and its a joy to play
I think a big part of paying for a Les Paul is exactly that: having a Les Paul. 🤘🤘
Dude I've said it before, but you guys can play. I can't wait to hear each post. I really try to use your playing to develop my own. Such amazing riffs every show.
Awesome, thank you! comments like that are few and far between so thanks!
My Harley Benton SC-Custom II Paradise also fantastic. Only the Satin Neck and the higher Output of the Pickups makes the different to the sc 550 II
I purchased a Telecaster copy from Harley Benton three years ago.
Best guitar, bang for the buck. $76 US
Yes, the shipping was eye opening, yet the shipment arrived in four days. As with every guitar, I personalized it. After my own fretwork, a bridge pickup replacement, and some brass saddles, this instrument is amazing, and nobody has tried to steal it! 😂
Hi Paul, really interesting video and great playing as always. I own an SC-550 ll that was modded by my good pal Alan Dingwall with a set of his custom made ‘Greeny’ pickups and it sounds sensational and plays beautifully. I own 6 Harley Benton’s and have owned another 6, IMO the SC-550 ll and the Fusion lll are the best of the HB’s that I’ve tried so far. However, on the flip side I recently bought a HB ST Modern Plus and had to return it due to appalling fretwork (multiple high frets) and a number of other significant QC issues. It should not have got out of the factory! QC still definitely seems to be an issue for HB, it looks like they have shifted a lot of production to China from Indonesia. I’m hoping the poor quality of the ST Modern’s isn’t a symptom of the changes in their production.
Cheers for the info Steve, I’ll keep my eye out at the st modern.
man if I closed my eyes I would be hard pressed to hear the difference. but I'm sure there is a feel difference between the 2. sounds like the Harvey Benton could easily get you through. Love the video
The world needs more HB reviews and comparisons to Gibson (witch generates Clicks) ... And I usually enjoy your channel very much.
Lots of snobs on here, the type of guy’s that say things like, You bought a Porsche Boxter because you can’t afford a 911. I paid £350 for an Anniversary Squire Strat and it’s one of the best guitars I’ve ever owned, I’ve got Fenders and Epiphone,
It would be interesting to have the Epiphone Les Paul Standard in between. Through headphones I can barely hear the difference, in a live setting I think it would be impossible to. I suppose the reason to buy the Gibson is because it is a dream guitar. As a gigger I’d use the HB
Paul,
Thanks for this well done comparison. I really appreciate the extra care in playing identical riffs with identical matching gear and also extra editing effort so we can hear the two guitars side-by-side without delay. Yes, the Harley Benton is an incredible value and quite a good guitar! It's only depressing considering the money I've spent on my gear :D
I don't usually hear much difference in these comparisons, but I got my headphones out and gave it a try. The only difference I could hear was the Gibson had a tiny bit more clarity in the treble. This goes to show that HB are continuing to improve their pickup line.
Cheers Alllan much appreciated
Yeah, I have to agree with you, The neck pup in particular has a little more definition, but the price differential is staggering.
I bought an SC-550 ll with the Tesla Pups a couple of years ago and it's an astonishingly good guitar and I've got Gibsons hanging on the wall too.
I have one of these guitar, I have no regrets !! is a fucking great guitar !!
At last. A non-syndromic review ("entry-level guitar", and the like). Signed-up.
As for shipping to the USA, I bought a Sire T7 from Thomann about year ago and it wasn't bad at all. Maybe about $80 bucks.
Hi, I enjoyed your honest presentation. I bought my Harley Benton SC550ii PAF about 2 years ago and it is a great guitar, but I am interested in how you get yours to sound so good. Would you mind telling me what amp. you are using, pedals etc.,because I cannot match the great sound of yours. I am 73 years old and have owned in the past several Gibson Les Paul's including a 1950's "fretless wonder" in cherry sunburst, I had no idea how rare this guitar was when I sold it for £1,000 in 1992. It's easy in hindsight but I sold all my great guitars for not a lot of money. My Harley Benton is still available from Thomann for €299 which today at €1.19 / £ is £251 + p&p, a bargain!!...but I wish I had been able to keep my old Gibsons, the early ones were fantastic. Great video, kind regards,John.
