I just can’t believe all the guitar you get for the price on these Harley Benton guitars. I’m getting this exact guitar asap. You’ve answered all my questions and thank you for this video! Have a great day.
I have one and so far the only things that I didn't change is the wood and the locking mechanism. I bought mine as a B stock, and the obvious problematic parts that made it B stock, was the switch. So I change it. Then the fine tune screws where somehow smaller than their holes, thus they where jumping. I change them. Next, the bar... Change it too. The tuning keys at a "Floyd rose" style guitar are not SO important, but when it took 6 turns to change even slight the tone of the g string, and then another 6 turns to change it back.... I replace them. Then I turned to the "humbuckers" that thy where humming too much for what the suppose to be... I start by putting cooper band inside the cavity... to every one of them. NOTHING. Change wires to output, spring claw, between pots and switch... NOTHING. then I bought a pair of 4 conductor "alnicov" humbuckers from amazon, for 30 euros... the hum is gone OK, I knew that I was dealing with a B stock item, but the guy that signed the quality control card, should get fired... If you are looking for a project, then it's the perfect one!!! the bill: Guitar 145 EU shipping 20 Humbuckers 30 Original Floyd rose replacing parts 40 Tuners 50 Switch 40
Thanks for the comment! It really is luck of the draw when buying online. I didn't have those issues personally. The headstock was chipped so they knocked off some money for that, but none of the other issues you raise were there on the one I got. To my surprise, honestly, for the price. Thanks fro watching!
Such a good review,thank you so much really,i wasnt sure if i should choose this guitar over the ones i had to choose from but this guitar made me sure to buy this guitar!
Good review. It's a solid guitar with nothing that needs any real immediate attention. Stays in tune reasonably well, sounds reasonably good and feels good. Mine is a pre covid B-stock. After a year i upgraded the pickups and I'm just starting to feel like I need to change the locking nut at 18 months owning it. The open G note is sounding dull. aside from that it's probably only ever going to need some titanium floyd parts to replace the cheaper, softer metal as things like the saddle blocks wear out.... and maybe a fret job from playing it all the time. lol 👍🤘👏
I have bought this guitar and waiting for it to come home. I am Very pleased about your video showing the guitar, and a very nice understandable reveweive of the guitar.. Mine is blue..
I recently purchased a Jackson Warrior with Floyd Rose around $400 And compared with HB I think you get a great guitar. Not as much polished guitars as most high end companies but for the price and guitar playability its a great deal. Im a HB fanboy! I use to be an Ibanez fanboy but not anymore.
Thanks so much for the comment!!! I really think it's amazing what they can do at such affordable prices. I rely on the guitars on a daily basis. Thanks again!
Awesome review! I just ordered my HB s series tonight. I also ordered the lp goldtop with P90's and the modeling amp package. These will be my first time dealing with HB, and reviews are hit and miss. I hope mine are as good as yours when they arrive! I also have an Ibanez RG autumn rade with a Floyd system, out of the box it was an absolute nightmare! Great looking guitar with almost every quality control issue imaginable. At that price point, that is a plain travesty! I got all the qc issues under control, played it twice and put it back in the gigbag to look at it once in a while. I then bought a Lyxpro tele copy, and fell in love. Twang for years! It's great with a couple adjustments.. I guess it really is luck of the draw.
Thanks for the nice comment!!! The only thing I would say is to PLEASE make sure you’re comfortable with a Floyd Rose style trem system before getting this guitar. It definitely requires attention to make sure it stays in tune. There are tons of UA-cam tutorials on good practices around that, and it’s not extremely difficult, but I just wanted to make sure you consider that. Thanks!!!!
Hello I am an intermediate player and I wanted to buy either the Harley Benton Fusion with FR trem or the Jackson JS32Q also with floyd rose... Do you have any opinion on these guitars? I live in europe, so harley benton shipping cost would not be an issue for me...
Thanks for the question!!! I’ve never played a Jackson or the HB Fusion, but the Dinky is an extremely popular guitar. I think once you’re into the Fusion range of HB’s, you’re probably paying the same as you would for a Jackson. I googled fusion vs dinky and this site came up first in the results: findmyguitar.com/compare/Harley-Benton-Fusion-III-HSH-Roasted-vs-Jackson-JS-Series-Dinky-Arch-Top-JS32-8-DKA-HT-comparison.php Good luck with whichever you end up getting!! 🤘🤘🤘🤘
Nice Video! I just want to asky if that guitar would be good as my first guitar? I never really played before and i also dont wanna something very expensive cause im a beginner and im not sure if i will play for always. But ist it a good first guitar?
