Build A Guitar Yourself? Harley Benton DIY Guitar Kit Review and Demonstration

[@Moodo76]

I bought the SG version of these kits and it is an amazing guitar for the money. Of course it doesn't play as well as my Gibson or Fender guitars, but after a bit of tweaking you get a competent instrument with high value. Just go for it if you're interested in trying to build your own guitar, it's really fun sanding, painting and clear coating it to perfection.

[@Ppuffdiddleydangdoof]

Props to you for going the final step of finishing the guitar. I left mine natural because I just wanted to play it, but the next one I do I think I'll try my hand at finishing.

[@Rjaekwangl]

I'm also going to paint my Harley Benton Les Paul kit, any tips?

[@Antonio_Ortiz]

You earned a sub. Got right to the point and took less than 15 minutes to give us an idea of what goes into building a guitar.

[@ianmaraver7694]

Well... maybe not really build

[@johannessilver8653]

I also assembled Les Paul DIY set and was surprised that the result was pretty good. Sound quality vs prize was superb. The surface treatment was not the finest but works well as a practicing one.

[@randymiles904]

I think this is the best video I have ever seen on building kits. I've been doing setups and mods for a few years now, and it turns out I'm pretty good at it. So the next step for me is to build a few kit guitars. I see this as a way to have my dream guitars without spending ridiculous amount of money. My wife supports this idea. Lol thank you for the video. Great info. I'm definitely going to start with a Harley Benton kit. If a guitar has good "bones", you can install choice hardware and electronics, and have something really great. 🤘

[@ernieball9516]

No….it’s not the best video. You have seen nothing in this world….

[@randymiles904]

@@ernieball9516 yeah. Quick. To the point. And as informative as it can be about a specific product. It convinced me, and I've built two of these Harley Benton kits, since making this post. Also, I've already ordered a jem body and neck, for a dark matter clone. Now that I know building a guitar isn't rocket science, I'm anxious to put together some high integrity stuff. If YOURE talking about more in depth building and videos of the like, you're obviously in the wrong comment section.

[@Ppuffdiddleydangdoof]

@@randymiles904 What he said!

[@randymiles904]

@@Ppuffdiddleydangdoof unfortunately, I can't tell if you're agreeing with me or the other guy. Lol

[@593Guitars]

To my eyes and ears, it looks and sounds like a Kit guitar. Very similar to some of the kit's I've picked up from China. If you want to learn about building a guitar, it's a good place to start. Nice Video.

[@MrHardguitar]

Well said!

[@hugalahugala5182]

I already have 6 guitars, but after all, others have the same guitars. I also want to have a guitar of my own. Even the paint design is in my mind, I will have it painted professionally. I'm thinking of equipping it with top quality locking tuners, pickups and other parts. I can even replace the cables with higher quality ones. And at the end of everything, a luthier's touch, especially on the frets. But I'm not sure if I'll be disappointed with the wood.

[@martgryfny]

Hey! Nice to see that someone have tried that kit, i also think about buying it! I have also some important advices to you: 1. You should obligatorily tension the truss rod. Even if it has proper relief now, if the truss rod is loose, it affects sound drasticaly. Truss rod is responsible not only for keeping neck straight, but also for transfer of forces generated in guitar construction. 2. Change the saddle. It is trash. 3. Make proper copper tape shielding of electronics. 4. Make proper setup to the neck, saddles, intonation, because now guitar might sound goog but it is just out of tone. 5. Then you can think about changing pickups, but it might not be necessary. Greetings!

[@dannythemedic]

"Truss rod is responsible not only for keeping neck straight, but also for transfer of forces generated in guitar construction." who told you that????

[@martgryfny]

@@dannythemedic that's an experience - a guitar sounds worse and has low sustain when it has loose truss rod. On acoustc guitar the difference is even bigger. Even slightly tightened nut changes everything. It might be tightened only a bit, but never should be loose.

