Jan 12, 2021
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I played a 6 string in my local guitar shop and got a sudden, burning need to have one... but not that one. It was a piece of crap. After a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that Harley Benton has, hands down, the best spec to price ratio, even when you include shipping. Neck-through was something I REALLY wanted because I spend a lot of time at the high end of the neck and this was the only one in this price. You have to spend about double to get an Ibanez neck-through.

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It's a 35" scale length, Neck through, active bass with passive mode. Oddly, there is no tone knob. In active mode, you have a 3 band EQ, in passive mode you only have volume and pickup select. After messing with it though, the pickup blend knob actually works quite well as a "tone" knob. It's not quite the same but it does let you brighten or darken your sound.

It has a brighter, rock sound than I was expecting. I tend to think of six string basses as having that "boutiquey" type of, fusion jazz bass sound. I'm sure if you messed with it, you could get something like that out of it but it really wants to lean into a much brighter, rock/metal sound. It's not what I was expecting but I actually quite like it. Maybe this is dumb but, the sound of it made me stop trying to be so pretentious about my approach to learning "the six string bass" and I just started playing it like any of my other basses and immediately fell in love.

My only three real complaints about the build quality are, one, the pots feel cheap but those can be replaced. The things that can't really be fixed are, the tuners don't seem to be aligned quite right. this isn't a problem with playability. it plays great and stays in tune. It just ruins the aesthetic of the headstock which already looks a bit plain to begin with. Like I said though, it doesn't actually effect anything, just annoying. However, it does have pretty bad neck dive when playing seated. It's fine with a strap (though heavy), but when playing sitting down, you have to lean hard on the body to balance it out. Not a deal breaker for me considering how much I otherwise like the instrument. But it is there.

It's my first six string and I've been loving it. In the end I'm glad I took a chance on a weird brand instead of just getting a known brand and compromising on the neck-through construction. It's a cool instrument with a unique look that I really like. I hope to throw some upgrades at it down the line. think I'll start with the electronics.

 
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I was looking at one of these, then a Cort A6 fell into my hands as a new clearance item for less than the HB could cost.

I'd still like one of the 7000s, but I have 2 NT 6s, so I can't justify it, B-C and E-E.

Have fun with it.
 
I was looking at one of these, then a Cort A6 fell into my hands as a new clearance item for less than the HB could cost.

Those are nice. Sounds like you got a great deal on it. Wouldn't have been an option for me unfortunately. How do you like it though? I want to save up and get a proper, really nice bass and I've been looking hard at the Cort "A5 Beyond".

I'd still like one of the 7000s, but I have 2 NT 6s, so I can't justify it, B-C and E-E.

My HB came tuned B-B like a baritone guitar an octave lower which I thought was interesting, but I put it in B-C. E-E is extremely attractive to me though. It's actually the original reason I wanted a six string and why I bought a Squier Bass VI but it's really not the same thing.
 
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I bought the 7-string version of this on a whim last year. It's pretty good for the price, albeit heavy as a rock. Doesn't really get the play time it deserves, though.

I came VERY close to getting the 7 string but I'm glad I didn't. 6 seems just about perfect for me right now. Can do low B riffage and pretty, high C chord stuff. Personally, I kind of feel like if I had gotten the 7 string, I also wouldn't be playing it as much as I should. As it is though, as my first six string, I'm loving it.
 
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How do you like it though? I want to save up and get a proper, really nice bass and I've been looking hard at the Cort "A5 Beyond".
I think it's awesome. For what I paid, it's got Hipshot bridge and tuners, the FnF is great (this is coming from someone who's owned many boutiques) and it plays and sounds great. That said, I might get some of the 916 Super Ferrites for it, just for something different as I have other basses with the Mk1s.

The A5 Beyond intrigues me too, and if it's as nice as the A6, I'd buy it. The store where I purchased the A6 has one in stock for the same price, and I'm tempted, but my heart keeps saying save for the BTB805/6.
My HB came tuned B-B like a baritone guitar an octave lower which I thought was interesting, but I put it in B-C.
That surprised me.

E-E is extremely attractive to me though. It's actually the original reason I wanted a six string and why I bought a Squier Bass VI but it's really not the same thing.
I have SRC6s and I like them, but I wanted to try on the larger format instrument, in this case my BTB846v (33"). Something right in between would be perfect, but I'm not commissioning a custom when these are close enough.

There was an earlier generation BZ6000 available a while back, but it was a 16hr round trip to pick it up, and by the time I organised that, someone else bought it. The A6 came up a couple of weeks later, so...
 
I have SRC6s and I like them, but I wanted to try on the larger format instrument

That's what happened to me too. I came close to getting that Ibanez as well but decided to save some money and get the Squier. I think I like the vintage vibe of the Bass VI more anyway and personally, my first bass was an Ibanez SR250 and it's completely falling apart and I didn't want another one. That being said, there's an SR750 in my local shop that looks amazing...

Regardless, either way, I prefer the wide string spacing of a proper 6 string. I'm just more comfortable playing fingerstyle
 
I have one of the first series 5 strings that I picked last year off reverb for £250 and there isn't a mark on it. it also has the odd control layout with EQ only available in active mode but you soon get used to it.
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The only thing that puts me off the the newer version's are the fact you can see it's clearly a veneer on the front whereas on mine the veneer wraps over the front and back, making it look like another layer of wood in the build.
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Welcome to the (6 string) dark side! I'm not seeing the tuner misalignment you mentioned, but I highly recommend some Hipshots and a Gruv Gear Duostrap to help with the dive and weight. Both my 6ers are at least 10 pounds and the Duostrap makes them feel like 7 pounders. Enjoy your new bass!
 
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How is it falling apart?

The electronics NEVER worked right off the shelf (bought it new). Battery drained ever 2 weeks (literally) and the pickup blend has a short in it. Fixed the batter drain issue but can't find the short on the blend knob. The tuning pegs are all bent forward and have washers rattling around and the nuts can't be tightened, the threads just slip. And the bridge... I looked down one day and the screw to adjust the low E saddle was just... gone... like, it literally just fell out somewhere and I never found it. the only thing holding the saddle in place is the string tension. surprisingly it's still playable and even tunable but I can't change the strings until I fix it.

You'd think I toured this thing around the country the way it looks but it's never really even left my bedroom and I'm nothing but nice to my instruments. Non of my others have anywhere NEER the kind of decay that my Ibanez has
 
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I have one of the first series 5 strings that I picked last year off reverb for £250 and there isn't a mark on it. it also has the odd control layout with EQ only available in active mode but you soon get used to it.
53251300563_36a80498b4_o.jpg


The only thing that puts me off the the newer version's are the fact you can see it's clearly a veneer on the front whereas on mine the veneer wraps over the front and back, making it look like another layer of wood in the build.
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I prefer the top on yours but I actually like what they tried to do on the one I have. The dark wood under the top creates a binding effect around the body. I wish they had done the same on the headstock. But yeah, it's not as well executed as yours.
 
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Zoom in on the front of the headstock and look at the way the strings are aligned. Can't fix that with new tuners
I see what you are saying, but honestly, there are a lot of basses out there that are far worse. To me the only way it is noticeable is if it is pointed out. I recommended the Hipshots to help you with the neck dive, not the misalignment. Still a nice looking bass.