Thanks so much!! My short answer would be that no, this isn't the best guitar to buy as a first guitar. The long answer is that this guitar has what's called a floating bridge, which means it comes with a whammy bar system that sits in the body and can be pushed way down or pulled way up. The issue is that this kind of bridge can be delicate and finicky, so you really need to know what you're doing in terms of keeping the tension correct across the 6 six strings. So, I would say that for a first guitar you'll want a guitar with a fixed bridge (guitars with fixed bridges will NOT accommodate a whammy bar w/o modifying them). These will have more stable tuning and will require less vigilance and know-how than will guitars with whammy bars (AKA tremolo systems or vibrato arms). The other thing I have learned is that if you buy the absolute cheapest guitar possible, you will want to upgrade within a few months if you really get hooked on playing. That's exactly what happened to me. With the technology and production capabilities available today, I would say that buying a guitar that's slightly above the cheapest level is the way to go. Guitars in this range (usually between USD$200 and USD$300) will last you a long time, deliver performance you're looking for, look great, and will have a good feel while playing that will support your growth as a player. You won't feel the need to upgrade just after a year or less if you go this route. There are many makes and models to choose from, so it depends on what best suits you. My personal favorites happen to be Harley Bentons. I have 4 of them now, and love them all. I would recommend the HB CST 24 (NOT the 24T, which has the whammy bar). Here is a link to it: harleybenton.com/product/cst-24-paradise-flame/ This guitar has good affordable pickups, tuners, nut, hardware, and electronics. It has humbucker pickups that have a deep, rich sound, but can also be coil split, so you can get a more trebly sound from single coils. It's got 24 frets rather than 22, and looks beautiful. This would be my pick for an amazing all-around, all-purpose guitar for a first guitar. It sells for about USD$250 before shipping (they come from Germany), but 2 of my 4 guitars from Harley Benton I've bought at a discount because they were "B stock" guitars, which means they have a slight cosmetic imperfection that will not affect the performance, so you can get around 10% off on B stock models. I want you to know that after I fell in love with Harley Bentons, I created an affiliate link so that I could potential get a 2% commission from any sales that resulted from people following my links. Harley Benton Guitars don't know who I am; you can just apply for an affiliate link and an automated system grants you that status. I have never actually earned any commission from them to date, and I am not looking to anymore. I've decided to keep things clean by not even having those links. The link I gave you above is NOT an affiliate link, so it will not generate any commission for me if you end up getting this guitar (again, the commission would have been about $4, but I'd rather not even have the opportunity of getting that tiny amount if it means muddying up my reviews). I am just a total fan geek about these guitars. Of course, there are other great beginner guitars out there. If you're interested in other people's opinions, here are some of the folks I've watched religiously for guitar buying advice: ua-cam.com/users/Wallimannfeatured ua-cam.com/users/EytschPi42 ua-cam.com/users/GuitarMAXMusic ua-cam.com/users/DarrellBraunGuitar To be honest, the above people are also fans of Harley Bentons, but they've reviewed countless other guitars as well. Please let me know if there's anything else you'd like to discuss here and I'd be happy to share whatever I know (which is a lot less than what many other people know LOL). Thanks again for watching!
@@StrangeDevice Wow, i would never say that i will get such a nice answer! I am very thankfull for your advice. I asked other people but Nobody answered so thank u very much again ! Its a pleasure to watch Ur Videos!
@@Mr.Natanek Thank you for the kind words! I started playing in 2019 and immediately began watching hundreds of guitar videos, and really want this channel to be a supportive resource for people to help each other. So, it's my pleasure to have these discussions. It helps all of us. Please keep us updated as you progress on your guitar journey! 🤘🤘🤘
Aloha from Hawaii 🏝️ For a guitar under $200 this seems worth the money. I don't really need a 3rd guitar right now, I have a Firefly FFLP classic & a Ibanez Gio but the price is right & it has 24 frets, can't beat that, plus I don't think I ever had a guitar with Floyd rose Rock on 😎🤙🎸
Thanks for the comment, Dan! How is the Firefly treating you? That's the brand I almost went with, and ultimately decided on HB, but am still very interested in knowing how the Fireflies are. I've never played one yet. And yes, I specifically got this guitar for the Floyd Rose. It's pretty great to be able to use that thing for lots of different applications. Just checked out your channel and am looking forward to seeing/hearing your backing track videos. Big thanks again for watching and commenting!
Thanks for the question, Joe! I haven't had the good fortune to play an Ibanez, but I've done some research and I THIIIIIIINK it might be modeled after the Ibanez GRX series. I think... Thanks again!
I just got this, comes in a couple of days. All I keep hearing about is Harley Benton this, Harley Benton that - So I gave it a shot! I cant believe how cheap it is. It has Floyd rose and that´s great because I want to Dive Bomb etc
@@Vor_Tex_Sun Absolutely. The actual Floyd Rose bridge is not locked. It can move down or up because it's a "floating" bridge that is placed into a cavity in the body. Other bridges, like the one on my HB CST-24T, can be pulled down for dives, but they are mounted to the surface of the body, so they cannot be pulled up past their starting position. The parts that lock on the S620 are that the strings get locked to the back of the bridge and then again at the nut. It's just a way of clamping the strings so that is you dive or pull up and you loosen or tighten the tension on the strings, they don't have to travel through the nut and possibly get caught and not return to their original position. Having the clamps in both places helps keep the strings in tune even after using the whammy bar. But the Floyd Rose can absolutely be pulled up. Thanks!!!
@@StrangeDevice man this guitar sounds unreal. For that price. Madness. Looks like it competes with the the high end modified guitars. The only I will do is put in some seymors and change the tuners. Can't wait to get it and it don't break the bank account. Thanks for the reply man. I will review this on my channel also 👍👍
I have to say, for overall sound and for feel while playing, the CST is still my favorite guitar I own. Also, the floating Floyd Rose bridge on the S620 does require a lot of attention when you're tuning, restringing, etc., so it's good to start with a non-floating tremolo system like the CST has. In case you haven't seen my review of the CST 24T, here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/mBmkRkiZg1w/v-deo.html Also, I checked out your channel. It looks cool!! Thanks for watching and for the comment!
