Harley Benton BZ4000NT vs Ibanez SR300e

Which should I get?

  • Harley Benton BZ4000NT

    Votes: 3 33.3%

  • Ibanez SR300e

    Votes: 6 66.7%
  • Total voters
    9
Cannon1

Cannon1

Dec 29, 2019
42
9
2,551
#1
Hi all,
I have decided to buy one of these two basses. (Links to the Harley Benton https://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_be...MI6ZOy7t2D5wIVhLTtCh1ENw0DEAQYASABEgKk4vD_BwE and the Ibanez https://www.thomann.de/ie/ibanez_sr300e_msg.htm). They are exactly the same price and both are active dual humbucker basses with a three band eq, so this is a direct comparison. The main functional difference is the Ibanez’s ‘Power tap’ switch that allows you to go between humbucker, single coil and coil tap modes. How useful is this? This will be my only bass so versatility is the most important consideration. However I love the Harley Benton’s looks and don’t really like the Ibanez’s at all, which has some relevance. Overall what do you think about the tone and versatility of the two basses? Also I would like to say that I know that the Harley Benton is a great bass, as all of the reviews say, that is not in question so I don’t want brand snobbery to be a factor in this!
Thanks for all of the help!
 
#3
I just barely picked up the BZ4000NT. It looks and feels nice, but so will the SR300. I haven’t run it through a real amp yet but the pickups on the Harley Benton seem a little too microphonic...but maybe that can be cut down with a compressor? Either way I’d look into upgrading the pickups on the SR300 as well as the BZ4000, so that doesn’t make a ton of difference to me. I can’t compare ny BZ4000 to the SR300 because I’ve never played one (I have an SR750, and that’s in a totally different league) but either way you’ll be getting pretty entry-level tone that will likely be a bit dark and muddy, but you can always swap out pups and electronics in the future as your preferences change.

The Ibanez will have a thinner and faster neck with a rosewood fretboard and narrower string spacing as well as a satin finish on the neck. The Harley Benton will have a slightly thicker neck with a gloss finish and Ebonol fretboard and slightly wider string spacing. The Harley Benton is also neck through so the sustain is damn near eternal.

Either way you’re getting a great value. I’m an Ibby fanboi but I think you can’t lose with either. My BZ4000 is now my designated Drop-C bass and it took a 125 ga B string no problem. I’m gonna swap out the pups with something better in the future but other than that I’m gonna leave it as it is.
 
#4
As an update: nix what I said about the pups being a bit too microphonic. Running it through an actual amp was fine. Tone is still a bit muddy but it’s perfectly serviceable, especially for a bass in this price range.

also forgot to mention that though both basses have active electronics, the BZ4000 has a bypass switch (pull the volume knob up) and it’s 18v so it puts out the thump
 
#5
i bought a BZ- 5000, pretty bass, sounds ok, had to up-grade the bridge and tuners-and the frets are well done, not a fan of the so called wood used o the fret board, to be honest, I would fo with the SR300, but thats my opinion.
The BZ has became a project bass due that the resale on these are very low so im adding inlays and electronics up grades
https://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_benton_bz_5000_nt.htm
 
#10
I can't comment on the SR300 as I have an SR370 but I was blown away by the BZ-4000 when it arrived on Monday. I love Ibanez necks and the Harley Benton feels very similar, the sound was really good, I like the passive sound on it and the active actually overdrives my bass amp when switched on with the active on full which was a real surprise.
 
#12
Jazz Ad said:
I can't think of a good reason to ever buy a Harley benton rather than an Ibanez.
Click to expand...
Much better bang for the buck? My $200 CST-24T is the best playing guitar I own, and it actually sounds great (subjective obviously) too. There's not a $200 Ibanez on earth that would come close.

I have to assume that it would be a similar situation on the bass side. I have an SR300, but if I didn't fall into a smoking deal on a used one, I would have picked up a Harley Benton bass from Thomann.
 
#13
Jim85IROC said:
Much better bang for the buck? My $200 CST-24T is the best playing guitar I own, and it actually sounds great (subjective obviously) too. There's not a $200 Ibanez on earth that would come close.

I have to assume that it would be a similar situation on the bass side. I have an SR300, but if I didn't fall into a smoking deal on a used one, I would have picked up a Harley Benton bass from Thomann.
Click to expand...

agreed. I've become something of a Harley Benton collector lately and I'm just floored by their basses.

Meanwhile, my SR750, that is an excellent bass and I have loved dearly for a while, had gradually been collecting dust until I sold it yesterday.

It's really hard to top HB for value. Worst case scenario you have an excellent upgrade platform.
 
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