So many colours! JA-60CCs HERE - thmn.to/thocf/l0nhhg8t6n This one took me by surprise - a sub £200 blue Jazzmaster - how can this be any good? This video contains paid promotion from Harley Benton More details on how CSGuitars implements product promotion - www.csguitars.co.uk/disclosure #harleybenton #ja60cc #jazzmaster Timecodes: 00:00 - Introduction to the JA-60CC range 01:23 - Quality and Playability 02:47 - Pickups and Electronics 04:51 - Aesthetics 05:40 - Sounds: What amps am I using? 06:09 - Clean and light drive 07:19 - Distortion 08:25 - Is it any good? 10:06 - Links in description & Subscribe More from CSGuitars: Gain access to exclusive content at: www.patreon.com/csguitars Join CSGuitars Discord - discord.gg/csguitars Buy CSGuitars Merchandise - www.csguitars.co.uk/store Website - www.csguitars.co.uk Contact - colin@csguitars.co.uk ____________________________________________________________________ *Description contains affiliate links. Purchasing using one of these links will generate a small commission for CSGuitars at no additional cost to you.*
Well- I received mine today and it is kinda crap. All frets have sharp edges, the binding is crappy and the A and D strings buzz. The intonation is bad, too. The frets are badly crowned and not very shiney. But the neck feels nice, the finish is very good and the sound is as I imagined it to be. So what do I do? I guess I´ll send the thing back until I have one that´s setup as nice as Yours. I BET Thomann setup extra nice for You so they don´t get schait on...
@@LaLaLand.Germany You contact Thomann's customer support, explain that the one you received doesn't meet expected quality, and they will send you out another one. That's standard procedure and I've had to do that myself in the past. Complain to them, not to me. Trust me, no-one in Thomann's warehouse is picking out special guitars for me, my orders hit their largely automated warehouse the same way yours do.
@@LaLaLand.Germany Not really. I have several. 6 to be exact. Some had done minor issues but I'm also very picky. Since I'm from Germany I can send them back without any costs. But as I said most were very well. ESPECIALLY the setup. None of them had a problem with that and intonation was spot on. Where are you from? I mean just look at the forums. Most people are very happy with them. And they aren't RUclipsrs but guys like you and me. Don't worry. Their customer service is excellent. Just complain to them.
My Fender Mustang 90 has the switch in parallel with the strings as well. Can't turn it either. Took a bit of getting used to but I agree you don't hit it and accidentally switch pups when strumming.
I actually change the orientation of all my switches to be parallel to the strings for 2 reasons. 1) sometimes I forget if Up is bridge or neck, so having it parallel to the strings makes it so much easier on the fly for me to remember, left is neck and right is bridge. And 2) I don’t accidentally hit it and change pickups while strumming.
I've been using a B-450 for I think about a year and a half now and I've never had any issues with it. I've used it on stage alongside guitarists using guitars worth more than everything I own, and it slotted right into the band perfectly. I get some funny looks for using a Harley Benton when I first meet people, but as soon as we've started playing they've stopped questioning it.
@@Snaily My experience too. Got a funny look from one of my fellow guitarist band mate but after he inspected the finish and overall fretwork he asked me how much it had cost. I bought a used but unplayed DC-580 (SG copy) from 2021 (before they had those ugly very asymmetrical horns and body) for only 92 Euros on eBay. You should have seen his eyes. 😂😂 The only thing I'll change are the tuners. I'll get locking ones. The finish is cherry red and the visible grain looks gorgeous. I'll also modify the headstock and the horns to be completely symmetrical with a router I bought. It'll be a rock machine. 😊
@@EbonyPope Ultimately the way it plays is the most important thing with a bass/guitar. A confident player on a cheap instrument will always sound better than an incompetent player on a high end instrument, and HB punch far above their weight in terms of playability, so for the sound to also be up there is a nice bonus. I'd _like_ a Stingray one day, but until I can afford one the HB I've got now will absolutely do the job as it's a bass that just agrees with me in a way I can't describe.
@@Snaily Do you mean a Sterling Stingray? You're playing bass? Which one? It's like to buy one too. Love to lean new instruments and since I already play guitar the transition should be quite easy.
@@EbonyPope If I could ever afford a MusicMan I'd take that, but Sterlings are bloody good as well. And the bass I use is the one mentioned in a previous reply - the B-450. It's a seriously capable and versatile little thing - I've used it for everything from punk rock and metal right down to soft jazz and swing, so I'd absolutely recommend it to someone who doesn't know what kind of tone they want or whatever their case may be. As I found when first transitioning to bass, and when re-learning guitar after I snapped my arms in half, the transition is quite easy at first, but like with all things once you go beyond basic root strumming - the equivalent of strumming out power chords - you'll find out how fun bass can be. Quick tip if you do want to actually learn bass, not just have one on hand so you don't have to rely on others or use MIDI as I originally planned - focus on your groove before learning to play fast and complex lines. People will always remember a root note line with a good groove that complements the drums, maybe with some basic counter to the lead line of the song, more than they'll remember something fast that doesn't belong in a song. I learned that the hard way one time when a band insisted on a solo in a Ramones song. And I agree on how fun it is to learn new instruments. My friend recently got a mandolin and I've had a blast learning that. I used to be learning drums but I'm moving somewhere soon I that won't be able to play them anymore so they've had to go, and one day I would absolutely love to learn the violin and its related instruments to be able to shove them into my friends' songs.
