Harley Benton CST-24T Purple Burst

Harley Benton CST-24T Purple Burst review

The Harley Benton CST-24T Purple Burst makes a strong first impression with its flamed maple top, purple finish, and binding around the body and neck. It belongs to the Deluxe Series and was listed at $259. Its specification is ambitious for that price: a set-in meranti neck, rosewood fingerboard, stainless steel frets, two humbuckers, and a Wilkinson tremolo. Owner reports generally support the impression of a carefully finished instrument, though setup and hardware preferences vary.

This is a 24-fret guitar with a 25-inch scale, a 42 mm graphite nut, and a 350 mm fingerboard radius. The neck has a C profile, which some players find comfortable and others describe as thicker than they prefer. One owner accustomed to slimmer, performance-oriented guitars needed time to adjust. Another called the neck comfortable and easy to play. Those accounts are not contradictory: neck feel is personal, so players who strongly favor thin profiles should try one if possible.

Build quality and playability

Several owners describe clean fretwork, an attractive finish, and a good factory setup. Reports mention accurate intonation and string action that was playable straight from the box, with some players making only small adjustments to suit their taste. One musician found the CST-24T good enough to move from backup duty toward becoming a main instrument. Another gigged with it on the day it arrived. These are encouraging reports, but they do not guarantee that every guitar will arrive with identical setup.

There are also accounts of fret ends feeling rough, fret sprout, and strings sitting close to the fingerboard edges. One buyer had trouble lowering the action enough for comfortable playing. That makes a careful inspection worthwhile, especially if ordering without trying the guitar first. Check the fret ends, string alignment, neck relief, and action. A routine setup may be all that is needed, but the reported variation means it is sensible to leave room for adjustment.

Weight is another consideration. One owner measured a little over 3.9 kg and found the guitar bulky compared with an SG-style instrument. Another described it as balanced on a strap and while seated. The body shape and weight may suit some players better than others, particularly during long sets. The purple finish also appears darker in dim light, with the back described by one buyer as nearly black. Under brighter lighting, the burst effect shows more clearly.

Pickups and controls

The two Roswell HAF Alnico 5 humbuckers provide the main sounds, with a three-way switch and one volume and one tone control. The tone control has a push-pull function that splits the coils. In full humbucker mode, owners report a clear, firm sound with useful attack and sustain. Clean sounds in split mode also drew positive comments, with some players finding them bright and suitable for funk or pop parts.

Split-coil output is a common reservation. A few owners found it noticeably weaker than the full humbucker setting, and one described the result as falling between familiar single-coil and humbucker voices. Another reported buzz in split mode. For higher-gain playing, one reviewer found the pickups muddy, while others were satisfied with rock and hard rock tones through their amplifiers or modelers. The pickup response will depend on the rig, but players who need tight, aggressive high-gain definition may want to audition it before buying.

The controls themselves were reported to work without crackling, though one player found the knobs stiffer than those on a more expensive guitar. The coil split adds a useful tonal option, but it does not turn the CST-24T into a dedicated single-coil guitar. Treat it as a way to broaden the humbuckers' range, not as a perfect substitute for a separate single-coil instrument.

Tremolo, tuning, and value

The Wilkinson WVPC tremolo receives mixed but mostly workable feedback. Some owners say it holds pitch well, while others found it stiff or had tuning problems linked to string binding at the nut. One player improved stability by adjusting the nut, and others considered changing the spring setup or replacing the tuners. The DLX machine heads were generally described as adequate, though not especially precise. If frequent tremolo use is central to your playing, expect to check the nut setup and evaluate tuning stability carefully.

At $259, the CST-24T offers an impressive combination of materials, finish, and features. Owners often compare its fit and finish favorably with more expensive guitars, and several say it arrived ready to play after little or no adjustment. The reports of fret issues, weight, pickup limitations, and tremolo setup keep it from being an automatic choice for everyone. Still, for a player seeking a distinctive-looking set-in-neck guitar with two humbuckers and a coil-splitting option, it is a compelling value. It ships without a gig bag or case, so include protection in the overall cost.