If you’re wondering if Harley Benton HB-20R is a good guitar amp or not, you’ve come to the right place! In today’s in-depth review, I’m going to take a very close look on that extremely affordable combo. It’s cheap and popular, but is it actually good?
The truth is that Harley Benton-20R offers a really good value for the money. It’s perfect for beginners and it gives you access to a lot of different tones. Although it’s not the best amp in the world, it’s definitely worth every cent!
Let’s dive deeper with research to find out what exactly makes the HB-20R amp so good and so popular among the guitarists all around the world. Firstly, we’ll start with a quick overview of the specifications of that model. Additionally, we’ll investigate the biggest pros and cons of that amp. There will also be a few sound demos included as well!
Specs & Pricing
Harley Benton HB-20R is a small, but extremely powerful guitar amplifier that exceeds all the expectations. In fact, it’s one of the most affordable amps that are currently manufactured by Harley Benton.
What makes it so special? Well, the combo features 20 Watts of power, a great sounding 8″ speaker, two individual channels (Clean & Overdrive), a 3-Band EQ and a built-in reverb effect.
What’s important, the HB-20R also features the heapdhone output and AUX input, so you can easily use them for playing backing tracks and practicing without annoying your neighbors.
The sound of this combo can be described as loud, punchy and really versatile. It has really nice and glassy cleans. The distorted tones could be better, but they’re not too bad either! On top of that, the 3-band EQ and the spring reverb give you access to even more interesting tones.
It is also worth mentioning that this combo is really well made and it doesn’t feel cheap at all. It’s also beginner-friendly, so even if you don’t know much about amps, you won’t have any problems while using it.
When it comes to pricing, it’s really cheap. This is one of the cheapest amps of this size that you can find on the market right now, so getting it won’t be a big problem for the vast majority of guitar players. It’s definitely worth every cent!
Here’s the sound demo.
Who Is It For?
Harley Benton HB-20R is suitable for guitarists of all levels, although it’s mostly recommended for beginners.
If you’re searching for your first guitar combo, choosing the HB-20R will be an excellent choice.
The truth is that if you’re just starting out, you don’t need any fancy gear. This amplifier gives you enough options to efficiently practice and develop your guitar skills.
What’s important, this is a pretty versatile combo, which means that it can be used for a lot of different styles of music. Whether you’re into blues, rock, country or grunge, the quality of that combo won’t disappoint you.
Since it’s a cheap combo, it’s also recommended for guitarists who don’t want to spend too much on new gear. If you’re on a tight budget, choosing the Harley Benton HB-20R is probably the most optimal option that you can choose.
Overall, I’m positive that the vast of amateur guitar players will really enjoy using and playing on that compact combo. You can’t expect it to be the best amp in the world, but it gets the job done.
Here’s an another sound demo.
Pros & Cons
Just like any other budget practice amp, Harley Benton HB-20R has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. However, it seems pretty clear that it has way more pros than cons!
Pros
- Perfect For Home Practice
- Cheap Price
- 3-Band EQ
- Built-in Reverb
- Pretty Loud!
Cons
- Poor Sound Quality While Using Headphones
- It’s Not Ideal For High-Gain
As you can see, there are a lot of things that can be considered as major advantages of that combo. It’s cheap, it sounds good, it’s loud and it offers a lot of tonal versatility thanks to the built-in reverb and a 3-Band EQ. How can you even argue with that?
On the other hand, this isn’t the best sounding combo in the world. It has pretty nice cleans, but the distorted tones could be better. Additionally, the sound quality while playing with the headphones isn’t the best either.
Nevertheless, bear in mind that this is a budget combo, so these cons are totally understandable. I still believe that Harley Benton HB-20R is one of the best cheap amps that you can possibly choose at this price level. And that’s why I love it!
My Thoughts About HB-20R
I have to admit that I’m a big fan of guitars and amps manufactured by Harley Benton. I’m always pleasantly surprised by the quality of their gear!
In my opinion, Harley Benton HB-20R is a fantastic combo, especially for the beginners. If you’re just starting out your musical journey, you should definitely consider getting it for yourself.
However, if you’re a bit more advanced guitar player, choosing something better and more versatile may be a better option for you. You’ll probably notice all the small flaws that aren’t relevant for beginners.
Still, I believe that there’s not much to complain about when it comes to this amp. It’s cheap and it does what it’s supposed to do. And that’s what really matters!
If you’d like to read more about that combo, feel free to check it out below on Thomann.
Alternative Options
If you don’t like the sound of the HB-20R combo and you have a feeling that it won’t be a good fit for you, that’s not a big deal! There’s still quite a lot of other affordable solid-state amps out there. Of course, choosing a new amp will depend on your own personal preferences and the size of your budget.
Here’s a few more amplifiers that are also worth checking out.
Firstly, make sure to check out Marshall MG10. This is one of the most popular small combos in the world. It’s simple to use and it gives you access to the classic Marshall tone. If you’re a fan of that iconic crunchy tone, you should definitely gives this amp a chance. There’s a high chance that you’re going to love it!
Alternatively, you can also consider getting the Fender Frontman 10G. This combo is very similar to the Marshall MG10 and Harley Benton HB-20R – it has two separate channels, so you can easily switch between the clean and overdrive. Similarly as these two other amps, it’s cheap and very popular. It may not be the best amp in the world, but it works perfectly for home practice.
If you’re searching for a bit more tonal versatility, perhaps you should also check out the Fender Champion 20. This particular model is a bit larger than Marshall MG10 and Fender Frontman 10G. In comparison with the Harley Benton HB-20R, it’s way more versatile thanks to the built-in amp voicings and effects (such as chorus, delay, reverb, wah and more). This is a perfect combo for all guitarists who want to discover new sounds without building a pedalboard from scratch!
FAQ
Where is Harley Benton HB-20R made?
The HB-20R combo is manufactured in China.
Where can I find the manual to that amp?
The manual to HB-20R model can be found here.
Where can I find out more about Harley Benton?
If you want to find out more about this manufacturer of guitars and amps, check out the official website of Harley Benton.
Summary
As you can see, Harley Benton HB-20R is a fantastic budget guitar amp. Although it’s not the best combo in the world, it gets the job done and it sounds surprisingly good. I’m positive that a lot of amateur guitarists will really benefit from adding it to their gear collections!
What do you think of that combo? Would you get it for yourself or do you think that it’s overrated? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for checking out today’s review, hopefully it was helpful and you found what you were looking for. If you’re searching for more gear recommendations, you may also like:
