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What is it?
By 1962, Fender’s Jazz Bass had been out for a couple of years and, although it was generally well-liked, the innovative stacked controls hadn’t been such a hit.
At the tail end of ‘61, the Jazz’s electrics had been redesigned and simplified; Fender had, in fact, just hit upon the blueprint that would remain basically unchanged for decades to follow. Now, the ‘62 Jazz is one of the world’s most desirable bass guitars – still the benchmark for many players.
Not everyone can afford one, of course, but Fender, Squier and countless others are happy to provide an early ‘60s-spec Jazz that looks and sounds the part. And then there’s Harley Benton.
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Titanic German music retailer Thomann’s in-house guitar and bass brand, Harley Benton has been gathering a serious head of steam in the affordable bass and guitar markets with its accomplished design and build quality, and its astonishing value for money.
And, among many other things, the line-up includes a delightful ‘62-style Jazz model, available in various classic hues aping Fender’s old ‘custom colour’ chart. Called, transparently enough, the JB-62CC, it’s available for a scarcely believable £145 new.
That bass is the starting point for today’s subject. Launched alongside its P-bass-inspired sibling, it forms part of the brand’s Aged Series, Harley Benton’s attack on the relic-finish bass market – available with Light, or Heavy Aged wear ’n tear – and a spec sheet that (at least on paper) out-punches its pricetag.
Specs
- Price: $238 | £214 | €249
- Type: Four-string electric bass
- Body: American alder
- Neck: ‘Lightly caramelised’ Canadian maple, C shape
- Fingerboard material/radius: Laurel, 305mm
- Scale length: 34”/864mm
- Nut/width: Graphite, 38mm
- Frets: 20, medium jumbo nickel silver
- Hardware: Aged chrome – CB01-CR machine heads, B401 bridge with brass saddles, string retainer
- String spacing at bridge: 20mm
- Electrics: 2x Isola VT-JB Alnico 5 single-coils, Bridge volume, Neck volume, Tone
- Weight: 8.8lb/4.0kg
- Options: Light Aged finishes available at the same price.
- Left-handed options: None
- Finishes: Lake Placid Blue over Sunburst (as reviewed), Three-Tone Sunburst
- Case: None
- Contact: Harley Benton
Build quality
Build quality rating: ★★★★☆
This JB-62LA comes to us in the Heavy Aged guise, finished in an iconic Fender favourite, Lake Placid Blue, but as well as this, the aging reveals a three-colour sunburst underneath.
This is an altogether more ambitious relic job than a single colour and, it must be said, it’s not entirely successful. The patches of wear are very deliberate-looking, with distinct edges to every spot where the blue has been scraped away, and highlighted somewhat by the sunburst finish beneath. It’s not going to frighten the guitar punishers at the Fender Custom Shop, put it that way.
That said, the wear has been executed nicely on the neck and the hardware – it looks natural, even understated, in a way that the body finish fails to.
The rest of the build quality holds up; featuring American alder at the body and a caramelised Canadian maple neck, along with impressively solid componentry.
The exception is the fretwork, which is notably worse; there are numerous sharp fret ends to be found, especially higher up the laurel ‘board. It’s a very cheap bass, yes, but it’s not something you really want to put up with at any price.
Playability
Playability rating: ★★★★½
From the box, the setup is very good. Only minor tweaks to the saddle heights were required to get the JB playing well, with a comfortable action and no buzz (other than the excitable zing of the fresh strings).
The neck is a pretty classic Jazz-style profile, with the requisite 38mm nut and a medium-sized, rounded carve. The fret ends do certainly temper the enjoyment somewhat, undermining the otherwise smooth and comfortable neck.
That said, the balance and overall ergonomics are just as you’d expect from any other Jazz Bass, and the weight isn’t excessive either – despite this being, again, an alder body instead of the cheaper, lighter-weight poplar that Squier now favours.
Sounds
Sounds rating: ★★★½☆
The pickups are Isola-branded Alnico 5 single-coils in the traditional Jazz configuration.
I happen to own a Harley Benton J-style bass already; a Shell Pink MV4-JB, with similar Alnico V pickups, and so I made a point of comparing the two basses quite extensively. The Aged Series instrument is fairly equal to my bass in output, once the pickups are adjusted to similar heights.
I’d say that this Harley Benton has a slightly more characterful and authentic Jazz Bass tone than some of the more expensive Jazz-a-likes I’ve tried
With both pickups on full, the JB-62HA displays the classic Jazz Bass scooped midrange, with a solid low end and clear, defined treble.
Winding back the neck pickup a little pushes the growling midrange of the bridge pickup to the forefront, although it also robs some low-frequency punch. I found the JB-62HA to work best with both pickups dimed.
I’d say that this Harley Benton has a slightly more characterful and authentic Jazz Bass tone than some of the more expensive Jazz-a-likes I’ve tried – although it would be even better with a punchier set of pickups.
Verdict
(Image credit: Future/Phil Barker)
It’s easy to lose sight of just how inexpensive these Harley Bentons are – regardless of which model you plump for, the value proposition is staggering.
It feels like an instrument that is genuinely worth upgrading if you fancy some new pickups
This example of the JB-62HA certainly needs some attention to the fretwork, and the Heavy Aged finish isn’t likely to fool anyone as to its origins under closer inspection.
But, its build and component quality is miles ahead of any other new instrument at this price; it feels substantial and plays really well, and sounds more than acceptable for the money – crucially, it feels like an instrument that is genuinely worth upgrading if you fancy some new pickups. The Heavy Aged option certainly wouldn’t be my choice, but the bass underneath it feels like an instrument you can trust, for a bargain price.
MusicRadar verdict: Harley Benton’s take on a ‘Heavy Aged’ finish rather over-eggs the pudding as far as aesthetics are concerned but, again, we’ve a good bass underneath. The sounds get the Jazz Bass job done, and its fundamental solidity is commendable for such a low price.
|
Test |
Results |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Build quality |
Mostly very solid, with room for improvement in the fretwork especially. The finish is an acquired taste at best. |
★★★★☆ |
|
Playability |
A very nice neck, a good weight and the traditional, comfortable Jazz Bass feel. |
★★★★½ |
|
Sounds |
The pickups do the job, and are an improvement over that of its P-bass sibling, but still a little lacking in girth and power. |
★★★½ |
|
Overall |
A truly bargain-priced Jazz which gets a great deal right. The exaggerated wear is a bit silly, but it’s a solid and characterful instrument nonetheless. |
★★★★☆ |
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