Harley Benton CLG-70ASR CE NAT AllSolid

I'll start with the gripes, with the caveat that these are all minor and expected for a guitar at this price range. Guitar arrived playable but really showed its true potential after a visit to a luthier, the finish isn't perfect, mine has some pores that aren't filled properly but they are barely noticeable and mostly on the back. Its also a bit light which "feels" a bit cheap? But not massively, and my back is thanking me. On the plusses, it sounds great, both acoustically and through the pickups, its very bright and lively, perfect if you have a bass player. Its very well designed, strap locks in sensible places, a bass and treble control is very useful, especially to players like me who switch between fingerstyle and chords with a compressor. Very impressed. I do agree with other reviews that the fretboard is narrower than most acoustics but I really like it, those coming from electric will adapt to it quickly.

I've been a player since 1973. I've made guitars since 1990. I teach guitar. I bought this as I wanted a GP size guitar for teaching, and expected the quality to be OK. Apart from some open grain spots on the back, its excellent. The Machine heads are good, I like the fretboard and the bone saddle and nut. I like the clear crisp sound and the intonation is good now I've fitted a set of fender 11's to it. It's become my "go to" guitar at the moment. I don't use the internal tuner, but it does work. thats all I can say about it. For the money its such good value. It looks a lot like a Furch in design which cannot be a bad thing. I think that the only thing I don't like are the strap buttons, as being a poor design. But so easy to swop over. This is my second harley benton guitar.

Incredible value again from HB!

For context, I've been playing decades and own all sorts of instruments including some very high end USA guitars, and HB have done it again with this all-solid acoustic. Simply amazing value for money, with wood, construction and sound that is on par with guitars costing many times more. Needed a new acoustic for gigging that didn't matter if it gets knocked around and this is perfect for it.

Negatives - It's not flawless by any means but is par the course with any other Asian mass-produced instruments it seems these days. Tuners are stable enough once settled but the ratios and feel is a bit gooey and hit/miss and will be replaced with some locking tuners.
Some very minor finishing blemishes that you have to look hard to notice. Better finished than a 'top end' Indonesian Solar that I also bought recently.
Bridge saddle needed lowering by a few mm.
Fret ends could be better but are by no means sharp.

Positives - All solid wood construction sounds resonant and open already, with lovely, singing harmonics and clear note definition. Looking forward to it get warmer with time (please please please HB, make a cedar topped, rosweood back/sides grand auditorium with a wider neck!!!)
No dead spots or nulls in the lower range. The guitar feels sensitive and responsive to touch all over the fret board.
No choked frets even after I set it up low.
Body size and bevel is super comfy.
Piezo pickup very usable and not quacky at all once through an amp. Fwiw I use a full signal chain on it with compressor, gate, preamp modelling, EQ, modulation, delay and reverb before going to a cab. DI'd it still sounds like any other piezo so temper expectations here.
Smooth finish and very playable neck.
Price of course.

Maybe I got a lucky one, but this plays and sounds every bit as good as some very expensive Taylors I was looking to buy the other day. Swap the tuners out and set it up to taste and it's another no-brainer from HB. Excellent guitar.