@@StrangeDevice Thanks for your kind information. I am thinking that the cst 24t is a better option as it can be used to play different genres like jazz, blues, rock and it's looks is awesome just like the PRS. But the only thing I love in the s620 is the fluid rose but as I heard setting up a flood rose is quite a difficult task therefore I am buying the cst-24. Can we do things like dive bomb in it. And does it stays in tune after using the tremolo bar?
@@CrocsAndCos I'd say as a beginner guitar it's probably safer to go with the CST 24T. Also, I can use the whammy bar regularly and moderately and it still stays in tune, but if you dive bomb it will likely go out of tune a little, usually making the low E, the A and the D go sharp a little bit. Again, though, I do believe that's going to happen with ANY tremolo system you get at any price. I think there may be a chance of preventing or at least decreasing that by installing locks on the nut like the ones that came with the S620. The other thing is, you can set up your flat tremolo system on the CST 24T to become floating by playing with the string and spring tension. Darrell Braun has a great video on this here: ua-cam.com/video/p2jBWd4dVvM/v-deo.html I was GOING to do this to my CST so that I could pull up and not just dive down, but when I saw how inexpensive and reliable the S620 was, I just decided to purchase it as another option.
@@CrocsAndCos Sounds great! I think you'll really enjoy the CST 24T. Please send pictures once you get it if you can. Maybe the next time I changed the strings on mine I'll do a video about adjusting the bridge. Couple things on the CST: when I bought mine, I had a pro set it up, because I had never owned a guitar with a trem system before. One of the things he did was to replace the nut with a new custom-cut bone nut in order to help keep the strings in tune after using the whammy bar. If you don't have the resources to replace the nut, I would suggest making sure you keep the nut lubricated either by using graphite from a pencil or from a product such as this: amzn.to/3k6rLHJ Also, a lot of people on UA-cam complain that the whammy bar doesn't stay in its hole on the CST, but what they don't realize is that there IS a way to lock it in there. First, put the bar inn its socket, then push it down like you're dive bombing. Once the bar is down, you'll see at the bottom of the back of the bridge (you might need a flashlight to see it) is a tiny hex screw that actually tightens the bar from below. That's how you tighten it in. The guitar comes with a small hex key/Allen wrench that will fit this screw, but for some reason, Thomann does not include any info about doing this and people just have to tell each other about it lol 🙄. Enjoy!!!
Hey there, thanks for the question! The first thing I'd like to mention is that I am NOT an expert at this technique. Of course, you could finger tap on most any guitar, but I would say that the hot pickups on this guitar do seem to be more sensitive and therefore make it a little easier to generate tones when tapping. Thanks!
Thanks so much!! Haha yes I’m trying to make the videos atmospheric, but I need to crank up the light more and just dial in the right contrast in my editing software. I think they’ve improved a little since I made this review video. Thanks again!
That’s so nice of you to say! Thanks so much. I’m truly working to create a space here that is supportive and positive, helpful, and entertaining. Please let me know what kind of content you’re interested in. Thanks again!
I got aria pro2 stg003 model for a first guitar 10 months ago i am looking for something with humbuckers and this looks pretty decent i would say awesome for the money (found it for about 130e) but i also found cort x6 guitar and it looks fabulous for about 300e. Would u think its worth saving money for it or buying this one ?
Thanks for the comment! Unfortunately, while I know OF Cort, and know that people like them, I have no experience with their guitars, so I'm sorry to say I couldn't give an opinion on whether to spend more on a Cort or less on an HB. Here are videos from 2 people I trust: ua-cam.com/video/2CBQUJAi0Zg/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/5HRUFtYPcr0/v-deo.html
@@StrangeDevice It is a Strauss Rottman Seg009 i think. I suppose that is a pretty unknown brand because whenever i search their guitars i only find websites from my country and there are no single reviews about them on the internet (i think they are selling them only in my country which is Serbia not sure why tho cant find any history of the brand) As for the guitar i think it is made od poplar instead of mahogany and it has rosewood fretboard, condition is decent it has only 2, 3 minor scratches. The only problem i have with it is that tone pots dont work at all so i gotta take the guitar to luthier to fix that. Sorry for such a long reply
You seemed to brush over the part about playing straight out of the box fairly quickly. Is there any setting up that you need to like adjusting the bridge and the springs or tuning the guitar. Also a big concern are the strings, on the website they're simply labelled as a pair of 9s but i'm 100% going to swap the out for super slinky's. My Question is if the guitar is good straight out the box or if you need any setting up and changing strings?
