MusicRadar Verdict
If you’ve been on the fence about adding a 12-string to your lineup, the King-12 CE NT may just make the decision a little easier. This guitar looks the business, sounds great and is surprisingly playable – just be warned, all those tuning pegs make it very, very neck-heavy.
Pros
- +
Very affordable.
- +
Handsome good looks.
- +
Nice projection and top-end sparkle.
Cons
- -
The neck dive is very pronounced.
- -
Not as much bass as you'd expect.
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What is it?
We all know how much a great-sounding 12-string acoustic guitar can transform a recording, beef up a solo performance and even aid the songwriting process. There’s just something about a jumbo 12-string that makes you want to dig in and let rip with a big open chord. That said, purchasing a 12-string can feel like a wasted investment for those of us who may not use one for every session. Well, the Harley Benton Custom Line King-12 CE NT may well be the answer.
Harley Benton’s new addition to its popular Custom Line range is a full-bodied, maple-and-spruce, cutaway acoustic-electric designed to put that classic 12-string shimmer and jangle within reach of just about every guitarist. At first glance, you’ll notice its nod to the grand old king of the flat-tops, with more than a passing resemblance to Gibson’s SJ-200. The King-12 features a bold jumbo silhouette, a gloss natural finish, and enough binding and inlay to make you double-take at this price point.
Spec-wise, it’s loaded for bear. The top is solid spruce, while the back and sides are layered maple. The maple neck is capped with a rosewood fingerboard, and it joins the body at the 14th fret, while the large cutaway makes those upper frets fully accessible – even if you would be a little mad to attempt a solo on a 12-string.
Rather surprisingly, there’s a real bone nut and saddle on board, a Moustache-style rosewood bridge adorned with pearloid inlays, and multi-ply binding throughout the body and the neck completes the look. At the other end of the guitar is a dozen gold die-cast tuners proudly displayed on a rather massive headstock.
For plugging-in, the Fishman Presys-II preamp system gives you a built-in tuner, EQ controls, a phase switch and a volume knob, all conveniently mounted on the upper bout. With the Custom Line King-12 CE NT, Harley Benton is promising a big sound, big style, and big value, but is it too good to be true? I take it for a spin to find out.
Specs
- Launch price: £259/€297
- Made: China
- Body shape: Jumbo
- Body top: Solid spruce
- Top bracing: X-bracing
- Back & sides: Laminate maple
- Neck/shape: Maple
- Scale/length: 652 mm
- Nut/width: Bone, 48 mm
- Finish: Natural
- Bridge/pins: Plastic
- Tuning Machines: Gold die-cast
- Electronics: Fishman Presys-II with built-in tuner
- Weight: 2.5 kg (5.4 lbs)
- Case: None
- Left-handed options: Yes
- Contact: Harley Benton
Build quality
Build quality rating: ★★★★☆
I’m a big fan of the light maple aesthetic, and the gold hardware certainly pops when it catches the light.
First impressions count for a lot, and the King-12 CE NT definitely delivers when it comes to build quality. Straight out of the box, this 12-string feels reassuringly solid. I must say, it’s a handsomely good-looking guitar, too. I’m a big fan of the light maple aesthetic, and the gold hardware certainly pops when it catches the light. Okay, so there is maybe a little too much faux mother-of-pearl for my taste, but still, it looks the business.
The gloss natural finish is applied with care, with no dings, marks or unsightly blemishes to speak of. The pearloid inlays are neatly set, the bridge is well-seated, and all the hardware is properly aligned. Moving on to the fretwork, and I’m happy to report that all is right. They are tidy, with no sharp ends or uneven frets, which, let’s be honest, is not always a given at this price point. The nut and saddle are cut well, and the action straight from the factory is surprisingly comfortable, even for a 12-string.
