OffsetGuitars.com

BatUtilityBelt wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 9:44 am

Funny, I just found offsetguitars from your post, looking for insights into the whole Harley Benton thing. I just joined because I definitely have an offset guitar lean and the forum is probably a good place to relate. But on the HB thing...

Short: If you're in Europe, it's probably worth trying out with little risk, but if you're on another continent, look out!

Now I can explain that better. I am in the US, so buying from Thomann is not impossible, but comes with much higher shipping. Back in 2017, I stuck my toe in the Harley Benton pool buying a CST-24 from Thomann. It was new, not B-stock, and I wanted to see if the PRS shape worked for me. The guitar arrived with a twisted neck, and I could not adjust out the problem. I tried to start the return process and Thomann dragged me down a ridiculous months-long customer support rabbit hole full of questions a 5 year old might come up with trying to diagnose the issue. It was pretty obvious they did not want to pay for a return from the US, and were just throwing things at the wall to see if anything stuck. It took months, and they even made me shop my own return shipping, and a few more ugly wrinkles, but I got the return done after literally months. It was so bad I vowed to never buy anything from Thomann again. I had heard good return stories, but they were from Europe. So I guess Thomann really just hates US customers who return bad gear. In my opinion, they wouldn't have that problem if they had decent QC.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and I decided to give the HB brand another shot, just not Thomann... I bought an MS-60 from Guitar Center Used that was supposed to be in "great" condition. It arrived with a broken trem, missing trem arm, and a wiring problem causing loud 60 cycle hum even with both pickups turned off. So I returned it, dismayed because it looked decent and the neck was fine. If the trem wasn't broken, I might have kept it because I would have handled the electronics modding the guitar anyway. I don't even know how one of these tremolo units gets broken - they're welded. Yet the trem collet has somehow freed itself and fallen into the cavity.

So I think Thomann cuts too many corners. If you don't kiln-dry your wood, some necks will be twisted. If you buy the cheapest parts you can source, some will break when they shouldn't. If you don't QC, you'll get a lot more returns. These problems are Thomann's own doing. And if you're in the US like I am, Thomann won't like you trying to return bad products.

Steadyriot. wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 1:21 pm

I have one (cst24), they’re okay. About the quality you’d expect from an Epiphone for slightly less money. If you want something offset in the US I’d sooner buy a Squier or Puresalem if I were you..

distressed wrote: ↑

Wed May 10, 2023 9:20 am

Friend of mine bought JA-60 a month ago, and I must admit it came far better out of the box than my Squier JM 40th anniversary. Really nice neck (slightly chunkier and D profile, which I like) and fretwork, very decent hottish pickups., ready to play without a major setup. He equipped it with cheap classic JM bridge and trem from AliExpress (30 euros both, including shipping), and it works like a charm. I'm seriously considering buying one just for the neck, to put it on my Squier (it has modern C profile, tad chunkier than CV Squiers but not enough for me, and narrow tall frets which I don't like).

BatUtilityBelt wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 9:44 am

Funny, I just found offsetguitars from your post, looking for insights into the whole Harley Benton thing. I just joined because I definitely have an offset guitar lean and the forum is probably a good place to relate. But on the HB thing...

Short: If you're in Europe, it's probably worth trying out with little risk, but if you're on another continent, look out!

Now I can explain that better. I am in the US, so buying from Thomann is not impossible, but comes with much higher shipping. Back in 2017, I stuck my toe in the Harley Benton pool buying a CST-24 from Thomann. It was new, not B-stock, and I wanted to see if the PRS shape worked for me. The guitar arrived with a twisted neck, and I could not adjust out the problem. I tried to start the return process and Thomann dragged me down a ridiculous months-long customer support rabbit hole full of questions a 5 year old might come up with trying to diagnose the issue. It was pretty obvious they did not want to pay for a return from the US, and were just throwing things at the wall to see if anything stuck. It took months, and they even made me shop my own return shipping, and a few more ugly wrinkles, but I got the return done after literally months. It was so bad I vowed to never buy anything from Thomann again. I had heard good return stories, but they were from Europe. So I guess Thomann really just hates US customers who return bad gear. In my opinion, they wouldn't have that problem if they had decent QC.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and I decided to give the HB brand another shot, just not Thomann... I bought an MS-60 from Guitar Center Used that was supposed to be in "great" condition. It arrived with a broken trem, missing trem arm, and a wiring problem causing loud 60 cycle hum even with both pickups turned off. So I returned it, dismayed because it looked decent and the neck was fine. If the trem wasn't broken, I might have kept it because I would have handled the electronics modding the guitar anyway. I don't even know how one of these tremolo units gets broken - they're welded. Yet the trem collet has somehow freed itself and fallen into the cavity.

So I think Thomann cuts too many corners. If you don't kiln-dry your wood, some necks will be twisted. If you buy the cheapest parts you can source, some will break when they shouldn't. If you don't QC, you'll get a lot more returns. These problems are Thomann's own doing. And if you're in the US like I am, Thomann won't like you trying to return bad products.

Twang Deluxe wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 14, 2023 12:35 pm

How are these Roswell pickups?

• if you are in Europe, it is really a no brainer, you can just order it and try it out. if you don't like it, it goes back. if you are in the US, you can probably re-sell it for the same money.

• do not get their cheapest models, unless you really want them (for modding or as a very cheap guitar). the middle/higher priced ones, they are all pretty good: apart from the 3 which I own, I tried and owned at least 5 of them. out of my experience, only one had problems with the neck, Thomann replaced it immediately without problems

• unless you buy expensive guitars (sometimes not even...), I do not think you can get a better quality control

GilmourD wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 14, 2023 3:32 pm

I'm asking this from the point of view of a former Guitar Center employee...

You trusted Guitar Center??? And somehow still find Thomann to be at fault???