Harley Benton MB-5 SBK Deluxe Series

This is the black satin 'stealth' finish. They seemed to be on the light weight side, and mine didn't disappoint at 8.6 lbs. The bass itself was flawless. Fit and finish are remarkable for a cheapo bass. The bass feels substantial and well put together.

The set up was not the best, but a few minutes spent reducing the neck curvature and adjusting the saddles brought it to a very comfortable action. The tuners hold tune well. The plastic nut seems well cut. The knobs work great with no noise or scratchiness. I haven't adjusted the nut yet because it plays well enough already, but I'll have to do that to make the top positions a bit more comfy to play.

I really like it. The neck takes some getting used to as it is wider (about 45mm) than a SR5 but not excessively chunky. I find it quite comfortable. The frets are level which I find surprising for such a cheap bass. The narrower string spacing and the additional string means I was a little clumsy to start, but I've been playing this bass exclussively since I got it and I'm getting there now.

In fact, I'm starting to really like this 5 string thing.

If I had to give it a one word review it would be 'wow'.

This is a very decent bass, regardless of price, but when you consider the price... yeah, wow.

It has that Stingray vibe and the passive electronics are just fine. Sure, not as versatile as having an onboard preamp, but I actually love passive tone controls, so I'm happy with it as it is.

It was a bit frustrating at first, but as I adjust to the different layout it becomes more fun... and I feel like something clicked. I'm enjoying immensely how I can move across strings and reduce the movement up/down the neck that way. That being said, it sounds surprisingly good. It has a growl to it that I was not expecting. The bass sat good in the mix and the lows were pretty defined. The B string wasn’t as sloppy as I thought it was going to be. I didn’t go below D on the B string and found fretting the E came in handy as opposed to playing it open on the E string. The only thing the bass really lacked was high end spank (could be due the the strings it came with). I don't use the additional lower notes that much, but I use a lot of the notes I would often play on the E string on the B string now, just moving across with fewer jumps to different hand positions on the neck which also means I look at the neck a lot less. And having the option to play those notes between the low E and A on the E string for more definition or on the B string for additional girth is really useful too.

This may be the bass that makes me finally 'get' 5 string basses. All in all it is a fantastic bass at €140 shipped. For my first five string I think I made a good decision getting this thing and have no regrets at all. I am glad I made the purchase.

Ok, this is just amazing, especially at the price it goes for!

I don't really have to write very much here.

Fit and finish were spot on. And I mean, SPOT ON! Not a single spot on it is bad. No paint/clear runs, nothing. Everything is as it should. My only gripe with it is the white nut. Why they chose to put a white nut on a stealth black bass is beyond me (cost cutting, obviously but still).

As for playability. This one does have a few high frets and the nut did need a bit of filing. Nothing excessive and it can be set up with medium-lowish action without buzzing so I'm leaving it alone for now. The nut I did file a little but honestly, it would probably be okay-ish without it, if you're okay with a little higher action.

The electronics are also just fine. The pickup gets growly and grindy easily and, considering the price, you can't argue with it! It is passive, after all and I quite like it as is. I don't think I'd swap, honestly. Perhaps it might benefit from a 2-band preamp but it's fine as is. The separate coil volume controls work fine, although I usually have them dimed and roll off a little treble with the tone.

The low B is okay. Nothing crispy or perfect but it is servicable and it's by no means bad.

Bridge does its job, tuners are fine as well. I'd upgrade the tuners at some point but it's not really necessary.

What IS absolutely necessary is a string change. And I mean, right out of the box! Do not expect to like this bass very much with the stock strings. When I first tried it, the output was so low it was surprising. I though that was the nature of probably a cheap pickup in a Chinese bass.
But no.
After changing the strings, the bass came alive! MASSIVE difference in output. I have no idea what kind of strings were on it from the factory but they were absolute rubbish and sounded beyond dead. The only use for them is to serve as DIY nut files!

All in all, this is a 5/5. At this price, you can't get a better fiver and it punches way above its weight. If anything happened to it, I'd probably buy another one!

The Harley Benton MB-5 SBK Deluxe Series bass guitar is an outstanding instrument that offers high sound quality, comfortable playability and stylish design at an affordable price. This instrument has become popular among bass guitarists due to its superior sound and ease of use.

One of the key advantages of the Harley Benton MB-5 SBK Deluxe Series is its high-quality sound. Designed using quality materials and components, this bass guitar has a clean, powerful and rich sound that is suitable for a wide range of musical styles. With its five strings, it also offers an extended range of sound, making it an ideal choice for bassists looking for more room to express themselves.

In addition, the Harley Benton MB-5 SBK Deluxe Series Harley Benton MB-5 SBK has excellent playability. Its comfortable fingerboard and ergonomic body make playing it enjoyable and comfortable, even with prolonged use. It is also equipped with high-quality hardware, including the pickups and bridge, which ensures tuning stability and excellent sound.

____PROS____
This thing is gorgeous
Quality and finish were flawless
Neck works well for those of us with smaller hands
Worth every penny at this price
Sounds very good considering the stock pickups
Fun to play

Next are the cons and they are vey minor but I do want to put it all out there
_____CONS____
Strings suck but so what right?
For me the biggest con were the tuners, the bass feels very sturdy but the tuners could be a bit stronger
The tone knob does very little to affect the sound

This thing is fun to pick finger pick and slap. Most basses I leave as is for whatever reason but I love this one so much and see it's potential which has made me decide to invest in it and add new tuners, pickup etc. The bare bones and foundation of this bass is so nice that I feel great about putting some extra $ in it.
I read a review that suggested the option of upgrading a short list of things upon purchase such as tuners, pickups maybe the bridge. I'd be happy with just having the option to upgrade tuners since the inexpensive Harley Bentons are so great but not having locking tuners is very disappointing. So I agree with others who've made this suggestion. Anyway, I'm happy with my first purchase here. The shipping was shockingly fast considering the fact that I'm in Alabama. I was worried when I saw that the box looked like it had been through hell but I tore it open & realized the bass was in a box within a box. Thomann seems to really care about making it's customers happy. I'll soon be buying the fretless Harley Benton violin bass or the 6-string Progressive!

It’s really incredible how HB managed to cram so much bass into a 140-ish EUR price tag.

Look, let’s be honest, it’s not gonna beat any high end basses but on the other hand, it definitely gives other entry level basses at even double this price a run for their money.

As many point out, it does need a setup but so do many other, way more expensive basses when you first get them. For beginners reading this - don’t skip this step! Have someone do it for you or if you have no luthier or other bass player in your area, try it yourself. It’s not as difficult as it seems.

Another thing some have pointed out and I can only confirm, the factory strings aren’t the best. They’re OK sounding but they start getting really uncomfortable really fast once you start sliding on them. I mean, you can’t expect 40€ strings on a 140€ bass, that would be almost 1/3 of its price but just keep this in mind and grab some new strings asap.

Other than that, this is a great bass to start on as well as add it to your collection if you need something inexpensive but solid.

I was looking to expand my repertoire by adding a bass to it and I was on the fence about this one for a long time. Eventually while I made up my mind, it went out of stock, so the moment I saw it available again, I leaped at it.

I'm so happy I bought it, it's an incredible instrument for the cost. Setup is impeccable right out of the box, the strings were sub-par but once I switched them, this baby purred.

Is there room for improvement? At this price point, certainly, first thing I'd change are the tuners and maybe the pickup at some point, but that's to be expected when you're getting something this cheap. For what I paid for it, it's incredible.