I was very attracted to the usual brands for decades. I got handed what I was told was a partscaster tele, just like you I got lost playing it. It’s was a 140 quid HB. Pretty much had enough of the big boys, Gibson, Fender etc. guitars like this show you just how much the strats teles LPs etc are massively overpriced. Cheers for the video
Dude, this was a fantastic video. I'd been on the fence because I loved how the guitar looked on paper but after seeing your video I couldn't resist anymore and just ordered my own blue JA (hopefully using your affiliate link correctly) O:) You're a fantastic YTber, keep up the great work!
4:24 that's the main thing I love about Harley Benton instruments compared to literally anything else even up to double the price. The electronics are always decent quality and have a wide, smooth motion allowing you to dial in a tone in seconds by muscle memory, compared to, for example, my Green Mile overdrive which I don't let people move anything but the drive as I've got the tone exactly where I like it and a tenth of a degree completely changes the tone irreversibly.
I have a couple Harley Benton's, and honestly I have nothing bad to say about the brand. Really excellent value. My Fusion III, as well as being drop dead gorgeous, is probably the nicest playing guitar I own and the one I grab when I don't have a specific sound in mind.
Ty for the content as always. I follow the "left hand path" so this video makes me extra happy. I have a 63 jazzmaster and this guitar seems great because it's dirt cheap, is beginner friendly due to no floating bridge and trem and comes in a bunch of cool colours, perfect mod platform and a great recommendation to beginner students who wants the offset shape! If anyone who reads this wants this to sound real close to a real jazzmaster, go get a set of vintage accurate jazzmaster pickups, fender, Duncan, Lollar, Curtis Novak etc etc and get two 1 megohm pots (pretty important to tame the shime and it's what sin the originals) and you will be in jazzmaster town as soon as you are done soldering. As for the toggle switch direction thats how fender did/does it so I suppose that's why HB does it too. Peace and have a wonderful weekend everyone
I have a 62 myself and glad you mentioned that fender oriented the switch that way back in the day , jazzmaster pickups are very much there own beautiful thing, jazzmaster without its trem always feel a bit like bird with its wings clipped bit like gretsch without a bigsby just a bit wrong
@@marcraygun6290 I agree, the trem is a key part of the experience. That said it's also why many find it so abysmal to set up. It goes against a lot of peoples preconceptions in a way. From shimming the neck and raising instead of lowering the bridge to create lower action and better tuning/intonation stability. It's a weird guitar but I am with you, I love it. Take care and stay safe
Shocking price, and it sounds great! Usually, the first thing that gets skimped on are the pickups, but these really seem to hold their own - lots of usable tones with excellent clarity.
Might have more to do with the £3000 Tone King amp rig... Still for £150 you can't really go wrong with that Guitar. Doubt you could build it oneself for that money.
Mine arrived today absolutely blown away by the quality absolutely nothing wrong with it and was actually even in tune and set up properly so thankyou for a great video
Got this in OW leftie a couple of months ago. It's a beauty, flawless finish, sounds fantastic and played great out of the box, a minor fettle and it's my current favourite. Lovely thing, but one. Y'all take care now
I bought one of these a few years back in the In Utero colouring, looking forward to a project. Imagine my dismay when it was perfect straight out the box. Incredible value for money.
Dude, I just went over to a music store and scraping together the money- I want one! In three tone sunburst! I love sunburst, I love good Fender clones of which do not cost a dick and an arm to get. Thanks, Mate- I´ll stick around. I like how You go about things and not cater to the big crowd as most channels do when they hit 500k subs... You´re a good lad!
Great video. I have been thinking of getting a Jazzmaster of some kind for a while now, and have actually considered getting a Harley Benton (I have a Harley Benton Strat and J-Bass and both are amazing instruments), but this just convinced me that this would be worth my money. And it even comes in Blue!
Love my Harley Benton stuff. Got their TB-70VS Deluxe (Thunderbird Bass) it's freaking awesome. Also have their Harley Benton SC-Custom FR VB, through my Blackstar the sound is awesome.
Just got mine in yesterday in seafoam green. Took me totally by surprise how great this guitar sounds and looks. I would put it up against a Fender Player Series guitar that sells for 700 dollars. I know HB guitars can be hit and miss with their QC and they'll let things pass thru shipment, but Thomann is really good about offering discounts or returns. I got one that is flawless. I literally cannot find something wrong with it. The only thing missing is the floating vibrato tail piece
Yeah they're really great for the money. Especially considering the price the quality is just crazy. But I had also some problems. I think they had a faulty batch of ES-335 copies (HB-35). The lower horn from the cutaway would point more upwards when you would put the guitar on its back on a flat surface. They replaced it two times. Sane problem. I took a look at several used ones and they didn't have that problem. At least not that extreme. The difference was almost a centimeter. It was very visible. But I found a cherry colored more and am quite happy.
I paid 129€ when it first came out and it was a steal. It is light and cool looking. The tuners are not great but usable. The pick up covers got scratched up pretty quickly but no big deal.
I prefer the side to side pick up switching for a Jazzmaster style guitar since because it’s easier to knock it for some reason. It’s fine if it’s up on the top or lower on the guitar like an sg. Having it be up and down.
I disagree with you about the orientation of the pickup switch. I think HB have it absolutely right because it's more intuitive to have it horizontal to match the location/orientation of the pickups. If it's vertical there's always the annoying prospect of inadvertently following through a strum to switch from up to down.
These Harley Bentons are all fantastic in my experience. I got their 54 Goldtop LP and my 91 Nashville LP Studio lite has been sitting in the corner ever since.
Harley benton are beating the system by not being greedy...these guitars play so fucking well. I love my 'tele'..shell pink and didn't require a set up. My favorite to play- even compared to my custom fender jazz body/starcaster
It doesn’t have the breathy crispness of a jazzmaster. I like the gain sounds though. Impressed with how well you say it plays at the price point for sure.
