Harley Benton launches CLC-650SM-CE Solid Wood Grand Concert acoustic

This article is from an external source and may contain external links not controlled by Empeda Music.

gearnews.com

With solid woods used throughout, the new Harley Benton CLC-650SM-CE looks like it has all the ingredients to make a professional impression on stage – and still manages to come in at an amazing price. No laminates here, it’s all solid tone woods throughout despite costing well under €500!

Harley Benton CLC-650SM-CE

The new CLC-650SM-CE acoustic model from Harley Benton is a Grand Concert-size guitar . The same model is already available under the name CLG-650SM-CE * as a Grand Auditorium. They really do look very alike, so what’s the difference? This new Grand Concert model is a bit more compact all round, with a smaller body, a slightly shorter scale length and not quite as deep.

That will make it easier to grasp chords and give you a more focused sound with less booming bass and treble. The wood should react well to a lighter touch, although you’ll probably be getting less overall volume than the Grand Auditorium version. That combination will suit finger-style players who like to keep their dynamics intact, or players who like to keep their right hand relaxed whilst strumming. The compact size is ideal for songwriting on the sofa, too, as it’s less bulky.

Harley Benton CLC-650SM-CE

Grand Concert

Just like its larger siblings, the new CLC-650SM-CE is also available in either Black or Vintage Sunburst finishes. The body A-grade African mahogany body comes with a Venetian-cutaway and a comfortable armrest. This is quite rare in this price range and a great feature that, once played, you would not want to be without. The body is framed by a beautiful wooden binding and rounded off by an abalone rosette. The neck is made of okume, while the composite fingerboard has some elegant 6 mm mother-of-pearl inlays.

Fishman onboard

This model also has a handy onboard pickup system from Fishman, with a tone control for Bass and Treble as well as a built-in tuner. Overall, this package looks like an absolute bargain if it plays as good as it looks.