Harley Benton GS-Travel-E Mahogany

I normally play a Martin 000-15S and my son plays a Taylor GS Mini (of which this little Harley Benton is a replica). I know a good guitar when I play it.
I was looking for a cheap little travel guitar to take on a boating holiday and saw all the rave reviews of this little baby and decided to take a punt.
When the guitar arrived, the first things I noticed were that there was a slight buzz on the low E string and a dead spot on the B. No problem though - a 1/4 turn on the truss rod (key in the lovely travel bag!) gave a little more neck relief and buzz/dead spot gone like magic.
Only imperfection I could find on the whole instrument was a crease mark on the very thin pick guard. Again - no problem. I just peeled off the pick guard which left absolutely no mark on the guitar. I think it looks way better without it.
The action is now absolutely superb all the way up the neck and the intonation (checked with Snark tuner) is, remarkably, also spot on at every fret. With the original strings and a little relief adjustment the guitar plays great now. Sure it's not a Martin or a Taylor but it is a remarkably good sounding little instrument in its own right and for the Euros 109 I paid, absolutely stunning value for money. It comes complete with a smashing little gig bag, truss rod key and even a cheap, but functional lead for hooking it up to an amplifier. I tried it with a MicroCube amp and the output from the fitted pickup is more than adequate.
I will be fitting a Graphtec TUSQ XL saddle when I replace the strings with Martin Custom Lights as I think very slightly heavier gauge strings might just add a little more bottom end, and the saddle that is on the guitar is a very cheap plastic job that isn't really doing anything to improve the tone. However, saying that I generally make these simple mods to any guitar I buy, irrespective of what I paid for it.
To summarise then, if you are looking for a really great value travel guitar then look no further. This really is 'a steal'.

Update: I have now had this little gem for around a week and I haven't picked up my Martin in that time. This little guitar is stunningly good. I just can't believe that an all laminate, small guitar can sound and play as well as this one does. String spacing I find a little to tight for my liking when finger picking, but for flat picking and strumming, the v shaped neck and excellent action are spot on. I've yet to replace the saddle and strings because every time I pick it up I start playing it!
I may be one of the lucky ones to get an absolute gem, but somehow, given the other reviews, I think not. Absolutely the best value guitar I have ever bought in terms of bang for buck. Amazing!
Update: Have just replaced strings with medium gauge Elixirs (13s). Had to lower action slightly at nut for low E and A strings to accommodate heavier gauge strings. Great success, much less unintended bending of treble strings when playing up the neck and much improved base response. Although slightly harder on the fingers, I think it's well worth putting heavier gauge strings on this great little guitar.
With the Elixir 13s this guitar is the DADGAD beast!

Motivation: Guitar for the living room!

Background: I've had dozens of guitars over the years and played 1000's of solo & band gigs. I read several positive reviews & watched a bunch of YouTube videos on the Harley Benton GS-Travel-E Mahogany.

Turns out it's really good! The neck is stable as a rock & feels great, I wouldn't really know it was a "V" if I hadn't read the specs! It holds tune fine, I've seen reviewers complain that the tuner gear ratio is a tad high but I quickly got used to it holds tune fine. It comes strung with 12s but I suspect I'll prefer 11s on this & I intend swapping them out soon. I like the elegant looking headstock and overall, the guitar easily exceeds my cosmetic expectations. I haven't plugged it in yet, nor will I be able to for a while, so I'm commenting on the acoustic output only here. It's louder, more balanced and more pleasant than I'd expected. The darkish mahogany tone seems to suit this body size well, and perhaps makes up for the lack of bottom end that a small body-size like this is capable of generating. The tone isn't as complex or rich as higher-end guitars but then again the price isn't either!

Overall, it's a very enjoyable guitar to play & plenty loud for my requirements. I don't know how they do it for the money.

6 month update; with decent 11 gauge strings this thing really jangles, it really is a fantastic guitar - buy one!

24 month update: I've done 100's of hours on this guitar now, I love the size & I've even done a bunch of gigs with it too! Yea, just get one!