Ok Paul, you went first, so I will confess that I am selling my Suhr Classic S and keeping my Squier Contemporary Strat. The neck and fretting on the Squier are perfect for me. The weight of the Suhr was low, but Squier even lower…finally the vintage trem on the Squier works like a Floyd with a bit of lube and well cut nut, and traditional non locking tuners. The only thing I would change on the Squier is to fit a push in arm, but the trem works so brilliantly, I am afraid to change anything, so will just use plumbers tape if I need it tighter at times. Thinking about it I sold my Gibson Les Paul, but am keeping my Michael Kelly Patriot. I could go on…but guitar snobbery means I won’t…..😊
I never bought this model, but I did buy a bunch of HB's about 7 or 8 years ago. The good ones are great with just a little TLC and the bad ones are give away bad. Even giving them to someone for nothing I felt guilty. That was a long time ago though.
You can get a bad gibson as well. I think the difference is quality control. Less bad gibsons.
Shows how much Gibsons are over priced.
Yes they are...
Like a BMW and Mercedes.
I have one...had many Epiphone.
Epi are effin great.
Gibson are on too of the food chain
Are they perfect ?
No way...but like a Harley Davidson imperfect machines but god ohh god...this is it.
By 5.3x according to Gibson themselves - don’t buy.
I have a great Les Paul custom - will never part with it but very impressed with the HB you bought - amazing bang for the buck. Looks great too👍
Great review again Paul. 🎸👍🏻
Everyone knows that inexpensive guitars are great these days and that the logo on the end of them has no bearing on what they sound like. But in the same way that a Nissan Micra will take you to the shops just as easily as an E-Type Jag will - and do it cheaper - if we're honest, I'm sure we'd all rather be in that E-Type.
I saw that flowing un-cluncky contour for the first time on Aria Pro II 'single cut's from the 80s
so i got the 550IIftf to see if i was a les paul player after longtime on doitall stratish guitars. it clicked. came across a maybach lester with 58 big neck used. it blew all the cs gibbys from the wall. The amber pups? the neck is just gold. it also blows the benton away. hanging there....but noones buying... but the stainless steel frets are really great. very tapping friendly. wish they had biggerones on the maybach.
A guitar that costs a couple of hundred differs from another costing several thousands usually differ at three key places....Nut,tuners,frets/fretwork....usually the cheap models have crappy zinc tuners,plastic soft nuts and not very detailed fretwork along with usually quite soft frets that dent easily....this guitar has actually better frets(slicker bending and vibrato with the SS ones) than the les paul,decent nut and even if the tuners are subpar thats a super easy swap......
I can hear some residual plingy overtones (2:48) resonate on the SC 550 ii which you do not get on the Les Paul. Can't tell if it is the pickups or maybe if you put a more substantial tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece on it that would go away. But, damn that SC 550 ii is a stunner and really good for that kinda money.
"Bravo" Paul . Thank you so much for your honest opinion about Gibson vs HB. As a woodworking professional I have known these factors for a few years , but few in the guitar community decline to admit. Maranti is believed to be part of the Meliaceae. Anyway I could easily 9:20 take my HB to gig with , not so for the Murphy Lab 🧪. Don't want to end up like Peter Frampton being separated from My 🪓 Axe. Thanks 👍 Best regards. Hans Thomman will be happy, credit to such a pioneer of the Guitar.
I bought a genuine Gibson LP for £2200 and it came with flat top frets (not crowned) I couldn't believe it!! Still have it, its my only LP but I crowned it myself with some really good crowning tools. It plays and sounds like it should, and smells great, but I will never know why it came without proper crowning. I own a HB LP model which is ok but the frets were sharp on the outside fretboard (fret sprout) and it does not have nearly the sustain of the LP, but only cost £140...say no more. This model looks good enough to eat, I want one. Thanks Paul, your demos always get my mouth watering. Paul I seriously am thinking about getting this beauty, toss up between the Tele cos that sounds and looks good too.
