Harley Benton SC-550 II BCF

82

Electric Guitar

  • Deluxe Series
  • Chambered body: Meranti
  • Arched top: AAAA flamed maple
  • Glued-in neck: Meranti
  • Fingerboard: Pau ferro
  • Pearloid trapezoid fingerboard inlays
  • Neck profile: '60s - thickness 1st fret: 20 mm - 12th fret: 22 mm
  • Scale: 628 mm (24.72")
  • Fretboard radius: 305 mm (12")
  • Nut width: 42 mm (1.65")
  • Graphite nut
  • 22 Blacksmith stainless steel frets
  • Pickups: 2 Tesla Opus-1 AlNiCo-5 humbuckers
  • 2 Volume and 2 tone controls
  • 3-Way pickup selector switch
  • DLX Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • DLX Kluson-style machine heads
  • Gold-plated DLX hardware
  • Factory strings: D'Addarío EXL-110 .010 - .046
  • Colour: Black Cherry Flame Gloss
Available since June 2021
Item number 521050
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Colour Cherry
Body Meranti
Top Maple, flamed
Neck Meranti
Fretboard Pao Ferro
Frets 22
Scale 628 mm
Pickups HH
Tremolo None
Incl. Case No
Incl. Gigbag No
4.099 kr
Free shipping incl. VAT
In stock within 9-12 weeks
In stock within 9-12 weeks

This product is expected back in stock soon and can then be shipped immediately.

Standard Delivery Times
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in Single Cut Guitars

A modern twist on a classic

Harley Benton SC-550 II BCF

The Harley Benton SC-550 II BCF puts a contemporary spin on the classic single-cut design and gives players a twin-humbucker guitar that has both the sound and the looks to cover a lot of musical ground. This "mark II" version of the guitar features a meranti body with a carved AAA-grade flamed maple top in a stunning high-gloss Black Cherry Flame finish and, as an enhancement over the previous version, now also has a chambered body that not only reduces weight but also ensures that guitarists can play comfortably for longer periods without fatigue or back pain - and of course makes the guitar easier to transport. The combination of a meranti neck and pau ferro fingerboard adorned with trapezoid inlays will additionally provide both a full sound and ease of orientation while playing.

Harley Benton SC-550 II BCF – detailed view

Stainless steel, gold, and binding

Harley Benton has equipped the SC-550 II BCF with a pair of powerful Tesla Opus-1 AlNiCo-5 humbucking pickups that are governed by the classic control layout of a dedicated volume and tone knob per pickup as well as a three-way toggle switch and will deliver a clear treble response together with smooth mids and a well-rounded low end. The guitar's fingerboard features 22 jumbo stainless steel frets which promise minimal wear and a high level of resistance to corrosion as well as increased sustain. As part of Harley Benton's Deluxe Series, the SC-550 II BCF additionally features gold-plated hardware that includes Kluson-style machine heads and a Tune-o-Matic bridge. The pickup covers are also gold-plated and thus enhance the guitar's classy looks still further. To top it all off, the body and neck are also adorned with cream-coloured binding.

Harley Benton SC-550 II BCF, rear view

For newcomers and those with small hands

True to its classic single cut design, the Harley Benton SC-550 II BCF also features the 628mm (24.75") scale length that players have long come to associate with such guitars, which will give beginners a comfortable start as well as being familiar territory for more experienced players who already have other single cut models. Playing comfort is enhanced still further by the 12" fingerboard radius and modern C neck profile, in addition to which the SC-550 II BCF features an unusually narrow nut width of just 42mm (1.65"), a feature more commonly found on ST-style instruments. This guitar is thus also a good choice for those with smaller hands, and while a tremolo system is a luxury that players will have to forego here, the fixed-bridge design promises excellent tuning stability.

Harley Benton electric guitar

About Harley Benton

Since 1998, the Harley Benton brand has been catering for the needs of numerous guitarists and bassists. In addition to an extensive range of stringed instruments, Thomann's house brand also offers a wide choice of amplifiers, speakers, effect pedals, and other accessories. In total, the range includes over 1,500 products. Built by established names in the industry, all Harley Benton products combine quality and reliability at attractive and affordable prices. The continuous expansion of the range ensures that Harley Benton always provides new, exciting, and innovative products that keep players perfectly in tune with the musical world, day after day.

