Harley Benton has launched the latest in its Custom Line of acoustic guitars, the CLF-100E. Parlour-sized with a bound solid Sitka spruce top, it's another very attractive beginner acoustic from the behemoth of budget-friendly gear.
We particularly like the square-ended slotted-headstock and open-gear tuners, which gives it a sort of hybrid look, or given how vivid your imagination is, a wee touch of the Depression Era Martin. Okay, now we are getting carried away...
But just look at the pictures below – this is a handsome little acoustic, and it arrives at a time when the market for small-bodied acoustics has never been hotter.
From blues and open chords to alternate tunings – we've got you covered here
The CLF-100E's solid spruce top is complemented by laminated mahogany on the back and sides. A tidy little HB-03 preamp system is mounted on the guitar's shoulder, offering a three-band EQ, phase control, volume and an onboard tuner. Its piezo pickup is mounted in the time-honoured fashion under the saddle.
With a 24.72" scale, the CLF-100E should have a comfortable feel but it should feel very much like a grown-up guitar. This is no toy. The fingerboard is laurel, matching the bridge, and is bound with ivory ABS (or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene to give it its full Sunday title), and topped with 19 frets. It has a nyatoh neck and a 43mm bone nut.
The gold hardware and high-gloss lacquer puts the finishing touches on what is a very nice little instrument, even more so for retailing for just £128 through Thomann. For more details, see Harley Benton.
