Harley Benton JP-45OP & JJ-55OP Unboxing and First Impressions - LowEndLobster Fresh Look

[@mattgahr]

I’ve used my 5 string JP for a couple gigs now. Aside from the low output pickups, I’m pleasantly surprised by it overall, especially considering the price. The quality is better than some $500-700 basses I’ve played.

[@LowEndLobster]

I agree! Post setup, both basses are wonderful performers in regards to feel and playability. I have some new guts en route and I'm very excited to mod these. Honestly, the JP-45OP that I have feels like it should cost 5x the price or more. The neck is flamed a bit, the roast looks beautiful, it's light and well balanced (8.2 lbs on the 4), and it just has so much potential. Great bones on these!

[@yoochrls]

@Atlantean’s blood extreme cap

[@mattgahr]

@Francesco Atzori Lobster said his 4-string JP is 8.2 lbs. I would say probably about 8.5 - 8.7 lbs for my 5-string JP. I'd consider it a nice weight.

[@stozone152]

tx and is the low b adequate?

[@mattgahr]

@@stozone152 from my experience, it is adequate. Not as good as a 35" scale bass or like a Yamaha BB, but for a $300 bass, I think it works well. Might want to raise the action on the bridge side to get a little more clearance, but I played a show with it this week and the notes on the low B worked very well. Hope this helps.

[@revlewisrees9880]

I wouldn’t be surprised if a set up and decent set of strings brought these basses to life. I don’t understand why the passive JP is more expensive than the active JJ though - and I’d be tempted to swap out the tort scratch plate on the JP too. The ‘aged’ natural really does look the business.

[@gustopherus]

I got one of the JP-45OP models a couple weeks back and after a setup and raising the pickups on it... it really came to life for me. The P is quite powerful, but the J is a little weak. I also had a little noise, but after watching your vids on shielding I jumped in with the copper tape and now it's dead quiet. I really like this bass, mine is pretty light at 8.5lbs and balances perfectly. I am going to be ordering a 5 string version soon.

[@LowEndLobster]

Nice! Thank you for sharing! I've noticed an improvement as well raising the pickups and restringing it with a fresh set. We're still going to mod it because... well that's what we do! hahaha, but I'm very impressed with this sub $200 bass. My neck also has a decent flame to it.

[@gustopherus]

@@LowEndLobster yes indeed and I am looking forward to seeing what you do with it because I’ve followed some of your Ray4 mods and had great success. New strings on this HB made a huge difference, the stock strings were the literal worst I’ve ever played lol

[@Bassdriver]

Olives are love. Olives are life. And these new HBs are quite nice! The P pickup on the JP should be further back though - in a typical P position.

[@keithpasculli7465]

Great review as always. The output of the pickups is a hard thing to perceive in an online video; the tone is much better than I would expect from a bass that inexpensive.

[@LowEndLobster]

Thanks Keith! Indeed, and it's extra hard to judge without another bass side by side (or same bass with new pickups). I'm hoping the mod series will show how drastic of an improvement an EMG upgrade will be here. I agree though, tone wise these things sound solid

[@Therealchuckbailey]

I dig the openness of making these whatever you wanted. How they sound is not terribly important cause thats easily fixed. How did they FEEL? did the neck feel good? whats the width on the nut? neck dive? Body too light? gimme THOSE details please! Great vid Lobs!

[@LowEndLobster]

Thanks Chuck! I was pleasantly surprised on all those aspects after a setup and fresh set of strings! The weight and balance of the 4 is nuts too. 8.2 lbs and perfectly balanced. As for the tone, it's nothing our friends at EMG can't handle. I already have mods en route :).

[@restojon1]

They strike me as absolutely solid modding platforms. A set of pickups, some fancy-pants strings and a decent set up and they'll be a flying machine I reckon

[@steverosen236]

So glad you did these! Been wanting to see a review ever since they unveiled these

[@Earthshaker1965]

Harley Benton is definitely dominating the affordable Bass market with these very cool offerings.👍❤️🎸

[@ralphhenderson7270]

Jay Turser is another worthy import economy bass worth looking in to.,...particulary their Vintage series,......I got one for $100.

