Harley Benton multiscale single cut basses

[SteveXFR]

I do like a multiscale. Harley Benton are OK but the one HB guitar I bought took a fair bit of setting up and the neck was drier than a camels dry bits but regular light applications of lemon oil and its all good now. I suspect it may have spent some time in a warehouse in the hottest part of China

[Bass4real]

On 24/01/2025 at 12:55, bnt said:

It's weird that I learned about these basses here. Usually, there are some YouTube reviews on basses like these on channels to which I subscribe, such as BassTheWorld or Nate Navarro, but none so far. Too new, maybe?

 

On 23/01/2025 at 17:15, MichaelDean said:

A new range that was teased ages ago. 

 

Not entirely sure about these! Feels like there's a lot of body with nothing going on. 33.5-35" scale, 4 different finishes, 18v 3 band preamp, stainless steel frets, glow in the dark side dots. 

 

 

https://www.thomann.co.uk/multi_scale_basses.html?manufacturer[]=Harley Benton&gk=GIEBMS&sp=solr&category[]=GIEBMS&cme=true&filter=true

 

Well I ordered 1 about a week ago.

I'm not gonna lie.

I'm don't like buying a bass without seeing it playing it hearing it FIRST.

This is the 3rd time I've bought a BASS sight unseen, hearing unheard, unplayed 

 

1st time I bought a BASS online was a 1998 used TOBIAS GROWLER 5 str, when I received it, the box was damaged, and when I got the bass out of the box , the body was obviously damaged during shipment , I kept it though . Sold it a year later.

2nd time I ordered an IBANEZ bTb 846v custom shop from Music go round.

They sent me an IBANEZ bTb 745 with half of the serial number missing , the bridges were replaced and the bridge that was put on damaged the wood that held the monorail bridges . They sent me an obvious stolen bass they bought ( illegal as hell)  and then tried to deny it .

I got my money refunded in full and they said to keep the bass , AFTER I threatened to sue the hell out of them . 

I paid for the Bass repairs costing $400.00

It  took 8 months to be repaired .

MY advice "Don't ever buy from

MUSIC GO ROUND" 

 

3rd time - I got one of the best basses I've ever had. 

My Brice FREAKOUT 5. I only paid $399.00 for it brand new. My first single cutaway 5str. .

Your right about the body of single cutaway basses there's alot of it and my Brice is a little bottom heavy but for me the weight of 

a Bass doesn't mean a thing to me, within reason anyway.

I ordered the Harley Benton msb-5 

About a week ago . 

I have a real good feeling about this bass.

I've read it supposedly aimed at the beginner Bass player.

WTF is that supposed to mean .

It's not a good enough BASS for anyone but a beginner . That is pure BS

when I get it , I'm going to tell everyone what it's like.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bass4real]

Oops my 4th time 

Not my 3rd 

[SpondonBassed]

On 24/01/2025 at 03:17, Bass4real said:

I'm ordering this HB bass tonight.

Wish me luck

 

May the GAS be with you.

[Geek99]

Interested 

 

[SteveXFR]

I guess with the price being so low, even if you buy a decent set of pickups and a Darkglass preamp, it's still only around £600 in total. 

[Owen]

But (as has already been mentioned) dat 35" B tho. What is the point?

 

 

[Bass4real]

18 minutes ago, Owen said:

But (as has already been mentioned) dat 35" B tho. What is the point?

 

 

Honestly I don't care about weight , long or short scale neck , how many strings .

I play a 4 , 5 , 6 right now , I've owned and played an 8 and 12 stringer yrs ago 

I do care about the pickups , the bridge, and what strings I put on. And how it plays of course.

If it's a $100.00 bass guitar or a bass costing thousands. 

In my hands I can make it sound good 

most of the time anyway.

There are some basses that are good for only 1 thing   a FIRE.  : ?)

Thanks for your reply 

Have a good one !

 

 

 

 

 

[Bass4real]

On 24/01/2025 at 03:28, Jellyfish said:

Definitely got some Ibanez SRFF/MS vibes going on, and I think a lot of people will appreciate it not trying to be another Dingwall (looking at you, Mayones...)

 

It's likely a good launching pad for upgrades as well. Interested to hear what they sound like.

I'm an IBANEZ BTB bass player 

It doesn't remind me of an IBANEZ 

that's one of the reasons I like it.

I have a single cutaway 5str , 

I like the BADDASS look of a single cutaway.

I like any bass that doesn't look have a fender body style.

Thats me . 

Nothing against fender, 

I think there are way too many basses made in that body style 

[Bass4real]

9 hours ago, edstraker123 said:

They look really nice - I don't think I've owned a HB that wasn't great value for money (although they are always the first to go in a cull !).