From Jazz and Blues to Rock and Alternative

Thanks to its duo of powerful humbuckers, the Harley Benton SC-550 II BCF is versatile enough to capably handle numerous musical styles and gives beginners an easy-to-play instrument on which to learn their first riffs and enjoy an authentic Rock sound in the process. Blues players looking for an affordable second instrument as a backup for their more expensive single cut model can also get their desired tone by rolling back the amp gain, and with a decent amount of chorus dialled in, this guitar will even find favour with Jazz afficionados. It goes without saying, of course, that the SC-550 II BCF will effortlessly deliver the ideal sounds for Hard Rock and Alternative music.

82 Customer ratings

4.7 / 5

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73 Reviews

B
Great sound…… at least
Barcelli 22.09.2021
I have to admit that i was very reluctant to order this one. The last 4 or 5 guitars i sent back and i was not sure that, even though HB now has a version lll in the Fusion series and ver ll in the SC series, they had learned anything about optimizing the instruments. I got great Fusion ll guitars but the only Fusion lll i ordered i had to send back as well as an Aeolus
On top of this i just returned another SC550 ll from the previous batch. The radius on the neck and the TOM was VERY different, 9,5” on the neck, 13” on the bridge. So.. no possibility to set up the string height to fit all strings at the same time.
This one is from a new badge of guitars that came in the middle of september ‘21, so i took a chance and ordered it as the previous SC550 ll sounded really good.
Unboxing was very interesting and to my relief the neck and the bridge now had the same 12” radius, so the setup of the string ended as i wanted it.
But….. during unboxing i let the guitar slide out of the inner bag holding the neck. I didnt expect any sharp frets but i was WRONG !! Anyway, when i stopped bleeding and had cleaned the floor and bathroom i turned my attention to the guitar itself. I used to build guitars and had my own production for some years where i was into grading the guitars - for others too. So i know exactly what it takes to achieve a certain grade.
Thomann promises AAA top and the photo on the website indicates that. But this guitar is nowhere near AAA. The left bottom side has no flames at all and there are no matches between the 3-4 flames on the upper half.
This means that it would end below any grading scale.
If they promise AAA the top must have an AAA yop as minimum - not as a maximum as if you win the lottery.

I have returned so many guitars and i know it is a painstaking job to work on stainless steel frets, so i let my power tools take over. Tough job even for the tools but it worked. The top i can live with but only because the guitar sounds incredibly good and now is playable.
The vintage tuners are completely useless. I have to torn them at least half a round before anything happens and they are unable to keep the guitar in tune. For now i put some cheap chinese tuners from AliExpress on the guitar and they work FAR better than then stock tuners. The ones one my guitar would not live 3 months.

Guess i was just unlucky (again)

If you want great sound at low price this might be your dream, but like Forrest Gump (almost) said. Life is like a box of guitars from HB - You never know want you gonna get !!!
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G
You get way more than you give guys!!
GEORGE24 02.01.2022
You get way more than you give guys!! Totally worth it. I ve played Gibson Les Pauls and i enjoy it quite as much, especially distorted. Tesla pick ups very nice!!
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FR
Impressive -- feels great, looks amazing and sounds good
Flyin' Ryan 29.01.2024
I bought this to replace a similar guitar, by another manufacturer that I had many years ago, which had high-end hardware, SD pickups and a gorgeous finish. I am very happy with this purchase!

The finish on this looks and feels great, and I really like the binding. There is one small blemish on the side of the body, which in isn't a huge deal. But, unfortunately it's right on the "waist" area, directly in my line of sight while playing. It is so small though, that I really have to look for it to notice. It's likely just a partial fingerprint or smudge in the finish, from while it was curing.

The fretboard is impressive! Yes, it needed some oil, but I'd do that anyway. The action is impressively low, without a hint of a buzz. I am not so much as touching the neck or saddles. I thought I would want to replace the tuners, but I really like them and won't replace them. They look, work and feel good and the guitar stays in tune very well.

The resonance is impressive. The tone, unplugged and plugged in, are beautiful. One of the pots feels a bit scratchy, but functions properly. That was true on my $1200 guitar, too. I don't love gold hardware, and would prefer chrome (or all black), but, this hardware is high quality and looks very good.

It's this guitar that had led to me buying four more from Thomann, and my students have purchased some as well. I'm about to get two more, but shhh, that's between you and me.
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J
Incredible and beautiful guitar for the price!
JJLESPRS 26.08.2021
I'm blown away by the quality for the price. I'd have no issue playing a gig with this guitar as it came. With some Seymour Duncan's it would be on par with my Les Pauls and PRS's for less than a 1/4 of the price!
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