Harley Benton CLA-15M SolidWood or CLA-15MCE SolidWood

SlopeSoarer · March 2023

Does anyone have experience of the Thomann Harley Benton CLA-15M SolidWood or CLA-15MCE SolidWood acoustics? If yes what are your thoughts? Comfort? Quality? Sound?

I currently have a Faith Natural Saturn (dreadnought) and a Faith Nomad Mini Saturn (travel size) guitar. I love them both for different reasons but find myself picking up the Mini Saturn much more than the full size Saturn, just comfort and easy to pick up really.

I'm really trying to find a Jack of all trades to fit somewhere in between my two current acoustics at a good price... scratching an itch.

The HB CLA-15M SolidWood, I just love the classic looks.

The HB CLA-15MCE SolidWood, I like that it has a pickup system (more features) which the other doesn't.

The real issue is I want a mid size acoustic between what I currently have. Will an auditorium size guitar feel much of a reduction in size of a dreadnought? Or will it feel to similar? Should I really be considering more like a parlour size to truly fit between the other two? HB do a CLP-15ME SolidWood but it is 0-12 frets, heart of hearts I'm looking for a 0-14.

Away from HB the Cort Core PE (parlour, 0-14) also interests me.

The sound will be different, which I see as a good thing (as long as it is a good sound) as I won't be getting rid of either of the other acoustics.

The obvious answer is to go and try different guitars, it isn't that easy in Anglesey and obviously I can't try the Harley Benton without buying.

Thoughts on a postcard:-)

Oh basically I'm a strummer who dabbles in flat and finger picking.

sev112 · March 2023

Depends where the wood comes from

if they can’t tell you then maybe it’s neither if that matters to you when they can’t/won’t tell you

Politics aside, I have 2 GA s which don’t seem at all different size wise to my Dreadnaught?
But one the GAs has a 1 11/16 nut and the other 1 12/16 nut and they feel really different

SlopeSoarer · March 2023

Yeah I have wondered about the HB wood, my gut feeling is it will be fine.

I think I'm more likely to be concerned that the size is too similar to my dread and not quite scratching my itch.

Nut width is another thought, I'm interested in trying 45mm (which HB isn't).

When I'm back up in busy land... Manchester way I'm going to have to browse some different sizes:-)

guitarjack66 · March 2023

SlopeSoarer said:

Does anyone have experience of the Thomann Harley Benton CLA-15M SolidWood or CLA-15MCE SolidWood acoustics? If yes what are your thoughts? Comfort? Quality? Sound?

I currently have a Faith Natural Saturn (dreadnought) and a Faith Nomad Mini Saturn (travel size) guitar. I love them both for different reasons but find myself picking up the Mini Saturn much more than the full size Saturn, just comfort and easy to pick up really.

I'm really trying to find a Jack of all trades to fit somewhere in between my two current acoustics at a good price... scratching an itch.

The HB CLA-15M SolidWood, I just love the classic looks.

The HB CLA-15MCE SolidWood, I like that it has a pickup system (more features) which the other doesn't.

The real issue is I want a mid size acoustic between what I currently have. Will an auditorium size guitar feel much of a reduction in size of a dreadnought? Or will it feel to similar? Should I really be considering more like a parlour size to truly fit between the other two? HB do a CLP-15ME SolidWood but it is 0-12 frets, heart of hearts I'm looking for a 0-14.

Away from HB the Cort Core PE (parlour, 0-14) also interests me.

The sound will be different, which I see as a good thing (as long as it is a good sound) as I won't be getting rid of either of the other acoustics.

The obvious answer is to go and try different guitars, it isn't that easy in Anglesey and obviously I can't try the Harley Benton without buying.

Thoughts on a postcard:-)

Oh basically I'm a strummer who dabbles in flat and finger picking.

The Auditorium size is pretty much a dreadnought,barring a cm or three. I found this out myself.

SlopeSoarer · March 2023

guitarjack66 said:

SlopeSoarer said:

Does anyone have experience of the Thomann Harley Benton CLA-15M SolidWood or CLA-15MCE SolidWood acoustics? If yes what are your thoughts? Comfort? Quality? Sound?

I currently have a Faith Natural Saturn (dreadnought) and a Faith Nomad Mini Saturn (travel size) guitar. I love them both for different reasons but find myself picking up the Mini Saturn much more than the full size Saturn, just comfort and easy to pick up really.

