Harley Benton SC450 Plus (This Surprised Me)

[@MrPolevaulter]

Check out the comparison between the Harley Benton Single Cut guitars: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6jKi4uglsppbcUsi=W9aqJaLPDR-KDbkV

[@RulgertGhostalker]

you rock Elmo. I think that's great that you don't fuss with takes, and showcase making mistakes musical ..a moment gone is gone, and a mistake should not beget another.

[@canadianintheukbrian]

Friend of mine just purchased Harley Benton TE-62 he was hesitant not able to see the guitar first he just received it a little bit of tuning but he loves it sounds great , now this one , Harley Benton is turing the guitar world upside down, sure this is not a 3000 pound Gibson and I have a V100 by Vintage I purchased it used for £160 pounds but it can hang with the big boys , why spend thousands , I 'm not that guy called Joe who has a place called Nerdville , I said this many time Elmo , when you have a review of guitar I listen I know there is no bs from you, check you Vintage V100 series if you can , I know you purchase your own guitars, it's so refreshing to hear honest reviews you can trust and share with your friends ,

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers! I might check it out at some point. Not in the near future though.

[@darthgibsonlp6631]

Had a love-hate relationship with my old V100. The pickups sounded amazing for the price range and the finish was gorgeous. It also weighed a ton and had one of the roughest fretboards I've ever played.

[@MAX96MENDES]

Congrats ! I liked the TE-62cc so much, I bought 2 !! AND I also bought a SC_450-Plus LD (lemon drop). Amazing guitars for the price

[@randomuser48737]

The te 62 is the worst hb of all, talking in experience because a friend got it and it has a lot going on wrong wich i had to fix

[@MAX96MENDES]

@@randomuser48737 I am sorry to hear that bad news. Perhaps he got a guitar from the wrong batch. It happens some times, even with those name-brand (very expensive) guitars. It has happened to me before and I had to return a Fender Strat due to some serious problems. One or two guitars from a batch of ten factory-made guitars usually come out with some problems. So return it and get another to replace it....Or just return it and get another guitar on credit. A while back I had to return a Harley Benton TE-80 (prince guitar) because it had some very serious problems with the wood they used in the body. It was really ugly looking. I returned it and got credit to buy something else.

[@tweakrr99]

Great review demo! I agree these are some of the best Harley Benton models. Your comment about the > 200 euros models is what I've found as well. They're all "worth it", but the 200-400 tier of Harley Bentons are worth at least triple that amount from other brands

[@MrPolevaulter]

Pretty much yeah.

[@raytorvalds3699]

Wow, those were some next level b-roll shots. Very nice!

[@xforeverknightx]

I've had my 450plus a few years now and love it. Done a few basic upgrades, nut, tuners, frett level and refinshed the paint as it looked too much like a jelly bean. That thing can go in it's case for weeks and come out still in tune

[@mattsikes919]

I love my 450 plus!! I've had several Harley Benton guitars but that's the only one I've kept because it's just fantastic. Awesome video Elmo!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@EvanLee-r2y]

Great guitar review, I will be surely be buying this guitar at some point. I appreciate your honesty on your reviews.

[@norseman61]

Good video. I’m not one of those guys who immediately says “swap out the pickups”, but… swap out the pickups! Honestly, I could live with them, but the rest of the guitar seems so nice, it might as well sound great too.

[@nickshaw6085]

Man! This is awesome in every way. Your playing is bonkers!

[@pauliej4105]

About a year ago, I bought their Les Paul Jr. copy. Out of the box it was alright but I had planned to do a bunch of upgrades anyway. Overall I was happy with the guitar, especially for the price. I agree with you that it might not be best for beginners. Take care!

[@jeromewagschal9485]

Back in 2008 I used to run my own guitar repair shop in Paris ( I moved to Miami ever since ) and Harley Benton was a very common joke around my shop between me and my customers 😄😄 let's be honest : HB guitars back then were terrible...Even a skilled repairman like me would have had to put in a lot of work to make them playable... The worst of the worst was their strat copy that cost around 80 euros... How things have changed... Even their entry-level guitars are incredible value for money, of course they'll still require a bit of TLC not to mention upgrades if that's what you want but damn... Harley Bentons have come a long way... I have the exact same one you're testing in your excellent video and it's the 22nd HB I have added to my collection...And I won't stop there...

