HB-35 CH Vintage Series : Impressive, budget-friendly, great sounding!!!

I'm really impressed with this guitar. There are a few imperfections here and there, but all in all it really feels and plays like a guitar worth 2-3 times it's modest price.

Some minor imperfections: a fretboard inlay was raised up a bit. I'll need to get that sanded down. The pickup switch is really wobbly. And the input jack is constantly getting looser (I need to tighten it often). These are minor issues which are easily fixed. Though the fretboard is rather dry, the fretwork is excellent (no sharp ends and they all seem to be level).

Cosmetically, it's very good. A slight blemish that is detectable under the finish here and there, but you have to really be looking for it to notice. There appears to be a very, very slight "ripple" in the binding on the top of the neck as it gets closer to the nut, from about the 5th fret. Again, this is something that you only notice if you're really, really looking for it, and it has no impact on playability or the structural integrity of the guitar.

Sound: It sounds awesome! I do plan on swapping out the pickups for some warmer alnicos, but even with the stock pickups, this guitar has loads and loads of 335-esque overtones. A really thick overdriven sound. I really love how it sounds. Really nice resonance and sustain. Overall, a very complex tone signature for such a cheap guitar. The sound alone makes this guitar punch WAY above its weight class.

This is my third Harley Benton guitar and while one of them I sent back to be replaced (the first one they sent me seemed more of a B-stock quality level), I really love all 3 of them (the other two are an SC-450 P90 and an SC-450 Plus). I don't know of a better value for guitars out there. And with every new Harley Benton I buy I'm more and more surprised that they can produce such solid guitars at such a low price. And they are excellent as modding platforms! Highly recommended.