My goodness Colin, this beast looks wonderful and it sounds fantastic in your hands! Thanks for the info on the pickups too - there does seem to be contrasting info out there on whether they're supposed to be P90s or JM-style. I bought the Seafoam Green model and love it. Cheers!
Funny you should say the JM shape makes the sound darker - I almost feel the opposite. Plus if you're reading resistance from the guitar cable and not the pickups themselves your other pots will be biasing the resistances, so you can't rely on that as an absolute - good ballpark though, and fine if you take relative readings from other guitars with the same electronics. Been jonesing for one of these for yonks tho. Thanks for the comprehensive review. I can't be doing with people overwinding the bridge pickups - the JM sound is bright and jangly so make it bright and jangly! If I wanted thick loud bridge pickups I'd go for a different guitar!
I saw this guitar and thought it might be interesting to try it as a modding platform, maybe try some Seymour Duncan jazzmaster pickups, and I saw how much they were on the same site. Each pickup costs the same as the guitar itself lmao. Not the set, each individual pickup.
I like the offsets but these budget JM style guitars lack the pickups, switching options and wiggle stick for me to really consider them a Jazzmaster. They are attractive though.
And see thats exactly what makes me think i should try this for a beginners jm kinda... ive always thought all the extras were just that... extras anyway... im not a trem user but i *could* see me fiddling with the tone circuitry or even doing weord stuff eventually but... this seems lime a good way to scratch the otch for a body ive liked for years and get familiar with it cuz i honestly have barely even picked up any offsets except some very old very badly mistreated jap imports from pawn shops. Some of those i wish hadnt gotten misplaced over the years... but i digress... HB as a brand are knocking it out the park and are kind of killing me
Dude, this is specced like a my DREAM Jazzmaster - no shit! I have long held a Fano JM6 as my dream Jazzblaster..and it's just like this...Stoptail /TOM...No rhythm circuit - but p90's or humbuckers. I still want one....but I also want a traditional Jazzmaster pickups one. This one ticks all the boxes....even if it wasn't budget! Add the slightly smaller body - and I am jonesing for one! I always like slightly smaller guitars...my Strat is a Charvel Dinky (7/8ths the size of a Fender Strat). P.S. Blue is the BEST colour - especially lake placid blue (which that one isn't, exactly, but it's still in that Candy blue vicinity.) Now I just have to find out how I can get one in Australia. I suspect the shipping will be more than the cost of the guitar...😞
I just ordered one in the same finish and your video review played a pivotal point. I should get it in four days ... I think I could have gotten it even faster but the weekend stops some deliveries. I'm even thinking about adding a vibrato unit as that will get me a bit closer to a "true" Jazzmaster.
@@EbonyPope I ended up cancelling the blue finish and getting the sunburst. I have a Guitar Fetish vibrato coming this week. Ii arrived packed very securely in a BIG box without a scatch. Sounds great. intonation was pretty good but action was off. Neck has a fatter profile than I'd like but still OK. I agree it just looks "wrong" without a whammy bar.
@@louisfryzel4618 I'm not too much into whammy bars. Did you adjust the action? Yes some Harley Benton necks are a matter of taste. I like myself a fatter neck especially on Teles. Skinny just didn't feel right. Apart from that it also depends on your hands. My aren't huge but big enough for those types of necks.
@@EbonyPope I think I have small(ish) hands so I prefer a thinner profile. Yes I adjusted the action as I think it was too high. I probably tweaked the neck relief too. When I put on the whammy system I will change strings and dress the fingerboard and maybe polish the frets but I think they're OK.
I love my JA Kit guitar 🎸 changing the pickups out today and slapping on one of those new guitar fetish trem systems. But that’s just for funsies. It’s an awesome guitar 🤘🏻
I've had one for a couple of years - there may have been some changes, but it's basically the same - in a really good tri-colour sunburst. Especially appreciated is the satin neck - why don't all guitars use this? It's the least-expensive, lightest weight guitar I have, and it does stay in tune very well.
I have Amarok-6 and for spec the price is really great. Only gripe would be neck I'd like that it was thinner. Would really like to see offset X shape pro series model.
I nought my first HB guitar a few weeks ago and agree it is a fantastic buy. Plays great and looks beautiful. I have one major complaint. The frets need to be polished. When to string bends the frets are very scratchy and make unappealing noise Very satisfied gor the money, better than many of the Epiphones I have.
When you put the switch in middle position,is the neck pickup smothered by the bridge,or can you hear both clearly ? I mean; they SOUND fairly well balanced on screen,but the output readings.....
Christopher Alden 1 second ago Any upgrade suggestions? I want to add a trem and upgrade the bridge (tune-o-matic style). I don't know what parts will fit.
Thanks for the video and review. I've been seeing your channel and others reviewing HB gear. It certainly makes for a good argument to consider one for one of my kids if they get serious about getting into electric guitar. This particular model and style hasn't been on my "watch list", but it seems like I should consider it.
Is there any space for modding to add those jazzmaster custom swtiches and roller pots? The main reason I love my squier jazzmaster just for that parallel configuration.
You'll definitely need to route it out for the rhythm circuit. Then there's the non-standard pick guard. Not saying it can't be done, but with all the money you'd spend upgrading you could just get a Squier CV Jazzmaster and have everything ready for upgrades.
They're probably not P90s because those have bar magnets on the bottom, like a humbucker (though I guess the pole pieces could just be slugs) The point about the bridge pickup being very hot is either evidence that they aren't using the short, wide bobbins that proper jazzmaster pickups use, or that the wire used is lower gauge to allow for more winds. Only way to know for certain would be to pull them out and remove the plastic cover. Ultimately it's not really important one way or the other, provided they sound good.
