Harley Benton. is the name cheesy af, or is it just me?

[ThePearDream]

Better than Dillion.

Pronounced “Die-lahn”

[mikeyjames56]

Does anyone here happen to have the MS-60 (Mustang) from HB? Names aside, I'm thinking of picking one up since left-handed Mustangs are not really available despite my best efforts, and I'm not entirely sure I'll love the short scale so it would be a fairly inexpensive experiment - I have a lefty friend who'd want it if I didn't.

[Fiddy]

Harley Benton: Hello?

Dot On Shaft: Wassuuuuuuup?

[LVC]

When you think about it, Music Man is a pretty corny name for a guitar manufacturing company.

[Fiddy]

I actually just bought something from Thomann.

A 1x10 cab. Im going to replace the speaker with a Ted era Weber 10A150 speaker that I have.

[mschafft]

The name was chosen to sound both American (Harley) and British (Benton).
I find it jolly awesome!

[BatUtilityBelt]

After trying 2 and returning both for lack of quality, I started calling them Harvey Benson. But yeah, it's just a name made up to sound as if there is a founder with a history instead of a store brand knocking off everything it can get away with.

[tequila_in_teacups]

At least they didn't use Brush Script for their logo, I guess.

[ohm-men]

Well, my 2 cents regarding Harley Benton guitars....

I own currently 2 of them.
- Mustang style guitar (bought used, very modded)
- MR - Classic (their Mosrite copy, bought used again...)

First their guitars are cheap for EU residents.
Used they are much cheaper... sometimes half the new price.

Build quality has improved a lot over the years. The Mustang copy I have (that looks like a Belinda-Stang) is from 2014 and is ok-ish. Not bad, not good.
The Mosrite copy is really a nice guitar for the price. Looks like a Mosrite, but there the simelarities end. But from a players perspective, a pretty decent guitar. Wilkinson Kluson style tuners, Artec Alnico V p-90's, Alpha full size pots, Bad Ass style wrap arround bridge.... Not bad for €150,- new.

I feel most of their guitars are on par with what Squier puts out. Nice hardware, decent pickups. Their neck profile always sits between Fender and Gibson imho and almost all of their guitars have a 12" or 14" radius... I wish they did 9.5" with their C profile necks.
Fretwork is overall pretty good (lately)

IMHO the Harley Benton's are good modding platforms. You get a good base. Their cheapest models are good for what you pay.
Their more expensive models are pretty good spec wise and you get a very decent guitar for the price and a nicer wood selection...

Resale value here is practicly nil, so used they are bargains. I paid € 70,- for the MR-Classic (the Mosrite copy) and it's practicly new...

I used to have their SG Jr that I liked a lot (traded it for a vintage guitar) otherwise I would of kept it.
Their Jazzmaster style guitar is also nice, didn't like the neck though and their older P-90's kind of were meh... (Like the newer ones with the Artec or Roswell pick ups more) (I'm also pretty sure they use the same OEM pickup maker as Squier does...
I feel most of the hardware on their recent guitars is better then what Squier uses these days, but a Squier will always look better imho as it's closer to tthe original. A HB will always look like a copy, a nice one, but still a knock off....

The HB Mustang copy will likely go, but their Mosrite is a Keeper for sure. Their Jr.'s are very nice as well.
I'm sure their Brain May model will suit most fans and will not dissapoint given the price...

As mentioned, their FX pedals are mostly rebranded (Joyo) I LOVE their AC-Tone pedal... (Joyo rebrand) copy of a well known Vox style amp pedal.
This I got for € 15,- (used) and I think it's the pedal I used most over the last 8 months or so... Sounds fantastic with all my guitars and amps...

For US residents, it's less a bargain, but still something you might wanna try... Perhaps resale value is better in the US then here.

But compared to all other "copy made in china brand guitars" the newer Harley Benton's are among the nice/better...
(compared to brands like FX, Fazley, Jack & Danny, ....)

[Marc]

The name indeed does sound like a supermarket own brand. One of the UK supermarkets did a line called Smedley. So whenever I hear Harley Benton i think of Smedley baked beans.

[Ceylon]

Does anyone here happen to have the MS-60 (Mustang) from HB? Names aside, I'm thinking of picking one up since left-handed Mustangs are not really available despite my best efforts, and I'm not entirely sure I'll love the short scale so it would be a fairly inexpensive experiment - I have a lefty friend who'd want it if I didn't.

I had one years ago and it was way, way good for the 99€ it cost back then. If it had been a Squier for 3 times the money I think I would have loved it. But Harley Benton is, well, a dumb name and a dumb headstock, and I am a shallow guy at heart. Totally decent guitar though.

[BMWRider]

I have started to see Harley Bentons showing up in my area, always used. A friend purchased a 'Bucker-equipped Tele clone, really likes it. The other ones I have seen aren't that different from a bunch of other budget brands I can find in the second-hand shops.

I did see an interesting Ricky-inspired HB in the latest Mike Pachelli Beatles lesson on YouTube. I don't need another electric 12, but I wouldn't mind trying it out to see if it sounds as good as it did on the video.

[ohm-men]

Does anyone here happen to have the MS-60 (Mustang) from HB? Names aside, I'm thinking of picking one up since left-handed Mustangs are not really available despite my best efforts, and I'm not entirely sure I'll love the short scale so it would be a fairly inexpensive experiment - I have a lefty friend who'd want it if I didn't.

I have an early one (2015 I think)
Bones are good. Pretty nice trem (better then the Squier ones) Basswood body and nice maple neckk with a rosewood fretboard (newer ones have roasted Jatoba?)
Neck profile is not really my thing, more a D then a C and slightly fatter than what I like (have to say that I'm more of a Squier neck fan here)
Newer ones post 2020? come with Wilkinson hardware and better pick ups (Alnico V) strat style, pretty decent. So better then on mine. (Although for the price, older hardware pre 2020, isn't bad either)

The headstock, well, I'm not a fan of those, looks too small for a Stang...

I paid € 100 for mine (used) came heavely modded (strat sized blade humbuckers from Roswell and aftermarket Mustang pichguard and control plate.
Body is "slightly different then the Fender/Squier ones, the aftermarket hardware does not line up perfectly as is the neck pocket on the HB is slightly lower based on the body (if you get what I mean)

I think these are € 145,- new, so cheaper then Squier, you get a Jm/Jag trem, good pu's, TOM bridge and very decent hardware.
If you can get allong with the neck profile, you get a good guitar for little money, great modding platform...
Perhaps you can redo theheadstock to something more appropriate and match it with the body colour....

[Fiddy]

Got a Harley coming my way!!

[GilmourD]

Got a Harley coming my way!!

Which one?