Acoustic guitars don’t come much more mainstream than with an “auditorium” body shape and a solid spruce top – and that is what the Harley Benton Custom Line CLA-16SCE BK delivers. And why not? After all, millions of guitarists can’t be wrong. The CLA-16SCE BK gives price-conscious players one of the most popular types of steel-string guitar – a status that this design has enjoyed for 100 years and that this guitar’s modern enhancements, including a cutaway and pickup system, will ensure that it also retains for a long time to come. In visual terms, the CLA-16SCE BK is designed with understated elegance in mind and is characterised by its simple and stylish black gloss finish and tasteful inlays.
It is common knowledge by now that the secret of a guitar’s tone is the wood used, particularly where solid wood is concerned, and the guitar’s top is of central importance. The Harley Benton CLA-16SCE BK features a top made from solid Sitka spruce, a wood also used to ensure a good sound in guitars at much higher price points. This is combined with X bracing, which ensures that the string tension is effectively supported and, like the body shape itself, has been in widespread use for over 100 years. The guitar’s back and sides are made from sapele mahogany, and the okoume neck features a pau ferro fingerboard. All of this together produces a full-sounding, characterful tone with an excellent bass response. To ensure that this sound comes across properly on stage, the guitar also features a Presys II pickup system from the renowned manufacturer Fishman.
The days when guitars were divided into “beginner” and “advanced” models are long gone – and that is a good thing. Its affordable price alone makes the Harley Benton Custom Line CLA-16SCE BK ideal for beginners, and the guitar also gives them the perfect instrument on which to vastly improve their playing. However, it will also be a blessing for more experienced players making the move from nylon to steel strings – and should your journey eventually lead to the stage, this guitar will prove itself a technically and sonically capable companion up to semi-professional level.
Since 1998, the Harley Benton brand has been catering for the needs of numerous guitarists and bassists. In addition to an extensive range of stringed instruments, Thomann's house brand also offers a wide choice of amplifiers, speakers, effect pedals, and other accessories. In total, the range includes over 1,500 products. Built by established names in the industry, all Harley Benton products combine quality and reliability at attractive and affordable prices. The continuous expansion of the range ensures that Harley Benton always provides new, exciting, and innovative products that keep players perfectly in tune with the musical world, day after day.
The Harley Benton Custom Line CLA-16SCE BK is an ideal instrument for accompanying vocals of all kinds thanks to its full sound, which has plenty of clarity and excellent dynamics. Whether you are strumming chords with an extra-light pick to provide backing for a singer or fingerpicking in the finest Folk music tradition, this guitar can do it all and will remain audible even behind multiple voices – perfect for those performances around the campfire. And thanks to its on-board pickup system, the CLA-16SCE BK is ready for the big stage as well.