By Richard Bienstock / Bill Hernandez
What can we say about Harley Benton at this point? Whether it’s a $244 double-cut electric or a $74 travel guitar, the company has continually given us impressive instruments at excessively low prices. Now Harley Benton has done it again, only on the acoustic guitar end of things, with the CLD-60SCE.
The new model features a dreadnought cutaway shape, with a solid spruce top and mahogany back, sides and neck, as well as a Roseacer fretboard with 20 vintage-size frets. Other features include an HB-03 preamp with an integrated tuner, a dual-action truss rod and scalloped X-bracing.
The CLD-60SCE is offered in Gloss Black or Natural finishes, and at a price of – wait for it – just $117.
A reliable all-round acoustic guitar with a big, big sound that’s still easy to play: that’s the CLD-60SCE BK. The back, sides and neck are constructed from mahogany, while the top is crafted from solid spruce, giving the CLD-650SCE a rounded, deep yet detailed tone. A comfortable roseacer fretboard is loaded with 20 vintage-size frets, accessible all the way up to the dusty end thanks to the convenient cutaway. A robust, road-ready preamp with built-in tuner transfers your sound to PA systems or interfaces with no fuss. This is a great-sounding guitar for playing at home or on holiday, street performances or studio recordings.
SPECIFICATIONS
back & sides: mahogany (Sapele Entandrophragma cylindricum)
top: solid spruce
neck: mahogany (Sapele Entandrophragma cylindricum)
fingerboard: roseacer
scalloped x-bracing
dovetail construction
dual-action truss rod
inlays: dots
20 vintage size frets
nut: plastic
nut width: 43 mm (1,69")
scale: 643 mm (25,3")
bridge material: roseacer
saddle: plastic
pre-amp: HB-03 preamp with integrated tuner
tuners: die-cast
colour: natural
stock strings: phosphor bronze .012 - .052
Harley Benton also has superb electric and bass guitars, as well as DIY-Kits that you can build yourself. They also manufacture ukeleles, amps, and effects pedals and much more. Check out their website: www.harleybenton.com
To pick one (or two) up, head to Thomann Music.