Harley Benton DC-Junior Faded Cherry

Harley Benton DC-Junior Faded Cherry review

The Harley Benton DC-Junior Faded Cherry is a stripped-back electric guitar built around a single Roswell P90D Alnico 5 pickup, a wraparound bridge, and two control knobs. Its compact double-cut body and straightforward layout suit players looking for a direct route to blues, rock, punk, or slide tones. The model has been available since February 2020, and the listed price is 208.

Its construction pairs a nyatoh body with a set-in nyatoh neck and an amaranth fingerboard. The open-pore faded cherry finish has a satin appearance, though owner reports do not agree on whether the surface feels textured or smooth. The body has no top, and there is no tremolo system, case, or gig bag included. The package is intentionally simple, so buyers should plan for a separate bag or case if they need one.

Construction and playability

The neck has a 1960s-style C profile, a 305 mm fingerboard radius, a 628 mm scale, and a 43 mm nut width. It carries 22 medium-jumbo frets and white dot markers. Wilkinson vintage-style tuning machines use a 15:1 gear ratio, and the graphite nut is paired with a WSC wraparound bridge. Factory strings are coated DR Strings in a.010 to.046 set.

Reports often praise the neck feel, upper-fret access, and value for the fretwork. Several owners describe a comfortable, relatively light instrument with a smooth satin neck. Others mention rough or unpolished fret surfaces, sharp fret ends, or a nut cut too high. Setup quality varies between individual guitars. Some players received a low, playable action with near-correct intonation; others needed to adjust the truss rod, bridge, or nut, and a few reported that the bridge ran out of room before reaching their preferred action.

That variation matters more than the spec sheet suggests. A high nut can make open chords harder to fret and can affect tuning, while uneven frets may limit how low the strings can sit without buzzing. If you are comfortable making basic adjustments, these issues may be manageable. If not, budget for a professional setup and check the instrument carefully on arrival.

Roswell P90 sound and controls

The Roswell P90D is a single-coil pickup with an Alnico 5 magnet and a dog-ear cover. There is no neck pickup or pickup selector. Volume and tone controls provide the main changes in character, and players commonly report a useful range from clear, clean sounds to gritty, driven tones. Rolling back the volume can soften the output, while the tone control can take off treble and move the sound toward a thicker, darker response.

Owners have used the guitar with clean, overdriven, and fuzz settings, and many like the pickup's clarity and bite. Its output and response are matters of taste: some hear a bright, articulate P90, while others want more punch or depth. A recurring practical complaint is that the pickup can sit far below the strings. Raising it with a suitable shim is a commonly reported fix, though installation may require disconnecting the pickup. Single-coil hum is also mentioned, particularly with gain, so players who need a quiet stage instrument should test it in their own setup.

Bridge, hardware, and everyday use

The adjustable wraparound bridge keeps the design spare and makes string changes straightforward. However, some players report sharp bridge edges that can be uncomfortable during palm muting. Others found no such problem. Intonation results also vary: some guitars needed only a small adjustment, while others could not be set accurately on particular strings. Inspect the bridge hardware and test intonation across the fretboard rather than assuming every example will arrive identically adjusted.

The small body has no comfort contours, which is part of the Junior-style design but may press against the ribs or feel less settled on a player's leg. A few owners report neck dive or slipping when seated, while others describe a well-balanced, comfortable guitar. Weight reports differ as well, so the model should not be assumed to be exceptionally light.

Verdict

The DC-Junior Faded Cherry makes a strong case for a basic, single-P90 guitar. Its set-in neck, responsive controls, and distinctive pickup give it a clear purpose, and many owners are impressed by the finish and playing feel for the price. The trade-offs are inconsistent setup reports, possible pickup-height adjustments, and occasional concerns with the nut, fretwork, or bridge edges.

Buy it for its simple layout and raw, flexible P90 voice, not for guaranteed out-of-the-box perfection. Players willing to inspect and adjust an instrument may find it a rewarding platform. Those expecting a flawless setup without any follow-up should check the nut, action, intonation, pickup height, and bridge comfort as soon as it arrives.