I'm really trying to find a Jack of all trades to fit somewhere in between my two current acoustics at a good price... scratching an itch.

The HB CLA-15M SolidWood, I just love the classic looks.

The HB CLA-15MCE SolidWood, I like that it has a pickup system (more features) which the other doesn't.

The real issue is I want a mid size acoustic between what I currently have. Will an auditorium size guitar feel much of a reduction in size of a dreadnought? Or will it feel to similar? Should I really be considering more like a parlour size to truly fit between the other two? HB do a CLP-15ME SolidWood but it is 0-12 frets, heart of hearts I'm looking for a 0-14.

Away from HB the Cort Core PE (parlour, 0-14) also interests me.

The sound will be different, which I see as a good thing (as long as it is a good sound) as I won't be getting rid of either of the other acoustics.

The obvious answer is to go and try different guitars, it isn't that easy in Anglesey and obviously I can't try the Harley Benton without buying.

Thoughts on a postcard:-)

Oh basically I'm a strummer who dabbles in flat and finger picking.

The Auditorium size is pretty much a dreadnought,barring a cm or three. I found this out myself.

Were you happy or underwhelmed?

guitarjack66 · March 2023

SlopeSoarer said:

guitarjack66 said:

SlopeSoarer said:

Does anyone have experience of the Thomann Harley Benton CLA-15M SolidWood or CLA-15MCE SolidWood acoustics? If yes what are your thoughts? Comfort? Quality? Sound?

I currently have a Faith Natural Saturn (dreadnought) and a Faith Nomad Mini Saturn (travel size) guitar. I love them both for different reasons but find myself picking up the Mini Saturn much more than the full size Saturn, just comfort and easy to pick up really.

I'm really trying to find a Jack of all trades to fit somewhere in between my two current acoustics at a good price... scratching an itch.

The HB CLA-15M SolidWood, I just love the classic looks.

The HB CLA-15MCE SolidWood, I like that it has a pickup system (more features) which the other doesn't.

The real issue is I want a mid size acoustic between what I currently have. Will an auditorium size guitar feel much of a reduction in size of a dreadnought? Or will it feel to similar? Should I really be considering more like a parlour size to truly fit between the other two? HB do a CLP-15ME SolidWood but it is 0-12 frets, heart of hearts I'm looking for a 0-14.

Away from HB the Cort Core PE (parlour, 0-14) also interests me.

The sound will be different, which I see as a good thing (as long as it is a good sound) as I won't be getting rid of either of the other acoustics.

The obvious answer is to go and try different guitars, it isn't that easy in Anglesey and obviously I can't try the Harley Benton without buying.

Thoughts on a postcard:-)

Oh basically I'm a strummer who dabbles in flat and finger picking.

The Auditorium size is pretty much a dreadnought,barring a cm or three. I found this out myself.

Were you happy or underwhelmed?

Unhappy as I wanted a fair bit smaller.

bertie · March 2023

one thing I have "found" with smaller guitars, the cutaway can make a big difference in unplugged tone (you're losing a larger %age of the sound box !!)

Jez6345789 · March 2023

I have covered this before but
I bought the HB version of a Mahogany GS mini as a cheap interest project one Christmas.

So the good points are its all solid wood despite what they say.
The setup was actually way better than the Taylor GSmini
The tuners were worse but functional
The neck is an interesting V the rest of the external dimensions and shape are a straight copy of a GS Mini.

What was interesting is all the internals are spot on 20% heavier built than a gs mini. From top thickness to the X bracing sizes its like someone said this is what a GS mini is we will just make everything 20% thicker to make it stronger and less chance of repair. Its so much 20% I don't think its accidental.

But for £99 quid its a solid travel/lap guitar just not quite as finessed or toneful as the Taylor. I have in the end got in and lightened the bracing which has at least put the bass into GS mini territory and made the trebles a little sweeter but it will need more.

As for budget guitars

I can vouch for the Vintage 300 a great mahogany 000 and mine has got better and better.
GS Mini are great if you can live with the smaller scale I love it but for some its a deal breaker.
I also have a Cort 000 with the Adirondack spruce top and its taken a little time to break in but its getting that nice dry woody tone.