Both great the tele is a winner
You were unlucky. Gibson plek their guitars. You prob should have returned it but it's great you are happy with it.
@@PaoloRS1 I know should have returned it really, but I waited a long time for it, didn't want to go through all the process again, its ok now though, but next fret job will have to be a replacement.
@@TheStudioRats Cheers Paul.
I have one of their CLG Barnboard stain dreadnought acoustics. It is effin awesome.
Given the two price points, the law of diminishing returns really comes into focus here doesn't it! The difference in tone on a function gig would be minimal. The difference in repair cost on a function gig would be a decent holiday!
The HB sounded pretty close to the LP. The LP is a bit brighter. If you wanted to brighten up a pickup on the HB, switching the Pot to a higher resistance could change that for about $10.
Yep but that only works if you turn the pot down.
@@TheStudioRats According to Perplexity AI regarding a 500k Pot: "However, the potentiometer's resistance is always active, regardless of its position." "Minimum Resistance: Even at the lowest setting, there is still some resistance present, though it's much lower than 500K."
Be that as it may, testing is the best way to actually determine if it's worthwhile to switch the Pot. For those that don't know, the Resistance on a Pot can vary considerably from the Spec on the Pot. I was looking for a Pot with higher resistance than 500K, so I took my Voltmeter to a local guitar store that sells Pots, and was able to find a 565K Pot that was "Marked 500K". Capacitors are also an important in the tone performance of a Pot.
@@TheStudioRatsAs Picksalot1 already desrcribed: The resistance of the volume pot influences the tone of the guitar even when fully open. On max. setting a 250k, a 500k and a 1Meg will sound very different, and this is not subtle. It can make a huge difference in brightness. 250k being the darkest, 1 Meg being the most open/brightest sounding. I suggest to try it yourself, it's often an overlooked feature of the guitar, but really powerful.
@@TheStudioRats Add some decent caps and a treble bleed! The wiring is mostly holding these back....🎸🤘🏼🎸
Yhe QC on upper end Harley Benton guitars are making it more difficult to shop other brands. Four out of eleven of my guitars are HBs. None had any issues.
I hear Mc Donalds is coming out with their "Murphy Lab" inspired Big Mac. The Steve Lab Big Mac same as a regular BM. But since Steve was in charge of its preparation it's 250 U.S Dollars. Fries and drink extra. For an extra $ 35 you can get him to sign* the box it comes in. * A Stamp may be used if Steve is on his Cell*
Niceee...great comparison. Keep it up brother
To my unprofessional ear, I can’t tell the difference and aesthetically I prefer the HB.
I wonder what would happen if you installed the same Gibson pickups and pots in the Harley Benton? It would really show how much influence the wood has.
I’m in Australia and the shipping costs the same as the guitar. So no HBs down here.
Most legacy brands are taking the piss on their pricing these days
Studio Rats video: “I want it - what is it?”
🤣
The only wrinkle to the HB axe is that it is made of meranti wood. Meranti is a very cheap tonewood, basically a poor's man alternative to mahogany...
It is also commonly used as plywood. I don't know what got into those Germans, just a year and half ago, they were making ALL of their singlecuts from real mahogany (swietlana something), that's when I bought my LAST SC guirar from Thomann.
Sorry, I am not falling for that cheap alternative tonewood stuff. If they were able to make it at the same price two years ago, they sure would be now, maybe at a 20 euros or so extra, which I wouldn't mind paying...
But I am NOT buying guitars made of plywood. First, they resonate much worse compared to mahogany pieces, second they are much heavier. Meranti is also much less durable than mhg.
Paul, I understand your enthusiasm about HB guitars being so cheap and so well built. The axes still got some of the best necks in the industry.