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yeah, they were really bad back in the day :D

[@John_Doe657]

It’s got a nice vintage look to it. Sounds pretty good to. I’m quite impressed.

[@Kb-xq2ry]

If you go for it I recommend the lemon drop version instead of the gold finish iv had it a year now and it’s amazing and beautiful (sc450plus ld vintage)

[@John_Doe657]

@@Kb-xq2ry my most recent purchase was a Cort CR-250 blue burst. Very happy with it and its alnico 2 pickups.

[@christoguichard4311]

Ive had about 20 Harley Bentons up until now, and I can honestly say they are great guitars.

[@ar15gator]

I have 2 HB guitars, 1 electric, and 1 eAcoustic KOA, Totally Amazed 💥💯

[@rubenrispens3634]

Thank you for your open minded video Elmo. I bought this one But I had to send it back the same day. The headstock was cracked under the nut and it sounded really bad Probably due to a transportation error. It was completely refunded so thumbs up for Thomann. The week after I chose to buy the SC DLX Gotoh which I am really happy with now.

[@robertbaldwin177]

Add some relief to stop fret buzz on frets 1-4. Loosen strings, remove truss cover, turn the truss rod quarter or half turn to the left (anitclockwise) and retune strings, the buzz at frets 1-4 should go. Great looking guitar and crazy affordable.

[@SoulForty5Music]

I think HB make good stuff.. I have bought 3 or 4 now, but I always end up trading them in for something else. I had the SC450 for a short time, but I didn't really connect with the guitar. There was nothing wrong with it, just no magic when I played it.

[@Gutenmorgenside]

Honest reviews. A big fan of HB.

[@ernieb3626]

Sorry, I’ve been out of the loop and have been behind on videos but man I’m glad I caught this one. I’m so glad to hear you say “that one may be coming up “. Gibson video :-) I love your opinions and I trust them. Gods Blessings

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@ric9452]

Kick ass Demo my man 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽. It sounds great clean thx for that , great playing you always do a great job

[@smithfield06]

Like the Kramer baretta special, excellent guitar great body and fretboard. These guitars are quality and if you want to mod them it won’t be that exspensive, and they can compete with the exspensive range of guitars

[@RickTheTubeman]

I was so sure that my 450 plus was mahogany when I bought it. But then I Saw that okoume on the website so I Gave up on that ideia. Now everything makes sense 🙌🙌🙌 thank you .

[@svenzia]

Hej Elmo - always a joy watching your videos ☺

[@sgrp2706]

Great view. Fortunaly I got a friend whos willing to do the setup for me. This is gonna be lit

[@_Uh_Oh_]

I actually grabbed this cause of your video and I bloody love it. It is so fun, I look forward to playing it and it makes me want to get better. I did forget to use your affiliation link and did email Thomanns to add it for me but sadly they wouldn't add it for you sorry :(

[@markjones7365]

I have the 450 plus in lemon drop,and it’s great guitar for it’s cost.I also have a custom ii and a 550ii,and all are great.The only issue ihave had with any of them,was with the 3 way switch on the 450,and a little electrical contact/switch spray sorted that out in a minute.

[@TroyNaumu808]

It looks and sounds nice.

[@MrPolevaulter]

👍

[@riddarhyttan]

According to Thomann the SC-550 II BCF mentioned in the video should be in stock in a few weeks.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool!

[@juls7724]

Hei Elmo, i've had that model a couple of months ago. My thoughts were it was a nice guitar but i didn't like the neck as it was very chunky. The rest was brilloant!!!. On these models you need a little bit of luck, sometimes the guitar is amazing, sometimes is just good and...sometimes you have to send it back....no worries i've did it maaaany times and ordered the same model 3 or 4 times just to get a good one (and that's right for all the price ranges). Cheers

[@christiantaylor4027]

I like that sound. Looks great too.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool :)

[@ricardofigueiras6453]

Finally a clean sound! Yehaa!😁

[@balazsmagyar4211]

Yes actually people just tend to forget how beautiful a LP style guitar sounds clean, in ALL pickup position!

[@csumme7]

Looks to be a great player. Good looking, plays well, and is cheap.

