Harley Benton ST-80FR MN HH Black

Harley Benton ST-80FR MN HH Black review

The Harley Benton ST-80FR MN HH Black is a black, high-gloss electric guitar with a double-locking Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo and a roasted Canadian maple neck. Its listed price is 332, and it has been available since September 2025. The body is described in the specifications as linden and American basswood. No top wood is listed, and neither a bag nor a case is included.

On paper, the recipe is aimed at players who want a tremolo-equipped guitar with a 25.5-inch scale and two humbuckers. The detailed pickup information names a Tesla Plasma-X1b Alnico V humbucker at the bridge, while the general specification lists an HH configuration. The supplied details do not identify the neck pickup model, so it is best not to assume more about its voicing or construction.

Neck, frets, and playing feel

The bolt-on neck is roasted, flamed Canadian maple, paired with a roasted Canadian maple fingerboard. Its asymmetrical C profile measures 20.5 mm at the first fret and 23.5 mm at the twelfth. The fingerboard radius compounds from 12 to 16 inches, and the nut is 43 mm wide. Harley Benton specifies 22 medium-jumbo stainless steel frets with rounded ends, dot inlays, and side markings described as glow-in-the-dark. A double-action truss rod is adjusted with a wheel.

One owner's hands-on report raises a significant qualification about fret finishing. Although the fret ends were rounded, the fret surfaces reportedly felt rough during bends and scraped the strings. The owner said this made the guitar unpleasant to play and damaged the factory-fitted Elixir coated strings. After deciding to keep the instrument, they sanded the frets with 2000-grit paper and polished them with metal polish. They reported that the work took about an hour, based on prior experience doing similar jobs.

That account is a single owner report, not proof that every guitar leaves the factory with the same issue. Still, it points to a practical inspection step: play bends across the neck and check for friction before settling on the factory setup. If the frets need attention and you are not equipped to polish them yourself, a guitar technician may be able to handle the work. The owner estimated that professional fret polishing could cost about 100 euros, but that figure is their estimate, not a quoted service price.

Tremolo and hardware

The Floyd Rose 1000 is fitted in chrome, alongside Jinho J-02 tuners with a Harley Benton logo and a 15:1 gear ratio. The controls are straightforward: one volume and one tone control. The guitar ships with Elixir coated strings in.010,.046 gauge, according to the supplied specifications.

The owner found that the Floyd Rose worked well after careful adjustment, but was less impressed by its appearance and the tremolo arm. In their experience, the arm felt loose and rattled while playing. That is worth checking when the guitar arrives, since arm fit and tremolo setup can affect the playing experience. The review does not establish whether the reported looseness is typical or specific to that instrument.

Finish and practical details

The same owner praised the initial appearance, calling out the figured neck and the quality of the finish. The ergonomic heel and body contours are intended to make access and handling more comfortable, while the high-gloss black finish gives the guitar a clean, dark look. Chrome hardware provides contrast against the body.

There is one discrepancy in the owner's comments about the side markings. They said the parts they referred to as "Luminlays" appeared to be simple plastic and did not glow, contrary to the description. The listed specification says the side markings glow in the dark, so this is another detail buyers may want to verify on the individual guitar rather than treating one report as definitive.

Verdict

The ST-80FR MN HH Black offers a roasted maple neck, stainless steel frets, a compound-radius fingerboard, and a Floyd Rose 1000 at a listed price of 332. The reported finish and figured neck made a strong first impression, and the tremolo worked after adjustment. However, the fret-polishing complaint and loose, rattling arm are meaningful concerns, especially for anyone expecting a guitar that needs no setup work.

For players comfortable checking and adjusting an instrument, the specification is appealing for the price. Buyers who want to avoid fret work should inspect the bends and fret surfaces promptly, and confirm that the tremolo arm sits securely. The instrument does not include a bag or case, so those need to be budgeted separately.