First of all, let’s get it out of the way. I’ve been playing for over 20 years, own 14 guitars so I’ve seen my fair share of rubbish! Obviously sometimes you get a dodgy one, and QC sometimes have shockers, so I will review this based on my guitar I’ve received.

I read all the reviews, everyone saying it’s amazing for the money. I’ve fallen for that trick before with Squiers and Epiphones, but THIS little travel guitar is absolutely stunning.

The quality of build is amazing. It’s flawless. The finish, the fretboard, everything… it’s beautiful. The tuners are really good, solid and keeps it in tune. The sound is amazing, so loud and full of mids and bass. You’d think it would be tinny, like them Ed Sheeran-esque travel guitars, but nope this sounds like a full-size acoustic.

The pick up sounds good, and has a built in tuner with a display on so you can find your notes to tune it however you like.

All in all, if you paid £500 for this guitar and it said a more expensive name on the headstock you would not be complaining. I am actually confused how this high quality instrument is so cheap. It is much better than my £400 epiphone acoustic. I cannot put it down.

I took the scratch plate off as I prefer it without. There was 3 sharp fret ends, not to worry - filed them down and now it’s all good. Action was nice out of the box.

Just buy it - it’s the best £100 you’ll ever spend on a guitar. Harley Benton are the future!!!!

May I begin by saying I have quite a few Harley Benton guitars. All are great value and the more expensive (pro) ones are very good indeed.

So this is a little guitar at a lower price point than I would normally be drawn to. But at the price I thought it was worth a look. Taking into account that this guitar is not aimed at a pro, I’m still going to give my findings and honest opinion.

Straight out of the box it sounded full and clear for a guitar with a smaller body and scale length. The finish was flawless, however the frets were a little rough and the action a little high. Lowering the action exposed one slightly high fret over the body causing one accessible fret to choke out. Not a problem if you don’t play up that end or if you know how to fix it. (which I did) Other than that, all the other frets played perfectly and only needed a little polish to take away any roughness. The full V shaped neck is comfortable even if you find the fingerboard radius a little flat.

Electrically, the pickup and preamp sounded surprisingly good (and the preamp even has a tuner and phase switch), HOWEVER … there was a problem with the low E string volume. It just wasn’t being picked up at all. One should really do a return with something like this, but because I’d had issues with the DHL delivery of this item, and have had experience with the temperamental properties of PIZZO under bridge pickups, I decided to investigate myself. The pickup worked fine and was completely straight. The bridge saddle was totally flat on it’s underside (when I adjust the action on acoustics I ALWAYS file down the top of the saddle and reshape it because I know how problematic these pickups can be when the saddle isn’t totally flat). On further investigation, it appeared that the bottom of the slot where the saddle and pickup sit, was NOT flat. There were a couple of metal pins/screws showing and someone (in the factory presumably) had tried to machine them flush and slightly overdone it making a slight recess onto which the pickup could not make contact with the body. I managed to resolve this using slithers of paper to fill the indents. NOW it all works fine. … and it sounds good.

I am aware, this is aimed at maybe, buskers, backpackers and suchlike who might not care about the electrics, and I know I’m being very pernickety but I like to know all my guitars work properly. When an instrument is built so well, especially at this price point, it would be nice to know that I just got the exception to the rule and I was lucky to have the knowledge to fix it. For £109 this is an exceptional little guitar. If you get a good one, why pay 6x the price for the other brand that it’s a tribute to?

