Thomann selling Harley Benton basses as 'Decoration only'

[Annoying Twit]

I predict that you'll really like it.

[Annoying Twit]

Decoration only banjo, anyone? http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_bj_65pro_6_string_banj_deko.htm

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1420501466' post='2650174']
Decoration only banjo, anyone? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_bj_65pro_6_string_banj_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...g_banj_deko.htm[/url]
[/quote]

That's a bit more of a punt at £98...?

[UglyDog]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1420235870' post='2647116']
Good to see the forum functioning in a collaborative manner concerning UglyDog getting his deko bass. (I presume a jazzer).
[/quote]
It is indeed a Jazzer, or at least it will be once I get my grubby paws on it (last tracking update from yesterday was "The international shipment has been processed in the export parcel center", whatever that means).
There will be pics.

[pete.young]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1420501466' post='2650174']
Decoration only banjo, anyone? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_bj_65pro_6_string_banj_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...g_banj_deko.htm[/url]
[/quote]
I thought I'd get in first and say that all banjos should be decoration only :-)

This appears to be a much better instrument than the non-decoration model which costs 10 quid less - it has much nicer inlays and a better quality pot.

[planer]

[quote name='mr pablo' timestamp='1420236411' post='2647125']
I caved and ordered one of the black 4string fretted ones. It should be here soon[/quote]

That's what I bought, it's a nice thing, especially at the deko price. I can't decide if I like the brightness of the strings or not, but I've not played it enough to really know. That decision will make itself once we've spent some time together.

I found one 2mm imperfection in the finish, right on the end of the headstock, and the back of one of the tuners has a tiny scratch. Beyond that there's no difference from a 'new' one, and to be honest, if I'd bought this one for the new price I wouldn't be sending it back as 'damaged' or anything. I guess their major issue was that they are all labelled as 5 string fretless, and thankfully, mine isn't! It plays fine, there's no fret buzz that I can hear, though the action is a bit high at the moment.

The biggest surprise for me is the size of it - it's bloody enormous, especially against my Yam, which now feels like half a skateboard in comparison. It's definitely not as easy to play as the Yam either, mostly because of the size of the body (the bass, not mine).

So far, I'm loving the sound, it's plenty loud enough for solo practice, and probably loud enough to accompany an acoustic guitar. I'm away on a work course all next week, and I'm considering taking the acoustic instead of the Yam.

I'll bung up a pic later, when I'm at home.

[kodiakblair]

A fellow Harley Benton acoustic owner ( BK-35 NT ) is wondering about the strings supplied.

He's emailed Thomann asking what brand they are but no reply, Can anyone here help ?

Cheers KB

They are huge eh Planer

[Andyjr1515]

Got a 4 string fretted and a soprano sax - well pleased so far...I'll post a bit more detail when I get a moment

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1420581809' post='2651028']
Got a 4 string fretted and a soprano sax - well pleased so far...I'll post a bit more detail when I get a moment
[/quote]

I've seen the brass instruments, but I have no idea what the ins and outs of buying one is. The flute for £35 or thereabouts looked very cheap. Not that I'm going to buy one.

[planer]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1420576816' post='2650909']
They are huge eh Planer
[/quote]
Vast! I've just discovered mine has its own postcode.

[kodiakblair]

Absolutely brilliant description Planer

[pfretrock]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1420576816' post='2650909']
A fellow Harley Benton acoustic owner ( BK-35 NT ) is wondering about the strings supplied.
He's emailed Thomann asking what brand they are but no reply, Can anyone here help ?
[/quote]

I removed the bronze rounds from my DEKO fretted B-35NT 5iver after 1 day. Can't see me ever using them, he is welcome to them if any use

[DorsetBlue]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1420584340' post='2651068']
I've seen the brass instruments, but I have no idea what the ins and outs of buying one is. The flute for £35 or thereabouts looked very cheap. Not that I'm going to buy one.
[/quote]

As a brass player, I wouldn't mind a cheap - possibly a little battered but functional trumpet or flugel horn (only have a cornet at the moment), so I would be interested on the 'defects' that people are finding on the DEKO brass instruments too?

[kodiakblair]

pfretrock

Thanks for the offer. I think he's in Germany so I message him and see what he says.

There was a deko HBZ-2004 this morning for £59. In the time it took me to realise it was
only because it was £59 I was interested. 5 minutes tops.

Somebody else bought it first

[Andyjr1515]

Had a bit more time this evening. Interesting - my feedback is on two counts...the DEKO bit and the items as instruments in their own right.

First the DEKO bit:[list]
[*]The 4 string acoustic bass appears to only have 2 minor issues:
[list]
[*]A couple of indentations near the heel (pictured)
[*]The jack / XLR plate not quite fitted right (not pictured but fixable...though not bad enough for me to want to)
[/list]
[/list]



Other than those two very minor issues, I suspect the rest is as it would be at full price. At the DEKO price of £43 it must rank as the best value for money I have ever had for an instrument...

