Harley Benton SC-1000: Cheap guitar--but is it any good?

Hi, everyone! This is a follow-up discussion to my earlier review of the Harley Benton SC-1000. It occurred to me after publishing the earlier review that I hadn't addressed the fundamental question: is this a guitar worth buying? So that's what this new video is about. :)
Thomann website: www.thomannmus...
Harley Benton SC-1000: www.thomannmus...
ALSO...if you want to show the world the power of Metal and/or Iron, visit my TeeSpring store! my-store-97747...

[@jantradaach.4996]

I got mine just a few weeks before you uploaded this video, and I agree about the tuners... they're not the best. In case anyone else wants to replace the tuners, a set of Schaller M6 135 locking tuners fit just fine (no drilling new holes, no widening the tuner holes, etc.) Trust me, I just replaced the tuners on my SC-1000 with those a few days ago.

[@MetalProfessor65]

Thanks! Do you have any suggestions for replacing the pickups? Mine...how do I put this? Suck. They are incredibly noisy.

[@jantradaach.4996]

@@MetalProfessor65 I've seen people replacing them with EMGs or Fishman Fluence Moderns. The Fishman Fluence pickups have coil splitting too, which is cool. I haven't swapped the pickups myself, but I am thinking of getting the Zakk Wylde active pickups set (EMG 81/85) as a replacement. It should be an easy swap, considering both the EMG kit and HBZ pickups are solderless. (I may be wrong about the HBZ, because I haven't checked it out myself)

[@mikew3494]

Your voice is awesome. You should be a commentator on a big network. Also , that guitar 🎸 is sweet.

[@MetalProfessor65]

Thanks, man, and welcome aboard! I was in radio for more than a decade, but to be in radio you need an allergy to money. So I switched careers...and became a teacher. Apparently I *do* have an allergy to money! :/

[@spoofle5181]

@@MetalProfessor65 3 years later you still sound great :) and i'm very excited to learn guitar with one of this models.

[@MetalProfessor65]

@@spoofle5181 Thanks so much! (And that's a pretty sweet guitar; if you get one, I think you'll enjoy it) 🤟

[@vinaymulukutla358]

If the truth be known, I reckon you get so much for so little with this guitar. A rather dense but resonant tonewood makes up the guitar complete with a pair of rather high output active humbuckers. I would have loved to have had something like this when I was a beginner guitar player. Definitely not without issues but for 200 bucks, it's still incredible I haven't got this guitar but I do have the HB EX-84 Progressive Series which is an Explorer type guitar. It has the same pickups, those HBZ's, so the sound is very solid and it merges well with both my solid state and valve amps. I had to get my friend to set it up properly since the action was a bit too high right out of the box. But honestly, I am astounded by what you get for such a budget instrument.

[@MetalProfessor65]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Yeah, man, we're living in a good time to buy a guitar.

[@joehervey84]

I got one but in White,I've had mine 18 months

[@MetalProfessor65]

I wanted a white one, but at the time of the order apparently the white ones were about two months backordered. Given that with postal screwups it took me four months to get the guitar, I should have gone ahead and asked for white. :)

[@MrMisfitfsk1]

Mr. Sins also plays guitar? Holy cow!!!!

[@jreagle58]

I did have one last question, the tone control configuration, starting from the bridge and working down to the tail end, is that volume (neck), volume (bridge), tone?

[@MetalProfessor65]

Yes, I believe so. (I misstated in my review.) Given the toggle, I would have preferred volume, tone, tone.

[@jreagle58]

@@MetalProfessor65 I didn't hear you mention the configuration but judging by the toggle position and which knob you turned down, its BV, NV, T.

[@StoryGordon]

Great sound.

[@MetalProfessor65]

Thanks, Gordon!