[@Earthshaker1965]

@@ralphhenderson7270 Yes, Jay Turser makes great basses and guitars for the money!!!🎸👍

[@rockereivanivan]

Please I need the full review / mod video! CAN'T WAIT haha love your channel!

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Thanks Lobster 🦞 much appreciated 👍

[@HapyLLIuTeJIb]

I wouldn't be surprised if the HBs and the Arias are manufactured in the same factory.. Having roasted maple neck at this price point is insane. I wish they would offer these models in 5-string fretess...

[@AirChurch]

This is much better than expected at this price point! Great review.

[@razielkain5458]

Great review as always! Harley benton does 24 frets at 200$...why other brands are still at 20/21 frets I will never understand it

[@meyersguitars2196]

Those look like a good mod platform! Nice looking as well. I hate it for Aria.

[@bizibetiko9778]

What timing! I just ordered a pair of these yesterday. Harley Benton is enabling me to be a bass hoarder.

[@bevinmodrak4997]

Looks like great mod platforms, "good bones" as you like to say. Roasted maple necks should make them really stable. I'm intrigued.

[@schepler2]

I just got a JP 4-string in sunburst. I agree that the action was very high out of the box and that the pickups were lackluster. After a setup and a fresh set of Rotosound flatwounds, it plays and sounds pretty good, especially at that price point. It beats any similarly priced Squier. I still intend to replace the pickups, though. I was thinking maybe an EMG Geezer Butler PJ set.

[@themigwel6185]

Same here for the pickups. Got gotoh tuners in the mail and with a like new Blackstar unity60 amp, still costs less than a Squier here!

[@johndevos9746]

Can't wait for your in depth review of these basses. They just look so good and for that price? Man! I was wondering what's the weight is of the 5 string version in comparison to the: harley benton fretless jazz bass you reviewed earlier this year? I really am interested in buying the jj550 version but if it weights the same as the harley benton fretless jazz bass (i have this one at home) ill have to think about it 🤔😉 greetings from the Netherlands

[@LowEndLobster]

Hey John! My 4 string PJ is 8.2 lbs and the 5 was 9.4 lbs. Both well weighted and very well built basses!

[@johndevos9746]

@@LowEndLobster thnx that's definitely not that heavy 👌👍

[@mroland808]

@@LowEndLobster How's the neckdive on the 5 string version?

[@ConstantineIsslamow]

Thank you for sharing. Cheers

[@chriscuthbertson]

I wonder if the same factory make both the HB and Aria. Aria may not have exclusivity over the body design.

[@LowEndLobster]

I was thinking the same thing. I know that it's a lot of money and work to not only build but enforce the legal framework to protect a body design. Headstocks are the protected bit, but from what I understand bodies are fair game... and I think HB may have outplayed Aria in that regards...... I wonder if Aria will send me a Detroit lol

[@VincentPersee]

@@LowEndLobster I don't know but I really dont think it's a copy !! Who would copy a totally obscure model from Aria (a brand with very average street cred/fame) !? My guess is that it's just an industrial optimization, HB is buying the same bodies directly from Aria or from the factory making them for Aria, and simply putting their necks/headstocks on them. And I believe Aria is perfectly aware of it. Whats puzzling still is the difference of prizing, but not so much since the main/first concept of HB is to cut the price/margins to the max and get back their money on volume and reputation/massive presence...

[@chriscuthbertson]

@@VincentPersee the factory will probably just have a library of body and headstock designs and you can just mix and match them and they will build it for you. If the factory already had the CNC setup for the Aria model then the design will be in their library and so will be available to any one who wants to order it. I doubt many if any of HB body's are designed by them, they will just be what factories already have designed.

[@VincentPersee]

@@chriscuthbertson yes, and it's not just the body shape, everything is the same between the two : the bridge, the knobs, pickup config (and pickups also probably), pickguard, finishes (except there is a blue one for HB). So it's coming from the same factory/builder for sure...

[@DN.Giuseppe]

Hi Lobster, thanks for all your nice and useful reviews! I was wondering if you planned to publish detailed reviews of both the basses. Moreover, are you going to review the JP 5 strings in the near future? Greatings from Italy 🇮🇹

[@johnnysteel2380]

Dang you ! You Beard Covered Plaid wearing Hippie ! Now I have to buy Both , the Rick style and the JP Harley B's. It is truly amazing how much Bang for the Buck we have available in todays marketplace, when I was learning we were lucky if we could get a decent used Instrument at a yard sale , with an action below a quarter of an inch high and stayed in tune for more than fifteen minuets at a reasonable price.

