Harley Benton JB-75 NA Vintage Series Bass

The JB-75 NA on Thomann* ► bit.ly/HBJB75MN
bassist: René Flächsenhaar
video and review by: Gregor Fris
Gear used: BAE 1073 DMP - Apogee Duet - Logic (Comp, EQ, Torpedo Wall Of Sound)
Thanks for watching! :)
Gregor Fris - BassTheWorld.com
/ basstheworldbyvideo
/ basstheworld
/ basstheworldcom
/ basstheworldcom
*The links above are affiliate links. If you order something from this website after clicking it, we get a little kickback, which supports our channel. If you decide to do that - thank you very much!

[@AaronKaiMCDNLD]

Rene proves that you don't need an expensive bass to sound amazing

[@Alanoffer]

It's incredible value for the price . You should do more reviews of these budget basses it would be interesting

[@gustavo-GcG]

agreed!

[@masterquan4891]

Just got this Bass about 4 days ago, put it head to head against my Shire 5 string V7 and my Musicman Ray 4, and to be honest I like it better than both of them. I am total shocked at how well this bass plays. Thanks for the Demo.

[@dakotahawkins5226]

That thing has some seriously nice growl. Looks like some great quality for the price.

[@gustavo-GcG]

it is true, this bass is very decent for this price!

[@Trirosmos]

I could listen to René playing all day.

[@oysteivi]

Proof that René sounds great playing any bass.

[@uvuvwevwevweonyetenyevweug8247]

U look like u should be in mayhem

[@MartinKrijgsmanMusic]

I have this bass. The 2018 model with a roseacer skunk stripe, a new and better looking logo and Roswell pickups. Apart from it being setup horribly out of the box this is a great bass and holds up well against my Fender Precision Active Deluxe that is 10 times more expensive. The tuners are OK, but creak a little bit while tuning. Probably some lubrication will fix this. The neck needed a shim and the nut needed some filling up at the a-string. After these adjustments it plays like a dream. I prefer the neck over the one on my Fender. The Precision has a Jazz Bass neck, but a thin one. The Harley Benton has a Jazz neck too, obviously, but it is a thicker C-profile. Chunkier. I like it a lot. And it looks good too.

[@manonbassguitar]

Sounds exactly like my USA Fender Jazz Deluxe

[@MatteoPasetto93]

Ahahah same here xD

[@nigelpearce703]

I have the exact same bass along with the hot rod JP one. Killer basses for very little outlay. I have not felt the need to swap out anything on the JB75 apart from putting flatwound strings on. The JB75 almost made my Fender fanboy bandmates cry looool

[@michaelballard4095]

For the fret ends on my HB JB I used a nail file from Walmart cosmetic section. Worked great for a smooth neck edge.

[@ChezzOnBass]

Oof.

[@nikklazz]

I must say it sounds absolutly fantastic. Shockingly good actually. I might have to buy one just because. I have owned Fender USA basses that costs a looooot more But this sounds as good..how do they do it? Wow. Just wow.

[@DeepZeea]

China has different work ethics :) Edit (before this sounds too negative): Even for Chinese manufacturing, they are producing insane quality at an incredible price point and Thomann definitely blows all other China-guitars out of the water with their Harley Benton series. I read another person's comment saying that they most likely do not profit much from these instruments aside from luring new customers in and I have to agree, they are doing a fantastic job with it.

[@MrBeachMadness]

The secret is, and I say this as a professional bass player for decades, getting a decent workable bass tone isn't that difficult....it's just bass. There is no magic formula. There's no reason to spend thousands on a bass if all you are looking for is something that works in a live setting. Put some nice strings and a decent setup on almost any bass and it will be just fine. The only person that might notice that you are playing a cheap bass is you.

[@blazesomber1448]

This bass sounds so good as your buddy plays it I can't quit thinking about getting one...

[@aarondavis1441]

A few years back I bought a 5 string SR style bass guitar,I bought it as a Yamaha trbx,got home to find out it wasn't,there are no logos no numbers not a single I'd Mark on this bass,it's got 2 very nice MM style humbuckers,KILLER BASS,anyway I've had it for a few years now and after some hunting and searching I found it's a Harley Benton,I've had this bass at shops where the sales people have offered 5/600$ for it,I'm telling you,it's a nice bass,my point here is if the JB75 is anything like what I got (granted I did find out the pups where swapped) it's a killer bass well worth the money,I'm in the market for a jazz bass,actually about to get a Squier VM70s but I think I'll save a few bucks and get a JB75,

[@ImaginaryEvil]

Really nice to see you guys reviewing an affordable bass!

