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#1
11-17-2020, 12:09 PM
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Harley Benton Travel guitar
Hi,
Newbie thread alert.... sorry ! I love my dreadnaughts, but need a budget guitar for camping. There is a Harley Benton one that seems to get good reviews on the Thomann site...Anyone tried one ? Worth the money or a waste of money Seems to be a spruce and a hog, both laminate of course 
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#2
11-17-2020, 12:13 PM
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I don’t know the model you have your eye on, but I bought a Harley Benton HB-35Plus last month, and it is fantastic. I wouldn't hesitate to get another Harley Benton guitar.
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#6
11-17-2020, 02:30 PM
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Beware of the "demo" sound clips at Thomann. Often they're either fake or are the same audio clips from different products.
Harley Benton guitars, on the other hand, are the real thing. I have 2 (1 electric and 1 Resonator) and, soundwise, they are worth alot more than the asking price. I believe that if you like the look you won't be disappointed by the sound.
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L. Maggi 6 strings Custom Guild G-37B B. Dinsdale Custom Ibanez Ragtime 460 Daion L999 Kinkade 12Strings Custom L. Maggi 12Strings Custom P. Bernabe E8 H. Godvinez Fender Dobro HB Resonator Baton Rouge Tricone Ovation Celebrity Cort L900 Parlour Epiphone Emperor Epiphone Sheraton 2 Fender Tele Last edited by Picking Moose; 11-17-2020 at 02:31 PM. Reason: Text error
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#7
11-18-2020, 12:25 PM
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Still chewing this over. Are the HBs really good ?
My local shop has a few pricier travels in: Eastman ACTG1 Cordoba La Playa (solid cedar top!) Sigma TM15e yamahas (JR2, APXT2) What else are people using as a "travel" Guitar ?
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#8
11-18-2020, 01:10 PM
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Quote:
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#9
11-18-2020, 02:00 PM
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I was going throught some of the upper market guitars they sale and while I was listening to the demo clips I realised they were the exact same demos for different guitars. Exact same tune, exact same notes exact same sound.
I am not saying they do that with everything but... just be aware of it.
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L. Maggi 6 strings Custom Guild G-37B B. Dinsdale Custom Ibanez Ragtime 460 Daion L999 Kinkade 12Strings Custom L. Maggi 12Strings Custom P. Bernabe E8 H. Godvinez Fender Dobro HB Resonator Baton Rouge Tricone Ovation Celebrity Cort L900 Parlour Epiphone Emperor Epiphone Sheraton 2 Fender Tele
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#10
11-18-2020, 02:43 PM
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Harley Benton Travel guitar
Quote:
Use the search bar to locate multiple recent threads concerning travel and “camp fire” guitar options. Many AGF members prefer carbon fiber designs, some are collapsible, folding into a backpack, some not. There are some obvious benefits that come with a carbon fiber guitar but they come at a cost. I enjoy a Journey OF660M for a steel string traveler and an Emerald X7 nylon for a nylon traveler. I no longer travel anywhere without a guitar. They are really that easy. I hope that helps, Tom
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#11
11-18-2020, 03:29 PM
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Quote:
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1 dreadnought, 1 auditorium, 1 concert, and 2 travel guitars.
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#12
11-18-2020, 06:25 PM
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My #1 travel guitar is my carbon fiber KLŌS. It's a bit on the pricey side, but it disassembles and fits into my suitcase, and I never worry about what baggage handlers might do to it. Not long ago, I bought a Little Martin LX1RE because my KLŌS is acoustic only. Then, just yesterday, I received my "cheap" travel guitar - a Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy. For the price, it's a nice sounding piece of wood, and if somebody sits on it or tosses carelessly, no big loss.
Edited to add: Depending on where you live, you should factor in the shipping cost. I paid nothing for S&H on my Gretsch. Shipping a HB to the US from Thomann is going to up the price.
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I own 41 guitars. Most are made of wood. Some are not. Last edited by fpuhan; 11-18-2020 at 06:38 PM.
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#13
11-19-2020, 01:33 AM
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I have the Harley Benton GS-Travel-E Spruce. It has a really full sound, especially after moving up to medium light strings (I use my favorite budget strings: D'Addario 85/15 Bronze), it really benefit from thicker strings. Be warned though that this guitar has really sharp frets, and with my playing style of sliding with barre chords a lot that can hurt. So the frets need some polishing (which I haven't done yet).
The Travel-E also sound really good plugged-in. I has no volume or tone controls though, and to put in the battery you need to remove/loosen the strings. I also have the Harley Benton Custom Line CLP-15ME, a parlor guitar. This really feels like a quality guitar, a big step up from the Travel, although it obviously has a thinner sound being a parlor. But everything feels so smooth on it, and it looks great. It has a Fishman Presys II pre-amp, and it sounds great plugged-in. I have the original strings on it (have only had it for a month), but I'm tempted to try some thicker strings. A travel sized guitar I have been eyeing is the Ibanez AE245JR-OPN. I think it looks great, and I really like the Ibanez open pore finish. Cheers, Per
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#14
11-19-2020, 03:03 AM
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Quote:
 I did have a 23.5" scale travel guitar for many years and used it for trekking trips around the world where I needed to carry the instrument day after day. But the playability of the short scale, even with medium strings, was never great. And if I had to capo to sing then it was worse. An expensive travel guitar can have beautiful tone, but you are never really going to get around physics of a shorter scale (in terms of physics the short scale actually works better with lighter strings tuned up to F or F# - but that can really throw you out if you usually sing from open chords say in G or D.)  If you are not going to carry the instrument on your back but are car camping then you don't need a short scale guitar. This opens up your purchasing opportunities to find a cheap camping guitar considerably. I bought this Vintage Statesboro' Parlour guitar (between 0 and 00 size) for 99.00 GBP new in the UK. It did need a full set-up (which I did myself) and some shaping of the bridge as well as the saddle but it is now a fantastic instrument and a pleasure to play. If you can get to a guitar shop rather than buying on-line you'll be able to try out different budget guitars and get something that will really work for you. You may find that a 000 size would be the ideal - slightly smaller than your dreads but still a great flatpicking and strumming guitar. The Vintage V300 is a stalwart and they make a Stastboro' all mahogany in 000 size that's worth a try. Buying from a shop in person will mean you can get them to do a set-up on the guitar to suit your playing style. So if you don't need the shorter scale/much smaller guitar then just buy a 'beater'. There are so many good instruments for very little money (you could even buy second hand) that would give you more pleasure than a cheap "travel" guitar.
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I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs. I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band.
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#15
11-19-2020, 06:19 AM
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I don't camp, but do (did) regularly fly (BC-- Before Covid 19). I got a Voyage Air Guitar and could not be happier with the guitar or the service. It's really not fair to call it a travel guitar-- it's a guitar that has a neck that folds. They have all sorts of styles, OM's, dreadnoughts, electronics and such. When they are running a special, they start at around $500.
I'm sorry if that confuses things.
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-- Patience is a strength, not a weakness; and if by practicing patience we stop retaliating to harm and criticism, people will gradually come to understand that our real nature is very special.
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