Harley Benton And The Hard Luck Kings. Who Are These Guys?

 

Harley Benton and The Hard Luck Kings

Just about every time I get on any social media platform I am deluged with advertisements for guitars offered by Harley Benton and The Hard Luck Kings. Who are these guys? 

Is there an actual guy named Harley Benton? And what about those Hard Luck Kings? There are times I could relate to those hard luck guys, but who the heck are they? Inquiring minds want answers, so I began a search for the truth. And here are the results. 

Thomann Farm in Bavaria

Harley Benton guitars are a brand created by one of the largest music retailer in Europe; Musikhaus Thomann. This company is located in the town of Treppendorf, and is a part of the village of Brurgebach, in the German state of Bavaria. 

Hans Thomann Sr and Family

In 1954  a Mister, or Herr Hans Thomann quit his job as a traveling musician. He was playing trumpet as a traveling musician, and he worked in some of Europe’s finest circuses. He also worked on his families farm. 

During the 1960’s Thomann began travelling throughout Germany to sell brass musical instruments. He eventually converted part of his farm house and barn into a music showroom. 

Thomann Hot Deals

By the early 1990’s he began printing out flyers with “Hot Deals” and distributing them through the mail.  The company's goal was to offer quality musical instruments at great prices.

In 1997 the company created it’s internet site and store, which helped bypass Germany’s BTX postal system. 

By 1998 the company acquired RoadStar, which was Europe’s largest mail order music retailer. I remember RoadStar advertisements during those days.

That same year the family's home was sold which allowed the company to create a larger facility. 

By 1999 the first call center was opened. 

In 2003 a new logistic center was built. Since then the company has continued to grow and win awards ever since. And it continues to be run as a family business and has been run by Hans Thomann Jr since 1997. 

Harley Benton Bluegrass
Instruments

Musikhaus Thomann has created many of their own brands of musical instruments, and among them are Harley Benton stringed instruments. 

These include student grade guitars and basses, also mandolins,banjos, lap steels, electric violins, and harmonicas. Thomann offers other brands as well including Epiphone, Gretsch, Dusenberg, Gibson, Fender, and Maton.

Harley Benton Guitars

However Harley Benton instruments are the house brand and they are built in Asian countries that include Vietnam, China, and Indonesia. I am told that the best Harley Benton models are built in Vietnam. 

The company is very conscientious about quality control and applies the same standards that Fender, Epiphone, Ibanez and other companies do for quality standards. 

I am told that some Harley Benton models are heavy, although the bodies are generally made of basswood or Sapele (which in m opinion is rather heavy when compared to Mahogany).

Harley Benton Guitars

I am also told that the neck radius is rather flat. I own a classical guitar which also has a flat radius. Most of my other instruments have a 12” radius, although my first guitar, a ‘57 Stratocaster, had a very round 9” radius. 

It is also said that the newer Harley Benton instruments are superior to the older ones. The company goes the extra mile to make certain the frets are properly dressed, and the electronics are in good order. 

Harley Benton DIY Kits

The guitars are relatively inexpensive, and the company even offers DIY kits for those who want to customize their instrument. 

I will put in this caveat. There are some great reviews for Harley Benton guitars, and there are some negative reviews. I am told that if you are dissatisfied with your purchase, the company will return your money. The company moto is the customer is always right.

 

Harley Benton Tube 15

Harley Benton also offers several low power amplifiers and speaker cabinets. And the company aslo offers guitar effect pedals. One of the pluses is that you are buying directly from the manufacturer.

 Now, who the heck are those Hard Luck Kings? 

Hard Luck Kings was founded by Southern California resident Mark Goldstein, who’s said to have a  passion for rebel culture and rock n roll.

Hard Luck Kings

This led in 2010 him to create a unique guitar company. His vision was to create guitars that are conducive to punk, rock, or country, and convey a sort of rebel image. 

Goldstein was a vice president for DW Drums prior to starting Hard Luck Kings. He says his company now offers several different guitar models including the Bossman, Bombshell, Southern Belle, Spider, Fat Daddy bass and the Lady Luck.

All of our guitars are traditional body designs, however each has it’s own custom fret marker. 

Chop Chop Strat &
Coupe DeVille LP

They also offer a Chop Shop series that include Rosewood fretboards, and the Coupe DeVille series that come with Ebony fretboards. 

Goldstein says that Hard Luck Kings is purposely underpricing the competition considering you’re getting the guitar which we professionally set up, and we pay shipping costs in the USA and Canada. The company also offers guitar cases at reasonable prices. 

He says he is constantly get told by consumers & pro’s who receive our gear that our prices are way too low. However, in these rough economic times we’re trying to give the consumer a great value at a fair price. 

Everything Hardl Luck Kings offers is currently available online at http://hardluckkings.com or you can check the “Dealers” section on our site. 

We also recently loaded our apparel into one of the Southern California’s premiere Harley Davidson Dealerships, Barger Harley Davidson. 

Hard Luck Kings Series 21

The company is currently working on some HLK Kustoms which are our guitar models with custom paint jobs and and real high end components. 

Hard Luck Kings Acoustics

Goldstein's company also offers acoustic guitars.  They offer some clearance guitars and basses at very low prices.

Goldstein is proud of the fact that he has never run an ad in a print magazine, and has a large following on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/hardluckkings.

Click on the links under the pictures for sources. Click on the links in the text for further information.

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