3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Jan 20, 2020 22:02:31 GMT
Alright, it had to happen one day, I just bought a black bass. But it's not a PB-20. The wait for the postman has started…
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prowla
Harley Benton Club Junior Member
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Post by prowla on Feb 4, 2020 12:30:41 GMT
Agreed the new flat black colors look very nice.
IMO HB should just do different hardware versions of the 'classic' guitars (F and G style), including metal versions, and leave the pointy designs to other companies.
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 4, 2020 13:25:04 GMT
IMO HB should just do different hardware versions of the 'classic' guitars (F and G style), including metal versions, and leave the pointy designs to other companies. I disagree and prove it by disagreeing with my wallet. I have 9 Harley Benton, I am considering a 10th, and only 3 of them are "classic designs", two Strat's and a Les Paul. I'll probably sell the Les Paul. So there is a market for the rest and I prefer an original design whenever I can get one. They are making a profit by serving both sides of the argument.
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prowla
Harley Benton Club Junior Member
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Post by prowla on Feb 4, 2020 14:25:06 GMT
I disagree and prove it by disagreeing with my wallet. I have 9 Harley Benton, I am considering a 10th, and only 3 of them are "classic designs", two Strat's and a Les Paul. I'll probably sell the Les Paul. So there is a market for the rest and I prefer an original design whenever I can get one. They are making a profit by serving both sides of the argument. Which models do you have, then?
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 4, 2020 14:53:26 GMT
I disagree and prove it by disagreeing with my wallet. I have 9 Harley Benton, I am considering a 10th, and only 3 of them are "classic designs", two Strat's and a Les Paul. I'll probably sell the Les Paul. So there is a market for the rest and I prefer an original design whenever I can get one. They are making a profit by serving both sides of the argument. Which models do you have, then? Two ST-62's, an SC-450 Plus, a CST-24HB (PRS-like), an SC-7 (7-string, multi-scale, modernised Les Paul shape) an R-458 (Schecter-like), a B-400FL (original), a B-5000 (copy of a Peavey Cyrus), a BZ-7000 (similar Peavey Cyrus shape inflated to 7-string). I might get a B-650FL (original) and I quite like the Fusion shape, which I think is also original, even though it looks rather Strat'-like or maybe more like an Ibanez AZ. I very much like the HBZ basses too, but I won't get one unless they make a 6-string fretless, in which case I would leave the B-650.
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prowla
Harley Benton Club Junior Member
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Post by prowla on Feb 4, 2020 20:01:21 GMT
Two ST-62's, an SC-450 Plus, a CST-24HB (PRS-like), an SC-7 (7-string, multi-scale, modernised Les Paul shape) an R-458 (Schecter-like), a B-400FL (original), a B-5000 (copy of a Peavey Cyrus), a BZ-7000 (similar Peavey Cyrus shape inflated to 7-string). I might get a B-650FL (original) and I quite like the Fusion shape, which I think is also original, even though it looks rather Strat'-like or maybe more like an Ibanez AZ. I very much like the HBZ basses too, but I won't get one unless they make a 6-string fretless, in which case I would leave the B-650. To each his own, I guess. But I think the further they go from the traditional shapes (and I guess PRS/Suhr could be 'traditional' to some extent) the worse the results tend to be. I guess they don't spend too much time polishing the designs - but then again, I'm a designer by trade, so I guess I'm bit more sensitive BTW I think B-400 is inspired by Yamaha RBX John Myung, and Fusion by Suhr guitars. Also the black HH tele seems to be Suhr-inspired, although Fender also had similar Aerodyne model. (Most RBX's have 2 pups) Not that I consider it a problem, it's hard to invent a guitar that someone wouldn't have made before. It's ok to stay with the tried and true ones.
