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Thomann selling Harley Benton basses as 'Decoration only'

Annoying Twit

By Annoying Twit,
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Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1427972849' post='2736457']
Yes, mine had a QC hang tag dated late last year.
[/quote]

Mine says 11th of November 2014, passed by "Jack". What does yours say?

I'm wondering if the instruments that have been returned that are found to have been docked about with by the purchasers are the ones that become dekos. They passed quality control at one time, I presume. But why would mine have such high action if it had passed QC?

Edited by Annoying Twit
Vixivi Newbie

Vixivi

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1427991259' post='2736821']
Mine says 11th of November 2014, passed by "Jack". What does yours say?

I'm wondering if the instruments that have been returned that are found to have been docked about with by the purchasers are the ones that become dekos. They passed quality control at one time, I presume. But why would mine have such high action if it had passed QC?
[/quote]

A while ago i received a brand new harley benton B550 FL which also passed QC but the setup was terrible, the bass was unplayable out of the box.
When i took off the strings the nut fell out, nut also wasnt properly filed, trussrod was tightened waay to much making first few 'frets' unplayable, intonation was off, strings way to high,..

I couldn't make out who set it up, it was just some scribble signature on the paper. This was a brand new one, so i don't think their QC is that strict?

I have nothing against harley bentons tho, the last one (not deko) i received was setup perfectly. And the previous ones only needed slight adjustments.
But the B550-Fl was setup much worse than my fretless acoustic deko.

Vixivi Newbie

Vixivi

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I also have no idea how it got through QC, good thing i love tweaking with and setting up instruments tho. ;)

On a side note: the deko classical guitar i ordered a while back was setup just fine when i got it. Only some slight faults in the finish. But nothing that affected playability.

yorks5stringer Grand Master

yorks5stringer

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[quote name='Vixivi' timestamp='1427994027' post='2736874']
I also have no idea how it got through QC, good thing i love tweaking with and setting up instruments tho. ;)

On a side note: the deko classical guitar i ordered a while back was setup just fine when i got it. Only some slight faults in the finish. But nothing that affected playability.
[/quote]
+1

Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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[quote name='Wooks79' timestamp='1428057080' post='2737516']
randomly saw a Black SG Deko for £21 this morning. Would be rude not to try it.
[/quote]

Is that the S200? If so, it's a bolt on. The reviews are good, but I must admit to a personal prejudice that if I bought an SG guitar, I'd really want a set neck.

I've removed the neck from my PJ5, and have taped it up so that I can practice polishing frets on it. (Erm, my reason for purchasing it might just have been ... a cheap bass to practice 'stuff' on - sorry Deko fans). I do not believe that this is an alder body. It is a light coloured wood with very little visible grain. It looks very much like basswood.

Wooks79 Community Regular

Wooks79

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1428070308' post='2737739']
Is that the S200? If so, it's a bolt on. The reviews are good, but I must admit to a personal prejudice that if I bought an SG guitar, I'd really want a set neck.
[/quote]

Yeah the S200, but for £21, I'm not fussy as I'm no guitarist ;)

If it turns up and is nasty, like really is decorative at best, I'll pass it over to my SG playing guitarist to smash up if he likes...

Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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The reviews are good, and the sound clips sound convincing. It's just me being fussy. Congratulations on the purchase, I hope it arrives quicker than mine did! :)

EDIT:

For my own bass, I'm not convinced that this is alder.

Edited by Annoying Twit
yorks5stringer Grand Master

yorks5stringer

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1428071750' post='2737776']
The reviews are good, and the sound clips sound convincing. It's just me being fussy. Congratulations on the purchase, I hope it arrives quicker than mine did! :)

EDIT:

For my own bass, I'm not convinced that this is alder.


[/quote]

Mine weighed a ton which was why I thought it may be Alder rather than Basswood, but it was over a year ago and they may have changed woods. Actually remembering the first one I got was a B Stock and was heavier, I then sent it back and got an A stock which was lighter...but I think that was just individual variance

Edited by yorks5stringer
yorks5stringer Grand Master

yorks5stringer

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1427991259' post='2736821']
Mine says 11th of November 2014, passed by "Jack". What does yours say?