Thanks for the comment, Nicholas! When I received the guitar, I did some fine tuning with the fine tuners on the bridge and it was ready to play. No adjusting of the springs and no need to unlock the nut to use the tuning pegs. Usually HB’s come with D’Addarios, but I don’t think the strings that came with the S620 are. These strings aren’t the best, so I will need to replace them. (I use super slinky and regular slinky.) I have not swapped out the strings just yet because I know it’ll take a little bit of time to get it right, so I’m just waiting for when I have a spare hour to focus on it. In the past week I have been working on adjusting the intonation a little with the saddles. I feel like using a Floyd Rose bridge just means you’ll always be making adjustments to keep the balance. The short answer, though, is that I absolutely was able to play the guitar out of the box. Here is a video where I used the S620 in a cover I did: ua-cam.com/video/Apxu6MvKxVA/v-deo.html One last thought: I often use 9’s, but a floating bridge is much more forgiving than a fixed bridge, so it’s possible to use 10’s and still have the flexibility and ease of use of 9’s when bending because of that give that the Floyd Rose provides. Of course, bendability is not the only reason you would use 9’s instead of 10’s, but just thought it would be worth mentioning. I hope this info is useful in some way. Thanks again!
@@StrangeDevice I suspect that the strings are their own Harley Benton strings. Just like anything from their own brand they're decent ish quality but as cheap as chips. I use them all the time now because they're at a RIDICULOUSLY cheap price, I tend to buy them in bulk lol
@@Roughpaws_Studio Yeah it’s funny how the more I play the more I can actually feel the difference in things like one brand of string vs another, but on the other hand can also adjust to it within a few minutes. Also, I think my impression of the strings was most definitely affected by the grittiness of the frets that needed a good polish. Thanks for the comment, Harv!!
I’m looking to get my first guitar with a Floyd rose and all of them are expensive for me😂until I came across this and was wondering if this would be one of your recommendations and so far I like what I hear when I hear people play it
Hey there! Yes I definitely recommend this guitar if you want an affordable Floyd Rose-style bridge that is reliable. I'm actually about to make a cover video with this guitar that should come out this week (Blondie's "One Way or Another"), so you'll be able to see it in action more. Thanks for watching!!!
@@StrangeDevice haha yea I watched a couple more videos on it after yours and only one of them said he had a problem with Floyd rose but I’m willing to take a chance if worst comes to worse I can ship it back but thanks! And I’ll make sure to watch the video too!
@@StrangeDevice bad news it came in and the low e string was snapped off and hanging off also a chip on the headstock were hoping to send it back and they send another one back but we will see
Oh wow!!! Yes! I've had this channel for 2 years now and I think you're the second person to ever mention this. "What can this strange device be...?" is where my channel name comes from. Thank you for viewing and commenting!!!! 🤘🤘🤘
You're so right dude. I don't live far from Germany and it takes about 4 days for a shipment to get from Thomann to my door and I have some pretty expensive guitars but I also have a couple of H. Bentons I have a HB Tele that cost me 156 euros which is like 190 USD and it's an amazing guitar. Mike.
Thanks for the question. It's done well by me, especially for a sub-$200 guitar, but I highly recommend checking other people's videos for their experiences too. But for an entry-level floyd rose, I'm perfectly happy with it. It'll go out after several uses, but it works for my purposes of recording.
Thanks for the comment, Jasu! If you’re talking about the stickers on the back of the headstock, I honestly just hadn’t thought of removing them yet at that point. I wasn’t going to be playing out in front of anyone during lockdown LOL. Also, to do it right I will probably need to spend a couple minutes with the Goo Gone making sure to get the adhesive off. Good point, though. Looking back on the video I see how apparent the stickers are when I turn the guitar over. I’m sure I’ll remove them the next t time I play with the guitar. Thanks again!!
Hi there! If you mean the music that played over the early part of the video going over the guitar specs, I just used a free piece of UA-cam music: Song Marockatoo Artist Quincas Moreira Album Marockatoo Licensed to UA-cam by UA-cam Audio Library If you mean the first piece I played on the guitar in the demo section, that was just me messing around with a chord progression and improvising over it. Thanks for watching!!
I just can’t believe all the guitar you get for the price on these Harley Benton guitars. I’m getting this exact guitar asap. You’ve answered all my questions and thank you for this video! Have a great day.
Thank you so much for the lovely comment!! I really appreciate it! The guitar is still in my rotation. Still enjoying it!
Any updates on the guitar?
I have one and so far the only things that I didn't change is the wood and the locking mechanism.
I bought mine as a B stock, and the obvious problematic parts that made it B stock, was the switch. So I change it. Then the fine tune screws where somehow smaller than their holes, thus they where jumping. I change them.
Next, the bar... Change it too.
The tuning keys at a "Floyd rose" style guitar are not SO important, but when it took 6 turns to change even slight the tone of the g string, and then another 6 turns to change it back.... I replace them.
Then I turned to the "humbuckers" that thy where humming too much for what the suppose to be... I start by putting cooper band inside the cavity... to every one of them. NOTHING. Change wires to output, spring claw, between pots and switch... NOTHING. then I bought a pair of 4 conductor "alnicov" humbuckers from amazon, for 30 euros... the hum is gone
OK, I knew that I was dealing with a B stock item, but the guy that signed the quality control card, should get fired...
If you are looking for a project, then it's the perfect one!!!
the bill:
Guitar 145
EU shipping 20
Humbuckers 30
Original Floyd rose replacing parts 40
Tuners 50
Switch 40
Thanks for the comment! It really is luck of the draw when buying online. I didn't have those issues personally. The headstock was chipped so they knocked off some money for that, but none of the other issues you raise were there on the one I got. To my surprise, honestly, for the price. Thanks fro watching!
Contemplating picking this up. Works out at €150 w/ free shipping. Purely cause I want to play something with a Floyd rose! Seems a solid guitar.