[@MAX96MENDES]

Great review as always Elmo ! You got style. I also bought the SC-450-Plus LD (Lemon drop-burst). Amazing and very good priced guitar.

[@jameshunt8373]

Is it a lemon burst or gold top he is playing?

[@MAX96MENDES]

@@jameshunt8373 He is playing a Gold Top.

[@jameshunt8373]

@@MAX96MENDES thank you

[@MisterGrooves]

Have it. Love it.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool bananas 😊

[@robertclarkguitar]

Thats the pickups in , i believe, my Fusion T hh fnt. That thing is just amazing. I dont mind the pickups at all. At times in your video i hear that sound but a bit warmer on yours at times due to amp im sure and shorter scale. Love it. I swear Harley Benton is a deal often. Im sure nothing is perfect , but the value is miles beyond most companies.

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Very cool man. I love your honesty sir. ❤ I would love to see you do a review of the Ibanez S series. The inexpensive one model 421 or 521 I think it is. Also, would love to see you review the ESP EC 1000 series LP copy. They have all jumbo stainless frets, usually great pickups, either Duncan's or EMGs or the new actives. Can't think of that company's name. Great review from you as always my Viking friend ❤ Hope you're doing well and I hope all is going good this weekend. Have a better week coming kind sir. Tim..❤.

[@catch_this_mirage6564]

This guitar catched my attention the first time you tryed it 😊 After this second review, I am afraid I will buy it soon 😅. By the way, you talked about the neck, the frets... but what about the table? Is the golden top nice? Cheap? Correct for the price 🤔?

[@MrPolevaulter]

The top is OK I guess.

[@stevecassidyguitar]

Very tempting review! Great job mate! 😁👍 GAS activated! Damn you Elmo! 💪🧐

[@giovannidaminato1717]

Bravissimo Elmo. Alla fine è solo questione di soldi, perché, chiusi gli occhi, nei confronti diretti con marchi altolocati, le attuali HB sono risultate indistinguibili dalle altre, se non migliori! Ma se sei ricco puoi possedere quel che vuoi, allora il suono passa in secondo piano e vince il prestigio del marchio. Sono figlio del popolo e, per questo, possiedo una HB. Una sola...per ora. Complimenti e continua così.

[@user-abcxyz-xr2eg]

Elmo, I bought one second hand two years ago and my pickups are Wilkinson's. It seems HB is changing some parts from time to time. Hopefully for the better! I would like HB to put better parts (bone nut f.e.) into their guitars, so you don't have to mod them. Would guitars then really become too expensive? I don't think so. A few bucks more maybe, who cares!

[@marrow94]

Hi Elmo, as always nice video! Just a recommendation for the future as a viewer: you should start your videos with a VERY short presentation (like 10 seconds max) and then by playing something on the instrument(s) you're reviewing. It's a very much needed hook for the viewers, otherwise they'd need to wait more than 2 minutes to hear the instruments! Recurring subscribers that know how good you are will do that, but new random viewers might be turned off by the wait. In the end it's just my opinion, but youtube videos need to be like good songs, there must be a hook (think the drums at the start of Smells Like Teen Spirit, you hear them and it makes you feel "huh, nice") 😊 Have a nice day!

[@nowherebrain]

for the price..I would absolutely recommend that to a beginner..if intonation etc is all good..then yes, hell yes. yes, you need to do a gibson comparison..even if it's a loaner..they can be expensive.. :)

[@misterknightowlandco]

Be careful when you order these I’m sure most of these guitars are fine but at this price there are qc issues. The first one I ordered a few years back had tons of issues and it cost more to ship it back then I paid. I got the sc400 with the uncovered black humbuckers. When I opened the box the “gold” was copper in color which honestly looked kinda cool but not what I ordered. Plus it had green pectins like spots like on an old penny. Had the same green on some of the frets plus the input jack had fallen out. There were other issues too but those were minor things like fret edges so sharp I could grate cheese on them. I’m about to try them again.

