Harley Benton BM-75 Trans Red Deluxe Series 5-stars Reviews

Sweet Guitar with many tonal/sound options

First, the BM-75 is a light and comfortable guitar to play. I really like the neck. Channeling BM look-wise is only part of the deal here (okay, without the hair)...this guitar has many tonal/sound options (5x switch and pickup phase switches) and just works well. Out of the box, I just tuned it and played it...sounded right on. A couple of nights ago, after having it nearly a month, I checked the intonation and found it very nearly on--really didn't need to adjust it ((this has been true of my other HB purchases)). Nice tuners. I'll go out on a limb and opine this particular model guitar would be a comfortable pick for female guitarists---as I mentioned before...light, a bit smaller body size, thinner nut and neck profile. Really well done and a pretty, but playable, addition to anyone's collection. Highly recommended. No cons that I've noticed after a month of ownership.

Outstanding Quality

Received this guitar on 29/03/2021. The built quality and finish are absolutely superb. Everything on this guitar is looks great. The build quality, finish and attention to detail, is usually only found on expensive guitars. The pickups sound amazing also. I could not be happier. Buy it.

A very nice guitar

Wonderful guitar, wonderful quality, and wonderful delivery. She is a beauty and sounds very nice straight out of the box. It will require a setup as the intonation is off, but what guitar isn't straight out of the box.

I do wish the guitar would come with a feature and how-to sheet. As a somewhat neophyte on the instrument, I have no idea what the three switches do or what their intended function is. Really other than that, I can't say enough good things about the fit and finish, which is superb and that goes for the tone, very lovely.

I month later on:

After playing the guitar for three or so weeks, I wish it was available in a hard tail version. Harley Benton Tremolos are not the best. The block is too light and it only goes down and not up. Frankly, I put the Trem handle in a drawer where it will remain in order to protect my strings from going out of tune. The guitar itself still plays nicely. There are three switches that do something for the pickups, but without a features sheet, I have to try and figure it out on my own.

I do wish the guitars came with a features highlight or a basic instruction sheet for customers who may not be familiar with each guitar's unique features.

Excellent value & well worth the investment

I’ve never owned a 24 fret guitar (I have LP’s Strat’s & Tele’s etc.) & really like the design/look of the guitar. However my main interest was in the sound combinations on offer & having read & watched many YouTube reviews, I decided to buy. I should mention my preferred style means I don’t require a whammy/tremolo function (all my Strat’s are locked/hard tailed) … Here goes…

Most or all will know a new guitar takes a while to truly settle in & will require adjustments, but straight out of the box, this was very playable with the standard factory set up. It feels well balanced on a strap when standing up & equally comfortable to play sitting down. I did actually try the whammy/tremolo for a while and it behaved exactly as expected for this Fender style of design … On to my preference for a locked/hardtail set up. Once I had altered the set-up, there were noticeable & beneficial changes in how the guitar played. The fretboard profile feels very flat & that is not a criticism, it is simply different from what I’m used to & not the guitar.

Summary: After a set-up up to suit my needs, I find this to be a really versatile & very impressive guitar. This review is written about two weeks after delivery, so obviously I cannot comment on longer term reliability & how robust hardware is etc. However, I can say it is a very welcome addition alongside my other instruments & gives me new tones both in a recording & live environment. I believe this guitar to be absolutely worth the price paid. Finally, from placing the order to actual receipt was, as always, hassle free & so once again I’m a very happy customer.

Cracking "Little" guitar

When i ordered this guitar it went on back order. I had read the reviews and seen the videos, all say what a great guitar it was, so i decided to wait the 3 months it took to come back in stock.

Glad i did as i can't believe what a smashing guitar it is for £270.00.

Looks and sounds awesome. Plays really well with only the tiniest of tweaks. It is small, which suits me well so thank you Harley Benton.

A good guitar in its own right

Although this is a Brian May tribute guitar it is also a good guitar in its own right. It is not an exact copy in that it has a 5 way switch rather than 3 separate pickup switches although it does have a phase reverse switch for each pickup. This means that you get the strat-type inbetween sounds but not the series sounds that the BM original offers. I partly solved this by implementing the widely described series strat wiring. This means that by using the middle phase switch as a parallel/series switch I can get bridge and middle and middle and neck in series as per the original and much like humbucking pickups work. It means that the inbetween sounds are much louder. All other functionality is as before as the phase switches for the bridge and neck can be used to provide out of phase tones. I don't have the Neck and Bridge in series but that could be implemented with a pull switch on the tone control.

I wanted to make these mods but they are not essential. As it stands its a fine guitar with a good range of sounds. The neck is full in the hand without being overly chunky and the finish is superb. I wanted one of these not as a BMtribute but as a Burns tribute! I remember seeing magnificent transparent red Burns Vista Sonic and Vista Artist guitars in a shop window when they first came out (yes I am that old!) and I have always wanted one. I finally got to play a Burns Vista Artist and I was disappointed with the neck. No such disappointment with this! The pickups look the same and sound great. Ok the vibrato is different but the guitar as a whole is excellent. Buy one, don't mod it unless you know what you are doing it is too good to mess up. Mine is now close to perfection.