[@townheadbluesboy]

I own one of these and I love it. I wanted a lower action so I spent a bit of time filing the nut and messing with the truss rod. It sounds great through my Fender Rumble. The main issue is that it is very heavy - get a big wide comfy strap and a set of strap locks. You don't want this falling on your foot. I agree with the fret ends problem and I'll sit down with a file and smooth them down.

[@townheadbluesboy]

@Jx Jx I don't have a way of comparing them. It's a lot heavier than some Ibanez - I bought a good wide strap.

[@michaelolz]

I run mine through a Fender Rumble! Cool!

[@Deadleg]

Got mine today, sweet bass. It's pretty hefty, you could take out an entire family.

[@thestig8064]

my first bass

[@jrosner6123]

I would gig that bass, every day, all day.

[@lordisern3024]

You spend 139 Euros on this bass and another 60 on a luthier's job, then you end up with a pretty good bass. And if you want to go almost professional level, you can always have the pickups replaced by better ones.

[@bripeeer2475]

Holy shit! Instant buy sunburst maple neck

[@hansabass]

A Harley Benton JB-75 5-string would be great.

[@sicilianmammalian]

I don’t understand why they don’t have one

[@bernardgeron3694]

I hoping to receive it within these week. I hope i wont regret it.🙏

[@henryod65]

Just got one today? Everything he says is correct. Looks great and sounds great. Unreal value for money

[@henryod65]

Meant to add mine has Roswell pickups and the frets don't stick out

[@vbence12]

To be fare the Harley Benton products are usually spot on with their fretwork but that doesn't mean that some doesn't have problems. I have a pb series bass (the 51/tele bass copy) which is awesome and I really like it

[@basstheworldofficial]

+Bence Vörös that's the HB bass we're reviewing next :)

[@thunderboltavenger7684]

Any bass should sound nice if played by René ;-)

[@joekao192]

Rene who? Lol I can’t feel any good sound here....

[@TheSideshowB]

Great video. Mine is on the way👏😁

[@paulvanwal4875]

A very good four string Bass , from Thomann ! A good Sound and it looks a like the Fender Bass of the 1970 . And the price is more than Okay , or try to build one for this money ?

[@Smauli]

Harley Bentons are kinda inconsistent. Some are great and some are bad

[@maxjbg]

Smauli true that

[@MisantropoFilantropo]

Yeah. If you go for the ones with Wilkinson PUs it would really worth the price diference from the ones with HB PUs which have a little reputation of being crapy cheap instruments, and this for basses as well as for guitars. 2 years ago I bought a LP copy with these wilkinson PUs (a L-450 plus) and it were the best 158 euros I spend ever.

[@vincentkoster6291]

Smauli they are, but the Thomann return policy is amazing and they will go ahead and send you another one if you're not satisfied with the bass delivered!

[@maxjbg]

Vincent Koster that's totally right

[@tgdb4968]

yeah man they good

[@hiephoi058]

Changed mine with all gold hardware, looks killer

[@MrAngelo1955]

dieser bass is ne schönheit werd mir den kaufen GGG LG Jeff

[@henryod65]

I've got one. A serious piece of kit

[@inuyashaspet]

Pickups are in 60s position i see

[@eyeball226]

Thanks for noticing, I was wondering whether it was 60s or 70s position but couldn't tell myself.

[@oskarterlecki5649]

How can you tell?

[@kingdeedee]

@@oskarterlecki5649 70s Jazz Basses have the bridge pickup a bit closer to the bridge. This makes the 60s Jazz sound rounder and warmer while the 70s Jazz is brighter and a bit more metallic sounding. Most Jazz Basses today are in 60s config

[@Nightingale1887]

Didn't even know this was a thing.

[@basswanderer2765]

sounds pretty good, love it!

[@BassAdvisor]

I'm thinking about selling my Maruszczyk JB and buy one of these until I can afford a Sadowsky. That bass growls much more than mine!

[@tokai5707]

Mine came with Roswell pickups instead of Wilkinson pickups, they say it's an upgrade

[@alvaroruizruiz7538]

They changed to roswell because they were having problems getting fake wilkinson pickups. On the good side, roswell makes pickups for fender, so it should be closer to the real thing (?). I have roswell too and they sound great but I cannot know/tell if the wilkinson PUs would have been better...

[@krytonsbeast]

Buying one just to use while recording.. should be ideal for what I need it for.. cheers buddy 👍

[@Joe-hl2ts]

£130?? I'm buying this right now!