I think we live in the best time for acoustic guitars most of the Asian factories are easily as good as US as the budget end

guitarjack66 · March 2023

Jez6345789 said:

I have covered this before but
I bought the HB version of a Mahogany GS mini as a cheap interest project one Christmas.

So the good points are its all solid wood despite what they say.
The setup was actually way better than the Taylor GSmini
The tuners were worse but functional
The neck is an interesting V the rest of the external dimensions and shape are a straight copy of a GS Mini.

What was interesting is all the internals are spot on 20% heavier built than a gs mini. From top thickness to the X bracing sizes its like someone said this is what a GS mini is we will just make everything 20% thicker to make it stronger and less chance of repair. Its so much 20% I don't think its accidental.

But for £99 quid its a solid travel/lap guitar just not quite as finessed or toneful as the Taylor. I have in the end got in and lightened the bracing which has at least put the bass into GS mini territory and made the trebles a little sweeter but it will need more.

As for budget guitars

I can vouch for the Vintage 300 a great mahogany 000 and mine has got better and better.
GS Mini are great if you can live with the smaller scale I love it but for some its a deal breaker.
I also have a Cort 000 with the Adirondack spruce top and its taken a little time to break in but its getting that nice dry woody tone.

I think we live in the best time for acoustic guitars most of the Asian factories are easily as good as US as the budget end

US 'factories' are not even in the US,I reckon. At best most will only assemble parts made elsewhere. Its like paying somebody to put together your flat pack furniture. You'll see a better job done but mostly it will make little difference.

SlopeSoarer · March 2023

Thanks @Jez6345789 you've surprised me there with the HB GS-Travel... really £95 for an all solid wood guitar! Why aren't they shouting this from the rooftops? The 20% thicker may also be because it is more difficult to cut the top, back and sides thinner? But whatever at £95 it is a bargain given your testimony.

Everyone mentions the Vintage V300 on here and do you know I completely forgot about it.

I don't know why but I have a soft spot for Cort's and I've never even owned one. I think I just regard them as a large respectable manufacturer and I like their own understated instruments.

If my Faith Nomad Mini Saturn was 0-14 frets rather than 0-12, I wouldn't even be looking as I otherwise love it.

As you say we live in best time for acoustic (I'd probably think any) guitars but in a way that doesn't make it any easier:-)

Kilgore · March 2023

Jez6345789 said:

I have covered this before but
I bought the HB version of a Mahogany GS mini as a cheap interest project one Christmas.

So the good points are its all solid wood despite what they say.

Thomann describe the current model as 'select Mahogany'. I find it very difficult to believe that it is solid wood at it's £95 price point. Manufacturers will invariably state if a budget guitar has a solid top. All solid for £95? Nah.

guitarjack66 · March 2023

I bought a 75 quid Thomann HB acoustic and it was sh@t! The top was so thin it looked more like cardboard than wood. I sold it on very quickly and it has put me off buying another HB acoustic,in all honesty. I really like the look and impressions of the V300 but the nut width is too skinny for me. Anything less than 43mm,and that's tight for me,is a no go.

SlopeSoarer · March 2023

Ha, ha cardboard top! I'm laughing because a mate of mine has a Crafter and that is exactly what I see when I look at it!

43mm nut is my minimum too.

To be honest I've been spoiled with my Faith guitars, they are solid wood construction and live up to there decent/good reputation.

With this in mind I do see even buying a solid top/ply sides and back as a backward step or am I wrong to think this way?

Jez6345789 · March 2023

As you say you have probably been spoilt by the Faith they have a sterling reputation not sure HB is the next step most people tend to go from Faith to one of the big brands although not sure you get that much more for going to a big brand,

SlopeSoarer · March 2023

No it feels like a backwards step and that's why I haven't done it so far but in the same token I'm not good enough for a big spend! On paper the HB make sense and I can see how direct sales mean Thomann can sell as cheaply as they do.

My normal MO with this sort of quandary is but used (and move on if after a few weeks I don't start bonding) but I can't say as I've come across any of the solid wood acoustics for sale. Either nobody buys them or they don't sell them. I suspect it's the later.