Now, it’s worth mentioning that the King-12 is notably neck-heavy – like, very neck-heavy. The headstock, oversized to accommodate all twelve tuners, does pull the neck down when played, so you’ll want a grippy strap or a bit of adjustment to your playing position if you tend to stand.
Still, for a guitar that comes in at this price, the overall build is impressive, with a level of attention to detail that’s more than respectable.
Playability
Playability rating: ★★★★☆
The setup out of the box is surprisingly forgiving for a 12-string
A 12-string jumbo might look intimidating, but the King-12 CE NT goes out of its way to be pretty inviting. I’d say the neck profile feels like a comfortable modern C to my hands. It’s chunky enough to support the extra tension and width of twelve strings, but not so thick as to feel unwieldy for players used to just six. The 48mm nut width gives each string pair enough room to breathe, minimising the accidental muting that can plague narrower 12-string necks.
I must say, fret access is excellent, thanks to the generous cutaway, meaning you can get all the way up to the top frets without contorting your wrist. Not that I spend much time up there on an acoustic, never mind a 12-string.
The setup out of the box is surprisingly forgiving for a 12-string. The action is low enough for comfortable chording but high enough to keep buzz at bay. Intonation is solid, and the tuning stability is better than expected in this price range. Those gold die-cast tuners do their job well, and the bone nut certainly helps reduce friction for smoother tuning.
The only real downside is the aforementioned neck dive due to the heavy headstock, which is more noticeable when played standing, but still an issue even when I'm seated on the sofa.
Sounds
Sounds rating: ★★★★☆
Sound-wise, the King-12 CE NT delivers that unmistakable 12-string shimmer. Strum a big open G or D, and you’re instantly rewarded with a lush, chorus-like wash that’s both bright and pretty well-defined.
The solid spruce top ensures a punchy, projecting top end, while the layered maple back and sides keep the lows tight and the mids mellow. To my ears, this Harley Benton never gets boxy or muddy, even when you dig in with a heavy pick.
There’s a clear chime to each string pair, with just enough warmth to keep things musical, whether you’re accompanying vocals, layering in the studio, or filling out a band arrangement.
Now, despite its massive size, the lows are controlled and less pronounced than you might expect from a jumbo.
Now, despite its massive size, the lows are controlled and less pronounced than you might expect from a jumbo. Yes, this prevents the low-end muddiness that can plague larger-bodied guitars, but I can't help but want a little more out of this guitar.
Plugged in to an acoustic amp and audio interface the Fishman Presys-II system does a solid job of translating the acoustic sound. It should be a fairly familiar preamp to many players, having found its way into models from Epiphone and many more budget acoustic guitars. While it won’t win awards for the most natural or nuanced reproduction, it’s more than serviceable for open-mics, pub gigs or even a bit of recording in a home studio.
All in, the King-12 CE NT delivers a ton of jangle and sparkle, both unplugged and amplified, making it a fantastic addition to any guitarist’s arsenal.
Verdict
So, what’s the bottom line? Well, for me, the Harley Benton Custom Line King-12 CE NT is a bit of a unicorn. This is a 12-string that’s genuinely fun to play, looks the part, and won’t break the bank.
Sure, it’s a little neck-heavy, okay, a lot neck-heavy, but honestly, I can live with that as the build is solid, the playability is shockingly good for this price, and it sounds exactly like you want a 12-string to sound. For me, the King-12 sounds lush, sparkly, and actually kind of inspiring.
So, whether you’re beefing-up tracks in the studio, looking to spice-up your solo set, or just want to have that classic jangle in your collection, this guitar punches well above its weight.
Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
Build quality | Overall very well made, everything is neat and tidy. | ★★★★☆ |
Playability | Plays well, just be warned that the neck does want to dive. | ★★★★☆ |
Sounds | Tonally it's bright and pretty loud, but not as bass heavy as you'd expect from a jumbo. | ★★★★☆ |
Overall | Putting the neck dive to the side, we were pleasantly surprised with this affordable 12-string. | ★★★★☆ |
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