[@jasonc1899]

Did you ever get a chance to measure the string spacing on the 5? I'm also curious how the neck feels compared to something like a Ray 5 if you can recall?

[@LowEndLobster]

I believe it's 17.5-18mm spacing at the bridge for the 5, much wider than the 16.5 of the Ray5

[@jasonc1899]

@@LowEndLobster awesome thank you! Appreciate the quick reply.

[@TheCrusader1099]

woah! they look super nice! really like they went with passive Pickups! but i already have too many Basses...oh man😅...currently looking for a custom maruszczyk bass...that configurators are creepy😅

[@Sir_P]

You can’t have too many basses😉😉

[@TenFalconsMusic]

. I only wish Harley Benton had been around when I was a beginner. My first bass was a pawn-shop special that cost me £400 ($500). New basses were gong for £800 and I definitely couldn't that much.

[@nym053]

They sound great, and I really love how the necks and headstocks looks.

[@danroberts3585]

Is there a neck dive problem with these? You didn't mention that. Also, is the battery compartment equipped with a door or a screwed down plate? It's hard to tell from the pics on the Thomannmusic page.

[@goranbakic9825]

Hope that we shall see the final impressions on these basses including the possible upgrades... I have already received my JJ-55OP Blue anyway 😉

[@ralphhenderson7270]

All import basses will require some post-unboxing adjustments with pickup height, action, sometimes intonation. Fenders (Affinity and Squier models) have horrible setups right out of the box and it takes some considerable time to 'dial' those parameters in.

[@sr80bassguy]

I had ordered the PJ the day it came out but they dropped the transaction for some reason. Thanks for this video.

[@LowEndLobster]

I've had issues using my paypal with Thomann. Using a credit/debit card direct through the site seems to work better.

[@johndelong9230]

Great review, I would buy one. You should do review of new Squier 40th anniversary J & P bass's. Just bought one, white J bass with binding and gold hardware. Really nice, thanks Lob

[@-joserosajr]

Both look great. Looking forward to what you do with them.

[@r.l.rachel740]

For your consideration: Without seeing the instrument ( Blind sonic comparison ) , can you produce a U-Tube playing the following 5 string basses then allow the LowEndLobster community to vote of the best sounding bass: MTD 535-24 Rose-Of-The-Mountain, G&L L2500 CLF Series 750, Valenti M24-J5 , Harley Benton JJ-55OP. Note: All pots set to 12 o’clock on each instrument. No worries, no pressure if not possible.

[@jumpingman8160]

Hi again Lobster. Please confirrm if the specimens you receive have stainless steel frets. I'm quite happy with my JJ. Needed shielding and got a wood pickguard to replace the perloid. Best regards 😊

[@LowEndLobster]

I don't see anything listing these as having stainless

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

I bet they are made at the same factory as the Arias

[@RodrickLodowica]

I would love a 6 string version of these

[@bmac1205]

Since price point is close to Glarry a comparison vid would be great

[@LowEndLobster]

This absolutely demolishes any Glarry. Like Death Star level demolition. It's no contest.

[@angrywhiteman]

I still wait for the Day HB finally releases some Basses that really look good and are not just cheap to sell them

[@greyfoxzero]

Stick some EMGx pickups in with a stacked knob setup.

[@bnutz3k]

I'm srsly considering the JJ-55OP. I want a cheap, cheap 5 to mod, and this one fits the bill nicely (also considering Yamaha). I think I would sand and paint the headstock and also paint the pickguard the same color (green sparkle, I'm thinkin). Dangit, Lobstah!

[@LowEndLobster]

Happy modding!

[@leepek3575]

I think to buy 5 string bass with JJ pickups, then put my own preamp and my own pickups... should be a badass bass for years imho :D

[@peekaboo4390]

Hi Lobster , I am really curious about all this roasted maple being offered. I have a local supplier for my roasted woods, I select the cuts and he roasts them for me. I am wondering if these necks are stained to look roasted or are they true roasted maple necks. Any time you want to remove the neck or even the tuners take a look and see if there is any signs of staining.

