Let's see your guitars

[chezuki]

While trying out some amps today at Guitar Center, I was in “The Vault” (their small higher-end room with mostly Gibson/ US Made Fender guitars and nice tube amps). I had to grab one of the amp guys to ask a question. In the middle of answering, he saw my Strat leaning in the corner, and in a panicked voice asked “what the f*ck is that?!??”

I guess he thought someone had done something and tried to hide it.

 

[chezuki]

My strat again for reference…

 

[littletommy]

Got my two Harley Bentons today, after a 3 month wait for the MB 4 bass to be available. They were in Germany on Friday, arrived in Louisville yesterday, delivered today. The MB4 sounds and feels amazing, and is flawless. The tele is flawless, but I haven’t had a chance to plug it in yet.

 

[Twangbanger]

Got my two Harley Bentons today, after a 3 month wait for the MB 4 bass to be available. They were in Germany on Friday, arrived in Louisville yesterday, delivered today. The MB4 sounds and feels amazing, and is flawless. The tele is flawless, but I haven’t had a chance to plug it in yet.
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That is something I've not done yet. They are truly the Silvertones of their day.

 

[littletommy]

Here’s a short video of the Harley Benton tele clone . Amp is my old Fender M80 2x12 with the gain about half way up.

 

[phylodog]

Alright guys, I didn't want to post until I knew the deal was done and now I know so...

So I picked up a 96 Classic last year which was a beautiful guitar but I just didn't bond with it. I've had it listed on FB for months now with little interest so on occasion I'll throw a trade offer out there on Reverb for another Norlin. The previous owner of this one had knocked the price down to a reasonable (relatively speaking) price and also mentioned considering trades for another LP. I made the offer for what I had in the Classic and the balance in cash and he agreed! Oops. Lol, I'm lucky to have a wife who really doesn't care what I do as long as the bills are paid.

I'm having a hard time figure out what I must have done in another life to deserve this but I refuse to feel guilty

. On the left is my 79 LPC which I've modified as a tribute to Adam Jones' main squeeze (not 100% accurate), on the right is the brand new to me 1979 that I scored off of Reverb. It couldn't be more perfect. The cool thing, and the reason I jumped without hesitation when my trade offer was accepted, is because the new one was manufactured the day after my first, they're 55 guitars apart by serial number.
(Cool side note, there's another 79 on Reverb now that was built the day after my new one but it's serial number is between the two I have now.)

I'm not sure how to properly describe this but I'm a very "tactile" person. I seem to be able to detect very small differences between near identical objects. It isn't convenient nor particularly useful, it is actually more of a pain in the ass to be honest. Because of this, and because my original is the best playing guitar (for me) I've ever played I was praying for a carbon copy. I'm thrilled to say that outside of the aging of the nitro, the pickups and switch plate it is an identical twin to my baby.

I'm nowhere near as dedicated as most here, I struggle with very basic knowledge and understanding of amps & pedals but these guitars are something else. I'm so happy (and thankful) I could cry. I now have two of the coolest thing I'll ever own.

 

[Twangbanger]

Here’s a short video of the Harley Benton tele clone . Amp is my old Fender M80 2x12 with the gain about half way up.

Yeah, that has potential.

 

[Leo]

I have worked on several of the Harley Benton guitars. They do have pretty good bones and are not tricky to set up. A couple were the bottom line, and as expected, everything reflected the $130 price. The middle priced models had better hardware and somewhat better sounding pickups, at least to my ear.

A quick look at the Thomann website shows that the shipping to the USA has over doubled and the money exchange rates are not favorable right now, cutting into the money you could save with that brand.

A couple years back I bought a Telecaster shaped Harley Benton with two Filtertron type pickups. I like a good playing Telecaster and I like the sound of a Gretsch, so I could not resist. I spent maybe 5 minutes fine tuning the action adjustments and have done nothing but enjoy it since.

 

[littletommy]

I have worked on several of the Harley Benton guitars. They do have pretty good bones and are not tricky to set up. A couple were the bottom line, and as expected, everything reflected the $130 price. The middle priced models had better hardware and somewhat better sounding pickups, at least to my ear.