But with all that cheap meranti crap, they lost me as a customer. For good. I am looking for alternstives, and finding them - Carltons, Jets, etc. Genuine, classy tonewoods used....
I used to be a hardcore HB fan, bought 6-7 guitars from them. Keeping the old, moving elsewhere now because of this thing. They can paint it however nice they want, it's what's😂 under the hood that matters.... (not to headbangerz, I realise that).
Last thing, I don't know what is gping on in Germany, but people there are just obsessed with making stuff from new materials, literally unfitting! for the final.product. Laely, their shoemakers started making running shoes from carbon infused rubber, the shoes performed well speed-wise, but turns out, they have dangerous side effects on your health when worn for a longer time periods. I bought one of those, and one of my leg nails turned red from blood! Put them to rubbish the very minute I found out!! Now, at the last NAMM show, some German adventurers presented guitars made of alluminium. The whole body! Looked ugly a.f., sounded weird.
And here we have the famous Thomann, making the WHOLE range of their products from plywood (not a single singlecut guitar made of ANYTHING else!)
Thank you very much, Tho! Not what you used to be, anymore. At lest to me, that is.... Good bye Sam, hello Samantha!
Big fan over here, is there a posibility of you capturing some victory amps, i want some kraken with the quality of studio rats on my tone x pedalboard
Cheers
Sure, I’ll keep my eyes open for one
83.00 shipped to Texas ain't too bad 380.00 total. nice guitar
LP pickups are hotter with more mid-range, but both sound excellent.
I asked Thomann if they had locking tuners that fit this model. They said no. They recommended a set of Gotoh SD90-SL MG-T Locking 3L/3R N. But, "You just have to widen the borehole up to 10mm in the headstock."
Right. 😏
Good tip
exclusivity doesn't have a tone ..thats why! but it looks good in pictures for social media for "look what I got" Tuesday :-)
To me guitars are like expensive furniture: sure, ikea chipboard table will get the job done just the same, but the feeling of an expensive one is much better.
Also I can spot the bad paint job on that HB even on my phone
the invest/return on harley Benoton is killer, although we shouldn't compare this 2 guitars
Wow I cannot believe how similar or same they sound. Unless there is a slight difference in a room
As ever on a record or live no one will be able to tell ❤
The Gibson has more clarity. But I think if you change the Pickups of the HB you will get very close.
My question is what amp or amp sim are you using? That tone is awesome!
i think he always plays a sim
Alright Paul, let's be serious: when you plug any guitar in a modeler and put some OD/Distortion on, you can get very similar sounds. If one wants a back to back comparison between these two guitars, play them clean. I'm sure the differences will stand out. Besides, the feel is VERY different between a boutique guitar and a budget one. The looks, woods, craftsmanship, materials used will age very differently. Your Gibby will get only better with time, whereas the HB will possibly deteriorate. Not to say that the HB is not a good guitar: it is a great deal for the price but a lot less inspiring than your Les Paul... Talking about expensive instruments, there is a post in the Gear Page asking why are Collings guitars so expensive. Selected woods, quality of every component, attention to detail, flawless craftsmanship, made in the US, hand made (even if basis is CnC'd) every Collings that I played is unbelievably well built, set and finished, plays like a dream and looks like a work of art. I'd rather save for years and get my dream guitar than make a bargain... My 2¢ Cheers Paul !
Well put. I was gonna say you could plug a toothbrush into that distortion and it would sound the same but you put it a little more eloquently 😂
...a question i ask myself since i own a "cheap" ibanez AR220 with Super 58 Stock Pick Ups: why sound the ibanez as "good" as some Gibsons ? I have seen a LP compare ( ...was the 11k '59 model ) and all the "good" attributes the G has i have with the Ibby same ( or better ) - maybe because it has almost the same specs as a LP Junior. But there is no Logo that shows the professionell player...
