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Another Great Harley Benton Coming Soon

#21
S.F.Sorrow said:
If a review isn't 100% unbiased, it is worthless, and not actually a review at all.
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If a review is 100% unbiased, it's not a review, it's simply a recitation of facts. A review is explicitly the expression of opinions, hopefully well-informed from experience and knowledge. A good review is one in which the reviewer's biases are made clear and used to discuss the subject in question.

It's true that if BTW has been giving Thomann products favorable reviews in a lead-up to this, that might be a bad look. But, on the other hand, is BTW known for providing negative reviews of anything?
 
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#23
ga_edwards said:
Bass The World is a highly regarded resource in the bass community.
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By the community overall or just with manufacturer's that are paying him to sing praises of their gear? I mean he mentions that he gets paid for his "reviews" which make his opinion on the product completely worthless but you still get sound samples (played by OTHER bass players hilariously) to make your own judgements which is helpful in deciding on a product so I still check out his videos but I don't give them a thumbs up or down because all I did was listen to sound examples he got paid for to create. His reviews are basically contracted out commercials and his opinions on products is completely useless because I doubt he even plays bass very much any more and he's getting paid, he isn't going to poopie on a bad product if he's getting paid.
 
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#25
Me?

I watch and take in all reviews with a grain of salt. I also consider the recoding of examples to be dependent on the the signal path used and the YT compression scheme. Having said that, something is going to be good, bad, or marginal on its own, no matter of the hype is going to change that for me.

I think I have seen some BTW reviews that were overall positive that did bring out some negative things about an item under review. It could be as simple as not liking the color or name to overweight, maybe some weak pickups. Anyway I did get a bass from a BTW review, the HB MSB-5 which the name received a bad review ☺️
Not because of any hype but because my wife walked in on me blasting the BTW review through our home theater unit and she thought Frank Itt was a hoot and the bass sounded and looked good. She told me to order one. Who am I to argue with that 🤣 I did like the Flip Flop Blue better than the green with the black burst, which she liked but did like the FF blue after seeing it in person.

To the point, my example that I got sounded as good as the video example and was a little lighter than theirs. Nothing they would or could have said would have changed that. I did see another review that showed the same bass being a bit buzzy in that person’s environment and I have experienced that myself in oone room of my house but all my basses buzz in there.

I guess one just has to be more discerning and view more than one review to make a determination. As always everything is better in person if you can 👍

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#27
I also think most reviewers who are either paid or unpaid will give a good review if the product works as intended and there are no obvious flaws in workmanship or operation like noise or switches and knobs not working. Most reviews with few exceptions don't go very granular like looking “under the hood” to see what kind of works are in there like pickups,pots, jacks, and wiring. So other than how something sounds you are not going to get much more than that no matter who is doing it.

“Go back and sit in your chair Grandpa!”
🤣
 
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#28
S.F.Sorrow said:
On a side note... So, a seemingly respected reviewer of bass gear gets a "signature" model?!?!? Well, that's... interesting. He even says they've been "partners" with Harley Benton for "many, many years". For me personally this means that BassTheWorld and Gregor Fris' credibility goes straight down the drain, with the rest of the social media influencers. At least Mr Fris is honest and upfront about it, unlike most online, so-called "reviewers", I'll give him that.
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I think you're taking the word "partners" too literally.
 
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#31
I'm not sure it would harm Harley Benton to release a bass that cost a bit more if the quality is right. I will not go on stage with something that says Harley Benton on the headstock even if it plays like a dream, and I'm not alone.

But I could very well see my self having one in the studio if the neck is good and it has great pickups. That pinkish colour was awful so I would propably have to sand it down and refinish it if I were to buy one. But I might just do that if it is as good as it seems. They have put great pickups and good hardware in it, so it comes down to the weight and feel of the neck. It it is the usual HB-boat anchor I will pass. But this one really caught my attention.
 
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#32
Peltor said:
I will not go on stage with something that says Harley Benton on the headstock even if it plays like a dream, and I'm not alone.
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At the height of my musical career that had never been an issue for me or anyone I played with, and hence no audience member has ever raised an issue of what bass I chose to play to entertain them.

I have played everything from late 60s to 70s Japanese-made pawn shop basses to high-end high-dollar basses and anything in between. I buy basses to play because I like the sound and feel of them and not name recognition.

I also understand this my be particular to me and me alone. But I have never not played a bass because of the name on the headstock. I have gigged once so far with my Harley Benton MSB-5. I like it and most importantly the cat likes it and In today's world that’s all that matters 😊

IMG_9092 Copy.jpeg
IMG_9210 Copy.jpeg
 
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#33
Sais the guy that is a member of the expensive gear club 😂

The gear has definetely been an issue for me and my musical partners over the years. Especially the guitarists. I won't talk down any bass that feels and plays good, but I'm vain, I'll admit that. So when I'm on stage I always bring something nice, just to shut up the music police. 😊

I never talk down other peoples gear (it is the player not the intrument), but I feel more confident knowing that I have taken care of all the small details before a show. That include bringing a bass on stage I can trust to sound good, stay in tune and not let me down. So something made in Germany, Japan or California usually fits that bill.

I have a Harley Benton JP-45OP that I use for recordings every now and then (with some GZR PJ-pickups in it) as I love the neck and the sound that comes out of it. So that is why I have high hopes for this one. Good tuners, the neck looks really good and I'm really excited about those pickups.
 
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#34
It'll do, but when is "It'll do" not quite enuff? Live shots are one thing, the scrutiny of laying out tracks in a controlled environment might require a suitable instrument for the rigors of unwanted noise reduction... but wanging away in a club... go for it!

If HB had a through neck 6 unlined fretless I would give it a go.
 
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#35
Geogio said:
It'll do, but when is "It'll do" not quite enuff? Live shots are one thing, the scrutiny of laying out tracks in a controlled environment might require a suitable instrument for the rigors of unwanted noise reduction... but wanging away in a club... go for it!

If HB had a through neck 6 unlined fretless I would give it a go.
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Two out of three…

harleybenton.com

B-650FL BK - Harley Benton

Body: Alder | Bolt-on neck: Canadian maple | Fingerboard: Jatoba | Neck profile: Modern D | Scale: 864 mm | Nut width: 53 mm | 24 positions | Two double action truss rods | Pickups: Two humbuckers with active preamp | Controls: Volume with push/pull function (active/passive), balance, bass and...
harleybenton.com harleybenton.com
 
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#37
Released today, price is 799. That's Player II or higher end Sire range. Was to be expected but still a bit on the high side for me. Love the stock Gotoh tuners and bridge, but I could've done without the Kloppman pickups and dropped something in of my own choosing.
 
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#39
Deleted member 271037 said:
You don't have an issue with a "reviewer" of bass gear having a financial interest in the products he's giving great reviews?

A "review" by someone who has been paid to do it is utterly worthless. That's paid promotion, basically an advertisement. Definitely not a review. You might as well rely on the manufacturer's website for information.
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If the reviewer has an investment in the product, make no mistake, he is being paid to give it a great review.
Since tariffs and such are so unpredictable I would just get a Sire from Sweetwater plus if the weight isn’t listed, they’ll tell you what it is.
Thomann used to have a warehouse in the US but recently closed it. That pretty much did it for me and the Harley Benton line.
 
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