Thomann selling Harley Benton basses as 'Decoration only'

[Moos3h]

My jazz has shipped! Woot!

Why do I get the feeling I'll be the first person to get an absolute dog though?

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='Moos3h' timestamp='1420913727' post='2655012']
My jazz has shipped! Woot!

Why do I get the feeling I'll be the first person to get an absolute dog though?
[/quote]

Congratulations on the shipping, and I hope your bass doesn't spend too long in Cologne. If it's a dog, which I think is unlikely, then you can always return it for a refund.

[pfretrock]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1420913107' post='2655000']
...then it uses Mac OSX's built in speech synthesiser to speak the brand/model number of the newly listed instruments.....
[/quote]

A bit like sat-nav..

"Make a u̶-̶t̶u̶r̶n̶ Deko purchase when it's safe to do so."

[kodiakblair]

Thomann have a ebay seller account where they sell the damaged basses.

Things like cracked body acoustics or faulty pickups get listed there.
There's a HB-60 with a slack jack,snapped screw at the truss rod and no signal from one of the pickups.

Currently 100 euro with nearly 4 days to go. "[color=#212121][font=inherit][size=4]Instrument unplayable , must be repaired. Consequential damage due to defects can not be excluded "[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#212121][font=inherit][size=4]Makes our Deko sound even better.[/size][/font][/color]

[Annoying Twit]

The prices they get on ebay seem quite high. It makes it a mystery as to why they are selling instruments as 'Deko' for lower prices when there's not much wrong with them. Maybe it's a loss leader thing to get publicity. It's certainly got a number of people talking about Thomann and Harley Benton on this thread.

I wouldn't mind one of these as a Deko item: [url="http://www.ebay.de/itm/Harley-Benton-Kahuna-CLU-50T-Custom-Line-/400840107772?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item5d53eea6fc"]http://www.ebay.de/i...=item5d53eea6fc[/url] Funny that this model doesn't seem to be available from their website.

Oooh A guitarron for £89 + p&p. [url="http://www.ebay.de/itm/Lucida-Guitarron-Mariachi-/400824119228?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item5d52faafbc"]http://www.ebay.de/i...=item5d52faafbc[/url] Compared to £168 + p&p new price. I wonder what was wrong with it.

Edited January 10, 2015 by Annoying Twit

[kodiakblair]

I've never saw the Custom Line advertised either.

I was going to say an old line but they might be prototypes.

Mechanical defects on the guitarron probably just mean faulty tuners AT. Email them for more details.
I did regarding payments as PayPal is not a listed option.

[Annoying Twit]

The guitarron is already sold, so there isn't really much need to know more about it. But clearly there are interesting things being sold.

On the German forum someone mentioned a bass which was seemingly a prototype. I think I mentioned it further up this thread. I think that the 'custom line' instruments tend to be more recent. E.g. there's a 'Custom Line' of acoustic basses which I think are newer than the ones we've been buying here. They have Fishman electronics, and what looks like a MOP inlay around the sound hole instead of a sticker. So, that ukulele being a prototype sounds plausible.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Annoying Twit

[UglyDog]

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1420843561' post='2654271']
Well, my JB-20 has arrived
...
Pics will follow soon.
[/quote]
Pics as promised.
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/253212-nbd-harley-benton-jb-20-a-thomann-deko-special/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/253212-nbd-harley-benton-jb-20-a-thomann-deko-special/[/url]

[Beer of the Bass]

I've just got a 35 Euro voucher for reviewing some bits and pieces I bought in the last couple of years. This kind of makes it hard not to spring for one of the cheap acoustics. It'd be less than £35 delivered - I've had sets of strings more expensive than that!
I'm choosing between the black four string fretted and the five string fretted and fretless. I'm leaning towards fretted (since it'll sound like its own thing rather than a double bass imitation), just not sure how useful the B string is on an acoustic. I like the natural better than the black though, which nudges me back towards the 5-string since the natural 4-strings have sold out.

[pfretrock]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1421065840' post='2656677']
I'm choosing between the black four string fretted and the five string fretted and fretless. I'm leaning towards fretted (since it'll sound like its own thing rather than a double bass imitation), just not sure how useful the B string is on an acoustic. I like the natural better than the black though, which nudges me back towards the 5-string since the natural 4-strings have sold out.
[/quote]
Exactly what I did. At least the 5-string was a cheap introduction for me to 5s. I almost always avoid any sort of black guitar and missed the natural 4 by sitting on the fence. A voucher pushed me off...

