Great Looking Offset for just £97 !!!!

Maynehead

TTony said:

sinbaadi said:

cacophony said:
i`m a strat man through and through, but took a punt a few months back on a harley benton `vt` series les paul in honeyburst. it`s a hell of a lot of guitar for the money. made in the same korean factory that makes them for epiphone, beautifully finished, well set up straight out of the box, wilkinson HB pups, and all for £115 shipped.

Really?  Wow, I had assumed China and not for a minute doubted that I was correct.

I'd be amazed if they didn't come out of China - I don't see any profit margin anywhere if they're Korean ...

They are made by the Korean company Saein (or Shine) in their Chinese factory, so yes, they are made in China.

Maynehead

(double post please delete)

Gru

Lol if you must, but what is an offset?

To me they are just guitars. What is the characteristic that allows them to be called 'an offset'?

I expected to see something where the fretboard is miles of centre or something.

DiscoStu

I would usually avoid a guitar at Argos money but you lot seem to have convinced me!

I like the offset in the OP - is that a Jag or a JM copy? I get mixed up with the offset Fenders...

I'd get the white Explorer for just over a ton. Mahogany body/neck and for that money I'd happily scrawl 'EET FUK' or 'MORE BEER' on it!

And then there's that bass. Reminds me of the Peavey Grind which I really like the look of!

So is the general consensus that they may need a pickup swap, possibly some hardware, and a fret dress? Decent!

Alnico

Gru said:

Lol if you must, but what is an offset?

To me they are just guitars. What is the characteristic that allows them to be called 'an offset'?

I expected to see something where the fretboard is miles of centre or something.

I have always thought that the 'Offset' aspect of the design is that the top horn is further forward than the lower horn. To this end i have always seen Strat's as offset in shape.

I might be wrong ?

Gru

underdog;479559" said:

Yup 30 days to return to them for refund. And one huge area of saving costs for the manufacturer is Labour, why a Korean or Indonesian factory worker is less likely to align a bridge correctly than a factory worker in the US or Mexico i don't know.

After seeing some of the programmes on China recently, I wouldn't be surprised that if you got things wrong, just a couple of times, you would quickly be out of a job.

DiscoStu

Yeah, the top horn or bout is further forward than the bottom, but it's more than that. The whole top half of the body shape is further forward than the bottom half, giving it an offset 'lean'. Take the rear end of an LP, Strat or Tele, ignoring the neck/cutaway end, and they are to all intents and purposes symmetrical. Offsets aren't. The top half is offset against the bottom half.

Alnico

DiscoStu said:

Yeah, the top horn or bout is further forward than the bottom, but it's more than that. The whole top half of the body shape is further forward than the bottom half, giving it an offset 'lean'. Take the rear end of an LP, Strat or Tele, ignoring the neck/cutaway end, and they are to all intents and purposes symmetrical. Offsets aren't. The top half is offset against the bottom half.

Ahaha

I am better educated.

Thank you Sir !

dindude

The price just does not compute. The modding challenge sounds like great idea though.

John_P

A modding comp would definitely push me into buying one.  I say do it.

blueskunk

Wow, nowt to complain at them prices.

MazzaG

Veeeeeerry similar to this Revelation RJT-60, which is around £190: 

samzadgan

MazzaG;479996" said:

Veeeeeerry similar to this Revelation RJT-60, which is around £190: 

Thats what i thought...revelation does 12 string too

cacophony

i stand corrected about them being made in korea. but it is a korean owned factory it would seem.however, the point about the finish and general standard of the thing for that price, still stands!.

hobbio

Shine as a company deffo make some good guitars for their price bracket.

57Deluxe

Those Wilkinson P90 Pups must be half the value alone??

Alnico

57Deluxe said:

Those Wilkinson P90 Pups must be half the value alone??

Retail price yes but trade price to the manufacturer when bought in bulk, maybe not.

Still a very valid point though, they must represent a significant amount of the value.

sticker

I bought a Harley Benton Violin Bass about 6 years ago 2nd hand for £60 ... at that time they were selling new for about £85-£95 .

It plays and sounds better than the Epiphone Viola bass that costs twice as much .

I'm currently finding it hard not to buy one of these ...

http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_custom_line_manhattan_standard.htm

http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_te_90qm_trans_red.htm

http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_rb_600cs_classic_series.htm

monquixote

I think the difference between the expensive stuff and the cheapies is this:

I used to have a Classic Vibe 50's Tele. 

I used and gigged it hard. It played well, stayed in tune and sounded pretty good. Not as good as some of my more expensive stuff, but good enough to gig and rehearse with. 

In the year or so that I had it the pots and switches became scratchy, the jack socket fell out, the plating wore through on the bridge, pots and control plate and the finish got some nasty dings on it (it seemed very soft).

I've treated my US strat a similar way and for a much longer time, but it could still be mistaken for a new guitar. It also looks and feels classier and is more enjoyable to play.

That being said even once I'd replaced the bridge, pots, switch, wiring, jack and strap buttons on the CV Tele with something better it was still a bargain. 

speshul91

I reckon if I play this clever by the time I've got a bit of gas money it will be Mrs speshuls birthday. Combined order will save me shipping money, she wants a semi (oooeerrr) I just want more guitars. Win win me thinks