Really I want a 0-14 fret Faith Mercury or a 0-14 Nomad Mini Neptune but they don't make either:-)

bertie · March 2023

SlopeSoarer said:

No it feels like a backwards step

if budget allows. have a perusal of some Eastmans, then Furch

I had a Faith Mercury (bought off of Jalepeno of this parish) as my "travel guitar" - it was "ok" but soon became underwhelming and sold it

BillDL · March 2023

I would say that for £259 the CLA-15MCE will be a guitar that will be well built and finished, will have a nice mellow mahogany tone, and if it had one of the bigger brand's logos on the headstock would be priced probably around £370 or a bit more. It is probable that it may have very slightly rough fret ends that are perfectly playable without major discomfort but maybe a little annoying for perfectionists. It will likely have an action that is a bit higher than most of us prefer and nut slots that could do with being filed a little deeper, but you might be surprised. I've had enough Harley Benton acoustics and electrics to have a good idea what you are likely to get for your money.

Just as a matter of reference to "Solid Wood" when used by Thomann as part of a categorisation or naming convention. I have quite a few Harley Benton electrics and acoustics. Two of them are "Custom Line" and have the "S" in the model number and "Solid Wood" in the title, so the clear inference is "solid wood throughout". They definitely are solid wood throughout (walnut on one and "mahogany" on another), i.e. soundboard, sides and back, as opposed to only a solid wood top and laminate sides and back. One of those exact same models was bought, handled or seen by another member here at a later time and he remarked that his guitar had laminate back and sides but a solid top.

It is clear that when Harley Benton came up with their "Custom Line Solid Wood" range as a "premium" offering among their entire range, the name can remain but the spec can change, and "solid wood" might be retained to indicate solid top only. Notably the price of one of my guitars was lowered when the spec changed.

The guitar in question is the CLD-41SE WN (Custom Line, Dreadnought, modelled on a Martin D-41, S = Solid wood OR Sitka top, Electrics, Walnut back and sides, Natural finish). When I bought the guitar it definitely said "solid walnut body" in the specs (I screenshotted) and it IS. The same guitar now just says "walnut body", and from the other observer here it is now a laminate walnut. The "S" is therefore a little ambiguous when you compare what it refers to in the "Custom Line Solid Wood" range.

I should make it clear that I am not a "solid wood" snob. I have some all laminate and laminate back and sides guitars with solid tops that have exceptionally good tone, one being a Yamaha, one being a Fender, and one being a Sigma. The tone of the guitar is affected to a much lesser extent (if even perceptible at all) by the back and sides than the soundboard and structure of the guitar. I double quoted "mahogany" in the first paragraph simply because most wood described as mahogany in affordable and even mid-range acoustic guitars these days is not real mahogany, but rather one of the sustainable mahogany-like woods like "African Mahogany" which is most likely to be Khaya, Sapele or Okoume.

You can usually follow the specifications of a Harley Benton guitar by the alpha-numeric model number, for example:

CLA-15M Solid Wood: Custom Line, Auditorium size and shape, 15 range, "Mahogany" (solid OKOUME back, sides and top as opposed to the cheaper mahogany guitars described as "Solid Top")
CLA-15MCE Solid Wood: As above but with Cutaway and Electrics and description says "mahogany" but doesn't specify what mahogany-type wood.

CLC-650SM-CE BK Solid Wood: Custom Line, Concert size and shape, 650 range, Solid Mahohany, Cutaway Electric, Black top.

CLC-650SM-CE VS Solid Wood: same as above but Violin Sunburst or Vintage Sunburst top.

CLG-650SM-CE VS Solid Wood: same range, construction and finish, but "Grand Auditorium" size and shape.

The all "mahogany" guitars in the "15" range are all described as having solid wood on the bodies and soundboard, but given the earlier findings/observations it MAY be the case that specs could have changed and they might not be as quick to change the advertised specs. A mahogany soundboard guitar sounds quite different from spruce, cedar, maple, etc. They all sound different. A laminate soundboard with mahogany veneer to the outside still sounds different to a laminated spruce top, but with slightly less of a difference than if they were solid. I would hazard an educated guess and say that I think there will be more potential variances in solid "magogany" used for soundboards than in spruce, which is to say that I THINK it may be more common to get a slightly duff sounding mahogany top than a spruce one. That's just a guess based on some experience of handling both woods.

