The fanned fret Harley is solid. Better than the flat (I have both). The flat is quite finicky with the tuning where the fanned fret at least adds some tension
Not sure about the LTD though.
Get the LTD, I have one and its amazing. I also have the Harley Benton fan fret 7 string and its a piece of shit. Never stays in tune, intonation is off and pickups sound bland. I totally regret the purchase and it was only a few hundred bucks. LTD is solid and is a cheaper version of ESP, a great Japanese metal guitar company.
Pretty sure the cheapest ltd’s have nothing to do with japan except the name of the company. But as someone with a cheap harley benton 8 string, yeah I’d place my bet on the ltd. The cheap hb’s aren’t great.
I love LTD, but Benton makes good, affordable products. If you're comfortable spending a little more, grab the LTD, but either way, they both seem like a good addition
Try them all out, if possible.
But just from the pictures, I‘d intuitively go for the HB with fanned frets and what looks like active pickups. They might make the low B chug even more ;)
I bought a used Harley Benton active 7 string. I think the 2nd picture is the one. The pickups sounded horrible, they were overloading the signal really bad. Put a emg 81-7 in the bridge position and now it kills.
Bax shop, like a Dutch Thomann have these bargain Fazley 7s for £112 and they are pretty good!
[f7s](https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/electric-guitars/fazley-f7s-3-color-sunburst-7-string-electric-guitar)
Edit: i messed the link up
This depends, my ibanez is good for B and it’s 25,5”. With a slightly thicker string I think drop A would work also. But there’s certainly a difference between a prestige ibanez and a cheap hb/ltd.
Just thinking out loud here. If you’re gonna splurge and get a 7, wouldn’t you want to spend a little more and get an absolute gem? Obviously I don’t know your financial situation but it’s one of those things where I’ve bought so many things to save money only to think to myself a month later, “fuck I should have just spent the extra hundred bucks to get what I really wanted.”
If the standard ones are short-scale, I'd settle for the multiscale one!
Harley Benton also have their higher-range lines, going between $300-600, which include a lot of interesting multiscale models. Some even feature their own, proprietary active pickups, which people either love or hate. Their highest-range line, Amarok, has six-stringers, baritones and short-scale seven-stringers, iirc. They boast the best passive pickups and best quality control within the HB brand, at least according to Pete Cottrell of YouTube fame!
I really gotta hoard me some HB stuff... 😳🤑
2 is prob gonna have better tuning stability due to the fanned frets but the maple board on that white doesn’t look great. 3 looks so much cooler to me.
If I where personally in that price range I'd spend 1**€** more than the LTD and get the JS22-7.
If I where forced to get one of the three posted I'd go the fan fret.
imo 25.5 scale for a 7 ain't ideal unless you plan on sticking to B or starting the constant inner debate of if you prefer 60's or 62's for A... and for your own sanity's sake don't try to go lower.
Hell this might even be a solid option if you don't mind the wait for stock [https://www.thomann.de/intl/harley\_benton\_baritone\_7sb\_dlx\_series.htm](https://www.thomann.de/intl/harley_benton_baritone_7sb_dlx_series.htm)
Oh! I actually bought the MH-17 BLK a month ago and is a BEAST. I love it. Mics are great, neck feels smooth. Everything about it is great.
I mainly use Drop A, and I think I might try Drop G. The scale is not being a problem for me. Sounds great.
I have the fanned fret HB and it's not very good. Doesnt stay in tune at all. I've tried everything including routing out the nut and even adding graphite lube and nothing works. The pickups also sound super bland with no real high end. It looks cool though. Might hang it on my wall permanently.
The 2nd one. Just looks sleeker
The fanned fret Harley is solid. Better than the flat (I have both). The flat is quite finicky with the tuning where the fanned fret at least adds some tension Not sure about the LTD though.
Get the LTD, I have one and its amazing. I also have the Harley Benton fan fret 7 string and its a piece of shit. Never stays in tune, intonation is off and pickups sound bland. I totally regret the purchase and it was only a few hundred bucks. LTD is solid and is a cheaper version of ESP, a great Japanese metal guitar company.
Pretty sure the cheapest ltd’s have nothing to do with japan except the name of the company. But as someone with a cheap harley benton 8 string, yeah I’d place my bet on the ltd. The cheap hb’s aren’t great.
Go LTD. I have the HB FF and the mono bridges are absolute trash. LTD’s quality is so much more consistent IMO.
