Harley Benton ST-Modern HH Plus SSP

After waiting 18 months, I'm disappointed to say that this guitar has fallen short of my expectations.

There are many great things about this, but the QC has fallen majorly short. This is one of the highest priced Harley Bentons, and out of the 10 that I own, it has the biggest issues.

First, the PROS:
*Great looks and specs.
*Killer unique finish
*Excellent bridge and good strings installed
*Nice tuners -- not amazing, but good enough
*The flame neck looks pretty good. I understand they're not all ultra "flamey" but it's nicer than most roasted necks

NOW, FOR THE CONS:
*The fret work on this guitar is by far, the worst I've seen on any HB, and probably any guitar. All of my HBs and other budget brands present better fretwork.
*Immediate red flag when the action was set to 2.25mm at the 12th and the guitar still buzzes like crazy, both open and fretted throughout the entire fretboard.
*I discovered 9 high frets, up and down (from the 2nd to the 22nd).

Multiple luthiers turned down the work. One has agreed to help and estimated the work to cost about 70% of the total price of the guitar. Two others confirmed they would charge about the same if they were to do the work. It needs a complete fret job -- aggressive level, crown and polish on stainless steel frets and a compound radius. This isn't a small task.

I am left with few options, and a lot of frustration. The guitar really isn't playable as is. I have talked to customer service, but I am really not satisfied with the partial help they have offered. All options require me to pay more out of pocket.

I am second guessing any interest in HB guitars in the future. I understand that things happen in manufacturing, but someone put the strings on the guitar and set the action high, which indicates that the fret buzz was known at that time.

Pros:

- The bridge is amazing for palm-muting. I am considering upgrading my other, more expensive, hardtail guitars to the Babicz FCH Z bridge.
- I like the Tesla CROW-i6 much better than the SD Invader—much less muddy.
- The sparkle finish is flawless.
- The setup out of the box was perfect, and the guitar was ready to play after tuning, with perfect intonation and string height.
- Locking tuners and fluorescent side markings are unexpected in this price range—Harley Benton is leading the market here.

Cons:
- While the frets are stainless steel and rounded at the edges (which are definite pros), the angle of the edges is too steep for my taste. They are noticeably sharp while playing, affecting the smoothness of the experience. However, this should be an easy fix.
- Something about the neck feels slightly off—it feels too light for my taste, if that makes sense. Maybe I just need to get used to it.

Overall:
For the price, this guitar is a steal and much more than just a mod platform. I do not think I will change a single thing apart from smoothing the fret edges.

Seit der Ankündigung vor 1,5 Jahren habe ich auf den Release gewartet. Jetzt ist sie da. Ausgepackt, angeschaut. Wow, sieht top aus. Bünde abgerundet, Babicz Hardtailsteg, Locking Tuner, Coil Split. Alles funktioniert top. Aber: E,A und D Saite schnarren und ich bekomme sie nicht eingestellt. Das nervt. Werde mir noch 1-2 Tage Zeit nehmen, wenn ich das bis dahin in den Griff bekomme, geht sie zurück. Schade...