# Harley Benton Fanfret 5B DLX 5? - what happened to them?



## lewis (Jul 28, 2017)

i mean its awesome!!! look at it


















anyone grab one? and also know why thomann dont seem to sell them or any other FF basses anymore?


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## GenghisCoyne (Jul 30, 2017)

http://www.rondomusic.com/product9339.html

theeeerrrre ya go


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## exo (Jul 30, 2017)

Not quite. OP is asking about a fanned fret bass, not straight scale......


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## GenghisCoyne (Jul 30, 2017)

email kurt, its the same bass. maybe theyre coming out


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## exo (Jul 30, 2017)

OP is also a non US resident making Rondo a poor choice, hence the question specifically about the HB........


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## exo (Jul 31, 2017)

also not "the same bass", neck joint is substantially different. Found a YouTube review of it, here's a screen capture of the back.....


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## lewis (Sep 8, 2017)

emailed thomann about these.

Told "Discontinued sadly. Never coming back"

EURGH  shortest FF bass lineup ever?. The only small hope is they said the exact same thing regards to their 6,7 and 8 fanned fret guitar line but then brought them all back anyway.

Hopefully they do the same with these. beautiful basses for amazing money. I want one so bad.


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## welsh_7stinger (Sep 17, 2017)

lewis said:


> emailed thomann about these.
> 
> Told "Discontinued sadly. Never coming back"
> 
> ...



Sorry for the relatively off topic post. But there was news that harley benton/thomann will be releasing a fan version of their r-457/r-458 guitars either later this year or start of next year. No news on a new line of fanned basses though


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## lewis (Sep 18, 2017)

welsh_7stinger said:


> Sorry for the relatively off topic post. But there was news that harley benton/thomann will be releasing a fan version of their r-457/r-458 guitars either later this year or start of next year. No news on a new line of fanned basses though


ah nice. More affordable multiscales is fine by me.
I loved the stealth look of those but I hate pickup rings so that was a downer. Also the neck heel seemed too blocky and uncomfy too but at those prices you cant really complain.

I just want a damn multiscale bass though haha


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## Rizzo (Aug 11, 2018)

I heard they have some new lines of basses in the works. Maybe some fanned too, YNK. We'll have to wait


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## Esp Griffyn (Aug 13, 2018)

Looks like cheap Chinese crap tbh. I remember Thomann selling HB basses marked as "decoration only", says a lot about the brand.

If you buy cheap, you buy twice. Invest in a quality instrument.


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## Lindmann (Aug 13, 2018)

In the guitar world you always buy twice, regardless of the price.


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## I play music (Aug 13, 2018)

Esp Griffyn said:


> Looks like cheap Chinese crap tbh. I remember Thomann selling HB basses marked as "decoration only", says a lot about the brand.
> 
> If you buy cheap, you buy twice. Invest in a quality instrument.


In what way does it say a lot about the brand to sell instruments as "decoration only" if they fail quality control? Would you rather have them destroy them despite people actually wanting them to practice things like fret levelling or whatever?


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 13, 2018)

I play music said:


> In what way does it say a lot about the brand to sell instruments as "decoration only" if they fail quality control? Would you rather have them destroy them despite people actually wanting them to practice things like fret levelling or whatever?



Who decides if it's a decoration or "good"? 

I rather not gamble on how good at thier job they are. 

But, as long as the return policy is solid (which given the location I'm sure it is), and the buyer understands, I'm all for it.


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## I play music (Aug 13, 2018)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Who decides if it's a decoration or "good"?


Thomann's quality control. 


MaxOfMetal said:


> I rather not gamble on how good at thier job they are.


So how do you have trust in other quality controls but not that of Thomann?


MaxOfMetal said:


> But, as long as the return policy is solid (which given the location I'm sure it is), and the buyer understands, I'm all for it.


For European stores selling stuff that is not custom made especially for you there is a solid return policy _by law_. Whatever you buy from shoes to guitars you always have the right to try it and send it back no questions asked if you don't like it.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 13, 2018)

I play music said:


> Thomann's quality control.
> 
> So how do you have trust in other quality controls but not that of Thomann?



I'm just saying that it's subject to the same human errors as just about all manufacturers and retailers. 

I can see how that might bother some folks, that they have a consistent stock of "bad" ones, and might be shy on pulling the trigger because of it. 

I know I would probably think twice about buying something, anything, from a shop that constantly advertises it's rejects. 

Again, the return policy is rock solid, so as long as everyone knows the risk, and given what folks have posted receiving from HB, there is risk, I'm all for it.


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## I play music (Aug 13, 2018)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I'm just saying that it's subject to the same human errors as just about all manufacturers and retailers.
> 
> I can see how that might bother some folks, that they have a consistent stock of "bad" ones, and might be shy on pulling the trigger because of it.
> 
> ...


I really like the idea of selling the rejects for a stupid low price. Some hobby luthiers might still be able to make a solid instrument out of it so less trash caused which is always a good thing. Also little money is better than no money meaning a reject is less of a loss for Thomann allowing more rejects (causing better quality) or lower price for the customer. 
Maybe they should just put a stamp on the back of the headstock that clearly marks them as "deco" models so no one buys them and sells them used like normal models. Don't know if they're already doing this.


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