Harley Benton D-120CE VS

I purchased one of the Harley Benton telecaster style guitars, specifically the TE-20MN, recently. I'd been quite sceptical of the hype around the brand, but having watched and read so many great reviews I decided to take a chance.

While making that purchase, I decided, on a whim -- to also purchase an acoustic guitar, this brought me to the D-120CE VS which I couldn't believe was £71...there has to be a catch, I thought. A telecaster for £79 and this wonderful looking acoustic for £71?

I'm not much of an acoustic player, owed a few over the years, had an Ibanez, a Yamaha, a Fender, they were good guitars and this absolutely is up there with any of them in terms of sound and playability. I did have to do a few minor things to get this guitar perfect but it only took half an hour of minor work and it was singing like a canary.

Here are my pros and cons, first the pros:

1. Gorgeous, really - the binding really stands out against the blacks and browns on the body, it's very nice. Also, the black finish is only on the top, the rest of the guitar is a really nice, deep brown wood/grain.

2. The tuners are better than I'd expect at this price point, they feel quite nice.

3. Big, deep dreadnaught so you get a really nice, booming sound from it -- really rich, deep bass tones.

4. The EQ control is actually better than expected, even came with a battery.

5. Sounds nice through an amp, actually a lot better than expected.

6. First guitar I ever bought where I didn't want to change the strings, they are smooth as butter.

Cons:

1. Some minor fret sprouting, this is more likely down to wood drying/shrinkage than craftsmanship or quality control and a really easy fix.

2. Frets a bit rough and scratchy, not a huge problem and to be expected, quick polish and they're bright as a button. They now feel really smooth to play and bend.

3. Fretboard was really dry. I realise some people like that but I like a nicely oiled fretboard. To be fair this is kind of expected and not a problem at all. I applied lemon oil and this thing sucked it up in seconds, so I applied another layer and that was enough. Really brightens this thing up and darkens that fingerboard, lovely!

So, to summarise - as a non-acoustic player and a newcomer to the Harley Benton brand I've been dealt a double-helping of having my mind blown in a very short space of time, it's very pleasant!

I love this guitar, I think I'll be playing a lot more acoustic stuff than I used to because it feels so nice to hold. It's a chunky, deep body so take me time to get used to but this is an absolute steal at this price.

Always a good test to hand my dad a guitar and let him have a guess at the price. He had the HB telecaster priced at £200-300 and this priced at about £200, didn't believe me when I told him how much they really cost - I had to show him the website!

Very happy with this - much obliged!

I bought this guitar during the lockdown to play on the odd occasion when I couldn't get out. The previous reviews were all very positive and the price exceptional so I thought what have I got to loose? Also purchase gig bag, strap and some plectrums. Delivery to the UK within 4 working days of order, brilliant! Now what about the guitar? Well it came fully set up, low action, a bit of fretbuzz on the A string but sorted that easily enough. Great tone, good looks, good finish exceptional value. Can't wait to try it through an acoustic amp. Will defo use for small intimate gigs! Five Stars all the way for me. Would recommend every time

I bought this guitar in 2014/2015 with my mom's credit card without her permission. Expecting the world's harshest scolding when a huge package arrived at my door, my mom looked at me with a stern look and said surprisingly softly: "You best play this every day." I nodded my head so hard I gave myself whiplash. I have always been so incredibly impatient so I couldn't even watch tutorials on how to play the guitar, and I self thought myself everything I know to date. This guitar has been through thick and thin. I even took it abroad to let my cousins play with it.

Usually, with the years that have gone by, the guitar should have lost good tonality and the sound should have slipped, but this guitar continuously sounds like golden droplets hitting water, every time it's played. I wrote my first hit song on this guitar and made so many memories, that I wouldn't trade it for anything else even if I was offered. This guitar is good for novices, beginners, professionals- the whole board.

Some blessings aren't always $1000+ dollars.

I got this guitar for 77? from Thomann, and overall for the money it's simply amazing. I mean 77? - electric-acoustic??

I bought it only as a spare to keep in my trunk if something goes wrong on a gig with my usual axe.

So, I am into guitars seriously, especially into acoustics. My style is heavily influenced by Mark Knopfler and Tommy Emmanuel, so dynamics/fingerpicking is in my main focus. I play all of that stuff on this one.

Also, I have several guitars, each one significantly more expensive that this one.

Don't expect perfection when you unpack it, but after some adjustments this guitar will play more than nice. You will need to sand/polish the frets with some sand paper, check some Youtube videos to get the idea. It took me around 2 hours. After that adjust action a little bit, get a pack of new strings and go make music!

This guitar sounds GOOD. Pickup could be better, but with some mixer adjustment you will get a fairly decent sound. Don't hesitate, you will be surprised...