2023 Harley Benton "Bendoline" Octave 12-String Electric Guitar

July 19, 2023

2023 Harley Benton "Bendoline" Octave 12-String Electric Guitar

My friend Rob bought this brand-new this year in the winter. He was on a 12-string kick and thought this would be perfect as a little buddy. The thing is, Rob plays mostly chordal backing for his songs and fingerpicks ferociously, so something like this which is much-more suited to either melody/lead playing (mandolin-style) or two-or-three-note chord-chopping clusters was never going to suit his playing-style. I knew it was only a matter of time before it came back for resale!

Anyhow, at the time he received it, I went through it and gave it a painstaking setup as the factory setup was truly awful. It's now playing bang-on and quick, but I have to say it does suffer -- like all of these octave-pitched guitars, 6 or 12-string -- from the fact that it feels cramped if you're a cowboy-chord or closed-position-chord guitar player. There are just certain positions that will feel uncomfortable if you're planning to use this in that capacity. It's much better used for picking lead, melody, or little fill lines and in this capacity it can do great stuff to lift a composition -- flitting in and out in the role you might fit a mandolin, Cuban tres, or Puerto Rican cuatro.

Repairs included: a good setup.

Weight: 5 lbs 6 oz

Scale length: 15 1/2"

Nut width: 1 7/8"

Neck shape: medium full C

Board radius: flat

Body width: 9 1/2"

Body depth: 1 5/8"

Body wood: basswood

Bridge: 12-string hardtail

Fretboard: rosewood-like

Neck wood: maple