The budget electric guitar category is fiercely competitive, with more options than ever for brands contending for your hard-earned cash. These days, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a decent electric guitar with a tight budget that gives high-quality options in every style imaginable out there.
The electrics used by budget-friendly guitar brands used to be reserved for new players searching for a beginner-friendly option, but with massive strides forward in quality control and trickle-down technology, they can now be a viable option for intermediate players looking to upgrade their first guitar or even pro players looking for a backup.
While Harley Benton and Firefly guitars mightn’t have all the bells and whistles of the high-end electric guitars on the market, they’re not meant to compete with such luxury instruments. Rather, the purpose of brands like Harley Benton and Firefly is to provide fantastic playability, great looks, and all for a song.
Firefly
Compared to more common guitar brands out there, finding a Firefly guitar can be a bit like hunting the Yeti. Even though there’s plenty of evidence they exist, finding one can be tricky.
Firefly has been one of the most hyped-up guitar manufacturers in recent years. This Chinese guitar brand manufactures budget versions of legendary guitars such as the Gibson E335 and Les Paul. It didn’t take long for Firefly guitars to become one of the most sought-after brands around.
Firefly – Models & Series
- Firefly’s three main models are:
- FF338 (a copy of the Gibson E335)
- FFTH (a copy of the Telecaster Thinline)
- FFLP (a copy of the Gibson Les Paul)
The reason why it’s hard to get your hands on a new Firefly model is due to them making them in small batches (a few hundred at a time) that get snapped up super quick.
Harley Benton
Harley Benton is a guitar brand by Thomann. They make an impressive range of musical instruments and accessories. Harley Benton is also Thomann’s best-selling brand, growing in popularity year on year.
Harley Benton manufactures a lot of their great musical products in different factories in the Far East. These same factories make stuff for some of the biggest brands in the world. So, even though you may be less familiar with the Harley Benton name, a lot of their gear is made in the same place and by the same people that manufacture well-known brands.
There’s so much on offer, and because of Thomann cutting out the middleman, they can offer Harley Benton guitars at an amazing price. So, which Harley Benton guitars are the best?
Harley Benton – Models & Series
- Harley Benton HB-35 Plus
- Harley Benton TE-52 Vintage Series
- Harley Benton Fusion III HSH
- Harley Benton DC-DLX Gotoh
- Harley Benton ST-62 Hot Rod
Harley Benton Guitar Bodies
To give you an idea of what to expect with Harley Benton guitars, we’ll have a quick look at a popular model, the ST-62 Hot Rod.
The neck and middle pickups of the ST-62 Hot Rod are regular single coils. This guitar in particular is great for everything from mellow blues tones to choppy funk sounds. Harley Benton has added a Hot Blade ceramic humbucker in the bridge position that has a much hotter output, giving you access to some searing rock sounds. Having both single coil and humbucker pickups available at the flick of a switch is a bonus, making it ideal for a load of different playing scenarios.
It isn’t too heavy, while the neck has an inoffensive C profile which pretty much any player should get on with.
Harley Benton Vs Firefly Guitars: How Do They Compare?
Firefly
Another reason why firefly’s guitars are popular is down to that golden combination of decent quality and affordability that they’ve achieved. Pretty much anyone you ask who owns a firefly guitar agrees that they’re exceptional value for money.
While you may come across some minor issues here and there, it’s to be expected. Some things like small tiny finish flaws on the body and bindings, or the machine heads slipping a bit can sometimes happen, due to them being on the cheap side.
For a fraction of the cost of an original, Firefly are making good guitars, putting them into the hands of beginners at a steal of a price.
If you’re a beginner who’s on a budget, then it’s hard to argue with the sheer value for money, regardless of how you feel about the rights and wrongs of cloning guitars.
Harley Benton
Harley Benton is a brand that has aimed to become a full-fetched musical instrument and audio equipment maker. They’ve slowly but gradually and consistently got their product quality to match the heights of the American brand names.
It’s totally understandable for makers of acoustic and electric guitars made at this price point to occasionally come with some factory issues.