Price paid: £ 112
Purchased from: Thomanns.de
Features: This very pretty super Strat guitar comes with a licensed Floyd Rose and a wizard II stlyed Neck. I don't know what year it was made in but I do Know that it was made in China. The neck has 24 frets and is very thin. The only difference between this neck and the wizard II neck is that it isn't flat - insted it is just really thin. The neck is made out of maple and rosewood. The body is made from basswood and has a layer of maple on the top so that the transparent finish looks very, very nice. The licensed Floyd Rose is quite hard to use but that is the same with most floyd roses. As is custom with floyd roses it has double locking tuners and came with three allan keys. Also included was a strap and lead. // 10
Sound: I play mainly metal and hard rock but will also play lynrd skynrd style stuff. This guitar is very good for these styles but even better at the metal. I don't use any pedals but I do use a Line 6 Spider IV 75 watt amp and sometimes my smaller Line 6 Spider III 15 watt. It sound really great through both of them. The basswood has a nice warm tone to which is why it can cope with clean settings and distorted ones. // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar wasn't set up brilliantly in the factory. The action was good and everything but it was terribly out of tune and being a Floyd Rose it is very reluctant to go back in tune however after a while it gave in and is now in tune. Also the wammy bar had quite a confusing way to be set up involving oening up the back of the guitar and screwing parts into place. // 6
Reliability & Durability: I haven't had the guitar long enough to really say much about the reliability. It hasn't yet fell of it's strap or needed anything doing to it. I am currently considering weather to take this in to paly in esembly in a weeks time or to use my more expensive les paul. The advantage on taking in the Harley Benton is the Floyd Rose but if it goes out of tune or losses a string I'll be stuck. // 9
Impression: Take note that all the ratings are relative to the price because a £4ooo Gibson Les Paul will significantly better. The ratings are vaule for money ratings. I have three guitars: this, a Tokai Les Paul, and a Washburn X10. My les paul is the best but this guitar thrashes the Washburn by miles. Also the Les Paul cost £4oo, this £112 and the Washburn £1oo. However if these guitars were to be sold according to the others it would cost around about £3oo - £350. My point proven when I took it into my guitar lesson my teacher's jaw literaly droped when I told him the price. If this guitar was to be stolen I would first spend the next ten years crying then get one million new Harley Bentons. // 10
