H
Good value for money for this style of bass
Use – mostly for personal pleasure, but will be used for an occasional gig. My usual amp is an Ampeg Portaflex 500 through 2 4x10 Kustom cabs. Also sounds good with a Behringer 300w head.
Summary – Good value for money for this style of bass. I like this, already playing it a lot. Looks the part and sounds good. It is very reminiscent of a certain US manufacturer’s classic basses, one of which I used to own.
General - I have not had happy experiences with HB basses, which unlike HB guitars have often in the past been poorly made and sound terrible. This though is somewhat different, looks great, seems well made enough, but still far short of being beyond criticism. It does have that RB like growl – the neck pickup is a thing of beauty. It also has a very nice thin neck profile with a more traditional wide fretboard – a very different playing experience compared to more modern neck profiles and widths. The polar opposite of a jazz bass.
Pros – plays very well. Intonation and neck relief were perfect out of the box, and action height suited me too, so nothing to adjust. As it has acclimatised to my house I have had to make a small adjustment to the neck. The tuners seem fine. The growl and mids from the neck pickup are IMO what I am looking for in a bass of this style. The neck and body binding are really nice to have, and on the neck helps with the slick playing experience. The bridge pickup saddle makes a perfect wrist rest for a bit of slap bass.
Cons – a few minor finishing issues, some chrome missing from one of the bridge saddles, the odd bit of not quite tidy finishing, a few sharp fret edges at the dusty end. No fret buzz, but a lot of buzzing from somewhere around the pickups from any G (+/- one or two frets) played anywhere; this is a sympathetic mechanical buzz and you can’t hear it through an amp. The bridge pickup is set far too far from the strings, and the height adjuster screws are also what hold the chrome cover on. As these are screwed with springs over them into a plastic plate underneath the pickup the whole assembly is prone to moving. I re-engineered the setup to get the pickup higher and the saddle solidly mounted, which unsurprisingly has also eliminated the buzz I mentioned earlier. I’d rather have a higher output, but that’s what the gain control on the amplifier is for. It did arrive with the bridge pickup saddle badly bent – I am not a fan of Thomann’s new paper packaging, it definitely does not work as well as the blown plastic packaging did.
Summary – Good value for money for this style of bass. I like this, already playing it a lot. Looks the part and sounds good. It is very reminiscent of a certain US manufacturer’s classic basses, one of which I used to own.
General - I have not had happy experiences with HB basses, which unlike HB guitars have often in the past been poorly made and sound terrible. This though is somewhat different, looks great, seems well made enough, but still far short of being beyond criticism. It does have that RB like growl – the neck pickup is a thing of beauty. It also has a very nice thin neck profile with a more traditional wide fretboard – a very different playing experience compared to more modern neck profiles and widths. The polar opposite of a jazz bass.
Pros – plays very well. Intonation and neck relief were perfect out of the box, and action height suited me too, so nothing to adjust. As it has acclimatised to my house I have had to make a small adjustment to the neck. The tuners seem fine. The growl and mids from the neck pickup are IMO what I am looking for in a bass of this style. The neck and body binding are really nice to have, and on the neck helps with the slick playing experience. The bridge pickup saddle makes a perfect wrist rest for a bit of slap bass.
Cons – a few minor finishing issues, some chrome missing from one of the bridge saddles, the odd bit of not quite tidy finishing, a few sharp fret edges at the dusty end. No fret buzz, but a lot of buzzing from somewhere around the pickups from any G (+/- one or two frets) played anywhere; this is a sympathetic mechanical buzz and you can’t hear it through an amp. The bridge pickup is set far too far from the strings, and the height adjuster screws are also what hold the chrome cover on. As these are screwed with springs over them into a plastic plate underneath the pickup the whole assembly is prone to moving. I re-engineered the setup to get the pickup higher and the saddle solidly mounted, which unsurprisingly has also eliminated the buzz I mentioned earlier. I’d rather have a higher output, but that’s what the gain control on the amplifier is for. It did arrive with the bridge pickup saddle badly bent – I am not a fan of Thomann’s new paper packaging, it definitely does not work as well as the blown plastic packaging did.
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A
Great rickenbacker alternative for the price!
Plays well with some tweaking can getting close to a rick o sound !