I have been a singer songwriter for more than 35 years. I still enjoy writing songs but do not gig very much these days. I love travelling ( mainly up to the North East Coast in the UK, where I originate from, with my lovely, loyal wee companion, Wor Bob, the Border Terrier ) I have quite a few guitars and I am always reluctant to throw one in the back of the car when we are on our excursions, so I thought this Harley Benton GS-Travel-E Mahogany would solve that problem. A ridiculously low price for something which has such favourable reviews ( and with a nice wee gig bag too ) So I ordered one. It arrived today and I absolutely LOVE this wee guitar. WHAT A BARGAIN ! The guitar is very well made, from lovely materials ( I love the slightly arched back, which certainly helps the guitar to resonate ). The neck and fretboard are wonderful. The action was pretty much spot on and the tuners are excellent, zero problem there - they work very well and the guitar holds its tuning ( after some bending and stretching of the strings ) I love the look and overall feel of this guitar and it projects amazingly well for something of its diminutive stature, with a beautiful full tone. I have to keep reminding myself that this was just over a hundred quid !! I would not have been disappointed if I had paid twice that amount. It would still have been a real bargain. I heard a few people criticising the placement of the battery compartment but I actually think it is a great place to house it and I managed to pop the battery into its compartment very easily by simply loosening the strings to gain access via the sound-hole, there is no need to completely remove them. Some people said it could be a potential problem if the battery was to run out mid gig ? ? Well just make sure you install a brand new battery before you start your gig ! ( come on, it's not rocket science and the batteries are cheap enough )
Pro's : Ridiculously great value.
Outstanding build quality for a tiny outlay.
Aesthetically gorgeous looking guitar.
Very full and beautifully round tone for such a small guitar.
More than adequate tuners ( which, again, look fabulous in black )
Great sounding pickup.
Perfect for carrying with you no matter where you may roam.
Cons : Although I like the choice of bronze strings, the quality of the ones it came strung with were well below par - a bit worn looking ( hardly worth mentioning as I always restring guitars with my personal preference - and, in truth, they sound not too bad )
The fret ends were a wee bit on the sharp side but a few minutes with a gentle file and that will be easily solved ... nothing else to say really other than, if you are looking for a lovely wee travel guitar to carry with you, BUY THIS ONE ! It's such a bargain .... and it even comes with a very decent gig bag .... FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN A HUNDRED QUID !! Amazing !!

As a mature instrumentalist, I advocate try, before you buy. The Thomann web store is my first exception to the rule. Excellent photographs/sound bites/video, made me take a chance.
First Impressions:
The finish is very good and has obviously been through a quality check. It truly represents what is shown at the Thomann web site. The choice of (bronze) strings suits the tone of the body, although a 10 gauge set would be preferable. It sounds much bigger and warmer than it looks with a lovely ring from the bronze strings (I instantly knew this is more than a travel guitar). The "V" profile on the neck is weird to me, but I will get used to it.
I had to de-tune to reach inside to fit the battery. Strange location, right at the neck-heel join. I would have used a shorter cable and located the battery towards the rear of the instrument. But, upon having a good feel about inside, I can report that the scalloped "X" bracing (spruce) is finished quite well and the heel of the neck appears to be bolted the body. Quite sturdy I think.
Second Impressions:
The action is woefully high and would suit a jazz thrasher, but not acceptable in such a beautifully made instrument. To make the guitar playable will require lowering the Nut and the Bridge height. Also the transition from Nut to Fingerboard needs smoothing. I can do that sort of work, but if you can't, I recommend getting a luthier to do the work (It is worth doing). A lower action is possible to achieve from factory and it should be looked into. The fretboard and fret-fit is excellent for a guitar of any price. The Bridge finish is the only poorly finished part of the guitar, but again, with a little work it can be smoothed and stained/finished correctly.
In summary: Well Made, Good Sounding, Excellent Value Instrument, just Requiring the Final Fit of String to Body to make it Perfect. I still would award 5* to the product for what it can be.
Finally a big thank you to Thomann for the excellent service.
Additional Edit:
After lowering the Nut to the proper height and lowering the treble side of the saddle, this instrument is a real players tool. I won't be parting with this one.

So I've been only playing for a few months, and I am on electric, because let's face it, I'm a chunky monkey. So I find acoustic guitars, dreadnaughts and normal sized ones, hard to get my arms around fully and still be able to see the strings, and sometimes it gets hard on the back. But after a bit of research I tried a few parlor and travel sized ones for feel. They felt much better and I decided I'd try the travel e mahogany. The usual Thoman A class delivery sent it and my son's left handed 130ce together to Ireland in a week.

