Harley Benton ST-90SA Swamp Ash DLX Series Reviews

great looking guitar

I own many guitars . these Harley Bentons play well. This is currently my favorite among guitars worth thousands.Very impressed with workmanship . keep up the good work. many thanks A W.

Exactly and more than I expected !

I have to say that I am amazed at the body fit and gorgeous satin finish and the joints are all but invisible and grain is nicely matched and is really hard to see where the joint is. I was expecting the maple neck to be a lighter colour to the body, but again they did a wonderful job in using maple that was an almost exact match colourwise to the body. It looks superb! I cannot stress just how good the body and neck are. It is better in real life than the photos,though the photos are very accurate in all aspects.

From past experience, I was expecting that I would naturally have to do some set-up and adjustments and was actually looking forward to that.... but alas.. NO.... everything was really perfect. Nut cut perfectly, action and relief set nice and low and the intonation was 100% perfect. Neck to body joint faultless and sounds just great so far. Pickups heights were spot on too. Perhaps the pickups themselves are sweet, and it has really good sustain but have truly great tone ( to me anyway!) and pos 2 & 4 real nice chimey sounds.. ..... All in all, I could not have asked for more.

I bought this because of what it is and had absolutely nothing to do with price - especially as I was going to buy a Mex Fender start 4 or 5 times the price!

The only thing I do not like is the pretty naff pickguard,

It came with allen key for truss rod and bridge but no key for the saddle height adjustment, though this is really a very minor issue and even came with a 1/4" lead.

I am glad that I bought this and did not spend much much more on a Mex Fender. I am amazed!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not what's pictured

Guitar showed up with a much lighter finish than the photo on the website. Body was made of two pieces of wood which were two completely different shades and no attempt to match the grain. Set-up was terrible, and the spring saddle in the back of the tremolo was installed incorrectly and then moved without filling either of the previous two holes. There was almost no edge distance between the holes which will probably lead to cracking. Pretty sad seeing it had several tags indicating it passed quality control.

For this price forget, "the others," play HB

Played strait out of the box, little tweak here (4/64 high e) little tweak there (5/64 low e) no other adjustment necessary. You want to pay £400 - £1000 for the "other brands" go ahead, this HB swamp ash is unbeatable value for the money, feels amazing (just can't stop picking it up) and has tonal qualities all of its own. For £117 it is one of the best guitars I've bought, the other was the HB telecaster (but don't tell my brother it's his Christmas present from mum LOL). In a nutshell, want a strat, can't afford a strat, buy one of these; even if you feel the need for full setup (I mean freestone etc at £119) you still win a watch (I mean an excellent electric guitar). Wondering what to treat yourself with this Christmas after you've treated everyone else and your almost skint? One of these will play you into the new year, look good all year round and for many years to come, and as the wood ages the guitar will like yourself become more dignified and mature.

Okay Guitar

Overall quite a pleasing guitar. However the tremolo arm does not fit the socket. Works fine as hardtail but disappointing as wished to purchase a cheap "strat" to work out whether I could learn to use tremolo and experience single coil pu's.