[@LowEndLobster]

Hey Peeka! I will be upgrading the tuners and bridge when I mod this, and I'll be sure to take a look.

[@rl-ub9hx]

@@LowEndLobster what's that smell...? Is that... is that... a possible roast gate?!?!?!?!

[@MD-jt8dj]

@@rl-ub9hx 😬😬

[@peekaboo4390]

@@LowEndLobster Yup that's me and the Peeka Kitty.

[@schepler2]

It seems roasted to me. And--I'm not kidding--it smells roasted too. Not kidding. It's got a vaguely woody/smoky smell.

[@bmac1205]

That 5 string is a real looker! Do they make a 4 string like that? Sweet!

[@LowEndLobster]

Yes! The 4 string is available with the same type of finishes as the 5. I believe the JJ has the white pickguard while the PJ has the tort.

[@carmens3685]

Hey Lobster, LOVE your videos!! I love a punchy bass with a lot of SNAP on the high end. I'm not confident to do a mod myself, but what pickups/preamp combo do you recommend on that jj550 for ultimate thump and snap? Ill buy the mods and pay somebody to do the install.

[@mossaagent]

preferably find someone who can create a special custom preamp for your bass.. the pickup problem can be overcome by using active balance

[@dm4728]

Hi Lobster, I am in the market for a Jazz, prefer passive I think, I am looking at these as a cheaper option and also G&L Tribute JB2 and of course the varying options from Squier... love to know your thoughts and I am looking forward to your full review and setup of these guitars.

[@svmarco3304]

Hello lobster, Very interesting instruments once again from H.B But what about the neck fret job ? IS it ok or I need to do a tour to the luthier Thanks for sharing S.V

[@LowEndLobster]

The fretwork on mine is very nice. I can get the action on the 4 VERY low, the 5 pretty low but not as low as the 4. I have some serious mods planned on the 4 (and I will probably keep it) because the bones are so good. I'm very impressed. Of course YMMV as it's a ~$200 and things can vary between examples, but mine are great

[@bazmole]

theyve copied Gretsch, the website advertises HH as the pickup system but there was deffo hum when you soloed the pickups. Thanks Lobster. Great video, these certainly look the part.

[@iamLexxKelsey]

Just the neck alone on the 4 is so sweet ....i guess imma go get one dang it 😔

[@triconte4418]

Hey Man... do you think you could do a video about modding a stingray to put 2 switches, one for series/parallel mode and the other one for rear and front part of the humbucker?

[@jeffjones1359]

The B string sounds decent. I’m impressed. For the $ these are a deal. Good mod platforms at the least but they sound pretty nice stock.

[@patrickjamesknight8100]

Hi Lobster. We have tone and output as two key elements of electric instruments. It seems to me that a bit lower or bit higher output is neither here or there because that’s what amps are for! So, if you have a bit lower output in an instrument but it has great tone - no problem (unless you have a puny amp). Do you agree or do I have it wrong? I put much higher priority on basic tone produced not output.

[@LowEndLobster]

Hey Patrick! I think you're right but only to an extent. You get to a point where the vol/gain controls on your amp can't save you, and I've definitely experienced that with other instruments in a band scenario.

[@wren23_bass-synths]

Not bad for the price. I would definitely change the pickups and bridge. Good beginners bass.

[@LowEndLobster]

Thanks Wren! I'm excited for the upcoming mods :) we have some great stuff planned for these

[@barrygoodson4952]

Why would you change the bridge ? It comes with a decent bridge. I would change the tuners and leave the bridge alone .

[@wren23_bass-synths]

@@barrygoodson4952 I prefer heavy high mass bridges.

[@alexskibicki2262]

These basses look and sound pretty cool. 😎🤘🏻🎸 and now that you’ve mentioned it, yeah they do resemble aria basses. I was interested in aria basses at one point mainly because Cliff Burton played one and they have some pretty cool models just like Harley Benton. Other than that, these are some great sounding basses.

[@mr_ozzio5095]

Very nice looking basses, and not bad sounding tone wise! They would make good beginner or modding basses, £185 for either one of them in four string... nice!!