[Beer of the Bass]

I play five string electric, it's just I'm not sure I feel the need for it on acoustic. Still, I guess it would make a good thumbrest, or perhaps a high-C could be fun to experiment with.

[UglyDog]

Sounds like an interesting experiment. Go for it, g'wan

[mcnach]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1421065840' post='2656677']
I've just got a 35 Euro voucher for reviewing some bits and pieces I bought in the last couple of years. This kind of makes it hard not to spring for one of the cheap acoustics. It'd be less than £35 delivered - I've had sets of strings more expensive than that!
I'm choosing between the black four string fretted and the five string fretted and fretless. I'm leaning towards fretted (since it'll sound like its own thing rather than a double bass imitation), just not sure how useful the B string is on an acoustic. I like the natural better than the black though, which nudges me back towards the 5-string since the natural 4-strings have sold out.
[/quote]

I played with Conscious Route for a while (my very first gig on bass was with them, in fact). I went for the audition, they told me they were checking a few other guys too... and eventually I got the call "if you're interested, we'd like you in, the only thing is you need to decide quickly so that we can call someone else if you don't want it anymore as we have a gig in two weeks", so I said yes and we had an acoustic session to go through the songs for the gig. "Don't bring anything, we have an acoustic bass you can use".

It was a 5 string fretless.

So, I had never played a 5 string, or a fretless... it was interesting

But, back to the question at hand... the bass was beautiful and played great, I forget the brand... the size was only slightly larger than an acoustic guitar, similar to other acoustic basses I've seen around, and of usual depth. It was not very loud at all... with an acoustic guitar, percussion and two vocals I was being drowned out. The B string was not loud at all.
I don't think you can get those lower notes on the B at a reasonable volume without a larger resonance box. On the other hand, if you're going to get one, you might as well get the 5 string and you have that if you need it - you would probably amplify it in many situations and that would sort the volume problem while still sounding like an acoustic bass. Personally I'd get the fretless.

Whatever you do... if you do end up buying one... can I please try it?
I keep thinking it would be cool to have one, but the impracticalities put me off (low volume, needing another case for it...) however, these deals seem to good to pass!

[Beer of the Bass]

I've ordered the five string fretted. I'll have a quick peek at it when it arrives just to check it's OK, then we put it away until my birthday on the 29th. It was all of £32 including delivery after the voucher was deducted!
I went for the fretted version as when I've borrowed my friend's acoustic bass I like to play it with the heftiest pick I can find, a couple of inches from the bridge for a sort of clanky thump. I feel like a fretted bass might be better for that. I've got some D'Addario tapewounds in my used string stash, so those will probably be going on it.

[DaveFry]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1420836040' post='2654167']
Just how big are the acoustics? (Say in terms of how wide the lower bout is).
[/quote]

My new 4-string fretless HB "Deko" ( 34" scale ) measures ;
42.3 cm across the lower bouts
52.5 cm body length , joining neck at A on E string
12.2 cm depth at tail .
Back is very slightly arched , and body tapers towards neck so depth at neck join is 10.3 cm

I also have a couple of other acoustics for comparison ;

Ashbury ( not Ashbory ) 4-string fretless 34" scale ;
40.8 cm across lower bouts
50.2 cm body length , body/neck join lines up with a Gsharp on E string
12.2 cm depth at tail
More pronounced arch of back , body depth at neck join is 10.0 cm

Freshman 4-string fretted 32" scale;
43.4 cm across lower bouts
51.3 cm body length , body/neck meet at Gsharp
12.6 cm depth at tail,
Back virtually flat , depth at neck join 11.4 cm

As for volume , well , the Ashbury has black nylons now so is the quietest , and the fretted Freshman is the loudest but that could be that I tend to feel reluctant to dig in on the fretlesses .

Finally , some points about acoustics .
1) They improve with use . Alledgedly.
2) Untreated rosewood bridges like oiling at the same time as the fret/finger board .
3) Heavy strings can lift/warp the top .

- A happy Deko owner here . HTH .

