Harley Benton MB-4 Satin Black (UNBOXING)

[dave84]

Hi guys! Waiting for the sound test, here is the unboxing of the brand new Harley Benton, the MB-4 model (music man style) in the exclusive satin total black version. In the coming days, a review and a series of dedicated bass covers will follow. If you don't want to miss any updates, I invite you to subscribe and follow me to my youtube channel ... enjoy!
 

 

[Machines]

I was eyeing this up on Thomann yesterday, interested to hear this plugged in :).

[TheLowDown]

Thanks for the review. I think it looks quite sexy and understated in black.

[stewblack]

I really like it. 

[DarkHeart]

I agree with Stew

[Bassfinger]

Ordered mine about 5 minutes ago.

[stewblack]

15 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

Ordered mine about 5 minutes ago.

I honestly don't think you'll regret it. I know we all look for different things in a bass, hear different things and have different things which might niggle us, but this feels, sounds and plays so well, I think at the price almost anyone would be happy. 

[Bassfinger]

I had a go on a customers sunburst MB4 in Germany a while back and was very impressed. Great  fretboard, lovely feeling neck, nice meaty rocking sound with a good high output, and impeccably finished. Ive played Squiers at nearly 4 times the price that were nowhere newr as nice all round. Thommann's pricing makes an utter mockery of nearly every bass in the £300-£400 range.

Was going to buy the burst one but when I saw this on Music Radar last week I had an instant trouser tent.

Edited November 20, 2020 by Bassfinger

[stewblack]

10 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

Thommann's pricing makes an utter mockery of nearly every bass in the £300-£400 range.

Yup. 

[Paul S]

Could a proud owner please weigh one of these?  Ta.

[stewblack]

3 hours ago, Paul S said:

Could a proud owner please weigh one of these?  Ta.

 

[Paul S]

Muchas gracias!

[PaulThePlug]

Mucho GASeous!

[mr4stringz]

Have to admit I’ve absolutely no need for another bass at all, and particularly given the current state of play and as I’m playing shorties only for band stuff now. That said it’s been years since I’ve had an MM or MM style bass and I can’t find a good reason to not go for one of these and may well do so in the next couple of days. 

[Burns-bass]

When you remove VAT and international shipping you’re left with, what, say £80. Given a 100% markup, these have to be landed in Germany for about £40, which is quite frankly incredible. I have a HB shirt scale which is amazing too.

[Phil_T]

I wonder where these are made and under what sort of conditions....

[stewblack]

55 minutes ago, Phil_T said:

I wonder where these are made and under what sort of conditions....

Most of us have pondered this from time to time.

[DarkHeart]

Explains a bit about the factories here

 

[Paul S]

1 hour ago, Phil_T said:

I wonder where these are made and under what sort of conditions....

Probably the same sort of places and conditions that everything we all use, every day, comes from.  Clothes, electronics - you name it, all cheap labour.  I stopped wondering a long time ago 'cos it is a situation that has gone too far to be fixed.  

[Bassfinger]

2 hours ago, Phil_T said:

I wonder where these are made and under what sort of conditions....

Probably in much the same conditons as other chinese, korean or taiwanese basses in the £300 to £400 price range, and you can bet that none of the extra take finds its way back to the factory workers.

Edited November 21, 2020 by Bassfinger

[kodiakblair]

8 hours ago, Phil_T said:

I wonder where these are made and under what sort of conditions....

After China's wages priced themselves out the market , Thomann has moved production to Vietnam for most of their guitars.

 

Wages in Vietnam may be low compared to other countries but poverty levels are half those found in China,India and the Philippines . It's labour laws are pretty good.

 

All employees must have a contract, after 2 fixed term contracts (no longer than 3 years) contracts automatically become indefinite. This applies to seasonal workers too.

Minimum 22 days paid leave, 26 for manual workers. 1 day added for every 5 years service.

30 days paid sick leave every year, rate is 75% of wage. Certain illnesses have 180 days sick leave, after 180 days the rate drops to between 45 and 65%. Females get 6 months maternity leave at full pay. Males are entitled to 5 days for natural birth, 7 for caesarean ,10 days for twins. Paid leave is also awarded for surrogate mothers and for adoption. Paid leave for sick children is 20 days. Bereavement is paid for 5 days.  This is paid out by the Ministry for Health.

 

By law working hours cannot exceed 48 hours per week.

 

Laws prohibit discrimination and sexual harassment.

 

Employers must provide a safe working environment with training and safety checks, Workers must get regular health checks.

 

Hope this clears up some fears. 

The question shouldn't be "how can these cost so little ?", it should be  "How come X charges so much ?". 

 

[stewblack]

7 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

After China's wages priced themselves out the market , Thomann has moved production to Vietnam for most of their guitars.

 

Wages in Vietnam may be low compared to other countries but poverty levels are half those found in China,India and the Philippines . It's labour laws are pretty good.

 

All employees must have a contract, after 2 fixed term contracts (no longer than 3 years) contracts automatically become indefinite. This applies to seasonal workers too.

Minimum 22 days paid leave, 26 for manual workers. 1 day added for every 5 years service.

30 days paid sick leave every year, rate is 75% of wage. Certain illnesses have 180 days sick leave, after 180 days the rate drops to between 45 and 65%. Females get 6 months maternity leave at full pay. Males are entitled to 5 days for natural birth, 7 for caesarean ,10 days for twins. Paid leave is also awarded for surrogate mothers and for adoption. Paid leave for sick children is 20 days. Bereavement is paid for 5 days.  This is paid out by the Ministry for Health.

 

By law working hours cannot exceed 48 hours per week.

 

Laws prohibit discrimination and sexual harassment.

 

Employers must provide a safe working environment with training and safety checks, Workers must get regular health checks.

 

Hope this clears up some fears. 

The question shouldn't be "how can these cost so little ?", it should be  "How come X charges so much ?". 

 

Well... that more than clears things up. Basically, better employment conditions than the UK. 

[kodiakblair]

34 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Well... that more than clears things up. Basically, better employment conditions than the UK. 

Aye, folks there do pretty good.

It's weird that we question £100 basses made in the Far East but don't blink an eye at £600 ones built in Mexico (minimum wage $6.15 per day) 😮

[stewblack]

2 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

Aye, folks there do pretty good.

It's weird that we question £100 basses made in the Far East but don't blink an eye at £600 ones built in Mexico (minimum wage $6.15 per day) 😮

I've noticed attitudes shifting with regards to the different countries of manufacture. 

People used to talk about Mexican basses in the way they now talk about Chinese ones. 

The interview with the man behind HB basses didn't just hint at there only being a few top notch factories which everyone uses, them, he blatantly said it. 

Yes he also said that some labels use more expensive tone woods and parts, but the same people on the same production line are building 'cheap' basses and more expensive basses. 

Thomann sell theirs for less because they are gambling on lower margins, bigger numbers sold and reliable qc. 

 

 

[yorks5stringer]

20 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

When you remove VAT and international shipping you’re left with, what, say £80. Given a 100% markup, these have to be landed in Germany for about £40, which is quite frankly incredible. I have a HB shirt scale which is amazing too.

Is that a 'T' Shirt scale....?😉