Great Quality

On receiving this Guitar I found the Tremolo arm did not screw in. The matter was resolved by my Mechanic with the aid of a Tap and die set. this was a minor frustration and not worth returning the guitar. Every thing about this Guitar is Amazing and ranks alongside my other (more expensive ) guitars. Thonmann has great customer service and super delivery.

amazing for the price

Perfectly set up. Very fast shipping. Incredible value. Worth 5 or 6 times the purchase price.

Just mind-boggling

First off, I will say I bought a 'real one' a while back.

I returned it as the quality really wasn't that great.

Then I saw this, and bought it.

What a BARGAIN.

The finish is amazing. Sounds are really good too.

Ok, it's a 'cut-down' version of the guitar it's modelled on but it really does 'cut the mustard.'

The only thing I changed was the vol/tone knobs to nice turned ally thet the original has.

It can do a pretty good Strat twang, right through to a humbucker killer.

I've been playing for well over 50 years.

I have genuine Gibby LP, 30 year old Strat and a Burns Anniversary Marvin.

This one keeps up with them all.

It's inexpensive, but sounds and looks - expensive.

Todays special

I bought this for it's unique design and to try this type of pickup. The quality of this guitar is excellent for the money. The finish, bound 24 fret neck and playability are excellent. Tuners are branded with no creep or dead spots. Controls work as required.

The only change i will make is to block the bridge as I don't use the trem.

If you want an unusual guitar thats built to a good standard try this one.

Awesome Guitar

I got it in Ohio today after a 10 day wait, the outer box was trashed but amazingly the box with the guitar wasnt,I went completely over the guitar, no scratches or blemishes. Hooked it up to my Boss Katana 50 and was floored. Frets, rounded perfect,It is a tone monster,almost no noise from the pups,Totally amazed with the guitar, Thank you

Wow!!! Great guitar...

This guitar is stunning!!! Perfect neck, nice tone (not like Brian May type but unique and usable), versatile sound and so much tone combinations! It stays in tune, but I didn't use tremolo yet :)

Setup is so great and it's easy to play! Don't problems with feedback or any noise!

Recommend it to every guitar player for his collection!!!

Great sound and fantastic value for money

Nice Brian May Style Guitar

Thought I would purchase this guitar as wanted a Brian May look alike guitar, not that i am in any way good enough to use it to its best.

Whilst it has options to use the pickups it does not have all the options that Brian's guitar has available.

Nicely finished, low action and did not need any work to make it playable, it has been used just as delivered.

Once again a nice relatively cheap guitar from Harley Benton which raises a cap to the much more expensive copies of Brian's Original.

Worthy Replica!

Compared to the price it has, I was shocked by its quality. I am not using a treble booster neither a valve/tube amp, I have been trying with just the guitar directly on the BOSS ME20 pedal with some low crunchy distortion, chorus, and of course, playing with a coin. The result is just amazing. Mostly like the original, the control volume and phase switched do all the job, no need for fancy pedals or too many effects. The shape it's very edgy, and not so comfortable to play while seated... just like the original! Things I would refine/change: The pickup selector is fine, but it would have been better to have other 3 switches like the original. Tuning keys are not very precise so after some bendings it looses a bit the tune. The lever of the tremolo bridge is the "Strato like" bar that you screw in and out, if not tightened till the end (which makes almost impossible to move then) it juggles around, and the tremolo movement is not precise and noisy. Volume potentiometer/knob it's not the best, and it's the key of the sound, I will change it soon. But hey, we are talking about a 299€ RedSpecial replica, and these things I mentioned are absolutely understandable. It definitely worth every cent! Good job, HB!

Great guitar!!!

I am a new fans of Queen, so I am interested in this guitar. When it comes out of the box, it had been already set up and ready to play. Sound fantastic and the out of phase function adds lots of tonal possibility to this guitar. Lots of fun to play!!!

My new favorite!

I am not very good, so I don't expect it to look or sound just like the Red Special. For me it is very comfortable to play, doesn't buzz or rattle, and is holding tune well. Sounds great, and feels solid. I rate this and my TE-90 QM about both of my Squiers, one of which is a '72 thinline. Definitely feel I got more than I paid for!

Beautiful guitar

After a long waiting, it finally arrived. Unfortunately it arrived with to low nut so i had to adjust it by adding same paper tile to make it higher. Action was also not adjusted.

Switching is not like on original Bryan May guitar (missing some sounds due to a usage of 5 way switch and 3 phase switches), but there are still big versatility of the sounds

Despite that the Guitar is just amazing, with great sound, very good finish and i would recommend it

Really nice copy

Ive never held BrianMay's guitar, but i think this copy might make him smile.

The body seems smaller than its famous namesake, and to my eyes is less rounded.

It is re!atively heavy and finished really nicely

I dont have years of experience so I can only speak from perception.

Sounds great, sligntly strat-ish tones in places, phase switches work but it will take a while to figure out.

Plays easily, good action from the box, good fretwork.

Love it