Harley Benton MB-5 SB Deluxe Series

I needed a 5 string bass. I looked around in the second hand market, but found nothing. So I look at Thomann, and as usually, they have the solution.
OK, given the price, I cannot complain (that's why I gave 3 stars), but take for a second the price off the balance, and nothing's left.

PROs:
- incredibly inexpensive (especially since it is a 5 strings)
- the H PuP could be split into 2 single coils, each one with its own character, although they sit very close one to the other)
- very light (but see below)
- the neck seems quite good (but the action was set... sorry, it wasn't set at all); and it dives! (see below)

SO&SOs:
- the tuning machines are not that bad. Are not that good either
- the frets are decently bevelled. they do not harm your fingers, but you can feel them. Anyway, better than in a Squier Bass that I owned
- the neck is bolt on with 6 screws and the force points are metal washers: this should compensate for he softness of the body wood (see below) and keep the neck at its place for a while

CONs:
- the wood used for the body is not made to build a bass. I believe that it is held together by the super thick paint, rather than the wood itself
- the sound is... not there. I don't know why some users mentioned that is similar to a StingRay... maybe closer to a Squier Jazz Bass, with rich overtones and a some nice growl, but they totally lack definition. A StingRay is another thing (but that's also the electronics)
- Strings. No comment.
- the electronics is pretty bad. the pots work almost noiseless (2 out of 3, at least, so I wonder for how long those 2 will stay noiseless...), but they do not work linearly (well, logarithmically, to say things correctly, but you know what I mean), especially the tone. I wonder if the capacitor is there, if it's the right one and if it is soldered...
- The bridge is so cheap that I wonder how long it will stand the tension of not 4 but 5 strings, before it starts bending.
- Action was... not set at all! all saddles were at max height, the neck was too straight. It took a while, but now is better. Still higher than my like, but half of what it was out of the box
- Neck (deep) dive

OK, that's it. Do I recommend it? if you need a 5 string to play 1-2 songs in studio or you have a modeling amp or anything digital, definitely YES
if you're looking for your first bass, wish it be a 5 strings and are on a budget, well look elsewhere, maybe second hand. You'll pay more, but you'll end up with a real instrument.

great appearance! I liked the sound too ! everything would be fine. if the guitar wasn 't outweighed forward by the neck ! Sitting down to play is extremely uncomfortable ! and another nuisance is that the guitar came with a chip in the area of the rear fastening for the belt ! an impressive chip ! the package was intact ! I have confidence that such a guitar was sent to me from a warehouse ! it is impossible not to notice this defect ! wrote thomann! I was offered 10 euros ! I thought it was a ridiculous compensation ! because I was much more upset when I received the first ordered guitar with thomann in an imperfect form ! Refused compensation ! otherwise , the tool left rather positive impressions ! If it wasn't for the balance, I would have kept it with pleasure for myself! And so I had to sell it to a novice bass player))))

I bought this bass as a replacement - leave at the studio bass, so that I don't put strain on my recording bases traveling every day on a motorcycle for band practice sessions.

Construction:
It feels like a very solid instrument, and that's probably because it is one. I'm genuinely having second thoughts about leaving it at the studio every day.

Sound:
It sounds just about right at its price range and passive pickups.Not extremely Good but not bad either, no surprises here.
The tone/pickup controls provide a variety of tones but mostly in extreme settings, in between pot position sound variations are hard to distinguish.

Overall Quality:
+Very solid construction / parts
+A great 2nd / practice / replacement V string bass
+A very good value for money buy for beginners who want to start playing a V string, or newcomers who want to jump right into it.
- Sound not what I thought it will be, yet not bad
I wonder how good it will sound with active pickups!