Im still waiting for harley benton to make a pro version of the Warlock, beast, flying v and mockingbird that they have. Kinda like the specs of the pro/fusion guitars.
Would this make a good guitar to learn on? I was thinking about getting a HB single pickup guitar because it seems less confusing with pickup choices. There's just something about this guitar though. For background I am mid sixties, small to medium sized hands, and a lefty.
to be honest, any guitar is a great learner guitar. Don't be afraid to get any guitar that you personally find cool or exciting. To answer your question, yes this would be an excellent learner guitar. Just try to get a friend to set it up before you play it, since over seas guitars don't tend to hold thier setups when shipping.
Unfortunately, at least in mine, rotating the switch goes against the wood and makes it impossible.. If they had made the hole 1cm higher there wouldn't have been this problem. Anyway very good guitar, a little noisy P90 but you know.
what mods would you recommend in order to level up this guitar to a more authentic Jazzmaster? I am thinking in acquiring one and change things like the tuners, the pickups, the nut, and maybe the volume controllers.
Honestly nothing really needs to be changed. The nut is already a graphite nut, the split post tuners are just as good as any others I've had. You could upgrade the electronics, the pickups too if you really feel the need to. Maybe a stud mounted vibrato arm to replace the stoptail, since the fenders all have vibrato systems. But I wouldn't recommend ripping out stuff that works just for the sake of it.
@@ScienceofLoud Hi! I hope you are doing fantastic and that you enjoyed the holidays, it's been a while, I ended up buying this guitar and overall I am extremely pleased, such an amazing instrument for the price, it could easily compete with the ~$400 USD Squier JMs. However, I ended up replacing the string trees for some tusq ones because they make a lot of noise when I bend the B and e strings. This got me thinking, how did you know the nut is made of graphite? I have been looking around thomann's website and couldn't find anything relating the nut material, also, I have never seen graphite nuts that are not black, so I wanted to make sure about this, I'd appreciate this very much man, cheers.
I thought that blue would have been one of your favourite colours, as Scotsman are pale blue, as the weather's so bad it's the pigmentation of your skin colour?
Totally disagree with the toggle switching position critique! In fact this is well thought out. This way you don't accidentally change your pickup while strumming. Also, this can be changed easily I'm sure if one wish to reinstall the switch to the usual flawed setup.
Honestly, if you have so much movement in your picking hand that you are accidentally hitting the switch then that's a significant problem with your playing technique.
You seem to have gotten lucky with the frets, or possibly they picked you out a good one. I've bought two sub-£200 HBs in the past and the fret ends have always been atrocious. They're both fine instruments after filing the fret ends back, but I sort of wish they'd charge an extra £30 or something and just have a human clean those up.
So many colours! JA-60CCs HERE - thmn.to/thocf/l0nhhg8t6n
This one took me by surprise - a sub £200 blue Jazzmaster - how can this be any good?
This video contains paid promotion from Harley Benton
More details on how CSGuitars implements product promotion - www.csguitars.co.uk/disclosure
#harleybenton #ja60cc #jazzmaster
Timecodes:
00:00 - Introduction to the JA-60CC range
01:23 - Quality and Playability
02:47 - Pickups and Electronics
04:51 - Aesthetics
05:40 - Sounds: What amps am I using?
06:09 - Clean and light drive
07:19 - Distortion
08:25 - Is it any good?
10:06 - Links in description & Subscribe
More from CSGuitars:
Gain access to exclusive content at: www.patreon.com/csguitars
Join CSGuitars Discord - discord.gg/csguitars
Buy CSGuitars Merchandise - www.csguitars.co.uk/store
Website - www.csguitars.co.uk
Contact - colin@csguitars.co.uk
____________________________________________________________________
*Description contains affiliate links. Purchasing using one of these links will generate a small commission for CSGuitars at no additional cost to you.*
Harley Benton's are getting better and better each year. And they were already better than they had any right to be two years ago.
Offer still stands if you want a different color ;)
Well- I received mine today and it is kinda crap. All frets have sharp edges, the binding is crappy and the A and D strings buzz. The intonation is bad, too. The frets are badly crowned and not very shiney.
But the neck feels nice, the finish is very good and the sound is as I imagined it to be. So what do I do? I guess I´ll send the thing back until I have one that´s setup as nice as Yours.
I BET Thomann setup extra nice for You so they don´t get schait on...
@@LaLaLand.Germany You contact Thomann's customer support, explain that the one you received doesn't meet expected quality, and they will send you out another one.
That's standard procedure and I've had to do that myself in the past. Complain to them, not to me.
Trust me, no-one in Thomann's warehouse is picking out special guitars for me, my orders hit their largely automated warehouse the same way yours do.
@@LaLaLand.Germany Not really. I have several. 6 to be exact. Some had done minor issues but I'm also very picky. Since I'm from Germany I can send them back without any costs. But as I said most were very well. ESPECIALLY the setup. None of them had a problem with that and intonation was spot on. Where are you from? I mean just look at the forums. Most people are very happy with them. And they aren't RUclipsrs but guys like you and me.
Don't worry. Their customer service is excellent. Just complain to them.
I actually think the switch makes sense because if you accidentally hit it while playing you don't accidentally switch between the pickups
My Fender Mustang 90 has the switch in parallel with the strings as well. Can't turn it either. Took a bit of getting used to but I agree you don't hit it and accidentally switch pups when strumming.
That's always been one of my complaints with Jazzmasters. The switch is way to easy to bump into when strumming or picking harder
Glad someone else thought the same thing .