I could be perfectly happy with the Harley benton but the deal breaker for me is the contour of the body where it meets the neck at the low E. It bugs me so bad I can't live with it lol
Own one just like this
Which amp or capture are you using here?, it sounds amazing
This was the Soldano SLO capture
@@TheStudioRats Thanks!
Absolutely no way to be honest have a wonderful weekend Paul also how is the weather today ❤😊
I got a custom shop Les Paul. Payed 5k for it .
I'll say this - it's like having a Rolex. You don't need it, both a cheap watch and a Rolex with tell the time the same way. But a Rolex will FEEL different and retain its value most of the time. That's my take
If you paid recently 5000$ for a Custom Shop that's a good buy...
But here in Québec à 59' Murphy Age Les Paul goes for around 10k plus 15% taxes...
Wont regain the value...will take 15 to 20 years just to get even...
Like u said you buy it because you want it...
Not the best investment .
Perfect analogy
I bought a copy Rolex, Dubai, and I can tell you an expert would have to open it to know it isn’t genuine. I was a guitar snob, played squires when I was skint, came into money so Paid a fortune for an American strat, after two weeks I took the strat back and bought another squire.
You can tell the time with your Les Paul?
I get what you're saying. There's something about owning a classic which can't be denied. But at the other end of the scale, as you get older you at last understand that a Rolex watch and a $20 Timex watch both tell you the exact same time. And unless you're a guitar god playing Shay Stadium you simply do not need a famous name guitar. Even then it won't matter because either the screaming crowds, the bank of pedals, or the output volume will distort your sound.
My 1979 Gibson Les Paul deluxes, ( three piece necks, volute, rosewood fret board, ) are that good that I have never even needed to take the truss rod covers off ☑️ buy quality, buy once. 🙂👍🇬🇧 ...... Why can't this guy play CLEAN SOUNDS ?
What’s a clean sound?
Basic marketing lesson.For getting from point A to point B you can either use a Ford Capri or a Ferrari but you buy a Ferrari to tell everybody ‘I’m rich,I’m succesfull’.Same thing with guitars
Let's call a spade , a spade shall we?
The large majority of guitar players are gullible, superstitious, elitist idiots who believe all kinds of marketing BS by the gear companies.
I'm talking things like ''mojo'', ''toanewood'' , ''play authentic'', ''only tubes sound good'' etc. etc.
The reality is: technology has gotten so good, that you can get gear that plays, sounds great & is well made, without paying an arm & a leg for it.
I have a Harley Benton ST25 25th Anniversary model Strat style guitar in Firemist Gold that is simply stupendous. IYKYK !! And I'll NEVER sell it.
Not that the HB sounds bad (I think it sounds very good!!) but I think the pickups on the Gibson do have some magic about them. They sound a little warmer and there is a little more clarity and detail to it.
I think you cant go wrong with either guitar and how they sound is personal preference. If i had the money Id buy and keep both 🤣🤣
You can replace pickups for a couple hundred bucks :)
@@jamiebriggs8277 that would depend if the HB would be your one and only guitar or not. I have a few different guitars. I appreciate that they are all voiced differently from one another and they all have their place and time to shine based on what the moment requires.
Im not knocking the HB in any way. The Tesla pickups are still very very good for the price of the guitar.
@Rose.Of.Hizaki sure, same here. My point is when people point out minor differences in the sound between guitars with thousands of dollars of price difference, it doesn't take thousands of dollars to make up for that difference.
Swapping out pickups is relatively cheap and easy.
The problem lies within the wiring.... i have rewired these pickups(with or without upgrading pots) and added decent caps and treble bleed! Night and day difference, i have stopped just automatically swapping pups and get great results just with my custom wiring!🎸🤘🏼🎸
Would love you to try out my 2 modded HB (PRS) CST24T guitars.
What colour is the HB? It's beautiful
Hi Sister Rose, if you go to the description, there’s a link and and you can see all about it. Hope that helps.
