Harley Benton EX-84 Modern EMG VW

I've played with over 50 guitars in my whole life. This guitar is the one that made me fall in love with the first hit. Great sound, very high quality and features and in a price that almost anyone could afford it.
The only negative thing (but that's totally subjective) is the action that is a little higher than I would liked it to be.
Although higher action in the fretboard is perfect for low-tuning (Drop C and lower), cause you can feel the vibrations across the neck and the body.
A total value for money guitar and great choice especially for James Hetfield-Metallica fans.

I may start this review by saying I am not a gear head per se. I love gear, and I collect it but I know very little about it, I just know what I like. I have two Gibson Les Pauls, Fender Lite Ash Korea, Peavy Quilt Top EVH and so on. I'm a classical guitarist by trade and have spent by far the most money on my classical guitar (custom luthier built). So again, no expert, but I've played a few.

I've used Harley Benton twice, for exactly the reason most people do- to experiment with a fantasy guitar without spending outrageous money. My first was in 2004, a seven string, which I still play and rather like. This new one though, is in another class altogether.

As a massive Maiden, Metallica fan, (Smith and Hetfield respectively) I've always wanted an Explorer but wouldn't have had a daily use for one. Along comes the HB EX-84 EMG.

Well Holy God, this thing is a monster. As well made as any guitar I've ever played and could hold its own with guitars five times the price. The fretboard is like butter. Strung with .10s I have no issue switching between this and my nylon strings. Beautiful finish, no sharp edges or rough patches. Looks amazing, plays like a dream. Flatters me beyond belief! As for the EMG pick-ups.... pchow! Mind. Blown.

As I say, I'm no expert but I value quality, sound, aesthetics and playability. Sometimes I wish I'd broken the bank on a high-end Ibanez, PRS or suchlike- my classical cost over €6,500 so I'm no Scrooge. However, I can honestly say I'm not sure if that's necessary any more. If you are a true connoisseur, by all means shell out for the big guns, but Harley Benton are on to a winner with this one.

I've seen the price of my Peavey increase, and the Lite Ash might just become a dark horse classic. I firmly believe the same will happen with this guitar- it's a stone cold classic. Buy one before they sell out...

I'm a James Hetfield fan since I was a kid, and I'll always loved the explorer's guitars, so I can say that buying this guitar was like a dream come true to me.

First, let's take care about the elephant in the room, the bad stuff.

It has a little cosmetic issue near the nut (wasn't fully painted on that point), but nothing too big or visible.

Now let's talk about the good stuff of the guitar.

The setup is correct, but you may had to adjust the truss rod and the action to fit your personal taste.

I was very surprised with the weight of the guitar, is very light for the shape. Also the neck dive is not as bad as I though it could be (I'm wearing a leather strap). and I think is a little less longer than a Gibson or ESP, but still great.

The pictures didn't make justice to the beautiful color, is like a white that makes me remember the old Hetfield's Explorers.

The sound is great, was very pleased with the EMGs pickups, they do the work. I also used the guitar on stage and was great.

I'm totally satisfied with my guitar, as I've already said, it is a dream come true for me, is also very affordable and I think on that price tag is unbeatable comparing the tech specs with other guitar on the market.

Probably I will give the opportunity to some Harley Benton SC on the near future.

Keep up the great work guys!

First of all, I’d like to thank Frank, who handled my order and customer service with great care, and replied to all my emails. Also, thanks to Thomann for the overall service.

Expectations and Setup

Before buying this guitar, I did a lot of research—I read everything I could find and watched tons of videos, so I knew exactly what to expect. That’s why I paid extra for the setup service. It added some wait time, but in the end, it was worth it. You even receive a link with pictures of the work being done.

Keep in mind: this is a low-budget, mass-produced guitar, so don’t expect it to be flawless. Still, I was lucky—my guitar came immaculate. I waited about a month for delivery, plus 4–5 days for the quality control process.

First Impressions

Overall, the guitar is fantastic. There is some neck dive, and unfortunately, the EMG pickups are not solderless. However, the design is stunning—the body shape is awesome, and the finish looks amazing. There are a few tiny black dots under the paint, like dust particles, but they’re only noticeable up close. Nothing major.

Sound and Playability

The pickups sound excellent. The EMG 81 is super aggressive, and the EMG 60 paired with delay effects (especially using Guitar Rig 7, Guitar Rig 5, or Archetype Gojira) is perfect for solos.

The neck on my simple Kramer Baretta Special is actually thinner and better for shredding—1000x better in that regard—but the EX-84’s neck is still good. I thought it would be thicker, but it’s quite fast and smooth to play.

Modifications and Hardware Feedback

To reduce neck dive, I used a Neotech Mega Strap Long. I’ve used it before—it’s smooth and non-slip, great for long playing sessions. It helped a lot. When I play without a t-shirt, the strap completely solves the neck dive. I also added Harley Benton Security Locks for extra safety.

In the future, I plan to relocate the strap button to the back of the neck joint (centered), which should eliminate the neck dive entirely. But for now, it’s manageable.

I read that the EX-84 used to come with Grover tuners, but mine came with stock tuners that are imprecise and don’t hold tuning well. After just 1 hour of playing, I gave up and installed Gotoh SG381-07 MG-T Locking Tuners. They fit (though the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd were a bit short), but they work well and improved tuning stability a lot. Not perfect, but good enough for over an hour of solid playing. Highly recommended—just consider a slightly longer model if possible.

As for the bridge, the WSC Tune-O-Matic does the job, but I didn’t like it. Even with the tech’s setup to avoid fret buzz, the action was too high. I lowered everything myself, and now it’s perfect—there’s a slight buzz when unplugged, but nothing noticeable when plugged in. Eventually, I’ll replace it with a Gotoh bridge.

Strings and Tuning

Out of the box, I applied lemon oil to the fretboard and used Fast Fret on the strings. However, I quickly replaced the stock strings with DR Strings Alexi Laiho 10–56. I didn’t like them much—they’re a bit too thick for the nut. In the future, I’ll go with a max of 10–52 or maybe even 10–46.

For D Standard tuning (Godsmack, BFMV, Destruction), it sounds brutally heavy—pure evil in tone! But as I mentioned, I’ll switch to lighter strings for better balance and fit.

Final Thoughts and Future Plans

To sum it up: this guitar is a workhorse, a true metal machine. I’m really impressed. The body shape, frets, and gloss finish are beautiful. It’s already become my daily-use electric guitar. I can’t stop looking at it—it literally makes me smile every time I pick it up.

If you’re considering it: don’t waste time—get one (but definitely add locking tuners!).

Looking ahead, I plan to:
• Replace the bridge in 6–7 months
• Install stainless steel frets in 3–4 years
That’ll be it for mods. After that, I’m aiming to buy a higher-end explorer-style guitar—maybe a Schecter E-1 Evil Twin FR, LTD Snakebite, Solar, or even a Gibson.