Harley Benton SC-500 WH Vintage Series

Punches Way Above Its Weight!

I've been lusting after a white LP Custom style guitar for many years but there was no way I was paying Gibson prices and I didn't think the Epi was worth what they charge and wasn't that impressed with it. The SC-500 WH is the guitar that first turned me on to HB though it was a year before I pulled the trigger after loving the TE-52 and JB-75. All I can say is WOW, do I like this axe! I've watched all the reviews and considered what they cited as shortcomings...not great tuners, microphonic pickups, finish flaws...mine came nearly perfect, the only flaw I can find is a barely visible 1.5" line of wood colour between the binding and the neck on the high E side...barely visible and invisible while I'm playing. Fretwork is very good (maybe not custom shop level but better than most more expensive guitars), finish is otherwise flawless, no tooling marks on any hardware or pickups, tuners are very smooth (though not high ratio) and stable, nut is very well cut, the blackwood fretboard is tightly grained and smooth, dark enough to mimic ebony and the medium jumbo frets were a little scratchy so I thought I should polish them, but 2 hours if playing took care of that. Even the single ply pickguard is cut nicely, no rough edges. So that's build and finish quality...now for how it performs... This thing plays like butter!, lower action than anything I own. Substantial neck but slim enough to be very comfortable for my average sized hands, sweet and silky ckean tones and a real growl with some gain, no squealing with high gain, where it just sings and sustains like a pipe organ. Everything from ballads to Randy Rhoads or Zack Wylde is possible and convincingly authentic sounding with those nameless "vintage humbuckers". Access to higher frets also really is easier with HB's unique neck heel, it's well balanced and the basswood body is lighter than most LP style guitars but I can't discern any lack of tone or sustain. Overall, I am thrilled with this guitar and I've been playing nearly 50 years and owned lots of Gibsons and Fenders in that time. It's a beautiful instrument, plays and sounds great and I just can't believe what I paid for it...I can't stop staring at the elegant white/gold/black colour combination. If anything were to happen to it, I'm just going to get another one. They don't stay in stock long (waited 3 months for mine), so pull the trigger if you're thinking about it, you won't be disappointed.

Fantastic guitar

I had the guitar some months now I play guitar for myself to relax I must say this guitar plays fantastic and sound and looks like a high end guitar

Can't beat it for the price

This sounds and feels as good as any Les Paul I've played/heard. Even a little bit lighter as well. It's a steal for the price.

An absolute no-brainer for the value - an absolute winner.

I love this beauty. I wanted to get something that was outside my normal play style and I thought this was an aesthetically outstanding look. I was preparing for an underwhelming guitar - but I was delighted. The guitar I received was well set-up, well built, and no nasty surprises. There was no fret-sprout or rough feelings. The guitar had the LP sound I was looking for. Now, several months later, I still love it. I ordered a custom wrap for it - so it's a great way to do something unique without having to spend huge dollars on an instrument you don't want to tweak because it's vintage, or it's super-expensive. This guitar made my instrument immensely affordable and attainable without sacrificing playability. It's a winner!

arrived broken

The handle arrived completely broken despite the shipping box was intact, so it has been sent broken. Very annoying.

Timeless looks

This thing is a looker. Tonal variety 10/10.

If you are willing to look past the minor imperfections within the 7-ply binding, this guitar is absolutely fantastic. Do not break bank with any other brand, you can't hear brands in the music. Oh, it's a bit on the heavy side but that shouldn't be a problem if you play sitting. The guitar feels well balanced when standing, though.

Add this one to your collection without worry.

Lovely Randy Rhoads style LP!

I bought this as a cheap way to own a Randy Rhoads style LP. His was originally white and faded to a darker cream from years of use and road-wear. I changed up the black pots for gold ones, lowered the action a tad and boom I was banging out that intro to Crazy Train with a big old grin on my face!! This is a really good guitar for the price. Well made, comfortable to play, and sounds great clean (Revelation Mother Earth) or filthy with wah (You Can't Kill Rock N Roll)!

Great Value

Overall great guitar, excellent value, pickups are ok for blues, pop maybe a even country (not my genre)

Unbelievable for the price!

This is my fifth Harley Benton purchase. Each one gets better than the last. The fit and finish of this guitar is top notch, way better than the expensive model it’s copying. The tuners seem good on this one, can be hit or miss on these lower priced guitars. The frets feel great with no fret sprout, and are filed and polished nice. I’m even quite satisfied with the sound of the pickups. For $150 US plus shipping, you’ll be hard pressed to find a great playing, comfortable guitar like this one!

Great Guitar for the price !!!

Everything is perfect. Had someone file down the nut just a hair, but most players would not be that picky.