Harley Benton TE-52 - On the Bench and Upgrades

[@The.Magnificent.one.2025]

They're pretty good. A friend of mine bought this guitar here. We found the pickups a bit lacking, the neck needed a thin shim and the machine heads/tuners a bit stiff and not too great. With a few mods it turned out to be fantastic and a good gigging guitar. Over two years he's been gigging it with no issues whatsoever.

[@Dragon_rls]

I just received my HB te-52. Talk about value overload. Fantastic guitar.

[@guitarcollectorguy]

It really is a great guitar and great value.

[@tomfogarty7791]

Iv same guitar..I had to level the frets several were too high/low but once I did this and crowned & polished them…it played perfect. It’s actually a savage guitar for the money..slightly heavy but I use a wide strap… plays better than several fender teles iv tried.. defo recommend it

[@NoNameNo.5]

I had this guitar, I loved it. I gave it a good setup and swapped out a neck pickup from a Mexican fender....I was super pissed when it was stolen from my car trunk when I ran into a store......it was quite heavy tho

[@guitarcollectorguy]

That sucks. I am sorry it was stolen. I hope this is taken in the humor it is intended. It was probably stolen by two people because I could not see just one carrying it off. :)

[@guitarcollectorguy]

I wish they would reduce the weight on this model. For me it is the only draw back. Mine is my couch guitar. I do not notice the weight then.

[@NoNameNo.5]

@@guitarcollectorguy I suppose the swamp ash could be chambered but doubtful they would invest in that and keep the prices so low, as a replacement I just got a Harley Benton TE 62, it’s even better. Binding and nice Indian laurel fretboard, roasted maple…I keep a squire strat by my sofa, along with numerous others stationed around the house to annoy my wife and kids lol

[@NoNameNo.5]

@@guitarcollectorguy btw, subscribed, great channel

[@guitarcollectorguy]

Thank you! @@NoNameNo.5

[@Chimp_No_1]

Very interesting video ! Thanks for sharing !

[@guitarcollectorguy]

Thank you

[@Cheguebuddha]

Ha! So true about the tuners on these Benton Teles! Ive had this guitar and the TE-62CC and TE-62 DB and all have same tuners. What I do is push the thin strings into the tuner hole and then plug the hole with the string in it with a match stick or two! These hold the string until I wind them and then take the match sticks out.

[@vs_830]

Why change capacitor? Is there any difference?

[@guitarcollectorguy]

I changed out the entire wiring harness.

[@vs_830]

@@guitarcollectorguy and what?

[@guitarcollectorguy]

I changed out everything. The pickups, electronics, and other components. And in the end it did sound better.

[@edwither8284]

I just got one. I really like it I think it's fine just like it is. I may do some mods down the road but not necessary.

[@ljp31009]

I found this video because I recently bought my first HB and it was the TE 52. I am more than happy with it. I will probably upgrade everything for fun, but I'm in no hurry as it plays pretty good. I normally play 'super strat' type guitars and thought I should have a tele in the house. I like this so much, I will likely get one of their single cuts and probably a 335 style. The most shocking thing about the TE 52 for me was the weight. It is heavy.

[@jasujokelainen5073]

Te-62's are lighter guitars 👍.

[@chasedartez4218]

They are heavy ....

[@Rob-fn1lm]

How about resale value to cover cost of upgrading

[@guitarcollectorguy]

Does not have anything to do with it. People mode and upgrade because it gives them enjoyment. They are not in business.

[@Rob-fn1lm]

@@guitarcollectorguy sorry I did not mean it as a business .I would use it to gig what I meant was if I had to sell it some time later

[@guitarcollectorguy]

@@Rob-fn1lm that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

[@charlesrutledge647]

I Gots one and I like it just fine Thank You ✌️

[@mikerinehart]

I just got a set of Hipshot locking tuners for mine. I'm considering doing a bridge, pickup, and electronics change as well.

[@AndrewAHayes]

Up to press I have 16 Harley Benton models, I am 100% happy with them, some of the mid range models I have upgraded and put the removed parts in some lower model guitars. I have 2 of the TE-62 DB models, one of them I have stripped and upgraded everything and the other I have kept as standard, they are both very good guitars and excellent value for money. I was thinking of getting a TE-20 to upgrade but seeing this I may change my mind, I love the vintage tuners, they are nearly locking tuners. I have learned over time to try fiddling with my EQ pedal before changing out the pickups, 9 times out of ten I get the tone I am looking for, once I find it I make a note of the settings and make a patch on a virtual EQ pedal for each pickup on a multi FX for that guitar with those settings, I then just choose that patch which is at the beginning of my signal chain and I have the exact tone I wanted without spending loads on new pickups!

[@TheSatch62]

thanks you,just need shielding coper

[@alafenetre81]

The stock PUs are quite good, no need to change them. I have a Fender Tele I paid about $800 and I prefer the HB.

[@lazvt8469]

True...I have 6 other Teles from USA, Jap, CV50, and a MIM all with various pups from Fralin, Lollar, MFD, Fender Jim Shaw, and SDuncans...and the Roswell's hold their own well. Got a set of Bootstraps on the way to see what' the hub-bub is about them at only $50.

