A
Old Man Happy.
Just to let you know I am not a precious guitar purist and I won't pretend what I don't know. I have been playing for my own entertainment for over 40 years to no great level. A bit of flat picking on old Neil Young songs is about my limit. So really I will be using this guitar to play at home and also at church.
It made me smile when I took it out of the box, it was in DADGAD tuning which enabled me to do a rendition of Music is Love by David Crosby (which is actually in DADDAD). It was at this moment that I realised how sweet this guitar sounds and how booming on the bass notes. Now I'm having trouble with deafness with the peaks of high end frequencies lopped off so I have to say, to my ears, which I know aren't yours, it sounded really very good indeed.
The guitar looks like a class item, plays extremely well, and is inexpensive. I won't use the word cheap because there is nothing cheap about this guitar. It is as great to look at as it is to play. To my ears the sustain (if that's the word used to describe the rise, decay and length of the note) is not as good the further up the fretboard I go, but I have no great experience with other guitars other than an old Japanese made Fender F15 or Fender CD60 that I bought without realising it was a laminate top. Maybe the sustain is better on more expensive branded guitars or not I don't know.
The quality of the finish, Grover machine heads, D'Addario strings, Fishman electrics mean that to my ears it is at least as good as the Epiphone EJ200, which I have played, maybe better and at less than half the price. Plus I think the cutaway looks better. I can't really review the electrics as, although I have a practice amp, I'm not qualified to say. Although if Jackson Browne speaks in reverential tones of Fishman pick ups, as I have heard on YouTube the electrics must be ok.
In summary this is the best guitar I have ever owned. I am really pleased that at 62 years old I finally have a professional standard instrument and at 198 euros in price it has to be five stars all round. I cannot find an instrument of this price and quality in England so I am glad I found the Thomann website. The communication of the international sales section was first class on to delivery. I will be buying another guitar as soon as I am able and it is likely to be the HB CLD41S. I have no complaints at all and am unable to take any issue with Thomann. From a cost benefits analysis perspective it is an excellent guitar and an absolute keeper.
It made me smile when I took it out of the box, it was in DADGAD tuning which enabled me to do a rendition of Music is Love by David Crosby (which is actually in DADDAD). It was at this moment that I realised how sweet this guitar sounds and how booming on the bass notes. Now I'm having trouble with deafness with the peaks of high end frequencies lopped off so I have to say, to my ears, which I know aren't yours, it sounded really very good indeed.
The guitar looks like a class item, plays extremely well, and is inexpensive. I won't use the word cheap because there is nothing cheap about this guitar. It is as great to look at as it is to play. To my ears the sustain (if that's the word used to describe the rise, decay and length of the note) is not as good the further up the fretboard I go, but I have no great experience with other guitars other than an old Japanese made Fender F15 or Fender CD60 that I bought without realising it was a laminate top. Maybe the sustain is better on more expensive branded guitars or not I don't know.
The quality of the finish, Grover machine heads, D'Addario strings, Fishman electrics mean that to my ears it is at least as good as the Epiphone EJ200, which I have played, maybe better and at less than half the price. Plus I think the cutaway looks better. I can't really review the electrics as, although I have a practice amp, I'm not qualified to say. Although if Jackson Browne speaks in reverential tones of Fishman pick ups, as I have heard on YouTube the electrics must be ok.
In summary this is the best guitar I have ever owned. I am really pleased that at 62 years old I finally have a professional standard instrument and at 198 euros in price it has to be five stars all round. I cannot find an instrument of this price and quality in England so I am glad I found the Thomann website. The communication of the international sales section was first class on to delivery. I will be buying another guitar as soon as I am able and it is likely to be the HB CLD41S. I have no complaints at all and am unable to take any issue with Thomann. From a cost benefits analysis perspective it is an excellent guitar and an absolute keeper.
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G
Harley Benton Custom Line King CE VS - FANTASTIC!!!
I have made several purchases with Thomann in recent years and have never been less than delighted with the quality and service.
On this occasion, I was looking for a jumbo acoustic electric guitar to use in a rockabilly trio, so the sound and appearance were the most important factors.
I had already tried the Gretsch 5022 jumbo Rancher, which I found to be a little lacking in mid-range tone, and the Epiphone EJ200 CE which was a little too heavy in the mid-range.
Looking through the offerings from Thomann, I came across the Harley Benton Custom Line King CE, that looked amazing and was around half the price of both the Gretsch and Epiphone.
It clearly takes styling cues from the Epiphone, with the flower pickguard and moustache bridge, but maintains it's own identity with a modified body shape and much shallower and under-stated cutaway which I prefer.
Taking the plunge, I ordered the guitar in vintage sunburst finish, not expecting it to live up to the on-line pictures! When it arrived - WOW!!! It looks fantastic and the sound was perfect acoustically - nice articulation between strings, action nicely set and a nice medium profile neck that makes it very easy to play. The fretwork is good with no sharp edges.
