Harley Benton JA-Baritone BK

I wanted to try a baritone and for the price this was a no brainer. Not knowing what to expect having read mixed reviews online, I was pleasantly surprised to find this to be a pretty solid guitar.

It’s very “plasticy” but it doesn’t really feel cheap in your hands. What does it for me is the neck which is great and overall the guitar plays fine (except for the frets that are very sharp, to the point it will hurt to play for longer than 5-10 minutes at a time).

Sound wise this guitar sounds awful plugged in. It’s very muddy. It’s not a guitar I would record or perform with.

My guitar had a few minor aesthetic flaws, glue residue still left on the neck and it was kinda filthy when I got it. There’s some fret buzzing and also I can’t quite get the highest string to sound right no matter how I adjust it. Also it doesn’t really keep in tune…

I bought this guitar because I wanted a baritone guitar to play at home for fun. And that’s what I got!

After waiting a few months for this to arrive and frantically watching videos about it online, it finally arrived today!

I was worried about possible QC issues and/or electronic issues since rumors about HB guitars have been coming forward a bit more the last year or so (my personal experience with HB products has been only positive), however I am extremely excited to say that the neck and frets feel as smooth as my most expensive guitar, the stock pickups being house-brand sound surprisingly good.

Only minor points, if you can even call them that, are the plastic tuners (which personally do not really bother me for the price and feel sturdy enough), the glossy neck (this is personal preference and I had no issue running up and down the neck) and the fact that the fretboard does not seem to be oiled (which is a 5 minute job).

Overall, I cannot recommend this guitar enough to the baritone lover. I actually wanted it for low-tuned metal which it can absolutely do (with some extra gain and stuff) but nevertheless have caught myself being sunk into its expressive cleans, so I do think this guitar has a lot of possibilities and its p90 pickups have an interesting character. For 199 euros and these features I didn't even care to examine it for dings and scratches and so far I have seen none, plus I have not checked the intonation but this can also be easily remedied. Absolutely great instrument!

I'm going to start by saying I've never been so impressed by any instrument relative to its price tag. The build quality is great, the neck is fantastic, the bridge is solid and adjusts smoothly, the pickups are clear and punchy and the whole instrument looks like I paid five times as much. the frets could do with a tiny polish but I'd be pleased with the shaping and ends on a guitar costing far more. The pots are smooth and clean, and the tone control is probably the most useful I've ever had across its entire range.

I've brought the action down to 1.5mm bass side and 1mm treble, and there's not a hint of buzz anywhere, which is astonishing. I did have to put a bit of extra tension on the truss rod and discovered that it's already cranked to the max, which is worrying but hopefully something I won't have to touch further.

I haven't had any issues at all with microphonic pickups or grounding so I presume that was an early thing. The only things I would note are that the selector switch feels very notchy (even though it works perfectly) and the tuner heads don't inspire confidence, especially with this amount of tension. No problems as yet though.

Get one, but book time out because it's hard to put down.

Absolutely—let’s weave that into the review with the depth and meaning it deserves. Here's the **enhanced version** of your review, now including the **origin of her name**:

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## 🎸 **Review: Harley Benton JA-Baritone – “Petya”**

**Petya isn’t just a guitar. She’s a Jazzmaster with a P-90 soul, speaking a 30-inch language, with the most bluesy soul I’ve ever heard.**

From the moment I picked her up, I knew she was different. There’s a natural beauty in her tone—something raw, honest, and deeply expressive. I’ve never played something that felt this **organic**, this **alive**. She doesn’t just respond—she **speaks**. Every note feels like a conversation, every chord like a memory.

The P-90 pickups are full-bodied and rich, delivering that perfect balance of clarity and grit. They sing with warmth, but they bite when you push them. It’s like they were made for storytelling—blues, ambient, soul, even doom—Petya handles it all with grace and power.

Yes, the pickguard came scratched—but honestly? I’ll do that myself in a week. That’s not a flaw—it’s a **blank canvas**. She’s meant to be played, to be worn in, to carry the marks of every song she helps create.

🧬 Why “Petya”?

I named her **Petya** because she feels like a **sister in spirit**—someone who understands without needing to speak. The name carries a softness, a familiarity, but also a quiet strength. It’s not just a name—it’s a connection. She’s the kind of guitar that doesn’t demand attention, but when she speaks, you listen. She’s grounded, soulful, and deeply human in her voice.

Petya is more than a baritone. She’s a hybrid soul, a bridge between melody and rhythm, clarity and depth. And now, she’s an irreplaceable voice in my Vault.

5/5 – A guitar that doesn’t just play music. She tells stories.