A $350 take on a $2k bass. Does it nail it?

[Al Krow]

I've had a Sandberg VM5 on my radar for a while - really like the idea of adding the reverse-P / bridge humbucker set up which I don't currently have in my herd, but have been coming across a lot of favourable comments from fellow bassists about the Harley Benton range.

The Harley Benton MP-5EB seems to be as close to a VM5 as they come and, personally, I think they've done a really good job!

Both have a reverse-P / M style humbucker, 2 band EQ and 22 frets. Both come in swamp ash (natural wood) or alder (painted finish) options.

See what you think!

 

[Al Krow]

Just as an fyi, here's the 4 string version of same model HB and a pretty decent "warts and all" review.

 

[ClusterFlux]

FWIW, I prefer the sound of the Harley Benton. Of course, that could be down to all sorts of variables -- inclusion of drums, recording setup, a preference for cheap basses...

You could swap out the HB's pickups and a few components, and still save money compared to the Sandberg.

 

[Al Krow]

FWIW, I prefer the sound of the Harley Benton. Of course, that could be down to all sorts of variables -- inclusion of drums, recording setup, a preference for cheap basses...

You could swap out the HB's pickups and a few components, and still save money compared to the Sandberg.

That's kinda exactly what I was thinking, whereas I've hesitated about getting the 'Berg previously, thinking that I'd have significant additional costs on top of if I wanted to swap out the stock Delano or Berg pups for something meatier e.g. their Black Label range.

 

[Temcat]

What does "enhanced" refer to here? Is the Harley Benton not stock in the video?

 

[Al Krow]

What does "enhanced" refer to here? Is the Harley Benton not stock in the video?

They are a super budget range, so $350 is pretty much top of their line-up. I've only really started to focus on them recently, following a bit of a fan club on this side of the pond building up and commenting on what amazing value basses they are whilst sounding pretty decent too.

 

[JRA]

i don't play a 5-string ax (or a fretted), but if i did = i'd go with the HB any day.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Having played everything from an Affinity to a Lull P4 (which I've had for 15 years), you can't compare the two in playability, looks, or tone. Whether it's worth that money is up to you.

 

[RolandMHall]

As an owner of 2 Sandbergs I'll tell you that the devil's are in in the details.... Sandbergs are some of the finest basses I've owned. They pay very close attention to the fine details of bass construction. Neck pockets, wood quality, level frets, cleanliness of the control cavities. Compare the quality of the cable jack on a sandberg to other basses and you'll see what I'm saying.

This is where the higher costs comes in and for many is justified. It's hard to beat hand made construction with good parts and a high degree of quality control.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

I would say it’s every bit as good as the comparably priced Sterling by Musicman Ray5HH, which is on the same scale value wise in comparison to an EBMM Stingray HH

 

[asparaguspee]

I’ve recently acquired a Sandberg. Quality of construction, playability and feel are on another level compared to my other basses (all about half the price or less).

Is it worth it? Yeah. Is it necessary to spend that much? Nope. If you’re unsure just buy the HB, it'll be much easier to sell if you end up pining for the Sandberg.

 

[vonbladet]

As an owner of 2 Sandbergs I'll tell you that the devil's are in in the details.... Sandbergs are some of the finest basses I've owned. They pay very close attention to the fine details of bass construction. Neck pockets, wood quality, level frets, cleanliness of the control cavities. Compare the quality of the cable jack on a sandberg to other basses and you'll see what I'm saying.

(I can put a dollar price on the value to me of clean control cavities and I regret to say it is zero dollars.)

 

[Turtle71]

I'm usually a big fan of "you get what you pay for"...But, I gotta admit, that Harley Benton actually sounds considerably more expensive than the price tag would imply...I'd actually own/rock that bass happily.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Some folks drive a Pinto, some folks drive a Lincoln. They'll both get you down the road to the store. But which ride will be more enjoyable? Only you can say.