I can't get over the quality of the build and the looks on both of them, my e travel looks like a €500 guitar, there was only one cosmetic issue, and that was around the soundhole there was some rough looking cut, but I only noticed it because I was looking for it. Also, I still haven't worked out how to get the included battery into the tuner and piezo unit, but I'll just YouTube that.

But onto the playing of the guitar. At first I thought I'd made a mistake, the strings felt really tight, even after tuning it, but it was just me not strumming hard enough, and now it's absolutely singing. The nut is perfect, the action is bang on and it is really loud for such a small guitar. I've been playing it in my car during breaks, and watching some videos on learning and what's hit me all of a sudden, is how easily and smooth it is to move about the fretboard on it, and the strings, which are heavier and bronze, are really super sounding. The tuning is so stable and I didn't need to make any adjustments. I've just shown it to a friend who plays Taylor's and has a Taylor mini that this is based on, and he can't get over how familiar feeling and sounding it is to the mini. Added bonus, in the box was a guitar cable and the 9v battery for the piezo which is not listed on the specs, and the really cool gig bag. The bag is a bit military sandy colour which in-kind of like, but it's a little tight for the guitar, it does have a nice pocket and good straps, as well as a velcro band to hold the headstock in place in the bag, and it's well padded.

Amazing guitar Thoman, and Danke !!

Wow, it's all been said before..fantastic guitar and equal to those at £500 to £600 elsewhere...The finish and sound on mine was spot on ..no complaints here, However there was problem despite a quality control checked sticker and label!
The battery is housed in a supple plastic housing inside the body between the heel and sound hole. It's accessible only by removing the strings, not great for a beginner but ok for me. This is not the problem I encountered.
The lead from the pick up is clipped inside the body to the upper face and should be long enough to reach the battery compartment. Mine wasn't by a good 15cm. A mirror on a stick and torch revealed the problem inside the body. The wire had been wound around several times placed in a fixed clip and left much too short. A real problem if you have large hands and after removing the strings and working by feel alone, after about 30 mins I established the clip glued to the body holding the wire had been bent over several times holding the wire much too short, which was impossible to see by any means but a bit of luck catching my fingernail under it gave it away. Had it not been for my partners small hands and perseverance I would have had to return the guitar, but we eventually managed to free the wire and re clip it....Absolute hassle that should not have been!!
As the guitar was so good in all other aspects I wanted to persevere with it just in case a replacement was not as good. As the owner of 7 Harley Bentons I rate them very Highly but someone in the factory had taken their eye off the ball !!!!
This would have been very disappointing for a novice. Just not good enough guys.
PS...By the way nowhere in the guitar packaging was any instructions on where the battery was housed or how to access and open the compartment. Pretty sure a novice would not have wanted to be taking the strings off and try and work out where the battery went.
For all intents and purposes it could look like the battery is just left clunking around in the body on the end of its wire,,,Small point but very relevant

I wanted a smaller bodied guitar to take on holiday with me when I travel; something I could just bung in the back of the car and go. I wanted a Taylor GS Mini-e, but couldn't justify the price tag. This little beauty is very similar in many ways. Even the suppled padded carry bag is almost identical to the one that comes with the Taylor. The sound it makes is beautiful whether you're using it plugged in or not, the finish of the body is exceptional, and the set up was spot on straight out of the box - no sharp frets or anything.
I find I play this guitar most days in preference to my expensive axes. I keep it beside my sofa and its so light an easy to pick up and play even if only for a few minutes while I'm having a coffee.
When I first got it, I gave it to a local luthier I use to check it over. Apart from a couple of very small points he found (so small, I don't remember them now) he said that he doesn't understand how Thomann can produce and supply this guitar for so little money. It would cost him MORE just to buy the materials to build it himself - and that's before his labour costs.
And all the above aside, it's so inexpensive, from a financial point of view, it doesn't matter to me if it gets battered or damaged if I take it out and about...although from a NON-financial perspective I'd be really sad because I love it so much!
I'm not a great player (or singer for that matter! lol) but if you want to hear what it sounds like you can do so here my humble little YouTube channel.