[@klap00]

@@martgryfny a truss rod can not be loose, it's either straight or bent to adjust the neck, all those cosmic forces are also bullshit, so yeah

[@CoyoteDuran1]

What a great video, Mykola!! Thank you for this! As an owner of two Harley Benton instruments, I think I'll order a kit based on your recommendation!

[@mikebrison1838]

Due is building a lefty and ends up with a righty. HB is quite amazing

[@Raul1971xxx]

Sometimes a low cost guitar with good setup and pickups can compete with high cost ones.. But in the end what matters is the hands of the guitarist that plays it. That Harley Benton kit that you show in this video would sound awesome in Eddie Van Halen's hands, for example.

[@udhi_gn3893]

Eddie van Halen's frankenstrat guitar was actually built from factory rejected and cannibalized components

[@Raul1971xxx]

@@udhi_gn3893 That's correct.

[@Ppuffdiddleydangdoof]

Raul, you're absolutely right. Sound is all in the hands. I noticed that this guitar has a sound and feel I may like more than my main E-tuned guitar, a PRS Mark Holcum which I quite like. This guitar has way more...vibe...than a $77 guitar should have. I'm enjoying playing it at least as much as a guitar that cost 15 times what I spent for this. But as Mykola said, maybe it's because I "built" it. Anyone thinking about buying a kit like this, don't underestimate how fun the assembly process is. And EVH would make any guitar sound awesome.

[@AsterianGuitars]

It was very fresh idea of using hammer for strap button hole

[@MrHardguitar]

If It Looks Stupid But Works, It Ain’t Stupid 😉😁

[@AsterianGuitars]

​@@MrHardguitar - Mykola, a question. I had 2 HB Kits and in each of it all pre-drilled holes were drilled wrong places. What about yours?

[@nowherebrain]

I assume bridge heit, truss adjustment and general intonation setup was done by you right?...how was that experience...and was the nut cut deep enough?..don't want out of tune chords :)

[@dragospetrisor496]

Thanks for the video, the kit is arriving today :)

[@marks9197]

First time here. Great video! I subscribed.

[@MrJetsparker]

all you need to do now for it to sound premium is change the pickups, thats all there is to it

[@billtrieshmann5979]

These are great deals and fun to build (it is like IKEA guitar lol). I sanded and finished using French polish technique (shellac)-- looks great and sounds killer. Very comparable to knock off LPs of any era

[@carloko08]

hey, Mykola dude, i like your video, very didactic, funny and the surprise was the sound of that guitar!! sound like a high level guitar at a very low price!! congrats, man, you convince me, i will buy one of this kits, i suscribe now 😀😉

[@percythrower9193]

Great video. Very helpful if I decide to get that kit and attempt to assemble. Cheers!

[@vindivergilio3482]

My son is an accomplished guitar player and is looking for an old beater or two to rebuild and customize to what he wants. I am buying him one of these kits for Christmas along with a gift card so he can switch out the pick-up with some better ones. Figured it would be better than trying to rebuild/customize someone else's 'junk'. Just have to figure out what body style he wants, a strat, V, thunderbird, or something else.

[@dank4014]

Zat was enjoyable, subscribed.

[@MrHardguitar]

Thanks

[@goodtune1284]

Nice guitar. Thanks for the idea.

[@Ppuffdiddleydangdoof]

Mykola speaks100% truth. I just finished assembling one of these and it was exactly as easy as he says. It took me 4 hrs, but this was my first time building one and I was concerned about missing a step. And playing it is as fun as it was to build. I've never played a Les Paul much but after playing this for a 30 minutes I see the appeal. This kit comes with a quite thin neck, like my PRS or Ibanez, which is just how I like it. I thought the pickups might be ho-hum but they sound great. And the tuners are much nicer than the ones in spec sheet on the web page. I have no idea how Harley Benton can sell gear with this quality at these prices, but they are my new favorite company. Not kidding. I'm definitely going to buy more guitars. Stock body shapes tend to hurt my tendons when my forearm pounds the body while strumming. I'm going to buy one and hollow out the body with a drum sander where my forearm hits to mitigate this. Mykola, your video editing skills are without peer. You pack information into every nanosecond. Thank you for a superb video.