[@SenXu]

Question on deciding between JB-75 vs the JB-20. Now the JB-20 has a blue color which I think looks cool. The price difference doesn't really mean much ($150 vs $100). What are the key differences in terms of upgrade on the JB-75 vs JB-20? I don't mind JB-20 being a little lighter (poplar vs ash). How is the neck profiles? My main concern of JB-20 is that if that's too thick. Love to hear your recommendation! Your channel contains so much great information!

[@TheCraouch]

I'm not bassist, but here is what I can tell you. JB-75 has brass saddles (some say it gives better tone, might be a myth...or too subtle for beginners), pickups that are a bit better (careful : on that video, it's an earlier version of the bass, with Wilkinson pickups. Nowaday they use Roswell pickups). Ash should give you a slightly brighter tone than poplar, so I would say it's better for slap style. Neck profiles are probably the same, jazz bass overall are know for thinner neck than pbass. Did you consider the fretboard wood question ? 75 has maple (with skunk stripe) or pau ferro (no stripe) and block inlays, 20 is amaranth and dot inlays. Overall, JB-75 seems to be a better choice from my point of view.

[@SenXu]

@@TheCraouch Thank you so much for providing the input! Yeah I like the block inlay better for visuals, but probably would prefer the blue colored body even more. Don't really mind the pickup since this is not for gigs, just noodling around at home.

[@jules153]

​@@SenXuwhich did you buy the 20 or 75? Thanks!

[@SenXu]

@@jules153 now there are so many more choices! I'd probably go with neither and go for a MV series one. But 2 years ago I bought the MM-84A in the end and was pretty happy with it

[@wilsonm6839]

Review some SIRE basses

[@juxtaposeism]

They don´t. I asked them to do it twice...

[@basstheworldofficial]

+juxtaposeism we reached out to Sire, they didn't get back...

[@juxtaposeism]

Ahh ok, that´s sad. Thanks for answering.

[@0giwrgos]

buy one... review it.... do a giveaway ;)

[@Noname304y2u2]

Hmmm I think I might get one. 150 is a steal.

[@paulvanwal4875]

A very good Review , thanks ....

[@a.c.6475]

You do realize that you sound just like Arnold!....great review 👍

[@basstheworldofficial]

He’s Austrian

[@mikarage3677]

great review, actually i've got a cort action and an ibanez ATK200 but i'm looking for a good passive Jazz bass. i don't care about the sound (will play it with heavy compression) all i want is no buzz fret and low action. is this bass strings can be setup at low action without fretbuzz??

[@SamShearn]

Heard good and bad reviews about this bass. Was gunna buy it but im getting a squire affinity jazz bass instead

[@malikest.968]

Hows that been goin?

[@hang-sangitch]

I'm in a dilemma. I need a bass for recording. I used to own a fender jazz copy. So I guess i'm used to playing them. I heard the pb-50 has a fat neck. Dunno how i'll get on playing this cuz they don't sell hb's in shops.. The pb-50 sounds really awesome to me. But the jb-75 is versatile. The only thing i dislike about jazz basses is the evident fret buzz on them 😎 any help?

[@davidfox7983]

Have this bass Really like it

[@matteotorri2184]

Hey, is this bass really heavy as I read on the internet (almost 5kg)?

[@johndoc3517]

Matteo Torri it’s really fucking heavy

[@davidfox7983]

Yes it's a tonne weight but plays great looks great would recommend

[@paultraynorbsc627]

excellent review

[@Kombi-1]

Really interesting

[@imnoexpert1926]

sounds better than my 600 dollar bass....

[@captainbeard3323]

i'm no expert but you are no expert

[@imnoexpert1926]

legit though this sounds better than my schecter stiletto :'(

[@captainbeard3323]

Well my Harley benton is quite meh

[@blockman-funjeux6362]

just send it to a luthier

[@hiephoi058]

Sounds better than my Squier VM jazz bass

[@BR-ip5pz]

This bass plays better as my fender Player Series Mexico (800$) wich is very hard to setup right

[@supersamsquared8055]

How does this compare to the Squier Classic Vibe 70's Jazz Bass (Natural)???

[@Dicebox]

the bass player kicks ass

[@sicilianmammalian]

I wish they would make a five string!