Listening with your eyes you can tell the difference. Now, I could have listened with my ears only, but then I had missed your nice doggy. I have a Gibson Tribute 2017, got it used for little money and it's a fantastic guitar. Nevertheless, I love my HB SC 450 plus and my Spear LP-style not less. I guess the HB SC 550 is a bit better then my Hb, but again I don't think differences are that big. Cheers, like your vids!
Anything is only worth what someone is prepared to pay. Gibson ran the numbers and decided someone would pay £10k for a Murphy. Amazingly, they were right!
I sold my Epiphone inspired by Gibson 1959 to buy a brand new Gibson LP Standard 50s, and I kid you not I miss the Epiphone. Yes the Gibson smells better, looks more expensive and DEFINITELY has a better fretboard and frets, but I prefer the Epiphone sound. For SURE. The "upgrade" was not worth the cost
I hear a touch of microphonic feedback on the HB. Otherwise sounds fantastic.
EXCELLENT.
I to have Gibson made Les Pauls and SGs and cheaper versions of both these guitars. So here's how my experience you may not have or feel the need for a real Gibson, as long as:
1. as you are beginner or intermediate.
2. If you only playing in your bedroom or basement.
3 the cheaper version is not more than 6 months old.
4. You playing into a really expensive amp or fractal in a non-demanding gig.
5. playing for less than 100 people in audiace.
Difference is felt in all the other situations.
Perhaps the Les Paul will last longer and need less maintenance and will keep a good secondhand price.
Everytime I see another HB guitar review from a reputable RUclips channel. I have to ask myself why I still haven't even tried one? I've come to the conclusion that I'm too set in my ways when it comes to models, and accurate "authentic" specs. I guess I feel more comfortable with brands and models that don't stray far from the norm.
With whats going on at Epiphone more recently, since the 2018 restructure after bankruptcy. They've redefined what an affordable guitar can offer. Sure the prices have gone up. But its safe to say, the quality and consistency of the guitars. Far outweigh any price adjustments. There's still deals to be had if your diligent.
Right now AMS and Zzounds have Les Paul Prophecy models on closeout at $799. Might not be your favorite color, but the Fishmans alone are worth the price of admission. Thats a heavily spec'd guitar for the price. Peace.
Pretty much higher end HB guitar and a katana... Sub £500 rig that would've been the stuff of fantasy when us old timers started. I've been at this since the 80s and I've owned more gear than i care to mention. Add one of the Chinese multi fx she you've got a rig that, 30 years ago would've cost thousands and you'd have had to lug around racks.
Too true!
Through the same rig they sound almost identical.
I think if you took some sand paper to the HB it would be even better, no?
Everything is better reliced,
I don't buy an expensive guitar for how it sounds, but for how it looks, plays and feels. An Epiphany with an electronics upgrade can sound very close to a Gibson, but you will always know that they used cheaper woods to create the instrument.
Also for how good is the tuning, it must be perfect for a high price.
@@petergedd9330my sarcasm meter is going off the chart.😂
Funnily enough, I’ve got a bunch of Japanese, Korean, Indonesian and Chinese guitars. In the middle of the Harley Benton SC, PRS Tremonti SE, Greco ‘77 LP and Tokai Love Rock sits a 20-something year old Les Paul Studio that never gets played. The others are just better.
Not with the semis as they aren't solid wood's and the electronics are now good enough stock.
Oke they used cheaper woods for an import guitar. Does that turns you off? If a guitar inspires you to play more, practise more, feels good and you like the sound, mission accomplished! I play a lot of Sire guitars lately. Aan H7, H7V, S7FM and they are on par with every Gibson/Fender factory model out there. In the end music is an emotional thing. Close your eyes, play, and forget about the decal...
Your comment sounds jst like your playing
The Harley Benton looks like a Jerry Cantrell Wino Les Paul copy.