They do look badass

BUT you probably know what I'm going to say 

I don't care about looks really 

Then again 

If A Bass looked like a worn out car tire 

But it sounded great 

I wouldn't buy it 

: ?)

 

[Bass4real]

7 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

I do like a multiscale. Harley Benton are OK but the one HB guitar I bought took a fair bit of setting up and the neck was drier than a camels dry bits but regular light applications of lemon oil and its all good now. I suspect it may have spent some time in a warehouse in the hottest part of China

I'm okay with setting up any bass I buy , I did buy a new PEAVEY cirrus tiger eye 5 string in 2004 .

When I got it I tried to tune it up

I tried and I failed 

I never saw anything like it 

I never even thought about buying a new bass , and getting it delivered 

 with a broken truss rod.

I got my money back and bought a

PEAVEY Grind 5 string.

that was a monster BASS guitar 

I loved it.

I don't think a broken truss rod will ever happen again 

Thanks for your reply 

I'll let ya know when I get the HB 

 

 

 

[MrDinsdale]

I played a Dingwall 4 string and it was pretty incredible to play, just not a fan of the looks. The only multiscale I can really get behind is the Dingwall super P/Js.

 

If someone did a more budget multiscale in more of a Fender or Wal inspired shape is be throwing my money at it. 

[Bass4real]

2 hours ago, MrDinsdale said:

I played a Dingwall 4 string and it was pretty incredible to play, just not a fan of the looks. The only multiscale I can really get behind is the Dingwall super P/Js.

 

If someone did a more budget multiscale in more of a Fender or Wal inspired shape is be throwing my money at it. 

I like the Dingwall

D Rock 5 string 

Little to pricey for me right now 

I wanted to get a microtubes bass effect

I  decided on a DARKGLASS B7k V2 

I wish Dingwall would put out a bass for around $ 1.200.00 to 1.500.00 but to find even a used Dingwall no matter which model at a decent price for a used Bass .

is next to impossible.

ALOT of People that try to sell their Dingwall ask a ridiculously high price .

Nah I'm not gonna pay 2000 or above for a used Dingwall combustion or D Rock bass 

The other Dingwall "high end" models , not for me. 

There's so many really great Basses for $1.500.00 dollars, I don't need a big money bass anymore. I've never paid more than , around $1,700.00 American..

I own a single cutaway Brice FREAKOUT 5 string I paid 399.00 for , in 2017 It is probably in the top 5 Best Basses I've ever owned .

I've never once have had to make an adjustment of any kind on it . Again it's a 7 yr old bass. That is the GODS honest truth 

A screwdriver or Allen wrench has never been used on it 

String changes and new batteries are the only thing I've ever done. It plays great , sounds great , it's the Bass that changed my mind about buying a new BASS ,  not a used bass mind you , for under $500.00

Soon I'll have another single cutaway for under 500.00 .

I have a good feeling I'm gonna really like the H .Benton I ordered, 

Thanx for your reply 

I appreciate you 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LeftyJ]

11 hours ago, Owen said:

But (as has already been mentioned) dat 35" B tho. What is the point?

 

 

 

The main point of fanned frets is not a tighter low B, but a more even string tension (and tone) across the board. Lengthening the scale to 35" can help the low B but it can also make the thinner strings sound.... well, thinner . The fanned frets resolve that issue by only adding tension where it matters most. Many bass players will tell you their 34" low B is more than adequate on a well-crafted neck and with the right strings. 

 

I had two 35" scale Yamaha TRB5II's in the past and loved everything about them except the tone of the G-string.

[Owen]

Fair enough.

[MrDinsdale]

10 hours ago, Bass4real said:

I like the Dingwall

D Rock 5 string 

Little to pricey for me right now 

I wanted to get a microtubes bass effect

I  decided on a DARKGLASS B7k V2 

I wish Dingwall would put out a bass for around $ 1.200.00 to 1.500.00 but to find even a used Dingwall no matter which model at a decent price for a used Bass .

is next to impossible.

ALOT of People that try to sell their Dingwall ask a ridiculously high price .

Nah I'm not gonna pay 2000 or above for a used Dingwall combustion or D Rock bass 

The other Dingwall "high end" models , not for me. 

There's so many really great Basses for $1.500.00 dollars, I don't need a big money bass anymore. I've never paid more than , around $1,700.00 American..

I own a single cutaway Brice FREAKOUT 5 string I paid 399.00 for , in 2017 It is probably in the top 5 Best Basses I've ever owned .

