** Warning - long unedited, real-time video alert!! ** These videos are not made for entertainment but for information for potential buyers of Reloved Guitars or those interested in doing set up work on their own guitars.
This video shows me evaluating and then setting up a new Harley Benton electro acoustic from Thomann online music retailer. HB is Thomann's house brand and my experience so far (this is only my second HB) has been that their guitars are pretty good for the money apart from the lousy or non-existent set up.
I wanted to see whether this guitar (new price £58 + £7 postage) could a) be transformed into a really good guitar and b) whether the finished result would be 'sellable' after adding a reasonable fee for my work.
This video highlights this guitar's weak points:
• thin finish
• lightweight feel
• rough frets
• massively uneven frets
• incorrect action at nut and bridge
• loose jack input
• poor quality strings
and celebrates its positives:
• playability straight out of the box
• ridiculously cheap price
• generally decent construction
• nice sound
• excellent 'starter' pickup / amp system
• excellent playability AFTER full set up
• Reliable, fast online supplier (Thomann)
Verdict: for £65 all-in it's absolutely worth buying for your teenager (even with grinding, uneven frets and higher-than needs be action) because it's instantly playable both acoustically and through an amp.
For £120 plus postage (after a full Reloved Guitars set up)? I'm still evaluating this and comparing it with other used guitars available at the £60 price point. A direct comparison I can make is with my Fender CD60 acoustic (current un-set up resale value around £60-70) which I've also set up - and I think I'd probably keep the HB out of the two primarily for the sheer flexibility of the pickup system, despite it's less robust construction & finish. The HB allows you to rehearse, gig or record much more easily than mic'ing up a regular acoustic.
