Harley Benton HB35 plus - Are we into Epiphone country?

GoFish

Given the fuss over these recent Thomann guitars, I'm vaguely temped by their 335-a-likes. On the one hand, the real deal is so distinctive that nothing really substitutes for it. So there's a whole subcategory of super budget semis from Ibanez, Tokai China, Washburn, Peavey and of course, Epiphone.

On the other hand, semis are complex creatures to get right and I'd be inclined to disount the lower end offerings from these brands. By that point we're well into Mex Fender territory. Much the same applies to full hollows, but that's another discussion.

Enter the HB35 plus.  Choice of colours, coil splittable hamburglers, pau ferro fretboards - all for a touch over £200. What could go wrong? Or is it better to stick to simpler guitars at this price point and just save for something decent? What would that be?

roberty

My local guitar tech has a budget Ibanez Artcore and it is his favourite guitar. He has high end PRS etc so he is not lacking in choice. I'd be tempted to pay a bit more for a semi hollow guitar personally. Having said that the two HBs I've played were shockingly good (a junior and a jazz bass)

TheMarlin

I really like the Ibanez Artcore hollow bodies. I had an AF95, fantastic controllable feedback, great pickups, nice Bigsby-a-like. Nothing wrong with them. Great guitars 

munckee

I have it’s predecessor the e35.  Looks more like a Gibson and played great straightaway for £110. I’ve spent more than that again for some Seymour Duncan humbuckers, Gibson tuners and a deusenberg les trem. 

I’ve tried gretsches, epiphones etc and it’s at least as good.  

https://i.imgur.com/sSpTa7o.jpg ;

ToneControl

I had 2 Artcores that were around Gibson quality level, model numbers above 100, made in China

rossi

I have a Keiper 109 ,a hollowbody, floating bridge, les paul sized jazzer that far exceeds my expectation .While its not better than any Gibson I have played Its no worse either though I did fit a new trapeize tail of a more solid nature fitted to stop a string buzz.The fitting and finish are impecable .I gathe r it was just a cheapie though no idea where it was made .I assume China .

impmann

I have a feeling that these are based on the old Washburn HB35 - if not built on the same line.

On a pro level, I have dealings with a contract manufacturer in China who makes some of the HB guitars on the same line as the MIC Squier guitars. So I know Thomann piggy back other manufacturing facilities… at least.

jonnyburgo

I had a Washburn HB35 years ago that was absolutely fantastic. The Artcore series are also brilliant, I love the body shape of their 335 alikes.

mark123

I had a normal i.e not " plus" Harley Benton hb35 and it was dogshit ,like a toy ,couldn't wait to move it on ,Epiphones were streets ahead. 
That was 8 yrs ago so things may have improved.

BillDL

I have kept only three semi-acoustics and don't see myself ever choosing to get rid of them.  They each feel and sound very different:

Vintage VSA500 in Honeyburst.  Sells for around the £400 mark.  The body feels thinner than the other ones below even though it isn't.  The neck feels slimmer than it actually is.  For some strange reason this guitar feels as though it needs to be handled more carefully than the others.  I have no idea why because the wood thicknesses are about the same as the others.  It is very well built and finished.  I don't like jack sockets on the front, so I moved mine to the side, and I changed the Kluson type keys to good quality enclosed ones with metal tulip buttons because the "kluson" buttons were that chewing gum green that I don't like.  The ones that were on it were nice and smooth with no play though.  This is the most resonant of the three unamplified and the pickups are perfectly in keeping with this style of guitar.  It feels "slinkier" than the other two.  It's not a 335 clone, because the top horn is a bit longer and it has a modified neck joint that allows easier access up the neck.  I think the fretboard on it is rosewood, and is of good quality as is the fretwork.

Washburn HB35 in natural with flamed maple and gold coloured hardware with Grover tuners.  Sells for around £550 to £600.  This is the "beefiest" of the three.  It feels a lot more solid and substantial but is still very resonant unamplified.  It has remarkably good pickups for the price and they have a lot of punch as well as finesse when needed.  Again, not a 335 clone.  The toggle switch is on the top horn like a Les Paul and the output socket is on a plate on the side.  I think the fretboard on this is quite dark Pau Ferro even though some specifications said rosewood or ebony.  It's closer grained than rosewood and feels smoother and denser, and the split block inlays are nicely done.

