M
Good potential but flawed
I was excited for the launch of the new ST-80FR models, particularly the single pickup version. Not many companies offer the sparkle finish, roasted maple neck, stainless steel frets and Floyd Rose 1000 for this money.
First the good bits: the neck feels smooth in the hand, the body is finished well, cavities are shielded, the Floyd Rose feels solid and the pickup is fine.
Unfortunately, on the model I received, the tuning machines are garbage, they feel really poor quality and the tuner for the second string won't turn. The main problem is the frets, or more specifically the fret ends... they are cut too short! There are noticeable gaps between the end of the fret and the end of the fretboard and I can only assume that the frets are cut to a certain length and then installed rather than the other way round. Whilst the fret ends are really smooth, the fretboard just looks amateurish. A fair number of frets are also uneven and need to be levelled.
I have always been open to trying Harley Benton guitars in the past and I have been lucky to receive a couple of solid instruments for not much money in the past. This example, however, shows that guitars at this price are also a bit of a gamble. This is a shame as these models offer a lot of potential. It also makes you question what kind of quality control is taking place as a guitar with short frets should never leave the factory let alone be sold in the store.
First the good bits: the neck feels smooth in the hand, the body is finished well, cavities are shielded, the Floyd Rose feels solid and the pickup is fine.
Unfortunately, on the model I received, the tuning machines are garbage, they feel really poor quality and the tuner for the second string won't turn. The main problem is the frets, or more specifically the fret ends... they are cut too short! There are noticeable gaps between the end of the fret and the end of the fretboard and I can only assume that the frets are cut to a certain length and then installed rather than the other way round. Whilst the fret ends are really smooth, the fretboard just looks amateurish. A fair number of frets are also uneven and need to be levelled.
I have always been open to trying Harley Benton guitars in the past and I have been lucky to receive a couple of solid instruments for not much money in the past. This example, however, shows that guitars at this price are also a bit of a gamble. This is a shame as these models offer a lot of potential. It also makes you question what kind of quality control is taking place as a guitar with short frets should never leave the factory let alone be sold in the store.
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