[@lazarjeremias1421]

Just buy profesional hard wear and pickups and you get perfect guitar

[@MrHardguitar]

Thanks for this advice ✌

[@jamesjohanson5675]

i am expecting this kit any day now :D and I am gonna put there my EMG's :)

[@theorionprogram3323]

@@jamesjohanson5675 I would suggest putting full sized pots along with them

[@Adrian-uc7bi]

@@theorionprogram3323 you mean long shaft potentiometers? If so, what's the reason?

[@vincenzogenesis4556]

Sorry to be off topic but does anyone know a method to log back into an Instagram account?? I somehow lost my password. I would love any help you can give me

[@ryancastro4641]

Just wanna say. Pair any cheap guitar with a premium amp and it will sound better. But these guitars are awesome I bought two. I bought a les Paul and a jg model. Looks similar to a jazzmaster. Both are great. Plugged them into my buddy's stage rig an they screamed.

[@davevernon4993]

I laughed a bit...ha, funny.

[@arkavagoswami3068]

Is that motorhead's "the game" wwe hhh's theme u played?

[@arkavagoswami3068]

@@MrHardguitar 🤘🏻☠🤘🏻

[@John-ip8hs]

Hello mykola what about the grounding wire, I don't have solder rod hot iron, I would like to buy one of these kits, but I am scared of attaching the ground wire, thank you for any help you can provide me with.... cheers sir

[@dawidkaszubowicz]

Dude awsome video !!! and your accent is awsome to :) !!!

[@MrHardguitar]

Thank you so much 😀

[@kellyp9438]

Dude…I like you! I like this video 🤙🏼

[@MrHardguitar]

Thank you ✌

[@emptychannel2150]

Nice delivery!

[@MittensMcMuffin]

I imagine the quality would be about the same as their pre-built guitars and from what i've heard Harley Benton is a pretty decent brand, it's probably only cheaper because they didn't have to paint and assemble it. It might not be completely home-made, but my favorite thing is that you get to pick your own paint job. I picked the CST-24 version and started working on it today, what i wonder though, is if it's safe to spray-paint the machine heads, since those are moving parts and i don't want to ruin them.

[@olielmineroguitarrista8851]

Hola amigó, está genial que la atas armado, traigo ganas de construir bueno de ensamblar una yo también, grasias por los subtítulos ayudan mucho, agradezco ese detalle, exitos , saludos desde México.

[@zmeionline]

Is it a clean raw wood on the body and neck, or it's varnished?

[@MrGoodDreamer]

Very interesting project. I like your channel 😍

[@masadelacasa]

Did you need to adjust the straightness of the neck or the height of the strings?

[@HannaShevchenkoUA]

You're just awesome!

[@lone-wolf-1]

Does not sound bad. But basically, after few months of playing the parts settle properly and it should result in a somehow better tone. But these kits are much fun for learning and experimenting. 👍🏼 Edit: don‘t listen to the haters! Keep your accent! It‘s all fine

[@davidcatalano3781]

I live in the USA and I wish I could get one happier new year and many blessings

[@juanvelazquez228]

I live in Florida and have bought from them

[@NinasIdeas]

Great job. You are wonderful.👍

[@HananEafergan]

Great review, I'll might try that myself, thanks

[@jayjeffries7092]

Good video that gets right to the point.

[@kagomeotilia]

I am ever grateful for this video!!

[@vestel777]

I would LOVE to see this guitar from Harley Benton with a Floyd Rose Tremelo or an FU Tone Floyd Rose.

[@marcelloallegroguitarist5558]

Great stuff man I think I'm gonna buy it...and build it myself...well you know 😂😂 nice video, thanks for the advice

[@ritz1119]

Nice build, Mykola! It was fun to follow the parts come together to form a cool guitar.

[@muppetpaster]

How did you connect the ground wire to the bridge?