[@etpslick100]

Sound better than I anticipated. Not bad. I would replaced the pickups on the JJ model. For the money? To me they sound pretty good.😕🎶👍🏾

[@KimSE4]

I do think the team that roasts HB's necks ... um ... have different ideas of how dark a roast ought to be! But wow, for the money they look amazing! Really giving Ibanez and Yamaha a run ... maybe even FGN if you do a bit of modding?

[@LowEndLobster]

Yeah I wonder about the roasting too. I'm curious to see more examples.

[@nj1255]

Which one would you choose if you had to get either the JJ-55 or the JP-55? I don't care too much about versatility, I just want the one that has the most growl. That would logically be the JJ, but listening to the demos it somehow sounds like the JP has more growl :S

[@LowEndLobster]

Great question. I personally prefer the JP over the JJ a little bit. I think the JP with the passive tone control is more usable in real world scenarios where the 2 band preamp in the JJ isn't as well suited to its character.

[@arthurbrucecrawford6896]

No mention of the frets and the build in general..... I take it they're okay, since no complaints were heard?

[@LowEndLobster]

Very. Playability and fretwork are quite nice, even for a bass two or three times the price. I'm impressed.

[@arthurbrucecrawford6896]

@@LowEndLobster Thanks!

[@DavidArielAsdf]

Awesome, In your experience, how does it perform compared to the entry-level Ibanez series (gio, sr305 or sr505)?

[@s.menester2600]

OMG, i need a JP right now

[@njtguy]

Nice sounding basses ,Any plans to do any mods ???

[@LowEndLobster]

Me? Do mods?... Never! Haha yes we have some big plans

[@vince8081]

Fantastic mod platform for the price, and JB style bass with 24 frets are really hard to find. Reminds me of Tobias style also. Change the Pickups to get a killer bass (i would love if you would mod it and make another test)

[@mattclub85]

got one and sadly its been a bit of a let down since day one. Hard to set up, never quite got the action right, pickup position makes slapping hard, impossible to make the tension right to put a higher B rather than a lower B and the blend pot has come loose very quickly as has the input jack. Maybe I got unlucky, but I'm having to spend a fair amount on this instrument to make it workable. On top of that it has this mid sound that I just can't get rid of. Should've bought an MB4 I believe. Gorgeous looking bass though I must admit

[@BenjiH23]

I’d be very interested to know how these compare to the Aria basses.

[@tigerscott2966]

Nice basses. For $600.00 you can get 3 Harvey Bentons. That is a good start for serious learner.

[@henkwesselsbass1810]

Which replacement tuners and pickups do you recommend for modification of this 5 string bass?

[@NiskRanThawll]

Just wish these had solid finishes rather than the open grain stains. I'd be tempted if the white was like a Mary kaye white with sealed grain and solid finish, I'd get a tort guard made (a nice one not a pepperoni), gold hardware and some nicer electronics for sure. And for the price of these new HB models why not? Still want fluence in my marquess though the G&B pickups just don't hold up for me.

[@markgreen950]

I wish they'd come up with their own designs instead of ripping off everyone else. Especially as Thomann sells the products they are cloning.

[@gwlankard1]

Them basses sure do look pretty.

[@edbrito-swdev]

I've been thinking about these 5ers. For sub-250€, what is the best 5 string bass you've played? After setup and string change.

[@jamesmarkham7489]

Seems like a great value for specs. Just very odd how little i've heard about these since release.

[@TheBeardofDOOM]

HB: Inexpensive but not Cheap. Also, olives hate you too!

[@MoreanMan]

They must be onto you, the Harley Bentons I've bought recently were not nearly as well packed and some came with big flaws...

[@LowEndLobster]

That's interesting. I purchased a Marquess 4 in this order that came in the same box, but was packed much worse (and just worse in general).

[@LowEndLobster]

@@peter2357 I filmed a separate unboxing video that I'll release at some point. I literally got these on Monday and just wanted to get the video out there while the hype train is rolling haha

[@schepler2]

That's exactly the way my JP came--it was superbly packed. I've never seen an instrument packed so well.

[@sicilianmammalian]

Thinking about getting a white jj 5 for modding

[@c.noahbaoas6816]

Are the Jazz pickups standard sized?