Thanks for the comment, Christopher! Yes, that's exactly why I picked it up, and I'm really happy I did! Let us know if you get one!
Such a good review,thank you so much really,i wasnt sure if i should choose this guitar over the ones i had to choose from but this guitar made me sure to buy this guitar!
Thank you for the kind comments! I hope you are happy with whatever guitar you get! 🤘🤘🤘🤘
I got mine brand new for $140 and besides a few very minor issues which I took care of - I love this guitar truly a tone machine for me
That’s so great to hear!! I’m happy you found a guitar you love. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience!!!
Good review. It's a solid guitar with nothing that needs any real immediate attention. Stays in tune reasonably well, sounds reasonably good and feels good. Mine is a pre covid B-stock. After a year i upgraded the pickups and I'm just starting to feel like I need to change the locking nut at 18 months owning it. The open G note is sounding dull. aside from that it's probably only ever going to need some titanium floyd parts to replace the cheaper, softer metal as things like the saddle blocks wear out.... and maybe a fret job from playing it all the time. lol 👍🤘👏
Thanks, RJ! I agree 100%. I see you also just uploaded a song you created on the S-620. Very nice!
Wow...that’s a long comment...😮😮😮
@@yourpookiescrapmetal Yeah I love RJ’s comments! He’s a fellow Harley Benton lover with amazing info to share. Love his channel!
I have bought this guitar and waiting for it to come home.
I am Very pleased about your video showing the guitar, and a very nice understandable reveweive of the guitar.. Mine is blue..
Thank you, Finn! Please let us know how it goes with the guitar after you receive it?
@@StrangeDevice will do
was it good ?
I recently purchased a Jackson Warrior with Floyd Rose around $400
And compared with HB I think you get a great guitar.
Not as much polished guitars as most high end companies but for the price and guitar playability its a great deal.
Im a HB fanboy! I use to be an Ibanez fanboy but not anymore.
Thanks so much for the comment!!! I really think it's amazing what they can do at such affordable prices. I rely on the guitars on a daily basis. Thanks again!
Good review man, thanks 😊
Thank you!!! 🙏🙏🙏
Awesome review! I just ordered my HB s series tonight. I also ordered the lp goldtop with P90's and the modeling amp package. These will be my first time dealing with HB, and reviews are hit and miss. I hope mine are as good as yours when they arrive! I also have an Ibanez RG autumn rade with a Floyd system, out of the box it was an absolute nightmare! Great looking guitar with almost every quality control issue imaginable. At that price point, that is a plain travesty! I got all the qc issues under control, played it twice and put it back in the gigbag to look at it once in a while. I then bought a Lyxpro tele copy, and fell in love. Twang for years! It's great with a couple adjustments.. I guess it really is luck of the draw.
Thx for this good video, now I'm certain of what kind of guitar I'm buying (as a noob)
Thanks for the nice comment!!! The only thing I would say is to PLEASE make sure you’re comfortable with a Floyd Rose style trem system before getting this guitar. It definitely requires attention to make sure it stays in tune. There are tons of UA-cam tutorials on good practices around that, and it’s not extremely difficult, but I just wanted to make sure you consider that. Thanks!!!!
Hello I am an intermediate player and I wanted to buy either the Harley Benton Fusion with FR trem or the Jackson JS32Q also with floyd rose... Do you have any opinion on these guitars? I live in europe, so harley benton shipping cost would not be an issue for me...
Thanks for the question!!! I’ve never played a Jackson or the HB Fusion, but the Dinky is an extremely popular guitar. I think once you’re into the Fusion range of HB’s, you’re probably paying the same as you would for a Jackson. I googled fusion vs dinky and this site came up first in the results: findmyguitar.com/compare/Harley-Benton-Fusion-III-HSH-Roasted-vs-Jackson-JS-Series-Dinky-Arch-Top-JS32-8-DKA-HT-comparison.php
Good luck with whichever you end up getting!! 🤘🤘🤘🤘
Nice Video!
I just want to asky if that guitar would be good as my first guitar? I never really played before and i also dont wanna something very expensive cause im a beginner and im not sure if i will play for always. But ist it a good first guitar?
Thanks so much!! My short answer would be that no, this isn't the best guitar to buy as a first guitar. The long answer is that this guitar has what's called a floating bridge, which means it comes with a whammy bar system that sits in the body and can be pushed way down or pulled way up. The issue is that this kind of bridge can be delicate and finicky, so you really need to know what you're doing in terms of keeping the tension correct across the 6 six strings. So, I would say that for a first guitar you'll want a guitar with a fixed bridge (guitars with fixed bridges will NOT accommodate a whammy bar w/o modifying them). These will have more stable tuning and will require less vigilance and know-how than will guitars with whammy bars (AKA tremolo systems or vibrato arms). The other thing I have learned is that if you buy the absolute cheapest guitar possible, you will want to upgrade within a few months if you really get hooked on playing. That's exactly what happened to me. With the technology and production capabilities available today, I would say that buying a guitar that's slightly above the cheapest level is the way to go. Guitars in this range (usually between USD$200 and USD$300) will last you a long time, deliver performance you're looking for, look great, and will have a good feel while playing that will support your growth as a player. You won't feel the need to upgrade just after a year or less if you go this route. There are many makes and models to choose from, so it depends on what best suits you. My personal favorites happen to be Harley Bentons. I have 4 of them now, and love them all. I would recommend the HB CST 24 (NOT the 24T, which has the whammy bar). Here is a link to it: harleybenton.com/product/cst-24-paradise-flame/
This guitar has good affordable pickups, tuners, nut, hardware, and electronics. It has humbucker pickups that have a deep, rich sound, but can also be coil split, so you can get a more trebly sound from single coils. It's got 24 frets rather than 22, and looks beautiful. This would be my pick for an amazing all-around, all-purpose guitar for a first guitar. It sells for about USD$250 before shipping (they come from Germany), but 2 of my 4 guitars from Harley Benton I've bought at a discount because they were "B stock" guitars, which means they have a slight cosmetic imperfection that will not affect the performance, so you can get around 10% off on B stock models.