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 5, 2020 2:38:55 GMT
Two ST-62's, an SC-450 Plus, a CST-24HB (PRS-like), an SC-7 (7-string, multi-scale, modernised Les Paul shape) an R-458 (Schecter-like), a B-400FL (original), a B-5000 (copy of a Peavey Cyrus), a BZ-7000 (similar Peavey Cyrus shape inflated to 7-string). I might get a B-650FL (original) and I quite like the Fusion shape, which I think is also original, even though it looks rather Strat'-like or maybe more like an Ibanez AZ. I very much like the HBZ basses too, but I won't get one unless they make a 6-string fretless, in which case I would leave the B-650. To each his own, I guess. But I think the further they go from the traditional shapes (and I guess PRS/Suhr could be 'traditional' to some extent) the worse the results tend to be. I guess they don't spend too much time polishing the designs - but then again, I'm a designer by trade, so I guess I'm bit more sensitive It is to a large part a result of familiarity. We come to like what we're used to. For my part, I think the Telecaster is just plain ugly and the Fusion looks better than a Stratocaster. After this, it's like saying that Mozart was inspired of Haydn's music (or rather Johann Christian Bach's). It's true, everything always derives from something else or it looks just plain alien. And I guess the Strat must have looked alien at first. So I'm happy Harley Benton are joining the evolutionary dance at small prices rather than just providing copies of what the kids want to wear in the mirror together with their Slash hat.
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 5, 2020 3:14:18 GMT
BTW I think B-400 is inspired by Yamaha RBX John Myung, and Fusion by Suhr guitars. Also the black HH tele seems to be Suhr-inspired, although Fender also had similar Aerodyne model. (Most RBX's have 2 pups) I didn't know this one. it does look similar to the B-650. I think the same can be said of the Ibanez SR and some other Yamaha. The Yamaha are flatter and edgier, which makes them sufficiently different to justify the alternatives. At this point it's a lot like comparing watches. I never know which I prefer…
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 5, 2020 4:46:30 GMT
Putting a Harley Benton B-550 and a Yamaha RBX next to one another reveals strong similarities but also sufficient differences to make both look like their own thing. They're similar sounding songs but one is not a cover of the other. The same can be said of the R series compared to the Schecter Hellraiser. The HB is clearly copied from the Schecter but not a replica. Horns look longer, the body is slimmer with more pronounced contours. It is smaller too, the Schecter is a 28", the HB is 26.5". The picture shows them at scale. I feel the HB is more elegant. It looks a little less like a tank with strings on it. The Fusion is a straighter copy of the Suhr but here again I slghtly prefer the HB, because of the more pronounced upper horn. Not a big thing but the price is so much prettier…
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prowla
Harley Benton Club Junior Member
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Post by prowla on Feb 5, 2020 8:01:41 GMT
Oh, I didn't realise the R's were Schecter clones, thanks. Or maybe I would call them adaptations of the Yamaha and Schecter designs. I agree that they have obviously changed many of the details, which of course makes sense when doing budget versions. Of course HB is not the first manufacturer doing this - for example, I think the RBX pickup style is from the 80's G&L, but when Yamaha put them in their modern bass 10 years ago, then Ibanez came out with SRX-series with similar pickups soon after. Although you can still see that HB's design method for example with the R headstock and body shape is "take Schecter but change the lines a little bit"
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 5, 2020 8:37:46 GMT
Oh, I didn't realise the R's were Schecter clones, thanks. Or maybe I would call them adaptations of the Yamaha and Schecter designs. I agree that they have obviously changed many of the details, which of course makes sense when doing budget versions. Of course HB is not the first manufacturer doing this - for example, I think the RBX pickup style is from the 80's G&L, but when Yamaha put them in their modern bass 10 years ago, then Ibanez came out with SRX-series with similar pickups soon after. Although you can still see that HB's design method for example with the R headstock and body shape is "take Schecter but change the lines a little bit" Yes, they are modified just enough not to be straight replicas. Not clones, then, not an example of producing a fake "wanna look just like" something popular. Does the R series sell to Schecter fans who always wanted one but cannot afford it? I don't know. I really, really like the Fusion shape and realise they look even more like the Ibanez AZ than the Suhr:
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Scurvy
Harley Benton Club Junior Member
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Post by Scurvy on Feb 6, 2020 2:59:44 GMT
I agree with you Leothunder wholeheartedly that the fusion II looks very similar to the Ibanez AZ more so than the Suhr in general.