The thing is there is not 4000 worth of content between a 500 LP and a 4500 LP. It doesnt have diamonds n gold in large amounts on it. You are paying a very large sum of money for the gibson logo. Its your money do what makes you happy. Just dont delude yourself that you have a superior product. You paid for a superior logo. 😊
The two guitars on overdrive are very similar but I can definitely hear a sweeter quality from the Gibson. Its very subtle and in a mix or live scenario it might be impossible to detect thousands and thousands of pounds more quality. Well done for eking out the truth with your own expensive guitar.
"Almost" is the key word.
Its in your hands
The heavy overdrive will make them sound even more similar. If you play with heavy overdrive buy a cheap guitar. You have to be bonkers out of your mind or wealthy to buy a Murphy's lab les Paul. It's not about tone or quality at that point. It's status
Yes i agree...
Not really a status thing but kind of a gift for ourselves...like a dream car or a Rolex.
Can you get it without the gold hardware? HB isn’t that cheap here with all the tax and vat. Too bad.
You can get the chrome in a different colour but not the red
I just bought a greeny for 2.5K and it feels 10K
What are you, playing through?
“The gear is for the player.”
Unreal
Ok we all love to bitch about high end guitar prices against cheaper ones. But there are lots of facts to be taken into consideration prior making any comparison claims.
First of all, hardware is expensive. You can get all the hardware and electronics you need for a guitar for less than 100$. Or you can get properly engineered and manufactured stuff from reputable manufacturers like Gotoh, Hipshot, switchcraft, CTS, Tonepros etc and you are looking at 400$.
You can get cheap pickups for 40$ a set or get a decent, time tested set, for 300$. And that's for a seymour duncan set, not any boutique or replica set.
And I'm not even going to talk about wood or craftmanship or warranty or manhour costs.
Bottom line is that Les Pauls have been performing for 60 years with correct maintenance and care.
If in 60 years harley bentons still function, without extensive modifications or part replacements, then we can talk comparisons.
Secondly, Gibson did try on multiple occasions ta make a subjectively better guitar, with their LP modern and HP etc. Multiple pickup configurations, locking tuners, titanium nuts, stainless frets, pickups that are easy to swap, contoured bodies.... No one wanted them. Gibson's only purpose, as far as the LP goes, is to replicate the way original Les Pauls were made, sounded and felt 60 years ago, because that's what the people are willing to pay for. And it adds up quickly. Nitro gets sprayed in lots of layers that take forever to cure. It slows production numbers and adds cost quickly.
And it is a bummer that noone can quantify the claimed R&D or tooling to get there so they can charge as much as they want for it. I mean we are PAYING EXTRA TO HAVE OUR GUITARS SODOMIZED.
A custom shop LP is around 6k, a heavy aged one is around 9k, a high end guitar's worth just to make a new guitar look older. I mean you could get the same LP for the 6k and get an extra Skervesen raptor or a USA PRS or a high end Ibanez.
It is so much more than how it plays or how it sounds when it comes to pricing. How will it hold up? How stable is it? How reliable? Parts accessibility. Support. And mostly vanity.
If you want to compare any two guitars on sound and performance you have to deduct the vanity factor from the price. And that's impossible.
Getting ripped off in buying status symbols, is not something people who want them care about. The more money they spend, the more they brag. Do you want a musical instrument or a status symbol? Paying anying more than 500 quid for an electric guitar is just daft. You all know this. It's all just wire and wood at the end of the day. Who is to say one wood is better than another, as trees as a species are millions of years old, and if they are still around and able to hold some frets and a couple of pickups and paint... without turning to dust after 500 years, then its fine. I present to you exibit one...Basswood. I think you are being ripped off and you just don't care.
The only wrinkle to the HB axe is that it is made of meranti wood. Meranti is a very cheap tonewood, basically a poor's man alternative to mahogany...
It is also commonly used as plywood. I don't know what got into those Germans, just a year and half ago, they were making ALL of their singlecuts from real mahogany (swietlana something), that's when I bought my LAST SC guirar from Thomann.
Sorry, I am not falling for that cheap alternative tonewood stuff. If they were able to make it at the same price two years ago, they sure would be now, maybe at a 20 euros or so extra, which I wouldn't mind paying...