I want you to know that after I fell in love with Harley Bentons, I created an affiliate link so that I could potential get a 2% commission from any sales that resulted from people following my links. Harley Benton Guitars don't know who I am; you can just apply for an affiliate link and an automated system grants you that status. I have never actually earned any commission from them to date, and I am not looking to anymore. I've decided to keep things clean by not even having those links. The link I gave you above is NOT an affiliate link, so it will not generate any commission for me if you end up getting this guitar (again, the commission would have been about $4, but I'd rather not even have the opportunity of getting that tiny amount if it means muddying up my reviews). I am just a total fan geek about these guitars.
Of course, there are other great beginner guitars out there. If you're interested in other people's opinions, here are some of the folks I've watched religiously for guitar buying advice:
ua-cam.com/users/Wallimannfeatured
ua-cam.com/users/EytschPi42
ua-cam.com/users/GuitarMAXMusic
ua-cam.com/users/DarrellBraunGuitar
To be honest, the above people are also fans of Harley Bentons, but they've reviewed countless other guitars as well.
Please let me know if there's anything else you'd like to discuss here and I'd be happy to share whatever I know (which is a lot less than what many other people know LOL).
Thanks again for watching!
@@StrangeDevice Wow, i would never say that i will get such a nice answer!
I am very thankfull for your advice.
I asked other people but Nobody answered so thank u very much again !
Its a pleasure to watch Ur Videos!
@@Mr.Natanek Thank you for the kind words! I started playing in 2019 and immediately began watching hundreds of guitar videos, and really want this channel to be a supportive resource for people to help each other. So, it's my pleasure to have these discussions. It helps all of us. Please keep us updated as you progress on your guitar journey! 🤘🤘🤘
@@StrangeDevice Thank you very much !
@@StrangeDevice I only have one more question... Would be Harley Benton HB-40R good for Harley Benton CST-24?
Aloha from Hawaii 🏝️
For a guitar under $200 this seems worth the money. I don't really need a 3rd guitar right now, I have a Firefly FFLP classic & a Ibanez Gio but the price is right & it has 24 frets, can't beat that, plus I don't think I ever had a guitar with Floyd rose
Rock on 😎🤙🎸
Thanks for the comment, Dan! How is the Firefly treating you? That's the brand I almost went with, and ultimately decided on HB, but am still very interested in knowing how the Fireflies are. I've never played one yet. And yes, I specifically got this guitar for the Floyd Rose. It's pretty great to be able to use that thing for lots of different applications. Just checked out your channel and am looking forward to seeing/hearing your backing track videos. Big thanks again for watching and commenting!
@@StrangeDevice (^._.^)ﾉ the Firefly is rocking 🎸
@@officialdandaman I saw your channel. Can't wait to see more vids with the green Firefly!
Is it supposed to be a copy of the Ibanez S series?
Thanks for the question, Joe! I haven't had the good fortune to play an Ibanez, but I've done some research and I THIIIIIIINK it might be modeled after the Ibanez GRX series. I think... Thanks again!
I just got this, comes in a couple of days. All I keep hearing about is Harley Benton this, Harley Benton that - So I gave it a shot! I cant believe how cheap it is. It has Floyd rose and that´s great because I want to Dive Bomb etc
Thanks for the comment!! I hope you enjoy the guitar. I like mine a lot for an extremely inexpensive model with a Floyd Rose and locking nut. 🤘
Thanks. One last question can you do upward dives as it has a locked rose...
@@Vor_Tex_Sun Absolutely. The actual Floyd Rose bridge is not locked. It can move down or up because it's a "floating" bridge that is placed into a cavity in the body. Other bridges, like the one on my HB CST-24T, can be pulled down for dives, but they are mounted to the surface of the body, so they cannot be pulled up past their starting position. The parts that lock on the S620 are that the strings get locked to the back of the bridge and then again at the nut. It's just a way of clamping the strings so that is you dive or pull up and you loosen or tighten the tension on the strings, they don't have to travel through the nut and possibly get caught and not return to their original position. Having the clamps in both places helps keep the strings in tune even after using the whammy bar. But the Floyd Rose can absolutely be pulled up. Thanks!!!
@@StrangeDevice man this guitar sounds unreal. For that price. Madness. Looks like it competes with the the high end modified guitars. The only I will do is put in some seymors and change the tuners. Can't wait to get it and it don't break the bank account. Thanks for the reply man. I will review this on my channel also 👍👍
You got my sub👍
Would you prefer this guitar or the CST 24t for a beginner?
