Harley Benton TE-62CC SFG

Just got this today, arrived in less than a week after ordering (EU area) which was impressive given it was over Easter. Nicely packaged, so there was little risk it being damaged in transit.

Out of the box it felt really great, once the strings were tuned up I was playing away quite happily. Intonation was pretty much spot on, only the G is a little out but I'm talking a miniscule amount, to the point where I probably won't even adjust it. Action set up was perfect too, no fret buzz and clear notes when playing up the fretboard.

Fretboard itself is satin finish so if you're used to a gloss finished you may find it a bit dry. I've yet to play it for a few hours so will see what it feels like after that. It may need a little oil. No sharp edges on the frets, and they all seem the right height. Tuners feel solid too and so far are holding the tuning.

Plugged in and run through pedals and an amp, it sounds great. I compared it to my G&L Bluesboy and it's very similar on the bridge pick up, in fact a little brighter, with a fair bit of bite. It doesn't have the beefiness of the G&L on the middle or neck setting, as the G&L has a humbucker in that position, but even still the Harley Benton holds up when using fuzz and distortion. I'm looking forward to getting in the room with my band to see how it sounds.

Looks-wise, it is perfect - the colour is fantastic and the lime green pickguard really shines. The neck is a dark roasted maple which is really set off nicely by the colour. No imperfections as far as I can see, paint work is perfect, and the whole thing is solid and feels good.

Only negative aspect so far is the plastic used to cover the neck pickup, controls, and pick guard - I had to take the pots off to fully remove the plastic, and even at that there's still a bit stuck under that I can't get rid of. I've had that problem with other guitar brands so it's not particular to Harley Benton.

In total, for the price it's a no-brainer. I've owned Fender and Squire telecasters, as well as G&L, and so far this stands up to them in terms of initial feeling and sound. Be a perfect guitar for travelling, or throwing in the back of the van when touring without having to worry too much about it. Definitely suitable for beginners, but I would also encourage experienced guitarists to try this brand - you'll be pleasantly surprised.

The guitar was nicely packed. The paint job was very nice and no flaws and the color was what I was looking for.. I loved the slim neck and the weight of the guitar. The neck had fret sprout and the frets needed leveling, but after filing the frets the neck was just what I wanted feel-wise and it looked good. Before I worked on it I plugged it in and there was no sound. I really didn’t care because my intent was to mod the guitar to my liking, so I can’t speak to the pickups, but the electronics were on the inexpensive side and the issue of no sound was the ground wire for the jack was loose. I just wanted the painted body and the neck and I really liked both of those so I kept it. Everything other than the neck and body was replaced and now it is my favorite guitar. With Thomann electric guitars I think you need to be prepared that the possibility of a setup cost. I have purchased a couple of guitars from Thomann that didn’t need a set up, but a few have needed the work. These are great guitars to learn how to work on and mod guitars. Even with shipping to the USA Harley Benton is a less expensive route than other guitars available in the States and the quality is as good or better than what’s available here. Hope this helps.

Got this as my first T-Style guitar and wow the neck is silky smooth, it's a nice matte feel.

The pickups sound like a tele so i'm chuffed, the saddles are slotted to so that's a nice touch, the tuners are good for the price and the action was spot on from the box.

I'm planning to upgrade this with a hotrod rail minihumbucker if it fits on the bridge, i've already added a treble bleed and better caps for like 5 buck. It would make a great modding guitar to get used to working with guitars and that's what I plan to do.

Overall i'm impressed by the overall quality and finish for such a low price!! Thank you Thomann!