I would not like to have the switch there, I would move it up to the upper horn and mount a kill switch in the hole.
I actually change the orientation of all my switches to be parallel to the strings for 2 reasons. 1) sometimes I forget if Up is bridge or neck, so having it parallel to the strings makes it so much easier on the fly for me to remember, left is neck and right is bridge. And 2) I don’t accidentally hit it and change pickups while strumming.
I'm not usually a fan of offsets, but the simple aesthetics are making it up for this one. Also, you really are selling it well.
Harley Benton's are getting better and better each year. And they were already better than they had any right to be two years ago.
I've been using a B-450 for I think about a year and a half now and I've never had any issues with it. I've used it on stage alongside guitarists using guitars worth more than everything I own, and it slotted right into the band perfectly. I get some funny looks for using a Harley Benton when I first meet people, but as soon as we've started playing they've stopped questioning it.
@@Snaily My experience too. Got a funny look from one of my fellow guitarist band mate but after he inspected the finish and overall fretwork he asked me how much it had cost. I bought a used but unplayed DC-580 (SG copy) from 2021 (before they had those ugly very asymmetrical horns and body) for only 92 Euros on eBay. You should have seen his eyes. 😂😂 The only thing I'll change are the tuners. I'll get locking ones. The finish is cherry red and the visible grain looks gorgeous. I'll also modify the headstock and the horns to be completely symmetrical with a router I bought. It'll be a rock machine. 😊
@@EbonyPope Ultimately the way it plays is the most important thing with a bass/guitar. A confident player on a cheap instrument will always sound better than an incompetent player on a high end instrument, and HB punch far above their weight in terms of playability, so for the sound to also be up there is a nice bonus. I'd _like_ a Stingray one day, but until I can afford one the HB I've got now will absolutely do the job as it's a bass that just agrees with me in a way I can't describe.
@@Snaily Do you mean a Sterling Stingray? You're playing bass? Which one? It's like to buy one too. Love to lean new instruments and since I already play guitar the transition should be quite easy.
@@EbonyPope If I could ever afford a MusicMan I'd take that, but Sterlings are bloody good as well. And the bass I use is the one mentioned in a previous reply - the B-450. It's a seriously capable and versatile little thing - I've used it for everything from punk rock and metal right down to soft jazz and swing, so I'd absolutely recommend it to someone who doesn't know what kind of tone they want or whatever their case may be.
As I found when first transitioning to bass, and when re-learning guitar after I snapped my arms in half, the transition is quite easy at first, but like with all things once you go beyond basic root strumming - the equivalent of strumming out power chords - you'll find out how fun bass can be.
Quick tip if you do want to actually learn bass, not just have one on hand so you don't have to rely on others or use MIDI as I originally planned - focus on your groove before learning to play fast and complex lines. People will always remember a root note line with a good groove that complements the drums, maybe with some basic counter to the lead line of the song, more than they'll remember something fast that doesn't belong in a song. I learned that the hard way one time when a band insisted on a solo in a Ramones song.
And I agree on how fun it is to learn new instruments. My friend recently got a mandolin and I've had a blast learning that. I used to be learning drums but I'm moving somewhere soon I that won't be able to play them anymore so they've had to go, and one day I would absolutely love to learn the violin and its related instruments to be able to shove them into my friends' songs.
I was very attracted to the usual brands for decades. I got handed what I was told was a partscaster tele, just like you I got lost playing it. It’s was a 140 quid HB. Pretty much had enough of the big boys, Gibson, Fender etc. guitars like this show you just how much the strats teles LPs etc are massively overpriced. Cheers for the video
I actually like that the switch is rotated so that I can’t accidentally switch it while strumming
Dude, this was a fantastic video. I'd been on the fence because I loved how the guitar looked on paper but after seeing your video I couldn't resist anymore and just ordered my own blue JA (hopefully using your affiliate link correctly) O:) You're a fantastic YTber, keep up the great work!
4:24 that's the main thing I love about Harley Benton instruments compared to literally anything else even up to double the price. The electronics are always decent quality and have a wide, smooth motion allowing you to dial in a tone in seconds by muscle memory, compared to, for example, my Green Mile overdrive which I don't let people move anything but the drive as I've got the tone exactly where I like it and a tenth of a degree completely changes the tone irreversibly.
I have a couple Harley Benton's, and honestly I have nothing bad to say about the brand. Really excellent value. My Fusion III, as well as being drop dead gorgeous, is probably the nicest playing guitar I own and the one I grab when I don't have a specific sound in mind.
I'm about to buy an Harley Benton DC 580 or the JA 60.
Ty for the content as always. I follow the "left hand path" so this video makes me extra happy.
I have a 63 jazzmaster and this guitar seems great because it's dirt cheap, is beginner friendly due to no floating bridge and trem and comes in a bunch of cool colours, perfect mod platform and a great recommendation to beginner students who wants the offset shape!
If anyone who reads this wants this to sound real close to a real jazzmaster, go get a set of vintage accurate jazzmaster pickups, fender, Duncan, Lollar, Curtis Novak etc etc and get two 1 megohm pots (pretty important to tame the shime and it's what sin the originals) and you will be in jazzmaster town as soon as you are done soldering.
As for the toggle switch direction thats how fender did/does it so I suppose that's why HB does it too.
Peace and have a wonderful weekend everyone
I have a 62 myself and glad you mentioned that fender oriented the switch that way back in the day , jazzmaster pickups are very much there own beautiful thing, jazzmaster without its trem always feel a bit like bird with its wings clipped bit like gretsch without a bigsby just a bit wrong
@@marcraygun6290 I agree, the trem is a key part of the experience. That said it's also why many find it so abysmal to set up. It goes against a lot of peoples preconceptions in a way. From shimming the neck and raising instead of lowering the bridge to create lower action and better tuning/intonation stability. It's a weird guitar but I am with you, I love it.