I'm wondering if the instruments that have been returned that are found to have been docked about with by the purchasers are the ones that become dekos. They passed quality control at one time, I presume. But why would mine have such high action if it had passed QC?
[/quote]

Mine got wrapped up and is en route to Malta so can't remember who QC'd it, it could have been Jack too, but he may not be happy....

Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1428074921' post='2737837']
Mine weighed a ton which was why I thought it may be Alder rather than Basswood, but it was over a year ago and they may have changed woods. Actually remembering the first one I got was a B Stock and was heavier, I then sent it back and got an A stock which was lighter...but I think that was just individual variance
[/quote]

Mine feels reasonably light for a fiver. It's not as light as one cheap bass that I've encountered which I suspect was Pawlownia. But, I don't think anyone would think this heavy for a five string.

Wooks79 Community Regular

Wooks79

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1427991259' post='2736821']
Mine says 11th of November 2014, passed by "Jack". What does yours say?
[/quote]

Mine is "Jack" as well.

Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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Deko LH acoustic bass sold for £87!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Harley-Benton-Electro-Acoustic-Bass-Guitar-Left-Handed-/131472342122?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9c5cbc6a&nma=true&si=2TlSpK28TZJYBigw1V%252Fjws4ZqDo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

kodiakblair Veteran

kodiakblair

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Looking at his past feedback simon020166 has been selling an awful lot of Harley Bentons.

I counted 3 LH acoustic basses all sold for £87.

I think you've unearthed who's buying up the "dekos" AT,or at least some of them ;)

I zoomed in on the neck pocket,what makes you think it's not alder ?

http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/red-alder/

http://www.kneguitars.com/woods.php

Edited by kodiakblair
Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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@KB - there's almost no grain there. Comparing your samples to my natural Yamaha Pacifica (made from five different bits of alder with varying grain :) ) they look much more like your samples than the wood I saw in the neck pocket of my PJ5. This sample of basswood looks a much better match to my bass:



I used a high powered light to examine the grain in the main guitar body, and there's not very much there. What is there looks like basswood to me. Alder instruments I've seen have had more grain, and different looking grain. E.g. more similar to your second wood grain example in particular.

yorks5stringer Grand Master

yorks5stringer

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1428089910' post='2738053']
Deko LH acoustic bass sold for £87!

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Harley-Benton-Electro-Acoustic-Bass-Guitar-Left-Handed-/131472342122?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9c5cbc6a&nma=true&si=2TlSpK28TZJYBigw1V%252Fjws4ZqDo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=p2047675.l2557[/url]
[/quote]

Ah, yes I remember him. I see he's still using the "German Engineered" misnomer. When I contacted him he would not admit they were B Stocks he was buying in and was emailing me into the early hours with abuse....!

Maude Grand Master

Maude

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That seller has been knocking out Dekos for a while.
I was looking for a cheap P bass for a project and was going to get an HB, then I saw he was selling them cheaper than the Thomann retail price and he's just down the road so no postage,couldn't understand how until this thread came along.

Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1428099359' post='2738172'] Ah, yes I remember him. I see he's still using the "German Engineered" misnomer. When I contacted him he would not admit they were B Stocks he was buying in and was emailing me into the early hours with abuse....! [/quote]

That guy! I remember him now that you point it out! I sent him a message and got a very strange stream of consciousness reply from him.

Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_e_35_bk_vintage_series_deko.htm?sid=dd8f56911636cb339ddd417af2e1feb7"]http://www.thomann.d...ddd417af2e1feb7[/url]

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_d_120ce_nt_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...0ce_nt_deko.htm[/url]

EDIT: Gone in seconds again.

Edited by Annoying Twit
Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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Baritone guitar deko. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_mr_63bk_baritone_vintage_serie.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...ntage_serie.htm[/url]

EDIT: Baritone still available, at £64 something.

Someone made their own baritone guitar out of a HB Beatles Bass.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmrHoele130&spfreload=10[/media]

Edited by Annoying Twit
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Annoying Twit

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[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_pb_20_bk_standard_seri_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...d_seri_deko.htm[/url]

P-Bass Deko. Also, some others.

EDIT: Some guitars including a LP copy and a 'Vintage strat', but they disappeared quickly. P-Bass still there. £19 I think.

EDIT: P-bass gone.

Edited by Annoying Twit

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