[@pkbreeze08]

I'm struggling to find the pickup/control panel set you installed for sale anywhere. I've found the .47 cap version though. Are you able to share where you got them?

[@guitarcollectorguy]

a.co/d/03IRdi92

[@guitarcollectorguy]

I think this is it.

[@redshirt49]

I've had more bad experience with Squiers than I've had with HBs. I think HB is a similar kind of deal as Epiphone or Ibanez GIO. Good, but not devoid of issues.

[@guitarcollectorguy]

I think that is a description of most of the "affordable" guitar companies.

[@schwobamichl]

Hello mate, which Bridge plate with the brass saddles did you put on? Did it fit to the pre-drilled holes?

[@guitarcollectorguy]

I just grabbed this: I was really happy to find that a traditional vintage style Telecaster Fender bridge was a direct drop in replacement for the TE-52. I had a loaded bridge with brass Gotoh compensated saddles. The bridge I was replacing although looked like a Fender bridge it was much thinner and lighter.

[@schwobamichl]

@@guitarcollectorguythankyou very much sir! Could you link that bridge for me? I received some brass saddles yesterday and they don‘t fit to the bloody plate. The holes of the Harley Benton plate are too small fir the screws 🤬

[@guitarcollectorguy]

@@schwobamichl www.amazon.com/Fender-American-Vintage-3-Saddle-Telecaster/dp/B00LJY3ND2/ref=asc_df_B00LJY3ND2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=692875362841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6261097646975304729&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032322&hvtargid=pla-2281435179258&psc=1&mcid=ff5e67a7824d32fc926022514cb8906d&hvocijid=6261097646975304729-B00LJY3ND2-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1

[@schwobamichl]

Thanks a lot very much and have a nice afternoon. 👍 👏🏼

[@stephanguitar9778]

I bought one. Had to sell it on account of the weight. Somewhere north of 5kgs

[@MisterBrain]

I'm an HB fan, but are these Teles as heavy as many people say they are?

[@guitarcollectorguy]

Yes. It is heavy.

[@guitarcollectorguy]

I finally just weighed it and it comes in at 9 lbs. That and the tuners are the only things I found that I did not like.

[@mattiasorre1718]

TE 70 at around 8 lbs here

[@stephanguitar9778]

Mine was close to 11lbs. Heavier than any Les Paul I've picked up. I believe their TE62 is lighter

[@guitarcollectorguy]

@@stephanguitar9778 holy crap! That is heavy. I have one of the LPs and it is most definitely lighter.

[@greyguy69]

I sorry but I don't get upgrading just to do it. Nitpicking at best.😂😂😂😂

[@guitarcollectorguy]

Being a grey guy myself I can understand. In my case it was out of curiosity and for the sake of entertainment on the video.

[@viktorbagdan3844]

Thanks for the review! Could You have the chance to compare it with a JET JT-300? (I'm in a hesitation now in between three guitars, almost in the same price range: Harley Benton TE-52, JET JT-300, Squier Affinity Telecaster). Thanks in advance! Greetz, Viktor

[@timesurfingalien]

I haven't bought a Harley Benton but i have bought some other Chinese made guitars. I have recently bought a Korean made IYV. I have to say the quality of the IYV surpasses the quality of my Chinese made guitars.

[@Gioelemusic]

Are that solid shaft pot ? Orange drop 047uf?

[@guitarcollectorguy]

Solid shaft and .022 uf

[@Ari_Calamari]

I really didn’t enjoy the original pickups in mine. Just too anemic. Switched them out with some Tonerider hot classics, and that did the trick. Other than that, the neck was great, and the body is a boat anchor. Pretty good stuff.

[@lellomac]

hi, the original fender bridge matches perfectly with the holes in the bridge HB!? Did you have to make any changes? Thanks

[@guitarcollectorguy]

Matched perfectly. No changes at all.

[@lellomac]

A thousand thanks !! Even for the original Fender pickups there is no problem?! I saw that the HB pickguard has two screws near the bridge pickup and the original Fender one doesn't...

[@guitarcollectorguy]

No problem. The pickups fit also. I did have to drill a few holes to make the pick guard fit.

[@lellomac]

did you change the pickguard? I wanted to leave the HB one, I would only change the bridge, strings, pickups and tuners

[@guitarcollectorguy]

You can put any standard telecaster neck pickup in the HB pick guard

[@jaymichaels5187]

The TE-52 is known to be an overly heavy guitar in weight.

[@guitarcollectorguy]

Very true

[@guitarcollectorguy]

I finally just weighed it and it comes in at 9 lbs.

[@danleyrold45]

Get a wide strap 3 to 4 inches. You can stand all night.

[@bolesawgilewicz7786]

👍👍👍👍

[@benjaminhawthorne1969]

I was very surprised when you mentioned that you could NOT see where the pieces of wood that comprise the body were joined. I had a $1, 500.00 FENDER American Telecaster. I could see (from across the room) the four (4) joints that connected the five (five) pieces of wood that comprised the body. I doubt that any casual observer noticed them, but it bothered me every time that I looked at my guitar! 🫣