Just amazing for the prices! Agree on our assessment of the less nasal Squier (which I own)

I bought one just a few weeks back (Sept. 2025), and I think that Harley Benton have addressed some of the issues you point out here, Jonathan. Mine has a fretboard with rolled edges (so no sharp frets), and the saddle is embedded in a groove. IMHO, the electronics are fine: the pickups are lower output, just as you mention in the video, though I think that they improved the function of the tone knob (I have been playing it at different levels and haven't noticed any harshness, even at 100%, but that might just be a matter of personal preference). Neck dive is definitely an issue, but other than that, I really like the PB-Shorty, and for 99.00 Euros, it's a great value!

Excellent review

Top channel.

Great channel with very informative videos, and a great guy as a presenter, on top! Keep it up my friend 👍👍😊😊

Great review!

Thanks a lot, I've bought this exact bass and the video was so helpful!

To counteract the neck dive, I'd consider Hipshot Ultralite tuners (or similar) and a high mass bridge.  It's actually a great mod platform.  You could gut all the hardware and electronics and rebuild it with better parts as a fun project.

Both basses offer a great,(affordable) platform for mods.  For me I usually will change out the pickups and possibly the pots.   dropped an EMG Geezer "P" bass pickup,(which comes with solder-less pots) in my squire mini......big difference.  If neck dive is a problem hipshot ultralites lessen that significantly.  Both basses are a great value.  I've gigged with my squire mini.  : )

🎉

I got mineB stock for £58 a couple of years ago - with little experience of basses and small hands it's fine for bits of jamming and recording

Super review and comparison !
I have the HB Shorty.
Btw, I can't remember that song you played with both basses...
Can you please tell me ?

Super comparison, thank you!
Have you ever done a video comparing and explaining the playability of bases? I currently have two long scales, one being the Squier P Classic 60s vibe, and the other is my good old Yamaha RBX 270 PJ. The latter is so much easier to play but the Squier sound so much better.

Hi Jonathan, thanks so much for your informative short-scale bass reviews.  They are thorough without being tedious.  I would be interested in seeing your take on the (few) acoustic short-scale basses out there.  There are enough long-scale acoustic basses on the market, but not short-scale acoustic basses.  Since we're on the topic here of Harley Benton basses, I was told recently by HB that they will be re-introducing their B-25M medium-scale acoustic bass in September sometime.  It went out of production temporarily a few months ago.   You can see Harley Benton demos of this bass on Youtube, and one from Bass The World.  Perhaps, like you have done with their PB Shorty, you may be able to find a B-25M somewhere and do a review.  Another medium-scale acoustic bass is by Fender, the CB60-SCE model.  Ibanez has two short-scale acoustic basses, but I haven't been too impressed with them from what I've seen elsewhere online and I also tried one in a guitar shop.  Acoustic bass is wonderful to play and as I'm sure you know, it's another "head" altogether and can bring out some creativity that we didn't know we had.  Again - thanks again, brother. †

I really like my PB Shorty, though the neck feels a little chunkier than it should be even for a P-Bass. With the right setup it can sound great stock. I mostly use an old Harley Benton bass amp and a Nux Mighty Plug with it, I have some really nice dirty tones especially I can get out of the latter.

Mine was B-Stock and had some the most screwed up strings I've ever heard - the E string for example, was literally unslappable and had this weird distortion to it, like maybe the core came loose somewhere. It was a cool sound in isolation, so I recorded it to use elsewhere, but not as a bass guitar sound!

If I was to mod anything about it, maybe lightweight tuners(the E string tuner is kind of crappy on mine) new Tone Pot and of course some shielding if I can find where I put my shielding tape.

Man...just found this. Would you consider posting the tab for the licks you're playing? The one at 4:00 is particularly tasty. I'm pretty close to figuring it out, but tab would make sure I'm not missing anything. Thanks, and great content here!

Hi Jonathan.  Any thoughts on what the PB shorty would sound like with either flatwounds or tape wounds?  Tonally?  Output-wise?

I listened blind to the squier / HB comparison and was very surprised to see the one I liked was…the shorty.
I have one on the way anyway and this video has made me quite excited for its arrival.
I have an EMG MM pickup I’m tempted to install, but that’s a different video
😂
Hello from Ireland.

I’ve got one of those in pieces in my loft.  I got mine in 2014 for £45 as a B stock bass.  The only issue with it really are the tuners.  I should put it back together as it’s a great instrument

i want to get it but idk how it sounds with the hb-20b