Dad3353 Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 1 hour ago, EdwardMarlowe said: Hey, if there's ever an android replica of Jimi's fingers - or, hell, at that Link Wray's! - I'll happily have my own organic ones chopped off to upgrade! OK, it's not all in the fingers. The Little Grey Cells play a part, too. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 On 16/08/2023 at 19:53, Dad3353 said: OK, it's not all in the fingers. The Little Grey Cells play a part, too. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted September 4, 2023 Share Posted September 4, 2023 Just been notified my JA25th is about to ship! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted September 13, 2023 Share Posted September 13, 2023 And here it is!!! Set up is lovely, and it was practically in tune (I will have to get used to the locking tuners). Frets feel like a tiny polish on top needed, but playing in will deal with that. Neck is gorgeous, and I love the firemist colour. Either a very, very almost imperceptibly tiny ding on the headstock, or a miniscule imperfection on the headstock finish, but that's the sort of thing it'd get in a few days' use with me, so.... Overall, a stunning piece. The gig bag is surprising good, much higher quality than I expected, and the 25th logo inside it is a nice touch. Highly recommended. I still hope they do 5his soec in the CC colours going forward, as a DLX model. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundayguitar Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 For what it's worth, I did make my own Harley Benton in the past, with a kit like this: https://thmn.to/thoprod/115992?offid=1&affid=1771 It's really cool to make and I gotta say you learn a lot by building your own guitar. And tbh the quality of HBs now are insane for the price... I'd recommend that to anyone who wants to start or needs a cheap guitar on the side (travel etc). It's not Fender quality of course, but it's still pretty, pretty good 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 20 hours ago, sundayguitar said: For what it's worth, I did make my own Harley Benton in the past, with a kit like this: https://thmn.to/thoprod/115992?offid=1&affid=1771 It's really cool to make and I gotta say you learn a lot by building your own guitar. And tbh the quality of HBs now are insane for the price... I'd recommend that to anyone who wants to start or needs a cheap guitar on the side (travel etc). It's not Fender quality of course, but it's still pretty, pretty good Yeah, was just saying this to a guy on the Facebook HB owners' group page. He's done all sorts of mods to his TEs - basically treated them as buying a neck and a body pre-attached. Even if that's all you use from the original, it compares very well to the likes of Warmoth imo, and you can probably put some very nice guts in it without spending more than the difference. I think last I looked the necks I was interested in on Warmoth were alone well over the cost of a TE52 or the likes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 I've recently bought a HB PB50 bass. I rolled the fingerboard edges and gigged it last week. £105. unbelievable 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randythoades Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 On 04/12/2023 at 16:36, EdwardMarlowe said: Yeah, was just saying this to a guy on the Facebook HB owners' group page. He's done all sorts of mods to his TEs - basically treated them as buying a neck and a body pre-attached. Even if that's all you use from the original, it compares very well to the likes of Warmoth imo, and you can probably put some very nice guts in it without spending more than the difference. I think last I looked the necks I was interested in on Warmoth were alone well over the cost of a TE52 or the likes. That's a good point really. At those costs, you can upgrade all the hardware and electronics if you want to, and get some good experience at the same time. I have looked at the HB but don't have one myself. Do you get people turn their noses up when you bring one out or are people a bit more accepting during our times of austerity? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randythoades Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 50 minutes ago, police squad said: I've recently bought a HB PB50 bass. I rolled the fingerboard edges and gigged it last week. £105. unbelievable Fantastic. Good job. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted December 11, 2023 Share Posted December 11, 2023 On 06/12/2023 at 14:28, randythoades said: That's a good point really. At those costs, you can upgrade all the hardware and electronics if you want to, and get some good experience at the same time. I have looked at the HB but don't have one myself. Do you get people turn their noses up when you bring one out or are people a bit more accepting during our times of austerity? It's a very long time since I played out anywhere, so can't comment on direct experience. I suspect were I to be a gigger, the average punter wouldn't notice. It'd be interesting to get an impression from players who do but don't know the brand before... Online, views seem to be split between those who've played them and think they're very decent for the money, putting them up against Vintage (by JHS), Squier CV, Fender player Series... directly, and as "upgradeable" to hold their own against much more - and on the other hand. those rubbishing them because 'Made in China + racist idiot', or a refusal to believe anything cheap could be good. I've yet to see anyone from the latter group who'd actually played one... FWIW, though, while I can't comment directly on experience with HB, I tend to find musicians who actually play out for a living are vastly more open minded about instruments, and themselves vastly more likely to be playing "budget" gear. The gearsnobs I've encountered have almost exclusively been comfortably-off hobby players, or sometimes guys in originals bands who sneer at anyone who plays covers, and are bitter that "wedding bands" can make a living while nobody wants to hear their obscure prog originals.... :D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothingman Posted December 29, 2023 Share Posted December 29, 2023 Ordered a B-stock HB35 in cherry red today. Not played their guitars but got a 51 style P bass and that was well worth the pennies I paid for it. I’ll post on here when it arrives. