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Harley Dav..err Benton Jazz


tom1946
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[attachment=155634:P1030690.JPG]


Well the PJHTR5 turned up today. Box was open but bass was still inside!

First thoughts, it was out of tune....! Actually it was heavier than anticipated so some decent sustain and like others (and I use tapewound flats) the strings felt a bit alien but were OK. Quite a lot of neck relief so I took the bull by the horns and wound on a full turn as the truss rod seemed quite loose and it's brought it all down to a lower level with no buzzes. Result!
Sounds are really good for such a cheapy, as having only played Jazzes till recently, the staggered PBass pickup gives a different sound. Incidentally it has a bigger pickup on the treble side than the Bass side to cover the 5 strings.
My only gripe are the strap buttons, they are those horrible inverted cone ones so I will swap them out for more rounded ones sometime.
Oh, and if I'm being really picky the slabs of wood are not that well matched as the colour is quite translucent and you can see if you look closely, but it cost me less than £90....!

Edited by yorks5stringer
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By inverted cone straplocks, do you mean something like this:



I was quite surprised to see you mention 'inverted cone straplocks' as all my basses have more or less the same design and I was quite surprised to find that there were many and varied different designs when I did [url=http://img1.buyincoins.com/gallery/guitar-bass-strap-lock-02-01.jpg]a quick google image search on strap locks[/url]. What type do you recommend?

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1392791348' post='2372698']
By inverted cone straplocks, do you mean something like this:



I was quite surprised to see you mention 'inverted cone straplocks' as all my basses have more or less the same design and I was quite surprised to find that there were many and varied different designs when I did [url="http://img1.buyincoins.com/gallery/guitar-bass-strap-lock-02-01.jpg"]a quick google image search on strap locks[/url]. What type do you recommend?
[/quote]

Really weird because as I did some online research to get some more rounded ones, all I could find was the inverted cone ones too...! Mine have very thin edges whereas on other Basses I have had in the past they have been more rounded, like a button. Needless to say my Warwick came with their straplocks as standard and I have straplocks on the old Kbass too.

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I don't want to derail the thread, but there are many and varied straplocks. E.g.

http://www.bandshop.co.uk/Ernie-Ball-Straplock-Chrome-p/BS-EB4600.htm?gclid=CMO8363417wCFRDLtAodVywAgA

I would assume that some of these unscrew and re-screw to attach the strap. But, for the Harley Benton, you mention 'thin ones' What are these like? Could you post a picture of your Harley Benton's straplocks?

My Rockbass has strap buttons that look like the ones in the photo above, and I thought it had the same hardware as the Warwick Streamers. Are your Warwick's strap locks/buttons significantly different?

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Well I seem to have stirred up a hornets nest re the strap buttons...here they are:

[attachment=155666:P1030696.JPG]


On reflection they are not as bad as I thought but I prefer these, as they are more a traditional shape and to my eye suit it better:

[attachment=155667:$(KGrHqIOKnUE3ZOUKty-BN5yyGr1gQ~~_12.jpg]


When it's all said and done, this is a £90 Bass and I may be being a little CDO about it......

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Over on the J&D Jazz Bass thread, people are mentioning swapping out the pickguards to get something better looking. The HB's seem to come with impressive looking pickguards already.

It's a bit annoying that the fretless model has pretty much the same finish, but no pickguard.



I know that gives it the 'Jaco' vibe (if not make it an absolute copy), but even so it's a bit disappointing.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1392808071' post='2372899']
Well I seem to have stirred up a hornets nest re the strap buttons...here they are:

On reflection they are not as bad as I thought but I prefer these, as they are more a traditional shape and to my eye suit it better:


When it's all said and done, this is a £90 Bass and I may be being a little CDO about it......
[/quote]

I see what you mean by the round shape. I'm tempted to put better strap buttons or locks on my hack bass. But, that's a topic for repairs/technical, not here.

Edited by Annoying Twit
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[quote name='goingdownslow' timestamp='1392818227' post='2373042']
Not for playing, for decoration only... [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_jb_20_sb_standard_seri_deko.htm"]A Jazz Bass for £31.34[/url]

Edit - Now sold out. Not surprised at that price, must have been worth it for the parts alone.
[/quote]

They have lots of 'decoration only' basses (and I'd guess other instruments as well) for sale. A while ago one of the 1975 Jazz basses came up, which of course has Wilkinson hardware as in the bass which is the topic of this thread. I could imagine someone who owns a Squier Affinity bass buying that and making a single bass out of the two.

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Right, time to fess up. The HB I bought a week ago has gone back to Thomann. It was a B Stock one and although cheaper than A Stock it came not with the "traces of use" I expected but 2 deep dints on the back and one on the front arm contour.
[attachment=156365:P1030693.JPG]
[attachment=156364:P1030692.JPG]


The outer box was not damaged but the inner box had the poly neck rest broken and the poly padding for the headstock and strap button had moved too. After me sending a load of photos, they agreed after some persuasion they would take it back at their expense, not mine. At first they said it was B Stock, your problem, I said the damage was more than "traces of use" to quote their description.

Roll on a week and my new A Stock one arrived. Again outer box was undamaged but the inner box had impact damage whenre the bass had moved. The neck rest support was again broken away and the headstock had sustained an impact, end on[attachment=156367:P1030709.JPG].
[attachment=156368:P1030710.JPG]
[attachment=156366:P1030714.JPG]

Thing is, this one is lighter than the last and although the action will need a bit more tweaking still it a nice Bass. Am currently negotiating a further discount.

Anyway what I'm flagging up is that I've had 2 of these Basses, where the external carton does not look as if its sustained an impact, but the internal cartons were both quite mashed up. here's the side of the second basses carton where the Tuners have ripped its sides
[attachment=156369:P1030712.JPG]
It does make me wonder if these were damaged before being sent out?
I'll do an update once Thomann get back to me.

Edited by yorks5stringer
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[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1393489250' post='2380790']
You might reduce some of that headstock dent by steaming it out (damp cloth, warm iron job). I hope you get a bit of a discount for that!
[/quote]
It's unlikely you'll be able to steam out a dink from end grain Maple. Often you have to just rub it back and refinish. Worth a crack though I'm sure.

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Yes, I thought I'd try steaming it but the grain is pretty tight there so it may end ( geddit) up with a headstock reshape and home refinish ( I have a satin spray can).

I can report after some further negotiation I got 30 euros off (£25 ish) a £100 Bass!

Equally, it's now nicely on the way to being road worn and is my " beater bass" so may just leave it!!

Reckon I may have just been unlucky and thankfully my Warwick Star Bass came packed in a similar box last year and was fine.

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Hi, yes! just.
Another perfectly finished HB. The only thing wrong is that the pickup wobbles a bit from side to side but it's getting changed anyway. Tuners don't seem as positive as the Jazz but that may be me anyway. It's also a bit lighter than the Jazz so that's good for me.

Neck has some posh figuring too, the whole thing feels great. the Wilko pickup is as loud and clear as the Squier 50s that I bought at the same time, quite articulate though the very bottom end is not quite as thumpy as I would personally like. All subjective and easy for me to fix with an SD that I have. :happy:

Action was very low out of the box and required minimal tweaking for me.
*Edit the tuners are fine now the strings (D Addarios btw) are settled.

So for 80 quid it's a no brainer

I recommend this bass, super value for money. You could part it out and make money on it :lol: B)

Edited by tom1946
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