[@ralphhenderson7270]

They do now

[@sicilianmammalian]

@ralphhenderson7270 yeah but squier has a six string coming in october might as well wait for it

[@DARJA.SAVARUS]

Cool! 😎😎😎😎😎

[@aspyr5681]

Came here to make a decision because I currently can't afford a better bass and my old Ibanez is falling apart. Seeing the video and the comments additionally complicated things because none of you can make up your damn minds about it. Personally I just think each side is full of shit and knowing anything about quality is pretty much mission impossible in this scenario because you'll use the bass once or twice and toss it aside, use it for a year and make a proper review, this is really making things hard as far as decisions are concerned and for the love of Odin play more styles and genres when doing something like this so people know if sound is gonna stay decent if played aggressively without loss of treble or bass outbursts, which happens more than often with cheap basses and that's what people really want to know apart from durability over time

[@aspyr5681]

What

[@W4cK26]

I found a reseller of a squire classic 70s jass bass that's been set up and in good condition for $250. Should I get that or the hb? With shipping the hb is $274 and I would have to set it up. Please help me choose my first bass thanks!

[@soisaid9004]

To my ears it sounds either not tuned og frets are uneven.

[@healer246]

How does this compare to Squier Vintage Jazz Bass?

[@BarberMister]

Do you think it's a C shape neck or a D shape? The HB website states D in one place and C in another place.

[@64josesanchez]

Just update the pickups for Fender and you will have en excellent bass for the money

[@supersamsquared8055]

Also why does every high-end channel use expensive plugins or bass rigs to demo cheap/affordable bass guitars? the people who buy a $300 will most likely be using a small Fender practice amp or something.

[@alvaroruizruiz7538]

Potential. Every bass, expensive ones too, will sound bad/ok on a crappy amp, and if u use a crappy bass with expensive gear it will still sound crappy (bad construction, electronic noises, not keeping in tune... That kind of stuff), so this not only shows that the bass is affordable but it is also great.

[@zlobert9877]

This or squier classic vibe 70s jazz bass?

[@rafaelerick6284]

Eu gostaria de colaborar aqui do Brasil, levar a nossa música para o mundo. como faço?

[@lavadoraautomatica1]

Y’all should do the enhance series

[@basstheworldofficial]

We’ll do when they arrive

[@pedrt69824]

This Harley bass or a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz bass?

[@hang-sangitch]

Pedro Trevino this bass. It's cheaper money and sounds great

[@hiephoi058]

I have both, and i would say it's the same. Only with the Harley Benton, i had a hard time setting this bass up. I like low action, and it was alot of work.

[@marike1100]

The Squier VM all the way. Better fret work and the pickup sound way better. Of course, the VM jazz bass is more than double the price

[@chuggabasscover6789]

Very nice!What about the Jb-20?

[@geraldp494]

Got one, its Good

[@raminajmi1439]

Anyone that can tell me what he's playing in the start of the video?

[@eLstratos60]

That overdub haha

[@dimitris470]

The strings look off-center. The G is almost out of the fretboard. For its current price, the Ibanez 180 is probably better value. Not to mention a far more comfy weight

[@peterfalahee]

Beauty

[@JaFoste_Studio]

How is the neck dive?

[@anotherrandombassguitarcha9482]

This is the best Harley Benton passive jazz bass for the price,..........Fender can't even compete with the quality.

[@eckie4679]

Not true.

[@ralphhenderson7270]

​​@@eckie4679Yes, it actually is very true that this H.B. is better in quality and price. Read all the comments for the video,....lots of praise for these basses.

[@Geertkeen]

Great sounding and looking bass.I dont like the maple fretboard, does a fender of squier jazz neck fit in this bass?

[@vitahamin]

I own this bass. You can certainly see and feel where they tried to save some money - The Plastic cover is hideous up close, The electronics inside are cheapo no name pots with, maybe salvaged, wires, one of the tuners is wonky (but holds in tune) and the nut is no name cheap plastic. THAT SAID this bass is still worth the money, IF you get a good piece. Benton is a bit inconsistent. I have two Bentons (this one and B-550), and the second one is somewhat problematic (more wonky tuners, two buzzing frets, probably some slight neck twist, and absolutely horrible bass bridge). Oh Yes i forgot. IDK oabout other JB-75NA basses, but mine is heavy as fuck.

[@marike1100]

If you don't mind, how does this JB-75NA bass compare to the Squier VM series basses either the VM Jazz, VM P-Bass or Jaguar? Or a budget bass like the Sterling Sub Ray4? Thanks.

[@vitahamin]

G. hi sorry for replying late. hard to answer your question. perfaps it is a matter of taste. but what can be said objectively, Squier VM has better craftwork behind it. on the harley you can certainly see the lack of quality control. The neck is thicker on harley, but i prefer it that way. the pickups are worse, but ok.

[@hiephoi058]

Mine came in excellent shape, no issues at all. It just needed a bit of setup because i like low action.

