Harley Benton CLG-650SM-CE BK SolidW B-Stock

I came to the CLG-650SM-CE wanting a comfortable, versatile acoustic that could cover fingerstyle, strumming and simple plugged-in gigs without sounding thin or brittle - and that’s exactly the design brief Harley Benton appeared to aim for. From my perspective this guitar aims to deliver a premium-feeling solid-top instrument in a compact grand-auditorium body with a Venetian cutaway, an armrest and a built-in Fishman-style pickup/tuner system, which makes it immediately useful for both home recording and small stage use. I used it across several weeks in rehearsals and at a couple of small, informal shows so I could judge both unplugged and amplified behaviour.

First Impressions

My first few minutes with the CLG-650SM-CE left me pleasantly surprised - the gloss top and black finish give a classy first look, and the body feels lighter and more balanced than many dreadnoughts I’ve handled, thanks to the grand-auditorium proportions and the added armrest. The neck felt familiar and friendly with a C profile and a slightly shorter scale that makes fretting and chord stretches easier for my hands; the nut width and string spacing also felt in a comfortable middle ground right out of the box. Setup was reasonable for a production instrument at this price - action and intonation were usable immediately, though I did tweak the truss rod and lower the saddle a touch for my ideal low-action preference. The built-in pickup and tuner provided an instant plug-and-play option and sounded natural in the midrange when I ran it through a small acoustic amp.

Design & Features

The guitar is a grand-auditorium/Grand Concert-style with a Venetian cutaway - ergonomically this translates to easy upper-fret access and a comfortable arm position for long playing sessions, which I appreciated during extended practice. The top is solid Sitka spruce paired with solid African A-grade mahogany back and sides, dovetail neck joint and a bone nut and saddle; these construction choices contributed to a focused midrange and a lively top-end that responds well to dynamics. The instrument ships fitted with a Fishman-style pickup system with a built-in tuner, mother-of-pearl dot inlays, composite (or HPL/composite) fingerboard and bridge on many examples, and closed chrome tuning machines - everything felt coherent and well thought out for the price point.

Playability & Comfort

Playability is one of the CLG-650SM-CE’s stronger suits - the slightly shorter scale and 43 mm nut width make barre chords and fingerstyle passages easier for me, and the neck profile sits comfortably in my palm. The bevelled armrest is a small ergonomic detail, but it genuinely reduced forearm fatigue during long strumming sessions and made the instrument more pleasant to play seated for hours. Frets were finished well on my sample with minimal sharp edges; after a minor setup the action felt low enough for fast fingerstyle work without fret buzz. A couple of players I know with smaller hands did comment that the neck feels a typical C-shape and can feel a touch chunky at first, but personally I adapted quickly and didn’t find it limiting.

Sound Quality - Acoustic

Unplugged, the CLG-650SM-CE leans toward clarity and midrange presence rather than producing thunderous low-end - the Sitka spruce top with scalloped X-bracing and mahogany body gives it an articulate voice that sits well in mixes and doesn’t fight other instruments. Fingerpicked passages ring with clear note definition and the transient response from the spruce top is quick and lively, while full strums sound balanced and controlled rather than overwhelmingly boomy. If you want an oversized bass response you won’t get that here, but for singer-songwriter work, studio takes and stage blending the tonal balance is very useful and practical.

Sound Quality - Amplified

The onboard pickup/tuner delivers a reliable, usable amplified signal - it preserved a lot of the natural midrange character I liked unplugged, and through an acoustic amp or PA it reproduced fingerstyle detail and strum dynamics with little fuss. I did notice that EQing the amp to add a touch of warmth in the low end makes a big difference for solo performance, because the guitar itself prioritises clarity over heft. Feedback control was straightforward at reasonable stage volumes thanks to the focused acoustic voice, and the built-in tuner is handy for quick checks before a set.

The Trade-Offs

There are a few realistic compromises - the bass response is not as deep as a full-size dreadnought, so if you need chesty low-end for certain styles you’ll want something bigger or to apply EQ. Some early samples can arrive with slightly high nut/bridge heights or factory setup quirks, and a quick setup from a tech or a careful adjustment will bring it into ideal playing shape, which is what I did. Also, while the composite/HPL fingerboard and bridge are robust and stable, a traditional ebony/rosewood top-end feel is a touch different - that said, the durability trade-off is a fair one for many players.

Real-World Experience

I used the CLG-650SM-CE in three rehearsal sessions and two small live slots over several weeks - it sat comfortably in a band mix and the plugged-in tone needed only small tweaks to EQ to cut through without being harsh. At home it was an excellent practice instrument and responded pleasingly to both light fingerpicking and aggressive flatpicking, while the armrest removed the small irritations I usually have with longer playing sessions. I also swapped strings on one example to my preferred set and it improved feel and tone noticeably, which is a straightforward mod if you have particular string preferences.

Final Verdict

Overall I found the CLG-650SM-CE BK SolidWood to be an impressive instrument for the money - it combines solid-wood construction, comfortable ergonomics and a practical onboard pickup system in a compact, gig-ready package. I’d recommend it to singer-songwriters, gigging musicians who need an articulate midrange-focused acoustic, and players who want a solid-top instrument without moving into a very high price bracket. If you’re chasing massive low-end or a vintage-specific fingerboard feel you might look elsewhere, but for versatility, comfort and amplified usefulness it’s a very compelling choice.