[@allenwebster6329]

The shipping has gone up to $80 ,I have a harley Benton s620 the blue with the floyd on it I have the hh20 tele style I have the harley benton dc400 ,the s620 was a total of $225 the hh20 was $168 the dc400 was $160 this including all shipping cost now if you order let's say the cheap harley benton strat style guitar its $98 plus $80 to ship it so it would end up $178 so now when you order from Thomann you have to consider the almost $100 dallor shipping cost so now you have to ask yourself is this worth it when the shipping was $60 yeah it was worth it but now that they have went up 20 bucks in shipping on all guitars you may have to think twice about this issue ,yes harley benton guitars are awesome I own several and I own name brand ones as well yes the harley benton are way cheap and built rather dam well and play dam well but yes they have gone up 20 bucks in shipping I kinda knew the price may go I do think you can get up to 2 guitars for the 80 buck shipping so that would be the positive thing I guess but if a person wanted a $400 harley benton and on top of that price an 80 dallor shipping cost maybe that person is better off ordering an epiphone here in the states with free shipping from musicians friend or sweetwater or maybe Chicago music exchange, yeah now with all this being said remember the shipping has gone up to 80 bucks,you can visit the thomann go through the steps and go to your cart then checkout and then you decide what's better it may turn your wheels to thinking what I mentioned which isn't a bad thing just something to think about when you consider harley Benton guitars now,god bless stay safe

[@MetalProfessor65]

Thanks for the info! I'm probably finished buying guitars for the foreseeable future, but every little price increase is something to take into consideration. Keep shredding!

[@vicpnut1]

Think this is suppose to be a esp 1000 cheap copy , not the les Paul copy …which I know obviously esp single cut is a direct imitation of a les Paul so it’s all relative …but my point is the 24 frets aren’t an “improvement “ on a ls Paul per se but copying the copied lp esp version …if hat makes any sense 🥴

[@MetalProfessor65]

Oh yeah, it totally is and I get what you're saying about the "not improvement" part. My point that it has a Les Paul body shape was primarily for people who are shopping for a first guitar or a guitar for someone else. I really should have mentioned the ESP thing though, you're correct. I probably should make a follow-up video. Those 21st through 24th frets are essentially unusable unless one is tapping (at which I suck). But the guitar has held up great, holds its tune really well, sounds super (to me), and has the lowest action of anything I have ever played, with no fret buzz or note choke-outs. I've even toyed with the idea of sawing out part of the neck heel so that I can actually get to those upper frets. But since my luthier skills are even weaker than my tapping skills. I doubt that's a route I will take. Thanks very much for your comment! 🤟

[@vicpnut1]

@@MetalProfessor65 yeah I maybe i am being a lil nit picky bringing it up , but felt it might be an important distinction for new players who don’t know the difference…. Ever since I’ve ,later in life, decided to try and learn guitar I’ve found I’m better at setting up / getting guitars to play how I like them, than actuallly playing them. Hehe. 😜 …but it doesn’t stop my GAS …I’ve Learned the hard way to not “headstock name “ shop as much any more as I’m never gonna be good enough to need or notice a huge difference ( after I’ve setup a decent inexpensive guitar) that’ll make spending hundreds or thousands more worth it…hence me really appreciating reviews like is one…sorry to blather on, but, this is the first video of yours I’ve watched so maybe ( most likely ) you’re more Informed about this ….but assuming Harley Benton is consistent in quality across their mid level ( for Harley Benton price ranges this guitar is in mid level imo) I literally have to buy this guitar! Lol gas isn’t going away by Time soon or if it does not for long….and I never had an active pup’ed guitar , so you see my thunking here lol….I have an HB 35 plus LH ( I’m a lefty) that is amazing for the I think it was $230 dollars I paid ..the skimping was done In the right places , ie:frets needing polishing was worst of it imo ( plus setup to my liking But wasnt setup poorly by any standard) …so it’s almost crazy for me ,or most for that matter, to not at least try Harley Benton first .Then later on If you like the body style etc you can decide if worth it to buy the actual model after making comparisons….welll maybe that’s more for lefties like myself who can’t really touch a guitar before buying it ( no guitar stores carry a “selection” of lefties ) …

[@jareljones5194]

Hey man great review when I first saw those pickups I swore they where Emg's should have seen my reaction when u said they are called hbz hahaha

[@MetalProfessor65]

Glad you enjoyed the review! The previous review contains more specific info.