[@MrHardguitar]

I just inserted the ground wire into the hole. And clamped it with a bridge.

[@hh4826]

Love that you threw in a Rammstein riff haha. That other comment regarding your tone was rather rude but I do think they have a point, it sounds kind of thin in the video. Otherwise loved it

[@tylkotel3273]

Zat vas a gut vork. I must buy my ovn vone zen asseble like you did.

[@DanielGarcíaAndrés-c4n]

Is it posible to install active pickups?

[@repirouto]

Si le haces el espacio y las cavidades si.

[@AlexisGuitars]

Great video! I really like the natural finish. Do you not need to put any extra lacquer or protective clear coat over it?

[@sixties00]

I bought it like a month ago. The body comes with a clear coat of lacquer only for protective purposes. Does not add to the looks of the guitar. I sanded the whole body and refinished it

[@capymusic6319]

Is the end product heavy?

[@themplar]

Zank you verzy muchzz! Awesome Acczzent. I think i will get one of those aswell, i kinda want to try and make a gold top. Another channel i'm watching currently is using the same kit and he changes EVERYTHING to the body and everything. Thanks for the review, sure looks like a lot of fun. I expect it to be close to my SC500 from HB. The SC550 i have is much better.

[@VascoJardim]

Can you show the link to that vídeo? Thanks

[@boneserge8853]

Great job 👍

[@anditakeshi_kimagure_hobby]

nice review!

[@ugr2693]

Лет ми спик фром май харт ин инглиш...😁

[@plamenzhelev2771]

Хахаха

[@MrShYziK]

Топ контент !❤

[@bill4729]

can you get them unfinished as i want get one to build with my wife so she can wood burn designs on it

[@MrHardguitar]

I still haven't painted this guitar. I am convinced that it looks better in natural color. It seems to me that this is a good basis for wood burn designs.

[@simpson6700]

the website says "Body and neck have been primed with pore filler, and are therefore suitable for direct painting - for staining or other form of finish, the primer may need to be sanded again"

[@TeatrMiniatyur]

Good job. Very interesting 👍

[@levkolevko]

Great!

[@n_money1019]

Does the body need sanding, or is it already sanded?

[@Theronimus]

I would change the hardware.. Rest fine

[@jerigitar]

Nice built, love it 👍🎸

[@DayRider76]

Could you swing over to Germany and tell DHL to send my CST24 hard tail kit? I pre-ordered it, Harley Benton sent it' but it's stuck in shipping. They don't offer the kit anymore, so I guess I'm one of the few to get one?

[@jamesjohanson5675]

i love this video :)

[@MrHardguitar]

And I love people who love this video. 😂✌

[@hammondsfromtexas]

I don't understand where the ground cable is supposed to go, please 🥺 help??

[@MrHardguitar]

I just inserted the ground wire into the hole for bridge. And clamped it with a bridge.

[@GhostyFilms]

My pickups said N and J on them, and the N pickup had the plastic frame for the bridge on it... Also, it was plugged into the pot with the ground wire... ( Either lost my directions immediately, or they were not included... I'm not sure how I would have lost them, and I don't think I did...) And I'm pretty sure they gave me too few of the neck pickup screws and too many of the bridge pickup screws... Which would mean that they shorted me the second screw for the pick guard... (Luckily I'm leaving it off...)

[@B_Wolfen]

Is there tuning, or is it intonation issues? 🤔

[@skyline2601]

I mean, it has very cheap tuners and nut, so probably. I want to buy a kit like that but if I do ill probably get a new nut with it.

[@kjdtm]

my neck end (head peace) is straight, wonder why yours are correct...

[@decent6175]

Quick question. Do those pickups have the same set up as EMGs? I want to buy this kit but i want nicer pickups and i hate sodering.

[@tigsb13]

I have some zakk wylde emgs an they looked very similar to how i put mine in.