[DaveFry]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1421080962' post='2656915']
I've ordered the five string fretted. I'll have a quick peek at it when it arrives just to check it's OK, then we put it away until my birthday on the 29th. It was all of £32 including delivery after the voucher was deducted!
I went for the fretted version as when I've borrowed my friend's acoustic bass I like to play it with the heftiest pick I can find, a couple of inches from the bridge for a sort of clanky thump. I feel like a fretted bass might be better for that. I've got some D'Addario tapewounds in my used string stash, so those will probably be going on it.
[/quote]
You must have posted whilst I was busy with the tape measure . I'm sure yours will be fine .
I like to palm mute sometimes and play a bass line with my thumb and answer with a melody bit played with my two fingers without moving my RH ,just slightly raising it to unmute for the phrase and let it mwah ( fretless ) . I used to play classical percussion when I was a whippersnapper so I throw some bongo and conga patterns in on the body too .
Acoustics are a whole other world of fun .
When I put black nylon tapewounds on my first acoustic ( the Ashbury ) I searched for the lightest I could find because I was worried about the extra pull on the top but it has been ok so far .
Happy B'day for the 29th !

[Beer of the Bass]

Cheers for the tape-measuring! I think my D'Addario tapes should be OK, since they start from a .050" gauge G rather than a .065" like the Rotosounds do. I took them off my electric bass because I found the tension a little too low, but with slightly higher action on an acoustic I'd imagine they'll work well.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1421080962' post='2656915']
I've ordered the five string fretted. I'll have a quick peek at it when it arrives just to check it's OK, then we put it away until my birthday on the 29th. It was all of £32 including delivery after the voucher was deducted!
I went for the fretted version as when I've borrowed my friend's acoustic bass I like to play it with the heftiest pick I can find, a couple of inches from the bridge for a sort of clanky thump. I feel like a fretted bass might be better for that. I've got some D'Addario tapewounds in my used string stash, so those will probably be going on it.
[/quote]

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1421085145' post='2656980']

[/quote]

You're welcome to check it out once it's officially unwrapped...

[mcnach]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1421087815' post='2657030']
You're welcome to check it out once it's officially unwrapped...
[/quote]

It'd be an honour

[Annoying Twit]

BASS UKULELE DEKO WENT UP LESS THAN 30 SECONDS AGO!!!!!

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_kahuna_clu_bass_ukulel_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...ukulel_deko.htm[/url]

Be swift, my comrades.

EDIT: Gone. I did think about buying it for myself, but thought 'not yet'. It was £39, which isn't the biggest bargain we've seen here, but IMHO worth a shot. At least I know that the 'inactive' list on my program works. If the bass had been added a few minutes later I would have been washing myself upstairs, and would have missed it entirely.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Annoying Twit

[Moos3h]

http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_550fl_bk_progressive_deko.htm

5 string fretless if anyone's keen

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='Moos3h' timestamp='1421154308' post='2657695']
[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_550fl_bk_progressive_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...essive_deko.htm[/url]

5 string fretless if anyone's keen
[/quote]

Interesting. That one isn't listed on the "Decorative Guitars and Basses" page. (And hence my program isn't listing it as available).

[tauzero]

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1420666232' post='2652034']
Haha! I used to manage a quality department, too...never thought of that

In that case, it must be just the un-pictured jack-plug panel...very minor. It must mean their quality standards are pretty high even for economy ranges...
[/quote]

The only thing I could see wrong with mine was a scratch in the lacquer about a centimetre long.

[Mornats]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1421136446' post='2657420']
BASS UKULELE DEKO WENT UP LESS THAN 30 SECONDS AGO!!!!!

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_kahuna_clu_bass_ukulel_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...ukulel_deko.htm[/url]

Be swift, my comrades.

EDIT: Gone. I did think about buying it for myself, but thought 'not yet'. It was £39, which isn't the biggest bargain we've seen here, but IMHO worth a shot. At least I know that the 'inactive' list on my program works. If the bass had been added a few minutes later I would have been washing myself upstairs, and would have missed it entirely.
[/quote]

I would have bought one there and then if I hadn't have seen your post late afternoon! I tried a Kala bass uke over Christmas and it sounded immense and was so much fun to play. £450 was too much though but I'd take a pop at one for £39 any day of the week.