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundayguitar Posted December 29, 2023 Share Posted December 29, 2023 I'm really amazed by this HB collection. It's kinda off topic, but they also have multi fx now: Harley Benton DNAfx GiT https://thmn.to/thoprod/478040?offid=1&affid=1771 And they don't seem to worse than an ampero or something similar. Crazy times 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 On 29/12/2023 at 23:45, sundayguitar said: I'm really amazed by this HB collection. It's kinda off topic, but they also have multi fx now: Harley Benton DNAfx GiT https://thmn.to/thoprod/478040?offid=1&affid=1771 And they don't seem to worse than an ampero or something similar. Crazy times I'm loving this all. For years I've wanted something very much like that for plugging in headphones or hooking up to the PC at home. I've not bought anything as yet because I'm not really interested in most of the potential they have - years ago, I bought a Vox Valvetronix (still got it). The original, blue cloth one, size of an AC30, 2x12. Thing is I only ever used one amp model, and I don't bother with the built in effects. Something like this, though, I might be more inclined towards as at that price, as long as the sound I want is good, it doesn't matter so much more of it is "wasted".... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tele-strat owner Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 NICE, I am currently beginning have not yet acquired a Harley Benton but from all I have seen and read very decent guitars at a decent price, Next Kit maybe?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundayguitar Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 On 16/01/2024 at 01:19, EdwardMarlowe said: I'm loving this all. For years I've wanted something very much like that for plugging in headphones or hooking up to the PC at home. I've not bought anything as yet because I'm not really interested in most of the potential they have - years ago, I bought a Vox Valvetronix (still got it). The original, blue cloth one, size of an AC30, 2x12. Thing is I only ever used one amp model, and I don't bother with the built in effects. Something like this, though, I might be more inclined towards as at that price, as long as the sound I want is good, it doesn't matter so much more of it is "wasted".... And to be fair, even something like that - while not AMAZING, let's be honest - is still very decent for the price !! https://thmn.to/thoprod/372283?offid=1&affid=1771 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tele-strat owner Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 On 19/01/2024 at 16:38, sundayguitar said: And to be fair, even something like that - while not AMAZING, let's be honest - is still very decent for the price !! https://thmn.to/thoprod/372283?offid=1&affid=1771 Dang it man, your right at PRICE POINT for what it is and does for a home Guitarist, in my searches I have seen worse, at higher prices. I copied, it warrants further investigation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundayguitar Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 3 hours ago, tele-strat owner said: Dang it man, your right at PRICE POINT for what it is and does for a home Guitarist, in my searches I have seen worse, at higher prices. I copied, it warrants further investigation Go for it... GET IT, you know you want it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musical Mystery Tour Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Was originally an HB TE52, but I added a neck PAF: https://i.imgur.com/nOhln0N.jpg 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 14 hours ago, Musical Mystery Tour said: Was originally an HB TE52, but I added a neck PAF: https://i.imgur.com/nOhln0N.jpg Nicely done. The paint job looks great - like a 'closet classic' relic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tele-strat owner Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 12 hours ago, EdwardMarlowe said: Nicely done. The paint job looks great - like a 'closet classic' relic. Sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repoman Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 I've got two HBs. The first is a gorgeous Telecaster clone which oddly has two humbuckers and a trem. Thing is, I HATED it when I got it. Scratchy frets, neck not right. Awful. It was the guitar that finally made me learn to adjust a truss rod. I polished the frets, straightened out the neck a bit and oddly it's become my favourite guitar. I like it a lot more than the actual real Telecaster I used to own. I also got a CST-24 Hollow Body. Which is basically their PRS rip off guitar. It's horrid. It looks nice but it's on eBay as we speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matondesign Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 (edited) I think HB are great value guitars and worthy of modifying too...here is a Youtube video showing what I do to them:- Infinity Mirror Guitar v3 with hot rail pickup. Edited February 18 by matondesign 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...