I have to say, for overall sound and for feel while playing, the CST is still my favorite guitar I own. Also, the floating Floyd Rose bridge on the S620 does require a lot of attention when you're tuning, restringing, etc., so it's good to start with a non-floating tremolo system like the CST has. In case you haven't seen my review of the CST 24T, here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/mBmkRkiZg1w/v-deo.html Also, I checked out your channel. It looks cool!! Thanks for watching and for the comment!
@@StrangeDevice Thanks for your kind information.
I am thinking that the cst 24t is a better option as it can be used to play different genres like jazz, blues, rock and it's looks is awesome just like the PRS. But the only thing I love in the s620 is the fluid rose but as I heard setting up a flood rose is quite a difficult task therefore I am buying the cst-24.
Can we do things like dive bomb in it. And does it stays in tune after using the tremolo bar?
@@CrocsAndCos I'd say as a beginner guitar it's probably safer to go with the CST 24T. Also, I can use the whammy bar regularly and moderately and it still stays in tune, but if you dive bomb it will likely go out of tune a little, usually making the low E, the A and the D go sharp a little bit. Again, though, I do believe that's going to happen with ANY tremolo system you get at any price. I think there may be a chance of preventing or at least decreasing that by installing locks on the nut like the ones that came with the S620. The other thing is, you can set up your flat tremolo system on the CST 24T to become floating by playing with the string and spring tension. Darrell Braun has a great video on this here: ua-cam.com/video/p2jBWd4dVvM/v-deo.html
I was GOING to do this to my CST so that I could pull up and not just dive down, but when I saw how inexpensive and reliable the S620 was, I just decided to purchase it as another option.
@@StrangeDevice thank you for your help.
I am buying the cst-24 t.
Waiting for your new video on doing the tremolo setup😀
@@CrocsAndCos Sounds great! I think you'll really enjoy the CST 24T. Please send pictures once you get it if you can. Maybe the next time I changed the strings on mine I'll do a video about adjusting the bridge. Couple things on the CST: when I bought mine, I had a pro set it up, because I had never owned a guitar with a trem system before. One of the things he did was to replace the nut with a new custom-cut bone nut in order to help keep the strings in tune after using the whammy bar. If you don't have the resources to replace the nut, I would suggest making sure you keep the nut lubricated either by using graphite from a pencil or from a product such as this: amzn.to/3k6rLHJ
Also, a lot of people on UA-cam complain that the whammy bar doesn't stay in its hole on the CST, but what they don't realize is that there IS a way to lock it in there. First, put the bar inn its socket, then push it down like you're dive bombing. Once the bar is down, you'll see at the bottom of the back of the bridge (you might need a flashlight to see it) is a tiny hex screw that actually tightens the bar from below. That's how you tighten it in. The guitar comes with a small hex key/Allen wrench that will fit this screw, but for some reason, Thomann does not include any info about doing this and people just have to tell each other about it lol 🙄. Enjoy!!!
I've been thinking about this guitrar. Whether it is suitable for tapping?
Hey there, thanks for the question! The first thing I'd like to mention is that I am NOT an expert at this technique. Of course, you could finger tap on most any guitar, but I would say that the hot pickups on this guitar do seem to be more sensitive and therefore make it a little easier to generate tones when tapping. Thanks!
@@StrangeDevice Thanks!
Thanks for the review. A bit more light would improve the video.
Thanks so much!! Haha yes I’m trying to make the videos atmospheric, but I need to crank up the light more and just dial in the right contrast in my editing software. I think they’ve improved a little since I made this review video. Thanks again!
awesome video!
Thank you so much! I appreciate that!
@@StrangeDevice My pleasure :) i really like this channel
That’s so nice of you to say! Thanks so much. I’m truly working to create a space here that is supportive and positive, helpful, and entertaining. Please let me know what kind of content you’re interested in. Thanks again!
@@StrangeDevice No problem Bro :-)
I got aria pro2 stg003 model for a first guitar 10 months ago i am looking for something with humbuckers and this looks pretty decent i would say awesome for the money (found it for about 130e) but i also found cort x6 guitar and it looks fabulous for about 300e. Would u think its worth saving money for it or buying this one ?
Thanks for the comment! Unfortunately, while I know OF Cort, and know that people like them, I have no experience with their guitars, so I'm sorry to say I couldn't give an opinion on whether to spend more on a Cort or less on an HB. Here are videos from 2 people I trust:
ua-cam.com/video/2CBQUJAi0Zg/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/5HRUFtYPcr0/v-deo.html
@@StrangeDevice i just bought a used les paul style guitar yesterday with a case for 200e and im pretty happy for now :D ty for reply anyways
@@flashroyal9933 Awesome!!! What brand is it? Is it in good shape?
@@StrangeDevice It is a Strauss Rottman Seg009 i think. I suppose that is a pretty unknown brand because whenever i search their guitars i only find websites from my country and there are no single reviews about them on the internet (i think they are selling them only in my country which is Serbia not sure why tho cant find any history of the brand) As for the guitar i think it is made od poplar instead of mahogany and it has rosewood fretboard, condition is decent it has only 2, 3 minor scratches. The only problem i have with it is that tone pots dont work at all so i gotta take the guitar to luthier to fix that.
