Harley Benton TE-80 NT Deluxe Series

This is not a fantastic guitar, but if you (like me) want a base for a DIY Mad Cat, it's a perfect start. I bought it as a Mad Cat clone project. If you scrap the hardware, and install a Gotoh GTC102 Hardtail Bridge, Gotoh SG360 Machine Heads, upgrade the pots and the capacitor, and maybe some Fender TC knobs, and a TopHat selector tip, get rid of that dreadful bacon/meat colored pickguards, that does not follow the contour of the guitar body (you will have to make new pickguards you self, cause it's not possible to buy some that fits), then you actually have a dissent looking and sounding Mad Cat clone, for a fraction of the price of the real deal. It's a fun and reasonable cheap project. I did the build for less then ¤ 100,- + the guitar price, tools not included.

I wasn't expecting much, since this is a very cheap guitar. But I must say im, very disappointet. There was a flaw in the body with the size of 1 cm, and I those to live with that. I had some problems tuning the guitar, so I took off the neck and found out that it was all twistet. It wasn't straight at all. Even though its cheap its not worth the money.

I called Thomann and explained the problems, and they were very helpfull, even though it was 2 months after i bought the guitar. I returned the guitar and got a new one, hoping it was a little bit better, but sadly its about the same.

In the future I will mod the guitar with a new neck and electronics, so in time Im sure I will be happy with it.