[@cooheedturbocoo8502]

Jez ur a grumpy one

[@vladimirlopez7840]

I have one no problems at all. Perhaps you are asking a lot from a bass that cost 120 euros? This bass is perfect for a beginner adult. I say that because it is heavy

[@spacewolf1090]

Will you review the pj5 from HB?

[@basstheworldofficial]

+Gerula Lupul there will be more Harley Benton reviews, but I don't know yet what it will be, it's their decision, not mine. Next will be the PB50, this comes out this friday

[@francesco1889]

I wonder if this bass is suitable for tapping. Has anyone experience?

[@basstheworldofficial]

Of course it is

[@FilipKeljevicBass]

Sweet! :D

[@Kombi-1]

German

[@Bassanova95]

Please help, is a good idea if i will buy this bass and install 2 band EQ in it?

[@basstheworldofficial]

+Zdeněk Schmidl sure, why not. You could of course also just buy an active bass

[@Bassanova95]

I know, but active jazz bass is expensive for me. So....if this bass is compareable with Cort action bass, i will buy it with Seymour Duncan STC P2.......and do you think that this preamp is good or not?

[@lorenzo1859]

Magnifique likes 🎵🎶🎶

[@bsul03420]

Oops, that should have said the 17th fret!

[@TempoDrift1480]

Any idea how long it would take to ship to the US?

[@basstheworldofficial]

Shipping is fast. Customs might take a bit

[@ralphhenderson7270]

I got mine in a week to the east coast.

[@fabianschimon4706]

Stimmt es, dass der Bass scheppert und dadurch nicht so gut zum Spielen ist?

[@basstheworldofficial]

Kann ich nicht bestätigen. Aber natürlich kann das bei vereinzelten Bässen schon mal vorkommen

[@mr.incognito1583]

Is this an active or passive bass?

[@MrRomero161]

Passive

[@joshuakozee5719]

came for the accent stayed for the accent

[@babayaga1767]

wary nice

[@DIJEGG]

Fender is greates jaz bas

[@karljerson2325]

Sounds like fender

[@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463]

HOW MUCH IS IT US DOLLARS

[@parkerbilbro3651]

$126

[@diegomolineroolschansky8930]

Are you the same person? Sorry for this stupid question

[@izziOnBass]

I don't agree with Rene's reviews! He can fucking play a string attached to a sheep with some grooves! I want to listen to a guy like me playing! a guy who dream to be like Rene!

[@olymoon2008]

Strange name 75 for a 4 string bass. it should be 74.

[@Ralferator]

it's because it is supposed to be a 1975 Jazz Bass copy

[@olymoon2008]

@@Ralferator ohh sorry, my stupid bad. : (

[@Ralferator]

@@olymoon2008 not everybody needs to know so don't you worry - in fact they did it wrong because the bridge pickup is too far away from the bridge to be like a real 1975 Jazz Bass. Still i think it sounds good

[@olymoon2008]

@@Ralferator thank you for understanding and for your explanation.

[@hlaf5018]

dont want to insult the player, but he looks like ultimate neckbeard boss

[@johnjriggsarchery2457]

Neck beard? I thought that was his pet raccoon.

[@daved2352]

Most brands: Block inlays? That's gonna be £200 extra my friend. Harley Benton: Whole Bass £200 Me: £200?!? HB: Okay £155 then. Me: what's going on?!?!?!

[@gustavo-GcG]

lol! i think the same! Nice replics, great quality, low cost, it is perfect.

[@BR-ip5pz]

okay let's make it £120 (2017)

[@SlappyTheElf]

These videos are kind of deceptive as the guy playing can make almost anything sound great.

[@gustavo-GcG]

besides the bass, we have a good bass player, a good amplifier and a good recording, this really makes a lot of difference for a good sound. But I bought this bass, and I really think it is very good for the price I paid.

[@lavadoraautomatica1]

why is Rene sooo disgusting? omg those grooves. He should be easily the most expensive bass player out there.

[@jamesblace5761]

I guess Thomann makes loss on those, they dropped the price to take over the market

[@Theronimus]

Warum müssen deutsche immer mit schlechten Englisch Videos machen???

[@basstheworldofficial]

Wegen Deines Mutter

[@alclobo]

Honestly this bass does not sound good at all... it trys to immitate Fender tone, but far far away from it... I recommend to save some money and buy another bass.

[@blazesomber1448]

Do you think its sound would beat a Squier Vintage Modified JB?

[@hiephoi058]

I have both, and i like this bass more than my squier vintage modified. It just got that vintage sound.