Harley Benton Fusion-IV HH MN QBKB

Harley Benton Fusion-IV HH MN QBKB review

The Harley Benton Fusion-IV HH MN QBKB is a double-humbucker electric guitar with a nyatoh body, a flamed maple top, and a roasted maple neck and fingerboard. Its hardware and fret specification suggest a model aimed at players who want modern playability and tremolo use without moving to a more expensive instrument. At a listed price of 471, it also makes a substantial feature set part of the pitch.

There is a discrepancy in the supplied finish information. The product name ends in QBKB, and one specification lists Quilt Black Burst Gloss, while another lists Quilt Blue Burst high-gloss. Confirm the actual finish with the seller before ordering. The body and top materials are also described both as laminated flamed maple and as a quilted maple veneer, so buyers should check the detailed listing if the top construction is a deciding factor.

Construction and finish

The reported field feedback is particularly positive about the build: the reviewer describes the woodworking as impeccable and the finish as excellent. The body is nyatoh with natural wood binding, and the neck is bolt-on, made from roasted Canadian flamed maple. The fingerboard is listed as Canadian maple, with round inlays and fluorescent side markers. Those side markers are a practical detail for players who need to see fret positions in low light.

The neck has a Modern C profile, measuring 21 mm thick at the first fret and 23 mm at the twelfth. The player feedback says it feels comfortable, though a little thicker than an AZ-style neck. That comparison is useful if you are used to a particularly slim modern profile. The compound fingerboard radius runs from 305 mm to 406 mm, or 12 to 16 inches, giving the board a rounder feel near the nut and a flatter surface higher up.

A double-action truss rod with a wheel adjustment makes neck relief adjustments accessible. The 42 mm nut is Graph Tech TUSQ XL. Along the 648 mm scale are 24 medium-jumbo stainless steel frets, each 2.7 mm wide. Stainless steel is a durable fret material, while the fret count and flatter upper-board radius support access to the higher register.

Pickups and controls

The pickup set comprises a Tesla Opus-1B Alnico 5 humbucker at the bridge and a Tesla Opus-1N Alnico 5 covered humbucker at the neck. Controls include one volume knob, one tone knob, a five-way switch, and a mini-switch for coil splitting. That layout gives the player several pickup configurations and the option to split the humbuckers, although the supplied information does not specify exactly how each five-way position is wired.

The main reservation in the field feedback concerns the pickups. The owner considers them less impressive than the guitar's construction and finish, but does not describe a specific tonal fault or provide recording examples. Treat that as a subjective concern rather than a measured performance result. Players who prioritize pickup character may want to try the guitar in person or allow for a future pickup change. The coil-split mini-switch adds flexibility, but it does not by itself establish how convincing the split sounds.

Tremolo and hardware

The guitar uses a Babicz FCH two-point Special Z Series C full-contact tremolo. It is paired with staggered Jinho JN-07 locking tuners bearing the Harley Benton logo, along with chrome hardware. The locking tuners are a useful feature for restringing, while the two-point tremolo design keeps the bridge description straightforward. No setup measurements or tuning-stability test results were supplied, so the hardware should be judged by its design and confirmed through a proper playing test.

It ships with Harley Benton HQS EL coated strings in.010 to.046 gauge, set up for standard E tuning. Neither a gig bag nor a case is included. Buyers who need protection for transport should include a compatible bag or case in their budget.

Verdict

The Fusion-IV HH MN QBKB has a strong specification sheet and encouraging feedback on its finish and overall workmanship. Its roasted maple neck, compound-radius fingerboard, 24 stainless steel frets, locking tuners, and Babicz tremolo give it a more equipped feel than a basic double-humbucker guitar. The neck may feel slightly fuller than some slim-profile alternatives, but the available feedback still describes it as comfortable.

The key caveat is the pickup assessment, alongside the conflicting color and top-construction descriptions in the supplied listing details. For a player drawn to the neck and hardware, those points are worth checking before purchase. The price is 471, and no case or bag is included. Based on the information available, this is a well-finished, feature-rich guitar whose strongest reported qualities are its construction and comfortable neck, while the pickups are the part to audition most carefully.