Take care and stay safe
Entombed?
Shocking price, and it sounds great! Usually, the first thing that gets skimped on are the pickups, but these really seem to hold their own - lots of usable tones with excellent clarity.
Might have more to do with the £3000 Tone King amp rig... Still for £150 you can't really go wrong with that Guitar. Doubt you could build it oneself for that money.
@@GeordieGuitarGuyit’s hard to find a guitar with Alnico pickups for under $200
Mine arrived today absolutely blown away by the quality absolutely nothing wrong with it and was actually even in tune and set up properly so thankyou for a great video
Got this in OW leftie a couple of months ago.
It's a beauty, flawless finish, sounds fantastic and played great out of the box, a minor fettle and it's my current favourite.
Lovely thing, but one.
Y'all take care now
Consider me sinister 🙂
my sea foam green 60cc arrived today. it's really really good and for £155 all in it's astounding!
I bought one of these a few years back in the In Utero colouring, looking forward to a project. Imagine my dismay when it was perfect straight out the box. Incredible value for money.
Dude, I just went over to a music store and scraping together the money- I want one! In three tone sunburst! I love sunburst, I love good Fender clones of which do not cost a dick and an arm to get.
Thanks, Mate- I´ll stick around. I like how You go about things and not cater to the big crowd as most channels do when they hit 500k subs...
You´re a good lad!
GET YOUR HANDS OF MY WALLET AGAIN HARLEY BENTON!
Beautiful, i must have this.
Great video. I have been thinking of getting a Jazzmaster of some kind for a while now, and have actually considered getting a Harley Benton (I have a Harley Benton Strat and J-Bass and both are amazing instruments), but this just convinced me that this would be worth my money.
And it even comes in Blue!
The quality of this channel is amazing. Thank you for your opinions and time.
Love my Harley Benton stuff. Got their TB-70VS Deluxe (Thunderbird Bass) it's freaking awesome. Also have their Harley Benton SC-Custom FR VB, through my Blackstar the sound is awesome.
"Sinister" viewers. 😂 As a long-time Latin teacher, I appreciate the pun.
Just got mine in yesterday in seafoam green. Took me totally by surprise how great this guitar sounds and looks. I would put it up against a Fender Player Series guitar that sells for 700 dollars. I know HB guitars can be hit and miss with their QC and they'll let things pass thru shipment, but Thomann is really good about offering discounts or returns. I got one that is flawless. I literally cannot find something wrong with it. The only thing missing is the floating vibrato tail piece
Yeah they're really great for the money. Especially considering the price the quality is just crazy. But I had also some problems. I think they had a faulty batch of ES-335 copies (HB-35). The lower horn from the cutaway would point more upwards when you would put the guitar on its back on a flat surface. They replaced it two times. Sane problem. I took a look at several used ones and they didn't have that problem. At least not that extreme. The difference was almost a centimeter. It was very visible. But I found a cherry colored more and am quite happy.
Great review! I liked the previous iteration, this one seems to have jumped a large step up in quality.
Lake placid blue is possibly my favourite colour and I could really over justify needing that lol
It's a great rhythm guitar for a budget. I ordered a Jazzmaster lefty from Thomann.
I paid 129€ when it first came out and it was a steal. It is light and cool looking. The tuners are not great but usable. The pick up covers got scratched up pretty quickly but no big deal.
I saw that they also have a black 30 inch baritone version. Now that is something I'd wanna take a look at.
Drop the knobs in procide for an hour and they will turn white to match,works
I prefer the side to side pick up switching for a Jazzmaster style guitar since because it’s easier to knock it for some reason. It’s fine if it’s up on the top or lower on the guitar like an sg. Having it be up and down.
That tone king looks and sounds stunning. The HB looks good too.
Ordered one just waiting on it can't wait .
orientation of the switch movement is perfectly fine because it prevents to hit and switch it accidentally while playing
Bonkers value. And great looking - and sounding. Thanks, good video.
I disagree with you about the orientation of the pickup switch. I think HB have it absolutely right because it's more intuitive to have it horizontal to match the location/orientation of the pickups. If it's vertical there's always the annoying prospect of inadvertently following through a strum to switch from up to down.
Offsets are my thing, and I'm definitely gonna need one of these.
Great demo/review mate!
Cheers!
🤟
These Harley Bentons are all fantastic in my experience. I got their 54 Goldtop LP and my 91 Nashville LP Studio lite has been sitting in the corner ever since.
nice review work -greatly organized.
Good video! You may have me convinced to put a bundle together. Just worried about the long trip to the states. Great channel
This sounds pretty damn good!
Harley benton are beating the system by not being greedy...these guitars play so fucking well. I love my 'tele'..shell pink and didn't require a set up. My favorite to play- even compared to my custom fender jazz body/starcaster
I am just happy its a hardtail. The bridge is the only thing that ever stopped me from traditional JM’s
Great no bollocks review,
amazing base for customization. i wanna buy it , switch pickups to deymours or creamys.
It doesn’t have the breathy crispness of a jazzmaster. I like the gain sounds though. Impressed with how well you say it plays at the price point for sure.
Damn. And it's available in a decent colour left handed too! I think I might be about to do something very irresponsible....
My goodness Colin, this beast looks wonderful and it sounds fantastic in your hands! Thanks for the info on the pickups too - there does seem to be contrasting info out there on whether they're supposed to be P90s or JM-style. I bought the Seafoam Green model and love it. Cheers!