Sorry for such a long reply
You seemed to brush over the part about playing straight out of the box fairly quickly. Is there any setting up that you need to like adjusting the bridge and the springs or tuning the guitar. Also a big concern are the strings, on the website they're simply labelled as a pair of 9s but i'm 100% going to swap the out for super slinky's. My Question is if the guitar is good straight out the box or if you need any setting up and changing strings?
Thanks for the comment, Nicholas! When I received the guitar, I did some fine tuning with the fine tuners on the bridge and it was ready to play. No adjusting of the springs and no need to unlock the nut to use the tuning pegs. Usually HB’s come with D’Addarios, but I don’t think the strings that came with the S620 are. These strings aren’t the best, so I will need to replace them. (I use super slinky and regular slinky.) I have not swapped out the strings just yet because I know it’ll take a little bit of time to get it right, so I’m just waiting for when I have a spare hour to focus on it. In the past week I have been working on adjusting the intonation a little with the saddles. I feel like using a Floyd Rose bridge just means you’ll always be making adjustments to keep the balance. The short answer, though, is that I absolutely was able to play the guitar out of the box. Here is a video where I used the S620 in a cover I did: ua-cam.com/video/Apxu6MvKxVA/v-deo.html
One last thought: I often use 9’s, but a floating bridge is much more forgiving than a fixed bridge, so it’s possible to use 10’s and still have the flexibility and ease of use of 9’s when bending because of that give that the Floyd Rose provides. Of course, bendability is not the only reason you would use 9’s instead of 10’s, but just thought it would be worth mentioning.
I hope this info is useful in some way. Thanks again!
@@StrangeDevice I suspect that the strings are their own Harley Benton strings. Just like anything from their own brand they're decent ish quality but as cheap as chips.
I use them all the time now because they're at a RIDICULOUSLY cheap price, I tend to buy them in bulk lol
@@Roughpaws_Studio Yeah it’s funny how the more I play the more I can actually feel the difference in things like one brand of string vs another, but on the other hand can also adjust to it within a few minutes. Also, I think my impression of the strings was most definitely affected by the grittiness of the frets that needed a good polish. Thanks for the comment, Harv!!
I’m looking to get my first guitar with a Floyd rose and all of them are expensive for me😂until I came across this and was wondering if this would be one of your recommendations and so far I like what I hear when I hear people play it
Hey there! Yes I definitely recommend this guitar if you want an affordable Floyd Rose-style bridge that is reliable. I'm actually about to make a cover video with this guitar that should come out this week (Blondie's "One Way or Another"), so you'll be able to see it in action more. Thanks for watching!!!
@@StrangeDevice haha yea I watched a couple more videos on it after yours and only one of them said he had a problem with Floyd rose but I’m willing to take a chance if worst comes to worse I can ship it back but thanks! And I’ll make sure to watch the video too!
@@Santiago-mv1kv Let us know how it goes! Thanks!
@@StrangeDevice will do just hoping not to struggle with the Floyd rose but I’ve watched many videos on how to tune it
@@StrangeDevice bad news it came in and the low e string was snapped off and hanging off also a chip on the headstock were hoping to send it back and they send another one back but we will see
I gotta ask.. Is yer channel name a reference to "Discovery" on 2112?
Oh wow!!! Yes! I've had this channel for 2 years now and I think you're the second person to ever mention this. "What can this strange device be...?" is where my channel name comes from. Thank you for viewing and commenting!!!! 🤘🤘🤘
You're so right dude. I don't live far from Germany and it takes about 4 days for a shipment to get from Thomann to my door and I have some pretty expensive guitars but I also have a couple of H. Bentons I have a HB Tele that cost me 156 euros which is like 190 USD and it's an amazing guitar. Mike.
Awesome! I'm definitely intrigued by the HB Teles. Which model did you get? Thanks for the comment!
these guitars are Solid
Totally! I was really pleasantly surprised!
I would prefer an Einstein-Rosen-Bridge!
To wormhole away from my bad playing, LOL!
How well does the floyd rose stay in tune
Thanks for the question. It's done well by me, especially for a sub-$200 guitar, but I highly recommend checking other people's videos for their experiences too. But for an entry-level floyd rose, I'm perfectly happy with it. It'll go out after several uses, but it works for my purposes of recording.
@@StrangeDevice thanks
Why dont you take those stickers Off to your tuners? Just asking.
Thanks for the comment, Jasu! If you’re talking about the stickers on the back of the headstock, I honestly just hadn’t thought of removing them yet at that point. I wasn’t going to be playing out in front of anyone during lockdown LOL. Also, to do it right I will probably need to spend a couple minutes with the Goo Gone making sure to get the adhesive off. Good point, though. Looking back on the video I see how apparent the stickers are when I turn the guitar over. I’m sure I’ll remove them the next t time I play with the guitar. Thanks again!!
First song name???
Hi there! If you mean the music that played over the early part of the video going over the guitar specs, I just used a free piece of UA-cam music:
Song
Marockatoo
Artist
Quincas Moreira
Album
Marockatoo
Licensed to UA-cam by
UA-cam Audio Library
If you mean the first piece I played on the guitar in the demo section, that was just me messing around with a chord progression and improvising over it.
Thanks for watching!!
Don't forget the 100 dollar shipping
Is this a China product?