[@daviddesmond2143]

I went to Thomanns website. T 5 string pj sells for $219 but you have to factor in the shipping. I wanted to get a quote on shipping but they require you to submit full purchasing info including credit card info before you can get a shipping quote. Anyone know how much do these cost to ship to USA? I wonder if this is made by the same people who make the Aria?

[@LowEndLobster]

Interesting! Mine were both sub 200 when I bought them. (189 each) Shipping depends on where you are, but shipping for these two and a Marquess 4 was about $112 USD. I checked for a single bass and it was like $80. I recommend snagging 2-3 instruments to save on shipping costs per instrument.

[@grantkoeller8911]

Both basses body shape was an offset jazz bass shape

[@bmac1205]

Amazing for the price point. Why would anyone buy a Glarry which have increased in price? One of these days I’m getting an HB something or other!

[@svart42]

What about an EMG mod project for the JJ? :-)

[@LowEndLobster]

We have plans for that! Excited to mod both

[@anthonydamico8262]

roasted neck sounds delicious

[@bnutz3k]

If those also happen to be Wilkinson/Gotoh tuners, these basses would be a steal. Just the bridge alone is 1/4 of the cost. On the Harleys I've tried, replacing the pups is a given. I'd say they would be sufficient for a first bass to learn on, but they scream for an upgrade otherwise.

[@LowEndLobster]

The tuners here are decent for the price, but are definitely worth an upgrade. I think I have a set of Wilkinson tuners that should fit the 5'er. The 4 is getting hipshots. I'm very surprised by the neck on the 4. You'll see why in the full review.

[@warplordfinch4975]

Hey I live in canada. I don't know if this is too personal but I was wondering how shipping/customs was? I'm really interested in these HB basses. Thanks!

[@LowEndLobster]

I'm on the east coast of the USA. No customs fees and shipping was around 120 for 3 basses

[@Bass.Player]

I would buy the 5 if it had the dark roasted neck like the 4 string, it just looks better. They sound better if they are pretty!

[@LowEndLobster]

I've been wondering about that. Every example of the 5 that I've seen has the lighter roast.

[@Bass.Player]

@@LowEndLobster I wonder if the PJ version is light or dark?

[@LowEndLobster]

@@Bass.Player I may snag one on my next HB haul... for... reasons

[@tonysentimento]

Is balanced the 5 strings?

[@liamtahaney713]

I really want the blue one, but dont want to spend the money, so I hope you convince me it sucks;)

[@ramshaar2597]

Real good looking basses i love the coloures the design still i am not a freak of passive basses but.......????🤔 i am not so sure thst its matters in this case buďdy

[@marlen2801]

JJ mod with EMG pickups??🙄😉

[@giuseppeconsole6625]

how much does It weight

[@davidkekstroll5836]

Multiscale when?

[@jonzee2600]

Have you had a chance to measure string spacing at the bridge on the 5 string?

[@goranbakic9825]

It is 18,5mm on my JJ-55O

[@jonzee2600]

Thanks

[@bert_buikema]

New strings first! Cheap factory strings = low output.

[@patrickjamesknight8100]

Agree!

[@אלכסגדשי-פ9ה]

looks like a conklin 4 rocco prestia model.

[@rmccain99]

Sounds good.

[@thumpinfetus58]

This or Harley Benton mb5?!

[@LowEndLobster]

This!

[@thumpinfetus58]

@@LowEndLobster Thanks!

[@rickrolli7091]

For the price, you've got quite a decent bass. I would think easy to mod and plenty of room in the cavity to add more "sickness" to it. Can't wait to see what you're gonna do with it.

[@villusive]

super nice looking, not the best sound though

[@LowEndLobster]

I agree. The electronics are definitely the weak spot on these. That's ok because the feel is REALLY good post setup. I can get the action super low on the 4 and pretty low on the 5. The 4 is also like 8.2 lbs. I already have the mod parts for the 4 en route, and I'll mod the 5 after. I have some cool plans with EMG :)

[@randygomez9595]

2:38 Don't blow your truss wad too soon 🤣

[@grantkoeller8911]

Playing test is the one chord in the key of A , funk groove

[@coleemmersonhallman5329]

i think these look just like F Bass models