I'd love to see them do a jaguar style body if these are inexpensive!
The Squier CV Jaguar is pretty darn good for the price.
Thank you so much!
Funny you should say the JM shape makes the sound darker - I almost feel the opposite.
Plus if you're reading resistance from the guitar cable and not the pickups themselves your other pots will be biasing the resistances, so you can't rely on that as an absolute - good ballpark though, and fine if you take relative readings from other guitars with the same electronics.
Been jonesing for one of these for yonks tho. Thanks for the comprehensive review. I can't be doing with people overwinding the bridge pickups - the JM sound is bright and jangly so make it bright and jangly! If I wanted thick loud bridge pickups I'd go for a different guitar!
We're basically opposites when it comes to colours, I love this kind of blue and despise seafoam green with passion 😅
Great review! Is it something I would buy? Not sure... But it really is a good looking, solid instrument!
I saw this guitar and thought it might be interesting to try it as a modding platform, maybe try some Seymour Duncan jazzmaster pickups, and I saw how much they were on the same site.
Each pickup costs the same as the guitar itself lmao. Not the set, each individual pickup.
I've decided to pick up a guitar for 2023 and my heart is set on the lake placid jazzy. I am Sinister btw 😇
I’m sold. And subscribed
what is the difference between JA-60 OW and JA-60 CC?
I like the offsets but these budget JM style guitars lack the pickups, switching options and wiggle stick for me to really consider them a Jazzmaster. They are attractive though.
And see thats exactly what makes me think i should try this for a beginners jm kinda... ive always thought all the extras were just that... extras anyway... im not a trem user but i *could* see me fiddling with the tone circuitry or even doing weord stuff eventually but... this seems lime a good way to scratch the otch for a body ive liked for years and get familiar with it cuz i honestly have barely even picked up any offsets except some very old very badly mistreated jap imports from pawn shops. Some of those i wish hadnt gotten misplaced over the years... but i digress... HB as a brand are knocking it out the park and are kind of killing me
Dude, this is specced like a my DREAM Jazzmaster - no shit!
I have long held a Fano JM6 as my dream Jazzblaster..and it's just like this...Stoptail /TOM...No rhythm circuit - but p90's or humbuckers.
I still want one....but I also want a traditional Jazzmaster pickups one.
This one ticks all the boxes....even if it wasn't budget!
Add the slightly smaller body - and I am jonesing for one!
I always like slightly smaller guitars...my Strat is a Charvel Dinky (7/8ths the size of a Fender Strat).
P.S. Blue is the BEST colour - especially lake placid blue (which that one isn't, exactly, but it's still in that Candy blue vicinity.)
Now I just have to find out how I can get one in Australia.
I suspect the shipping will be more than the cost of the guitar...😞
Great video, Colin. Btw, it’s basswood, as in the fish, bass, not the antonym to treble.
I actually like the colored knobs
Damn you!... I'm not really into offset guitars.... Until now!!... You really sold this one well 😬
I wish they made a regular size model. It sounds impressive, I'm just not a fan of smaller size instruments.
I just ordered one in the same finish and your video review played a pivotal point. I should get it in four days ... I think I could have gotten it even faster but the weekend stops some deliveries. I'm even thinking about adding a vibrato unit as that will get me a bit closer to a "true" Jazzmaster.
So how is it? Did it arrive?
@@EbonyPope I ended up cancelling the blue finish and getting the sunburst. I have a Guitar Fetish vibrato coming this week. Ii arrived packed very securely in a BIG box without a scatch. Sounds great. intonation was pretty good but action was off. Neck has a fatter profile than I'd like but still OK. I agree it just looks "wrong" without a whammy bar.
@@louisfryzel4618 I'm not too much into whammy bars. Did you adjust the action? Yes some Harley Benton necks are a matter of taste. I like myself a fatter neck especially on Teles. Skinny just didn't feel right. Apart from that it also depends on your hands. My aren't huge but big enough for those types of necks.
@@EbonyPope I think I have small(ish) hands so I prefer a thinner profile. Yes I adjusted the action as I think it was too high. I probably tweaked the neck relief too. When I put on the whammy system I will change strings and dress the fingerboard and maybe polish the frets but I think they're OK.
I love my JA Kit guitar 🎸 changing the pickups out today and slapping on one of those new guitar fetish trem systems. But that’s just for funsies. It’s an awesome guitar 🤘🏻
I know the JA model is a thing, but Id murder to have these things available as a baritone variant
I've had one for a couple of years - there may have been some changes, but it's basically the same - in a really good tri-colour sunburst. Especially appreciated is the satin neck - why don't all guitars use this? It's the least-expensive, lightest weight guitar I have, and it does stay in tune very well.
Hi mate, great vids. Do you think this the same pickups as the DIY kit version?
I have Amarok-6 and for spec the price is really great. Only gripe would be neck I'd like that it was thinner. Would really like to see offset X shape pro series model.
Ooh, is that intro text from Valley of the Damned by DragonForce?
9:00 Thank you!
Great review. Tones are sounding lovely!
Celtic fan by any chance?
I hate blue because I grew up next to Larkhall, not because I support any team.
@@ScienceofLoud that'll do it 😅
I nought my first HB guitar a few weeks ago and agree it is a fantastic buy. Plays great and looks beautiful. I have one major complaint. The frets need to be polished. When to string bends the frets are very scratchy and make unappealing noise
Very satisfied gor the money, better than many of the Epiphones I have.
When you put the switch in middle position,is the neck pickup smothered by the bridge,or can you hear both clearly ? I mean; they SOUND fairly well balanced on screen,but the output readings.....
