Often overlooked as mere entrylevel guitars, Harley Benton have improved in quality massively since the last time I owned one a few years ago. It is true that these planks are targeted toward beginners, and the MS-60 is pretty much perfect for any beginner thanks to its shortscale and great playability, but that does not mean a seasoned veteran couldn't enjoy playing one. With a touch DIY you can turn this dirt cheap guitar into a great instrument, fitting for a more experienced musician.
I've been playing the guitar for a couple of weeks now pretty much nonstop, going back and forth between some of the more expensive guitars I own and this thing, so here are the pros and cons:
Pros:
- Sound. Sounds pretty damn close to a real Mustang, nice spanky cleans on the bridge pick up and lots of depth on the neck. Given its relatively low output Fuzz and Overdrive work wonderfully with this guitar. Playing through a big Fender tube amp doesn't sound like a cheap guitar at all, I already prefer the sound to my trusty old Tele which has pickups that cost more than twice the price of this whole guitar.
- Playability. Shortscale guitars are great for beginners, especially ones with smaller hands. Having said that, this guitar isn't just for beginners. I've been playing and gigging for about a decade now and I'm sure to play a few gigs with this one. The neck feels just right for a shortscale, it's not too slim or thick. If you're not used to shortscales things might get crowded, especially on higher frets but personally I didn't find that a problem.
- The vibrato piece. Putting a Jazzmaster style vibrato piece on a Mustang is a stroke of genius! This vibrato piece is really comfortable to use, and thanks to the elongated vibrato arm you can pull off all your shoegaze favourites. It's a really inspiring tool, one that I much prefer to a Strat style vibrato or even a Bigsby. It also holds tuning remarkably well, given that it's dirt cheap. Further tuning stability can be achieved by changing the bridge for a roller bridge, for now the simple trick of adding a bit of pencil graphite to the nut shall suffice.
- Finish. It really looks nice, no flaws in the finish that I can see, even the pickguard is nicely done, those tend to be quite harsh on some Harley Bentons, sure it's not exactly like the one found on a real Mustang but it certainly does the job. The colour is closer to some sort of green than white but I do like it, gives the guitar more character in my opinion.
- Price. 133¤ for a guitar that I've been playing nonstop for two weeks now is crazy. Sure it has some issues but at 133¤ that's more than expected, and those issues are easily fixable practically requiring no extra money to be put into the guitar. I own guitars more than 10x the price and I wouldn't place them in a different category at all, I think this cheap Harley Benton has earned its rightful place among my Tele and SG.
Cons:
- Fretbuzz issues if you prefer lower action on the strings, not really a problem for me since my action is quite high. Fixable by leveling the frets.
- Some issues with shielding and wiring in general. The input jack was loose on arrival, easily fixable by tightening the nut.
- Spring of the vibrato unit was pretty loose on arrival, can throw a beginner off vibrato for life, easily fixable though, tightened it up and now plays like a dream.
- Headstock. Nothing major, I just think the bigger headstock on a Mustang gives the whole guitar more balance. This one looks a bit too small for the guitar, and the shape is a bit off.
- Came with a broken string, although not a problem for me since I always change strings immediately. And 009's that it shipped with can be a bit light for a short scale.
All things considered, these are quite minor issues for such a cheap guitar that otherwise is a shining example of how a cheap plank can turn into a great one, given the proper treatment. I put in some extra shielding tape, tightened the input jack and spring of the vibrato, adjusted the truss rod, oiled the fretboard and put on heavier strings. Now this 133¤ guitar is already becoming one of my favourites, even though I own guitars more than 10x the price of this one. The frets need to be taken care of but that can wait until I change my strings again, the buzz isn't a killer if you prefer higher action on the strings.
Well done Harley Benton, well done indeed.