Ref the item itself:[list]
[*]It's the size of a small house
[*]The neck relief needed tightening 3/4 of a turn, but once done, the action went from too high to spot on
[*]Electrics work great and a very decent sound acoustically or through the amp with a surprisingly useful EQ range
[*]Really don't like the strings (but I don't like round-wounds in any case)
[/list]
The strings will cost nearly as much as the bass but still dashed good value...it's a lot of guitar and looks quite splendid in its gloss black

The Soprano sax. Again...DEKO issues first:[list]
[*]One of the corks was missing from the G# lever - this made a number of notes unplayable but (though you have to know what you are doing) was able to be fixed in about 10 minutes.
[/list]
That was it! Important - someone not in the know would be beggared - but eminently fixable.

So the sax as an instrument...it is Thomann's entry level soprano. Entry level soprano sax 's are notorious for being difficult to play in tune. This one isn't! I'm not a soprano player but even I can play the full range pitch perfect on it

It looks beautiful:






Things of note:[list]
[*]I couldn't get any note out with the supplied mouthpiece (that's not to say that nobody would be able to) but had a spare from my daughter's Yamaha one that played great
[*]The mouthpiece cork was a bit oversize but, again, easily fixed. It comes with both a curved and straight crook, by the way
[*]As above, the intonation is surprisingly good.
[*]Good sound
[*]Final point that might be me, but I can't reach the two bottom lowest notes - I play alto and tenor and don't have problems so it is definitely the design of the key placement...but it might be peculiar to all sopranos - when I get a chance I'll see if my daughter's good one is any better. Happily for what I play, I never use those notes but it would be a problem to anyone trying to progress up their grades.
[/list]
At full price, (around £200) there may be others that don't have the same key-stretch issue but at the DEKO price of £105, unbelievable!

Andy

Edited January 7, 2015 by Andyjr1515

[kodiakblair]

Andy

You won a watch there I think

The 2 D indentations are the marks saying it's failed the QC and so it won't get sold as B-stock.
Most of the dekos have them.

Very classy looking Sax.

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1420665119' post='2652018']


The 2 D indentations are the marks saying it's failed the QC and so it won't get sold as B-stock.
Most of the dekos have them.


[/quote]

Haha! I used to manage a quality department, too...never thought of that

In that case, it must be just the un-pictured jack-plug panel...very minor. It must mean their quality standards are pretty high even for economy ranges...

[DorsetBlue]

Andy,

Thanks for that info.

[UglyDog]

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1420539345' post='2650327']
It is indeed a Jazzer, or at least it will be once I get my grubby paws on it ([b]last tracking update from yesterday was "The international shipment has been processed in the export parcel center", whatever that means[/b]).
There will be pics.
[/quote]
And according to the tracker, it hasn't moved another inch since.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1420711584' post='2652329']
And according to the tracker, it hasn't moved another inch since.
[/quote]

My experience was that the tracking says that the instruments tend to hang around in Cologne for a while.

[UglyDog]

Yeah I'm probably just being impatient. In 30 years of playing this is only the third brand-new bass I've ever bought and the first ever by mail, so I'm dying to get my hands on it

[mr pablo]

Well my deko b-30 bk arrived today and here's my thoughts so far......The action is fine out the box (once it was tuned up) one tiny blemish on the top near the EQ section and a black mark on the binding at the soundhole, there are also a few loose fret ends on the treble side but tbh nowt that half an hour with some superglue and a clamp won't fix! The bronze strings that came on it are alright for now, not sure about what I'll put on maybe some nylons? Sounds pretty good acoustically and trough my amp oh and it's a 5 string fretless according to the label, So in all for £43 it's A fantastic wee (big) bass that'll come in handy I recon

Edit. Is it bad that I'm considering the 5 string fret less 😁

Edited January 8, 2015 by mr pablo

[pfretrock]

[quote name='mr pablo' timestamp='1420745403' post='2653009']
... there are also a few loose fret ends on the treble side but tbh nowt that half an hour with some superglue and a clamp won't fix! [/quote]

That's the problem with my fret 17 and will also be the solution. Have some ultra low viscosity super glue ready. If they are selling these for around 150 Euro and fail the factory QA, I guess its not economical to rectify and that may be why Thomann are selling off as Dekos. Can't see any other faults.

[quote]
The bronze strings that came on it are alright for now, not sure about what I'll put on maybe some nylons?[/quote]

Status flatwound nylons coated are inexpensive. Work well for me, but then I avoid all rounds.

[quote]
Edit. Is it bad that I'm considering the 5 string fret less [/quote]
Of course not.

[ubit]

why would anyone want an unplayable guitar as decoration? I suppose as has been said, restaurants and such might want them on the wall. Interestingly, I've seen some really cheap copies on walls trying to make out they are genuine guitars from famous people or at least allowing people to believe that's the case.

[ColinB]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1420793971' post='2653398']
why would anyone want an unplayable guitar as decoration? [/quote]

They don't. Thomann have to sell them as 'decoration' because if they sold an unplayable guitar as an instrument people would be in their consumer rights to return them.

This way Thomann get some cash for something they couldn't otherwise sell, and savvy customers get a guitar on the cheap that they can make playable. Win-Win.