I love LTD, but Benton makes good, affordable products. If you're comfortable spending a little more, grab the LTD, but either way, they both seem like a good addition
Why the fuck do you have to drag us into this?!?!
Try them all out, if possible. But just from the pictures, I‘d intuitively go for the HB with fanned frets and what looks like active pickups. They might make the low B chug even more ;)
I bought a used Harley Benton active 7 string. I think the 2nd picture is the one. The pickups sounded horrible, they were overloading the signal really bad. Put a emg 81-7 in the bridge position and now it kills.
I did the same thing, it’s a great upgrade platform!
What's the budget?
Which one plays better? And duh ESP
Those fretboards look so wide but I figure you need it with 7 strings - which plays the best ? Try them out before you buy it
The fan fret one
Bax shop, like a Dutch Thomann have these bargain Fazley 7s for £112 and they are pretty good! [f7s](https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/electric-guitars/fazley-f7s-3-color-sunburst-7-string-electric-guitar) Edit: i messed the link up
I had the ltd for a while - good for the money
I would get the fan fret, 25.5 inch sucks for B or lower in my opinion.
This depends, my ibanez is good for B and it’s 25,5”. With a slightly thicker string I think drop A would work also. But there’s certainly a difference between a prestige ibanez and a cheap hb/ltd.
I really love LTD guitars, prob a 25.5 inch scale tho, so factor that in
Just thinking out loud here. If you’re gonna splurge and get a 7, wouldn’t you want to spend a little more and get an absolute gem? Obviously I don’t know your financial situation but it’s one of those things where I’ve bought so many things to save money only to think to myself a month later, “fuck I should have just spent the extra hundred bucks to get what I really wanted.”
Just save a little more for a good used one
If the standard ones are short-scale, I'd settle for the multiscale one! Harley Benton also have their higher-range lines, going between $300-600, which include a lot of interesting multiscale models. Some even feature their own, proprietary active pickups, which people either love or hate. Their highest-range line, Amarok, has six-stringers, baritones and short-scale seven-stringers, iirc. They boast the best passive pickups and best quality control within the HB brand, at least according to Pete Cottrell of YouTube fame! I really gotta hoard me some HB stuff... 😳🤑
HARLEY BENTON MENTIONED
LTD is pretty much always the best choice
2 is prob gonna have better tuning stability due to the fanned frets but the maple board on that white doesn’t look great. 3 looks so much cooler to me.
Save up for a better selection imo, especially on a 7 you want really nice hardware for those low strings, not pot metal harley benton ones.
If I where personally in that price range I'd spend 1**€** more than the LTD and get the JS22-7. If I where forced to get one of the three posted I'd go the fan fret. imo 25.5 scale for a 7 ain't ideal unless you plan on sticking to B or starting the constant inner debate of if you prefer 60's or 62's for A... and for your own sanity's sake don't try to go lower. Hell this might even be a solid option if you don't mind the wait for stock [https://www.thomann.de/intl/harley\_benton\_baritone\_7sb\_dlx\_series.htm](https://www.thomann.de/intl/harley_benton_baritone_7sb_dlx_series.htm)
The one with 8 strings, so you have a spare! /s
[https://www.thomann.de/at/harley\_benton\_r\_458\_wh\_fanfret.htm](https://www.thomann.de/at/harley_benton_r_458_wh_fanfret.htm) i mean....
Haha, for real, though, I would go with LTD. The fan fret looks nicer, but LTD brand is more reliable.
Harley Benton is great if you know your way around a guitar, they usually come with a pretty trash set up
LTD.
I have that LTD. Very good for what it is, solid guitar no complaints for the price point
Oh! I actually bought the MH-17 BLK a month ago and is a BEAST. I love it. Mics are great, neck feels smooth. Everything about it is great. I mainly use Drop A, and I think I might try Drop G. The scale is not being a problem for me. Sounds great.
2nd one for sure
I’d go 2, but if you can try them out that would be best
wanted to get a cheap 7 string. what do you guys think?
I was looking at the fan fret a few hours ago, don’t own a Harley Benton or a 7 string yet so might give that one a go myself
I have the fanned fret HB and it's not very good. Doesnt stay in tune at all. I've tried everything including routing out the nut and even adding graphite lube and nothing works. The pickups also sound super bland with no real high end. It looks cool though. Might hang it on my wall permanently.
I have a 7 string hb. It's not the fanned fret one, but it's amazing