I've never once have had to make an adjustment of any kind on it . Again it's a 7 yr old bass. That is the GODS honest truth 

A screwdriver or Allen wrench has never been used on it 

String changes and new batteries are the only thing I've ever done. It plays great , sounds great , it's the Bass that changed my mind about buying a new BASS ,  not a used bass mind you , for under $500.00

Soon I'll have another single cutaway for under 500.00 .

I have a good feeling I'm gonna really like the H .Benton I ordered, 

Thanx for your reply 

I appreciate you 

 

Aye that's fair enough, I'm sure these will play excellent, especially for the price point. For me its more of a cosmetic thing, just really not a fan of single cut basses for myself.

 

Yeah I can't justify getting a “budget” Dingwall, let alone one of their more expensive models!

[SteveXFR]

11 hours ago, Bass4real said:

I like the Dingwall

D Rock 5 string 

Little to pricey for me right now 

I wanted to get a microtubes bass effect

I  decided on a DARKGLASS B7k V2 

I wish Dingwall would put out a bass for around $ 1.200.00 to 1.500.00 but to find even a used Dingwall no matter which model at a decent price for a used Bass .

is next to impossible.

ALOT of People that try to sell their Dingwall ask a ridiculously high price .

Nah I'm not gonna pay 2000 or above for a used Dingwall combustion or D Rock bass 

The other Dingwall "high end" models , not for me. 

There's so many really great Basses for $1.500.00 dollars, I don't need a big money bass anymore. I've never paid more than , around $1,700.00 American..

I own a single cutaway Brice FREAKOUT 5 string I paid 399.00 for , in 2017 It is probably in the top 5 Best Basses I've ever owned .

I've never once have had to make an adjustment of any kind on it . Again it's a 7 yr old bass. That is the GODS honest truth 

A screwdriver or Allen wrench has never been used on it 

String changes and new batteries are the only thing I've ever done. It plays great , sounds great , it's the Bass that changed my mind about buying a new BASS ,  not a used bass mind you , for under $500.00

Soon I'll have another single cutaway for under 500.00 .

I have a good feeling I'm gonna really like the H .Benton I ordered, 

Thanx for your reply 

I appreciate you 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted a Dingwall and had similar thoughts about the prices. I went for an Ibanez SRMS805 as an alternative. They're expensive new but used, you can pick them up around £550. Combined with a Darkglass B7k, Two Notes Le Bass and a nice Ashdown ABM600, I was getting some filthy modern metal sounds. It played lovely as well.

[MichaelDean]

11 hours ago, Bass4real said:

I like the Dingwall

D Rock 5 string 

Little to pricey for me right now 

I wanted to get a microtubes bass effect

I  decided on a DARKGLASS B7k V2 

I wish Dingwall would put out a bass for around $ 1.200.00 to 1.500.00 but to find even a used Dingwall no matter which model at a decent price for a used Bass .

is next to impossible.

ALOT of People that try to sell their Dingwall ask a ridiculously high price .

Nah I'm not gonna pay 2000 or above for a used Dingwall combustion or D Rock bass 

The other Dingwall "high end" models , not for me. 

There's so many really great Basses for $1.500.00 dollars, I don't need a big money bass anymore. I've never paid more than , around $1,700.00 American..

I own a single cutaway Brice FREAKOUT 5 string I paid 399.00 for , in 2017 It is probably in the top 5 Best Basses I've ever owned .

I've never once have had to make an adjustment of any kind on it . Again it's a 7 yr old bass. That is the GODS honest truth 

A screwdriver or Allen wrench has never been used on it 

String changes and new batteries are the only thing I've ever done. It plays great , sounds great , it's the Bass that changed my mind about buying a new BASS ,  not a used bass mind you , for under $500.00

Soon I'll have another single cutaway for under 500.00 .

I have a good feeling I'm gonna really like the H .Benton I ordered, 

Thanx for your reply 

I appreciate you

 

The prices of the "entry level" ones have gone up so much. I got my Combustion for £1350 new in 2019 from Bass Direct. The equivalent model does come with a gigbag and a quilted maple veneer now, but it's £2100+ depending on the model. That's a huge increase in 6 years.

[MichaelDean]

Sounds quite nice in this snippit.

 

[neepheid]

18 minutes ago, MichaelDean said:

Sounds quite nice in this snippit.

 

 

Hee hee, that's my T-bird!

[PinkMohawk]

7 hours ago, MichaelDean said:

Sounds quite nice in this snippit.

 

Looking better on the leg than it does isolated in photos, though I couldn't see the whole body at once due to the vertical phone screen editing for Shorts like that. Definitely sounds good though.