Harley Benton bass owners - honest opinions?

[alembic1989]

I'm a fan. I own a HBB 600 6 're....and its a cracking bass..all the tones are useable, playability is great..when I bought it I paid £120 to my door. I have owned several exotic / boutique 6 ers....they've all gone..still have my Harley, and I'm not looking for another 6 ' er

[Woodinblack]

I have the 4 string Jazz bass version, and it is fine. I ahve played it live and it sounded pretty damn good. The only thing I really have against it is the weight. The neck on mine is fine as it is the one I took to learn how to set bass necks up, so it is pretty good.

[discreet]

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1415737014' post='2603286']
My Warwick Corvette is so heavy that, if I leave it out of its case for too long then it's gravitational field actually starts to create a tiny black hole in the air above it up near the ceiling!
[/quote]

Next time you buy some drugs, can you get me some, too..?

[tom1946]

[Painy]

Sounds like it's probably worth a punt for the money then especially as the scratch plate can just be sanded back to white. If the snob in me rears it's head I can always remove the HB logo easily enough too and maybe even reshape the headstock a little!
Just remembered I have an electro acoustic bass kicking around which never gets used too, so if I can sell that to speed things up a bit money wise I reckon I'll give one of these a go and if it's no good it can go back and I can put the money towards saving for a Squire VM precision V instead

Thanks everyone for helping me give in to my GAS!

[kodiakblair]

I own 3 HB,never had any problems with any of them. Damn good value and good basses.

[Hugh971]

I have the 75 Jazz in natural with a maple board. It's a great bass for any money, the fretwork is great on mine. I've got the neck pretty much straight and the action very low and it's very comfortable to play.

It's not the lightest bass in the world but jazz basses aren't. I'm considering replacing the pickups on mine but the stock ones are pretty good. I did shield the cavities on mine to minimise the buzz that's common with single coil jazzes.

[Painy]

Well given all the positive feedback from happy HB owners I've decided to pull the trigger. Sold my acoustic today so gonna be placing an order with Thomann tomorrow 😃! Expect a NBD thread shortly...

[James Nada]

Has anyone had experience with one of the hollow body (or semi hollow bodied) Harley Bentons?
Im taking a keen interest in the Beatbass - (Mccartney Violin bass).

[goblin]

I've got my Harley 5 fretless acoustic. Sounds nice, but doesn't really project. Never really tried the preamp, I just leave it flat if I'm plugged in and let the MXR deal with it. My only real gripe, is that the fret dots on the side, are 50/50 in accuracy. So up to the 12th position, they're either where they should be on a fretless, or where they should be on a fretted, and then after that, with no warning at all, they swap.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='James Nada' timestamp='1416681622' post='2612645']
Has anyone had experience with one of the hollow body (or semi hollow bodied) Harley Bentons?
Im taking a keen interest in the Beatbass - (Mccartney Violin bass).
[/quote]

The reviews on their site seem quite good. But the first one says that the Harley Benton is near identical to the Epiphone. This worries me, as the only violin bass I've tried was an Epiphone, and I didn't like it at all. I thought it didn't play well, high action and buzzing. It could have been that I played a singular poor example. I've played a Warwick Rockbass Alien that was even worse, and those get good reviews.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Annoying Twit

[Tweedledum]

I own a [url=http://www.thomann.de/de/harley_benton_pb_50_sb_vintage_series.htm?offid=1&affid=1&subid=307763&subid2=Harley+Benton+PB-50+SB+Vintage+Series&origin=boost&gclid=CIS-tNuhlcICFcKPMgodox0ABw]PB-50[/url] and I must say it's a fine bass. Fit and finish are more than just acceptable, no sharp edges at the frets, it plays well, and sound good. The only flaw I found when I first laid a hand on it was a slightly tilted pickup: the screws were not set in at a right angle - easy to fix.
Another downside - especially for a "serious gigging musician" - is the weight: 4295 Gramms is not brutal, but probably more than what you want to hang around your neck during a 2 hour show.

Anyway, if I was in the market for a 5-string P, I'd rather go for the Squier VM, because IMO it just looks better. The build quality is on the same level.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Tweedledum

[mcnach]

[quote name='Tweedledum' timestamp='1416901557' post='2614753']
I own a [url="http://www.thomann.de/de/harley_benton_pb_50_sb_vintage_series.htm?offid=1&affid=1&subid=307763&subid2=Harley+Benton+PB-50+SB+Vintage+Series&origin=boost&gclid=CIS-tNuhlcICFcKPMgodox0ABw"]PB-50[/url] and I must say it's a fine bass. Fit and finish are more than just acceptable, no sharp edges at the frets, it plays well, and sound good. The only flaw I found when I first laid a hand on it was a slightly tilted pickup: the screws were not set in at a right angle - easy to fix.
Another downside - especially for a "serious gigging musician" - is the weight: 4295 Gramms is not brutal, but probably more than what you want to hang around your neck during a 2 hour show.

Anyway, if I was in the market for a 5-string P, I'd rather go for the Squier VM, because IMO it just looks better. The build quality is on the same level.
[/quote]

That PB50 is pretty! Even if it needed a bit of love to set it up, at that price, it looks like a very interesting instrument.
There's been no better day than today for those of us who like cheap basses to fiddle with.

