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Harley Benton T-16
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Harley Benton T-16

TLC-Shaped Guitar from Harley Benton

valkan valkan
Published on 02/04/07 at 06:11
Best value: Excellent
I start after a few months of use: Here are the test of the beast:
It made for a Japanese guitar thomann (the site mail order), thus avoiding to add taxes and logistics costs in factory prices. (Just as with Dell). So do not compare the price with other entry level guitars ... (Discussed below)

22 frets on a handle end and enough fast enough, not quite the same as that of the Squier but very very enjoyable to play (especially thanks to the satin finish)
2 micros simple configuration of the conventional TV with the bridge pickup most conventional possible, and the neck pickup in the famous small format unique to this model of guitar.
Telecaster bridge&#39;s also very classic. Can be a bit too, I think it "breaks" just the overall design but this is a matter of taste.
Simple adjustments of 2 knobs (tone and volume) and a neck pickup selector / 2 the microphone / pickup. And at least when you touch these settings, it changes the sound, which is not always the case alone, mostly on Stagg to name a few ...

UTILIZATION

Now consider:

The handle is, as mentioned above, very nice because on the one hand very end, and satin. The hand slides alone is happiness. However, the key and the handle being clear, it is better not to touch the beast with your hands or it grimey risk score. (Or else wash the stick with every use, it goes without saying)

In terms of access to acute ... While there is typically Telecaster. No problem to play in steering a ground from the 15th box. Also easy to reach the three upper strings until the last box (22nd) after it gets complicated. There I will not open any discussion on this, it&#39;s still the Telecaster ... Personally, I do not get to too sharp and I never noticed or gene, or problems of any kind to play in this regard ...

For the general form is still and always the same, we like it or not. Me, I love it. Note that this guitar is heavy but it is very annoying. (I&#39;m not the kind tough, and I wear it up for several hours without problem).

Let&#39;s talk about the finish ... The guitar is "blonde" that is not beige, not white, between the two. (And it varies depending on the light). We see the wood grain through and suddenly it&#39;s pretty nice but. Note also that the guitar is not made in one piece. Even if you have to be very very willing to realize it, the nuances may occur between the glued parts of the body. In all cases the quality of the painting is perfect. It&#39;s really the highlight of a guitar of this price. Worthy of a squier I think, and in any case, more than a stagg ...
Be careful though, the mechanics seem very solid, I had the other advance so I changed and I can not tell if it worth it or not ...

SOUNDS

The guitar is beautiful, comfortable, missing the essential: the sound.

This guitar is called "versatile". Whole personality of this guitar découlle directly from the neck pickup uses so special that makes a round and fat. Is adjusted a bit the tone for a more jazzy or bluesy or sound more similar to that of an acoustic guitar.

The bridge pickup gives a very acute lens, perfect for solos. The even touch the knob tone can dramatically change the sound to go screaming to the sound of his heavy.

And if you put the two together: the sound will be a good offense and good resonance. And may be heavy or light depending on the tone control. Be sure of a good amp and powerchord can get the sound of black desire or Luke or groups of French rock fan of the TV (who said "almost all"?).

The problem is that his microphone may be missing some fishing (especially if you play along with a wonderful guitar with 3 humbucker active). In general terms, what the mics that suffer most from the cost so low. But in Guitarfetish for € 30 it&#39;s OK with a very beautiful hotrail (humbucker format with super simple triangular telecaster) which will even be able to give an even greater range of adjustment. But this operation only if you play with crafty and humbucker equipped with all who refuse to turn down the sound. Otherwise it remains relatively playable ...

Frize guitar epiphone SG less than a buddy (ie it does not Frize), and much less than the stagg another friend ... It happens not resolved, but after a short adjustment of the curvature of the handle, the height of the strings, harmonics, ect ect .. it becomes very pleasant. The bars are all alone (it even shocked me at first they seemed so simple: D)

Finally: the sustain! It&#39;s a pleasant surprise for a guitar of this price, the sustain seems very correct. The stag stratocaster, after 8 seconds, more sound at all ... While there he is shot and I love leaving notes whistled shrill ...

NB: the mail is not isolated and I strongly advice line the bottom of the guitar aluminum grounded significantly reducing background noise possibly (requires use of simple micro)

OVERALL OPINION

Good balance here with a little explanation:
This guitar costs 100 €.
And I strongly advise buying at least a small hotrail, and some small mechanical guitar fetish home for example.
You&#39;ll get € 150 in total and some effort. But at that time, you guitar much better than any others that will cost 150 to 200 €.
The standard copying TV is for me the Squiers. And for a price 2-3 times, you will much better ...
So for me a very good price / quality ratio.

With regard to repeat this choice: let&#39;s be clear, it is better than all stagg Cort and I have used so far (especially the finish) and for me is equivalent to the Squier / Epiphone, and especially ideal for begin. (First guitar as such it avoids spending 6 months trying to work its blocked by saying "but why is not his own" and realize that by changing the guitar, it&#39;s just that friz ...) In the end, I recommend this brand to my friends and I much prefer to play great success on the guitar, rather than moderately well on a much more expensive guitar, like a real fender. So I&#39;ll keep this guitar long enough I think (the time to learn how to play) because, unlike 90% of guitars of this price, you can really play that guitar!