Harley Benton D-120CE BK

After a lot of research I decided to go with this guitar as my first guitar. I am satisfied with this guitar and I enjoy playing it. Because of the pandemic and Christmas Rush the guitar came in 1 month. Overall it plays really well, but I have it is not perfect.

This is a very cheap guitar so for the price I am not expecting a very good sound but it is pretty good. I haven't tried to use it with an amp yet so I can't comment on that. The strings are pretty good but I would recommend changing them after 1-2 months, so when you buy the guitar buy it with 2 spare packs of strings.

The quality is not very good. From far away it looks perfect but if you look closely it has a lot of scratches that came from the factory. They are not very visible and they look like the guitar is dirty. The nut on the 3rd string is not cut properly but for a beginner it is all right. In the end I recommend this guitar for anybody who doesn't want to spend a lot of money because it is worth it.

At first, upon receipt, I was not particularly pleased with this guitar. I didn't like the sound. There were some minor bugs in the assembly.
But after changing the strings (they are thick from the factory) it got better. And the sound has become more pleasant and more comfortable for fingers.
Also, having looked at similar guitars in a music store (about the same price and more expensive), I was surprised that instruments that are also more expensive, have similar jambs as an assembly (somewhere there are paint spots, the neck-to-deck joint is not made neatly ). And some are worse.
So for its price it is quite a good product.
In the combo, the sound is normal. All electronics are working properly. You can also cut metal.

Great value for money, the electronics are nothing exceptional but work as they should - it's amazing to even get a decent built in preamp in a guitar at this price. Treble, Mid, Bass and Presence controls all work - cut and boost, the battery indicator is a nice touch, volume control can push pretty high if needed.

Electronics aside, the finish and feel of the body is good, a nice full sound out of this guitar (acoustically), tuners, headstock and neck are all good quality especially for this price, the only let down is the fingerboard isn't the best feeling, but the frets are acceptable no overhang and very little sharp edges.

Would recommend for any beginners - you wont get better then this for the price, and for anybody who doesn't primarily play guitar but would like one around for occasional use without breaking the bank.

I've owned many a expensive 12 string,, Gibson,, ovations and yet my favourite one to play is this Harley Benton! They sound amazing acoustic and plugged in. I actually use mine for most of my gigs now as I get such good feedback of the audience about how they enjoy the sound it produces. It hardly goes out of tune which is rare for a 12 string! I do a 2hr gig and it still in tune 👍For £95 you can't go wrong, set up good nice low action,,,nice shape neck,,cut away body for ease finished in gloss black. I've had mine 3 years and since then I've purchased other Harley Benton guitars from the range. Just amazing build quality and value 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I always tell beginners you don’t need an expensive guitar to start with and see if you can get the feel of it before moving on to a more expensive guitar. But you do need a “real” instrument and not a toy. More beginners are discouraged by a cheap unplayable guitar than anything else in my opinion. This guitar fits the bill. It’s inexpensive but a real tuneable playable instrument. Mine arrived in three days packed in a sturdy box that was packed in a larger sturdy box with plenty of wadding to protect it.
The neck was strait and all I had to do was tune it and it was ready to go. Frets were polished and had no protruding sharp ends. A nice looking guitar, I just lowered the action a bit as I felt it was too high, but that’s a matter of opinion. As usual, you can’t beat thomann’s customer service, no matter if you are buying a few guitar picks or a high end guitar.

Harley Benton D-120CE BK Bundle
ITEM NR. 416051
Cost €109
D120CE BK out of the box…
1. It looks AWESOME!
2. It is light. A LOT lighter then you’d initially imagine,
3. 2 pickguards included (in the box, along with allen key for the trussrod) – nice!,
4. Setup very good, a quick tuneup is all that’s required.
5. Sound (surprisingly) good - that A string certainly bangs it out (with fantastic sustain). There are a few deadies on the fretboard but no biggie,
6. If – IF – like me you’re a beginner with a basic knowledge of the primary chords, you can’t go wrong with the D-120: with proper TLC it’ll be your perfect backup/practice instrument for many a pleasant session. Well worth getting, imho. Thank you HB & Thomann – another winner.