discreet Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) [b]NGD - Harley Benton ST-20 CA Standard *Audio*[/b] [url="http://www.mediafire.com/listen/r2f62w5ychc938r/Guitar_BC.wav"][b]Blues in E[/b][/url] Audio clip of the HB... please be aware that I haven't played guitar for about twenty years, and it shows! ____________________________________________________________________________________ As it's that time of year when the bloody band are away on holiday for what always seems to be about three months, I thought I'd treat myself to a guitar, thinking it would be good for laying down guide tracks and general aimless noodling... and it's always handy to have a six-string lying around the place. Isn't it? I haven't bought new guitar for a long time and after a bit of research (and not wanting to spend a fortune) I ordered this HB Strat copy from Thomann. It's a nice thing, well-made and put together. The neck joint is super-tight! The CAR finish is classy! Obviously some time had been spent with it before it left the factory, as the guitar was pretty much set-up out of the box and was very playable. Of course being an inveterate fiddler (fnarr) I put some new D'Addario nickel wounds on it and lowered the action, putting a tiny smidge of Vaseline on bridge and nut in the process (mainly to stop the wammy-bar from creaking and pinging) and we're off. What can I say? It's a nice thing, sounds good and plays well. I really don't see how they can be sold for £56 though. I have a nasty suspicion that we in the west enjoy products at these prices at the expense of some poor bastard who's not having such a great time of it in the far east. But that's for another thread... anyway, a few pics: I thank you! Edited June 24, 2015 by discreet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) That looks really good, nice maple neck. [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1435148713' post='2805926'] I really don't see how they can be sold for £56 though... [/quote] Not sure how much of their pricing is down to their size... I'm sure this must have been posted before but they are a massive organisation and an extremely efficient operation, most of the stuff comes straight in and leaves without even being unpacked.. [media]http://youtu.be/jJZ2V5c8WaM[/media] *can't seem to imbed this video for some reason... Edited June 24, 2015 by CamdenRob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) The maple neck [i]is[/i] really nice, it has good figuring on the headstock and fretboard and some very nice flaming on the back... which I didn't get round to taking pictures of, d'oh. I toyed with the idea of getting a replacement 'F' neck for it, but that way lies madness. I'm going to leave it. It seems to be unfinished too, which obviously is a cost-cutting exercise, but I like it. That Thomann vid is very interesting... I wonder how many miles a day those small-order pickers walk! Edited June 24, 2015 by discreet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) ah it seems to have worked for you... it's quite striking how few people seem to be walking around, so much of it is automated. Anyway sorry this is an NGD thread not a thread about Thomanns distribution... Edited June 24, 2015 by CamdenRob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1435150118' post='2805940'] Anyway sorry this is an NGD thread not a thread about Thomanns distribution... [/quote] I don't mind at all - in fact I'm notorious for derailment and digression myself, so it's just and proper, really. [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1435150118' post='2805940'] ah it seems to have worked for you... [/quote] Just remove the 's' from 'https' - Basschat's software doesn't like it, for some reason. Edited June 24, 2015 by discreet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1435150506' post='2805943'] Just remove the 's' from 'https' - Basschat's software doesn't like it, for some reason. [/quote] ah there we go working now... wonder how I've never noticed that before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_sub Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 looks nice! talk about diminishing returns, when comparing this to £1k fender strat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 [quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1435229965' post='2806694'] looks nice! talk about diminishing returns, when comparing this to £1k fender strat... [/quote] Thanks - I'm sure you're right, though I've never played a £1K Fender Strat. I've played some pretty expensive basses though and even owned one or two, but there's nothing I can do on them that I can't do on a decent Squier... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 That does look nice - the headstock appears to have some kind of satin finish on it, rather than being bare wood, though it's hard to tell from a small photo for sure. Differences between budget instruments and MIA Fender: the US instrument should have carefully selected timbers, much better hardware, a thinner finish, better pickups and electronics and be more consistently good in the customers hands. *Should have those things*. Some people find the instrument makes a big difference, while others barely notice. Some cheap guitars can still be excellent players, and hopefully this one will be great for you - HNGD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 [quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1435229965' post='2806694'] looks nice! talk about diminishing returns, when comparing this to £1k fender strat... [/quote] And I'm sure my Custom Shop Strat is 44 times better than that HB... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 Happy NBD. It's good to see inexpensive instruments with maple fretboards. It really distinguishes them from all the cookie cutter inexpensive strats with rosewood boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_sub Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 (edited) [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1435332490' post='2807837'] And I'm sure my Custom Shop Strat is 44 times better than that HB... [/quote] I did mean that the HB looks to be absolutely incredible value for money, and cost differences between it and MIA instruments simply cannot be reflective of instruments' actual playability :-) I don't meant to side-track the thread, HNGD! Edited June 28, 2015 by roman_sub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 [quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1435484843' post='2809123'] I don't meant to side-track the thread, HNGD! [/quote] Side-track away, I'm all for threads going off in weird directions. SPATULA!! There, I've said it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 [quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1435484843' post='2809123'] I don't meant to side-track the thread, HNGD! [/quote] Me neither! And HNGD from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1435310967' post='2807457'] Some cheap guitars can still be excellent players, and hopefully this one will be great for you - HNGD. [/quote] [quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1435484843' post='2809123'] I don't meant to side-track the thread, HNGD! [/quote] [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1435487220' post='2809169'] Me neither! And HNGD from me. [/quote] [quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1435421412' post='2808653'] Happy NBD. It's good to see inexpensive instruments with maple fretboards. [/quote] Thanks folks... it's a good guitar. If I were going to be a guitarist in a band I think I'd want something better (probably just for snobby decal reasons), but at the moment my biggest problem is down to being very rusty on the old six-string, and I can't blame the guitar for that! I bought it purely for home use, recording, developing chordal ideas and songs and general noodling... for which it is perfect, so job done. Having said that I am quite surprised at just how good it is at the price point - it's possible to get the action very low indeed if that's your thing, and if you were a bit more serious about it than I am it would be a great platform for modding as the neck is straight, fast and smooth and plays very nicely. Mind you, if you were a bit more serious about it you'd probably buy a Fender anyway, so... In short, if you're on a budget and you want a guitar then don't be concerned about the low price of HB axes... they're good! Edited June 28, 2015 by discreet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1435487078' post='2809162'] Side-track away, I'm all for threads going off in weird directions. SPATULA!! There, I've said it. [/quote] Spatula Clark is one of my favorite 60's girl singers. Nice NGD, by the way, i'm tempted and mean enough to wait for the Euro to nose dive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben4343 Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 HNGD... Sounds like a particular type of sound made in conjunction with a particular type of face at the culmination of a particular type of activity... Guitar looks and sounds darn good. I really fancy one of their telecasters (because of many very important reasons) and this is only serving to fan my GAS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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