A quick look at the Thomann website shows that the shipping to the USA has over doubled and the money exchange rates are not favorable right now, cutting into the money you could save with that brand.

A couple years back I bought a Telecaster shaped Harley Benton with two Filtertron type pickups. I like a good playing Telecaster and I like the sound of a Gretsch, so I could not resist. I spent maybe 5 minutes fine tuning the action adjustments and have done nothing but enjoy it since.

Yeah, I have eight Harley Bentons, from the least expensive to around $230, and while the hardware and electronics on the cheaper ones is sorta flimsy, they are all very surprising for the cost. The tele in the above video was $95, and I shot that after a quick tune up. I need to tweak the b string saddle a bit, but other than that, the intonation was spot on.

The bass is just amazing. I played it for a couple hours last night, and just can’t believe how many different tones I can get from the single split coil. And, it didn’t need anything other than tuning right out of the box.

The shipping is pretty steep, but it’s a flat rate up to several guitars at least, so the next time I order from them, I’ll probably go with multiple guitars again.

 

[stocknup]

My driftwood one string ..................I actually get a lot of enjoyment out of this thing .......the wife , not so much .

 

[chezuki]

I did a thing….

Pics when it arrives.

Well, I am still waiting for the first thing to arrive, but I did another thing. This followed me home today.

 

[Leo]

Well, I am still waiting for the first thing to arrive, but I did another thing. This followed me home today.

View attachment 190532

Nice choice. Nothing like the Fender tube amp cleans.

This is the time to get one. China and Russia are the only places tubes are made any more and current conditions have shut off that trade. Tube amp manufactures have sent notice to the distributors that there will be production delays AND significant price increases.

I always recommend owning a complete set of spare tubes, but people panicked and emptied all the suppliers. I am seeing a few ads from scalpers who are selling at 3 or 4 hundred percent mark up.

 

[chezuki]

Nice choice. Nothing like the Fender tube amp cleans.

This is the time to get one. China and Russia are the only places tubes are made any more and current conditions have shut off that trade. Tube amp manufactures have sent notice to the distributors that there will be production delays AND significant price increases.

I always recommend owning a complete set of spare tubes, but people panicked and emptied all the suppliers. I am seeing a few ads from scalpers who are selling at 3 or 4 hundred percent mark up.

Supposedly the export ban was lifted, but supplies are still short. I will still pickup some backups if and when possible.

Electro-Harmonix says export ban on Russian tubes has been lifted, warns of tariffs, higher prices and shortages

EHX is accepting new orders, and hopes to resume shipping in April, but “there is a tremendous shortage of tubes,” says EHX boss Mike Matthews

www.musicradar.com

 

[Twangbanger]

I wonder if this is going to put the nail in anybody but old phartes buying tube amps. The solid-state stuff is just so. damn. good right now.

Sovteks are going to be like the new barter currency or something.

In other news, SX'es have more than doubled from what they were a few years ago. No more $130 basses.

http://sx-guitar.com/index.php/Index/index

It's like I figured. Eventually, through the magic of inflation and supply chains, we'll be paying just as much for imported asian stuff as we used to for American made.

 

[chezuki]

I wonder if this is going to put the nail in anybody but old phartes buying tube amps. The solid-state stuff is just so. damn. good right now.

I don’t know, I’ve tried about every solid-state on the market, including some in the tube price range. While some sound pretty good, none match a good tube amp.

 

[chezuki]

I guess that might make me an old fart… I am 41, which I no longer consider old.

 

[Leo]

I guess that might make me an old fart… I am 41, which I no longer consider old.

Age really is relative. I remember dating a 27 year old hippie chick when I was 18. It was almost scandalous. By the time my kid was out of high school, a 35 year old was a sweet young thing. Now some of the gals at the retirement party look interesting. I worked in an old folks home and one of the men that could still get around without a walker was talking to me about the "cutie" he met in another wing of the facility. Every day has new challenges and experiences.

And tube amps ROCK! Although dragging around a 90 lb Fender Twin is probably why I have back problems.....

 

[Ironhippie]

My driftwood one string ..................I actually get a lot of enjoyment out of this thing .......the wife , not so much .


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I want one! Too Cool.

 

[chezuki]

@phylodog

 

[chezuki]

Here she is.