Ibanez AS73G-NT in natural finish with gold coloured metals and Grover very good quality sealed die-cast tuners (memory playing tricks again).  The natural finish was discontinued quite a few years back and sells 2nd-hand for around £420, which is roughly what you pay for a new one in other finishes that are still available but now with different woods.  The closest to it that is still in production has a rose gold lacquer finish and gold hardware.  This is by far my favourite semi-acoustic for feel, appearance and sound.  I don't know who makes the pickups for Ibanez, but these sound fantastic.  I like the quick-change tailpiece and the knobs with rubber grips on Ibanez guitars.  This guitar feels much more expensive than the other two, and I would never describe either of them as feeling sub-standard or cheaper quality in any way.  I'm sure they have changed their fretboards from rosewood then to walnut then to laurel for more recent versions, and ones with coloured lacquer have stained laminated linden/basswood backs and sides as opposed to maple on mine.  The mahogany neck on natural maple body probably wouldn't be to everybody's taste.

I have played Epiphone 335s and 339s, but on both I felt that the pickups were slightly inferior to the above three.  They were well built and finished and truer to real Gibson 335s and 339s, but the pickups let the side down.  That was a few years ago now, so maybe the pickups have improved since then.

I have played a Harley Benton HB35 and I believe that in feel and sound it is probably closest to my Washburn.  The toggle switch is in the same place as is the output socket.  They could easily have been built from the same plan.

GoFish

Lots of really good detail here, its really helpful. Artcores getting a lot of love, understandably. And the Washburn HB35 link seems hidden in plain sight once its pointed out. 

joetele

My next purchase is a 2021 Artcore from the local shop - it's an AM53 in sunburst red flat (?) and it's amazing. Great action, impeccable build quality. feels fantastic and looks delicious. Plus the pickups are surprisingly good. I think they're around £250 - 270

L3rxst

I have Gibson CS ES355, Washburn, Ibanez, and Greg Bennett Semis as well as Harley Benton HB35plus. They are really all excellent but the HB35plus is my total favourite and go to guitar, genuinely. I have four, three stock and one as an upgrade platform to see how far I can take things. So far it’s incredibly good!!!

NelsonP

I've got one on the recent 'Inspired by gibson' Epiphone ES-335's. I took it with to Coda, intending to trade it for a Gibson ES-335, thinking 'only a Gibson is good enough'.

I played the Epiphone and Gibson ES-335s alongside each other for a while before deciding that the differences weren't enough to justify the extra £. I kept the Epiphone and spent the money on a very tasty second hand custom shop '57 special instead.

If you can, try one of the IBG Epiphones. You might be surprised. I have upgraded the bridge and tailpiece on mine and its been professionally set up, but it's pretty good out of the box.

GoFish

L3rxst said:

I have Gibson CS ES355, Washburn, Ibanez, and Greg Bennett Semis as well as Harley Benton HB35plus. They are really all excellent but the HB35plus is my total favourite and go to guitar, genuinely. I have four, three stock and one as an upgrade platform to see how far I can take things. So far it’s incredibly good!!!

Oh, tell us more. Do you play semis exclusively?

How does the HB35plus compare to the Washburn?

Have you tried the non plus HB35s?

So many questions

darthed1981

For just over £200, you probably get a guitar that with a little tweaking and a setup you could probably gig with, certainly fine for home.

That's great value.

Gizmo

I have the HB35+ in plumb/pink

Before i bought it from TM (i think it was £160 b-stock (zero issues)) i did a trip to brum to look what was about semi wise, came home with quite underwhelmed (dirty guitars not set up and with dead strings on them in pretty much every shop i visited)

in the end this guys video really sold me on the Harley Benton and pretty much nails the pros and cons of it

Pete.R

Harley Benton HB35 just is a €400 guitar sold for €200 

because there is no distributor/seller profit between the line

in no way similar to any €1000 or €2000 Semi-Hollow

IMO of course

Fingers657

We’ve had a Harley Benton HB-35 Plus in vintage burst since covid lockdown .
It’s one hell of a brilliant guitar for the price and the pull push split coil of the humbucker’s is a real bonus.
My only gripe is it’s a tad heavy.
I do prefer my Sire Larry Carlton though because of its weight neck and pickups.
My mate has an old Gibson 335 and there’s not  that much between them.
I’ve also got a lovely Epiphone Noel Gallagher signature bought last year and again not much between them.
https://ibb.co/PFHqxNr
The other excellent orange guitar with the Bigsby in the above picture is a Hartwood Revival Vibrato Semi Acoustic in Burnt Orange from gear4music, again bought during the first lockdown.They do a nice Jade green version.

https://ibb.co/mNWMCL8

https://ibb.co/pyhvXBN

darthed1981

The interesting thing about these type of threads is our definition of good.  Take two definitions...

"I've not got a pot to piss in, I'm in an Oasis tribute band, I'm Noel, I need a Semi-Hollow with humbuckers that sounds OK at high volume, has a nice neck, and holds tune..."

"I'm a retiree who spent my lump sum on multiple Gibson guitars, I'm looking to add a 335 or 355 to my collection..."

I'm guessing one of these two would be very satisfied with the HB-35 Plus, and the other would not...?