Having not played the Ibanez AZ in any model I cannot really comment on the difference between it or the Fusion II, but I have played the Suhr.
The Fusion II set up properly is everything that model is at a 10th the price I feel. Just an amazing guitar in every respect. If you are in the market for a "super strat" style guitar,the Fusion II is the choice to make. 😎
On my next HB order the TE90 flt is first, but I believe I will also be picking up the Matte Black ST-20 along with it. It just looks too damn sweet to pass up...
Best regards, Jeffrey
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 6, 2020 5:08:25 GMT
Having not played the Ibanez AZ in any model I cannot really comment on the difference between it or the Fusion II, but I have played the Suhr. The Fusion II set up properly is everything that model is at a 10th the price I feel. Just an amazing guitar in every respect. If you are in the market for a "super strat" style guitar,the Fusion II is the choice to make. 😎 I love the Ibanez AZ but won't ever spend that sort of money on a guitar. Because I know they are just CNC cut pieces of wood with strings and primitive electronics. And I don't need the extreme features: no roasted maple that stays put for months. I can tune a guitar and adjust a truss rod. No stainess steel frets. I have too many guitars and don't play enough to wear out the regular ones. No locking tuners either. I know how to put a string on the tuning post so it doesn't move and I seldom change strings. The AZ has a few potential advantages. Different pick-ups are possibly better to one's taste. Real comparison is needed, however all the demos I heard of the Fusion with Roswell HAF (the non-covered ones) sound very thin when split. As to the Roswell LAF (covered), I have them elsewhere and they are not my favourite, too limited in high end in old PAF style. The AZ has more switching possibilities with 10 configurations instead of 6 (9 for the HSS version ) and I never had any concerns in any demo I heard. I know I would like them. The neck joint is yet more comfortable (so they say) and of course the finishes are different. But they're way out of my budget for now. In a few years, there will be lower priced models, I'm sure.
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Scurvy
Harley Benton Club Junior Member
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Post by Scurvy on Feb 6, 2020 6:09:14 GMT
Thank you for giving me a little more insight to the differences in the Ibanez AZ's. I just haven't done that much research on them really.
On the topic of having the capability of coil splitting/tapping humbuckers this seems to have always been a problem of signal loss (thin sounding) from just about any brand of guitar you buy I feel which is the same case with the HB fusion. Never has been a big issue for me personally as I can just adjust the levels of whatever amp I am using to solve this then have that setting ready on my foot switch at a moments notice. The 1973 fender twin reverb I own you can really tell this right away. Lol
As for stainless steel frets vs. standard nickel steel I prefer stainless mainly for one reason and that being playability really. Bending just seems so much more effortless as opposed to normal nickle steel. Just a personal preference I guess.
As for longevity of nickle steel I can tell you this... I own a 1971 fender stratocaster with a maple neck that went 12 and 1/2 years before I finally had to have it refretted and they were standard nickle steel. Pretty good mileage in my book.
I kind of high jacked this topic a little too much and apologize for that. I'll pipe down now. Lol
Best regards always,
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 6, 2020 6:30:42 GMT
On the topic of having the capability of coil splitting/tapping humbuckers this seems to have always been a problem of signal loss (thin sounding) from just about any brand of guitar you buy I feel which is the same case with the HB fusion. Never has been a big issue for me personally as I can just adjust the levels of whatever amp I am using to solve this then have that setting ready on my foot switch at a moments notice. Yes, I think that way too but the demos made it sound more drastic than others, so I am still a bit worried. I would have to get one in my hands to really know. I have been happy with all the split humbuckers I have had so far. Of course it requires proper dialling, those who expect it to fit whatever EQ they set for the full pick-up are not doing it justice. It's just not the kind of switch you use in the middle of playing without adjusting anything else. Don't worry about derailing threads, just tells us about your new black ST-20 when you get one I'll stick to my black Ibanez SB.
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