 

[Al Krow]

I'm usually a big fan of "you get what you pay for"...But, I gotta admit, that Harley Benton actually sounds considerably more expensive than the price tag would imply...I'd actually own/rock that bass happily.

Yeah me too, with some notable exceptions - in particular that I've always felt my Yamaha BBs have gone toe to toe with basses costing 2 or 3 times the price.

For me the issue is that if I'm getting a $1.5k to $2k bass such as the VM5, I'd want it to be "good to go" so I've balked at taking the plunge with the prospect of adding several $hundred on top to swap out the pups and / or pre-amp. Some while back, having had a Sandberg TM4 as my goto bass for a couple of years, I ended up concluding that the Berg Delanos were too polite for me (I completely get that's going to be down to personal taste). It was however, I agree, a really well put together bass.

But picking up a decent chassis in the shape of the HB MP5-EB for $350 and swapping in a set of pups to suit (e.g. Sandberg Black Label or EMGs?) and e.g. a Glockenlang 3 band EQ, you're not just saving a bunch of cash but potentially getting a more boutique bass than the boutique bass it's up against.

Hmmm...definitely food for thought!

 

[GregC]

No way to tell without actually having them both in my hands. It’s possible to get tones you love from a cheap bass, especially with the right rig/pedals. But will you love playing it long term? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[yodedude2]

this is easy...buy the benton now, and also save up for the sandberg. when you can, buy the sandberg to compare, and then flip the one that does not spark joy.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

This is worth checking out.

 

[two fingers]

The question has always been for me "Does it make me grin when I pick it up?" If not, I don't want it.

Whether that's a $350 bass or a $3500 bass is up to you. But your gear should bring you joy. Any bass I play had better feel like slipping on an old baseball glove that's been sitting in the Summer sun in the middle of a freshly-cut field of perfectly-level, emerald-green grass. Brand name, price, how others might feel when they see my bass, etc. have zero influence on my bass choices. (OK, let's be reasonable. I'm not going to spend ten grand on a bass. But, other than that, price is not a factor.)

You should never think to yourself "This bass would be great if only...". You should get the bass that has all of the "if only" you can stand.

Hearing those two basses in two different settings using different signal paths being played by two different players is not enough to determine if either has enough "if only" for you.

For the record, in the hands of those two guys, both basses sound fine. I would not be "ashamed" to play either, assuming they feel amazing in my hands.

Short version: The premise of the question is "weird" to me. But if that HB makes you grin every time you pick it up, get one and rock it.

There was no poll choice for me. My answer would have been "carots", but not because I didn't like either bass. They're both fine.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

The question has always been for me "Does it make me grin when I pick it up?" If not, I don't want it.

Whether that's a $350 bass or a $3500 bass is up to you. But your gear should bring you joy. Any bass I play had better feel like slipping on an old baseball glove that's been sitting in the Summer sun in the middle of a freshly-cut field of perfectly-level, emerald-green grass. Brand name, price, how others might feel when they see my bass, etc. have zero influence on my bass choices. (OK, let's be reasonable. I'm not going to spend ten grand on a bass. But, other than that, price is not a factor.)

You should never think to yourself "This bass would be great if only...". You should get the bass that has all of the "if only" you can stand.

Hearing those two basses in two different settings using different signal paths being played by two different players is not enough to determine if either has enough "if only" for you.

For the record, in the hands of those two guys, both basses sound fine. I would not be "ashamed" to play either, assuming they feel amazing in my hands.

Short version: The premise of the question is "weird" to me. But if that HB makes you grin every time you pick it up, get one and rock it.

There was no poll choice for me. My answer would have been "carots", but not because I didn't like either bass. They're both fine.

You quite eloquently said how I feel. The only person who matters is the player. As a practical matter, a player’s concerns should be can the bass be easily intonated? Does it have buzzing or dead notes? Is it noisy in a way that hurts live performance or recording? Is it comfortable? Can I execute my technique cleanly when I play it?

Whether someone else thinks your bass is cool or cheap is irrelevant.