What does it look like under the pickguard? Any pics?

[Tweedledum]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1416906481' post='2614803']
What does it look like under the pickguard? Any pics?
[/quote]

Looks exactly like the rest of the body. No pics yet, except the one I took right after I unboxed it:



I'll take some more detailed shots tonight.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Tweedledum

[Musky]

[quote name='James Nada' timestamp='1416681622' post='2612645']
Has anyone had experience with one of the hollow body (or semi hollow bodied) Harley Bentons?
Im taking a keen interest in the Beatbass - (Mccartney Violin bass).
[/quote]
I seem to recall that they were flavour of the month on here (or one of this forum's previous incarnations) several years back. Not tried one myself but those that did seemed happy with it for the price.

[Painy]

[quote name='Tweedledum' timestamp='1416901557' post='2614753']

Anyway, if I was in the market for a 5-string P, I'd rather go for the Squier VM, because IMO it just looks better. The build quality is on the same level.
[/quote]

I did look at the Squire and it does look much better visually but at nearly 2.5 times the price. My plan is to modify the bass to look more like a Fender - mainly reshaping the headstock but also changing the fugly pickguard. The bridge j pup also gives me more options.

Very reassuring to hear you'd say you'd rate the HB build quality as on a par with the VM Squires though as they do seem very well liked bases on here

[Tweedledum]

[quote name='Tweedledum' timestamp='1416908035' post='2614814']
I'll take some more detailed shots tonight.
[/quote]

As promised:


body w/o PG


high mass bridge


headstock front


headstock back


body back


glued-on maple fretboard


electronics

[mcnach]

That is a beauty!

[streather]

I pulled the trigger on one of their 5 string fretless basses, plays pretty nicely for such a budget instrument, sounds pretty good, colour me properly impressed.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Tweedledum' timestamp='1416931797' post='2615185']
As promised:


body w/o PG


high mass bridge


headstock front


headstock back


body back


glued-on maple fretboard


electronics
[/quote]


I keep looking at it and I'm so tempted to buy one... the thing is I don't need one, and I already have the Squier CV50 in butterscotch/maple... I don't need this!!!
But what a beauty!
Ok, close the Basschat window, Jose... walk away calmly...

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='streather' timestamp='1417060925' post='2616704']
I pulled the trigger on one of their 5 string fretless basses, plays pretty nicely for such a budget instrument, sounds pretty good, colour me properly impressed.
[/quote]

Which model do you have? Solid body or acoustic? If the 'progressive' bass, is it the older or newer model?

Edited November 27, 2014 by Annoying Twit

[streather]

[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1417083681' post='2616848']
Which model do you have? Solid body or acoustic? If the 'progressive' bass, is it the older or newer model?
[/quote][/font][/size]

[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]It was the B-550FL progressive, not sure if it's the older or newer model though, I bought it in september if that's much help.

I'd have bought the fretted version but I absolutely hated the way the fret markers looked in the photos, and i figured I can scratch the 5 string and the fretless itches in one go[/font][/size]

Edited December 3, 2014 by streather

[miles'tone]

[quote name='streather' timestamp='1417566014' post='2621928']
[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][/font][/size]

[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]It was the B-550FL progressive, not sure if it's the older or newer model though, I bought it in september if that's much help.

I'd have bought the fretted version but I absolutely hated the way the fret markers looked in the photos, and i figured I can scratch the 5 string and the fretless itches in one go[/font][/size]
[/quote]

You've got the new one, they're not long out actually.
I know this because I've been up half the night gassing over them after discovering them yesterday!
I have to get one - not only is the price so right but I think they look really cool, a lovely shaped bass. Always wanted an all black, unlined 5er fretless.
What's the weight like? I know the american ash HB basses are a bit weighty but these are alder so I'm hoping they might not be too heavy.

Congrats on your nice score Mate!

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='streather' timestamp='1417566014' post='2621928']
[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]It was the B-550FL progressive, not sure if it's the older or newer model though, I bought it in september if that's much help.

I'd have bought the fretted version but I absolutely hated the way the fret markers looked in the photos, and i figured I can scratch the 5 string and the fretless itches in one go[/font][/size]
[/quote]

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the B-550. I saw a review of the fretted version that wasn't so good. Can't find it now, but I found this sound review that sounds much better.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxYlh2us7ow[/media]

Edit: This is the review I didn't like the sound of. Basic bass sound is OK, but I find the buzzing off-putting.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnspmhYvG60[/media]

Edited December 3, 2014 by Annoying Twit

[Tweedledum]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1417080501' post='2616810']
I keep looking at it and I'm so tempted to buy one... the thing is I don't need one, and I already have the Squier CV50 in butterscotch/maple... I don't need this!!!
But what a beauty!
Ok, close the Basschat window, Jose... walk away calmly...
[/quote]

That wood grain is just a pretty wallpaper. There's a basswood body underneath. Pretty all the same.
Although I must admit I stripped mine. It's going to get a Gold finish this weekend...

Edited December 5, 2014 by Tweedledum