I particularly like the high ratio Grover tuners which maintain tuning stability.
As the guitar is fitted with the Fishman Isys+ pre-amp and under saddle transducer as used on the Gretsch, I fully expected them to sound similar amplified.
I found it sounded best using the auxiliary input on the PA which means using the guitars on-board eq to shape the sound. It sounds absolutely FANTASTIC, exactly the sound I was looking for!
Tuners can be a bit hit and miss generally, but this guitar is perfectly in tune when using the onboard tuner.
You have to look hard to find any imperfections on this guitar, but at this price they aren't worth mentioning. This is a serious bargain - grab one! You won't be disappointed!
On this occasion, I was looking for a jumbo acoustic electric guitar to use in a rockabilly trio, so the sound and appearance were the most important factors.
I had already tried the Gretsch 5022 jumbo Rancher, which I found to be a little lacking in mid-range tone, and the Epiphone EJ200 CE which was a little too heavy in the mid-range.
Looking through the offerings from Thomann, I came across the Harley Benton Custom Line King CE, that looked amazing and was around half the price of both the Gretsch and Epiphone.
It clearly takes styling cues from the Epiphone, with the flower pickguard and moustache bridge, but maintains it's own identity with a modified body shape and much shallower and under-stated cutaway which I prefer.
Taking the plunge, I ordered the guitar in vintage sunburst finish, not expecting it to live up to the on-line pictures! When it arrived - WOW!!! It looks fantastic and the sound was perfect acoustically - nice articulation between strings, action nicely set and a nice medium profile neck that makes it very easy to play. The fretwork is good with no sharp edges.
I particularly like the high ratio Grover tuners which maintain tuning stability.
As the guitar is fitted with the Fishman Isys+ pre-amp and under saddle transducer as used on the Gretsch, I fully expected them to sound similar amplified.
I found it sounded best using the auxiliary input on the PA which means using the guitars on-board eq to shape the sound. It sounds absolutely FANTASTIC, exactly the sound I was looking for!
Tuners can be a bit hit and miss generally, but this guitar is perfectly in tune when using the onboard tuner.
You have to look hard to find any imperfections on this guitar, but at this price they aren't worth mentioning. This is a serious bargain - grab one! You won't be disappointed!
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AJ
My first real guitar - couldn't be happier!
First of all, I'd like to point out that I lack experience with buying guitars, as this was my first real (half)acoustic guitar that I bought. That being said, I'm more than happy with my purchase. I have played some guitar on and off for years, and I'm probably an average/below average player. When I bought this guitar, it was because I needed one as I was becoming a music teacher for elementary school. At the same time, it needed to look good in the living room, as I had no other place to put it.
Some general points that I'd like to make are:
* The guitar looks fantastic. There are so many details that simply makes this guitar beautiful piece of art.
* Great quality. It feels and seems like great quality in every aspect. There are no negative points to make here.
* Enjoyable. And yes, probably the most important part, it's fun to play!
* Great value for the price.
Lastly, if you are- like me looking for a guitar that can act as a furniture in the living room, this is it. This guitar can harmonizes very well in most homes.
All in all, I'm very pleased. A fantastic purchase!
Some general points that I'd like to make are:
* The guitar looks fantastic. There are so many details that simply makes this guitar beautiful piece of art.
* Great quality. It feels and seems like great quality in every aspect. There are no negative points to make here.
* Enjoyable. And yes, probably the most important part, it's fun to play!
* Great value for the price.
Lastly, if you are- like me looking for a guitar that can act as a furniture in the living room, this is it. This guitar can harmonizes very well in most homes.
All in all, I'm very pleased. A fantastic purchase!
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CC
Fantastic acoustic
I bought this on the back of borrowing a friends J-200, unbelievable tone for such a budget friendly guitar.
my only "complaint" is the body is slightly thinner than a J-200 so has a little bit less bass, though I still have the stock strings on for now, hopefully some fresh earthwood 12s will bring some deeper tones out.
plugged in the tone is fine, the built in EQ works wonders and handles performance level feedback great. the EQ fattening up the tone with the natural tone of the guitar still present.
my only "complaint" is the body is slightly thinner than a J-200 so has a little bit less bass, though I still have the stock strings on for now, hopefully some fresh earthwood 12s will bring some deeper tones out.
plugged in the tone is fine, the built in EQ works wonders and handles performance level feedback great. the EQ fattening up the tone with the natural tone of the guitar still present.
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LV
WOW!
I am going to be 100% honest, I was completely blown away by this guitar. I did my due research on this guitar because lets be honest “a Jumbo style guitar for under 300$ U.S” definitely brings some concerns.
To Start off the Finish is perfect , I really dont look that deep into finishes because I play my guitars a lot and they will get dinged and scratched as times goes by so no issues in that department. The strings are very high quality , seems like they are D’addario from the sound of them. The action is perfect aswell I dont know if I got lucky but the guitar plays great. Lastly the most important of all the “Sound” ived never owned a Jumbo before so I was blown , I literally strummed as hard as I could and the guitar kept giving me such a beautiful sound.