[@anthonystark5412]

Following a disagreement a few weeks ago about which wood was being used, I checked Thomann's site, Harley Benton's Reverb store and the Harley Benton website. None of them matched the others. If Thomann can't keep track of these things, the rest of us stand no chance. 😏

[@carman6665]

thanks for the video ,can't wait till next Monday,, and yeah ,,compare those harley's to a genuine Les Paul , but then again ,it's all on feel and opinion but I'm quite sure that it's an alternative if you don't wanna spend the big bucks , have a great day

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@robertholtom9345]

Yes I looked at this guitar on their site and it is going for $221 Canadian, very cheap indeed. But also a few days ago i watched Guitar Max and on his channel he did a review on the Harley Benton SC-Custom 11 Paradise Flame, and this model is going for $275 Canadian. A little more money, but I think it still will be a upgrade as compared to the SC-450 Plus. Still both SC models are very budget friendly. Anyways, great video and keep Rocking and doing these fun and interesting videos. Cheers...................................!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@davidjones6218]

That's a steal at just under 200 euro! The wood is worth that alone. Sounds great too. Cheers Elmo! 🎶🎵🎶💥

[@mikaels819]

Most probably HB always used Philippine mahogany which includes many different woods. So, using the word mahogany doesn’t give the spec for the wood. The hardness will differ a lot between the woods. The woods HB uses is soft.

[@TheHenkka65]

Personally, I'd change the pickups for decent Seymour Duncans or DiMarzio PAF 36th anniversaries. Otherwise I trulu trust your view on that instrument. 🙂👍

[@blaynelangille6328]

Anyone ordering one of these just be aware that these get very little qc. Last one I ordered had the nut glued in offset by 5mm, razor sharp frets, fretboard caked in buffing compound, neck back bowed like a banana and a tuner that slips so bad I had to replace them. I'm not in Europe so returning wasn't worth it. Took a lot of work and a few $ to get it playable.

[@sarty23]

Jet Guitars next? Cheap and great I hear!

[@MrPolevaulter]

I've reviewed a couple. They've been really good.

[@buckellard]

The tuners look like they are crooked. At least the D string tuner. It's not at the correct angle against the G string tuner. It doesn't follow the curve of the neck. Just an observation which makes me thing other details will be equally wrong.

[@gigmandrew8975]

Dude! Your Harley Benton sounds bad to the Bone! It has a cool explosive sound to it even before you kicked on your Strymon pedal.

[@MrPolevaulter]

:)

[@daniellarson3068]

Just checked - Guitar kit Les Paul guitars cost about $200. A lot of the stuff the Germans sell has real value and not junk. This guitar appears to be one of these things.

[@MrPolevaulter]

👍

[@michaelolz]

My son just decided he wants this one over the Epiphone. 😆. How about that?

[@Folkgrunge]

Asutko on Suomessa? Etsin suomalaiset musikot

[@MrPolevaulter]

Kyllä

[@Folkgrunge]

Loppu! Marketing=Paska! this amazing guitar! Gibson lies! Asutko on Suomessa?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Kyllä

[@chocolatecookie8571]

You're not from German? Okay, continue the review If the fretwork straight from the factory is not okay, then don't buy it. Or let it get fixed before you start playing it, but that will cost you. A guitar should sound and play clean or else you end up smashing it to smizerines.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Nein. Ich bin nicht Deutsch.

[@hannuhanhi183]

Cheap pickups sound bad, right?. Elmo rulez ♥

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@Folkgrunge]

Ei! Myös se on ammattilainen kitara, Kurt Cobain soitanut on 100 euroa epiphonille... Sielu se on tärkeä ei firman kitaran.. Eteenpäin!

[@SkanderGuitar]

1rdth 😮

[@grimoire7851]

harli pentonen what a name

[@napalmspb]

pickups too muddy, like a cat inside a barrel. Peace.

[@daniellarson3068]

For that guitar price, replace the pickups. I see Seymour Duncan pickups going for around a hundred dollars each. You would still have value if you paid for the work.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Fair enough

[@morpeli-s2z]

US Gibsons have very bad qulaity control. If you wanat a good Gibson you need to Custom Shop...If you want a decent Gibson that is more Gibson than Gibson then get a MIJ Tokai. Even the cheap ones are perfectly made...

[@chocolatecookie8571]

Nowadays all Gibsons get PLEK treatment before leaving the factory. Quality should be okay by now.

[@cooltunesmadeeasy]

I'm sure you can make a sewing machine sound good😂