[@silviotrevisan8922]

I already buy it

[@Purrfect_Tunes]

PERFEKT INGLISH)))

[@MrHardguitar]

Senk u. I du may best! ))))))))

[@KattSyllek]

I wanted to do that but I got a Harley Benton electro acoustic guitar and after 5 years it got an issue at the 11th fret. I can't play there. It's a neck issue that I need to fix with the screw on the body but never managed to do it by myself. Someone did it for me months back. I tried but didn't work. So I don't know about that brand...

[@jabelardo]

Ciará Castex developing issues in 5 years can happen even to higher end instruments

[@dannythemedic]

in life, you dont just do things and not know about the thing. you cant go through life like that. its like, I got a flat tire so I cant drive now, so I dont know about ford brand,,,

[@Raul1971xxx]

Some adjustments in nut and bridge for intonation and it gets better.

[@ivanetenete]

The pickups sound quite muddy, but you can't ask for much more considering the price.

[@Ppuffdiddleydangdoof]

Interesting. I didn't find them muddy at all, though I was expecting it because I'd read that in other comments. My other guitars have Bare Knuckle pickups, (Aftermath and RiffRaff) and these didn't sound out of place. For $77, I'm satisfied.

[@joachimleinfelder1200]

How is the neck? Sharp frets or any buzzing? How much does it weight? Cheers

[@hugodouradoneto]

that was very informative, thank you :) could you also measure the neck to have an idea of how is it? Nut width and the neck width at first and 12th fret would be great. Thanks!

[@kenturmon9428]

Def needs better pups but that's to be expected for that price.

[@fandrlv]

Микола, скажи пож-ста, ведь ты не красил\лакировал гитару перед сборкой?

[@jetporter]

Well, the least expensive Gibson costs TEN TIMES more than this at $1000 or so. It is ten times better? No!

[@Ppuffdiddleydangdoof]

Andertons did a shootout with a $700 Epiphone Les Paul against a $7000 Gibson Les Paul. Was there a difference? Absolutely. The Gibson had more vibe and sizzle. You could hear it, which means you must REALLY be able to feel it. But was it ten times better? Rob Chapman and the Captain said no.

[@joelmulder]

Especially not when you can replace the decent hardware in this like the pickups for really good ones, after which it will sound very similar to a fancy guitar with that same hardware, but be significantly cheaper.

[@curtisnewton895]

you could not center the truss rod cover better than that ?

[@ВадимГидальский]

Не ну точно наш мужик.

[@Stepan473]

Звучит как моя первая гитара аполло леспол

[@Entzun1967]

Nice... but as usual there is no chance to get it for a lefty player..........

[@MrHardguitar]

Yes, I know about this problem 🙁

[@simpson6700]

The assembly is not an issue for me, but the paint job is, and for 15€ difference i don't see the point. i also don't like that they don't list the pickup names on the website, so they are probably not great.

[@k.d.2398]

Can I pain it? Body

[@donarmando916]

Bolt on Les Paul. Well...

[@K_R_N.]

Хело еврибоди, тудей уи билд гитар

[@reapermachine]

I bought an off brand diy kit so i could learn how to solder.

[@VadimLyutiy]

Юрий, хэлоу! Иц Николай хер! Ай вилл нева форгет зэт тайм ин Москоу!

[@robertosicle3013]

Harley benton dc 200

[@ernieball9516]

Old News. No Painting???? Come on…..!!!!

[@tjk665]

А есть канал на русском? 😀

[@marcmoens8308]

111€

[@elbarma5933]

Колокол анкера смещён к шестой струне. На хай-гейне звук жирный. Подписался, короче.

[@Ivan-kl4ez]

Вы русский ?

[@ernieball9516]

Where is his hair’s????

[@MrHardguitar]

Are you blind? On the chin and cheeks! )))

[@lerlo]

Tiny pots lol

[@JasanovAnton]

Лет ми спик форм май харт....

[@BondarevMax]

Чувак, ну и прононсейшн у тебя...

[@alexpaintson]

А шо у тоби за аксент такой? Британской штоле?..

[@Yorai88]

Лет ми спик форм май харт