I need some informed opinion on this brand and the luthiers claims please.

slavedave · 05-11-2007 08:26PM #1

Whilst drooling over a guitar that Kark Hungus has for sale (but just out of my price range) I fell across this chap.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150179188027
I know it is not apples for apples against a Tokai PRS50 but would anyone have an opinion on it since it is more in my budget? I recognise that you guitarists on Boards have a bit more knowledge on guitars than I would. I am a social player, home recording for fun + occasional stand-in for resident guitarist in worship band at church.
Always liked PRS guitars but they were always out of reach. Now with KH's Tokai and this one, things are looking up but....the question remains. Does all the bumf stack up in the ebay sale? Feedback is positive and most of what is written there seems to concur with what I understand to be true with setups etc. Bottom line is, will I be buying a "dog" of a guitar? The harley Benton name screams cheapo-plank but I could be convinced otherwise.
I currently play an old Japanese Aria Pro II Superstrat (sc-sc-HB with coil tap) and fancied something very different (and purdy!).
Thanks in advance for any guidance.

vengeance52 · 05-11-2007 08:36PM

Never heard of it, not much in the way of reviews on Harmony-Central.com for that brand. I saw the guitar the Karl is selling, and to be honest, id pay the little bit extra to get a Tokai PRS with those Seymore Duncans cos there very nice pick-ups and cos its karls, its gonna be in great nick.

If i didnt have a credit card bill to pay id be lookin about taking a spin to Galway

Voodu Child · 05-11-2007 08:44PM

You're going to be paying near e400 for that 'Benton' thing by the time you factor in shipping.

I've no experience with that brand, but it's a bolt on neck with no-name pickups. For not much of a price difference, i'd be going for the glued-neck Tokai with Seymour Duncans.

Tokai are an established brand with plenty of opinions and reviews available, god knows what you're getting with that Benton, i'd wager any online reviews out there are from the guys selling them.

vengeance52 · 05-11-2007 08:56PM

voodoo_child wrote: »

i'd wager any online reviews out there are from the guys selling them.

There is only one review on either of the Boutique Guitars on Harmony-Central and both are saying its near perfect.......Yea rite:rolleyes:

Tokai have a good rep and loads of guys here have them. It would be my choice.

slavedave · 05-11-2007 09:08PM

Thanks gents. Really like the look of the Tokai and it comes highly recommended wherever I have searched. When I contacted the luthier he posted back the following to a few queries (so I reckon it makes him a straight up kind of guy since he didn't give it the hard sell). Would you agree with his observations re wood +pickups etc?

"Hi Dave, no problem shipping to Dublin, I?m not sure of the exact cost but it will probably be an extra £10-15. I know my guitars and they are wonderful and there is not a guitar that can touch them for the money, but with regard the Tokai it?s a very personal thing and I don?t really know the model that well. What I would suggest is if you like the Tokai and it is a good price, give it a go and see how you get on, if you don?t like it you can sell it on eBay. SD pickups are great but my main concern is that the PR50 has an Adler body (like a Strat) not Mahogany and the SD Beck pickup is very shrill which works great on fairly dull sounding guitar like a Les Paul, that really needs that extra bite in the bridge position but on a fairly bright sounding guitar it can be quite brittle sounding with very little warmth. And no I wouldn?t recommended a standard strat type case as my guitar and most PRS types have an angled headstock, a shaped fitted Les Paul case is much better. "

Voodu Child · 05-11-2007 09:27PM

Having read his ebay ad link that you posted, i'd be inclined to call BS on 90% of what he says tbh.

If you think he's a professional luthier, spending hours fret-dressing and setting up what is probably a 100euro guitar, you need to have a think about it again.

Most of his ebay page is technical jargon aimed at bamboozling and suckering less knowledgable players. And name-dropping more expensive brands and even players.

A spade is a spade man, it's a cheap guitar and you might be quite happy with it, but if you think it's any more than that you need to work on the old BS-detectors.

Fad · 06-11-2007 09:09AM

tbh id say its just the harley benton prs model thingy but done up a bit id imagine its probably a peice of ****e (could be amazing but i doubt it sincerly)

Johnny Storm · 06-11-2007 12:28PM

I don't know anything about the guitar he's selling (and he is selling it hard) but 99.9% positive feedback on 1400+ transactions shows he's doing something right. His reply to you is as you say straight-up.
If you're looking for value then second-hand is the way to go. Keep an eye on EBay, Advertie etc and dont be in a rush.

slavedave · 06-11-2007 01:15PM

Thanks again everyone. Found a comment by profcreamy on adverts regarding this guy's guitars.
http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=24393&cpage=3&perpage=15&cat=16#poststart
Does profcreamy inhabit this board and if yes, how would I drop him a query?
Thanks

Johnny Storm · 06-11-2007 02:27PM

Click th "PM" button under profcreamy's name on advert.ie and you should be able to send him a PM (Private Message)

Fad · 06-11-2007 07:53PM

i was right a dolled up harley benton

OP just buy a PRS SE i just got one and theyre lovely guitars

jimi_t · 08-11-2007 05:51AM

Send him a PM for the laugh with this link and see what he says

http://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_benton_duke_100_bl.htm

slavedave · 08-11-2007 10:51AM

jimi_t, send profcreamy the link or the ebay seller (could be a laugh both ways I guess!)?

I need some informed opinion on this brand and the luthiers claims please.

Comments