Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus HSS LPB w/Safe

Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus HSS LPB w/Safe review

The Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus HSS LPB w/Safe combines a solid-body electric guitar with a protective carrying bag. Its listed price is 366, and the model has been available since March 2026. No customer reviews are available, so this assessment is based strictly on the supplied specifications. Those details describe a conventional three-pickup layout with several upgraded construction and hardware choices, rather than providing evidence of how the guitar sounds or feels in practice.

Body, neck, and fretboard

The body is American alder, finished in high-gloss Lake Placid Blue. There is no separate top. A three-ply mint-green pickguard provides a contrasting detail, while the hardware is chrome. The bolt-on neck is made from roasted, flamed Canadian maple, with a rosewood fretboard. Harley Benton specifies a D-shaped neck profile measuring 20.5 mm at the first fret and 22.5 mm at the 22nd. These measurements give buyers a concrete sense of the neck's changing depth, though they do not tell the whole story of comfort or hand fit.

The fretboard has 22 medium-jumbo stainless-steel frets with rounded ends. Stainless steel is a material choice buyers may value when comparing fret construction, but the specification alone cannot establish setup quality, fretwork consistency, or long-term wear. The compound fretboard radius transitions from 305 mm to 406 mm, equivalent to 12 to 16 inches. That changing radius is intended to combine a rounder feel near the lower frets with a flatter surface farther up the neck. The practical result depends on setup and individual playing style.

Other neck details include a 648 mm scale length, a 42 mm nut width, and a graphite nut. Fluorescent side markings are specified alongside dot inlays on the fretboard. The fretboard edges are rounded at right angles, and the neck-to-body transition is ergonomically shaped. A double-action truss rod is adjusted using a wheel. These are useful specification points for players assessing access and adjustment options, but they are not substitutes for inspecting the instrument itself.

Pickup layout and controls

The HSS configuration uses a covered Tesla VR-Nitro Alnico 5 humbucker at the bridge, plus Tesla TV-S1M Alnico 5 single-coil pickups in the middle and neck positions. A five-way switch selects the pickup combinations, with one volume control and one tone control. The tone control has a push-pull function for coil splitting the bridge humbucker. This gives the player a way to change its wiring configuration without adding a separate switch.

The pickup names and magnet types identify the components, but the provided information does not include output measurements, wiring diagrams, or recorded examples. It would be premature to claim a particular sound, noise level, or balance between positions. Players choosing between HSS guitars should treat the configuration as a useful guide to available pickup types, then audition the instrument if tone is a deciding factor.

Tremolo and tuning hardware

For vibrato, the guitar has a Babicz FCH 2-point Z-Series C full-contact synchronized tremolo. The two-point mounting and named full-contact design are clearly specified, although no details are provided about setup range, arm feel, or tuning stability under heavy use. Locking Sung-Il ML-55 tuning machines carry the Harley Benton logo. The factory strings are Elixir coated strings in.010 to.046 gauge. That gauge is a helpful starting reference, but players may change strings or setup to suit their preferences.

Included Safe bag

The included bag has a Cordura outer material with contrasting stitching and a scratch-resistant Velveleen interior with an embroidered design. It has 30 mm of padding, adjustable neck pads, reinforced edges, and abrasion-resistant floor protection. A large padded accessory compartment provides storage, while a carrying handle and padded backpack straps offer two ways to carry it. Heavy-duty zippers and metal fittings are also listed, along with a rain cover.

The listing confirms that a bag is included and that a case is not. The construction details suggest a bag designed with transport protection in mind, but they do not establish a specific impact rating or weatherproof certification. Buyers who need hard-case protection should factor in that distinction.

What the specifications establish

At 366, the Harley Benton ST-Modern Plus HSS LPB w/Safe is specified with a roasted maple neck, rosewood fretboard, stainless-steel frets, three Tesla pickups, locking tuners, and a fitted padded bag. Its feature list is unusually detailed, including neck dimensions, fretboard radius, and bag construction. However, the supplied data does not include weight, country of manufacture, setup measurements, or independent playing impressions. With no customer feedback available, the fairest conclusion is that this is a well-documented HSS package on paper, while build quality, sound, and playing comfort remain unverified.