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Harley Benton Have Been Busy! Can Other Brands Ever Keep Up?

Steve Cassidy Guitar

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Harley Benton have been very busy.

At Guitar Summit 2026, I got a look at a stack of new and updated models - from new ST Modern variants and new HB35s to Fishman-loaded singlecuts, some very loud finishes, and the highly anticipated return of the Dullahan ii.

There’s a lot going on here, and once again Harley Benton seem to be moving at a pace that makes you wonder how everyone else is supposed to keep up. Bonkers Specs and affordable prices - I don't know how they do it 🤷‍♂️

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00:00 Harley Benton 2026
00:20 Harley Benton ST Moder Plus HH Vega Trem
02:06 Harley Benton ST Modern Plus HH HT
04:44 Harley Benton HB35 Plus TL
06:21 Harley Benton HB 35 Plus Rotary
07:55 ‪@thenovicenoisemaker‬ Discovery!
08:22 Harley Benton SC 550 Fishaman Fluence
10:25 Harley Benton SC Special Hybrid
11:48 Harley Benton TE62 LA MN SFG
12:33 Harley Benton ST 80 GOLD & Neon Green
13:38 Harley Benton Dullahan ii

20 Comments

@SteveCassidyGuitar Creator 5 hours ago Pinned

Have you ever had any experience with Harley benton? Good or Bad? 🫳⌨⬇

@lucianstefan8527 1 hour ago

That SC Special looks so much better in a video than the pictures, also the carve on the Paradise Amber looks really good

@goport 5 hours ago

Apparently there are 107 left handed harley benton guitars and basses. thats probably more than than fender and gibson have released in the last 10 years. Cool video Steve.

@MashaT22 3 hours ago

That “35” semi-hollow sure looks sexy. Just sad that customers can’t buy in the US anymore. I hope they are working on a fix for that. Like a real solution with distributors and/or their own US-based shindig . . . not the weird Reverb and warehouse thing that was stocked with mostly basic models from last year’s leftovers without a way to return them easily without sending them back to Europe. (Whew, that was a mouthful! 😮‍💨😂)

@rmmancham9137 2 hours ago

I want a majority of these HBz. A shootout of pickups would be an interesting vid. A SG 200 would be fantastic!

@thenovicenoisemaker 6 hours ago

Hey Steve, thanks for the mention. They need to put those little paper rings around them so people know they have coil splits.
Brilliant video editing again Steve, must take you ages but it's another quality video

@chucksguitar55 3 hours ago

Harley Benton are that good that ( as I’ve said before) my SC Custom iii cured my guitar gas , it’s such a good guitar , I can’t praise it enough,, however,,, I’ve seen the new HB 35 rotary and I started to get mild impure thoughts about buying one,, I will hold off for a while , or for as long as possible anyway 😂,, I’m a big Harley Benton fan, the next guitar is very very likely to be one,, that booth was awesome,, great video Steve , nice one 👍👍🤠🎸

@Reeldin58 1 hour ago

Hi Steve, some lovely looking guitars there. That single cut special with a P90 at the neck looks really nice I think I'd enjoy a noodle on that one. In other news I got a Harley Benton a couple of weeks ago, it was my birthday and after dropping plenty of hints Mrs Reeldin bought me a HB mandolin that looks like a mini Telecaster it's a very cool little thing. I'm way too old to learn a new instrument but that's never stopped me before. After two weeks I can play a few simple tunes and I'm loving it.

@MadHatter_77 4 hours ago

Holy Shyt'n Me Pants, ya always share some highlights of the coolest fu@king guitars in the game when yer visiting the Guitar Summit, brother Steve 🤜🤛🙏. Thanks for sharing these affordably priced guitars 3:47- 4:17, mate 👍, and until the next one... Stay safe, Stay metal, and don't forget to Riff.
Getcha Pull <3 😎🤘🍻💯🎩

@zz-.- 1 hour ago

1:50 - I’d go with whichever one has that gorgeous flame maple neck wow that really nailed that. The flames are super tight!

@KarlSheridan 5 hours ago

I’m a lefty and I agree with you 100%. It would’ve been great to have the purple in that nice flake finish with a roasted maple neck.

@chrissoclone 4 hours ago (edited)

No no no, I have enough guitars... but the new HB35s, esp. that ash-coloured one without f-holes and the root beer... oh my, hard to resist. And the worst thing is, they're realistically affordable.

@thesnappedplectrum 3 hours ago

The Vega Trem could be an interesting Christmas present for myself....

@southsidejohnny5624 4 hours ago

I’m gonna come across as the typical grumpy old man (because I am) but kids today don’t know they’re born.😂 The range and quality of guitars priced at “entry level” is just insane these days. I remember when me and my pals were 14 or 15 and starting out wanting to be in a band. The choice back then was, if you were lucky enough to find a s/h guitar for sale, the choice was: “take it or leave it”. Now you can buy a well-made, good-looking guitar of whatever style you like for the equivalent of birthday present money.

@dasninjastix 3 hours ago

Love the SC-550 line, I hope they continue the ones with EMGs. Tremendous value for what those guitars can do. Not a fan of their locking tuners, Iost a couple of e and B strings to them, and now wind like normal posts. However they make one of the most compelling single cuts period. Active pickups make a huge difference in the lower price points where stock humbuckers can be pretty muddy and muted. Great guitars though, easy recommend.

@__Anton__ 5 hours ago

I've got a Tangerine ST Modern and ST Modern Plus in my wish list and will get one of them just because of the colour.🤩 Will use you affiliated link too. 👍

@Sifuben 3 hours ago

Very tempted by that Dullahan 2. I wish they'd do the flame blue and purple finishes from the previous fusions on the Fusion IV models. I've always said I would be all over a Fusion SC, kinda like the Agufish signatures but 24 frets with a maple veneer.

@skasteve6528 5 hours ago (edited)

Like the root beer colour. Does it come in Irn Bru?
Good video. You should acknowledge the camera person (edit, I see you did, I posted before the video ended). Cheers for putting the Euros price too.

@billmumbo2697 2 hours ago

Steve mate I tried to get one of those single cuts in Sherwood green as soon as I saw them but bum all gone ! The Trini Lopez copy looked fab to me and indecently reasonable??? If only I wasn't retired and or more solvent ho hum never mind chum ....👍👍