Get ready to divebomb and shred your way back to the 1980s without breaking the bank! Harley Benton has just unveiled two new additions to its lineup: the Harley Benton ST-80FR MN and the Harley Benton ST-80FR MN HH, both sporting a dazzling Radiant Red finish. These Floyd Rose-equipped electric guitars are designed for high-performance playing, offering the perfect blend of classic super-strat aesthetics and modern playability at an incredibly affordable price.
’80s Icon Reimagined: Built for Speed and Tone
Harley Benton has meticulously crafted these ST-80FR models to capture the essence of ’80s shred guitars. At their core, both models feature an American basswood body with a tapered heel and sculpted rear contouring, ensuring effortless access to the upper frets for blistering solos.
Roasted Canadian Flamed Maple
The bolt-on construction boasts a roasted Canadian flame asymmetric-C profile maple neck and a compound 12″–16″ radius fretboard with rolled fingerboard edges.
Players will appreciate the 22 stainless steel medium jumbo frets with rounded ends, making these guitars ideal for fast legato licks and three-notes-per-string runs.
Unlocking Tremolo Tones: Floyd Rose and Tesla Pickups
A true ’80s shredder wouldn’t be complete without a Floyd Rose locking tremolo system, and Harley Benton delivers. Both ST-80FR models come equipped with a Floyd Rose 1000 locking tremolo system and locking nut, allowing guitarists to perform extreme divebombs and vibrant flutters to their heart’s content.
H or HH Humbuckers
Powering these shred machines are Tesla humbuckers. The ST-80FR MN features a single, high-output Tesla Plasma-X1b Alnico V bridge humbucker. This pickup is voiced for aggressive gain, perfect for hard rock and metal, but it also cleans up nicely for more nuanced playing.
For those craving even more tonal versatility, the ST-80FR MN HH steps up with an additional Plasma-X1n Alnico V humbucker in the neck position.
This dual-humbucker configuration, along with a tone control and 3-way switching, allows players to blend warm, vintage-inspired neck tones with the searing bridge bite, or combine both for a rich, singing, and snarling voice.
Attention to Detail: Modern Touches for the Modern Player
Beyond the core specifications, Harley Benton has included several thoughtful features that enhance the playing experience. Both models sport chrome hardware, reliable Jinho locking tuners, and a fantastic addition for dark stages: glow-in-the-dark side dots.
Each guitar also comes strung with a set of Elixir Coated .010–.046 strings, ensuring excellent playability right out of the box.
Price and Availability
Ready to ignite your inner shred god? Both the Harley Benton ST-80FR MN and the Harley Benton ST-80FR MN HH are available now exclusively from Thomann. The single-humbucker ST-80FR MN is priced at an incredibly attractive €399, while the dual-humbucker ST-80FR MN HH comes in at just €449.
Harley Benton has also hinted at more finishes to come, so if Radiant Red isn’t quite your style, patience may be rewarded!
What are your thoughts on these new shred machines from Harley Benton? Let us know in the comments below!
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