But I am NOT buying guitars made of plywood. First, they resonate much worse compared to mahogany pieces, second they are much heavier. Meranti is also much less durable than mhg.
Paul, I understand your enthusiasm about HB guitars being so cheap and so well built. The axes still got some of the best necks in the industry.
But with all that cheap meranti crap, they lost me as a customer. For good. I am looking for alternstives, and finding them - Carltons, Jets, etc. Genuine, classy tonewoods used....
I used to be a hardcore HB fan, bought 6-7 guitars from them. Keeping the old, moving elsewhere now because of this thing. They can paint it however nice they want, it's what's😂 under the hood that matters.... (not to headbangerz, I realise that).
Last thing, I don't know what is gping on in Germany, but people there are just obsessed with making stuff from new materials, literally unfitting! for the final.product. Laely, their shoemakers started making running shoes from carbon infused rubber, the shoes performed well speed-wise, but turns out, they have dangerous side effects on your health when worn for a longer time periods. I bought one of those, and one of my leg nails turned red from blood! Put them to rubbish the very minute I found out!! Now, at the last NAMM show, some German adventurers presented guitars made of alluminium. The whole body! Looked ugly a.f., sounded weird.
And here we have the famous Thomann, making the WHOLE range of their products from plywood (not a single singlecut guitar made of ANYTHING else!)
Thank you very much, Tho! Not what you used to be, anymore. At lest to me, that is.... Good bye Sam, hello Samantha!
Well, I have one as well and also two Gibsons three Ibanez's a Jackson two Fenders and others and it plays as well and sounds as good as any guitar I own, it's also lighter and has stainless frets for less money than any of them. I couldn't give a Rats ass about the "tone woods"
Wood makes no difference to the sound. The price of something is determined by man. If Meranti became rare it would be an expensive wood. Will it magically sound better then? For example Swamp ash is rotten salvaged wood. Very cheap. It LOOKS great so guitarists will pay over the odds for it and of course it is the best tonewood out there. (not)
Plywood is just slices of ANY wood stuck together. It is heavy but very stable. Which is what a guitar body has to be.
Years a go Fender made a PAPER Strat. It sounded just like a Strat. All you need is a neck and pickups.
Ummm no, just because they use Meranti to make plywood doesn’t mean these guitars are made of plywood! It will be solid blocks of Meranti, which is related to Mahogany. And as another reply said, who gives a crap about the wood if the final guitar sounds great.
If it's a "wrinkle" because of the "tone" (🙄) wood, but you can't hear the difference in the tone, then what difference does it make?
@@tiomkinnyborg2289 Wood makes a lot of difference. A gibson Les Paul sounds different from a Gibson SG because of a maple top for example. Tone wood is not as important as pickups, but is still important. And Meranti is similar to oak wood. So Any cheap brand should tell you exactly what wood is made of. The best thing to do is to buy a kit from ebay, choosing the wood you want.
XLent vid. Guitarists do not listen with their ears, they use their eyes. A guitar is better because it has a 'name' on the head-stock. Woods are magical because once upon a time that wood was used to craft a guitar. Before anyone knew how to make an electric guitar. With CNC machines good electronics a cheap guitar is BETTER than an expensive branded one. The sound needs a good neck (to hold pitch and play in tune) and pickups. That is it. A slab of maple makes no difference to tone. It was used to make mahogany look better. A thin veneer does the same job. Ancient guitars are collectors items not necessarily the better instrument. I'll take cheap guitars every time.
It takes guts to point this out. Well done.
Just imagine there were HB guitars in the '50's....adjusted with inflation around say, 38.-! No one would have even looked at a gibson at 10 times the price....😳😁
Yeah, but, one's a Gibson Les Paul Standard and the other isn't. I liked the presentation.
Almost any normal guy would take the Harley Benton to an gig and leave the expensive Gibson at home where it's safer, and locked down in their guitar vault.
Can't get that guitar stolen from their private vault.