DavidR · March 2023

I think you'll find most parlour/OO size all-mahogany instruments have a 43mm'ish nut width or thereabouts. Just spent 30' looking for one with wider nut on interweb and couldn't find one at your price range. Someone will prove me wrong now I expect. These little all-mahogany instruments are very popular at present and there's a wide choice. One of them must be 45mm!

The nutwidth on my Vintage V300MH is 43mm. Just measured it.

Good hunting.

guitarjack66 · March 2023

DavidR said:

I think you'll find most parlour/OO size all-mahogany instruments have a 43mm'ish nut width or thereabouts. Just spent 30' looking for one with wider nut on interweb and couldn't find one at your price range. Someone will prove me wrong now I expect. These little all-mahogany instruments are very popular at present and there's a wide choice. One of them must be 45mm!

The nutwidth on my Vintage V300MH is 43mm. Just measured it.

Good hunting.

That 43mm nut width is interesting. I'm sure a reviewer described it as 'a bit cramped.' Is it maybe a narrower string spacing? This doesn't make sense to me though.

Dave_Mc · March 2023

SlopeSoarer said:

No it feels like a backwards step and that's why I haven't done it so far but in the same token I'm not good enough for a big spend! On paper the HB make sense and I can see how direct sales mean Thomann can sell as cheaply as they do.

My normal MO with this sort of quandary is but used (and move on if after a few weeks I don't start bonding) but I can't say as I've come across any of the solid wood acoustics for sale. Either nobody buys them or they don't sell them. I suspect it's the later.

Really I want a 0-14 fret Faith Mercury or a 0-14 Nomad Mini Neptune but they don't make either:-)

I've really liked most of the Faiths I've tried (and my sister has a Venus Hi-Gloss which is excellent), but I didn't really like the Mercury (and neither did she)- it was a bit honky-sounding. I really wanted to like it too, as a mainly electric player it was a lot comfier to play!

That's what I'd feel too about going for a laminate back/sides model when you already have all-solid Faiths- like you, I have no idea if that's fair or not, but it's what I would feel unless I tried an absolutely mind-blowing laminate guitar. And even then I'd be worried I might change my mind later!

I haven't tried the HBs unfortunately. A while back (I think I made a similar thread to you!) I was half-considering one but I chickened out. (I think the mahogany ones- apart from the ones which are specced as African Mahogany which is Khaya- are okume as @BillDL said.) It's a fair bit more money (and they were less when I got mine) but I eventually went for a Dowina, which is really good. As @bertie says, Furch is also worth a look as they're really good- similar idea to Dowina, Furch is Czech and Dowina is Slovakian, I think the main Dowina guy worked with Furch for a little while way back at the start, and probably Eastman too. I've only tried one which I didn't much like, but it was on offer and maybe there was a reason for that! I know they seem to be pretty well-regarded, Guitar Village has 20% off some models at the moment I think (but just check they're actually that much cheaper than everywhere else!)...

EDIT: I should probably add... my sister's Faith does compare favourably to my Dowina... I wouldn't want to say either is better. However... we tried an absolute bunch of Faiths before she bought hers, and while most were at least "pretty good", some were noticeably better than others. The one she bought had something about it from the very start- it's really a very, very nice one, the absolute pick of the maybe 15-20 we tried across several different shops. Whereas my Dowina was a random online purchase from MusicStore. I'm not sure (based on the Faiths we tried) a random Faith from a boxshifter* would be as nice as my Dowina, unless you got very, very lucky, kind of thing.

*Calling MusicStore a boxshifter is probably a bit unfair- mine came with a little sheet saying it had been played and tested etc., and to be fair the setup on it was really, really good. Maybe they're like that from the factory, but MusicStore did at least playtest it before sending it, which is more than you can say about a lot of the boxshifters where the box often hasn't even been opened...

SlopeSoarer · March 2023

I've just checked in to look and thanks for the informative replies. I'm away with friends but will digest the info later, your time and thoughts are appreciated!

Dave_Mc · March 2023

LOL at that clumsy sentence in my last post, I always LOL when someone else does it, I guess I'm guilty of it too

I meant that Eastman were worth a look too, not that the main Dowina guy worked for them! I think I added a bit to the middle of the sentence a bit later when I was writing the post, and forgot to re-read the sentence to make sure it still made sense!

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Harley Benton CLA-15M SolidWood or CLA-15MCE SolidWood

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