Harley Benton ST-80FR HH ESB

Harley Benton ST-80FR HH ESB review

The Harley Benton ST-80FR HH ESB is a solid-body electric guitar with a double-humbucker layout and a Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo. Its listed price is 311, and it has been available since March 2026. The Emerald Sparkle Burst high-gloss finish gives the instrument a distinctive look, while the specification sheet focuses on practical performance details: a roasted Canadian flamed maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and stainless steel frets.

That combination puts the ST-80FR in a more feature-rich position than a basic fixed-bridge guitar. Its locking tremolo can handle pitch changes that an ordinary bridge cannot, but it also requires some adjustment and setup familiarity. One owner trying a Floyd Rose for the first time said it took time to get used to, but that the guitar made the learning process manageable.

Neck, fingerboard, and hardware

The bolt-on neck has an asymmetric C profile, measuring 20.5 mm at the first fret and 23.5 mm at the 22nd. Its compound fingerboard radius runs from 305 mm to 406 mm, or 12 to 16 inches. The design moves from a rounder feel in the lower positions toward a flatter surface higher up the neck. The rosewood fingerboard has rounded edges, dot inlays, and glow-in-the-dark side markers for visibility on a dim stage.

There are 22 medium-jumbo stainless steel frets, each 2.9 mm wide, with rounded edges. Stainless steel is generally chosen for its wear resistance, though individual fretwork and setup still matter to the player's experience. The 648 mm, or 25.5-inch, scale and 43 mm nut width are familiar dimensions for this style of guitar. A double-action truss rod is adjusted at the wheel, rather than through a traditional adjustment opening at the headstock.

Jinho J-02 tuners have a 15:1 gear ratio and carry the Harley Benton logo. The hardware has a black nickel finish. The guitar ships with Elixir coated strings in.010 to.046 gauge, but no bag or case is included.

Pickups and controls

The neck position uses a Tesla Plasma-X1n Alnico V humbucker, while the bridge position has a Tesla Plasma-X1b Alnico V humbucker. Controls consist of one volume knob, one tone knob, and a three-way pickup selector. This is a straightforward layout, with the selector handling the main change between neck, bridge, and combined pickup sounds.

One owner described the Tesla pickups as clean and crisp, with a useful tonal range. Another review described the pickups as generous and dynamic, while still feeling smooth. Those comments are subjective, but they point to a guitar intended to cover more than one playing style. There is no coil-split control listed, so players should not expect a separate single-coil mode from the controls provided.

Floyd Rose 1000 in use

The Floyd Rose 1000 is the main practical consideration here. It offers the pitch-bending range associated with a double-locking tremolo, but changes to strings or tuning can take more time than they do on a fixed bridge. The owner quoted here was new to this type of system and reported becoming comfortable with it after some practice. Another owner said the Floyd Rose performed very well.

There is also a useful caution in the feedback. One player reported a small alignment imperfection between the bridge and neck. In that guitar, the low E string sat close to the edge of the fingerboard in the upper positions. The reviewer still praised the sound and overall feel, but rated the instrument four stars because of the issue. A single report does not establish that this is common, yet checking string alignment and setup on arrival is sensible, especially for a guitar with a locking tremolo.

Verdict

The ST-80FR HH ESB brings together a Floyd Rose 1000, two Tesla Alnico V humbuckers, a roasted flamed maple neck, and rounded-edge stainless steel frets. Owners praised its finish, sound, and playability, and one particularly liked the Emerald Sparkle Burst in person. The tremolo has a learning curve, and the reported alignment problem is worth checking rather than ignoring.

For players who want a double-locking tremolo and are willing to learn its setup, the feature set is compelling at the listed price of 311. The absence of an included case or bag adds a likely extra purchase for anyone who needs protection for transport. Inspect the string path along the fingerboard and test the tremolo before settling on the setup. With those caveats in mind, the ST-80FR HH ESB looks like a promising option for players after a versatile humbucker guitar with a conspicuous finish.