Just balance the output by setting the pickup heights. The proximity of the pickup to the strings is the single biggest factor for the output level.
@@ScienceofLoud Thanks ! P.S. are the pickup sizes compatable with other(regular) Jazzmaster pickups ?
Christopher Alden
1 second ago
Any upgrade suggestions? I want to add a trem and upgrade the bridge (tune-o-matic style). I don't know what parts will fit.
Honestly surprised he didn't put muppet fur on this one as well
I have a 62 jazzmaster and the knobs the colour of unearthed viking skull is vintage correct
Thanks for the video and review. I've been seeing your channel and others reviewing HB gear. It certainly makes for a good argument to consider one for one of my kids if they get serious about getting into electric guitar. This particular model and style hasn't been on my "watch list", but it seems like I should consider it.
why demo clean sound with delay and chorus?
Is there any space for modding to add those jazzmaster custom swtiches and roller pots? The main reason I love my squier jazzmaster just for that parallel configuration.
You'll definitely need to route it out for the rhythm circuit. Then there's the non-standard pick guard. Not saying it can't be done, but with all the money you'd spend upgrading you could just get a Squier CV Jazzmaster and have everything ready for upgrades.
@@ubermac85 Ouch, welp, it looked pretty good for the price but all the money saving would go into that routing. Thanks for the info!
I still don't get it are they P90 or JM pickups ??
They're probably not P90s because those have bar magnets on the bottom, like a humbucker (though I guess the pole pieces could just be slugs)
The point about the bridge pickup being very hot is either evidence that they aren't using the short, wide bobbins that proper jazzmaster pickups use, or that the wire used is lower gauge to allow for more winds.
Only way to know for certain would be to pull them out and remove the plastic cover.
Ultimately it's not really important one way or the other, provided they sound good.
@@casanovafunkenstein5090 Got it, thank you for taking the time to reply.
I think I have this as a kit. It has a tortoise pick guard and walnut finish. And the headstock I ripped off from ibanez.
Bark at the moon on a JM with P90s 😅.
Well done !
Im still waiting for harley benton to make a pro version of the Warlock, beast, flying v and mockingbird that they have. Kinda like the specs of the pro/fusion guitars.
Yasss master!
Discord squad!
Squad !
we out here
Would this make a good guitar to learn on? I was thinking about getting a HB single pickup guitar because it seems less confusing with pickup choices. There's just something about this guitar though. For background I am mid sixties, small to medium sized hands, and a lefty.
to be honest, any guitar is a great learner guitar. Don't be afraid to get any guitar that you personally find cool or exciting. To answer your question, yes this would be an excellent learner guitar. Just try to get a friend to set it up before you play it, since over seas guitars don't tend to hold thier setups when shipping.
@@salblue9811 Thank you for the advice!
Cool cheap guitars if they work. Mine had the worst routed neck pocket I’ve ever seen. Completely unplayable. Check the QC quickly when you get it.
Unfortunately, at least in mine, rotating the switch goes against the wood and makes it impossible.. If they had made the hole 1cm higher there wouldn't have been this problem. Anyway very good guitar, a little noisy P90 but you know.
what mods would you recommend in order to level up this guitar to a more authentic Jazzmaster? I am thinking in acquiring one and change things like the tuners, the pickups, the nut, and maybe the volume controllers.
Honestly nothing really needs to be changed. The nut is already a graphite nut, the split post tuners are just as good as any others I've had.
You could upgrade the electronics, the pickups too if you really feel the need to.
Maybe a stud mounted vibrato arm to replace the stoptail, since the fenders all have vibrato systems.
But I wouldn't recommend ripping out stuff that works just for the sake of it.
@@ScienceofLoud wow! that must be an absolutely amazing guitar then, I know what I will be getting next
@@ScienceofLoud Hi! I hope you are doing fantastic and that you enjoyed the holidays, it's been a while, I ended up buying this guitar and overall I am extremely pleased, such an amazing instrument for the price, it could easily compete with the ~$400 USD Squier JMs. However, I ended up replacing the string trees for some tusq ones because they make a lot of noise when I bend the B and e strings. This got me thinking, how did you know the nut is made of graphite? I have been looking around thomann's website and couldn't find anything relating the nut material, also, I have never seen graphite nuts that are not black, so I wanted to make sure about this, I'd appreciate this very much man, cheers.
I thought that blue would have been one of your favourite colours, as Scotsman are pale blue, as the weather's so bad it's the pigmentation of your skin colour?
Totally disagree with the toggle switching position critique! In fact this is well thought out. This way you don't accidentally change your pickup while strumming. Also, this can be changed easily I'm sure if one wish to reinstall the switch to the usual flawed setup.
Honestly, if you have so much movement in your picking hand that you are accidentally hitting the switch then that's a significant problem with your playing technique.
They at least should have put the Jazzmaster tremolo on it even if it slightly raised the price.
A Jazzmaster without the complicated rhythm circuit with a stop bar/ tune o matic bridge for 155 euros ??
Sign me in 🙂🙂🙂
Is there a lefty model?
You seem to have gotten lucky with the frets, or possibly they picked you out a good one. I've bought two sub-£200 HBs in the past and the fret ends have always been atrocious. They're both fine instruments after filing the fret ends back, but I sort of wish they'd charge an extra £30 or something and just have a human clean those up.
What shape is the neck?
I have the original in off white matching headstock.leftie
Hypothetically speaking, I wonder if you could fit a Fender neck on it..
I've never heard of someone who doesn't like blue. Like does the ocean and clear skies piss you off?
I'm from Scotland, I've never seen a clear sky and the ocean looks grey.
Dude you've got some awesome teeth