[@jareljones5194]

@@MetalProfessor65 i will be sure to check that one out

[@jreagle58]

Hoping to pick up one of these as a platform to mod. I wanna pull the active pups and replace with high output passives. I know they come with the correct 500k pots but can't find anyone who can confirm the capacitors.

[@MetalProfessor65]

I can't confirm, either, but I watched a review of this model somewhere on KZbin in which the fellas swapped out for some passive humbuckers, and I don't recall them having any trouble with it. I'm probably going to swap out, too, because--and maybe this is a dumb reason, but I'm going with it--these HB actives don't pick up pinch harmonics very well. And I f***ing loves me some pinch harmonics!

[@jreagle58]

@@MetalProfessor65 well, the bad news is Thomann is now telling me the current models of the SC 1000 are equipped with 25k pots which won't work with humbuckers. And who knows ( without looking with a trained eye) what the capacitor values are. I sounds to me like a whole new harness would need to be built and while I have soldered in new pickups,I have zero experience with harnesses.

[@MetalProfessor65]

@@jreagle58 Hmm. You might check Guitar Fetish, which seems to have a variety of harnesses. (I don't know anyone there, btw, and don't get any $ for sending you their way.)

[@MetalProfessor65]

@@jreagle58 I don't know if this would help you out. Just a thought: www.guitarfetish.com/Kwikplug-LP-2-HUMBUCKER-Wiring-Harness-PRE-SOLDERED-Drop-In_p_21881.html

[@jreagle58]

@@MetalProfessor65 man, thanks for trying but that's an LP setup (2 vol./ 2 tone). The SC 1000 is 2 vol./1 tone. I'm sure in the hands of an experienced luthier that could be cannibalized but knowing what these guys charge, I'm just as well off having them build it from scratch. Other thing is while I'm American, I live in Southern Spain. Courier charges are out of this world now. It cost me $60 to send my election ballot by DHL to the US.

[@PegeCovers]

I used to angle my picking hand just like you. Then I got annoyed because I felt it limited my speed and I legit turned my hand around and it took me like half a year to adjust.

[@MetalProfessor65]

I hadn't even noticed that my picking hand was angled! I might experiment with a more straight-on grip. Thanks for the tip!

[@PegeCovers]

@@MetalProfessor65 Yee. I also closed my hand while playing. I used to anchor my pinky and ring finger but that too slowed me down and made me clumsier. So I've changed 2 major things about my picking. I reversed the way I angled my pick (more relaxed now) and I closed my hand for a more powerful grip. Though, moving to closed hand did hurt a lot at first. Don't get discouraged btw! It's gonna take a couple months, minimum.

[@PegeCovers]

Brenton gang

[@grymattsson9090]

you look like deadpool

[@grymattsson9090]

like alot

[@MetalProfessor65]

Thanks! But that fucker, we went through bald, hideously scarred, super killer mutant training together, and he gets all the press, all the chicks, all the money. Jesus, I might as well have not even gone to bald, hideously scarred, super killer mutant training. It's a pain that never goes away.

[@pokefanover900000000]

@@grymattsson9090 god now I can't unsee it, he looks like bald Ryan Reynolds lmao

[@jedenasciegodzin8450]

Polecasz sc 1000 or sc 680?

[@MetalProfessor65]

Nie grałem na 680, więc niestety nie mogę nic polecić. Dziękuję jednak za obejrzenie i pytanie!

[@degener8389]

You remind me so much of ramsey dewey.

[@MetalProfessor65]

I get that a lot. I actually beat up Ramsey Dewey the other day, and he said, "Weird! It's like getting my ass kicked by myself!" 😉