I really dont know how Harley Benton is producing these amazing guitars for this price but I thank you from my heart because I got everything I wanted and more. I will definitely purchase another guitar in the future and if anybody has any doubts about purchasing this guitar please don’t hesitate it is a steal!
Thankful customer from Texas.
To Start off the Finish is perfect , I really dont look that deep into finishes because I play my guitars a lot and they will get dinged and scratched as times goes by so no issues in that department. The strings are very high quality , seems like they are D’addario from the sound of them. The action is perfect aswell I dont know if I got lucky but the guitar plays great. Lastly the most important of all the “Sound” ived never owned a Jumbo before so I was blown , I literally strummed as hard as I could and the guitar kept giving me such a beautiful sound.
I really dont know how Harley Benton is producing these amazing guitars for this price but I thank you from my heart because I got everything I wanted and more. I will definitely purchase another guitar in the future and if anybody has any doubts about purchasing this guitar please don’t hesitate it is a steal!
Thankful customer from Texas.
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G
Excellent attention to build and finish.
I was a woodworker for many years and I am familiar with different types of joinery, choices of wood, cuttting and gluing tolerances of less than 5/1000 of an inch, the perloid inlays on the fretboard are set perfectly. Upon close inspection this guitar is almost flawless, this guitar left the factory with all of it's quality control measures firing on all cylanders. The action was too low, on inspection the saddle may need some adjusting, the 1st and 2nd string hang a tiny bit lower or higher than they should and do not match the radius or curvature of the other strings. I will contact Thomann for advice or a new saddle.
The size and feel of this jumbo is a little bit smaller and more comfortable than some I have tried. I am a senior [75 yrs] played many types of guitars, mostly classical, for 60 yrs, I am 5' 7'' and 165 lbs with smallish hands so this was a bit of a risk taking on this large a guitar at my age. It sits well on my lap and standing with a strap fitted high on my chest lets my strumb and finger pick with ease. The tones produced by the body chamber are very rewarding, grover tuners, fishman pre-amp with tuner/phaser, upgraded D'Addario strings and solid wood top, excellent poly finish etc, etc... the mustache bridge reminds us of a mostly unafordable guitar that this Harley Benton seems to match by many standards. I recommend this guitar.
Four weeks later: changed the nut, saddle and string pins with special order bone products, cleaned the fretboard and changed strings to D'Addario 10's. The new saddle fixed the radius problem, lighter strings easier for me to play, gently filed and lubricated new nut and the bone pins seemed to add a new brighter sound. Very pleased with this simple upgrade.
The size and feel of this jumbo is a little bit smaller and more comfortable than some I have tried. I am a senior [75 yrs] played many types of guitars, mostly classical, for 60 yrs, I am 5' 7'' and 165 lbs with smallish hands so this was a bit of a risk taking on this large a guitar at my age. It sits well on my lap and standing with a strap fitted high on my chest lets my strumb and finger pick with ease. The tones produced by the body chamber are very rewarding, grover tuners, fishman pre-amp with tuner/phaser, upgraded D'Addario strings and solid wood top, excellent poly finish etc, etc... the mustache bridge reminds us of a mostly unafordable guitar that this Harley Benton seems to match by many standards. I recommend this guitar.
Four weeks later: changed the nut, saddle and string pins with special order bone products, cleaned the fretboard and changed strings to D'Addario 10's. The new saddle fixed the radius problem, lighter strings easier for me to play, gently filed and lubricated new nut and the bone pins seemed to add a new brighter sound. Very pleased with this simple upgrade.
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M
Unbelievable
Well I cant say enough about this guitar, straight out of the box it played like it was an old fitted glove ( its an English expression ) I didn't expect this to be honest so after a little setting up to suite my taste it was even better. I had the pleasure of playing a friends Gibson Jumbo a few months ago and although it does not quite have the ring and full on sound of the Gibson, it didn't disappoint and at this price its just crazy. This is the 5th Harley Benton guitar I have bought in around 6 months and I have been delighted with each one of them, so now I cant wait for the next one to arrive just after the Xmas break....thank you wifey for my present....
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P
Awesome
Awesome sound, awesome price, awesome overall beauty.
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L
9.5 out of 10
Everything is perfect except for the dodgy tuner and that horrible pick guard,which i removed instantly.Sounds awesome plays great.comes with high action and needs trussrod love plus 50 gauge is too thick for that quality of nut,it was tough to barre on high E and B strings so either tune down like i do (to C standard) or put lighter gauge strings.NO flaws on mine very impressed
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K&
For a Jumbo (J-200) copy , it does the job!
Unless you have 10 times as much to spend on an original Gibson baby...well this would do the job nicely. No complaints on performance levels when there is noise around...(band noise), but it feels poor when you need to cut through the mix. For the price is perfect !
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