Harley Benton Custom Line CLP-15ME LH

I am a left handed player so historically I have found the availability of many guitars to be limited to only certain models, wood types, and finishes and I always have to sacrifice in one or more areas or pass on them all together. When I discovered this Vintage Solid Series all Mahogany triple 000 model in left handed I didn't waste any time ordering one. It arrived in a timely manner and in perfect condition.
I must say that this little blues guitar is exactly what I've been after for a long time. The finish of this mahogany guitar is impeccable. The action is set up pretty nicely although I will be adjusting it down slightly for my personal preference. It has excellent sound projection and resonance with a nice warm and balanced tone. The tuners are fine and stay in tune very well. This guitar has really exceeded my expectations and I was immediately obsessed with it! I haven't plugged it in yet to try out the Fishman electrics because I'm so pleased with it's natural sound. I'm sure I'll be gigging with it electrically in the future. I absolutely recommend this guitar because it's cost to value ratio is just unbeatable. Order Yours today!! Great Job Thomann and Thank you very much!!

So I wanted a mahogany guitar for a different, mellower sound to my spruce-topped Martin. I also wanted a 12 fret-to-the-body for open tunings and was thinking of the Martin offering, but at this price I had to try it. The top looked a little odd the the broad dark stripes running through the brown but I could live with that. The setup out of the box was pretty good, action spot on and just a teeny bit sharp at the 12th on the top 3 strings, but you can get away with it. Pickup system is okay though doesn't compare to the K&K or Baggs offerings (at this money I wouldn't expect it to). Tuners are not great quality but they work and tuning is stable. It is a well made guitar.

The sound. Now fingerpicked in open tuning it sounds really lovely, very mellow and round compared to a spruce but with lots of sustain and resonance with good dynamics.

However as soon as I played with a capo, it loses most of the sustain and resonance and sounds like a cheap guitar! Nothing wrong with the capo as its fine on my other guitars. The same with barre chords up the neck, fairly dead sounding. The resonance and sustain lives in the open strings.

Anyway its a keeper for me, just because it sounds lovely fingerpicked in open D and I will use it exclusively for that. For other styles I would probably give it a miss.

I didn't have big expectations for this price. HB guitar was a big surprise for me. Guitar is build very well. I found only one small scratch on the back. But it is barely visible. Neck is very comfortable. Guitar sounds unplugged better like my another more expensive guitar Yamaha APX 700II. On electric Yamaha is better for chords strumming, HB is better for blues.
Tuners work properly. Intonation is very good. Octaves are in tune also. I need setup a bit neck. D string buzzed on second fret.
Fishman electronic works well but it is too sensitive on full volume. Build-in tuner is very simple and not perfect accurate.
Guitar doesn't have front strap button. Back button is plastic. I would appreciate metal buttons and price could be 10 EUR higher.
I am not sure if saddle and nut is really from bone. They look very plastic. My Yamaha had also plastic nut and saddle and I changed them. But sound is the same. Also it is not big deal.
Congratulation HB and Thomann. You do very good job. This is my first Harley Benton guitar but I am sure it is not last one.

I bought this guitar as an expansion to both stage and studio work. in acoustic and pick up, timbre is reasonable for this price point.
pros: proportions are comfortable for playing. the soundbox is quite small but gives a good level of volume
matte finish on the neck allows for smooth playing.
cons: machine heads seem to be highly geared making precise tuning difficult when playing live.
there isn't a second peg for neck strap, so has to be laced around the nut unless one is screwed onto body.
overall a good addition to any players aresenal but I don't think it would ever become your primary piece.