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AB
Not a Ric but Close
The bass itself is pretty damn good for the price but Thomann only sent it in one box and damage occured during shipping. There is a dent on the headstock, a ding on the neck near the nut and the lower strap lock is slightly damaged. The bass plays and sounds great but could have been packed and shipped better. I didn't want to go through the hassle of sending it back so I contacted Thomann and they gave me a discount which was very fair. Overall, this is a really solid bass for the price and pretty much the only legit Ric copy you're gonna find.
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F
Honest hommage to the mighty RIC bass
How many of us bass players dream of owning a Rickenbacker? Its fans are legion, but how many of them can actually afford a $2000+ instrument? Harley Benton offers a viable and very affordable solution : the RB-414.
Though it doesn't sound exactly like a genuine Rickenbacker 4003, the RB-414 offers the classic look and spirit of that legendary bass, in a package that affords many modification options (bridge and pickups can be substituted for higher end Rickenbacker or aftemarket parts), for a total price tag which still remains far below the price of an actual RIC. The mahogany body and set neck provide good resonance and sustain, and though the pickups do not successfully emulate the RIC sound, this bass has a unique and full-bodied tone, especially for rock or funk-minded bassists.
Though probably not destined to become a classic vintage instrument (it is, after all, a clone), the RB-414 offers the budget-minded bassist an affordable and eminently moddable option that won't break the bank. I own one of these, and would recommend it.
Though it doesn't sound exactly like a genuine Rickenbacker 4003, the RB-414 offers the classic look and spirit of that legendary bass, in a package that affords many modification options (bridge and pickups can be substituted for higher end Rickenbacker or aftemarket parts), for a total price tag which still remains far below the price of an actual RIC. The mahogany body and set neck provide good resonance and sustain, and though the pickups do not successfully emulate the RIC sound, this bass has a unique and full-bodied tone, especially for rock or funk-minded bassists.
Though probably not destined to become a classic vintage instrument (it is, after all, a clone), the RB-414 offers the budget-minded bassist an affordable and eminently moddable option that won't break the bank. I own one of these, and would recommend it.
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JC
Rick-a-mortis
Nice to see the look feel, sound (for the most part) and, perhaps most importantly, integrity of a Rickenbacker doesn't need me to have to put a second mortgage on my house to afford.
Bass was delivered right to my door as scheduled, well packed and playable right out of the box (well, an action tweak - typical of HBs). Other than an inferior bridge and a low output, thin-sounding bridge pick up, this is a fantastic bass - regardless of price.
Now if only the CDN$ wasn't the value of a peso, I'd really save money LOL!
Well done, Thomann/Harley Benton! Again.
Bass was delivered right to my door as scheduled, well packed and playable right out of the box (well, an action tweak - typical of HBs). Other than an inferior bridge and a low output, thin-sounding bridge pick up, this is a fantastic bass - regardless of price.
Now if only the CDN$ wasn't the value of a peso, I'd really save money LOL!
Well done, Thomann/Harley Benton! Again.
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J
Nearly excellent ....
The sound is brilliant, the build is very good - except the fret heights were terrible and needed £110 spending on a full fret dress and set up after. Factor that in when buying! Still, at £309 total it is an excellent bass. I also angled the pick ups high at the g string side as the sound was weak coming out compared to the E string when factory set.
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A
good for the price
i dont play bass, and this is my first bass ever, im a guitar player at heart. with that being said this is pretty decent for the price, needs alittle bit of setup but other than that it sounds good and plays well.
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C
"I LOVE the smell of Harley Benton in the morning"
1. It looks GREAT [a gold-effect for pickup cover/surround would look even better, I think],
2. Feels great [albeit a tad - just a tad - heavy]. Very nice balance,
3. Plays really well - no dudders (well, what you YOU call dead spots?),
4. Or rattles. I prefer the action a little high,
5. It holds the tuning really well - no slippage(s),
6. If you (also) use a double-octave, the 414 should compliment it nicely,
7. All-in-all, recommended. I'm well happy with my purchase - give me another 30 years or so (practice) and I'll give you a decent copy of Stanley Clarkes iconic School Days....
2. Feels great [albeit a tad - just a tad - heavy]. Very nice balance,
3. Plays really well - no dudders (well, what you YOU call dead spots?),
4. Or rattles. I prefer the action a little high,
5. It holds the tuning really well - no slippage(s),
6. If you (also) use a double-octave, the 414 should compliment it nicely,
7. All-in-all, recommended. I'm well happy with my purchase - give me another 30 years or so (practice) and I'll give you a decent copy of Stanley Clarkes iconic School Days....
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